THE BEST 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND SALES

WHERE TO BUY FOR 4TH OF JULY

+ Abercrombie (20% off almost everything + extra 15% off select styles)

+ American Eagle (30% off everything) 

+ Anthropologie (extra 40% off sale items) 

+ Bloomingdale’s (take an extra 30% off of items labeled EXTRA 30% OFF) 

+ Dermstore (save an extra 10% off sale items with code EXTRA10 + two free gifts with $175+ purchase) 

+ MAC Cosmetics (25% off & free makeup gift with $90+ purchase)

+ Macy's (extra 20% off select sale & clearance with code FOURTH)

+ Madewell (up to 60% off with code HOTDEAL)

+ Nécessaire (free The Body Wash gift with purchase) 

+ Neiman Marcus (earn a $50-$1,250 gift card on qualifying purchases with code NMJUNE)

+ Nordstrom (up to 60% off sale items) 

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

+ Tower 28 Beauty (28% off orders of $60 or 20% off everything)

+ Ulta (Big Summer Beauty Sale Event 6/25 - 7/15) 

+ Urban Outfitters (extra 50% off sale styles) 

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 extra $30 bonus on your first purchase of $30 or more! 

Are you shopping for anything?

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

CAT APPROVED MUST-HAVES

Cat Condo // Fleece Throws (his fave + super affordable!) // Cat Toys (Eddie had a larger version of the Rosé bottle + loved it!) // Cat Scratcher House (we went through tons of these over the years) // Crown Bed // Cat Arch // Pet Steps // Breakaway Safe Cat Collar // PureBites Freeze Dried Cat Treats

Yesterday evening my childhood cat Eddie crossed over the rainbow bridge. Losing a pet is HEARTBREAKING, especially after fourteen years. My heart is sad, however I have some peace and comfort knowing it was time for him to go. Eddie was the best kitty-- always super sweet and bonded to me growing up and over the years. He definitely went through some ups and downs fighting hyperthyroidism and a myriad of digestive issues throughout his life. Together we went through these periods of ups and downs but he always hung in there and was my big and strong boy. Like many times before, last week he wasn't feeling good. Normally he will bounce back after a few days, however this time God decided it was time for him to go. 

When you deal with a sick animal, in a lot of ways it becomes a relief for them to move on. It's terrible to see them struggling and feeling bad. Although I'd love more than anything to have a healthy Eddie back, I'm glad he isn't suffering or sick anymore. I will say it's a little bit weird to no longer have a cat now, though. For most of my life, we've always had a cat in the family. I'll never forget how our first kitty Scooter found us. I was OBSESSED with cats as a child and I ALWAYS wanted one. My parents were never cat people (aka not on board with getting a family cat) but the Lord had other plans and must have been looking out for me! ;) 

When I was around nine years old, there was a wild stray in our neighborhood that would roam around and get into a lot of the houses being built at the time. We would always see her out and about with kittens, however one day she left US a surprise litter in the front bushes of our house. A few days later, they all disappeared except for one little siamese kitten. He was left behind and after waiting a day or two for her to come back for him (she didn't), my parents decided to take him in to the shelter. Little did they know, he was too young and they wouldn't take him until he reached around six weeks old. He was tiny. So tiny, he could fit in my dad's hand. We had to buy kitten milk to bottle feed him and because he was so young, baby wipes to help him use the bathroom. Of course by the time he was actually old enough to go, there was no chance in h*ll that was happening. Lol! I was already won over the day we found them in the yard, but after bottle feeding a tiny kitten for weeks, Scooter won everyone else over too. He was the best kitty too and stayed with us until 2015. 

Fast forward to six years after getting Scooter, my parents decided they wanted to adopt another kitten. ALL ON THEIR OWN, ya'll. Crazy, huh? I'm telling ya'll-- the Lord works in mysterious ways! Little Eddie moved in with us in January of 2009 and was with me throughout high school, college, various moves and lots of different life changes. As someone who is still obsessed with cats and has spent over twenty years having cats, it's a little weird to no longer have a cat. I know one day I'll be a kitty mom myself, but it's just a little bittersweet and sad.

I didn't plan on writing this much out but it's been a rough week and a half. It feels good to share, especially since I haven't felt very inspired for blog content this week. I decided today's post should be in celebration of Little E and that I would share some of his favorite things. This is a little different from my normal content, however I like to share my life on here and he was a large part of it. If you have your own cat(s) or you're a new kitty owner, these are some of the things he absolutely loved over the years. I'll link everything in the post + a few other items he liked in my Amazon storefront below.

Do you have any pets? 

**SHOP ALL IN MY AMAZON STOREFRONT**

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

SUMMER BEACH READS I WANT

I'm always scouring Amazon for the next best read! Right now I'm really enjoying Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, however I'm also excited to dive back into some summer beach reads next. If you're also on the hunt, here are a few more I'm adding to my never-ending list that sound cute + fun! 

SUMMER BEACH READS:

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

+ The Beach Trap by Ali Brady

+ Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

+ Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

+ Falling for Fairfield by Olivia Berry 

**SHOP ALL IN MY AMAZON STOREFRONT HERE**

What are you planning on picking up?

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

MY ULTIMATE SUMMER STYLE GUIDE

Now that it's *officially* summer, it's time to revamp the wardrobe. I've always been a fall fashion girlie when it comes to style, however there's something about a casual, beachy look that I'll also always love. I like the ease of summer outfits, bright pops of color + fun accessories. Over the last few months, I've been scouting out my favorite picks for summer dresses, swimsuits, accessories, etc. Today's post is an entire capsulation with all of these for your ultimate summer style guide! I'll also keep updating this post as I come across new finds. Let me know what other items you're shopping for... I think a post about shorts or beach hats could be fun? LMK!

Green Bikini // Metallic Trim Plunge One-Piece // Neon Cut-out One-Piece // Black Belted One-Piece // Ruched Printed One-Piece // Black Cap-Sleeve One-Piece // Orange Metallic One-Piece // Chevron Printed One Piece // Fuchsia Ruched Bikini

-SHOP THE POST-

Clear Strap Heels // Blush Embellished Slides // Taupe Puffy Slides // Black + Gold Buckle Slides // Beige Raffia Heels // Tan Caged Heels // Beige Puffy Heels // Tan Leather Slides 

-SHOP THE POST-

Enza Costa Slub Tank Dress // Reformation High Slit Sundress // Caslon Striped Maxi Dress // FARM Rio Floral Sundress // Free People Maxi Dress // L*Space Maxi Dress // Bobi Bodycon Midi Dress // Paige Belted Utility Mini Dress // Abercrombie Satin High-Slit Midi Dress

-SHOP THE POST-

Dior Black Aviators // Celine Triomphe Butterfly // LOEWE Cat Eye // LOEWE Rectangular // Prada Cat Eye // Celine Oversized Square // LOEWE x Paula Ibiza Mask 

-SHOP THE POST-

Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Mousse // FAB Weightless Liquid Mineral Sunscreen // dae Dry Heat & Hold Styling Mist // Biossance Squalane Oil // Henry Rose Torn Eau de Parfum // Topicals Like Butter Hydrating Moisturizer// kitsch Pre-Wash Scalp Oil // Gucci Blush // Isle of Paradise Body Polish

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks 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 WANT | JUNE

Cropped Tank // + Lux Unfiltered Bronzing Drops // HOKA Sneakers // Colorescience Sunscreen // New York Baseball Cap // + Lux Unfiltered Self Tanning Lotion // Hair Ties // VEJA Sneakers // Denim Cutoffs 

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

SUMMER DRESSES I LOVE

Enza Costa Slub Tank Dress // Reformation High Slit Sundress // Caslon Striped Maxi Dress // FARM Rio Floral Sundress // Free People Maxi Dress // L*Space Maxi Dress // Bobi Bodycon Midi Dress // Paige Belted Utility Mini Dress // Abercrombie Satin High-Slit Midi Dress 

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

WEEKLY CRUMBL | 6.16.23

There’s nothing like a Friday night Crumbl Cookies run! I was excited about this week’s line-up which includes Double Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cup, Classic Krispies Bar, Brownie Batter and Confetti Milkshake. I chose all minus the Classic Krispies. 

My main motivation was *obviously* the Peanut Butter Cup. I am a pb and Reese’s girl through and through! I’ve always wanted to try this particular cookie too. As much as it pains me, this one ranked in the bottom for me. I was SO excited about the entire cookie: peanut butter base, peanut butter sauce + pieces of Reese’s. Despite all of that, I think it lacked a strong peanut butter flavor. It definitely wasn’t as rich or peanut buttery as I prefer or like a lot of their cookies are. I also think there wasn’t enough of the Reese’s to pack a punch. It ended up being just okay, definitely a little disappointing for me...

On a much sweeter note, the Confetti Milkshake! So so yummy + my favorite of this week. I really like sprinkle sugar cookies which was exactly what this one tasted like! I also thought the icing was a great pair. It has a light and whippy texture, the perfect balance to the crunchiness of the cookie. It also wasn’t too sweet or sugary.

Next up is Brownie Batter which is rich and fudgy, just like a brownie. I liked that this one was chocolatey but not overly sweet either. I think with how rich it is, a milkier chocolate flavor would have been too much. The center was also gooey and delish!

Last but not least, Double Chocolate Chip. I actually really liked this one. I wouldn’t say it’s the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had, however I liked it a lot better than the regular Crumbl chocolate chip. The flavor and mix of chocolate was nice and I always like a bit of sea salt. My only critique is that they got a little heavy handed with the salt— definitely more than a dash. I think overall it was just a tad too salty but all in all, not bad!

Which flavor would you choose from this week?

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | JUNE 2023

June is going by so fast, I didn't even realize that we're already halfway through the month. I was surprised when I saw the 14th on my calendar earlier today, lol. That sounds a little silly and I'm ALWAYS a broken record on how fast time flies, but this month hasn't really felt all that fast to me. Everything feels a little slower in the summer but I guess time keeps ticking the same as always, huh? Y'all know the halfway point means it's time for a round-up of the most popular blog posts here on TKD from the past month. Sometimes I struggle to come up with new content ideas so I appreciate having this one on my schedule! We're also throwing it back with a lot of oldies today. Besides a recent Healthy Grocery Haul, all of these posts are from the last year or two! Here's what made the cut: 

1. OURA RING UNBOXING - I'm starting to think I need to just copy + paste the same blurb for the Oura Ring Unboxing, lol. If you're new to these posts or the blog, one of my most popular posts of all time has become an unboxing for the Oura ring. Because it's such a popular post, it ends up in almost every single one of these "top 5" round-ups. I can't complain though, I absolutely love my ring! It's a wearable sleep tracking ring so you're into improving your health or sleep, I highly recommend. 

Read here: Oura Ring Unboxing

2. BEAUTY HAUL - I'm always surprised to see this beauty haul post thrown in the mix. I don't know why, I guess it just feels a little random to me? Maybe because I only actually purchased a few items + the rest were "freebies." I will say I still love + use several of the items in this one, though! The Velour Brow Pencil + the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream are both phenomenal + constantly in my rotation. 

Read here: Beauty Haul 

3. A HEALTHYISH GROCERY HAUL - I've been on a Publix kick lately! I was just talking about this in Monday's Publix Haul, lol. I love their BOGO sales every week + that they carry a wide variety of different items. This grocery haul from a few weeks ago was a pretty good one too, they had a lot of my favorites on BOGO that week. I've been working on upping my protein and trying to eat healthier meals at home so I've been going grocery shopping more.

Read here: A Healthyish Grocery Haul 

4. WALKING 10,000+ STEPS EVERY DAY FOR 3 WEEKS - I love that this post has been getting a lot of interest lately. Almost two years ago, I started walking 10,000+ steps every single day. After my first three weeks doing it, I wrote this blog post about my experience and I've stuck with it ever since. I feel very proud that it's part of my daily routine + I think it's a great habit for anyone to pick up. 

Read here: Walking 10,000+ Steps Every Day for 3 Weeks 

5. 5 MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS I WANT TO READ - I'm ashamed to say I still haven't read ANY of these books yet so this one's still very relevant to me. On the positive, I have been getting back into reading so maybe I'll cross one or two off soon?? I recently finished Greenlights and I'm almost finished with Every Summer After. What have you been reading lately? I always love new recommendations! 

Read here: 5 Motivational Books I Want to Read 

Do you have anything exciting happening this month? 

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

MINI PUBLIX HAUL | 6.12.23

One of my current obsessions has been checking the weekly Publix ad for deals + their BOGO specials. Everyone always throws out those "adulting" jokes when it comes to groceries and vacuums but it's not for nothing, ya'll. One- who doesn't like finding their favorite items on sale? Two- it's also a great way to find new things to try out. Publix in general has a great selection of products that you can't always find everywhere else.

This week I didn't really need much so most of this was on impulse. I was motivated to go because both the Purely Elizabeth granola + Lily's Toaster Grills were on sale. I love the granola and at $6-7 a bag normally, I had to stock up on a few. Most flavors were sold out but I was able to snag a Vanilla Chocolate Chip + Original. Both sound super yummy. I also haven't tried these Toaster Grills sandwiches but I'm always a sucker for a grilled cheese. I found them in the freezer aisle + you just pop them right in the toaster. Hopefully they'll be delish for a quick + easy meal or snack. 

Strawberries + blueberries are always a staple for yogurt bowls + I needed a few more breakfast ingredients. I really liked the Greenfield ham I bought in my last haul which I put in omelets, breakfast pockets, scrambled eggs, etc. I also grabbed a few of these England's Best Omelets for convenience. Some days I wake up too late to cook + these I can quickly make when I want to avoid eating out. I also recently downloaded the YUKA app and ya'll-- talk about a heartbreaker when it comes to your favorite foods. I can usually tell if something is relatively "good" or "bad," however I was SHOOK that Sargento cheese was one of the worst ranked items I scanned! 

I've heard it's best to purchase blocks of grass-fed cheeses so I'm going to try out the Truly Aged Cheddar + grate it myself. I'm by no means perfect with everything I purchase (still had to have those Toaster Grills, lol) but I'm trying to make small improvements here and there when I can. I also grabbed a bag of mozzarella pearls on sale too. I've been seeing a ton of pasta salad recipes for summer + want to make my own with tortellini. 

PRODUCE
+ Organic Strawberries 

+ Organic Blueberries 

DAIRY/NON-DAIRY
+ Truly Grass-fed Natural Aged Cheddar Cheese 

+ BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella Pearls 

PROTEIN

+ Greenfield Diced Ham

+ Egglands Best Ham & Cheese Omelets 

GRAINS

+ Purely Elizabeth Granola 

MISCELLANEOUS 
+ Lily's American Cheese Toaster Grills 

What are you shopping for this week? 

PLUTO PILLOW UNBOXING

We’re switching things up today with a pillow unboxing. I don’t think I’ve ever done an unboxing on anything outside of fashion or beauty before which makes this a new one for me! To give you a quick backstory, I’ve been waking up a lot with neck pain lately. I figured that I was either straining my neck from reading/scrolling in bed or that I needed a new pillow. After talking about purchasing a new one, my thoughtful boyfriend ended up ordering me a custom-made pillow from a company called Pluto.

I had never heard of the brand before but JJ heard it mentioned on one of the podcasts he listens to. I think the entire process and concept is very cool (+ how cute is the packaging??). 

It's actually pretty smart to customize a pillow if you think about it. Before this one, I never had or even considered doing that. Pillows are always super tricky to find because we all have different sleeping patterns, bodies + preferences. When you make yours through Pluto, they have you fill out a questionnaire about your preferences and the qualities you like or wish you could change from your current pillow. You can choose attributes based on how you sleep, whether you get hot at night and if you prefer a soft, medium or firm level pillow. After ordering, it took about 2-3 weeks for them to make and ship the pillow. 

The box they packaged it in is really nice + fun too! I like the overall look + presentation. I was also pleasantly surprised to find an Air Head underneath the pillow, haha. Very cute marketing! 

I like a supportive pillow but one that still feels comfortable and not too hard. I ended up going for a medium level that is more on the plush side + fit for being a back sleeper. The pillow also feels like a really nice quality + the outside material is similar to the outside fabric you see on a lot of mattresses. I never saw any pictures so I was surprised by this! I like how nice it feels and that it's cooler to the touch, plushy and still supportive. It has a foam-like interior that has some give but springs back into place. 

From how it feels and sleeping on it for the first time last night, I think they nailed it. I slept comfortably and I didn’t wake up with any pain. I'm excited to keep trying it out + as always, I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

What pillow are you currently using?

DESIGNER SUNGLASSES I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW

L-R: Dior Black Aviators // Celine Triomphe Butterfly // LOEWE Cat Eye // LOEWE Rectangular // Prada Cat Eye // Celine Oversized Square // LOEWE x Paula Ibiza Mask 

-SHOP THE POST-

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

JUNE READING LIST

Ya'll, I'm starting to wonder if June might just be the month I get my reading groove back... it's been an ongoing struggle for way too long but I'm slowly feeling the spark return. I think the key is just pushing myself to read a little bit each day. It sounds silly but I make myself read at least one page. More often than not, I end up reading way more. Last month that helped me to finish Greenlights which had been sitting on my shelf for years. I have way too many unread books that I need to start checking off. Right now I'm reading Every Summer After which so far feels like a fun beachy read for summer.

Should I get lucky enough to make it through all four books (lol), these are my picks for June. I've also gotten the Harry Potter itch back, ya'll. Every couple of years, I get an itch to re-read them. A few weeks ago I told ya'll I was so excited about Netflix was bringing all of the movies online until I found out it was only for the UK. BUMM-ER! It's definitely been on my mind since so now I just want to read and watch it all over again. I can't explain the hold it has in my heart, ya'll. Also on the list is my second attempt at getting through How to Win Friends & Influence People and my most recent purchase, Wrong Place Wrong Time. I haven't read a thriller in a long time so this one excites me! 

JUNE READING LIST:

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

+ Every Summer After by Carley Fortune 

+ Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister 

+ How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie 

+ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 

*SHOP ALL IN MY AMAZON STORE FRONT HERE*

What are you reading this month? 

I love sharing my picks 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? :)

WHAT I’M GRATEFUL FOR THIS WEEK | 6.2.23

One of my lunches this week! Teriyaki Chicken with Garlic Green Beans. 

There’s something about a holiday week that always puts me in a good mood. Sometimes it’s the anticipation of what’s to come, sometimes it’s the after effect. While it’s always hard going back to work after a long weekend, I’ve been feeling GOOD this week. Positive, upbeat and motivated. It also might have a little something to do with TOM ending over the weekend too, LOL. Regardless of the reason, it has me paying a little extra attention to the good things that have happened this week.

I'll be the first to admit that I definitely don’t practice gratitude as much as I should. It is all too easy to get wrapped up in your daily life and to focus on what’s happening now. We’re also programmed to process negative thoughts a lot easier than we are positive. Talk about some BS, right? It's easy to recognize the big wins but dwell on the minor setbacks, inconveniences, irritations. Not the small wins or what we have going for us. I think the problem with that is there are less “big wins” in our life so it's essential to really count the small ones too. I’ve also found that for me, those little good things are where I tend to find the MOST joy and fulfillment. Something seemingly insignificant like a great meal or finishing a small task brings a ton of comfort and delight to my day. 

I’m not always the best at it and more often than not, I still find myself b*tching about the everyday annoyances too. Since this week has been a lot better mentally and I'm feeling great, I thought I'd share some of the little things I'm grateful for. Hopefully this will also help remind me later on to stay in gratitude.

+THE LONG WEEKEND - We can all agree that long weekends are always FTW! My work schedule is a little different in that I have Tuesdays and Sundays off which means I don't typically have a two-day weekend, let alone a three day. This year I got really lucky with Sunday, Monday & Tuesday off which was so nice. It rained for most of it but I really appreciated getting to relax, take it easy and have a mental break off from work. I also got to spend a lot of time with my family + JJ which was great. Also on the flip side, a short work week! Definitely a two-for-one special here that I'm very grateful for. These don't come around very often so it's nice to just have a little extra time + an easier work week. 

+DOUBLE WORKOUTS - I'm really pushing myself to focus on my health & fitness right now by eating more protein, working out + strength training. I've been going to one Orangetheory class a week for the last nine months or so but now I'm looking to add in more workouts at home. So far I've worked out twice this week + hope to get another in this weekend. 

+FINISHED MY BOOK - I finally finished reading Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey. You know I struggle to finish books these days so anytime I can get through one, it feels like a huge accomplishment. I've been pushing myself to read at least one page per day and I actually think it has helped! I usually end up reading a lot more than that + it has made me motivated to keep reading other books on my list.  

+HEALTHY EATING - On Wednesday, I shared another food haul with you of some groceries I picked up. Honestly scoring lots of BOGO deals at Publix was a big highlight (lol, adulting) BUT I've also kept myself pretty accountable with healthier eating this week too. I definitely struggle with this a lot + just wanting to eat out all the time. I'm hoping I can start getting into a consistent routine of eating clean, healthier meals at home. 

+NEW SHEETS - One thing that brings me so much happiness in life is having a fresh set of clean sheets on my bed. There is literally nothing better! Even more exciting this week, I opened a brand new set of these incredible bamboo sheets that feel amazing. It's crazy how much difference a good set of sheets can make to your overall sleep experience. 

I definitely have a million more things to be grateful for in life but these were some of my top highlights of this week!

Have an amazing weekend! xx.