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 reminiscing about...

At the beginning of our spring break, my sisters & I decided to go on a little road trip to Oklahoma. It was so nice to have some time & get to explore new places together! We all can’t wait until we take a mini roadtrip like this again.

Our cousin goes to Oklahoma State University, so our first stop was picking him up for lunch in Stillwater. We ate lunch at The Garage & it was delicious! My sister & I had a chicken salad sandwich & it was phenomenal! The flavor & spices on the fries were absolutely delicious & the service was great. Our cousin then took us on a little driving tour of campus. It was really beautiful & we loved how all of the buildings were a matching red brick. It’s been awhile since I’ve been on a college campus so it was nice to see all of the students milling around — it felt like we’re on the way back to “normal” life!

Next, we went to The Botanic Garden & walked around. It was pretty, but will definitely be prettier as the spring continues & things begin to bloom! There’s some nice little walking trails & different small activities. There were cute little houses for little kids to play in.

There was a little area next to a field where some flowers were starting to bloom!

We got pretty lucky that the weather was so beautiful on the days we were there!

They had the cutest little swings that we of course all had to take pictures on lol.

They had a life size chess board that was so cute! Only one of us knows how to play, so we used the pieces to play checkers lol Avery won!

Sister time is the best time!

We then went back into town & each picked out an OSU t-shirt to represent our trip! Next, we went to Boomer Lake & walked on the trail. It’s a very nice paved area & it’s a little over three miles all the way around. Our legs were jello & we were so ready for dinner & to check into our hotel by the time we finished!

We were starving & decided to pick up Whataburger since we don’t have any close to us in Kansas. It was delicious & so satisfying after our long walk!

We had a chill night in the hotel soaking in their outdoor hot tub, doing face masks, eating popcorn & watching Friends reruns. The relaxing evening was much needed! We had super yummy blueberry waffles for breakfast the next morning.

& of course, we had to pick up some coffee on our way out of town! Our cousin highly recommended Aspen Coffee & it did not disappoint!

We drove to Tulsa to explore The Gathering Place & do a little shopping! We all enjoyed it, but definitely felt like it was more geared for kids. We had heard that it was like an adult playground, & maybe it is, but it was absolutely packed with little kids, so we didn’t explore any of the “playground” areas. We mostly just stuck to the paths & enjoyed the nice weather + company.

We spent the afternoon shopping at the Woodland Hills Mall which is a MASSIVE three story mall that has almost every store you could ever dream of lol. Bethany & I both got dresses for our graduations which was really exciting! We had a late lunch / early dinner at The Hideaway which is a pizza joint (another recommendation from our cousin). It was absolutely delicious & we would highly recommend!

We were starving so we got the 50/50 appetizer which is half mozzarella sticks & half fried mushrooms — so stinkin’ good!

We then split a pizza — half pepperoni & half chicken bacon ranch with mushrooms, spinach & tomatoes. Two very different types of girls lol.

Our drive home was beautiful!

The sun set as we hit the final stretch. It was a beautiful ending to such a fun & beautiful girls trip! I see many more of these road trips in our future. :)

I had to run a couple of errands on the Wednesday of my spring break & decided to try Dunkin' Donuts coffee (first timer) & I got super lucky — they gave it to me for free! I have no idea why, but the kind gesture really brightened my day! Dunkin is my new fav now lol I got an iced caramel latte & it was delicious!

what I'm loving...

I shared about this just a bit on Instagram, but I recently had to ask for some tips & recommendations for eczema. I’ve never had it before ever, but I have in the last couple of weeks. & y’all, it was in my armpits… totally random & weird & gross, I know. It was painful & itchy & super bothersome & I tried tons of things, but this lotion is literally the only stuff that helped. It cleared up within a week!

If you’re a fur parent or have actual children, LISTEN UP!!! We recently had a little accident at my house & my regular carpet cleaner wasn’t getting the job done. I had heard about this stain remover & decided it was worth it to at least try it out. Y’all it worked after just one use!!! It was so easy too! You just spray the product directly onto the area, irritate with your fingers & a rag & then blot it dry. I will always have a bottle of this on hand!

I absolutely love to always have my nails done. I just feel more productive & more “me”. With spring just around the corner & the weather being nicer, I’ve been loving painting my nails some brighter colors! This set of gel polishes from Amazon is really nice because you get SO many colors for a good price! They don’t stay on quite as well as some of the other brands I’ve tried, but it’s not a problem for me because I like to change them up regularly.

My everyday makeup routine is honestly very simple… I usually don’t even wear foundation. I do have to use some concealer under my eyes & sometimes creases form. I’ve been on the hunt for some translucent powder that I can use. I wanted it to be translucent because my skin color definitely changes from winter to summer & I didn’t want to have to buy two different shades to match the different skin tones. I really like this one that I found! So far it’s really helped with my creases & stays all day long!

Absolutely on board with these banana hair clips that are coming back into style! This hairstyle is so fun & easy & feels a bit more “dressy” than just a regular ponytail which is part of what I love about them. Plus, they give so much volume which I also love! I got this set of four from Amazon & love the variety of color options. I legit wear one of these clips almost every single day! I don’t have to touch up my hair at all when I use these. They save me SO much time!

I also got this set & they’re adorable (& so is my assistant lol)!

One of my absolute favorite parts of this blog + community is connecting with women & supporting one another! Another bonus is being all dolled up with beautiful jewelry. ;) 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!

Every year for Christmas, my Mom gets us kiddos some type of prayer journal or devotional. This is what the girls got this year! The thing that is really nice about it is that you fill it out just once a week. The minimal time commitment works perfectly for my busy schedule! Also, Sophie (my cat) clearly is having some separation anxiety after having me home with her for a few days during my spring break lol.

I finally took the plunge & decided to buy some of this Colleen Rothschild radiant cleansing balm. She was having a BOGO 50% OFF sale so that’s what sold me! My Mom & I each got one & split it. Each cleansing balm comes with a gentle white cloth (you can buy more if you would like). I’ll be honest, I was hesitant in the beginning just because I didn’t know if it would be worth the hype. I found out on my first time using it why everyone is so obsessed! The smell is * chefs kiss * & it really is so gentle! The texture is a balm, but when you start rubbing it on your (dry) skin, it almost turns into a thick oily substance. It is silky smooth & that’s exactly how my face felt when I was done. It got all of my makeup off & even did a better job than my makeup wipes. Sold forever on this one!

I shared about this toothpaste in my monthly prime finds post from last week, but I wanted to give a little update! I ran out of my toothpaste & had heard great things about this sensodyne whitening toothpaste so I figured it was a good time to try it. The price is awesome & I really liked the flavor — it’s like a very subtle mint that’s almost a little bit sweet. I’ve been using it for about a week & a half & I’ve already noticed a difference in the whiteness of my teeth — I’ve even gotten compliments on them from some of you! Woohoo!

My youngest sister got these pimple patches & let me try a couple when we went back to school after Christmas break. During that break, I hardly wore a mask & my skin started freaking the freak out that I had to wear them all day again lol. Like I get SO broken out from them. They worked so well that I had to order some for myself! They’re so comfy & I honestly forget they’re even there!

My Mom & I both have added a few things to our homes recently to spice up the décor & aesthetic & they’re great finds so I thought I ought to share them as well!

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!

How cute is this tic tac toe game? My Mom was looking for a little something extra for one of her end tables & ran across this game online at Target. It is a good little size & the extra pieces store inside. It looks cute sitting there but I've also seen people pick it up & start a game more than once when I've been visiting!

For Christmas, my Mom had a beautiful pine & holly garland on their faux fireplace & when she took it down, it looked so bare to her. She wanted to replace it with something that would work for spring & summer. She checked Hobby Lobby & Target but just couldn't find anything she was looking for. Amazon to the rescue! She is so impressed with the quality of this eucalyptus garland, especially for the price!

Sharing a closer view below!

My parents recently changed out their outdoor lights on their house. My Mom said it was one of those things that they have wanted to do since they moved in, but somehow they just kept overlooking them & never got it added to the to do list. I think these modern farmhouse lights look great & they are pleased with the amount of light they left off. It is so crazy how one small change can really make such a difference!

Sharing a closer view below!

I bought these two rugs awhile ago but haven’t really shared them. How stinkin’ darling?!

what I'm watching / reading...

I’ve been watching Firefly Lane on Netflix the past couple of weeks. There’s only one season out & it’s ten episodes — each episode is about an hour long. Because of my busy schedule, it’s hard to watch it frequently, so it’s taken me awhile to get through it. But, I’m pretty much obsessed. Katherine Heigl has a place in my heart because of Grey’s Anatomy, so I was excited that she was a main character. Just going to be blunt, there are some pretty vulgar sex scenes that I have to close my eyes to get through, plus frequent curse words, but other than that, I really love the show. The acting is pretty dang good & makes everything feel really real. The story follows the lives of two best friends, Kate Mularkey & Tully Hart. The show goes back & forth from different stages of their past & back to the present. I love formats like these because as a school counselor, I’m very into analyzing how people have become who they are. I’ve teared up multiple times & I’m not even done with the show! I’ve heard that the books are even better, so I can’t wait to dive into them! I’ve always loved comparing books to tv shows / movies that they’ve been made into, & I can’t wait to do that with this one too!

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

I’m at that point in the school year where I am just DANG TIRED. Yes, I just had a super great + relaxing spring break, but if I’m going to stay caught up on rest, then I need to have a spring break like every other week lol. I am one of those people that truly loves their jobs, but wowza there’s nothing like the good ole educator sprint to the finish line we all know & love — “Summer”! I’ve become a pretty big coffee drinker this school year & because there’s always something new happening, my Yeti is a life saver because it keeps my coffee either toasty hot or iced cold (if I’ve added ice). So, with all of that being said, “dreading” is a pretty strong word, but I can say that I haven’t totally been looking forward to waking up lol but I do get dang excited about that first sip of coffee. Anyone else get where I’m coming from?!

what I'm wearing...

Amazon…

Since the weather has been nicer, I’ve been going on walks with a friend almost everyday after school & on the weekends too! It’s been SO nice to get outside & have some girl time. Because of this, I’ve been on the hunt for some new sneakers. I was being super picky because I wanted them to be cute enough (& almost a little bit dressy) so that I could wear them to school with jeans, but comfortable enough that I could also wear them for walking & not hurt my feet. I have some other New Balance sneakers that I got a couple of years ago & they’ve been amazing, so that’s where I decided to look. I found these ones & ordered them ASAP because they’re EXACTLY what I was looking for! How stinkin’ cute, y’all?!! I love that they have both black & grey on them — sometimes I don’t like wearing black sneakers when I’m also wearing black leggings. (Is anyone else this way, too?!) But my favorite part is probably the sole of the shoes — it’s a really pretty brownish color that makes them look really sharp & nice. I tried them on immediately & didn’t want to take them off! I’ll share a few pictures from different angles below so you can have a better idea of what they look like. They come in kids sizes & adult sizes as well!

I do have to wear no-show socks instead of my ankle socks, just FYI!

Picking out clothes that match the weather in the spring time can be kind of hard, especially when you know you’re going to be outside — it’s just kind of unpredictable! I saw another blogger share this top & wanted to try it myself. It’s a super thin & flowy material, but it’s very soft & light. It’s pretty billowy & wide — I’d recommend sizing down if you cant. The neckline is a boat-neck which shows off the straps of your cute sports bra. I like that the coloring is subtle & can be worn with colored leggings, or whatever you choose.

With spring approaching & Easter coming up, I decided to start looking for some dresses. The material is really nice & it has a black slip underneath so you don’t have to wear another one. I like that the floral pattern can be worn in the spring time, or even in the fall with a cardigan or denim jacket. The flowy sleeves + the subtle frill lining on the waist makes this dress look so sweet & feminine. The neckline v wasn’t too deep for me which I appreciated! I’m wearing a small & would say it fits true to size. I love that it can so easily be dressed up or down!

& now I’ll share how I dressed it up just a little bit! It totally changes the whole look & I love that! This dress is a total win in my book.

Walmart…

I also found this one & thought it was so pretty! This cute little tan & black polkadotted one is from Walmart! The cinched waistline + two tiers is super flattering! It comes in a pink option as well I believe, but this one seemed a little bit more my style. So darling! Wearing a small & would say it' fits slightly oversized. The cinched waistline can provide some give if you’d like to size down.

The first Walmart lounge outfit I’m going to share is my current fav! It’s so freakin’ darling & can be worn SO many different ways! Honestly, this outfit makes me feel like I belong to a country club lol I don’t know why. It’s so light & breezy & incredibly soft. The pieces don’t come together, so you do have to buy them separately. I’m wearing a medium in the top & a small in the bottoms. The bottoms are designed to fit a little bit bigger, so that’s why I sized down (& I would highly recommend doing that).

I also tried one of Walmart’s comfy sports bras & I’m in love with it, too! I love the support & coverage that it offers. It’s a normal bra style, so not racerback. It does have removable pads & comes in other colors! It’s a ribbed material & almost feels somewhat compression-y. I’m wearing a medium which is my regular bra size.

There is also a matching cardigan that goes with this outfit & of course I had to get it! It’s so cute!! I had actually been looking for one that I could wear around the house when I get a little chilly. This is perfect!

This is what the pants & cardigan look like paired with a tank. LOVE!!! I’m already planning to wear this during our next teacher work day — cute enough that it can be worn out in public & comfy enough that you’re super happy while wearing it!

Y’all know how much I absolutely love leopard print, so of course I want it on my loungewear, too!!! These pants are like a silky material & are SO light, airy, & comfy. I’m wearing a medium here, & they are definitely more of a legging fit than a jogger fit. There’s a tank top that’s recommended to go with them, but I personally don’t really like sleeping in or hanging out in tanks, so I didn’t buy it.

Another super cute lounge set from Walmart! Again, these pieces aren’t sold together, but do make a matching set. I had heard that these shorts ran super small, so these are actually a large & I definitely don’t think they fit like one. They’re super stretchy so the fit doesn’t necessarily bother me or feel super tight, but just know that going in. I absolutely love the top & have actually worn it with jeans to school because it kind of looks like a sweater! These do come in other color options as well, but I went with the grey because I thought the orange might be too close to my skin tone.

This top is actually part of a set as well (not sold together), but the shorts were out of stock so I decided the top on its own was cute enough, & it totally is! It’s a cropped fit, which fits normally on my short torso lol. I’m wearing a small & it’s pretty generous as far as the width. I like that it’s a thinner material so you won’t get too hot wearing it right now. I feel like it’s pretty subtle, too, which I also love. I paired it with my current favorite sweatshorts from Amazon. I wear these all. the. time! They’re like sweats material but in shorts form. They’re amazing!

If you’ve been around me recently, then you’d know that I’ve worn this quartersnap nonstop since I got it! I’m OBSESSED!!! I got a medium because I didn’t want it to be fitted around my hips — I love that it covers my bottom but isn’t too big or oversized. The deep pockets are really nice — my keys / phone have never fallen out. It’s sooo incredibly soft & cozy. It comes in a few other fun color options, but I thought this pink one was so cute & springy!

Would you believe me if I told you that this sweatshirt is actually men’s? Well believe it, sister!! I love how effortless & cozy this top is. The strings at the top are functional & they attach to a hood. It’s a really light & comfy material, kind of like the material of those beach fleece sweatshirts from Aerie — not super soft & honestly almost feel like a cozy little beach towel lol. I’m wearing a small & would say that it fits true to MEN’S sizing, so go with your normal size if you want it to be oversized, or size down one if you want it to be more fitted. It has great length & booty coverage either way!

I absolutely love subtle floral tops & this button up is perfect! I had heard that it was cropped, so I went with a medium & it fits me perfectly. It’s pretty soft & thin so it’s perfect for the summer & spring with a cream cardigan.

Spring & summer means shorts! I don’t always like wearing denim shorts, so I’m on the hunt for some cute flowy ones that will be comfy & cute at the same time. These ones are so up my alley because they’re super comfy & flattering & cute all at the same time! They have nice deep pockets, and an elastic waistline. They come in a few other colors, but I loved this green & they match the top I paired with it perfectly! You can see a picture of that outfit below.

Gimme allllll the colorful pieces for spring! I love it!! I snagged this top (& one other that I’ll show below) that are like a perfect mix between a sweater & a sweatshirt — they’re amazing! I bought a medium in both, & I feel like this one fits quite a bit bigger than the other one. The sleeves have nice cuffs which creates a bell sleeve & it’s cute! I love the ribbed neckline, sleeves, & waistline. So stinkin’ soft & darling!

This is what it looks like with denim shorts!

This is the other sweater / sweatshirt top I grabbed! I’ve worn this SOOO many times since I bought it! I love the colors & that they’re subtle enough that they’re not too over the top. Such a great fit & honestly considering buying all the other color options lol.

This is what it looks like with denim shorts!

This next sweater I bought in this colorful option & also in the neutral option (pictures of that one are below). I’m wearing a medium in this one & feel like it fits a little bit small, so size up if you’re wanting a more oversized fit! The sleeve cuffs, neckline & waistline all switch to one color & are a ribbed material. This colorful sweater is a little bit more out there than other sweaters I own, but that’s part of why I love this!

This is what it looks like with denim shorts!

This is the neutral option! It’s a mix of greys, whites & creams, & tans. I love it! I’m wearing a small in this one.

This is what it looks like with denim shorts!

One last darling colorful option is this thick striped sweater cardigan! I’m wearing a small here & feel like it has a pretty generous fit. I love that you can wear anything with it & it will match great! Plus, the thick knitted material is just darling.

Target…

Okay I’ve seen about a billion & one other bloggers / influencers sharing this top so I knew I needed to try it. I wouldn’t say that it fits in with my typical style so it was definitely fun to try out! I got a medium because it looked like it was pretty short, but unfortunately the medium was WAY too big for me! It’s a very boxy fit so I should’ve gotten a small or even an extra small. I was worried that it would be see through, but it wasn’t at all. It also comes in an all black color option which is cute, too. I love the rust orange flowers & the subtle raised polka dots & the feminine shape of this top — the ruffles on the sleeves are just too cute, plus y’all know I love a babydoll style top!

No matter the season, I’m always a sucker for sweaters. Especially when they come in cute spring & summer colors like this one! The thing that’s so cute about this one is that it mostly looks yellow, but has some stitches of blue & green in it that are so subtle you barely even notice them! It’s not the softest material ever & it is thicker than I expected it would be. This is a medium & I would say it fits true to size — I could’ve gone with a small & would’ve been fine!

Sharing a picture of it closer up below so you can kind of see the stitches of other colors!

& it looks absolutely darling with denim shorts as well!

Y’all know how much I love my positive graphic tees!!! The saying on this t-shirt is probably one of my most favorite quotes — “we rise by lifting others”. Straight up YES!!! I like the design of it, too, just because it’s kind of different. I’m wearing a large here & could’ve gotten a medium — it’s a little boxy & wide in the neck area. Very soft & good quality, though! These shorts are from Amazon & they are sweats material. SO incredibly soft & comfy! They come in a ton of other colors & are less than $16! Such a steal!