What's up Wednesday

Happy Wednesday to you! Today I’m sharing a hodge podge post covering things from what I’ve been reminiscing about lately, to what I’ve been loving. Thanks for being here. :)

what I'm eating...

I’m not sure about y’all, but in the spring & summer months, I like cold desserts, but I don’t like to waste a bunch of calories on them. Halo top ice cream became my best friend in college & still is! Birthday cake is my favorite flavor, sometimes I feel like the others are a bit bland.

Halo top ice cream is a great alternative & is much healthier than some of the other options out there! It only has 100 calories per serving (which is 1/3 of the whole tub which feels like a lot in my opinion!) & actually has quite a bit of protein in it too so it’ll fill ya up & you won’t feel like you need to keep snackin’.

what I'm loving...

Cleaning my electronic devices is something that I always want to do, but just never had the products for. I finally decided to try something out & it is legit AMAZING! I was absolutely shocked! It’s this EVEO premium screen cleaner spray & it comes with a really soft nice cloth. Not a single streak or line was left on my tvs or laptop!

I tried to take a before & after pic, but the pattern in my rug is a little distracting so it’s kind of hard to tell. Here is the before — see the paw print streaks on the right side from my cat?

& here’s the after! No more kitty print streaks!!

Target came out with the CUTEST spring colors in their plastic dishes! I snagged the bowls in coral & pink since those are the dishes I use the most. They look so cute in my glass cabinets & the best part is they’re 50c each!!!

My Mom saw another blogger share about his hair mask, so she snagged it. The blogger that shared it says that she actually just uses it in place of her conditioner. My Mom, both sisters, & myself have all tried it & y’all, we are all now fighting over who gets to keep this one & who has to wait for their own to come in lol! My hair is typically pretty soft, but HOLY COW! This stuff is legit. I didn’t even have to use my detangling spray because it was so silky smooth & there wasn’t a single tangle! It smells darn good & the price is ahhhmazing — only $13!!

I’ve been wanting to get AirPods for awhile but haven’t for two reasons: one) the cost! two) I don’t like hard earbuds, I like squishy ones because they stay in my little ears better! I found these headphones from Amazon & they’re BOMB! The music quality is so good & they fit perfectly! + they’re only $30! If you see me strutting down the street & it looks like I’m singing to myself, no you didn’t. ;)

I’ve also been having major issues with red, dry, itchy eyes & did a poll on Instagram & these allergy eye drops were recommended by a lot people so I’ve been trying them out!

Y’all know how much I love to have my nails done! I’ve been loving bright colors this spring & this set that I got as a gift is perfect because it has so many options to choose from!

what I'm watching / reading...

Last month I talked about how I was totally hooked on the Netflix show that is based off of a book series called Firefly Lane. I loved the Netflix show so much that I haven’t bee able to get into anything else! This means I’ve started Grey’s Anatomy over for the umpteenth time lol. I have been spending quite a bit of my free time reading. I’ll share my reviews of my two most recent books below!

The first book I read in April was After All by Heidi McLaughlin. Overall I enjoyed this one! There are deep wounds & secrets & as a school counselor, I LOVE figuring all of that stuff out & hearing different people’s point of view. It started out a little bit depressing, if I’m being totally honest, but was pretty happy & fairytale-y by the end. There were a couple of good surprises — one I was expecting & the other I wasn’t. I love surprises in books! In the end, I gave this one three out of five stars, which feels a little harsh. I just felt like it was a bit repetitive & like the book could’ve been a lot shorter overall if they would’ve cut some of that down. This one has a sequel so I started it next!

Until Then is the sequel to the book above. I gotta be honest, I liked this second book WAAAY more than I liked the first one! I was actually kind of dreading reading this one because I just didn’t love the first one, but I was pleasantly surprised. As a school counselor, it’s just kind of in my nature to be fascinated by human struggle & resilience. & even though I witness a lot of that on a daily basis with my job, I always find myself searching for that in the books that I read as well. Who is to say if that’s healthy or not lol but that’s besides the point. This second book focused on two people, Rennie Wallace & Graham Chamberlain, who are best friends of the two main characters in the first book. So going into it, you kind of know their story, but not necessarily all that their hearts have been through. I love a good romance novel, & this one was right up my alley because I got my love fix, but I also got my human struggle fix, too. I flew through this one much faster than I did the first one, but overall I liked them together & liked how the books kind of played off of one another. I don’t read series too often & I wouldn’t necessarily call this one a series since there are just two books, but I liked how they were connected.

what I'm listening to...

One of the things I love about spring is the longer days! I have been loving waking up to the sun peaking through my blinds & hearing the sounds of birds chirping. Fall & spring are my favorite seasons!

what I'm dreading vs. what I'm excited about...

I’m graduating with my masters degree in school counseling on May 14 & if I’m being totally honest, I’m having some mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I’m beyond excited to finally be done with classes & not have any homework to do. BUT I also feel anxious about that. I’ve been in school for so long that I don’t know how to not be a student. Plus, school will get out towards the end of May & I’m predicting that I’m going to have almost like an identity crisis. I won’t be in the school with students anymore AND I won’t have my grad school classes. I feel anxious with what I’m going to do with all of that free time! So, I’m excited but also dreading my graduation all at the same time.

what I'm wearing...

Abercrombie & Fitch…

A common outfit for me is a comfy t-shirt, jeans & birks. Throw on a cardigan in the fall or swap the jeans for denim shorts in the summer. I’m always on the lookout & trying different basic tops. This sea foam green one is from Abercrombie & Fitch (my absolute FAV place to get jeans)! I’m wearing an XS here — I typically wear S or M. The material of this top is so dang soft & cozy. It could easily be dressed up or dressed down, which is the best part! Highly recommend this tee!

Aerie…

I just bought this sweatshirt from Aerie the other day & I loved it so much that I went back to the site to buy it in more colors & it’s super on sale!!! It was $42, but now it’s on sale for less than $30!! RUN, PEOPLE! It’s that good! I made both of my sisters + my Mom get one lol. It is softer than soft & it’s thin so you won’t get hot at all! I don’t usually like sweatshirts because the hoods can be bulky, but this one is so slouchy & relaxed that it doesn’t bother me at all — not even when I’m driving! I’m wearing an XS which is what I typically wear in Aerie sizes because they’re kind of oversized (in my opinion). This is a great sweatshirt because it can be worn with lots of different things! Check out some more stylings below. :)

*Unfortunately, this pink color is out of stock, but they have it in black, light heather grey, deep olive & a light tan. Loving all of them!

Super cute with some fun leggings!

& it looks great front-tucked with jeans as well!

Do you remember those beach fleece sweatshirts from Aerie that were super popular? Well here is a super similar version, also from Aerie. Keep in mind that it’s a beach fleece sweatshirt, so it’s not the softest material ever. I’m wearing a medium in this beautiful bright orange color. I’ll be honest, I must not have been paying great attention when I was ordering, because I ALWAYS size down with Aerie stuff, it’s just always super oversized on me! My Mom ordered it in a green color in a size XS & it fits me way better than the medium does! Sharing a picture of it below.

This is that same sweatshirt, but in the green color & in an XS!

Amazon…

Birkenstock lookalikes — extra cushion & for only $24.99!!!!! I’m straight up obsessed! I had been wanting some triple strap birks, but didn’t feel like spending the money. I decided to try these ones from Amazon out & I’m sold! I am wearing a kids size 4, I usually wear a kids size 1 or 2 depending on the fit, but had to size up a bunch in these, just FYI. So dang comfy!

Okay work with me on this one. I saw this dress from Amazon on another blogger & it looked absolutely darling on her! But I feel like it looks a tiny bit like my great grandma’s nightgown on me lol I keep talking myself in & out of liking it. The sleeves are three quarter length & the lace detailing is just so pretty & feminine! I’m wearing a small here & feel like it fits just a little bit wide, but everywhere else is true to size.

Sharing a closer view of the neckline & print below!

I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize I had ordered the long sleeve version of this Amazon lounge set until it came in the mail lol I totally thought I ordered the short sleeve version… oh well. I’ve been loving this seafoam green color lately & this one is spot on. It’s a really nice quality waffle knit material & fits true to size!

I tried some Amazon biker shorts again hoping that I’d like them, but to be honest, I just can’t seem to get on board. I love the idea of them because I love wearing leggings & how comfortable they are — so leggings in shorts form seems like a great idea, buuuut not for me I guess. The good news is that I got two sports / workout bras that I love! Both have removeable padding & offer great support. (I’ll link to everything at the end after I share both bras).

This first one is a spaghetti strap cropped tank bra & it’s super cute & comfy! I love the support & fit so much that I’ve actually worn it as a nicer bra to work a couple of times lol. I’m wearing a medium & it fits true to size!

This second one is a subtle leopard high neck sports bra & I’m in love! I love the coverage & support that it offers all while being super comfortable! The material is really soft & almost silky which is really nice. The back is like a normal racerback bra. I’m wearing a medium in this one as well.

Positivi-tees are my jam, especially as a middle school counselor! They are one of my favorite ways to spread a little bit of positivity & kindness & love to my kiddos, all while showing them what’s important to me. This “bee happy” one is from Amazon & it’s super awesome! I’m wearing a medium & absolutely LOVE how it fits. Plus, it’s a great price — $13!!

Sharing a picture of it closer up below! I’m linking one of my current favorite cardigans (sharing about it below in the Target section) to wear with this top after the pic as well. :)

Target…

How darling is this floral dress from Target?! I’m in love! The moody paisley pattern with three tiered levels is so dang cute! I’m wearing a small & 100% feel like it’s oversized — the sleeves are super long (even though they cuff, they were still falling off) & there’s basically room for a whole other person to be in it with me. I just think it would be more flattering if it were a little bit more fitted! It hits mid to upper shin on me, granted I am only 4’11”. The quality is great!

I’m absolutely in love with everything on this one — from the pattern to the color scheme to the fit! It has a very subtle v-neck & a nice smocked waistline that is super flattering. You can cinch it tighter with the drawstrings, but it made it a little bit bulky for me personally. It’s soft & light & flowy in all the right places. So stinkin’ smitten over this one! I’m wearing a small.

Sharing a closer view of the neckline & print below!

Loving the color pattern & print on this one as well. I’ve ordered a couple of other dresses that have a similar neckline to this one — it’s fairly wide & almost square. I was hesitant at first, but I actually think it’s pretty flattering! The flutter sleeves & smocked neckline are really cute & feminine. I’m wearing a small & would say it fits a bit oversized. You can also wear it with the sleeves off your shoulders, but I would need to have sized down if I’m going to keep it up.

Sharing a closer view of the neckline & print below!

Cardigans are my happy place! I feel like you can never have too many because they’re all different! This one is from Target & is a real classic. I’m wearing a small & feel like it fits a little bit oversized — the sleeves are a little bit long (which 99% of the time is a problem for me), but I like the overall length. The thing that I really like about this one is that it can be so easily dressed up or down! I went for a casual look by pairing it with one of my new favorite tees from Amazon!

I gotta be honest & say that I’m SUPER DISAPPOINTED in this one. I was so stinkin’ pumped for it to come in because I LOVE floral t-shirts. This one is incredibly oversized! I got the smallest size — S/M & it literally fits like an XL. I thought maybe I could pull it off by rolling the sleeves & pairing it with some black biker shorts, but I still feel like I look like a little girl playing dress up with her Dad’s t-shirts lol. I’m 4’11” & typically wear small or medium tops for a size reference, so if you’re bigger than I am, this could be super cute on you! I’ve seen it on other people & I’m so jealous!

Give me allllll the textured spring colored sweaters this spring!!! OBSESSED with this one! I’m wearing a small & I actually really love the fit! The sleeves have a subtle balloon fit with ribbed cuffs as well as on the neckline & hemline. It’s almost holey, but it’s definitely not see through. I just love this bright color & all of the texture — really I just love everything about it lol!

Sharing a close up picture of this sweater here!

This one is precious. I absolutely love how it’s almost like a boho style with some flowers & a subtle color scheme. I’m wearing a small & feel like it fits true to size. The neckline has a pretty deep v, so I just wore a bra with a higher neckline to maintain some modesty. The fit of this dress is almost like a flowy t-shirt dress, so I feel like it would be flattering on any body type!

Sharing a close up picture of the pattern & color scheme here!

This dress really surprised me because it’s almost like a t-shirt or thin sweatshirt material. It is SO dang comfy & the tiered levels & subtle high low fit are actually really flattering. I’m wearing a small & I feel like it’s a tiny bit wide, but I wouldn’t size down because I wouldn’t want it to be too short in the front. This deep red is one of my favorite colors! I feel like this dress will be really cute in the fall with booties & a denim jacket, so this is a timeless find in my opinion!

Sharing a close up picture of the dress here!

I saved my favorite for last! :) I am absolutely obsessed with this one! The color, the tiered levels, the puffy sleeves, the neckline, the fabric, all of it! I’m wearing a small & feel like it fits great! The neckline is kind of rectangular, so it shows off your clavicle area which can be really feminine & pretty! This pink is SUPER bold & I am so here for it! Absolutely stinkin’ in love!!

Sharing a close up picture of the neckline on this dress here!

Walmart…

I’ve never been very big into skirts because I feel like they can accentuate my short figure, but recently I’ve started to become more comfortable with my body & wearing whatever the heck I want to wear just because I like it! This floral midi skirt is a perfect example of that — I stinkin’ love it!!! Yes, I should’ve taken the time to steam / fluff it before I took a picture in it, but come on, the wrinkles don’t even get in the way of how dang cute it is! I’m wearing a small & would say that it is pretty generous. The waistband & overall material is incredibly comfortable & stretchy. There is a zipper on the side that falls seamlessly into the material so you don’t even know it’s there. Great quality & I stinkin’ love the color scheme! Lesson learned… I need to actually try things on instead of telling it no just because I think I know what it will look like.

Get you a dress that can do both, am I right ladies?! Kind of like I said above, I’ve never been super into t-shirt dresses either. I don’t have the slimmest figure & sometimes they just look like a trash bag on me. I had heard other bloggers absolutely raving about this one so I figured I needed to try it. #influenced & y’all, I can 100% see why now!! The material has enough build in it that it doesn’t just hang on you or suction to your body. The sleeves have just a little bit of flare that gives the illusion of a slim figure. Plus, it’s casual enough that you can pair it with some sneakers & a denim jacket & it looks great. Or dress it up with some heels & nice earrings & it looks just as cute! Win stinkin’ win!!!

Here is how I would dress it up a bit. This would look darling with some leopard heels or even some colored ones & a cute clutch! So many different ways you could style this one. It comes in a few other colors as well that now I’m super tempted by!

I’ve had my eye on this striped top for MONTHS now, but it hasn’t been in stock in my size until recently so I snagged it as fast as I could! I got it in a medium & should’ve gotten it in a small since the fit is a bit oversized on its own. I absolutely love the color scheme — it’s fun sweet colors that are great for spring, but I also love that it has navy & deep tan because it’s kinda moody. The cutest part about this top is that the hemline looks like there’s a white ribbed shirt underneath, but it’s just added on at the bottom — so stinkin’ cute! It’s a think basic feel, but could easily be dressed up with jeans & sandals, or dressed down with leggings & birks.

Here’s another Walmart top I’ve been basically stalking lol this is actually plus size, wearing 0X here. It’s a really comfy & light sweatshirt material & has the cutest deep v neckline that shows off a cute tank or sports bra! It has a nice kangaroo pocket in the front. It’s a pretty wide fit, but overall I don’t feel like it’s necessarily plus sizing, in my opinion. It comes in black & a deep plum color as well which is super cute!

Sharing a close up picture of the neckline here!

Y’all know how much I love flannels / button ups & spring colors, so combine them both in this cute top & I was sold! I actually don’t own anything that’s yellow & I’m not really sure why because I really like this one! This button up is like very soft yellow & light pink tons & it’s just so dreamy. It’s a thin material that is very moveable & isn’t stiff at all. I’m wearing it in a medium because I didn’t want it to be tight or fitting at all. It comes in two other color options & is $26! I paired it with a white t-shirt bodysuit from Amazon.

Who doesn’t love matching lounge sets & especially when they come in bright choral?! HELLO! Yes please! This one is from Walmart & it is awesome so I’m sure it’ll sell out quick if it hasn’t already! It’s kind of a beach fleece material (like those Aerie sweatshirts). It’s a thin & breathable material. I grabbed a medium in both & honestly should’ve sized down. I love that the bottoms are a jogger fit & have the cute teal drawstring! You could totally mix & match these pieces with other things which is nice.

Y’all know I’ve been loving tiedye lately so another tiedye lounge set was bound to show up sooner or later lol. This one is also from Walmart & I love it! The colors are so bright & vibrant & springy. The crewneck is somewhat of a cropped fit so I sized up to a medium. I’m also wearing a medium in the shorts, but could’ve went with a small. They have great pockets & a functional drawstring waist.

I have a couple of boyfriend t-shirts from Aerie & heard that these tees from Walmart are a pretty similar option. I got it in this bright tiedye print because it’s fun for spring. It’s super soft & thin, fits a bit oversized & has similar distressing to the Aerie tees. Overall, it’s a great t-shirt to have, especially considering it’s only $8!