Feel Good Friday

This week was a pretty quick week for me as I only worked full days on Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday evening I was supposed to travel to Moundridge for the night, but since the weather was started getting so bad, I was able to leave school early & make it to Moundridge safely! On Thursday I was supposed to go to the school I'll be working at next year as their Middle School Counselor to meet all of their staff & take a little peek at what things look like there, but ... school ended up getting delayed & then canceled due to the weather so we'll have to try again later!

Last weekend I was in Hays, KS for a class (Group Counseling: Theories & Procedures, to be exact). I was in class from 10am-5pm on Friday & 10am-6pm on Saturday (mind you, I haven't taken an on-campus college class for over a year so this was pretty brutal). While it was very exhausting, it actually really filled my cup as well. There were only five other people in my class & because we spent so much time together, we really got to know each other. As an online student, it's easy to feel like you have to figure things out on your own. This experience helped me get to know my classmates & my professor so much better, & I grew a lot as a counselor-in-training, but also as a person! I'm better for knowing these people. Go FHSU! Go Counseling! *feeling senti*

friday favs...

Target black jogger/sweats review from my mom:

I've been on the hunt for some new black joggers for quite a while now. I have a pair from Old Navy that I loved when I first got them, but honestly, they just didn't hold up very well over time (they pilled pretty bad). I have several other colors from there that have been great, so maybe it was the color or fabric or maybe I got a dud? Or maybe the fact that I've had them a few years is the real answer, ha!

Anyways, I've tried to find some from Amazon, but haven't found the right fabric & fit that I'm looking for. I recently ordered this pair from Target. While they still aren't the exact jogger I was wanting, I did decide to keep them because they're pretty great & they'll work for me while I continue searching!

They're more of a cross between joggers & leggings & sweats. They're pretty thick & have a drawstring at the waist like joggers do, but the shape is more that of a legging as they don't cuff at the ankle, but they do taper as they go down your leg. I wore them with a striped t-shirt & a denim jacket the other day & loved the look!

They come in three other colors (charcoal grey, navy heather, & purple heather) & are $25!

Just sharing this because it's my absolute favorite thing right now. I love miso soup whenever I get sushi & I also like ramen noodles (#gradschoolbudget ok? Don't judge). I picked this up at Trader Joe's awhile ago & I had to stock up the next time I went! It's so super easy & it genuinely tastes like miso soup.

Trader Joe's, will you be my Valentine?

Wanted to share this super cute heart top that I got from Jane recently! I think it's so cute & perfect for Valentine's Day in a school! The other thing that's nice about it is that you can wear it regularly & not just for Valentine's Day.

It's less than $25 directly from the seller, but I got it for less than $15 from Jane. It's currently not available on Jane, but you can sign up to get notified when it's back on.

The top row of hearts is a bright hot pink, the second row is leopard, & the bottom row is a dark grey. Both the top & the bottom row have a distressed look to them which I think is really cute! The t-shirt is kind of a heather-white color.

This is my favorite way to style this shirt. You can tell because I was clearly feeling very sassy while taking the picture lol.

I’m wearing my black American Eagle jeans, my favorite Old Navy cardigan in black (it’s currently out of stock in black, but they restock all the time so if you’re interested, keep checking!) & my lace-up black flats.

Lately I’ve been on a fashion kick & I’m kind of obsessed with wearing black. I think it makes outfits look really chic & put together. I love how the heart t-shirt pops & really grabs your attention in this style!

Also, you can get 10% off a loopy phone case by using our code, smalltown10!

black Old Navy hair scarf / NYX lip color / leopard apple watch band

One of my most favorite things is to see how my mom decorates her hutch for the different seasons! When my great grandma (my mom's grandma) passed away, nobody wanted this massive hutch. It looked a lot different back then -- it was all brown wood & it had a glass panel in the front. My dad did a lot of work to it, like adding the white paneling in the back & painting it matte black. He did a wonderful job, it matches the style of my parents' house so well! The hutch is in the dining room, but since the house is an open concept, you can see it when you're in the living room & kitchen as well. My mom decorates it for each season & boy is she good at it! I love coming home & seeing what new pieces she's added & how it's changed from the last season. Almost all of the decor pieces are either old or from Hobby Lobby so I'm not able to link them. I just wanted to show off how cute my mom is & I know my sweet GG would be so proud that it's still so important to all of us.

Continuing with the Valentine decorations theme ... how cute is this Valentine inspired garland?! It's a thin twine string with felt balls on it that you can easily spread out or clump together. I recently bought two from Jane (one for my apartment & one to decorate my office next year) & I think it's just too cute! Sophie loves it too. ;) I might leave mine up for awhile because I love them & pink can be just a spring color too, right? Each garland is less than $8 (not including shipping). They have over 100 different styles so you can really customize it & make it your own! They're not currently available on Jane, but you can sign up to get notified when it's back on -- this way you're ready for Valentine's Day next year! What's even cuter about these garlands is that they're from an up & coming business created by two sisters! *my heart says awh* Their website isn't up just yet, but it should be later this month! When it is, I'll have a discount code ready for you guys -- get excited!

red + white polkadot bowls / white planter / my sweet dad made my blanket ladder, but here's a similar one / cream blanket is from Target, but here's a similar one / black + white patterned blanket & 'pray more, worry less' plaque are from Hobby Lobby so I'm not able to link

One of my goals this year is to drink more water. In general, I just don't do a great job of this -- I wish I did! I can tell that I get a little bit dehydrated at times. I've seen lots of people talk about these liquid I.V. drink packets & when I saw it go on Amazon's lightning deal, I knew it was the time to try it out. These liquid I.V. packets have tons of health benefits including multiplying your hydration & giving you electrolytes & vitamins.

Y'all this stuff is legit. Maybe it's just in my mind, but I honest to goodness feel SO good after drinking this! You're supposed to put these packets in 16 oz. of water, but the flavoring is a little too strong for me so I put the packet into 32 oz. of water in my favorite water jug. The flavoring of this packet is lemon lime & it's delish -- you can taste both the sour flavor & a little bit of salty from the lime. They offer a passion fruit flavor & an acai berry flavor for the hydration multiplier packets as well. I honestly feel so good after drinking one of these that I've been drinking one packet a day for about two weeks now. One day I skipped it & I had a headache! The packets are really easy for on-the-go as you can throw a couple in your bag & pour them into a water bottle whenever you're ready.

This brand offers a couple other drink packets -- one is an energy multiplier (flavor is lemon ginger) & one is for sleep (flavor is blueberry lavender). I haven't tried either of these, but I'm highly considering it!

leopard apple watch / pink shellac (color is pink smoothie) / white picture frame (4x6) / 'love yourself' mug / blue tea bag canister (similar option)

____________________

In case you missed them, check out the following links to see our posts from this week…

__________

12 Things We're Loving Lately -- February: On Tuesday, my mom, sisters & I shared our monthly post featuring 12 things we're loving lately. This consists of clothing items, beauty products, & other random things.

__________

Secret Signs: My mom did a post called Secret Signs on Wednesday. She talked about something that she & my dad have 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.

__________

Alli Home Tour Part 2: Kitchen & Dining Room: I posted another area of my apartment on Thursday! If you're needing some new decor pieces & you also need to keep it within your budget, this post is a great resource!

bachelor recap...

Anyone else feel like this season is flying by? All of a sudden we're down to six girls & after tonight it'll be four! It's crazy to me that hometowns are next week. Like crazy. I don't know if any of them seem far enough along in their relationships to be bringing Pilot Pete home to mama & daddy!

Also, what the heck is Hannah Ann wearing when they first arrived in Lima? She is decked out & dressed to the nines & everyone else looks so effortless & casual. This is gonna be a weird night I can just feel it.

1:1 with Madison...

I just genuinely really like Madison. I liked her on the very first night & I've been wishing that we could've gotten to know her a little bit more. I feel like this season has been so focused on the drama that I don't even know much about her or her relationship with Peter. All I know is that I like her even more after watching her 1:1 & that her skin looks like peanut butter when you open up a new jar -- it's nice.

I'll be honest, I wanted to be able to be super invested & listen well to her deep conversation at dinner, but I couldn't hear anything besides her saying the word like SO MANY TIMES! I had to go back & watch it again a couple of times -- once just so that I could count how may times she said 'like' & another time just so that I could focus on what she was actually saying. She said 'like' 33 times, in case anyone was wondering.

I CAN NOT BELIEVE HE TOLD HER HE'S FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER!!!!!!!!!! She hasn't told him she's falling in love with him yet so this is big stuff!

I love Madison dearly, but I'm just not sure if Peter's the one for her. I think she's way out of his league. Like way. Madison is saving herself for marriage (which I personally support), & what's Peter most known for? His big night in the windmill. They don't seem very equally yoked & I don't feel like the things that matter most to them really match up.

Can't you just see Luke P. smiling somewhere on his couch probably with a Bible in each hand?

1:1 with Natasha...

I feel like Peter & Natasha are just bros. I mean she's stinkin' funny & I've enjoyed having her on the show for a good laugh, but I just don't see her ending up with Peter. I think they're just friends -- you can tell they have fun together, but there's just not a lot of passion or connection going on.

I do feel bad for her that she's waited this long for a 1:1 & it didn't end quite how she'd wanted it to. I think he did the right thing though.

The scene after he sent her home when he stood on the balcony with a string choir serenading him holding the rose was possibly the most dramatic thing I've ever seen. Well done, Bachelor producers.

1:1 with Kelsey...

Where did Peter get this green utility jacket from? Because I'm pretty sure he got it from the women's section & I think I want one! It tapers in in the back & gives him a really nice womanly figure.

I would send myself home if Peter tried to make me run up a hill! No man is worth that kind of pain. Bye boi.

Peter & Kelsey's relationship in general is just pretty strange to me. It's just so emotional! I feel like Peter feels love through this which is strange to me because I think it's just a wreck.

Kelsey dropped a serious bomb telling Peter that she's been speaking to her dad & that her mom doesn't know. Can you imagine being her mom & watching this back?! Coming from a home with parents who are still together, I can't even imagine not talking to my dad ... but I also can't imagine keeping a secret (especially one that big) from my mom. I realize that not all families are like this (believe me, I've seen it first hand working in a school). I guess my takeaway from this situation is to just be more thankful for the family that I do have. *insert that smiley face emoji with the red hearts all around it here*

All in all, we've come a long way from her & Hannah Ann arguing over a bottle of champagne. Judging from night one I wouldn't have picked Kelsey to be one of the final four!

Also, I'm just looking at this picture & all I can think is ... Peter has so. many. pockets. Peter the Pilot loves pockets. Try saying that ten times fast!

3:1 with Kelley, Victoria F. & Hannah Ann...

I do not know why, but I really just can not stand Hannah Ann. I don't know what it is! Ever since last week when Peter told her that he needs to see more, it's like she tries to cry every time she's around him now. That does not seem genuine to me. Like girl, Kelsey's got the crying covered -- we do not need any more tears! Also, the fact that she dotted all of her i's with hearts in her love letter to him is too much. She's trying too hard.

Y'all know I've been a Kelley fan from the beginning but woof. This episode did NOT make her sound good at all. She's acting like she's way above all of the other girls. I do agree that she's very mature & that she should feel proud of herself for being a successful attorney, but that doesn't mean that nobody else is ready or that they're all babies?

Victoria F. was avoiding eye contact with Peter so hard. She gets pretty defensive with him which is super interesting to me because I feel like she's the one who's always in a "mood"! The way he handled giving her a rose was a jerk move. That poor girl thought she was going home -- & so did I!

Kelley's goodbye was quick & to the point. Usually at this point in the show they have like long drawn out talks to get some closure, but none of that. I think Kelley was actually probably more hurt than she let on. I do think she deserves better than Peter though too. Peter clearly is not interested in the type of person that Kelley is (confident, sure of herself, not a crier, etc).

Usually by hometown dates, the contestants start saying that they're either in love or falling in love & the only one that's said that so far is Kelsey (which I think was just to get a pity rose, but whatever). Oh & Peter saying it to Madison. #weird. I feel like relationships are usually a lot farther along than they are in this season. Anyone else?

Overall I am just not really liking Peter lately. I have not been loving him for the last couple of weeks & Monday night's episode was kind of the icing on the cake for me. This always happens though -- I love someone when they're a contestant & then when they become the bachelor / the bachelorette, I'm not a huge fan. I think it's easier to judge them & their decisions when they're like the main person that you see / hear from.

__________

So what do y’all think?! Do you think Madison deserves better or that Peter's the one for her? & what about the other three that will be taking him home to meet their families? Super curious to hear what y'all think! Leave your thoughts in the comments below!!

to look forward to...

Amazon came in clutch this month! I'm sharing some great finds from Amazon on Tuesday! A lot of these pieces will transition into spring well because they're light enough that you won't get hot, but cool enough that they'll keep you cozy on those crisp days. Get excited!

__________

My youngest sister, Avery, is going to be sharing her favorite hair products, tools & accessories on Thursday! Avery has hair similar to mine, but it's definitely got more curl & is a bit thinner.

__________

On Thursday, my mom will be sharing one of our family's go-to easy recipes -- power balls! These are so good for on-the-go & are pretty easy to make!

weekend plans...

This weekend (AGAIN) I'm going 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 & another one on 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! I don't have school on Monday so I'm already looking forward to having that extra weekend day since the beginning of mine is packed.

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!

PS – this post contained affiliate links… thank you so much for reading & supporting our blog!