My Prime Big Deals

As we are preparing for Hurricane Milton, I'm also trying to see what deals I can secure before we possibly lose power for an indefinite amount of time. I'm of course hoping we don't lose power, but our area is expected to have widespread power outages. The generator will hopefully keep our fridge running so we don't waste any perishable food and our phones charged, and we'll use the grill to cook and have plenty of snacks and water. We are just praying there isn't any damage to our home, and of course for those who will be impacted the most over on the Gulf Coast. So heartbreaking. 

On that note - we were extremely fortunate that Hurricane Helene barely clipped us, but as Milton is continuing to build and barrel towards our beautiful state of Florida there is something different in the air this time. 

What is on sale on my Amazon Wish List

There is a lot of nitty gritty nooks and crannies around the house (I'm looking at you washing machine!) that need a deep cleaning beyond what good ol' fashioned elbow grease can accomplish, so I am finally springing for a handheld steam cleaner and love that it's a part of the sale. 

I'm a big Real Housewives fan (have been watching since RHOC debuted and started it all), and am a huge Teresa Guidice fan (love her and her dorters). If you follow her on social or her cooking YouTube channel you'll see how much she loves her vegetable chopper. I believe her chopper is from Pampered Chef, but I found a good dupe apart of the sale for only $21. Sold! Roll the flashback of when I got to meet her in Daytona Beach at a book signing circa 2013 and my blonde hair.

I've been swooning over this console table for years, and think it may be time to finally go for it. I'm thinking of using it as a vanity table. Thoughts?

I'm a stomach sleeper, and as much as I try to sleep on my side or my back I always feel the most comfortable on my stomach which leads to a lot of chronic neck and back pain. I'm hoping this pillow will at least help alleviate some of it. 

Some fashion pieces that have been on my wish list for a while are a part of the sale - this cutout dress is perfect for date night or to go in my suitcase for our next vacay and I have this romper in green and now want to scoop up the fun palm print as well. I'm also one of those moms that is in car line or running errands in athleisure, and sometimes it's so bad I'm happy to not get out of the car. I'd like to make a little more of an effort with tennis dresses like this. On certain days... ha! 

Lil' Miss and I enjoy lots of time together in the kitchen baking this time of year especially through the holidays, and these mixing bowls would be a great upgrade to our current ones. Love that they come with lids!

We go through a lot of cereal in our house for breakfast and snacking, and since I mostly buy organic cereal they tend to go stale quicker (no preservatives). These cereal containers should help them last a little longer. 

I'm looking forward to Lil' Miss being able to re-join her swim team (she hasn't been able to attend practice since her ear surgery last month, but should be cleared to go back soon), and she needs a pair of swimming fins as they practice laps. Of course she wants them in hot pink! 

Lil' Miss rarely orders lunch at school, and I usually pack her fresh lunches in her Bentgo box. I like knowing what she's eating, but of course don't mind her ordering pizza or chicken nuggets once in a while. Her Bentgo lunch bag is TIRED, and needs to be replaced. I picked this unicorn pattern with the dark purple colors so it won't get as dirty so quickly. And this reusable utensil set is perfect for her Bentgo box or with her thermos that I fill with leftovers sometimes. 

What are some sale items you're scooping up for Christmas gifts or simply to treat yourself?

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Home Office Refresh

I've been fortunate to work from home since the beginning of the virus that shall not be named, and worked on creating a space that I look forward to spending time in each day. Even before the pandemic, I was able to work from home once or twice a week and utilized this space but it was a blank canvas until I knew it was more of a permanent situation.  

Once it became evident that we were home for the long haul (no complaints here - I never want to work on site again!) I began updating the space with a new desk, desk chair, curtains, artwork on the wall, and of course all the fun accessories. 

One of my favorite items is actually hanging up on the wall - it's a push pin map of the world showcasing different color pins for the following: 

1. Places we have all been as a family

2. Places H and I have been together

3. Places I have only been to (i.e. work trips)

4. Places we haven't been, but want to get to in the near future

I love the thrill of adding new pins or changing out the color from "place we want to go" to "been there, done that". 

Real Life: A peak at what the office looks like most days includes notebooks everywhere, slippers strewn about, weights out for Peloton workouts that I squeeze in, drawings from Lil' Miss, to-do lists, and of course the planner which is always open to keep me on track. Oh and cords everywhere - still haven't figured out how to properly hide them since my desk isn't up against the wall. Oh well. 

Separation of church and state - the pink laptop to the left is my personal computer which I use for work outs, contract work, blogging, online shopping, paying bills etc... while the black laptop and monitor to the right are for work.

I'm fortunate to love what I do, and of course have many stressful moments. I believe having a space that you love and enjoy to come to each day is the key to keeping a fresh perspective and a positive attitude. 

 

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Recent Favs

I am in disbelief that Lil' Miss only has 1 week left of Kindergarten and we are celebrating my husband's 40th birthday. We are excited to check out a new-to-us destination in celebration of his milestone birthday, and I can't wait to recap all the fun. 

As we are preparing for our next trip and summer in general, I thought I'd round up some of my recent favorites. And can we talk about how I was annoyed that the Bentgo box that I picked up for Lil' Miss to take to school when she's not purchasing a hot lunch did not fit in her lunch box? I had to buy another lunch bag specifically made for those amazing Bentgo boxes (that I so wish we had when I was growing up!) Well she is obsessed with the mermaid print, and I have to admit I kind of love it. She'll be taking it to camp too over the summer. Win win!

I picked up this beach bag for our cruise in March and promised to report back on it being water resistant and won't get as dirty considering it's mostly white. This thing is a beast you guys! Not only did it carry everything when we got off on each island to explore, but it performed really well in the sand, at the pool and everywhere else. There are minimal marks on it and it still looks new! 

I had been drooling over these glitter pumps with the cutest pom poms for a while, and finally decided to scoop them up. On sale of course! 

With our frequent trips to Universal I needed a fun backpack, and was looking for the PERFECT one. It took a while, and then I saw this Hedwig backpack carrying a letter from Hogwarts and fell in love. She goes with me to each trip to the parks. 

Beach Bag | One Shoulder Bikini Top | Bentgo Lunch Bag {38% off} | Glitter Pumps {20% off} | Loungefly Hedwig Backpack | Kitchen Canisters | Electric Wine Opener

Flutter Sleeve Dress | Lace Midi Dress | Cutout Dress {15% off} | Sneakers | Pool Towel Rack

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Worth the Wait

Pinch me please! And not because it's almost St. Patrick's Day and I was caught not wearing green. We built (ok when I say "we" it sounds like we did all the work - obviously that is so not the case. I mean we went with new construction for our home) back in 2011, and were so excited to have a brand new home and to pick everything ourselves that we were unaware of how many things needed a little more thought and attention. We were basically kids buying our first house, and were amazed at how much more house we were able to get in Florida compared to where we grew up in Connecticut. 

Fast forward to a decade later, and we have been re-doing spaces that weren't done right the first time around. Exhibit A: our master closet. We had a builders grade rack put up all the way around, and that was it. No shelving, drawers, etc... it was a terrible usage of the big space. 

If you've been following along on Instagram, I've been documenting in Stories how we have been tackling a DIY master closet re-design. This is something I've wanted to do for several years, but couldn't stomach the cost of professional installation. It's seriously SO expensive, like I'm talking we could gut our kitchen for the same amount. Craziness! 

My husband mentioned a few months back that he could install it himself if we purchase closet systems from Home Depot or Lowes. I initially said absolutely not because I was afraid it couldn't be done, but I eventually warmed up to the idea and am SO glad I did! I'm already LOVING the newly transformed space. We ordered everything from Home Depot, and as the sections arrived, he worked on it here and there on the weekends or at night. 

BEFORE

As you can see above - the "before" photos are a cluttered mess and horrible use of the space. We had a builders grade rack going around the whole perimeter and that was it. No fun shelves or drawers, no tiered racks, etc... I even still had a plastic dresser that I used in college to move back and forth from the dorms. It was that bad...

DURING

AFTER

Here's a breakdown of the closet system pieces we purchased:

2 ClosetMaid White Wood Closet Systems - 1 for each side wall

2 Corner Closet Towers - 1 for each back corner - they made it easy to connect everything

1 Narrow Closet System for the back wall

2 Drawer Kits 

We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the materials and easy to follow directions and installation. After measuring, make sure you're ordering closet system kits that will fit your space appropriately and utilize the existing holes in the walls after removing what's currently there to locate the studs.

Real Talk: I don't want to paint the picture that this was 100% easy. It was much easier than I had originally thought, but we still hit a few hiccups along the way. 

Hiccup #1: Even after measuring the space, and researching pieces and systems online the rods for the closet systems we picked for both sides were about 1/2 an inch too short. SO frustrating! So, we ordered some extra rods which meant we were using 3 rods instead of 2 for each level of bars to hang our clothes up on. 

Hiccup #2: Since the rods were about 1/2 an inch too short that meant the boards that would act as shelves above the bars were also too short. We decided to scrap them, and only put shelves above the bars on the back wall. Thankfully, we have more than enough storage for our needs and didn't end up needing them. 

Hiccup #3: Speaking of the shelving boards - for the back wall they were too long so we tried a hack saw which wasn't doing the job, and ended up having them professionally cut at Home Depot. Insider tip - they cut them for free since the materials were purchased through their store. 

Another big bonus is while we were moving everything out of the closet and then back in after completion we were able to really go through all of our stuff and found plenty of items to donate. I dropped off a few big bags of clothing and shoe donations throughout the re-do, and it felt great! 

I also listed a few new items on Poshmark and some of his clothes are on there too. Has anyone else noticed it's much harder to move men's clothing on Poshmark than woman's? I think I've sold one pair of his jeans, and I end up donating his clothes when they have been sitting on the site too long without anyone interested. 

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Hidden Gem

Another beautiful weekend in the books, albeit a heavy one. All the emotions are flying high right now, but I am thankful that I was able to spend quality time with my husband while Lil' Miss enjoyed a gymnastics party at her gym (their monthly parents night out parties are GOLD!) and then on Saturday I spent quality time with my best girl and took her to the playground before having lunch at one of our favorite local spots. Lots of outdoor time and sunshine which is always good for the soul.

Floral Maxi Dress | Wedges | Camera Bag in Deep Marine | Necklace in Rose Gold | Lipstick in Twig | Baguette Ring

For date night we headed to the Tap Room at Dubsdread which is right on the golf course, and we even saw a wedding going on. We asked for a table outside with golf course views, and the weather was perfection. 

Then we headed into downtown for a nightcap to check out The Wellborn which is the cutest hidden gem that is actually a part of a boutique hotel, and has a beautiful courtyard and kitchen and bar. My girlfriends and I have been talking about checking out their brunch, but had to postpone. So, fingers crossed our schedules will align soon because I can't wait to go back. 

They have the prettiest cocktails, and even the bathrooms are super cute. I walked in, and not only did it not "smell like bathroom" but there was a bathtub filled with colorful ball pit balls. In my opinion it's a look don't touch situation because well it is a public bathroom. Ha! 

The next morning, I decided to skip my workout after throwing some laundry in and take Lil' Miss to the playground and out for some lunch. She was living her best life running around, going down all the slides and climbing to her hearts content. She makes me SO nervous with how high she climbs, but she's a champ. Mini cheeseburgers with a side of fruit instead of fries was her lunch order which didn't stop her from stealing some of my fries of course! 

We are ALMOST done on the DIY closet re-design. Just need to add the shelves above the bars in the back, organize a few more things and clear out all the tools. I couldn't be happier with how it came out, and am incredibly thankful that we didn't spend thousands of extra dollars for professional installation. It was daunting at first, but actually not that bad and SO worth it! 

If you haven't been following along on Instagram Stories, this is the before shot: 

This is something I've wanted to do for several years, but couldn't stomach the cost of professional installation. It's seriously SO expensive, like I'm talking we could gut our kitchen for the same amount. Craziness! 

My husband mentioned a few months back that he could install it himself if we purchase closet systems from Home Depot or Lowes. I initially said absolutely not because I was afraid it couldn't be done, but I eventually warmed up to the idea and am SO glad I did. We ordered everything from Home Depot, and he's been working on it here and there on the weekends or at night. 

As you can see above the "before" photo is a cluttered mess and horrible use of the space. We had a builders grade rack going around the whole perimeter and that was it. No fun shelves or drawers, no tiered racks, etc... I even still had a plastic dresser that I used in college to move back and forth from the dorms. It was bad...

I'll come back with final photos, and a breakdown of everything we ordered, what we needed and the roadblocks we ran into. 

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Favs from Last Month

I may be a little late to the game because hello 2nd week of February, but I thought I'd share some of my favorite purchases from January. Some have been total game changers, and others I wonder where they were all my life. 

Can we first talk about how much I want this virus that shall not be named to go away and never come back, yet I love love LOVE working from home every day. It's been amazing not rushing out the door each morning, working in loungewear, and having more time with my family. It has been absolutely priceless. Why some people are trying to rush going back into the office is beyond me. It's working so well, and so many people are much happier without the commute and are more productive at home. The fluorescent lighting and incessant chit chat at the office is for the birds! Why it took me over 10 months of working from home to finally purchase a new office chair is another question. Insert this beauty, and yes she's rose gold. I almost went with the chrome, but then realized I would have regretted not going with the rose gold. 

This dress which was perfect for brunch al fresco. It was made for french toast and mimosas - if not then it should have been! Now I'm just waiting for another excuse to wear it.

The perfect basic tee and jeans. It had been a WHILE since I picked up a pair of jeans that weren't distressed or had holes in them. As much as I still love my distressed denim, I am also loving the sleek look and fit of this new pair. Plus, they're comfy which is key because other than a dinner out here and there I'm living in athleisure. 

New sneaks for Lil' Miss - girlfriend tears up her school sneakers on the playground - she seriously has a talent for it. So a new pair were in order, and she loved that these were sparkly. Another Prime win! 

Whenever the day comes again where we hop on a plane and go somewhere fun, I'll be ready with a spinner luggage set in rose gold of course. My husband and I hadn't purchased new luggage since our first big trip together in 2009. It was time. Our old sets racked up a lot of mileage and saw some incredible places around the world, and I can't wait for the new pieces to see even more. 

I used to brag about how much an amazing sleeper Lil' Miss was. Other than the first several weeks when she was a newborn which are ROUGH with a capital WOOF - she's been an angel. She started sleeping through the night around 8 weeks, and had been a trooper ever since. She always went to bed and down for a nap without a fight. Fast forward to a few months ago where she started resisting bedtime, and getting up earlier and earlier. Showing up at our door crying or slamming things around in her room. We finally caved, and are trying one of the ok to wake clocks. She's excited about it, but still left her room to play in her playroom along with some loud (yet adorable) singing before it was "ok to wake" errrr leave her room. Hoping it begins working better soon. If you've tried this method - has it worked?

Luna (the new pup) has been growing so fast, and she has snapped not 1 but 2 retractable leashes so far. I decided to try out a more heavy duty retractable leash, and I could immediately tell it would hold up better. So far so good! Plus it was $10 off and free shipping on Prime. Another win-win! 

Current Score: Luna 2 and Us 1

What were some of your favorite January purchases?

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Summer Mondays

Are we really already at the mid-point of July? I digress... I still have trouble figuring out what day it is most days, and we are back to staying home as much as possible because Florida is out of control. Take out to support local restaurants, online grocery ordering with free pick up, and online ordering for everything else is where it's at. Is anyone else as upset as I am that Target doesn't include perishable items (and even some other random things that aren't food related) in their Drive Up orders? We used to do all of our grocery shopping at Super Target, and they've been losing a ton of money from us by not providing so many items with their highly advertised Drive Up service.

With all the time spent at home, we are still going on daily walks, spending lots of time splashing in the pool (Lil' Miss is officially a swimming champ, and I'm SO proud!), and treating ourselves to s'mores by the fire pit. I picked up these adjustable roasting sticks through Prime, and love that we no longer need to hunt for sticks in the woods or worry about them not being long enough for the fire's heat.

Marshmallow Roasting Sticks - only $16

We're still taking these Elderberry gummies in addition to our multi-vitamins. Every little bit helps right? Another great find on Prime, and they have the subscribe and save option to get us through this unprecedented time. 

I have been a huge fan of sparkling water since pregnant with Lil' Miss, as I was looking for something other than plain water after my morning cup of coffee and I was missing my bubbly so loved having something with a hint of flavor and bubbles and nothing artificial. Well, I've officially found my sparkling water soulmate and her name is LimonCello. I thought I loved Key Lime, but helloooooo LimonCello! Holy deliciousness! Don't walk, RUN to your nearest Target or Walmart for an 8 pack of this yummyness in a can.

Still loving this $16 tank which can be dressed up or down. I loved styling it with a pair of pull on shorts for margaritas on the patio a few weeks ago, but also am totally rocking it around the house with pajama shorts. It's that comfy! 

Have you read the Thousandth Floor series? When I got the 1st book, I had no idea it was a trilogy and then could not put the books down. The Towering Sky is the final book in the trilogy, and I love how it was wrapped up. Now, I'm just eagerly awaiting a tv series or a movie. 

H recently replaced our shower head in our bathroom, and I can't rave about this high pressure rain shower head enough. It feels like we're in a luxurious hotel! And since traveling is so not a thing right now (boo!), I've been LOVING the escape. Did I mention it was another Prime find, and it's only $30. 

We've been on a roll with house projects the past few months while at home, and decided to also freshen up the living room with new curtains. I didn't have the heart to throw away or donate the old curtains, so re-purposed them in 2 other rooms throughout the house that also needed a re-fresh. Now the curtains I thought I hated in the living room, I'm loving in the guest room since they compliment the bedding. 

It took a while for hair accessories to grow on me, considering I can't even curl my hair into nice waves (nor will they stay when professionally done). But I've been rocking the pearl barrettes for some time now, and am now eyeing these beauties. It's been so long since I've worn headbands, and want to bring out my inner Blair Waldorf. 

I also can't get enough of sundresses in the summer heat - I mean when I'm not in athleisure or bathing suits because let's face it I'm home and the key is comfort. A lightweight button front dress or a one shoulder dress which I've nicknamed my candy striper dress are perfect for the heat of summer and are super comfy.

In continuation of us working on updates around the house, we also noticed our patio loungers were in desperate need of replacing. We never got cushions for them (gasp!), and they were starting to rust which will lead to them eventually caving. Aside from sticker shock because I apparently live under a rock and was floored at how expensive patio loungers are, I also wanted to add a pop of color to the patio. These loungers were the perfect blue to compliment the tones of cream and brown on our outdoor area. They're also available in cream, dark gray, and rust orange. 

I love to support local businesses, and one of my favorites is Good Vibez Clothing Co. I discovered their cute shop at pop up events at my Bar Method studio, and have loved their gear ever since. For a girlfriend's birthday last week (screw you COVID for not being able to celebrate in person!), I ordered her the Manifest the Best tank top and their Royal Crest hat. She's super into yoga, loves positive messaging, and is a local small business owner as well. So I figured these pieces would be a slam dunk for the birthday girl. I also decided to treat myself to the Shimmer White Corkcicle to keep my drinks cold even in the heat. 

They're currently running a big sale on their site, and always offer free shipping throughout the United States. Use coupon code GREENFASHIONISTA20 for an additional 20% off your order in addition to their sale. 

In other news I made it to all my annual appointments before the huge surge around here - skin cancer check at the dermatologist (get your skin checked annually!), annual gyno visit (yippee), blood work from my annual physical, and Lil' Miss had a dental check up. It was a marathon, but glad they're done and we can hunker down at home. I've also been flexing my not so green thumb, and added a few planters full of flowers to the patio while H re-sanded the pavers on our front walkway. It's amazing the things you can focus on when you're not hustling and bustling everywhere. I've been enjoying actually enjoying our house - ha! 

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