Sunday Routines

For me, Sunday's are a day to prepare mentally and literally for the week ahead. I love to start the week with a clean house and nothing to worry about chore-wise because, lets be honest, if it doesn't get done over the weekend I'm definitely not going to get to it during the week.

Laundry gets washed and folded and sometimes even put away! The dishes are washed, floors vacuumed and swiffered, groceries are stocked up, and I organize my work planner for the week. Is this borderline OCD? Probably. Do I love doing it anyway because I'm crazy? Yep. Does that mean it's definitely OCD? Most likely. Do I have more questions than answers? Always.

On Sundays when the weather is nice enough, I will also wash all of the floor mats and linens and spray them with my home made essential oil blend (usually peppermint, lavender, orange oils) to promote peaceful energy aaaand get rid of any doggy smells. We also diffuse oils and open up the windows to get some fresh air flowing. That always makes sure the house smells clean and homey for the week.

One of the best things I think you can do to start the week off on a positive note is to put clean sheets on Sunday night. Maybe it's just me, but I always sleep better on clean sheets. Lavender pillow spray is also pretty great ;)

The real estate market is so intense this time of year and it makes a huge difference for me to not have to worry about too many chores during the week so Sunday's have become a little refuge for me to sort through everything and plan for the week ahead. Obviously with 4 animals, vacuuming and swiffering are not just a once a week thing, but doing a big scrub down shrinks those dust bunnies down exponentially.

Today I was actually a little bit surprised when I opened up all of the windows because it feels, smells, and sounds like Spring! I know were a couple of months away from the first day of Spring but NC has the weirdest weather. Also, global warming. Anyway, there are birds everywhere and the air feels crispy with not a hint of humidity. Perfect day for getting some fresh air flowing through the house.

Now, I know I'm not the only person with a crazy routine...what are some of the things you do to get ready for the week ahead? I'm always open to suggestions (and ways to make your house smell good when you are constantly surrounded by fur babies)

Kitchen cleaned, & oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in ze oven
 because the wedding is over and I am eating everything.

Thank god for my planner, otherwise I would never know what is happening.
Also, email inbox is empty hollerrrr

Remembering to water the plants is not high on the priority scale but even Fergus the Fiddle Leaf Fig
gets some love on Sundays

Diffusing a blend of peppermint, lavender and sweet orange. Smells sooo yummy!

Clean(ish) floors and some natural light to get some good vibes going ;)

Happy Sunday!
E

Monday Morning Motivation

Monday mornings have always been a bit of a 'catch-up' day for me. So, when the storms rolled in this morning, and the thunder started rumbling, I poured myself a hot cup of coffee and started going through my emails from the last 24 hours.

I love the feeling of getting my week started with a bang. And recently, it's been difficult for me to have that feeling of excitement since things around here are much slower than I am used to. But I've got NPR on the radio, its less than 107 degrees, and my to-do list is getting out of control!

There are new client searches to get started, closing details to organize, wedding vendors to respond to, offers to be written (!), and a million little details in between.

Setting the tone for your week early on is a great way to ensure productivity, something that is easy some days and nearly impossible other days. Usually I wake up and get the coffee started, put some essential oils in our diffuser (peppermint, sweet orange, and eucalyptus since it's been so hot), and turn on NPR (or HGTV) so that my brain has a chance to wake up as I'm getting ready.

Then it's on to the emails, and phone calls, and texts. I absolutely love my Day Designer planner because as I'm going through everything I have an easy to fill out blue print for my week! Each day has a timeline progressing in half hours, a notes section, a to-do list chunk, and a spot for top goals (because let's be honest...the top three things on your list are the ones that HAVE to get done).

Some days those are the ONLY things that get done, but that's life. Especially when you are awake half the night because your 70 pound dog is sleeping on your head because the smoke detector is beeping in the guest room and it is the single most terrifying thing he's ever heard.

But! I will get everything done today! And I will do it with a smile on my face because I am thankful, and alive, and motivated woohooo! (How's that for a Monday mantra??)

What are some ways you get started on the right foot on a Monday Morning?

My Favorite Things This Week: Click the Links to Explore!

A list of my weekly favs...Enjoy xo

1. Favorite Blog: The Daily Tay (So hilarious, and true, and hilarious)

2. Favorite Workout Site: BodyBuilding.com (Much cooler than it sounds...you can even find a plan that matches your health goals!)

3. Favorite Pandora Playlist: Bob Marley (So ready for summer!)

4. Favorite App: Boomerang (Perfect for capturing awkward moments, and repeating them over and over and over...)

5. Favorite Instagram Feed: mamawatters (She always posts such inspirational posts and lovely photos)

6. Essential Oils: We are loving peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus right now! So refreshing on these hot days!

7. Favorite Show: House of Cards!!! (Obvi, we are taking it a little slower than some of you dedicated binge watchers!

8. Favorite Food: Fresh strawberries from Bailey's Market!

9. Favorite Swimwear: Victoria's Secret Swim (They always have the cutest suits!) But also, I love a good Target swimsuit if I can catch them early on before the good ones are gone ;)

10. Favorite Recipe: We are all about some smoothies for breakfast these days, and huge fresh salads with lettuce straight from our garden!

...E

What are your favorites???

February Favorites

While February might have been a short month, it was jam-packed with great books, recipes, and Netflix shows to get us through the last of these cold, rainy days. Here is my list of Feb Favs that I want to share with you :)

Recently, I have been on a cooking show kick on Netflix and let me just tell you these shows are on point. They make you hungry but the music and imagery is breathtaking and I am convinced that I want to go to culinary school at some point now (terrifying, I know).

I've also been slowly making my way through a stack of wonderful books I got as birthday presents! Cookbooks, home decor books, and self improvement books are a huge guilty pleasure of mine. You know, the kind of books that most people just set out on the coffee table...I am a huge nerd and actually read them, over and over and over again.

 

 

Since the majority of the days in February down here are cold and rainy, we have been eating a lot of warm dishes for dinner. Classics like tomato soup and grilled cheese, chicken and wild rice stew, homemade buttermilk biscuits, and yo-yo ramen noodles (which basically means we make ramen and add a bunch of random yummy things to it).

The Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in the Fosters Market Favorites cookbook (above) in RIDICULOUSLY YUMMY. And easy to tweak and make your own. 

Also, cheese and wine. We go through a weird amount of bread, cheese, and wine in our house. Especially since I realized how easy it is to bake Irish Soda bread from scratch. Slap some local jam on it and it is a perfect snack during the day. 

 

There is nothing cozier than coming home from a long day of showing houses, putting some oils on the diffuser, getting some biscuits baking in the oven and settling down on the couch with a good book and some hot tea. 

I recommend all of the books above and would love to hear which recipes are your personal favorites!

xoxo Em

Tornadoes Tabatas & Thieves

As the end of February draws closer and closer I am struck with the urge to clean and declutter our home. Spring fever is going strong over here, even though a slew of tornadoes and rain brought another cold snap through last night. Of course, that would happen right after we get our new garden started, but with the exception of a couple of basil sprigs we weathered the storm quite well. Much better than many in our area unfortunately :( Thankfully, the storms weren't as bad as they could have been but the tornado did take out several homes and businesses. However, if one thing can be said of this community it is that they take care of their own. As early as this morning posts were going up all over the spouse pages about relief efforts and donation sites!

http://pulsegulfcoast.com/2016/02/photos-see-aftermath-of-pensacola-tornado-from-the-air

But back to the subject of spring cleaning...

When I say spring cleaning, I am also referring to cleaning up ones eating habits and shedding the layer of blubber that appeared out of nowhere over the winter months. We have been back in the gym attempting to get back on our clean eating and fitness regimen. It's a process. Down here in Florida bikini season starts at the end of march and that time, my friends, is fast approaching. 

Some of the easy ways I'm getting back in shape for the summer are:

~Trying to run at least 2 miles every day

~No fast food or junk food

~Upping my cardio game at the gym to 45 mins

~Portion control and smaller meals throughout the day

~Drink. More. Water.

~Tabatas that focus on the booty, core, and arms

When it comes to our home, some of the simple ways we spring clean include; opening the windows whenever it is nice out to get fresh air inside, diffusing essential oils like thieves/peppermint/tangerine to combat allergies, getting all of the pillows and linens washed and dried out, and filling the house with as many live plants as possible (which can be a pain in the ass since we have to get pet safe plants). 

New years resolutions are for people who don't want to deal with goals throughout the year! Theres no bad time to set a goal and make a plan to accomplish it :) I find it much easier to set seasonal goals anyways since I find myself having different focuses during different times of the year. Like eating all the carbs in the winter, and then having to spend half my life in the gym during the spring. 

For more ideas on fitness, clean eating, and oils check out my Pinterest boards ;)

Here:

What are some of your spring goals for your house? Body? Mind?

Weekend Vibes & Kitchen Update

Things have finally slowed down a little bit. I've been spending my time unpacking boxes slowly but surely, filling out paperwork for my new company, and nesting into this wonderful home of ours. It always takes a little bit of time to adjust and make a new house feel like a home, but this transition has been seamless and it already feels like home here. 

Even though it's November, it has been in the 70's during the day down here so we have been leaving the windows open and letting the cool breeze blow through the house. Not that I don't love warm weather, but it is definitely weird not having it be cold and snowy this far into the winter! To make up for the lack of wintery atmosphere I have been diffusing a Balsam Fir/Cinnamon/Peppermint blend to make it smell like home. I love the smell of all the spices swirling through the house as we sip our coffee and read under clean, warm blankets on the couch. That is definitely my happy place!

With the holidays upon us, I cant help but miss home and family a bit more than usual. It can be pretty isolating when you first move to a new place. And even though we've only moved a few miles closer to base I haven't had a chance to meet the neighbors yet so it has been a little lonely. But not for long! I am totally that nerdy neighbor who will knock on your door with cookies so I can introduce myself (maybe its my inner Realtor coming out...)

There is also so much to do that I haven't had much time to sit down and really think about all the changes we have been making! Getting a business up and running is no easy task! There are signs and cards to be ordered, advertising to be done, and paperwork to fill out. But, everyone has been so wonderfully supportive that I can't help but smile when I think of what the future holds. Not to mention, the decorating possibilities for a home office are pretty unlimited...and you know how much I love a good room-specific, home decor Pinterest board :)

Currently, I am in the process of getting some before and after pictures done of the house but there are still a lot of boxes to unpack and honestly, I am not in too big of a rush to unpack them! Whenever I move, the room I always unpack first is the kitchen. Kitchens are the eternal hang out room especially when they open up into the living space, which is why I think a good open floor plan is important. It allows the energy to flow easily from one space to another. Both my family and J's are foodies so somehow we always end up loitering near the food areas, therefore, the kitchen is the first room to get set up and ready to go! Here are some pictures of the progress we have made in the kitchen...

More to come soon! Hope you all have a great Saturday :)

-E

Happy 240th Birthday Marines

This weekend we got to take a break from the packing fiasco and celebrate the 240th birthday of the Marine Corps at the annual birthday ball. It was such a good time (even though we only made it to the pre-ball) and it was nice to let loose and celebrate with friends, both new and old. The music was good, everyone looked beautiful, and we all ate and drank more than we should have! 

It's nice to get super dressed up every once in a while and spend the day pampering yourself. I don't normally go all out on things like this but on Saturday I did the whole shebang; spray tan, hair, makeup...I even shaved my legs. You're welcome. Haha. Seeing J in uniform is definitely the best part though. I'll tell you one thing, I've never in my life been a uniform chaser, but seeing him in his dress blues makes me understand where they are coming from! Soooo handsome <3

We had a great evening, and ended the night at the whiskey bar, eating french fires as a night cap. Not too shabby ;) 

Today, after recuperating and having a huge brunch with friends, we tried very hard to 'adult' and went to look at appliances for the new house. It is insane how long the list of things you need in a new house is. We had to completely leave the store to regroup! I've worked with enough first time home buyers to know that this process is overwhelming but being on this side of the transaction I'm learning that the actual purchase is just the tip of the iceberg as far as making a house a home goes!

But we are SO excited! The countdown is at t-2 days! That's insane. It's also insane how much we still need to pack. Of course instead of packing right now I'm making home made buttermilk biscuits and blogging, and J is playing Fallout 4. We're very productive and can't be disturbed right now, obviously. 

The next couple of weeks are going to be incredibly busy and hectic but I'm going to diffuse my holiday oils, listen to christmas music, pack like a mad woman, and get it over with as quickly as possible so we can start my favorite time of the year!!

Woo-hoo! Hope everyone else had a great weekend, stay tuned for the next bit of madness...

E

Monday Motivation

On days like today; rainy days, cold rainy days, cold rainy MONDAYS to be specific, it can be nearly impossible to get out of bed and face another week day no matter how much you love your job. With the blankets so warm, the air chilly after leaving the windows open all night, and the rain pouring down outside, it almost seems like the world should just stop and go back to sleep. Alas, that never seems to be the case. With that being said, here are a few things that motivated me to get up and moving this morning...

Coffee. That and the short amount of time in the mornings where I get to drink my coffee and read a little, or catch up on my favorite blogs before heading into the office.

Putting on some warm, cozy knits and a pair of leggings, because you know what? I don't care if they aren't 'pants,' my sweater covers my butt anyways. 

Listening to NPR or a good podcast. This helps me get out of my head in the morning and hopeful learn something new that I didn't know before, whether it's a world event, how a piece of technology works, or just a good book I haven't read. 

Diffusing peppermint oil. I love the way this oil smells and it definitely helps alert your senses in the morning! Sometimes I diffuse a blend by adding lavender, tangerine, or eucalyptus. 

And lastly, knowing that at the end of the day I get to come home, put my sweatpants on, make a hot cup of tea, and curl up on the couch with some huge, fluffy blankets and a good book!

What makes your Monday go by quickly?

Weekend Roundup

Another weekend come and gone. 

I know I'm not alone in mourning the end of the weekend, but Monday's really are the worst. Like, the actual worst. Especially after a weekend of perfect weather, hanging out with good friends, and relaxing.

J and I turned off our A/C, opened up the screen door and windows, and let the amazing 65 degree breeze blow through the house. There is nothing better than being able to get some fresh air in your house, especially during seasonal changes. Aaaand I may have jumped onto the fall bandwagon early and bought cinnamon scented pinecones and carmel apple candles so the house smells sooo good! I also love diffusing our tangerine and eucalyptus oils this time of year to keep those colds at bay. 

Some people get really into spring cleaning but im much more of a fall 'cleaning' gal myself. I love decorating for the colder seasons, putting out all the cozy throws and blankets, burning yummy candles, and having the slow cooker running all day to fill our house with the smell of whatever cold weather concoction were making for dinner (this weekend it was Spicy Vegetarian Chili!) 

Sunday is also usually the day I like the get things ready for the week. As much as I want to be able to do everything (work a 40 hour week, make dinner, hang out with friends, clean the house, take care of the dogs) its just not possible to get all of those things done during the week when I get home at 5:30 every day. So getting the laundry, housework, meal prep, and my long run done on Sunday makes the week much easier for us. And let me just say that this weeks long run was 7 miles. Not an easy task for a non-runner. Also, cleaning house on Sunday keeps the swirling abyss of animal fur at bay so we don't get attacked by dog sized dust bunnies and my OCD can rest a little bit more peacefully knowing that everything is KIND OF clean.

I know it sounds crazy, but I really do get sick enjoyment out of making my house clean and cozy. J calls me an 'anxious cleaner' because I've been known to swiffer and rearrange things when I'm nervous, but at least the house is clean! And it's so much more fun to have people over and hang out when everything smells and looks good, am i right?? 

Anyway, I hope every has a good Monday! Here is our weekend photo roundup ;)

How do you like to make your home cozy for fall??

E

weekend happenings

This weekend while J was out golfing with the guys, I finally forced myself to do some of the less-than-exciting projects I've been putting off for the past couple of months...

It may seem ridiculous, but I still haven't unpacked all of our boxes from the move that happened in MAY. More than half of my clothes were piled into a horrible ginormous cardboard box next to the bed. Well NO MORE! Indy and I ventured out onto the thrift store scene and finally found a dresser that i didn't hate, and it was only $70...woo hoo!

I'm still deciding whether or not I want to paint it and add new knobs, but for now my clothes are off the floor and the infamous cardboard box is gone! 

I also finally got into our pantry, cleaned it out, put cute paper down on the shelves and organized our food. This was terrible and boring and a dusty hot mess but its handled and now I'm not scared to open the door anymore ;)

And last, but certainly not least, I was able to make a whole new batch of my homemade essential oil moisturizer, some all natural bug spray, and delicious tangerine/eucalyptus room spray. We go through these things quickly in our household and they make amazing gifts! 

*On a side note, if anyone is interested in trying out my recipes for themselves I am more than happy to ship them to you. I use all natural, organic coconut oil, vitamin E oil, Young Living and Aura Cacia oils. And your second orders are half price if you send me the jar back for a refill ;) I also have sugar scrubs, chapsticks, and body butter that are made to order based on personal preference. 

h o u s e t o h o m e

one thing i have learned from the many moves I've made in my life, especially this cross country one, is that i am a minimalist trapped in a pack-rats body. if anyone were to ask me what my ideal home would be, i would probably answer that i love industrial and scandinavian styles with bright pops of color and plants everywhere! 

that being said; i can't keep greenery alive to save my life, i have way too many books stuffed everywhere, i prefer to have a million animals, and i always end up with really loud, eclectic pieces of furniture. in short, my home always slightly resembles the Weasley's Burrow from Harry Potter. not necessarily a bad thing, and definitely homey and cozy, but also furry, erratic, and cluttered. 

somewhere between the pristine, white, minimalist home in my head & the hodge podge of hand me downs, dog hair, and bright red ikea furniture there lies a beautiful balance. and i actually think that after this last move we may have gotten pretty close.

the most important thing, in my opinion, when it comes to making a house a home is being able to identify those important, key things that make you feel completely relaxed and comfortable in your space. after all, your home should be a place where you feel completely at ease, it should be your sanctuary. a place to entertain friends and family, but also a place where you can hide away from the world and do your own thing. 

when i think about what i need to feel perfectly cozy in my home i can think of several very important factors that play a huge role in how i chose to decorate my house. 

1. fairy lights: i LOATHE overhead lighting and would rather sit in the dark and talk about politics than have a horrid, white light blinding me from above and making me look paler than i already am. 
fairy lights are warm, they add character to any space, and they make any room instantly cozier.

2. blankets & pillows: there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with a good book and wrapping yourself in a snuggly blanket. also, i am always freezing so my blanket collection is extensive to say the least. 

3. oil diffuser & candles: with four animals and a marine in the house things can get a little smelly. i always have candles burning to make sure things stay fresh. my oil diffuser is a miracle worker. we basically have this thing running 24/7. my favorite oils to diffuse right now are peppermint, sweet orange, and lemon. this mixture is perfect for hot summer days, it is revitalizing, and it isn't overpowering. 

4. books: James and i both have an astounding number of books. we seriously need about 3 more book shelves because every surface in our house has stacks of books on it. i love to read, and even though i will use my iPad occasionally, there is nothing better than holding an actual book in your hand and flipping the pages!

5. tea: peppermint tea. all day. every day. i don't know how i would ever get water into my body without tea. end of story.

6. my pets: as i was thinking about how nice it would be to have an impeccably clean, fur-less household i realized how boring and quiet and lonely a house would feel with no animals. suuure i spend about 60% of my life swiffering, cleaning up dog bone, dusting, and washing linens, but i mean, what do people who don't have animals do with all of that free time?? i would probably just eat. pets are definitely a must have for me :) the companionship, entertainment, and responsibility that comes with having pets is well worth the effort of keeping a clean home. 

sure there are lots of other things that make a home comfy and personal, but for me, these are a few of the big ones and i always make sure to take them with me wherever i go. so the next time you're thinking about moving or decluttering a room in your house, think about what you love to have around you and maybe it won't seem so hard create a space that you want to be in :)

-E

b r e a k f a s t

i am excited to say that the homemade moisturizer i made yesterday did not do anything weird to my face over night. when i spoke to james on the phone last night and told him what id done he seemed pretty convinced that i would wake up with hives all over my face. but in fact, my skin feels amazing! i can't believe I've never put coconut oil on my skin before. you would think it would be greasy and make your skin feel like it couldn't breathe but it goes on incredibly smooth and absorbs in right away. my makeup went on much smoother than usual and a lot of the redness from my most recent breakout has gone away completely. not to mention it smells amazing! my dogs seem to think it smells good too because they were trying to eat my face all night...

one thing that goes hand in hand with this spring cleanse and my use of essential oils is eating healthier. i always step up my game before bikini season, but the older i get the more i realize that this should probably be a year round thing. after all, I'm not talking about eating rice cakes or waiting until you feel like your going to pass out and then eating one cube of cheese (Devil Wears Prada...). I'm talking about eating real, organic, healthy foods that taste amazing. also, eating smaller portions of those foods and drinking A LOT more water. 

some typical daily meals for me include;
breakfast: coffee, half a grapefruit or an apple
snack: frozen blueberries, peppermint green tea
lunch: toast with an egg and some avocado 
snack: hummus and chips or peppers
dinner: leafy green salad with salmon and glass of wine

i have pretty consistently been eating renditions of these exact meals everyday which can get old, but its much easier to grocery shop, and it saves a lot of money that i would normally spend on going out to eat and drink. hmmm drinking, thats the other important part of this cleanse. i am not drinking during the week with the exception of a glass of wine after dinner occasionally. and surprisingly, it has been incredibly easy to give up. 

now if i could just get myself to chug more water during the day...

c o c o n u t o i l t i m e

another gorgeous day! sunshine, birds chirping, people out and about. sweet baby D and i have already looped the wall twice, run up to whole foods for some groceries, picked up some boxes from the smitten kittens, and made lunch. now its time to relax (or in Dillons case, nap) and sit outside on the porch. 

its crazy how much more motivated i am to do things when its nice outside. although i would love to be sitting on a beach with a HUGE umbrella drink right now...

anyway, the season changes are always especially difficult for my skin. i've tried different over the counter meds, prescription lotions, you name it. thankfully my skin has never been that bad, but getting these random breakouts drives me crazy! so, I've decided to take matters into my own hands and do this the all natural way.

today i made my very first essential oil & coconut oil moisturizer. I've been researching what to do for a few days now and figured i would go ahead and give it a whirl! coconut oil is an amazing little    ingredient. it can be ingested, applied topically, used in cooking, and is good for your hair, skin, nails and all around health. 

the essential oils i chose to include were; frankincense (anti-aging), tea tree oil (breakouts), lavender (inflammation), lemon (dark spots) and sweet orange (dewy glow...and it smells amazing). i prefer my oils to be more diluted than most people so i only added 3 drops of each to my coconut oil, mixed it up, and put it in a four ounce container. since coconut oil is one of the thicker base oils, i plan on using this mainly as a night cream.

can't wait to try it out tonight!

s a t u r da y m o r n i n g

there is something amazing about being able to wake up slowly in the morning, knowing you have nowhere to be, nothing to do. just coffee to drink, a good book to read, some refreshing oils to diffuse...

my bedroom gets the most beautiful morning light. that bright golden, warm kind that makes you both sleepy and ready to get up and embrace the day. its been a while since i haven't had to work on a saturday because its such a good day to show houses. but this weekend i decided to focus on getting my stuff together for the move and taking it easy. i want to enjoy my last couple of weeks here before i empty out the house and take the plunge. 

so here i am sitting in my bed with a hot cup of coffee, lavender & lemon in the diffuser, dogs chomping merrily on their bones, listening to NPR and playing on pinterest. perfection. 

sometimes you have to take time out to relax and get your bearings before jumping into a flurry of activity. and believe me when i say that my to do list goes from about here to belgium today! 

but first! coffee. 

i t a l k t o d o g s

i'm no stranger to having full blown discussions with animals, but i did just look at my dog copper and say, 'let's watch a documentary, i'm feeling a little stupid today.' it was weird.

the only reason i tell you this is in order to explain how i came to be watching a super strange documentary on The Druids. its not a particularly good documentary and the historical evidence is somewhat lacking, but I'm so content on my couch right now that it would be impossible to get up and turn it off.

my Young Living starter kit came in the mail today, so i am diffusing a wonderful blend of sweet orange and lavender right now. its smells amazing and has made my whole house feel fresher and cleaner. not to mention it is 9:30 pm here and still about 65 degrees outside. all of my windows are open, a cool breeze is blowing, and i have a huge holiday pour of pinot in my hand. not too shabby, if i do say so myself. 

since the weather today was so gorgeous, baby D and i spent the day swinging on the porch, going on a long walk, and playing outside. i wish this was a sign that winter was over, but the forecast for tomorrow is rainy and cold...this crazy north carolina weather is on a roll this year. 

not much has happened on the packing front yet. this weekend will definitely need to be a productive one since i will only have two weeks to get everything packed up and ready to go, but how hard can that be? i will buy the boxes and slowly chuck things into them for the next 14 days! easy peasy! and with my handy dandy diffuser, everything will be stress free and smell amazing the whole time ;)

m e h

today was one of those days. it was already depressing because the house was too quiet, too clean, too empty without james here. but to top it off i had to have my car towed and shell out $700 to have the alternator replaced. then my dog threw up in my bed. and baby D was having one of those days where a nap was just not going to happen. then i spoke with james, who is now in florida, and he said our apartment isn't as great as the pictures made it seem (something i should have expected as a real estate agent) and that it was tiny.

talk about horrible timing! moving is already expensive & stressful, but it seems like murphy's law is in full swing around here these days. of course, in the grand scheme of things, these small issues are nothing. its all about how you handle it and your attitude towards things that come your way. did i bitch and moan about shitty luck today? yes. did i curse the automotive gods and swear to take revenge upon carmax? yes. but overall, there are far more things in my life to be thankful for and I'm basically over it now. not to mention, hearing my babes' voice before going to bed is always nice. and thankfully we both agree that we can work with our apartment situation. 

so here's to the week going up from here! tomorrow is supposed to be 70 degrees and sunny, i am working with some amazing real estate clients right now, and I've got far too much on my plate with this move to feel sorry for myself. aaaand my young living essential oil kit is supposed to be here tomorrow woooo! bring it on hump day!

w e e k e n d l i f e

if there is one thing i love, it is a clean home. with four animals it is a constant uphill battle to keep things fur free and smelling, well, not like a zoo. many of my friends have been getting into essential oils as a means to clean, sanitize, and invigorate their homes. i never really saw the point until recently when i realized how often i spray chemicals and burn candles in my house. surely, it would be better to do things the all-natural way. so, i have decided to try my hand at essential oils. instagram and pinterest are amazing when it comes to recipes for different cleaning products, oil blends, diffuser products, you name it! hopefully this will be a way for me to keep my home clean in a natural and healthy way. my toxicologist father should be proud ;)

this weekend the bf was out of town visiting family so i was able to get a really thorough cleaning done. obviously i am a little OCD about this and I'm going to have a difficult time giving up my swifter wet-jet to an all-natural method, but what can you do. the result will be worth it. i also had time to go on a lady date with a good friend Britt which is always fun. especially now that the countdown for my move has begun, and i am trying to get as much time in with my girls as possible. we went to a hockey game and late-night dinner afterwards. super romantic considering this date was arranged for Brittney by her boyfriend who had to work last minute...thanks Danny! 

on saturday night, the fan and i went to DPAC to see Motown: the Musical. it was so well done and the voices were incredible. i always love getting to spend time with my parents and sister, and tempe and i always end up finding something hilarious to crack up at during these shows (comedy or not) and last night was no exception. 

overall, it was a productive and fun weekend. not to mention it was nice to finally get out of the house after all of the snow! now i am  going to sit on the couch, drink a hot cup of peppermint tea, and read until my sweet bf gets back for dinner. banana bread is in the oven, the house is clean, and sunlight is actually coming in the windows again.