WEEKLY CRUMBL | 3.29.24

Crumbl rolled out a bomb cookie lineup for Easter this week! Now that they've added cakes into the mix, I was ecstatic to see CARROT CAKE in this week's flavors. Major YUM. I'm a huge strawberry and pretzel gal too so the Strawberry Pretzel Pie sounds incredible! Also included are Lemon Crinkle and Double Fudge Brownie.

I wasn't as excited for the Lemon Crinkle or Double Fudge Brownie cookies so it really shouldn't be a surprise those came in at the bottom for me. Starting with my least favorite- Double Fudge Brownie. I often feel like the odd man out because I always see everyone else rave about the chocolate cookies and they just aren't my fave? Crumbl uses a super rich recipe and in my opinion, they always taste a bit on the bitter side. I know I always feel that way but I still had high hopes this time! All of the reviews said that this one tasted just like brownie batter, however it definitely still needs a bit more sweetness for my taste. 

Lemon Crinkle is good. I've never been a big lemon fan but I always enjoy Crumbl's lemon flavors. They are light, zingy + refreshing. This one is very simple but still great flavor.

On to the two stars of the show: Carrot Cake and Strawberry Pretzel Pie. I was so excited by these two flavors this week + both did not disappoint! I'm having trouble picking a favorite-- they are neck and neck for me. The Carrot Cake is spot on. It tastes exactly how you would expect it to and was delicious. The flavor is yummy, it's super fluffy + moist and the cream cheese icing is so good. There is a little hint of spice too which I can be picky on (I don't love too much nutmeg flavor) but it's really just a hint. Not too overpowering or enough to stop me from eating another bite! 

If you're familiar with the infamous strawberry pretzel salad, the Strawberry Pretzel Pie is a pretty good take in cookie form. Despite the dessert, I think this one's a pretty unique cookie from Crumbl. The base is crunchy which works great with the light whipped topping, strawberry sauce + pretzels. It's a delicious sweet and salty blend that pairs really well. 

Which cookie would you try?

BREAKFAST GROCERIES HAUL | 3.27.24

Alright, ya'll. I've been slipping a bit on eating healthier breakfasts at home these past few weeks. Despite a few too many coffee runs, I think I'm starting to find a good balance + moderation with my meals. I've tried to ease my way in by to cutting back on calories and some of the unhealthier foods I tend to indulge in. My goal has been to make more mindful decisions while still allowing myself to indulge a little bit here and there. I also try to go for higher protein options, less super carby/high fat options + less empty calorie foods. When I do indulge, I also play a little bit of pick a side where I'll skip out on one thing for something else later on. I'm always an "everything in moderation" kinda gal because it's easier for me to make progress through compromise than extremity. 

Right now that might look like skipping out on chips at lunch because I already had an iced coffee with breakfast or maybe instead of chips, I'll eat something more nutritional like pistachios or yogurt. It really just depends on the day. Some days I do great, others I could've definitely done better. I've also still consumed my fair share of sugar which I'm still working on. I have a huge sweet tooth so I always struggle here. 

To get back on my breakfast groove, I picked up some go-to's + staples. I always like to keep eggs, greek yogurt + the Two Good Smoothies in my fridge. I'm also still obsessed with the Hero Seed Bread I raved about in this post-- it's THE best. It tastes great and I love that it's low in calories, high in fiber/protein + has no sugar. 

New to me are the Three Bridges Egg Bites, Organic Valley Milk and the Applegate bacon. I tend to switch around with protein- I go through cycles with turkey sausage, ham or bacon. Bacon is a controversial one but for a healthier option, the Greenfield Natural Bacon is so yummy and cleaner than a lot of alternatives. I also trust Applegate for cleaner products so I'm excited to try their's out too. 

Butter, jam + the Pacific Valley Tater Patties are also staples in my kitchen! The hash browns are definitely a little indulgence but twelve minutes in the air fryer + a 10/10! 

DAIRY/NON-DAIRY
+ Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt | Vanilla Bean 

+ Organic Valley Grassmilk Fat Free Milk 

+ President Salted Butter

+ Two Good Smoothies | Strawberry Banana + Peach 

PROTEIN

+ Applegate No Sugar Added Bacon

+ Greenfield Natural Uncured Bacon

+ Nellie's Free Range Eggs  

+ Three Bridges Uncured Ham & Gruyère Egg Bites

GRAINS/BREAD

+ Hero Seeded Bread 

MISCELLANEOUS 
+ Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves  

+ Pacific Valley Tater Patties 

What are you picking up this week? 

*SHOP ALL OF MY FOOD FAVES + FINDS 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? :) 

WEEKLY TO-DO LIST | 3.25.24

Welcome back to another weekly to-do list of my extra-curricular activities. This week is also Holy Week leading up to Good Friday and Palm Sunday. I'm not entirely sure what my weekend and Easter Sunday looks like just yet, however most years my boyfriend and I go to church service and lunch afterwards. As I write this seemingly silly post on the little fun errands + things I have planned for the week, I'm also making space to reflect and embrace this week for it's true meaning and purpose. As a believer, daughter of God and lover of Jesus Christ, I'm eternally grateful for the history and the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for me and humanity. Without Him, we are lost. With Him, we have hope and a future. Worthy is the King who conquered the grave! Wishing you all a blessed and celebratory week ahead! 

WEEKLY TO-DO'S:

+NAIL APPOINTMENT - Tomorrow I have an appointment for my first gel x fill. I'm currently on my second set of extensions so I'm excited to see how a fill goes + change out my color for Easter and the next few weeks. 

+WORKOUT - Alright, I played a little catch up last week so now I just need to get in two more of my  Orangetheory workouts by the end of the month. Today I did a Strength 50 class which was the first one I've been to in awhile + was a nice change up from the regular 2G. I think I'm slowly starting to get my exercise groove back after being in a bit of a lull since the start of the year!

+BIRTHDAY SHOP - JJ's birthday is this Friday so tomorrow's agenda is to do a little more gift shopping for him + all of the birthday prep. 

+BF'S BIRTHDAY DINNER - Also on the agenda this week is celebrating his birthday. We usually just do a nice dinner out somewhere which is always fun + a great occasion to dress up for! 

+MOVIE DATE - I never made it to that solo movie date I wanted to do a few weeks back so I'm tentatively adding it to my list for tomorrow. I definitely think the current releases are a little underwhelming but I think I'd enjoy watching either the new Ghostbusters or a new one my theatre has called Snack Shack. 

+LAUNDRY - Ms. Laundry is the loyal bff you can always count on. She never leaves you high + dry, ya know? You can always count on her to have your back and be there, lol. As usual, it's a never-ending job and every week I try to get through most of the necessities + do a sheet change. 

+WEEKLY CRUMBL - Okay, when I saw CARROT CAKE I immediately added trying this week's Crumbl cookies on to my to-do list. Gotta keep my priorities straight! As a huge fan of carrot cake, I have to have it. It looks so bomb + I just know it's gonna be a win. I'm also intrigued by the strawberry pretzel pie... definitely looking promising. 

What do you have going on this week?

WHAT'S IN MY AMAZON CART

Headphone Stand // Bioderma Micellar Water // Acrylic Laptop Stand // Marvis Toothpaste // Bodysuit // Sunglasses // Acrylic Makeup Organizer // Laptop Case // Emotional Intelligence 2.0 

 *SHOP THE POST 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? :)

ULTA BEAUTY 50% OFF SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 3

Week 3 of Ulta's Semi-Annual sale starts this Friday, March 22nd! There have been so many great buys throughout the sale so far and I'm just excited about week 3. If you're new to the event, each day of the sale features select beauty products for 50% off of the regular price. The sale on those items is only good for that one day + then each day after new products are featured and put on sale. What makes it even better is that all of the products included are from higher-end, "prestige" brands you normally don't find on sale. I've had so much fun picking up some of my faves + a few new things to try out! Here are my top picks for week 3:

ULTA SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 3

+ MAC Color Excess Gel Eye Liner (Sunday, March 24th; $12 sale price, regular $24) 

+ Benefit Gimme Brow+ Gel (Saturday, March 23rd; $13 sale price, regular $26) 

+ Urban Decay Naked Your Way Mini Eyeshadow Palette (Tuesday, March 26th; $17.50 sale price, regular $35) 

+ IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (Tuesday, March 26th; $14 sale price, regular $28) 

+ L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (Tuesday, March 26th; $14.50 sale price, regular $29) 

+ Dermalogica Oil to Foam Cleanser (Thursday, March 28th; $28 sale price, regular $56) 

+ Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia (Saturday, March 23rd; $35 sale price, regular $70) 

+ Tarte Shape Tape Concealer (Saturday, March 23rd; $16 sale price, regular $32) 

+ Buxom Plumping Lip Cream (Friday, March 22nd; $12.50 sale price, regular $25) 

+ Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum (Tuesday, March 26th; $14.25 sale price, regular $28.50)

+ Verb Ghost Shampoo (Thursday, March 28th; $10 sale price, regular $20) 

+ Verb Ghost Conditioner (Thursday, March 28th; $10 sale price, regular $20) 

+ Ouai Scalp Serum (Saturday, March 23rd; $26 sale price, regular $52) 

If you're curious, my Week 1 Sale Picks + Week 2 Sale Picks are here. 

What are you picking up from the sale?

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? :)

MARCH READING LIST

Alright, I'm currently knee deep in both Credence and The Psychology of Money, however ya'll know I'm always planning my next reading move. If I can knock these two out of the way soon, here are the next books on my list for March. We'll start with some faves. I've been itching to do a Harry Potter re-read so I went ahead and added book one to the list-- always + forever the best series. I also randomly had the idea to re-read On Dublin Street by Samantha Young. This one's a really good easy breezy romance that I've visited a few times in the past. I don't re-read a lot of romances, however for some reason I always loved this one + the storyline. 

We always love a little personal growth too so this month's self-help picks are The Mindset Equation and The Confidence Code, both highly rated + topics I'm always interested in learning more about. As always, let me know what you've been reading + anything I need to put on my list! 

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

+ The Mindset Equation by Sara Kissing

+ On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

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

+ The Confidence Code by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman 

What are you currently reading?

**LINKS TO ALL BOOKS + MY FULL READING LIST 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? :)

TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | 3.15.24

TGIF, friends! We're kicking the weekend off with today's blog post on the Top 5 Most Popular posts of this month. Here's what made the lineup: 

1. OURA RING UNBOXING - It's no secret how much I love my Oura Ring. If you are in to health and tracking data + progress, I highly recommend buying one. I use it primarily for tracking my sleep but I also love that it also records stress levels, overall readiness + the feminine cycle. I also saw this week you can now purchase the rings here on Amazon which is so convenient! 

Read here: Oura Ring Unboxing

2. SHE READS TRUTH BIBLE | UNBOXING - Another fave that I read every day is my She Reads Truth Bible. Because it's a CSV, it's very easy to understand and translate. This post is an unboxing with some more info + photos if you are shopping for a new Bible. 

Read here: She Reads Truth Bible | Unboxing

3. WHAT I WANT FROM ARITZIA - Some cute pieces I love for all of my fellow Aritzia girlies! 

Read here: What I Want From Aritzia 

4. TOP 5 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS | 2.14.24 - It's unusual for these "Top 5" posts to include another "Top 5" post from a previous month, lol. Today's post is an exception to that with last month's Top 5 Most Popular Blog Posts. This one has some fun Valentine's content, health/wellness + lifestyle posts. 

Read here: Top 5 Most Popular Blog Posts | 2.14.24

5. I WALKED 10,000 STEPS EVERY DAY FOR 3 WEEKS - Every day I walk at least 10,000 steps and now that spring is approaching, I'm excited to start walking outside. When I first started doing it, I shared this post on my experience + tips on walking 10,000+ steps per day. Years later, it's still one of the most read posts on the blog!  

Read here: I Walked 10,000 Steps Every Day for 3 Weeks

What are your weekend plans?

I love sharing my favorites 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? :) 

ULTA BEAUTY 50% OFF SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 2

Week two of Ulta's Semi-Annual Sale starts this Friday, March 15th. If you missed last Friday's post, be sure to check out all of week one's deals + snag a few goodies before they are gone! I'll link the post here. We all love a good sale and this Ulta one is particular is extra good. For three weeks, they have a huge sale with a new daily feature of different beauty products that are all 50% off. The kicker is the sale on the items is only good for one day and then it changes to new ones the following day + the cycle continues. 

I also love the sale because they always include a really great assortment of products and brands. Everything included is from higher-end brands that you typically don't find a discount own and if you do, it's usually no more than 20-25% off. A lot of my top picks from Week 1 are products I've previously tried and loved, however most of my favorites from week two are new to me. It's always fun to buy and try new things so I'm looking forward to this week! Here are my top picks:

ULTA SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 2

+ LolaVie Perfecting Leave In (Wednesday, March 20th; $14.50 sale price, regular $29) 

+ BOBBI BROWN Long-Wear Smudge-Proof Gel Eyeliner (Saturday, March 16th; $18 sale price, regular $36) 

+ BOBBI BROWN Skin Full Coverage Longwear Concealer (Thursday, March 21st; $17.50 sale price, regular $35) 

+ Lancôme Lash Idôle Lash-Lifting & Volumizing Mascara (Friday, March 15th; $15 sale price, regular $30) 

+ Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser (Friday, March 15th; $12.50 sale price, regular $25) 

+ Benefit The POREfessional: Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (Saturday, March 16th; $17.50 sale price, regular $35) 

+ ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Renewal Serum (Sunday, March 17th; $51 sale price, regular $102) 

+ Lancôme Advanced Génifique Radiance Boosting Face Serum with Bifidus Prebiotic (Friday, March 15th; $30 sale price, regular $60) 

+ NUDESTIX NUDIES MATTE All Over Face Bronze Color (Thursday, March 21st; $17.50 sale price, regular $35) 

What are you picking up from the sale?

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? :)

WHAT I WANT FROM ABERCROMBIE

Blazer // Puff Sleeve Top // Hoodie // Graphic Tee // Mesh Top // Solid Tee // Mom Jeans // Mini Dress // Striped Button-Up

-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? :)

ULTA BEAUTY 50% OFF SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 1

The Ulta Beauty Semi-Annual Sale has finally arrived! If you're new to the sale, it's a three-week long event with daily deals on all things beauty (makeup, hair products, skincare + more). The best part is everything is 50% off of the regular price + the brands are top tier. The deals also change daily + are only good for the day they're featured which means you've got to snag them quick! I always enjoy shopping the sale because it's a great time to stock up on some favorites or try something new. Every year they usually feature some of the same items as well as lots of new. Here are my top picks from the first week of the sale which starts today, March 8th and runs through Thursday, March 14th. PS-- be sure to check back next week for my week 2 picks! 

ULTA SEMI-ANNUAL SALE PICKS: WEEK 1

+ MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot (Wednesday, March 13th; $13 sale price, regular $26) 

+ Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner (Monday, March 11th; $12 sale price, regular $24) 

+ First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub Fresh Strawberry (Tuesday, March 12th; $15 sale price, regular $30) 

+ ICONIC LONDON Multi-use Cream Face Palette (Saturday, March 9th; $24.50 sale price, regular $49)

+ IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray (Friday, March 8th; $17 sale price, regular $34)

+ beautyblender Power Pocket Puff Dual Sided Powder Puff (Sunday, March 10th; $9 sale price, regular $18)

+ NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer (Saturday, March 9th; $17 sale price, regular $34)

+ ICONIC LONDON Precision Duo Contour Brush (Saturday, March 9th; $14 sale price, regular $28)

+ MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (Sunday, March 10th; $22 sale price, regular $44)

What are you picking up from the sale?

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? :)

NEW BOOK RELEASES I WANT TO READ

Every so often I like to take a look through the "Coming Soon: Books" section on Amazon. When I was younger, I lived for pre-ordering new books. I'll never forget the anticipation and excitement that came from waiting to get them, especially when something "big" was coming out. Growing up in the Harry Potter era truly was a remarkable experience. I was lucky enough to be (and still am today) a diehard HP fan during the time when the last three books were released. I'll never forget the release of Order of the Phoenix, book five. 

Picture the summer of 2003: you're nine years old, school's out and after YEARS of waiting, the next book in the series is FINALLY coming out. Obviously you drove your parents nuts so they pre-ordered it months ago (thx mom and dad) and it's finally here! Except there's a catch- which was that I couldn't have or read the book until I finished all of my summer school work, LOL. Womp womp womp. My dad even went so far as to put the book OUT OF REACH in the VERY TOP cabinet in our kitchen, haha. I remember that anticipation too, knowing it was just sitting up there, waiting on me. I was always a bit of a procrastinator when it came to those book reports but no doubt I was Miss Lightning McQueen that summer, lol. If you know and love the series, I'm sure you can appreciate the level of motivation behind that one! PS- was totally worth the wait! Book 5 was and still is one of my favorites! 

Many years later, I still look forward to seeing what's new in the book world. I took a browse at some of the new releases coming over the next few months + these books are the ones that caught my eye. I also didn't plan this but we also have four different genres at play today: health/nutrition, fiction, a fun rom-com + self-help. Because I've already rambled enough, I won't bore you with a synopsis of each one but I will link them all below for you. I'll also link my full reading list for you here. 

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

+Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health by Casey Means MD and Calley Means 

+How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away by Emily P. Freeman 

+Funny Story by Emily Henry 

+Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles 

What are you looking forward to reading next?

*CLICK FOR MY FULL READING LIST 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? :)

WEEKLY TO-DO LIST | 3.4.24

Happy Monday, ya'll. I'm planning out my to-do list for the week and thought you might be interested in some of the highlights. I've been trying to play catch up on laundry + cleaning these past few weeks. I'm definitely in a spring cleaning mood and want to organize, purge + just freshen up my space. I'm also excited about having nice weather and plan to get outside more. Outside of work, there isn't too much going on for me this week which should give me a little more time to just relax and get a few things taken care of! Here's most of the excitement: 

WEEKLY TO-DOS:

+NAILS - First on the fun agenda for this week is getting my nails fixed. I'm now on week three of my current set so it's time for a little refresh. With the exception of one that got pulled off when I tried to pry a pair of socks out of my drawer (lol, it was tragic but I was able to re-glue it back on!), they've held up really well + still honestly look really good. This time I'm thinking of doing a fun green color for a little St. Patty's + spring vibe.

+SOLO MOVIE DATE - I've definitely been in the mood to watch some movies lately so I want to either go to the movies this week or binge a few on Netflix! I'm definitely in the mood for some chick flicks or the new Madame Web move that just came out! 

+PILATES - Alright, in my search for new ways to lower stress/cortisol levels, I decided it would be a good idea to start pilates. I'm sure that opinion will change once I actually start (lol), but I'm intrigued nonetheless. I also want to look like a pilates girlie... have you seen them? Sadly there are no pilates studios where I live so the plan is to start with a yoga mat + some entry level YouTube. 

+WORKOUT - I'm still not back up to 100% when it comes to my Orangetheory motivation but the show is still going on. Last month I waited until the last minute to get most of my classes done which always sucks, lol. Definitely some self sabotage there but I just haven't been feelin' it these past few months. To try and break that, I'm going to push myself to do at least two classes this week so I can stay on a consistent schedule for the month. 

+FINISH BOOK - I'm so excited to be back into my reading era- currently I'm reading The Psychology of Money. I would love to knock it out this week and then start on Credence for what I hear is an epic read... I'm still a little freaked out but we'll just have to see how it goes, hah. 

+LAUNDRY - Same biotch, different day. 

+CLEAN//ORGANIZE - See above, lol. I have been slowly purging old clothes + clutter at home. I also cleaned out my car last week which is always a win. Besides the normal laundry and cleaning this week, I need to shred a bunch of old paperwork/bills/etc. Sooooooo fun! 

What do you have going on this week?

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Cosmetic Case // Apple AirPods Max // Pill Keeper // Portable Charging Station // Duffle Bag // Travel Pillow // Mini Travel Toiletry Bottles // Portable Fabric Steamer // Beis Carry-on Luggage

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*SHOP MY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS ON AMAZON 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? :)