Between all stress (low points) and all the travel (high points) in recent months, we've managed to squeeze in some fun at home too including trips to the beach, ice cream dates (yum!), and trying out new to us recipes at home.
On Father's Day weekend, we headed out to the beach to break in our new beach shade. It only took a few minutes to set up, and it worked with the wind to provide shade and UPF 50+ sun protection. I was sweating while we were setting it up, but perfectly comfortable once I was settled into a chair in the shade and enjoying the sea breeze.
Everyone walking on the beach stopped to check out this poor puffer fish that had washed up onto land. He freaked me out at first, but then I found him fascinating.
After the beach, we headed over to our favorite post-beach restaurant on the intracoastal for an early dinner and pelican watching in the marina.
Mid-week ice cream dates with my best girl have also been on deck, and I've been excited to dive back into some brand partnerships after not having the time to focus on them for so long. The beach shade above is a game changer for our beach days, and we've been enjoying some new patio sips over a bottle of The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi.
Next week, I plan on recapping our Southern Caribbean Cruise which you may have seen snippets of on Instagram.
How has your summer (unofficial start to summer) been so far?
Have I seriously not recapped our 4th of July weekend yet? Whoops. I'm settled back into my new-old job, and am honestly happy. I left for multiple reasons a little over a year ago, and all roads led me back to where I was truly the happiest. When they asked me to come back earlier this year I was thrown off guard, but let it marinate for a while and realized it's where I belong career wise. With that said, things have been back to super crazy busy just as I remember hence my absence here on my little slice of the internet.
We kicked off the holiday weekend with dinner and margaritas at our favorite local spot and lots of pool time of course. I also did my best to make sure Lil' Miss and I were rocking red, white and/or blue all weekend. I paired this knotted tank with an oldie but a goodie white denim skirt for dinner, and it was super comfy.
We headed to a friend's house for 4th of July festivities, and ended up staying to watch the fireworks from their hot tub since it was raining at the park we were going to go to. Hot tub views > sitting at a park.
The following weekend, some of the girls went out to celebrate our two July birthday babes and experienced High T for the first time.
A beach day is also always a good idea. We headed to New Smyrna Beach for the day one Saturday before stopping off at our favorite Tiki Bar and Grill on the intracoastal for a late lunch/early dinner.
July of course included trips to Universal, and we are thoroughly enjoying our 2nd year as annual passholders. Lil' Miss gets upset on the weekends we don't end up going. Our little thrill seeker! We have our favorite rides and go-to bartenders at certain spots and know when the wait time is just not worth it. The Florida summer heat is no joke though, so I scooped up this romper which was light and airy paired with sneaks. We also started using these cooling towels which are a game changer! I have no shame walking around with one on my neck.
And who would I be if I didn't see the Barbie Movie opening weekend. I was hesitant to bring Lil' Miss due to the PG13 rating, but it was for suggestive language that would go right over her head which it totally did. So, we donned our pink and headed to the theater for a mommy-daughter date. I hadn't been to the theater in YEARS and was pleasantly surprised that they now have luxury recliners. YES please!
A selfie with a mouth full of popcorn and a stop for Barbie ice cream after was on the agenda. The perfect Sunday afternoon.
We enjoyed another glorious weekend outside, and of course celebrated Easter. We kicked off the weekend on the patio dying Easter eggs and making appetizers for dinner before heading to the beach on Saturday.
We finally put our new beach wagon cart to good use, and it was a total game changer! SO nice not to lug our beach chairs, umbrella, beach buckets and toys, etc... plus Lil' Miss had a lot of fun "helping" pull it down the beach. We've been wanting one for years, and finally scooped one up a few months ago. Now I'm wondering why we waited so long to get one...
I tried out my new Sunscreen Dropsfrom Veribella, and loved how easy they are to apply by using the applicator to add a few drops to your skin then rub it in for full coverage. We all used it for sun protection, and my favorite part is that it's CLEAN ingredients. While we're trying to protect our skin, we shouldn't be subjecting ourselves to other bad chemicals.
I am totally here for clean beauty, and these drops are formulated with hyper-clean ingredients. This formulation is designed to be worn daily and provides SPF 50 protection from UVA, UVB, and Blue Light. Yes please! It fits right in my bag when we are heading out, and easy to apply when lounging by the pool or at the beach. A few drops and I’m ready to fully enjoy outdoor living.
Ready to practice safe sun? Save 20% off your order with code GREENFASHIONISTA
Once we packed up at the beach, we headed to our favorite spot on the water for a late lunch at Outriggers. While we waited for an outdoor table, Lil' Miss enjoyed watching the boats and the pelicans while my husband and I enjoyed a drink from their tiki bar. Their Mai Tai on tap is a must have!
Before we knew it, the Easter Bunny had arrived! Lil' Miss rolled the stone away on her Easter scene diorama, put on her beautiful new Easter dress from my parents and excitedly headed down the stairs to dig into her basket and hunt for eggs. We usually hide the plastic ones inside, and the real ones that we dyed previously outside so she's treated to not 1 but 2 egg hunts.
I finally did it guys - I caved, and picked up my first pair of non-skinny jeans. This millennial still highly prefers the more tailored and slimming look of skinny jeans, but had fun taking my first pair of boyfriend jeans out for a spin to go to dinner the other night. I chose this pair because they weren't super baggy in the waist area, and I liked the distressed look and that they were cuffed which pairs great with heels, sandals, or a comfy pair of sneaks.
On Tuesday last week, we took the day off for my birthday and headed out to the beach. We lucked out with beautiful weather, played in the waves, and grabbed some lunch on the water. Just what I needed to melt away some stress mid-week. Oh and a box of Crumbl Cookieson the way home - YUM!
And speaking of birthdays, I received the sweetest surprise in the mail from Andrea. So many fun goodies, and she even included a pack of stickers for Lil' Miss who noticed them immediately and squealed!
I find myself gravitating more and more towards all the ruffle details lately, and am not sure if it's more my way of being super excited about spring and summer style or I'm adding a dash of preppy to my personal style. My love for all things sparkly hasn't gone anywhere as you can see in this metallic ruffle top. It pairs great with pull on shorts, and when we head back to the office it'll also go great with a pencil skirt or dress pants.
On Saturday, we made our first beach trip of the year and yes more ruffles came along for both myself and Lil' Miss. We played in the sand and the waves, and someone ordered a Ninja Turtle ice cream bar when the ice cream truck pulled up right near where we were set up for the day.
Toddler Anchor Suit with peplum detailing {only $15}
After the fun in the sun, we headed over to Outriggers Tiki Bar for a late lunch. We enjoyed the water views while waiting for a table, and everything totally hit the spot. Can we talk about how proud I am of Lil' Miss that she always orders her kids meal with fruit instead of fries? Not to say she doesn't steal any off our plates, but girlfriend goes to town on her fruit before touching anything else.
 and all the travel (high points) in recent months, we've managed to squeeze in some fun at home too incl...){kind=link}
