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Friday Favorites–September 22nd, 2017

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Happy Friday! This post is earlier than normal as I woke up at 4:45 and couldn’t go back to sleep. This rarely happens but when it does, if it is after 4 AM, I tend to just wake up. There will be lots and lots of coffee this morning as we are driving up to my family’s place in Vermont this morning. We don’t have any special plans, just spending lots of time on the porch together and hopefully a hike, if the weather allows. Right now the forecast for both Vermont and New York looks warmer than normal these next few days. Am I the only one cheering for Fall and ready to put my Summer clothes away once and for all? I am looking forward to the vibrant colors in Prospect Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park during long walks with Katie, bundling up in sweaters and leggings and hair that isn’t perpetually frizzy from the humidity.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • While we typically have Hello Fresh meals during the week, at least one weekday I cook dinner from scratch. Over the past year I’ve enjoyed integrating more chicken thighs into our life as they have more flavor than chicken breasts. This Five Ingredient Lemony Chicken recipe looks like a perfect weeknight meal especially when served with my favorite garlic roasted green beans and mushrooms as well as roasted new potatoes.
  • Making this pumpkin pie smoothie this week immediately got me excited for a season filled with pumpkin in both sweet and savory recipes. What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?
  • I’ve worn these jeans four times since they arrived and love the flattering fit, high waist and dark color. I like the fit so much that I ordered a pair in black yesterday.
  • Since sharing my running short story on Instastories yesterday, a few people have asked what shorts I’m running in these days. I love the forgiving nature of Brooks 5 inch Chaser Running short. They are a lightweight short with built in moisture-wicking liner, loose fit that prevents chafing and a wide waist band that is comfortable and large enough for keys and a phone. Also, in case you missed my Instagram Story, my shorts fell down while I was racing across the street yesterday since I was running in my maternity size and also weighing them down with a phone, keys and credit card in the pocket! Ooops! Like I said, it was time to buy a smaller pair!
  • I ordered a new front door mat to greet our guests when they arrive this season. I put it out on Wednesday, as soon as it was delivered, and the UPS man even commented on it yesterday afternoon! It’s festive and only $13!
  • I appreciate when bloggers share their top social media tips, especially as I focus on growing my platforms and engaging with readers better. Luckily, my friend Heather shared all her top tips for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in one convenient post yesterday! 
  • You’ve probably heard about the importance of kegels, but do you understand why it’s important to strengthen your pelvic floor? Whether you are 20 or 50 years old, this is a key often over-looked area of the body that we women should focus on for our overall health. It’s crazy to think that nearly one in three US women suffer from a pelvic floor disorder!
  • Have you all watched the new Netflix Original, Jerry Before Seinfeld? Bo loves Seinfeld and while I’ve never made it through the entire series, I have an appreciation for the witty humor and fun characters. This is on our Netflix list as the combination of Jerry Seinfeld and hearing about his roots and how he started seems like the perfect way to relax on the couch.
  • Pinned over 98,000 times on Pinterest, this Healthy Turkey Chili seems like a sure winner for an easy weeknight meal this Fall.  

Okay guys, it’s time to finish packing and then head to Vermont! I’ll check in with you guys later on Instagram stories. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites – September 15, 2017

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Happy Friday! It’s been a great week over here in Brooklyn. I started the week with yoga at Wanderlust 108 and ended the week with a huge weight off my shoulders. As of yesterday, we finalized our childcare plan for Katie. I’ve been a bundle of nerves the past few weeks stressing about this but thankfully, as luck would have it, we found an existing nanny share just down the block from us who needed a new baby to join. So, as of November, Katie will spend her days a few blocks away playing with an adorable 13 month old and 3 year old. Their nanny is a sweet 32-year-old German woman who has been in the US for 14 years and is fluent in French, German and English. Since I work from home this is a perfect compromise and the short walk to their house makes it easy for Bo or I to take and pick Katie up each day. If anyone has questions about our nanny share search or childcare in general, I’m happy to help but I am in no means an expert. It was an overwhelming process, that’s for sure! Now that the stress is over, I’m ready to relax this weekend! We are having friends over tomorrow evening for a barbecue and playdate but otherwise, I hope to head out early each morning for a run and possibly squeeze in a massage. What are your plans for the weekend?

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

Did you buy one too many apples this week at the market? These 10 apple recipes will help you use them in no time!

  • Inspired by so many of the bloggers I follow on Instagram, I’m pushing my boundaries a bit this week and doing more Instagram Live Videos including a tour of our apartment! Be sure to head over and check it today before it goes away in 24-hours!
  • As soon as I shared our master bedroom, 6 people asked where we found our floor mirror. This beaded leaning floor mirror is perfect for our large space and at $75 the price can’t be beat!
  • Last weekend we were craving chocolate chip cookies but my waistline didn’t need a full batch. This small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe resulted in 12 perfectly, chewy cookies that satisifed the craving!
  • Steak salad has always been a favorite but this recipe takes it up a notch! This steak salad recipe from How Sweet It Is includes gorgonzola cheese encrusted steak and fresh figs! 
  • I’m on the hunt for a new pair of sunglasses and am currently debating between this pair that I had for five years before losing them in Italy and this trendier style. Thoughts?
  • Ever wonder how a zoo manages to evacuate the lions, tigers and bears? This interesting NPR article answers that question and more!
  • In our relationship, this scenario is flipped. Since Katie was born, Bo stays up at least an hour later than I do. However, over the past week I’ve found both of us staying up later enjoying time together whether it’s planning a family vacation, talking about our days or watching a movie on the couch.
  • Speaking of staying up late, both Bo and I have loved reading Fortune’s Children. If you like Downton Abbey you’ll love reading about the rise and fall of the famous Vanderbilt family. I’m only a quarter of the way through the book but find myself staying up a few minutes later each night just to learn more about how this family made and lost their money so quickly.
  • I immediately fell in love with this small sponge upon receiving it in this month’s Birchbox. The Daily Concepts Micro Facial Scrubber left my face feeling 100x cleaner when paired with my daily cleanser. The natural cotton base layer wasn’t too rough on my skin but the texture removed dirt, oil and dead skin immediately!
  • Even when you know so many others are going through things that are tougher, more painful or 100 times worse, it’s still okay to have a bad day. As I read this post I felt like I couldn’t share it quick enough as every word Lindsey wrote resonated loud and clear.
  • This slow cooker Moroccan Stew looks like the perfect thing for a cool, Fall evening! It’s been ages since I used my slow cooker so maybe it’s time to pull it out and give it a try.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Friday Favorites–September 8th, 2017

Happy Friday friends! I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been a bundle of nerves during this short week. When Bo and I left Savannah on Tuesday the sun was shining, temps were cool and we’d just had the most incredible visit home. Now my family is on the road, evacuating from Hurricane Irma and hoping for the best. For perspective, last October when Hurricane Matthew hit Savannah it was a Category 1 storm but the tornadoes that accompanied it did thousands of dollars worth of damage to my brother’s property and Savannah. This storm is predicted to be far worse for the Southeast so I’ll just be over here updating the Weather Channel non-stop the next few days.  My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is dealing with the horrible weather right now whether that’s extreme heat, forrest fires, or hurricanes.

At least I was able to distract myself for a few minutes while putting together this week’s Friday Favorites. So, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • I’m in love with this throwback that J.Crew just introduced and ordered it in two colors – navy and pink. The relaxed fit, longer length and classic look I know I’ll wear this frequently throughout the Fall! I may even pair it with jean shorts this weekend!
  • My friends at Vega sent me a box with their newest goodies including the delicious, ready to drink nutrition shake. I enjoyed the vanilla flavor yesterday during a pumping session and was amazed how delicious it was considering the great nutritional stats! There was no chalky taste or weird aftertasted. Bo took the chocolate flavor to work today as an afternoon snack!  They are having a Back to Campus sale so everything on their site is 25% off which means you can get 12 of these shakes for for just $1.87 each which is cheaper than an afternoon latte!
  • If you follow me on Instagram then you’ve seen me rave about Beauty Counter’s Five Minute Face. It’s been 2.5 weeks since the package arrived with the six products to take me from freshly washed face to finished face. I’ve fallen in love with the easy routine that takes the guess work out of applying makeup! In fact, these six products have made my routine so easy that I found myself cleaning out my makeup  bag and getting rid of other products that I don’t need anymore! For less than $150 you can clean up your beauty routine and refresh your makeup with updated hues and tones for Fall. As an FYI, I ordered the Tint Skin in Sand, Concealer in Light, Brow Pencil in Medium, Lengthening Mascara, Tulip/Bloom blush and the bare shimmer lip gloss. 
  • I never realized how helpful and crazy Facebook mom groups could be at the same time. I spend at least 15 minutes a day in my neighborhood group and I think that all moms could benefit from reading this Facebook mom group etiquette guide following the falling out in the UES Moms group last month.
  • Looking for home workout inspiration? Julie’s 15 30-minute or less home workouts is a great post to pin and keep for future reference!
  • Since I frequently find myself grabbing for a snack while Katie and I are out and about, I love keeping a few healthy snacks in my diaper bag. Recently I’ve enjoyd the single-serve trail mix packs Sunkist Snacks sent. Available in a wide range of flavors, they pack in a lot of flavor with the fruit and nut combinations such as ginger peach, guava chili mango, and mango dark chocolate.
  • When we were in Vermont I picked up this Vineyard Vines quarter zip at the outlet and found myself wearing it everyday. The thumb holes make it great for colder days while the front pocket allowed me to easily stash my phone, cash and car keys during errands or walks.   
  • As the cooler temperatures arrive in New York, I find myself looking up Fall recipes including chillis, breads and soups. This healthy turkey piccata recipe seems like a perfect transitional dinner for this in between weather.
  • Did you see the new campaign Strava released last week? I love the way it goes against the traditional ideas of an athlete – egos, curation and judgement – and instead highlights the everyday athlete! There are some familiar faces in the #AthletesUnfiltered campaign!
  • Speaking of Fall, this vest is always a fall favorite and it’s on sale right now!
  • Another Fall favorite, I lived in these pants last year and plan to wear them on repeat on Fall and Winter paired with tall boots or flats.

Your turn: What is your favorite Fall wardrobe item?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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