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’ve been trying to eat a bit healthier & find some better snacks to eat & I’ve become OBSESSED with apples & the Fit & Active Cheddar Rice Snacks from Aldi lol they’re just so stinking good & hit all of my cravings! Plus, 20 rice snacks is only 130 calories so I don’t feel like I’m really on a “diet”. Like I’m actually enjoying what I’m eating & feel full which is really helpful for me.

I’ve also been really enjoying tea again. I like drinking tea the most when I’m able to just sit & enjoy it while reading a book or watching a tv show. I think I associate hot tea with slowing down & relaxing & I like to keep it that way. Last week on Friday, my town got A TON of rain, like 8-10 inches! & unfortunately I was out in it for awhile so I didn’t feel great on Saturday morning when I woke up. Immediately I was excited to make a homemade Starbucks medicine ball. I’ll share the recipe below! My cat, Sophie, is FASCINATED by my electric tea kettle lol best Christmas gift from my siblings!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup lemonade
1 bag teavana jade citrus mint tea
1 bag teavana peach tranquility tea
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

combine water, lemonade + tea bags
microwave until hot (2ish minutes)
steep tea bags (2ish minutes)
add honey + peppermint extract
ENJOY!!!

Y’all know I’ve been obsessed with liquid I.V. for years! Their packets have tons of health benefits, including multiplying your hydration & giving you electrolytes + vitamins. This stuff is legit. I honest to goodness feel SO good after drinking these! They recommend you pour it into 16 oz. of water & I love how much flavor each of the packets have. My favorite flavor is lemon lime — you can taste both the sour flavor & almost a little bit of salty from the lime. My second favorite it tangerine! I know that I don’t drink near enough water as I should, so I drink one packet a day, sometimes more depending on what activities I’ll be doing — working out, partaking in adult beverages, being outside in the sun for a long period of time, even if I have a migraine. The packets are really easy for on-the-go life as you can throw a couple in your bag & pour them into a water bottle or tumbler whenever you’re ready. You can use my code (SIMPLYSMALLTOWNBLOG) to get 25% off + free shipping! Click here to be taken to their site!

what I’m reminiscing about...

Things are about to get real for a moment, friends.

This past month, my hometown struggled through the grieving process after a young man was taken from this earth much too soon. Unfortunately, he decided to take his own life. While this situation & loss is incredibly hard to process & wrap my mind around, it has opened up a lot of conversations & thoughts between myself & my family members. I have been thinking back on this past school year & my different interactions with my students, as well as people in the community. What were my interactions like? Was I consistently kind & supportive? Was I dismissive & distracted? As a school counselor, I strive to be a safe place for my students. I pray that each of them knows how deeply I care for them, not just while they’re in my school building, but always.

what I'm loving...

Onto something a bight lighter — things I’ve been loving lately.

My bedroom is one of my sacred spaces in my house. When I enter, I want to feel calm & relaxed & totally zen. I like for things to be picked up & for everything to have a space. I’ve been really into neutrals & kind of boho chic / farmhouse / whatever-you-call-it styles lately. I totally revamped my room by adding new throw pillows, a lamp, comforter & wall hanging & I’m truly obsessed! It’s everything I wanted it to be!

Seasonally decorating your home doesn’t have to break the bank! A lot of the pieces you see in my living room were from garage sales or marked down on clearance for damage (the way I see it, we’re all a little bumped up & scratched, so it’s okay if my decor is, too ) or are years old, even from college. Adding in a fun new pillow or blanket into your normal decor can really spice it up. This wildflower pillow is from Walmart & is $11. No joke! There are so many colors in it that it can match just about any color scheme. I’m going with touches of pink this year. :)

If you’ve been around here for awhile, then you know that I love to always have my nails done. I’ve had my own shellac machine for 5+ years & I’ve built up my collection of colors, but I’m always down to try new things. I’ve seen tons of bloggers post about Red Aspen Nails — a up & coming company that sells glue-on nails, amongst other beauty products. My mom, sisters & I each bought a set for ourselves to try, & we all loved them so much that we ordered a bunch more sets — you can reuse them which is SO nice! Mine stay on for 10-15 days! I’ve been loving bright colors this spring & thought these were too cute! The color is Harper Picks Peonies Nail Dash Square. I typically keep my nails pretty short, but I’m not necessarily opposed to having them a bit longer like these. If you’re interested in getting some for yourself, you can go to my page here to order & I’ll get some commission off of it! Y’all know how much I appreciate all of your support!

& this is my newest set so I’m all ready for the 4th of July! This color is Americana Nail Dash Square (unfortunately it looks like it’s out of stock).

A sweet follower reached out & offered to send me some of her earrings & how could I say no?! They’re DARLING!!! Super lightweight even though they’re fairly large hoops. The gradual increase in size of the wooden beads is so cute & subtle in this pair. She has some other color options as well, but these are by far my favs!

Another sale worth mentioning is Soma Intimates’ BOGO 50% off + free shipping! Soma is where I get my favorite bras. I honestly hate the feel of “real” bras vs. sports bras. They’re just uncomfortable! These Soma bras are seamless & beyond comfortable, but don't smoosh your girls down like sports bras do. They don’t make me have back chub like real bras do. They come in a ton of color options — below are the three that I have. I wear a medium, but honestly could’ve done a small because I do feel like they stretch out a bit after even one wear.

My mom ordered some pjs from them because of their sale — I’ll link everything below!

Now that it’s summer, my favorite place to read has been my back deck (or driveway in the sun) in my super comfy Walmart chairs!

This moisturizing shave cream is one of my most recent favorite finds from Trader Joe’s! My mom & I both bought one & then my sisters both tried my mom’s & she made them go get their own because she didn’t want to have to share LOL it’s that good!!! Silky smooth legs for summer, yes ma’am!

I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many cups lol I snagged this one from Amazon & am in love. I’ve tried the “reduce” brand before & it works just as great as Yetis do. I love that this one has a handle & I LOVE the coral color!!

MVMT sent me some darling sunglasses for summer & they even are giving me a code for 15% off site-wide for y’all!!! My code is SIMPLYSMALLTOWNBLOG15 or you can click here & the discount will automatically be applied for you at checkout.

The first pair is the cutest tortoise shell print which I love + they’re a bit oversized which I think is too cute! The second pair is my FAV! They’re so trendy & I have been loving the simple shape with thin frames. You honestly can’t go wrong with either of these darling glasses!

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have white & clean-looking teeth! I had recently heard of this new brand of teeth-whitening products & knew I wanted to try it, so I was super excited when they reached out to partner with me! They are much better for & much more gentle on your teeth than other whitening products. I could tell a difference in my teeth after ONE use!!! You can order them from Amazon or shop for them at your local Walgreens.

what I’ve been up to...

Having this summer off from school has been such a sweet gift! Being forced to slow down & embrace the mundane has been really nice. I work at my parent’s sno cone shack, Chill, a couple days a week. It’s nice to have something to do & have a whole bunch of human interaction, plus, working with my family members is an added plus!

My sisters & I have enjoyed some time finding different things to do together! One thing we enjoyed last year during the big covid shut down was exploring different local hiking trails. Yesterday we went to Geary Lake Falls in Junction City & explored!

The scenery was absolutely gorgeous & we just couldn’t get enough of it! We did see two different snakes, both of which my sisters almost stepped on (like truly, I don’t know how they didn’t) so we were all pretty jumpy after that.

We couldn’t find the picnic table area (millenials trying to read a paper map didn’t go so well), so we headed back to my town & drove out to the county lake for lunch!

Thankful for sister time!

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

I shared a little while ago that I got some unexpected monetary gifts for my masters graduation & I used it to help myself buy my very own KitchenAid mixer. I feel like all of my friends that got married got one of these as a gift at one of their showers & since I’m still single, it’s something I’ve always wanted, but couldn’t justify buying it for myself. Well, it finally came & I am absolutely pumped!! I am a bit of a perfectionist though, so sometimes baking & cooking frustrates me if things don’t turn out or work just like I wanted them to. So I’m both excited to dive into this new tool & also dreading it because I don’t like trying new things & having to figure them out lol such a first world problem, I know! Leave me some comments below of your favorite way to use yours!

what I’m listening to...

Three of the main female characters from One Tree Hill started a podcast called Drama Queens where they talk about life & go back through the show watching together. I watched this show in high school & in college with my friends, so it’s super fun to relive it & listen to these ladies. I like to go for a long walk while I listen & I can honestly say that I giggled out loud multiple times while listening!

what I'm watching / reading...

Listening to the new Drama Queens podcast meant I obviously had to start One Tree Hill over again on Hulu, duh!

what I'm wearing...

Old Navy…

Comfy jean shorts & a comfy striped tee is a go-to outfit for me in the summer months! This cute top I recently got from Old Navy. I love that it’s like a loose-fitting henley tee. This is the navy & white stripe print, but it does come in a bunch of other color options as well! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits oversized (I’d recommend sizing down)!

I realize that I’m short, but a “tunic sweatshirt” in size small should NOT look like a dress on me!!! I love the pattern & the style of it, but holy cow, this one’s a no for me lol so if you’re taller than 5’, this could be super cute on you!!

This whole outfit is Old Navy! The thing I love about this tank is that untied from the front it looks really cute & I feel like I could honestly wear it to school with a cardigan & no one would ever know. But if you tie the back, it changes the look of it completely, so it’s like you’re getting two different tanks in one!

This is the same tank & shorts as above, but in different colors & prints, obviously. I can’t find this exact color of tank on Old Navy’s website, so I linked a similar one to Amazon below. These shorts are the grey camo pattern & I love them!! They’re so comfortable & I feel like the dolphin hem on the side is really flattering. I’m wearing a medium in the shorts & would say they fit true to size!

This sweatshirt is actually part of a matching lounge set, but I didn’t grab the shorts (the grey ones I’m wearing in the right pic are from Amazon & they’re bomb). I love all of the neutral color stripes in it & feel like I’ll be able to wear it to school with jeans on a casual Friday (I love it with the jean shorts, too)! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits oversized just because it’s a little bit loose.

This tank is from Old Navy in a maroon & white stripes print. It’s a ribbed material & has nice thick straps. It’s called “loose” in the description & I’m wearing a small — based on the description of this top, I’d say it fits true to size, however it is pretty long & I have a lot of room in it, so I’d recommend sizing down if you’re wanting a tighter fit. This tank will be so cute with a cardigan or under a game day sweatshirt during the school year (it’s close to my school’s colors)!

I’ve always been such a huge fan of Old Navy t-shirts, they’re just always so comfortable & fit really well. I saw this floral one the last time I did an order & I was like yeah, I gotta have that! I’m wearing a small & it’s a different style of t-shirt than I usually get. This one is a lot boxier & the sleeves are longer — almost like a boyfriend t-shirt fit — & it’s quite a bit thicker than my other tees. I just love the floral details & thought it was too cute for summer!

Amazon…

I feel like I kinda look like I could be a house painter, but a stinkin’ cute one, right? Lol! I’ve seen other bloggers share about this jumper & compare it to Free People. I’ve never even tried anything Free People, but this little thing is pretty darn amazing! It’s a super light linen material & is comfy as all get out. It has nice pockets & has adjustable straps. I’m wearing a size small & would say it fits oversized.

When I saw this dress online I immediately thought how cute it would be with some cowgirl boots & worn to a rodeo!! I’m just under 5’ tall & I feel like it’s a little bit long on me. It’s a very nice lightweight material & has a slip underneath so nothing will show. So stinkin’ cute! Someone wear this to a rodeo & send me your pic lol!

Walmart…

First up is this darling floral tiered t-shirt dress from Walmart. I was absolutely shocked when I tried it on & realized how incredibly soft + flattering it is! The neckline has a really subtle v & it’s not too low so it still feels modest. The sleeves are loose & have the tiniest bit of flare which is really feminine & slimming. It cinches right under the bust area & then has two tiers going down, which is incredibly flattering. I’m under 5’ & this dress stops right above my knees, so I’d recommend sizing up if you need more length, otherwise, it fits true to size!

Round of applause for Walmart, ladies & gents! This tiered t-shirt dress is wonderful! This is the bright coral color & I love it. It’s a really soft material that’s very flowy & comfortable. The subtle frills on the sleeves are flattering & slimming. This is such a perfect dress for summer! A sweet follower sent me the most darling earrings & I’m obsessed!!! They’re stud backs which I LOVE & the clay is so incredibly dainty & light. Go give my girl Kennedee some love! Linking to her Instagram here. DM her to purchase!

Y’all know how much I love my lounge sets & this one from Walmart absolutely takes the cake. I love the color!! Clearly, because it’s basically the same color as the dress from above lol. This set is like a really soft towel material. I’ve actually worn the shorts on their own with other t-shirts because they’re so versatile. I’m wearing a medium in both because I like for my lounge clothes to fit a little bit looser, & these are perfect. How many days is too many days in a row to wear the same lounge set? Asking for a friend! ;)

Last but not least is this comfy outfit! This tank is from Target, I’m wearing a medium & I love that it’s loose enough to be knotted. The neck is fairly high which I LOVE! It’s almost like that burnout material so it’s just a little bit sheer, & the back is like a normal racerback tank. These athletic shorts are from Walmart & I’m having to really practice some self-control so that I don’t buy them in every single color option available. They’re THAT good! My sisters have two pairs as well & love them just as much as I do — they have the black, grey, purple, & white pairs! They have really nice pockets & built in underwear. They’re lightweight & breathable & all around fantastic. I love this bright orange color!

These purple shorts are the same as the coral ones from above — I told you I loved them!!! They’re less than $11 & honestly they should cost a lot more than that because of how great they are! Deep pockets & good coverage + TONS of color / pattern options.

Target…

First up is this cute little linen set! These pieces don’t come together unfortunately, but they do come in a bunch of other color options. I bought the black (obviously), but I’m super tempted by the olive green & mustard, maybe even the hot pink one as well lol I’m wearing a medium in both — the top is a cropped fit, so that’s why I sized up. The shorts are true to size & have nice deep pockets & surprisingly neither of the pieces get very wrinkly — that seems to happen to a lot of my linen bottoms.

This is that exact same material & style as the linen set I shared above, but in a t-shirt dress. HELLO, YES!! The sleeves are a little bit longer & have a bit of a flare which is really flattering. It has nice deep pockets & quite a lot of room to move. I’d recommend sizing down if you can, because it is a little boxy. It comes in other colors, but you can’t go wrong with classic black!

Sharing a bunch of darling graphic tees to pair with the linen shorts — so many options!! This one says, “we’ve only got one, treat her right” & I just thought the cursive lettering with the world was too cute! I’m wearing a medium, but returned it for a small & it fits much better, a little bit oversized still, so I’d recommend going with your true size or sizing down one.

Tacos, lime, sunshine. Add a beer & it doesn’t get much better than that! Again, I’m wearing a medium, but returned it for a small & it fits much better, a little bit oversized still, so I’d recommend going with your true size or sizing down one.

Show more love is a message I’d like to shout from the rooftops!! This is something I really try to preach to my middle schoolers & the best way to teach them something like this is to model it. How can you show more love to those around you? // I’m wearing a medium & it fits perfectly! It’s a little bit sheer so just plan to wear a white or nude bra.

I’ve never been to Yosemite, but nobody would know that now that I have this cute little t-shirt lol! It’s incredibly soft & honestly, I just love the color scheme — it’s almost pastel colors & I’ve really been loving them lately. Again, I’m wearing a medium, but returned it for a small & it fits much better, a little bit oversized still, so I’d recommend going with your true size or sizing down one.

This blue floral Target dress is everything. The three quarter length sleeves are super cute & I love the tiered look separated by a thin piece of lace. I’m wearing a small in this one & would say it fits true to size. it comes in two plain color options + this “purple” floral one (I wouldn’t call it purple, but that’s how it’s described on their site). It has blue & pink in it & would be SO cute for a baby shower!!! I’m just smitten over this one.

I absolutely love how fun & girly & dainty this first dress is! The print is darling & I’m in love with the bright colors. The chest is smocked & has a really nice high square neckline — I’ve been loving these types of necklines lately! Almost is a tiered look because of the smocked top & one level of frill along the hipline. I’m wearing a small & feel like it fits true to size, besides maybe the length. I’m just under 5 feet tall & it hits a few inches above my knees, so I’d recommend sizing up if you need more length.

Such a great basic t-shirt dress with a little bit of flair! Overall, this dress gives you a really flattering figure & I honestly think it would work for any body type! The tiers & subtle pleating is super feminine & girly. I’m wearing a small & would say it fits true to size. Like I said with the last dress, I’m just under 5 feet tall & it stops right above my knees, so if you’re on the taller size, you might want to size up for length.

How stinking cute are these high waisted floral flowy shorts?! The waistline is a really cute smocked material & is incredibly flattering & forgiving for your waist. The hemline has a really subtle frill which is so cute & gives a very slimming effect to your legs, plus the print is adorable! This outfit would be so perfect for a little date night with your man, or with your girlfriends, all while staying comfy! I’m wearing a medium in the shorts & a small in this oversized black tee — it’s perfect for knotting!

This is that same oversized black tee, but this time I paired it with a pair of white denim shorts. Y’all know that I’ve pretty much made it my summer mission to find good quality, good coverage denim shorts, & these are wonderful! I had heard that you should size up, so I sized up all the way to a 10 — I usually wear a 4, so sizing up for me is like a 6. An 8 would’ve been totally fine for these just because this 10 is a little bit baggier than I would like, but I would definitely agree with the reviews that say they run small. I absolutely love the fringe hemline & the material is surprisingly very stretchy & comfortable.

How fun is this lounge set?! I kinda feel like I belong in the 80s & I’m totally here for it! This isn’t something I’d usually buy just because it’s a little out there, but I’m SO glad I gave it a try because it turned out DANG CUTE! I’m wearing a medium in both because the top is a little cropped. The shorts have nice pockets & a cute dolphin hemline which I think is always flattering. I’m a lounge wear all year round type of girl, so I love the bright colorblocking of this one!

If both of the colorblock pieces together are too much for you, I’ve got ya covered! How fun do these shorts look with just a basic black tee or white tank?! It tones it down, but they’re still able to speak for themselves & be fun. Plus, they’re a really thin sweatshirt-y material, so they’re really comfy & that’s why I’m finding ways to pair them with just about everything lol so many different ways of wearing it means a lot of use which I’m all about!

I’ve been craving to love biker shorts & just haven’t been able to find any that I’m absolutely in love with, until now. What I’ve realized is that I don’t like the material that I had been trying. These are the softest, most buttery, almost cotton material. They’re more like a lounge short versus like a workout short. Plus, this baby blue color is oh so pretty & I like it a lot with my skin tone — it makes me look tan! I’m wearing a medium in these shorts & would say they fit true to size.

These three strap leopard sandals are another pair I snagged from Target for $25! How stinkin’ cute!?

I’m honestly not sure if there’s anything better in the entire world than comfy lounge sets for $15!!! These are actually pjs, but they’re so darn cute that we’re wearing it as a lounge set! My mom & I both got this one & immediately went back to Target’s website to see if it came in more colors (it does, btw, a darling orange & pink tie dye which we both bought lol)! I’m wearing a medium & would say it fits true to size. It’s incredibly lightweight & the shorts have pockets!

Here’s the tie dye one! I love it!!

Another Target lounge set comin’ at ya! These two pieces are sold separately — I got a medium in both & they are so incredibly soft! The top is cropped, so that’s why I sized up. The shorts are kind of high rise which I like! I LOVE this hot pink color for summer!

I love my birkenstocks that have a toe loop & I love my other rubber birkenstocks so I was pumped to try these out & y’all know how much I’m loving this bright coral color for summer!

& of course I couldn’t say no to trying these ribbed slides out in a similar color! These fit perfectly while the other ones are little bit big on me.

This sweet little t-shirt dress is from Target & it’s almost like a soft linen material. It looks wrinkly but it’s actually like almost pleated, but it’s incredibly subtle. The sleeves have a really subtle frill & that the body of the dress has a tiered look. It has pockets which I always love in dresses! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits a little bit big as far as the width of the dress. It does come in other colors, but I don’t own anything in this beautiful shade of blue so that’s why I picked it!