Feel Good Friday
Last weekend was absolutely wonderful! I typically really enjoy winter & am sad to see it leave, but with the beautiful weather we had on Sunday, I think it's safe to say I'm ready for spring!
I snapped this picture during a walk I took on Sunday afternoon before the Super Bowl.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, how 'bout them Chiefs?! I wouldn't consider myself a Chiefs fan, but I definitely wasn't cheering against them either. Patrick Mahomes is obviously incredibly talented & gifted when it comes to football, but it sounds like he has a really good heart too. That alone makes me want to cheer for them! I think having good well-rounded individuals (especially males) for young people to look up to is awesome. I think it's great that they won & their hard work is being recognized + celebrated.
friday favs...
My mom always has the cutest seasonal hand towels in her kitchen & bathrooms. The last time I was home, I asked her about them & she said her favorite ones are always from Kohl's. Here are the ones she has out right now for Valentine's Day -- aren't they so cute!? I'm linking to some similar ones (hers are from last year).
Bonus: they're on sale for $5.59 for a set of two!
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love you to the moon & back set // love & hearts set // hearts set //
Calling all college students, teachers, moms, etc! These pens are my absolute FAVORITE! I used them all through college to color code my class notes (yes, I was that girl). I use them now at my school when I write appreciation / encouraging notes to students! They write effortlessly & I love that there are so many different colors.
(leopard apple watch band is linked here).
Y'all know I'm always down for a good striped top! Add this to the collection in my closet. I'm so ready for spring to be here so I've been trying to find some good tops that will transition well. This black + white thin striped long sleeve is perfect! It's a very soft material & it's pretty thin.
Here I paired it with my favorite Madewell jeans & my all time favorite leopard sandals. You guys I wore these almost every day of August & September & I'm so excited to pull them out again! They're the most comfortable shoe that I own -- even more comfortable than my birks or chacos! Plus, they're leopard. You just can't go wrong!
This top would look super cute front tucked into a pair of shorts on those rainy + chilly spring days. Can't wait!
I have to be realistic though & acknowledge that it's still unfortunately mostly freezing all the time.
My mom got me this soft & cozy leopard scarf from Amazon for Christmas & I can't even tell you how many times I've worn it! It's such an easy piece to grab on-the-go & it goes with practically everything.
The inside of the scarf is more of a muted plain pattern / material & it actually looks really cute when it's folded over & you can see it. It kind of helps to break up the leopard pattern so it's not so overpowering.
Here I'm wearing it with one of my favorite black Aerie knitted turtlenecks (linking a similar one here (for less than $10!!) since the Aerie one is no longer available), black Old Navy pixie pants, black lace-up flats & a black + white striped t-shirt underneath! The t-shirt barely shows at the bottom & on the sides because of the slits of the turtleneck. It's really cute & a fun way to add a little bit more pattern & color to this mostly black outfit.
Peep my school badge & black beaded lanyard lol.
Also, you can get 10% off a loopy phone case by using our code, smalltown10!
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In case you missed them, check out the following links to see our posts from this week…
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Shellac Machine: Do you regularly get your nails professionally done? I never got into the habit of doing this, but I was painting my nails all the time with regular polish because I liked having them done. In college, I got a shellac machine & it's been one of the best things that's ever happened to me lol. On Tuesday I shared more about it & why I love mine!
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February Fashion Finds: I recently found some great pieces of clothing (including this darling striped top from Jane) & compiled them into a post to share with all of you!
PS - I tried the 'medicine ball' tea drink from Starbucks a couple of weeks ago when I was sick & now I'm hooked on them. Anyone else?
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February Book Review: Calling all book readers! On Thursday, my mom & I shared our reviews on the books we read during the month of January. Check it out if you need some good recommendations!
bachelor recap...
part one...
Rose Ceremony thoughts...
I had forgotten about Alayah's twins tagging along for the rose ceremony. Once the cameras faced her, I quickly remembered.
I really think it's in Peter's best interest to send Alayah home (again). The girls in the house just might kill him if he doesn't!
*five minutes later*
Whew. He did the deed & sent her home. I must admit that I do feel really bad for Peter! He looked like he was either going to cry or puke or maybe even both? Someone go rock him, please!! As for Alayah, I think sending her home was the right choice. However, getting sent home not once, but TWICE would be pretty sucky so I'll give that to her.
Victoria P. went from raging mad to wrapped around Peter & sucking face all in the matter of a couple hours. Strange.
I wasn't a fan of Hannah Ann's high ponytail. She honestly looked like a toddler who barely has enough hair for a ponytail, but the mom is too excited to she puts it up anyway.
Also, I fully believe Tammy when she said that if she didn't get a rose that she'd set the building on fire. I believe that for sure. That girl seems a tad off to me.
I was dying at Peter's story about his fight with a puma that caused his facial injury! Girls are so gullible.
1:1 with Sydney thoughts...
I'm just not a huge fan of Sydney. She kind of sounds like a little girl & she is quite feisty. She's just not someone I see Peter ending up with.
I am not okay with the fact that Peter told her she's the best kisser!!! Peter!! What are you doing?! If it was me at the end that he proposed to & I watched this episode, I wouldn't kiss him anymore. That's his punishment. A lifetime with me & no kissing.
Also, she says like like all the like time like do you like notice that?
Going a bit deeper here... why do we think we need to have these terrible life struggles to get someone to notice us? I do think that as women, we like to share our hearts & when our hearts feel cared for + acknowledged, we feel love. Is this why all the girls seem to share these sob stories? I believe them that they're real & that it was hard! I just find it interesting that almost all of them have shared something 'traumatic' from their past. I just have to wonder, like are the producers coaching them to do this? This happens on a lot of seasons, not just this one! What do you guys think?
In the end, I was actually pretty surprised that Peter gave her a rose. I just can't see him ending up with her! Also, I was SUPER UNCOMF watching them make out in the pool for 5+ minutes. Let's keep it PG, ABC!
Group Date thoughts...
This whole date was just weird.
Peter & Victoria F. are super comfortable around each other, you can just tell. I think Victoria F.'s vibe she puts off allows Peter to kind of chase her in a way. I know that some guys like the idea of the chase so this could be part of why Peter is drawn to her. Does that make sense?
I can't believe Kelsey told him she's falling in love with him ... that's so quick! I mean I kkow the whole show is quick, but slow your roll girl. Do you even know his favorite color? Or how he like his coffee? Or if he snores? What if he leaves the toilet seat up every single time? Do you think it's just a ploy to get a pity rose / to try to make Peter like her more? I don't love the things that Tammy was saying about her to Peter, though. In general, I just wish girls wouldn't bring up other girls during their conversation time with Peter.
Kelsey telling the whole group that she's proud of crying was a little bizarre. Oh & btw, she cried through this entire conversation about her crying.
1:1 with Kelley thoughts...
From night one I was #TeamKelley all the way. I felt bad for the other women because you can tell that her & Peter have a spark & a connection.
I actually really appreciate Kelley & her point of view on this whole experience. I think she's being a realist (which I consider myself as well) & she's going about everything from the perspective that it's not like this in the real world.
On the other side of things, I do agree with Peter that he deserves someone who wants him just as badly as he wants them. They both deserve that.
I didn't feel like she was throwing Hannah Ann under the bus, but I totally see her point. Kelley is an attorney & Hannah Ann is a model. Kelley is also four years older than Hannah Ann just fyi. Those are two very different stages of life & was a great example, in my opinion!
Overall, I just really love Kelley. She is blunt. She is bold. She doesn't hold back. She's calling him on his crap & I appreciate that one-hundred-percent. Example: she called him on the fact that he rewards drama.
*cue next scene where Kelsey sneaks out to talk to Peter about Tammy & her emotional state & then Peter gives her a rose & they snuggle on the couch* *cue Kelley: mic drop*
Rose Ceremony thoughts...
Me no like Kelsey.
Me no like Sydney.
Sydney is not the one for Peter if she's going to talk like that to other women. Don't stoop to their level. She was belittling & beyond disrespectful to Tammy. Y'all don't have to like each other, but at least don't be hateful. Calling Tammy psychotic repeatedly is not okay. & just to set the record straight, the definition of psychosis is: a severe mental disorder in which thought & emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality. Tammy might be a little bit out there, but she's not psychotic. Officially, I am not a fan of Sydney.
Kelsey thoughts...
This girl deserves her own section of this recap. Like dang. Alright, let's dig in.
"I like her a lot. She's cool. But like she's a dramatic f****** b*****." Honey, that doesn't make sense.
Tammy summarized it perfectly: "she cried over a champagne bottle for like four days." Yes, girl. She did.
I can not believe Peter gave her a rose before the rose ceremony & then canceled the cocktail party! Peter, Peter, Peter...
Also, I just have to say this because I've been thinking it from night one, but ... she's definitely had a nose job, right? & I think not a good one. It looks too skinny & pinched & not normal. (I've seen pictures of her that she's been tagged in where she's getting botox done so don't call me out on this ladies)!
part two...
*disclaimer: I drank a large glass of wine while watching this episode & there was so much drama so this recap is definitely more serious & less funny*
1:1 with Hannah Ann thoughts...
First of all, I think I might actually kill someone if they shoved a hotdog in my face & then proceeded to kiss me. I literally gagged out loud watching this scene. It's not even funny! Like it's honestly just kind of mean & really gross. It's stinkin' ketchup & mustard for crying out loud! It was all over the sleeve of his coat! I had a hard time recovering from this.
Did anyone else notice that her hair kept switching back & forth from having bobbypins to no bobbypins?
When they were leaned against the wall, but Hannah Ann was sitting on him? That was weird. Was part of their date to compete in the longest wall sit in the history of ever? Count me out if wall sits are a bachelor enterprise requirement.
Hannah Ann talking about how she's never been fully in love but has been in a three & a half year relationship threw me. How are you with someone for that long, but you don't love them? Both Peter & I were on the same page: confused. I was glad that Peter put her on the spot. You could tell that he was pretty uncomfortable with her answers to his questions & that he just couldn't fully let it go. Their conversation sounded more like an interview than a deep conversation between a couple. Why is it a thing for girls to tell him that they're falling in love with him when their rose is up for grabs? First Kelsey, now Hannah Ann. I didn't hear her tell Peter anything new so I'm not really sure why he felt like there was a huge breakthrough in their relationship? Like what new information did he learn that changed his heart & reaffirmed him? Can someone help me out here?
I've seen some comments of people saying that her white dress was a hint at a wedding dress & that she slayed the game. While I can agree that she looked great, I thought her dress looked more like an ice skating outfit? Or maybe even one of those snowflakes that you cut out of paper? Anyone else?
Group Date thoughts...
I absolutely loved Madison in the beginning of this season! I'm really sad we haven't seen more of her.
Has anyone else taken note of how often Peter kisses the girls in front of each other? He does this like all the time & I'm not really okay with it.
Peter really likes Madison. Their relationship is so cute & sweet & I'm really rooting for her!
Natasha is all of America with her side eye while Tammy & Mykenna are arguing. I felt like I was watching a tennis match. I kind of think that Natasha is right that Tammy knows Peter's not going to end up with her, so she's trying to eliminate people so that she stays longer. Have these girls not ever watched this show before? If they had, they'd know that they're clearly setting themselves up for the 2:1. & let's just say, that never goes well.
Sending Kelsey home thoughts...
First off, why does Victoria P. wear glasses with nice dresses? It's just kind of strange to me. I wear glasses pretty regularly, but not with nice dresses & especially not when I have the option to wear contacts (which she clearly does because she wore them during the day part of the group date). Continuing on the Victoria P. track, I hope I'm never in a situation where I'm kissing a boy's hand who's currently trying to break up with me. Or looking at him & biting my lip, for that matter. I can't say that I was expecting Peter to send her home, but I wasn't mad about it either. I was pretty disappointed with how she handled herself leaving though. She is pushing him away completely & not even giving him the time of day. I get it because she just got dumped & she has a tough history with people leaving her / not wanting her, but dang honey. I do feel really sad for her though, heartbreak sucks, it just does. Why do they never have kleenexes ready for the crying girls in the van?!
1:1 with Victoria F. thoughts...
Someone would have to offer me some big bucks to get me to walk under a horse's belly, I'm tellin' you that right now!
You can tell that Peter has some real feelings for her. I feel like she holds back quite a bit though. Again, going back to my 'being-the-chase' theory I mentioned above. I thought Peter calling her out on sabotaging their relationship was both good & necessary. They need to be having these big honest conversations if the goal of this is to truly to find the person you're going to spend your life with.
I feel like Peter needs to take note of the fact that both times he's tried to have deep conversations with her, she gets up & walks away. This is her thing. This is how she responds. Peter is grasping for anything with her. This is not a good start to a relationship & I hope he sees this sooner rather than later. Peter said that he's begging her to see just how much he's fighting for her / wants her, but he shouldn't have to beg. I've been there & felt that feeling & it's not fair, nor is it okay. You do not & should not have to beg for someone's love & attention. Oh Peter, my heart hurts for you.
It's much easier to see the red flags & flaws in other people's relationships over seeing them in your own, so I'm not trying to point fingers here, I'm just statin' what I'm seein'.
Mini 2:1 with Tammy & Mykenna thoughts...
2:1s have always been super weird & uncomfortable in my opinion. They're put on to put two people head-to-head against each other & to be a knock-down-drag-out fight. I'm honestly pretty disappointed in both of these girls.
Tammy's comment about wearing black because it's Mykenna's funeral was both morbid & funny.
At this point, I think both of them need to go home. A little part of me was rooting for Mykenna because she's a fellow blogger, but as Peter said, enough is enough. Quite frankly, I'm over this whole thing. The people who go on 2:1s never end up being the one at the end so can we just send them both home & get on with the rose ceremony?
See you on BIP, Tammy.
Rose Ceremony thoughts...
I actually really appreciated Natasha telling Peter that she needed some affirmation. Honesty is so important & most of the time, the contestants on the show don't ask for affirmation so I had a lot of respect for Natasha just coming out & talking about it.
Peter likes Victoria F., it's just so dang obvious & I'm not sure how to feel about it.
I felt sad for Mykenna that he didn't just send her home at the same time he sent Tammy home. It got her hopes up that he really wanted to try things out with her & that just wasn't fair. He knew the choice he was going to make & he should've just saved her heart a little bit.
So excited for next week because it looks like Madison gets a 1:1! Yay Madison!
My last & final thought was summed up very well by my good friend, Nick Viall.
I feel like Peter confuses drama for love. I just hope that he figures all of this out before it's too late.
So what do y’all think?! Who's your favorite girl so far? Do you think Kelsey should be sent home or do you think Peter should keep her around longer? What's your opinion on the Tammy vs. Mykenna battle? & what do you think about the state of Peter's heart?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below!!
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to look forward to...
On Tuesday, my mom, sisters & I will be sharing our monthly post featuring 12 things we've been loving lately! They might be clothing items, beauty products, or other random things.
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My mom is doing a post called Secret Signs on Wednesday. She'll be talking about something that she's done for us kiddos since we were old enough to know what was going on. It's very sweet & something we all hold dear to our hearts.
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I'll be posting about another area of my apartment on Thursday! This time I'll be covering my kitchen & dining room. If you're needing some new decor pieces & need to keep it within your budget, this post will be great for you!
weekend plans...
This weekend I'm headed to good ole Hays, America. If you're new around here, allow me to explain. I'm currently in grad school through Fort Hays State University to become a licensed School Counselor! My program is blended which means most of it is online, but there are a few classes that require you to come to Hays two weekends out of the semester for class. This just so happens to be the block I'm in. I'll be in *one* class from 10am-8pm on Friday & Saturday so if you see me on Sunday & I'm not able to form a coherent sentence, it's probably because my brain is mush!
What are your plans for the weekend? Drop them below in the comments, or feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram! We’d love to hear what you’re all up to. We hope you all have a wonderful & cozy weekend!
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