Currently Vol. 8

Happy Saturday, friends! This post was supposed to go up yesterday morning, but my power went out Thursday night and I wasn't able to finish writing this post. Better late than never, right? Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and keep reading to see what I've been loving lately.

from Tuesday's blog post!

Reading... y'all, I've been reading so slowly lately. I just finished Opening Belle (took me forever) and I just started When Nobody Was Watching (I really like it so far!) I really want to make reading a bigger priority, but I just keep pushing it aside. If you have any good book recommendations, leave them in a comment below!

Loving... Trader Joe's has released a ton of beauty products lately, and I love their rose facial spray, (like Mario Badescu's, but only $3!) and their rose hand cream.

Listening... I've started to enjoy podcasts lately - they're great to listen to while I clean my room or work on homework. My favorites are Pop Fashion and The Goal Digger, but I have a blog post coming up soon on my ten favorite podcasts!

Watching... I started watching This Is Us a couple weeks ago, and I love it! I'm only a few episodes in, and the plotline is a little confusing, but it's still so good and I definitely recommend it.

Wanting... this sweater, these shoes, this swimsuit, and these jeans.

Eating... mac & cheese. My whole family got the flu a couple weeks ago, and while we're all better, my mom doesn't have much of an appetite and mac & cheese is the only thing that sounds good to her. I'm not complaining, though, because who doesn't love pasta covered in cheese?! My dad also got an Instant Pot recently, and we made this salsa chicken and this Tuscan chicken stew.

Buying... I bought the prettiest seafoam top the other day, and it's perfect for spring, but for whatever reason I can't find it online anywhere! Here's a similar one (mine is short sleeved though).

Wearing... my Hunter boots. It rained practically every day this week, but I honestly love rain (mainly because I get to wear my rain boots!)

Have a great weekend!

Purple Suede Skirt

Ever since button-front skirts became a huge trend a year or so ago, I've been on the search for the perfect one. However, I've had a hard time finding one that fits me, until this gorgeous purple one showed up under the Christmas tree! My sweet grandparents bought it for me, and I absolutely love it - it's perfect for winter days that aren't too chilly.

Sweater // Necklace c/o // Skirt // Boots (similar)

I paired it with this simple cream sweater and this brass necklace that matches the skirt's buttons perfectly. To top everything off, I added my go-to riding boots.

It was slightly drizzling when my sister and I shot these pictures after church the other day, so we had to hurry, but I love how they turned out. I've been really wanting to branch out in my style and wear more than just jeans and a top, and a simple skirt like this one is the perfect way to do that.

I've linked some other button up skirts in the widget below - happy shopping!

Life Lately Vol. 34

Happy Friday!! I hope you all had a great Valentine's week - I know I did (I ate so many sweets that I feel like I might explode, and that was two days ago :)

My apologies for no post earlier this week - I'll be honest, I thought I was over this burnout, but I had no motivation to post anything again this week. I did post a couple times on Instagram, but I've had no time to go out and shoot outfits, so I wasn't able to get a post up earlier this week.

So I know I said I ate a ton of dessert on Valentine's Day, but I honestly had the biggest dessert fail. I had planned on making cake balls and brownies, but both kind of fell through. I made too much frosting when making the cake balls, so they became a sticky mess, and the brownies I made just turned out really weird.

However, I was still able to salvage the cake balls the next day by baking a second cake to add to the frosting mess, and they turned out really yummy! I used Sally's recipe, and I'm sure if you follow the recipe properly (unlike me!!) they'll turn out nicely. I'm actually so full right now because I just ate four of them, haha!

Here's a fun picture of me playing soccer because we're halfway through our season now! It's been so fun and I'm looking forward to a great rest of the season.

I also started watching This Is Us recently and while it's slightly confusing, it's sooooo good and I can't stop watching it. I got a minor version of the flu last week, and while I was only out of commission for two days, I spent a lot of time watching This Is Us (and Friends, too!)

My family went out to dinner the other night and grabbed gelato for dessert! I've actually never had gelato, but it was really good - like ice cream, but creamier!

That's pretty much it for now! I'm looking forward to a nice, long three-day weekend, and I hope you are too!

Treat Yourself: Valentine's Day Gift Guide

I'll be honest: I've never understood why there's such a negative connotation with Valentine's Day. Even if you don't have a significant other to spend the holiday with, Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to treat yourself (not that you need one!!), and who doesn't love a holiday that is pretty much all about chocolate?! Today I've rounded up some of my favorite items that would not only be great gifts for your mom, sister, or best friend, but they're also great if you've been looking to treat yourself and pull the trigger on something you've had your eye on!

Pizza Art Print // Beaded Earrings // Pink Nail Polish // Striped Pajamas // Heart Ring // Pink Vans // Heart Pillow // Pink Beanie // Sherpa Pullover // Tarte Lipstick

My three favorite things on this list would have to be this pink sherpa pullover (it's so soft!), this gorgeous light pink nail polish (I have it on my nails right now!) and this Tarte lipstick - I love the neutral shade. This pink beanie is also similar to one that I have - it's perfect for adding a pop of color to any outfit. I've also been really wanting a pair of Vans recently, and these pink ones make such a fun statement.

How cute is this pizza art print - I love the little heart pepperonis! Also on the subject of home decor, this heart pillow is great for Valentine's Day but looks cute all year round.

If you're looking for a new piece of jewelry, this heart ring (James Avery jewelry is the perfect V-Day gift) and these pink beaded earrings are both perfect to wear on the 14th!

Lastly, while on the pricier side, these pink pajamas are perfect if you're looking to treat yourself.

A few other honorable mentions that wouldn't fit into the collage... this tie sleeve blouse, this Paris-inspired mug, and this box of See's candy (my favorite chocolate brand!)

Go and treat yourself this Valentine's Day - you deserve it.

Link Love Vol. 33

What a week. I entered this week feeling really tired and stressed, which is why I didn't post on Instagram at all this week or have a blog post up on Tuesday like I normally do. Between the Instagram algorithm changes, lack of engagement, and little free time to shoot outfit pictures, I've been feeling kind of uninspired and burnt out lately. I hope to be back on top of things soon, but at the moment, I have little motivation to post anything.

because it's Friday and we could all use a donut... or five

But now, on a lighter note, we've made it to the weekend! To celebrate, I'm sharing some of my favorite articles and blog posts from around the web recently. Enjoy!

This bright, colorful office is everything dreams are made of.

I made these peanut butter truffles last week, and they taste just like a Reese's peanut butter cup!

Why you should implement white space into your daily routine

These Palm Beach getaway pictures have me feeling all kinds of wanderlust... is it time for another visit yet??

On the blog lately: Amazon Finds + Teddy Bear Coat

Came across this jacket the other day and I can't help but want it! Thoughts?

Helene's post on the age of influence is a very interesting read and definitely got me thinking about the relationship between brands and influencers.

This backless workout top is such a good deal!

Courtney covers a bunch of tips on working for brands

I reeeeaaallly could use these Nutella sugar cookies right now

As I mentioned earlier, the Instagram algorithm has changed again... here's what's up.

Have a great weekend!