Put a little Spring in your step

It has been a long, rough winter for this peach. Although it's my second winter up in VA, I'm still barely used to the cold temps and snow. We have gotten a few teases of Spring weather recently but I have had visions of flowers and sandals dancing in my head since long before those! One part of my wardrobe that I'm particularly excited to expand is my sandal selection. I have plenty of flip flops, but far fewer sandals. I've perused the web a little already and many brands have released their spring lines! Here are a few of my favorites that I've seen so far {click to shop!}:

It's nice to think that sandal-appropriate weather is right around the corner {hopefully}. I'm ready to swap out my wool socks and Bean boots for some of these lightweight pretties!

Have you started your Spring shopping list? What are you currently coveting? Do you have a favorite pair of sandals that you can't live without?

Happily linking this post up with the Spring Fling Link-Up!

Weekend Recap

Happy Sunday! I have had a wonderful and relaxing weekend, I hope you have too! I feel as though I say this often but 2 days isn't long enough for the weekend! I wish they were at least 3. Think about how much happier everyone would be?! But obviously I don't control that and I need to work to support myself so 2 day weekends will have to continue.

Friday was a crazy work day for me- the roads were still iced over from Thursday's winter storm so I was a nervous wreck every time I was out on them. When I got home after work, I knew I was in for the night because I couldn't stomach anymore driving out there. I had a relaxed at-home movie night with my neighbor. We watched 'The Other Woman' while sipping on hot chocolate and enjoying some popcorn. We were both in our pjs and had the perfect girl's night in! I am a huge fan of those and plan on doing them more often.

via

Saturday, I met one of my other girlfriends at Organic Nails and Spa in Vienna for a little pamper session. I typically paint my own nails and toes but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for some indulgence. It was my first time at the shop, and I immediately felt relaxed upon walking inside. They have a soothing atmosphere and kind staff who take care of everything you might need! I got a standard manicure and spa pedicure. I loved all of the products that they used, and especially loved how much time they spent massaging my muscles. That's usually my favorite part of getting pampered- I tend to keep my muscles tense so it's great to get them to relax through massage.

After getting our nails done we wandered over to Sushi Yoshi for a late lunch. This little spot is adorable and the sushi was great. I loved the little details- from the place mats to my tea cup!

We headed over to Pentagon City mall with full bellies to finish up our girly day with some shopping. I got the cutest pair of scalloped shorts and Jack Rogers booties. I consider it a great success!

Jack Rogers 'Marianne' Bootie

Today I got my taxes prepared {womp womp} and went grocery shopping. Nothing terribly eventful but completely necessary. I did nab a box of Girl Scout cookies outside of the grocery store. I was surprised that no one in my neighborhood came around selling this year, so I was thankful to find this stand! I can't make it through the year without at least one box of Samoas! I plan on spending the evening tidying up, relaxing, and preparing myself for the week ahead! I hope y'all had a great weekend too!

What did you do this weekend? What do you do during a girl's night in? Do you have a go-to treatment when you need a little extra pampering?

10 Ways to Relax Right Now

Do you ever feel as though you couldn't squeeze one more tiny thing into your day? My life can get so hectic and fast-paced that it seems like I am always moving, always thinking, and always stressing. This is supremely evident to me when I lay down to sleep at night. I feel as though I can't clear my mind and just relax into sleep. Unfortunately this is not the only time the overwhelming feeling creeps up on me. Sound familiar? Here are 10 ways you can relax right now:

1 Take a deep, cleansing breath.
2 Listen to music.
3 Change your scenery.
4 Work up a sweat or head to a yoga class.
5 Reflect on a happy memory.
6 Write down a list of 5 things you're thankful for.
7 Laugh.
8 Call up a family member or friend who you haven't spoken to in a while.
9 Focus on the end result of a daunting project.
10 Watch a funny or uplifting video.

These are just a few ways that work for me. Although it can seem impossible, there are tons of different ways to clear out the negative or stressful thoughts in your head. I know for me work is a large {and consistent} source of stress in my life. Being able to identify the triggers and do your best to combat them is a great way to keep your mood in check. Hopefully these are helpful for you too!

How to you relax? What stresses you out?

Head-to-toe hives.

Yesterday I made a mistake which I haven't made in a L-O-N-G time. I forgot to check a label and consumed one of my allergy triggers. My allergies are all over the place- from mold to milk to dogs. My list of food allergies is pretty short, so I am usually able to identify foods that contain them. My latest interest in cold pressed juice got me into trouble with an unexpected trigger. I am allergic to grass, which is something that I am able to manage fairly easy by not rolling around or sitting in it. I can honestly say that I never expected to have to check a food label for grass. Which is why I didn't. And why I spent all afternoon and evening in a miserable, itchy state.

Unfortunately I didn't have any oatmeal baths or any of the typical remedies I have done in the past to alleviate that excruciating itch. After a phone call to mom, I took a cool bath and covered myself in lotion to keep my skin chilled. That last feat was easy because it's still so stinkin' cold here. Winter has got to be one of the worst times to get hives because mine are irritated by warmth. And being warm is usually all I crave in the winter. Quite the predicament.

Needless to say, it was one of those evenings that made it hard to be away from home. My mom probably still to this day has at least one oatmeal bath packet and Benadryl on hand- just in case. How do mom's do it? They really are so thoughtful and prepared. As for me, I'm headed to the store on my lunch to pick up some supplies to have just in case there is a next time!

I hope your Monday was better than mine! xox.

A little weekend recap + online shopping

Happy Sunday! I hope y'all have had a wonderful weekend. Staying in stride to last Sunday's lazy day post, I wanted to share some of my life happenings lately! This weekend was just what I needed- laying around and relaxing.

On Friday I caught up with a sweet friend from home, as well as had a much needed FaceTime date with my sister. Since moving 10 hours away, it has been increasingly difficult to keep up with my friends still back home. I don't think it's a result of drifting apart, more so that we all have separate lives going on in separate places now. We each have stressful work days, long to do lists, and attempt to keep up a social life with those still around us. Trying to mesh together 2 sets of those, with varying schedules and sometimes timezones, can get messy. With that being said, I absolutely cherish the times I do get with my friends because I realize how difficult it is to make it happen. My sister and I have the guilty pleasure of watching Hart of Dixie on the CW together. It's been a fun activity for us to do even though we aren't physically together when we watch. Having someone to discuss episodes and plot twists with is the BEST! I finally caught up to the live airings on TV, so we can now FaceTime during the show or afterwards to discuss. I'm sure she appreciates that we are now on the same episodes so she doesn't have to keep plot secrets from me anymore!

Saturday was awesome. I made myself breakfast and enjoyed it from my bed, as seen above {please pop over to my Instagram to follow along with me!}. My morning consisted of sipping coffee and discovering new blogs to read. I absolutely love reading other people's blogs- whether it be fashion, cooking, travel, or lifestyle/personal! I find all kinds of inspiration from others. After doing some blog hunting, I got sucked into a little online shopping! I didn't have plans until the evening, so it's not hard to distract me with some online shopping. I am currently trying to expand my accessories collections, and I've included some of my favorites I saw yesterday below!

Sunday consisted of the usual Sunday activities- church and grocery shopping. Unfortunately we are in the middle of another icy mix so the roads and sidewalks are pretty slick. It's enough to keep me stuck inside to be honest. I was able to get out- I met up with a girlfriend for lunch and we went to go see 'The Duff' for some silly laughs. It was definitely entertaining, but I think I am officially too old for teen movies! Me and my friend were the only people laughing at certain jokes, which upon later discussion were determined to be the jokes built in for parents. Wow. What a rude awakening! Are Urkel jokes really THAT outdated?! I didn't think so. Oh well. I surprisingly have made it this far into the weekend without starting House of Cards.. This snow/wintery mix must be messing with me. I'm sure I'll just be addicted once I start, so I'm putting it off to try to make it last as long as possible!

How do you keep up with long distance friendships? Have any blog suggestions for me to check out?