HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Helloooooo and Happy New Year's Eve! I'm so excited to start 2026 off and had to wish you a quick Happy New Year! I hope you have a safe and fun New Year's Eve with all of your loved ones. Cheers to one last hurrah with all the yummy foods, desserts, drinks and delights! As usual, I'm way past the point of return on Christmas cookies and candy... I've been slowly weaning myself off of them this week. The strategy is to just start eating a little bit less each day LOL. Despite that, somehow we still ended up with Nothing Bundt Cakes for tonight?? I needed to use up some Uber cash today and the final consensus was to get bundt cakes for everyone, hah. Mine is the Oreo- it's so yummy! I'll enjoy my last few bites of 2025 and then we're diving into detox mode in January. 

What are your NYE plans- do you usually stay up until midnight? I'm a perpetual night owl but I had an early start today so I'm feeling pretty wiped right about now. We haven't even made it to 7 o'clock yet and I've already come close to dozing off twice- I need a power nap! I'm spending the evening in with all my people with chili, snacks + appetizers! If there's good food + company, it's always a good time! 

On one last note, I'm so grateful to have you here and I can't wait to see what 2026 brings all of us! I think a lot of us would agree that 2025 was an interesting year. Like every year, there were and always are ups and downs. Some years, you're up in the ups, others you're up in the downs. Despite that, I've always believed that we all still have much to be grateful for. It's nice to spend a little time reflecting on the previous year and to start the next year off in a positive headspace. Also be sure to open your door at midnight to let last year out! Here's to the start of a wonderful year full of love, health, wealth and prosperity in all things. I'll see you on the other side! ;) 

Do you have any New Year's resolutions? I'd love to hear what they are!! -xx.

THE BEST END-OF-THE-YEAR SALES 2025

Hello hello! With just a few days of 2025 left, there are a lot of great post-holiday and end-of-the-year sales happening right now. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones and some time off of work to rest + relax. Sadly work resumed on Friday for me, however I did take a few days off from posting here on the blog. It was a nice to just soak up the holiday weekend + recover from working in retail ;) 

Despite all of the pre-Christmas spending, I do love a good sale and I'm definitely feeling the shoppies right now! I thought I'd share all of my favorite sales + a few purchases I'm making to start off 2026. 

My main priorities going into the new year are to focus on health/wellness + to start reading more books. After all of the holiday indulgence, I'm looking forward to a "diet" reset, if you will. I've about reached my limit on sugar so I'm hoping that will help me to start the year off eating cleaner. I'm also looking to add in a few more workout days- currently I try to work out at least 2x per week and I'm also active/aim for 10,000+ steps on most days. Lulu got me with their end of year sale- they have a great selection of items on sale right now so I snagged a few new matching outfits + some new sweatshirts. I'll try to link everything I purchased below! 

I also snagged this cozy sherpa pullover on major sale from Athleta. I've never purchased anything from them before but an ad got me! It was only around $50 and I love a good sweatshirt/pullover to throw on in the cooler months. If you've tried any of their workout gear, let me know your thoughts! I'm always looking for new leggings/tanks/sports bras/etc. 

Another priority going into 2026 is to stay consistent with supplements + vitamins. I've been enjoying the Mary Ruth's gummies- I have this daily multivitamin + this one for hair/skin/nails. Usually the new year is a great time to stock up- I know Amazon + a lot of the big stores tend to run deals on health/wellness items so I'm keeping an eye out. I'm also thinking of adding a new fish oil supplement to my routine- I think some additional Omega 3s would be a great addition. I've been eyeing this one. 

So far those are my purchases + wish list items. I'm always tempted to buy new books but I have a pretty large unread pile to give some attention to... I'm also very tempted by the Aritzia sale! I always have wish list items there, hehe. After my Lululemon splurge, I'm pacing myself but there's something to be said for finishing the year off with a bang! ;) 

THE BEST END-OF-YEAR SALES

+ Abercrombie (25-50% off almost everything) 

+ Agent Nateur (up to 25% off site wide) 

+ Amazon (select sale items up to 40% off site wide)

+ American Eagle (40-60% off almost everything)

+ Anthropologie (extra 50% off sale)

+ Aritzia (up to 50% off everything) 

+ Armani Beauty (30% off site wide) 

+ Athleta (extra 30% off sale styles) 

+ Bloomingdales (save up to 65% off already reduced styles)

+ Dermstore (up to 40% off site wide + an extra 10% off sale items with code EXTRA10)   

+ DNDGEL (60% off faves + 50% off everything else)

+ Leatherology (up to 60% off select sale styles) 

+ Lululemon (500+ items on markdown) 

+ Macy's (specials site wide up to 60% off)  

+ MAC Cosmetics (30% off sale items)

+ Nordstrom (up to 60% off select items)

+ Old Navy (sale items site wide + extra 15% off orders of $80+)

+ QVC (specials site wide) 

+ Ring Concierge (select items up to 50% off) 

+ Sephora (extra 20% off sale items with code BONUS20)

+ Target (select deals site wide)

+ Ulta (50% off select daily beauty steals)

+ Urban Outfitters (extra 40% off sale items) 

+ Vans (extra 40% off sale items)

+ The Vitamin Shoppe (select sale items; 10% off $65, 15% off $80, 20% off $100 + 25% $150)

-SHOP MY SALE PURCHASES HERE-

What are your NYE plans this year?

I love sharing my favorite sales with you! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping. Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING: CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Happy Christmas week! I have some updates on Christmas movies!! Right now we are in it with the Netflix/Hallmark Christmas movies- light-hearted, slightly cheesy rom-coms that we all know and love! I've been watching them while wrapping presents and working on my Christmas puzzle. From my "What I Want to Watch on Netflix: Christmas Movies" post, I checked off both Champagne Problems and A Merry Little Ex-Mas. Both were cute- A Merry Little Ex-Mas definitely has the cheesy moments but I loved getting to see Alicia Silverstone back on the screen! Minka Kelly was also great, she's always so ethereal. I would've liked a little more drama or oomph for the ending of Champagne Problems, however I have no regrets and I liked a lot of the supporting characters. I have similar feelings about A Cowboy Christmas Romance. I think both were just a bit anticlimactic for my liking! 

A pleasant surprise in the mix was Christmas at the Chalet. I started this one on a whim and it's been my favorite one so far! I also had no clue Teri Hatcher was in it until I started watching. She was great- the storyline is really cute and I loved her character! The energy she has in the movie is so bubbly and fun, I was entertained the whole time. Definitely a feel good worth watching. I started A Sprinkle of Christmas because I love any cooking/baking themes but I couldn't really get into this one. 

Switching gears to Amazon, I randomly started A Cinderella Christmas which was so cute! The OG A Cinderella Story is a forever fave but I had zero expectations on what to expect here, definitely a pleasant surprised. I really think that the leading characters can really make or break a film- Emma Rigby's character, Angie, was lovely and really carried the movie IMO. Very charming, sweet and wholesome! 

I think that covers everything I've watched so far... I'm excited to dive into some of the "Classics" next! Every year I also love re-watching all of my faves like Christmas With the Kranks, This Christmas, The Family Stone, etc. 

Wishing you a wonderful week and a Merry Christmas!! - xx. 

END OF THE WEEK THOUGHTS | 12.19.25

The Christmas countdown is on! How are we doing, is everybody ready? I've been taking more of a laissez faire approach with the holidays this year. I haven't felt as pressured internally to shop shop shop and do all of the holiday things. I'm not feeling bah humbug, just more of a "it'll be what it'll be" vibe. It always ends up coming together in the end, no? We've just been going with the flow this year, ya'll, which has made a huge difference. I feel so much lighter, mentally, and just less stressed over all. Love that for me! ;) 

Obviously I love Christmas so I'm still excited for the upcoming week! I think the difference this year is we're just trying to keep it fun, ya know? I'm hoping to finish up all of my shopping this weekend and if I were smart, I would've started wrapping gifts weeks ago, lol. If push comes to shove, we always have gift bags!

Maybe I'll have a wrapping party and start my next Christmas movie. I finished watching Champagne Problems this week which was pretty cute- I like Minka Kelly. I also started this Christmas puzzle and made some Santa's Cookies tonight so we're staying festive. It's crazy how quickly the time has passed this season- every year it seems to go by a little bit faster. Here's to a few more festive days before the start of 2026! 

Wishing you all a fun and festive weekend! -- xx.

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

DECEMBER BOOK HAUL

I'm always excited to share a new book haul with you!! Anytime Target or Amazon has a sale on books, I try to buy a few from my never-ending TBR list. Right now I'm making my way through a re-read on Eclipse (I've been on a Twilight re-read + re-watch these past few months!), however I want to squeeze in a few fun holiday reads before Christmas. I always love a festive romance for the holidays- I need easy and lighthearted this time of the year!!

You may or may not know that I usually like to go into books blind without much to go on. Rarely do I read through a synopsis and if I do, it's usually forgotten about it by the time I get around to buying/reading the book. Because of that, I have no idea what any of these are actually about, lol. Most of the time I find new recommendations based on ratings, new arrivals or if I keep seeing them pop up often in TikTok videos, on Goodreads, etc. 

I love a good holiday rom-com so when I saw both Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal and Good Spirits on the newly released/coming soon page a few months back, my attention was grabbed. I'm always drawn to cute cover art! Fast forward a little bit and both of these have been getting some great reviews which is always a green light. The only intel I really have is that Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal is technically a spin-off sequel with secondary characters from the book How My Neighbor Stole Christmas. I contemplated reading it first, however I decided I wanted to start with the new one. 

In the past I wouldn't have been able to do it! It would've drove me nuts to read a sequel without reading the first book. Now, I'm a lot less rigid on that and decided does it even matter?? I've never really been a huge fan of spin-offs- the first books are always the best IMO and the supporting characters typically aren't as interesting to me. 

I'm kind of old school in that I love a classic, regular series where all of the books continue the same plot + story. Those I would have to read in order! In this case, I'm feeling the vibes on book two so we're starting there! Also who knows- maybe I'll love it enough to go back and read the first one too, haha. 

I also finally picked up Mile High by Liz Tomforde. This book has been on my wish list for so long and is constantly raved about on TikTok. I vaguely remember reading the synopsis on this- I'm pretty sure it takes places in Chicago and our male lover is an athlete. That's about it! It's also part of a spinoff series, lol. I may or may not read the sequels but I'm at least excited for this one!! 

-SHOP THE POST-

**SHOP THESE BOOKS + MORE OF MY READING LIST HERE**

*ADD ME ON GOODREADS HERE :)*

What books have you been reading?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I WANT TO WATCH ON NETFLIX: CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Every year I wait too long to start watching Christmas movies, I usually end up watching more after Christmas than before. I always have big ambitions to tackle both my favorites + new ones, however time seems to slip away. This year I'm pushing myself to start early and we're kicking things off with all new (to me) movies. I perused Netflix and found these starting picks- a few are new 2025 releases and some older additions that look promising!

From the new and trending, my three picks are: Jingle Bell Heist, Champagne Problems and A Merry Little Ex-Mas. I've already heard positive feedback on Jingle Bell Heist which looks cute. I like that the storyline is a bit different than a lot of the Netflix/Hallmark rom-coms, I'm excited to watch! Champagne Problems and A Merry Little Ex-Mas I was pretty much sold on when I saw Alicia Silverstone and Minka Kelly. Alicia will always be my fave!! 

I watched a few different trailers of older movies I've never seen and both A Lot Like Christmas and The Noel Diary made the list. A Lot Like Christmas is giving classic Netflix Hallmark, The Noel Diary is a bit more dramatic. I typically go for lighthearted and fun on Netflix, however the more heartfelt movies usually end up on my favorites list. I like a little bit of sentimentality thrown in there too! 

NETLIX CHRISTMAS MOVIE WATCH LIST

+ Jingle Bell Heist
+ Champagne Problems
+ A Merry Little Ex-Mas
+ A Lot Like Christmas
+ The Noel Diary

Let me know your favorite Christmas movies so I can watch them too!

HOLIDAY SNACK FINDS AT TARGET

All of the fun holiday food and snackies are now finally hitting the shelves in stores! This is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. It's always a good time stocking up your favorite holiday snacks + it's a given that you have to try out some new ones every year too! I'm still keeping an eye on what else comes out but I wanted to share what I've found so far. I know seasonal items usually sell out fast so you have to jump on them early!

Even worse is when you can't find something to begin with! Last year I looked EVERYWHERE for the Nestle Santa's Cookies cookie dough and it was nowhere to be found in my area/region. I was devastated, ya'll AND super pissed off at the grocery store/Wal-mart/Target buyers for my town, lollllll. Arguably this might be the most viral cookie dough I've seen over the last 5-10 years (and just sounds amazing?!) and NOT ONE of them thought let's add this to the lineup?? STRAIGHT TO JAIL. 

I wasn't playing around this year and thank goodness neither were the folks at Target a few towns over!! I happily drove myself on over and WE GOT THEM! I TOOK NINE (*four*) so it better live up to the hype! In all seriousness, I'm so excited to finally have them and I know they'll be delicious!

A favorite from last year that I repurchased are these adorable Holiday Ritz Crackers. I loved these! From what I remember, they aren't really like the regular Ritz crackers. I think the texture and taste is different but still yummy and so cute. I love making the crispy Boursin cheese during the holidays and these go great with it.

I also found a lot of the holiday versions of things I already enjoy. Outside of a Reese's cup, the Sander's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels might be my favorite candy. They're such a simple concept that they make just right. For the holidays, they released this Dark Chocolate Peppermint version as well as a White Chocolate Sugar Cookie. The Candy Cane Icebreakers are also back- definitely worth buying. 

Clean Simple Eats came out with some holiday flavors in their protein powder: White Chocolate Peppermint and Snickerdoodle. I love that Target sells the single packs so you can try out the flavor. I also loved this little Nello Calm kit- it has the Raspberry Lemonade, Blue Coconut and seasonal Spiced Apple. It didn't make it in the photo but I couldn't pass up the Barebells Peppermint Bark protein bar- they are my favorite and I've never had this flavor. 

Also new to me are these Heavenly Hunks. I've always wanted to try them out and this new Cranberry White Chip flavor sounded yummy! Very fun and festive! 

-SHOP THE POST-

What are you favorite holiday snacks?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

WHAT I WANT TO READ | HOLIDAY BOOKS

HOLIDAY READING LIST:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

+ Good Spirits by B.K. Borison 

+ Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn 

+ He See You When You're Sleeping by Alta Hensley 

*SHOP THE POST + ALL OF MY READING LIST HERE*

What are you reading this month?

PS-- I'm also on Goodreads if you want to add me here :)

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween!! We got lucky with a Friday Halloween this year- it's always more fun having holidays on weekends. I hope you're having a spooky time full of fun and food. The snackies are always the best part IMO! I'm giving myself the rest of the weekend to put down some Reeses' and then we need to do a little sugar detox. I also think the universe is trying to give me a leg up because my Nothing Bundt Cakes already sold out of the Reese's Oreo Bundtlet... womp womp. I planned to do a review for you but we'll just have to catch it next time!

Not too much to chat about today, just wanted to say a quick hi and Happy Halloween :) Ya'll know Christmas is officially ON starting tomorrow so we've gotta soak up the last little bit of Hallow today! Practical Magic and the Sephora sale are calling my name, I'll chat with you again on Monday. P.S.-- if you're also shopping the sale, my picks are linked here ;) 

Hope you have the best weekend!

WHAT I'M WATCHING FOR HALLOWEEK

Happy HALLOWEEK!! It's one of the best times of the year and outside of Christmas, my favorite holiday- "Halloween is cool." I have to squeeze in all of the last minute Halloween things this week which definitely involves watching some on brand movies/shows. I can appreciate a classic scary movie here and there, however that's not really my vibes these days. Growing up, I think most of the novelty of watching scary movies came from them being rated R, lol. I remember feeling soooooo cool that my mom and dad let us watch the original Halloween movie when I was around 10 or 12. We made a whole big to-do out of it and of course had to watch it on the big tv in the basement, however basements + scary movie + 12 year old KP = extra spooks, lol! I remember being paranoid my dad was going to sneak down and scare the crap out of us, lolllllll. 

Long gone are my scary movie watching days (honestly I really think The Grudge and The Ring did it for me), however I do still have a love for the classics. One day I'll go back and re-watch some of my faves- Halloween is of course one of the best, however I also always loved A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, etc.

My list for this week definitely has different vibes. The one "scary" movie I threw in is the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. I vaguely remember watching some of the originals... I wasn't as into them as some of the other classics. I saw the new one is currently on Netflix and because it has some of the original cast and Madelyn Cline, I *may* give it a go if I'm feeling extra festive, lol. 

Also on the list are Death Becomes Her, Practical Magic and The Craft because I have had these on my "Halloween watch list" for years now and every year I never watch them. I'll chalk that up to never being able to find them online, however this year they're all on streaming services I have. I will for sure watch Practical Magic - that one is top of the list. Death Becomes Her is sort of a cheeky, horror-comedy drama? I can't wait to watch. I love Meryl, Goldie and Bruce! 

Twilight doesn't really need an explanation but I'm currently re-reading the book so I threw it on the list too. I'm almost done with my reread so I thought it'd be fun to also rewatch the movie after! I'd normally include the Harry Potter movies too but I'm on pause right now with my re-read/re-watch. 

Last on the list is A Discovery of Witches- a series I came across on Netflix. This one intrigued me and has a fantasy theme about witches/vampires/etc. I've never heard anyone mention it so I have no clue what to expect- have you ever heard of/seen it? The preview looked really interesting! 

HALLOWEEK WATCH LIST

+ Death Becomes Her
+ Practical Magic
+ I Know What You Did Last Summer
+ Twilight
+ A Discovery of Witches
+ The Craft

I doubt I'll make it through the entire list but I'm hoping to cross a few off! Let me know if you've ever watched any of these + what your favorite Halloween movies are!

What are your Halloween plans?

HALLOWEEN GIFT IDEAS

Skeleton Earrings // Reese's Halloween Shapes // Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Minalima edition) // Touchland Pumpkin-Tini Hand Sanitizer // Batcat Socks // Spider Web Flameless Candle // Skeleton Mug 

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

DRIZZILICIOUS PUMPKIN SPICE RICE CAKES REVIEW

Fall pumpkin reviews are back!! Every fall I love trying the new pumpkin flavored snackies out in stores. The Drizzilicious mini rice cakes are one of my favorite healthier snacks so a limited-edition Pumpkin Spice flavor was an immediate yes. I say this every year but pumpkin spice as a flavor is almost always a hit or miss for me. Usually I either love something or I hate it- the spice has to be just right. I like just a hint of spice but if it's giving too much nutmeg, it's a no go. I also tend to go for a sweeter pumpkin vibe- I bring enough of my own spice so we can't being doing too much! 😜

Alright, let's talk rice cakes. These passed the test, ya'll- they are good. They're exactly what I want and mentally expected they should taste like. The pumpkin flavor is definitely subtle and that spice flavor comes through, however it's more of a cinnamony vibe with just a hint of of those other pumpkin pie spices peeking through. Warm without being too spicy. The flavor is very reminiscent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for me. When I first tried them- my mind immediately went there. The funny thing though is that they're different than the regular Drizzilicious Cinnamon Swirl flavor and I also don't get that vibe from them?? This sounds a little goofy but I always pick up more of a ricey aftertaste with those- it almost reminds me of almond. I don't get that with these- just that subtle hint of spice which is perfect with the drizzle on top. That brings in the sweet factor which is perfect. Definitely ranking these higher than the Cinnamon Swirl and I'd repurchase again too! 

I also always throw out props for fun fall packaging- so cute and festive!! Half the fun is in the vibes, ya'll!!

I think you should be able to find the pumpkin spice flavor in most big box stores by now but if you have a hard time finding them and want to pay a little extra, you can order them online here! If you try them, let me know what you think!

What are your favorite pumpkin spice flavored foods?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

MCCORMICK FALL FINISHING SUGARS

Fall is in the air!! This week McCormick released a new fall line of finishing sugars. They first released Christmas flavors during the holidays last year which were all the rage. They went viral, sold out immediately and were being resold online for 3-5x the retail price. I was lucky to find them in one of my local grocery stores (read more in this post here) but I searched for weeks before finally finding them. When I saw the new fall collection was released yesterday, I immediately ordered them online here. I've already seen them go in and out of stock but as of now, all are available! If you want them, definitely jump on it and grab them fast. I'm sure as a fall item quantities are limited and that they'll sell out fast. You can order them by flavor here or buy all four flavors in this set here. 

For the new fall collection, there are three new flavors and one repeat from the holiday collection. New for this year is Apple Cider, Pumpkin Spice and Maple Brown Sugar. Salted Caramel came out during the holidays and is being re-released again. I've been the most excited about Apple Cider and Maple Brown Sugar! Pumpkin Spice is always a classic fall flavor (how can you not try it???) and because I like the Salted Caramel flavor from before, I decided to also rebuy it to have in the cute fall packaging. 

I haven't tried them on anything yet but I did a quick little taste test so I could give you some first impressions. Right out of the gate, my two favorites are Maple Brown Sugar and Salted Caramel. Both of these taste yummy and are sweet just like you'd expect. I'm a sweet dessert gal through and through so these are right up my alley. The Maple Brown Sugar isn't a very strong maple taste but I think it's a great universal flavor that would go with/on a lot. The Salted Caramel is just how it sounds- very sweet like caramel with an obvious salt note. A great choice to top coffees, hot drinks + more. 

I'm a little bit torn on the Apple Cider and Pumpkin Spice. These both have a very heavy spice base to them compared to the flavor of the sugar. I'm not entirely surprised for the Pumpkin Spice- some PS items go sweeter, others more on the spicy side. You never know until you try but in this cased, the PS definitely has a strong, spicier nutmeg note which isn't personally my favorite. I've never been a PSL fan and prefer more "sweet" pumpkin desserts so I may not be the best judge on this one. 

I was really thrown by Apple Cider though. While the drink counterpart has spices, it's always still very warm and sweet. This flavor (and the PS) do have some sweetness, however it also pulls more of a savory spice flavor to me. My initial thoughts went to almost a savory, pepper-like taste. Straight out of the container, it's giving a curry vibe versus a fall dessert vibe. At this moment, I'm sadly underwhelmed by these two. They're also both very similar in taste so I think you might either love or hate both. I can definitely pick up more of nutmeg note in the Pumpkin and maybe a tad more sweetness in the Apple, however both are very close to me. I'll be interested to try them out in and on some other items- we'll see if that changes the experience or flavor at all. 

One win all across the board is the texture of the sugars. I love that they use Demerara sugar for those bigger crystals and crunch. It also looks beautiful on top of baked goods, drinks + more! Once I really use them I'll definitely keep you updated and all in all, I'm excited to have them. I love anything fall + foodie so I couldn't pass these up! Definitely try them for yourself while they're in stock- I'll link them again here :) 

What's your favorite fall food/dessert?

**SHOP THIS POST + ALL FALL THINGS HERE**

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Happy Memorial Day, friends! I hope you’ve had a relaxing, fun weekend with some time off from work. Today we honor the fallen heroes of our amazing country and the ultimate sacrifices they made to secure and provide the freedoms we are fortunate enough to have everyday. 

While we all jump at the opportunity to have fun on holidays and long weekends, spend time with loved ones and indulge in yummy food, I always try to take a little time to reflect on the meaning of why and what we are celebrating. 

Unfortunately the world and country we live in today is full of adversity and division. It’s no secret that there is a lot of polarity, perhaps more than ever before. Regardless of politics and current events, our ability to have and express our viewpoints and opinions- both in agreement or differing-wouldn’t be possible without the freedoms we have to do so. I’m thankful to all of the brave men and women who have made this possible. It’s all too easy to look at what and who is wrong in our world but today, I think it’s important to remember what is right. I fully believe we can always find things to be grateful for, especially when they have been given to us at such a remarkable cost and sacrifice from these fallen heroes. We remember them a little more on this Memorial Day and all that was endured for this freedom. My gratitude also goes out to their respective families and loved ones.

On a silly note, it’s always nice having a few days off to relax and recharge! The food is definitely always the top highlight of a holiday weekend for me. Ya’ll know I had to kick off the start of summer with my favorite key lime bar recipe- I love this one from Tastes Better from Scratch. They are super tangy and refreshing- also so easy and delish if you love key lime pie. We also made BBQ sliders for dinner which fits all the fun holiday vibes and to really top things off, I’m finishing my weekend with National Treasure, LOL. All the Americana vibes today- Happy Memorial Day! 

Until next time, xx! 

THE BEST MEMORIAL DAY SALES THIS WEEKEND

BEST MEMORIAL DAY SALES 2025

+ Abercrombie (25% off everything) 

+ Agent Nateur (up to 25% off with code MEMORIAL) 

+ Amazon (up to 70% off Amazon Outlet + limited time deals)

+ American Eagle (30-70% off everything) 

+ Anthropologie (up to 30% off home items + extra 40% off sale)

+ Bloomingdale’s (25-65% off a large selection of items) 

+ Dermstore (save up to 20% off with code SUN + two free gifts with $225 purchase) 

+ DND Gel (40% off sale with code SUNNY) 

+ MAC Cosmetics (30% off site wide)

+ Macy's (25-60% off a large selection of items + site wide deals)

+ Madewell (25% off + extra 40% off sale styles with code LONGWEEKEND)

+ Nécessaire (20% off site wide) 

+ Neiman Marcus (up to 50% off designer sale) 

+ NEST (20% off + free shipping on all orders over $100 with code SUMMER20)

+ Nordstrom (half-yearly sale; up to 60% off select items)

+ Old Navy (50% off deals site wide)

+ QVC (1000s of holiday deals)

+ Sephora (up to 50% off select makeup, haircare + more)

+ Ulta (up to 40% off select items)

+ Urban Outfitters (up to 50% off select items)

+ The Vitamin Shoppe (25% off $125, 20% off $100 + 15% off $75 with code MEMDAY25) 

PS-- don't forget to use Rakuten to earn that cash back! If you haven't signed up, it's totally free and if you sign up with my referral code, you can earn an additional $30 of cash back on your first purchase of $30 or more! 

Are you shopping for anything?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Happy Valentine's Day, lovaaassss! After Christmas and Halloween, VDAY is my favorite holiday. You gotta love love, no? Regardless of whether I've been single or dating someone on Valentine's Day, it's always such a fun day for me. I'm a sucker for all of the cute lovey vibes and most importantly, the yummy foods. You don't have to sell me twice on sugar! I'll be back to grilled chicken on Monday but this weekend is fair game on candy, snackies + donuts! I also couldn't resist the KK Valentine lineup this year-how cute are these? The box + presentation is a 10/10.

On a real note, I wanted to just chat and wish you a Happy Valentine's today. I know not everyone loves today and it can be tough if you don't have a special someone (and *want* one, lol) and even more so if you've lost a special someone. This week my thoughts and prayers have been with family friends of mine who lost their husband and father. His funeral service was scheduled for today which is just awful and devastatingly difficult for everyone. Life always has a way of putting things in perspective and reminding you of what's really important. I took a few minutes today to reflect on how grateful I am to be able to spend today with the people I love most. Tomorrow is never guaranteed and unfortunately we never know whether we'll have another Valentine's Day together or not. 

It can be tough but circumstances like these remind me that the little inconveniences and annoyances of my life really aren't important. It's also just way more fun to embrace and focus on what's good and right now that is YOU. The real secret to Valentine's Day is that you always and forever have a Valentine- yourself. Sometimes you may be lucky enough to have multiple but the best and most important is you. That's why I always have the best day no matter what ;) Here's a little reminded that you should take the time each and every day to really appreciate and love yourself and then just add a teeny bit more on Valentine's Day- we all deserve love and to feel special. 

If you're single today, it also just might be your last Valentine's Day alone! How wild is it to think of that? I saw someone on TikTok share today that if you haven't found the one yet, your person's also out there right now wishing and waiting to buy flowers for you- how sweet is that! You've gotta love love, ya'll. 

Now it's time to end the day with a little r&r and maybe a fun rom-com? Robert Palmer's "Best Day of My Life" has also been all over my TikTok this week so now all I can think about watching is A Cinderella Story. Love ya mean it!

How'd you spend today?? LMK!

LOVE + RELATIONSHIP BOOKS TO READ IN FEBRUARY

In the spirit of February and Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share nine different books to read in the love + relationship space. A few of the books on this list I've already read, the rest piqued my interest enough for future reads. I haven't really dove too far into the "love and romance" book genre, however I find a lot of content I see about dating and relationships online to be super interesting and engaging. Reading wise I tend to gravitate towards more self-help, goal setting + personal improvement. That being said, it feels a little fun and festive to throw something new into the mix this month. I love embracing the holidays and theming whatever it is I'm reading or watching around them! Valentine's Day in particular has always been a fun one for me. 

All of these have great topics and interesting angles when it comes to dating + relationships. A few also hone in on our own personal relationship with ourself. Love that! In a lot of ways I guess these do cross over into "personal development" territory and for good reason: you have to love yourself well before you can love others. If you're looking to enrich your relationships in life, I think that all of these are great picks. I'm trying to decide which one I want to read next... 

The 5 Love Languages has been un-read on my shelf for at least two or three years now- maybe it's the month to finally crack it open? Lol. I'm also gravitating towards The Mastery of Love, I always love a little added wisdom! 

LOVE + RELATIONSHIP BOOKS TO READ THIS MONTH:

You can read the synopsis + shop each book by clicking on the title below: 

+ The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz 

+ The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene

+ 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty 

+ Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller 

+ It Begins with You by Jillian Turecki 

+ The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman 

+ Love Life by Matthew Hussey 

+ Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov

+ He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo 

Have you read any of these? If so, let me know what you think about them!

*SHOP THE POST + ALL OF MY READING LIST HERE*

PS-- I'm also on Goodreads if you want to add me here :)

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)