Skincare Items I'm Loving

This winter my skin has really suffered! It all started with having quite a few ultra dry patches I needed to address, but then this little skincare journey of mine took off. I'm turning 35 this year, so that might have something to do with it too. I've been playing around with some new products, and thought I'd share some goodies I really like.

Grande Lash Serum

If I talk you into any product in this post, let it be this serum! I started using it in December and it's remarkable!! My lashes are noticeably thicker and longer in just a few weeks. I tried the Rodan and Fields serum in 2020 and this is a fraction of the price and I've gotten better results. You just swipe it on once a day.

Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist

If you want a toner that firms and hydrates, this is a big winner. I have the mini version on Amazon subscribe and save! Hydration is such a must this time of year, but I think I will like using this even in the summer. 

A313 Cream

I was definitely influenced on this one. I've been seeing this french cream/ointment all over tiktok, and decided I'd give it a go! It's a very thick retinol cream meant to help with fine lines and other skin woes. It's got the texture of Vaseline and you put it on at night. I haven't been using it long enough to provide you with a real before and after, but I can absolutely notice a difference in my skin's smoothness. I made Blake try it, and he did say it made his face quite itchy, which seems to be a common complaint in the reviews although that wasn't my experience. 

Dermalogica Precleanse

I got a bunch of sample sized Dermalogica products, and that's how I was introduced to the Precleanse oil. You just rub it on your face before your regular cleanser and it removes make up and other debris ahead of time. It's got a great scent and I think it makes such a difference when it comes to getting my make up all the way off. A little goes a long way! 

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

This product is awesome! It's a fine powder, that when mixed with water becomes a great scrub. My skin is so so soft after using this! It's also good for daily use. 

Uncommon Beauty Bronzing Drops

We visited the Uncommon James store in Charleston recently on vacation, and they gave me a sample size of these bronzing drops. I knew from the moment I put it on my face I'd be buying the full sized product. You mix a few drops (the more drops the darker the tan) with your moisturizer and it provides the BEST glow ever. To feel a little tan as a Florida girl in February is a special thing. 😂

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-Kristen

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Skincare Items I'm Loving

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Long Weekend in Charleston

At the end of this month, Blake and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary! We debated how we wanted to celebrate this year, and we decided on a weekend in Charleston. It soon evolved into a really cool weekend away with both of our families. We were able to rent a house with both sets of parents, and our sisters and their husbands. 

Charleston has been a bucket list destination for us, and 80% of our group had not been before either. We packed a lot into just a weekend trip! The highlights included a walking history tour, which was a fantastic experience! We also did a food tour  that I would highly recommend. We were able to also visit a few breweries, do some shopping, and also enjoy the house we rented on Folly Beach.

Charleston was a really cool city, and we loved walking around and just looking at all the beautiful homes. Mostly, I am just so grateful we were able to spend this time with our families! Blake and I know that one of the reasons we've had such a happy marriage is because of the support of our families, and also having the example of our parent's happy marriages too. We are also grateful to our sisters and brothers in law for getting babysitters so we could have such a fun grown up weekend. 

-Kristen

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Long Weekend in Charleston

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

What I Wore

We went from winter one week, to 75 degrees the next over here! It's made getting dressed kinda weird, but I'm still trying to make an effort. Here are some recent outfits! I am wearing the exact same jewelry in each photo. This necklace, and these earrings are every day staples for me. 

Cardigan: J Crew | Trousers: J Crew | Flats: Rothys

Cords: J Crew | Sweater: Older Loft | Jacket: Barbour | Sneakers: Adidas

Skirt: Older J Crew | Top: J Crew via ThredUP | Cardigan: Older Loft | Boots: Tommy Hilfiger 

Button Up: Target | Jeans: Loft | Sandals: Target

Dress: J Crew | Flats: Tieks

Jacket: Levis | Tee: J Crew | Shorts: Old Navy | Shoes: Rothys

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-Kristen

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What I Wore

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Florida Snow Day!

When the weather report said that we would be getting snow in North Florida, I laughed it off. Certainly, this is a long shot right? Regardless, I still eagerly peaked out the window Tuesday night, and laughed out loud in disbelief as soon as the first flakes fell. We went outside and took a couple of videos, and just knew it wouldn't stick around long. 

Well, it did! I woke up early Wednesday morning to the sound of my neighbor's kids squealing with delight as they played outside. I could not believe it when I opened my door and we had 3-4" of snow on the ground. This just doesn't happen. 100 degree Julys - for sure. But snow?! 

I know it was more ice than snow, but it was SO cool to see our neighborhood blanketed in white. The neighborhood kids sledding in laundry baskets or on old boxes was such a joy to see. The pugs were unimpressed, but they were oh-so-happy we were home for the day to cuddle on the couch. 

It was all fun until our power went out around 10 am. I think someone took out a power pole trying to drive around. People don't drive well on a sunny day here, so it's not too surprising. Very grateful for the utility workers who got us back up and running really quickly. 

This was just such a cool day that needed to be documented!

-Kristen

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Florida Snow Day!

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Recent Reads #40

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen's beloved book is about Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters as they try to find love. Mr. Darcy makes a terrible first impression - smug and judgmental. But, first impressions aren't everything. I'm making an effort to read more classics, and I don't actually ever remember reading this all the way through. Because it's so beloved, I hate to go against the grain - but this book is just okay to me. There are some remarkable things about it, sure! Jane Austen is truly impressive. This novel has a lot of dialogue, and while I was initially into it - eventually I got bored. ⭐⭐⭐

Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey

Teddy has a guilty pleasure -watching a children's tv show (not unlike Mr. Rogers) that stars a very cute Everett St. James. Teddy ends up writing to him, and the two become unlikely pen-pals. 

This one was a Bookstagram recommendation that was described as a cozy feel good book, something I felt like I needed! While that's true, I felt like this might have been a better Hallmark movie or something. Cute, fine, and forgettable...⭐⭐⭐

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

I found this book to be so fun! Evie Sage really needs a job, and accidentally ends up saying yes to a position as an assistant - to THE Villain. She's all sunshine, and he's all evil, tortured, and has a dungeon. It's just a really fun premise, set in a fairy tale. Their banter was great, and this was super entertaining. The only thing I think this book was missing was them going off doing Villainous things. This actually became a workplace romance because so much of it takes place at 'the office'. I mean, the Villian has an HR department. Language warning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Apprentice to the Villian by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

As you can imagine, The Villian couldn't be all that bad - and Evie finds herself as his Apprentice in the second book of the series. Eh, I was so bummed about this one! It felt completely different than the first book and I'm not all that sure I want to continue the series when the next book comes out. ⭐⭐⭐

The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie by Frieda McFadden

OMG, this was hysterically unhinged. Freida McFadden is the queen of writing those popcorn thrillers. Honestly, I look to her to get me out of a reading slump. She wrote this satirical novella that I just thought was brilliant. She pokes fun at the genre, using all kinds of funny common tropes and twists. I belly laughed multiple times. If you love a thriller, but also understand that most of them are ridiculous - this is for you. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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-Kristen

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Recent Reads #40

Monday, January 20, 2025

Thursday Three | 1-16-25

Really Good Blends Honey Balm

Thank you so much to Really Good Blends for sending me this balm to try! The Tallow & Honey Balm is an all-purpose moisturizer you can use just about anywhere. I'm loving it for my cuticles, my lips, and a few extra dry spots I have this winter. It's infused with lavender, which makes it an automatic favorite for me. I love anything lavender! 

A little goes a long way, and I can see myself using this all year long. It could not have arrived at a better time - my skin has been suffering with the weather. 

Bissell Power Shot Steam Cleaner

Have you tried a steam cleaner? I fell victim to Instagram cleaning videos, and talked myself into buying one. Truthfully though, I've been wanting to test one for awhile anyway. It's been a fun new toy to play with! I find myself looking for things to clean with it.

My ultimate review is that it's not the miracle worker that some of those videos portrayed it as, but it is super good for a lot of spaces! I found it works best in bathrooms and on our baseboards! I need to do some more experimenting because it comes with lots of attachments I haven't tried. 

Things Making Me Happy This Week

1. This pulled pork recipe. It's the first time I made it, and it was such a winner. Blake went back for 3rds (he rarely does seconds) and we still had plenty leftover. 

2. Sneaky Sasquatch. Do you play games on your tablet or phone? I never really have, but I'm having such a good time playing this cute game!

3. My car radio. The head unit in my CRV has been broken for *years* now, and Blake was able to replace it for me! We had been quoted something like $1200 for a professional to do it, which was extremely unappealing. He found a great option on Crutchfield, and after lots of Youtube videos and some help from his dad, it's in! It works awesome now, and I can't believe I went so long without music in the car. Car Play is exquisite, haha.

4. Healthy Pugs! Winston and Bailey had their annual check up with our vet this week. Both of them got good reports, and that's always a relief. As you know, we had a rough pet year last year, and I have a little bit of anxiety when it comes to vets/vet offices. We switched to a mobile vet and it has been stellar. It's more expensive, but being able to do this in our own home has helped me so much! The dogs are way less stressed without a car ride, and there is no overstimulating waiting room. I'm less stressed without all that too, and I'm so grateful this kind of service exists! 

-Kristen

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Thursday Three | 1-16-25

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Life Lately #15

After an insane December, I'm so happy to have a fresh start here in January. We will still have a busy month, but maybe we can have some routine in there too. To kick off my first post of 2025, I wanted to share a few snapshots to share life lately!

Pug Update

Winston and Bailey are doing well! In 2025, Bailey will turn 15! We think anyway. She became part of our family in 2016, and we can only guess her age. Aside from her eyesight dimming pretty significantly, she is still so spunky. We will have their yearly vet check up next week, and we are sure we will hear she's got a long time left. 

In December I decided to start making homemade dog food, so that's been quite the experiment. It seems to be going well, so I'll have to update you all with my official recipe once it sticks. I'm still playing with ingredients. It's fairly inexpensive to do, and they absolutely love it. 

Fun Times With Friends

Not only did we have non-stop company in December, but we also managed to have some fun nights out with friends! I'm just so thankful to have found people that are in the same life chapter as we are. It's awesome to have a variety of friends, and I do. In fact one of my closest friends is 90 years old! We hang out with my parents all the time, and we have lots of friends that have kiddos. But, there is something to be said about having friends who are your age and stage of life. People who like the same things you like, have similar budgets, similar schedules. It's just nice is all and I'm grateful! 

Time With Family

Ditto for having lots of great times with family this past month too! We had some family friends come and stay and it's really cool to pick right back up where you left off with people - even though it has been years in some cases. (How sweet is that picture of my sister and my nephews?!)

New Toys

My Grandma sweetly sent me two things that have been on my Amazon Wishlist for ages. First, a gel nail kit with a light. This is such a great starter set, and I'm having fun learning how to use it. I had my niece for a few nights and we had fun doing manicures! Grandma also bought me the Cricut Easy Press, which I am so excited about! It's SO nice, and such an upgrade from using an iron. Gia got a Stitch shirt for their upcoming Disney trip while she was here. I'm really excited to keep using this. 

Peanut Butter Bars

I made these Peanut Butter Bars from the Defined Dish cookbook and WOW! They were fantastic, and I can't wait for an excuse to make them again.

-Kristen

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Life Lately #15

Wednesday, January 8, 2025