Celebrating in Blue

Celebrating in Blue

I don't have all the right words, but I do know my heart is still processing the past few weeks. I have been a little quiet on Instagram, and vaguely mentioned that I had a heavy week recently. Our framily group was rocked with the news that we lost one of our friends. I left work in tears after receiving the news, and had an emotional and weepy couple weeks. However, I am in awe of the never-ending support we all have for each other and we were fortunate to come together this weekend and have a celebration of life as she would have never wanted us to come together in sadness. I almost blubbered like a baby as soon as I arrived, but we focused on all the fun memories and her legacy of unconditional kindness she left behind. 


Everyone wore blue as it was her favorite color, and she was almost always wearing a shade of it. As we came together we reminisced and caught up with some friends we hadn't seen in years. It was truly good for the soul. 









Not much else has been happening as we stayed pretty quiet last weekend with the exception of grabbing margaritas at our favorite local spot, trying out new-to-us local coffee, and a stop by Nordstrom Rack where Lil' Miss was excited to pick out new sneakers for school. She begins VPK in a few weeks, and this momma heart can't believe it! 




And I am a wee bit excited that the Olympics have finally returned. The next 2 weeks will be all about watching the world's best athletes. My all time favorite is of course gymnastics, and the GOAT herself Simone Biles posted the schedule of when to tune in to both the men and the women's gymnastics events on her Instagram Stories which I screenshotted in addition to scheduling every moment to record on the DVR. 



What are you most excited to tune in for? Gymnastics? Same. We also enjoy diving, swimming, track and field, and beach volleyball. What I love the most is how excited Lil' Miss is for all of it as well. Raise 'em right! 


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Smooth Like Butter

Smooth Like Butter

What is a recent trend that took you a while to get on board with? For me it was biker shorts, and I'm so glad that I finally came around because they're insanely comfy and perfect for working out, lounging at home, or out running errands and grabbing coffee. I chose the Lula Biker Shorts in Ultimate Gray from Aikka Activewear, and LOVE that they're a women owned small business that uses high quality fabric and has affordable prices. Seriously - both the biker shorts and yoga pants further down feel and fit just like my much pricier lululemon pieces. Smooth like butter! Great products, affordable prices, and a feeling of confidence - yes please! 


Biker Shorts {only $28} | Sports Bra | Dolman Top | Sunnies




When the weather gets cooler (in like 4 months - ha!) I'll pair them with a pullover or slouchy long sleeve tee. I've also seen people pair biker shorts with a nice top, blazer, and heels and I have to say I kinda like it. 






I can never get enough of cozy athleisure pieces especially after all the extra time at home this past year. I mean who doesn't want to be comfortable?! Especially when you can easily transition from the couch to working out or heading out on a Target run. 


Cora Legging {only $36} | Yoga Mat | Sunglasses




Still laughing at the comments my long-suffering blog photographer husband made while snapping these pics - "Why are you smiling? Who smiles while they're working out?" And he couldn't be more right. The RBF is FIERCE when I'm working out or simply laying around - HA!










**Save 20% off any order with code KATE20 and also enjoy free shipping within the United States **


**This blog post is in collaboration with Aikka Activewear, however all opinions are my own.


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Ruffles and Dainty Gold Rings

Ruffles and Dainty Gold Rings

This past weekend was a sizzling hot one, and was spent in the pool and sipping on my favorite local cold brew coffee. Airy ruffled tops and dainty gold rings were on tap when not swimming and were perfect for this middle of summer weather in Florida. We headed to one of our favorite local spots for dinner one night, and you can even peep my mask hanging out of my pocket as I forgot to put it in my purse for pictures. Blogger fail - ha! We went for a nice walk around the lake across from the restaurant after we ate to work off some of the delicious food. Soaking in these longer days and all the sunshine as I am never one to rush in fall and the shorter days. 






Other recent happenings - our sweet pup turned one! She's still very much a puppy and super energetic! I headed out to the doggy bakery, and picked up her up a mini cupcake and a birthday bone to celebrate her first milestone. Lil' Miss was very excited to give her doggy one of her birthday treats. I honestly don't know which one was more excited - two happy girls for sure! 









**This blog post is in collaboration with Responsival, however all opinions are my own.

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Double the Celebration

Double the Celebration

My heart is officially full after reuniting with some of my favs. We had not 1 but 2 birthdays to celebrate, and after not being able to celebrate their birthdays last year for obvious reasons it was a double-double celebration! 




**I just want to add a disclaimer here (as perception is almost never reality) that everyone is vaccinated, and several of us are also tested regularly for work. We've got a few actors who are tested daily before entering the set, some healthcare workers, and I get tested quite regularly for work events. I have joked that if I never get one of those swabs up my nose again it'll be too soon - ha! 




We headed to Downtown Orlando to DoveCote Restaurant which is a French-inspired spot with a gorgeous outdoor space. The birthday girls requested a table in the restaurant's courtyard, and we even had a personalized prix fixe menu which made it feel even more special. Cocktails were flowing, the food was DELISH, and the conversation was the sweetest part. It was SO good for so many of us to be reunited and it felt just like ol' times. We have seen each other here and there recently, but not all together like this which was the best.




I was also excited to break back out this floral maxi dress that I wore on vacation to Atlantis in the Bahamas in May. I know I share a lot of styled looks here, but I definitely shop my closet more often than not. 


Dress | Espadrilles | Sunnies | Lipstick in Pink Power | Double Ring | Necklace













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Fireworks and Brownies

Fireworks and Brownies

This is the part of summer where I start to get a little sad, because we've already blown through Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Don't even get me started on all the fall pieces that will be flooding our Instagram feeds thanks to the overhyped Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I received a catalog in the mail, and honestly am just "meh". Yep I said it. I'll also say the same thing I say every single year - I just can't get excited about the same ol' sweaters and boots in the beginning of July when summer is just really getting amped up. I will do my best to hunt for good deals on "you can wear now" pieces, but I'm not going to try and make it happen for the sake of affiliate clicks if I'm not seeing anything exciting. 


I want to hear from all of you though - how do you honestly feel about the sale? Remember outside of our blogging/influencer world most people are completely oblivious to the sale while we feel inundated with it. 



In other news, we've been pretty busy over here but laid low over the holiday weekend. Most of our friends were traveling, and my husband had to work a little due to it being quarter end and he's in finance. So, I took Lil' Miss on a breakfast date and she also had a dentist appointment that she rocked (no cavities!). After picking her toy out of the treasure chest at the dentist, I treated her to a stop at Stackd Brownies where we took home 4 of their delicious flavors. 









Lots of pool time in-between the rain and of course lots of yummy grill food and fireworks. This was the first year Lil' Miss wasn't scared of the fireworks which was a huge win. She got her face painted, had some ice cream, and was excited when the show started. 














I've also had a pair of airpods on my wishlist for what seems like forever because I'm over getting tangled in cords when working out or while traveling. So, I was excited when Sudio reached out for a fun collab. They have several wireless earbuds and speakers available whether you're looking for a no-slip fit for workouts or noise canceling for traveling. Is anyone else singing Phil Collins right now? Su Su Sudiooooooo! Just me? 




I went with Nio in Sand instead of the basic white you usually see. These will be a game changer for my workouts (no more getting tangled up in cords while on the elliptical or Peloton), and also while trying to get some sleep on planes during overnight travel for work events. 




If you haven't pulled the trigger on wireless ear buds yet either like me, it may be hard to figure out which ones will fit you best. The Nio model is affordable at only $89, and they are best for exercising. While the Ett earbuds are $129 and better for noisy environments with active noise canceling and a complete seal of your ear. 

Even better is you'll save an extra 15% off any order with code fashionista21 - time to say goodbye to tangled wires and hello to a seamless experience while on the go. They are also including the above reusable tote with all orders while supplies last. Great for groceries or heading out pretty much anywhere. 







*This blog post is in collaboration with Sudio, however all opinions are my own.