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Blogtober Day 8: Book Haul

Happy Thursday everyone! Today, I am so excited to share with you guys my latest book haul.

Now, before I continue I want to say that many of these books were purchased pre-loved and at 75 percent off. I am trying to buy less books in general, however, have done a book purge so I decided to swap them out for these. In total, I picked up 12 new books — including a few freebies.

This past weekend, I hit up two bookstores — Books and Company in Hamden and Penny’s Bookshelf in Milford. I also picked up a few books from Target that I’ve been wanting a physical copies of. As many of you know, I have an reader that I swear by, but I do crave the feel of a regular book every once in a while.

So, without further a due, here are the books I got:

Books and Company in Hamden CT:

I had found a box full of the Babysitter Club books in my basement and decided to bring to a local Hamden bookstore. I think that there were about 70 books in that box so naturally that equals a lot of credit. Due to COVID, the books need to sit for a few days, however, you can use the credit now and have it deducted later on.

I picked up four books at Books and Company. Three of them are Jane Green books (Jemina J, Bookends, and Babyville) and If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman. I only paid $14 and am super excited to read them.

Penny’s Bookshelf in Milford CT:

I went to the dentist for the first time in years on Monday, so I bought in some old books that I was ready to part with that I just wasn’t excited about reading. I ended up getting over $20 of credit, which was exciting.

Like Books and Company, I picked up 4 books as well: Hannah’s War by Jan Eliasberg, the last two books of the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness, and One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus. I have been wanting it to read more historical fiction. Furthermore, I also have been wanting to marathon these series, and so I am glad that I have them.

Target:

I am so excited that the new Nicholas Sparks novel came out. He is one of my favorite authors and one of the few that I have to have physical copies of. I am super excited to read The Return, and can’t wait to have a good cry (as many of his books tend to do so).

I also have been wanting to read more thrillers lately — probably because of the spooky season. I have read All of the Missing Girls by Meghan Miranda, but I want to read more by her. I then picked up the Girl from Widow Hills as well. Since I had a 15 percent off coupon, I decided why not?

Freebies:

Finally, my boyfriend’s mom was getting rid of two books — Fixing Freddie and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I have already read Fixing Freddie and absolutely loved it. If you love beagles, I highly recommend it.

That said, I have quite the stack of new books to read. I look forward to sharing them with you in the upcoming months in reading wrap ups.

Blogtober 7: What I Love Wednesday 10/7

Happy Wednesday everyone! It is going to be a short week for me, as I had Monday off for doctor’s appointments and I will have Friday off for a vacation day. I’m stoked.

That said, I’ve been busy with adulting stuff and keeping up with Blogtober. I’m honestly getting overwhelmed with it all, but am doing the best I can to keep up.

Okay, enough talking. Here’s my favorites for this week:

Coach Double Zip Wristlet:

I bought this a few weeks ago when I hurt my back and I am so glad that I did. I am obsessed with this purchase and am so glad I got it. I got mine from the Coach outlet and it fits my Louis Vuitton Key Cles and my phone. My keys clip on and I’m good to go. The price was amazing and I use it every day whether its in my work bag or on the weekend.

Fixing Freddie: A True Story About A Boy, A Single Mom, and a Very Bad Beagle That Saved Them All by Paula Munier:

My boyfriend’s mom was cleaning out her books and I found this title. I downloaded it onto my Nook and now took her physical copy, and have loved it.

The book is about a single mom and her son. When they move into their home, they adopt a beagle puppy named Freddie. However, the beagle is full of mischief in true beagle fashion.

The story is a quick read, but if you love beagles like me, I highly recommend it.

Apple Cider Tea:

In the fall, I always want something that is warm and comforting. I am a huge fan of the pumpkin spiced latte, but I want to try to drink less caffeine. That said, I have enjoyed this tea, because it’s giving me all of the flavors of fall, but is much better for me.

Blogtober Day 6: Healthy Changes I’ve Made To Become Healthier

I’ve been trying to lose weight for a little while now. I am doing it now from a place of wanting to be skinny, but rather wanting to be healthy.

That said, habits take a while to form. So, I’ve been making some small changes, which I hope to become a more permanent one versus larger changes that may be harder for me to manage. I am the type of person who needs to do it gradually, so these all have helped make a difference in my health.

No more Doordash:

DoorDash has been so helpful for me during quarantine. If I wanted Shake Shake or Five Guys, all I had to do was order it using the app. However, eating a burger and fries more than a few times a week is not healthy for you whatsoever. So, I’ve decided to stop using DoorDash for the most part. Every now and then I’ll still get it – usually as a Friday night treat or if my friend is coming over we’ll get that. Otherwise, I’m sticking to just cooking.

Using Mostly Fresh, Not Frozen:

It’s safe to say that I am not the world’s best cook. One thing that I used to love is making frozen sweet potato or regular fries. However, it’s not the healthiest. That said, I have began using fresh sweet potatoes and regular potatoes to make fries. Not only do they taste better, but they are so much healthier than the frozen.

Grilled Chicken versus Fried:

I love Chic-Fil-A. It has become my saving grace during quarantine because my local Target happens to be located right near it. That said, I would be getting Chic-Fil-A a lot. Usually, it would be the classic deluxe sandwich. If you don’t know what that is, that’s basically just fried chicken with waffle fries. Yeah, it’s not the most healthy choice I could be making.

Since I eat there a lot, I decided instead of giving up some of my favorite places but modify my order. For example, instead of the fried chicken, I would get a grilled chicken sandwich with medium fries versus the large. I also wouldn’t get a lemonade and stick to water. This still isn’t the healthiest, but hey. Small steps baby.

Work Out For 30 Minutes A Day – No Questions Asked:

I did both the 30 Day Shred and the 30 Day Beginner Shred by Jillian Micheals. However, on the last day of the 30 Day Regular one, I threw my back out. This really helped me begin to think about how I approached working out.

Since then, I’ve been thinking about how I approach working out. So, I’ve been either doing a stairstepper or my workout bike for 30 minutes a day. Not only do I get to start my day with it, I usually listen to my audiobook or music as well, which is something that I also enjoy. Once my back heals, I do plan to do a combination of strength/HIIT and Cardio. I did download the Jillian Micheals app and the Jazzercise app and switch to go between the two.

Prior to this, I really wasn’t working out. I’m just going to be honest – I was only working out for 20 minutes or less. Those workouts weren’t cutting it for me, so I think that this is a much healthier step to take.

Being Mindful of My Treats:

I love dessert. I have a sweet tooth so it is one thing that really brings me joy. However, sometimes I would overdo it. Lately, I’ve been trying to be mindful just how much dessert I have in a night, whether that may mean just one cookie versus a cookie and a piece of chocolate. Those little steps have been helping!

Whole Grain versus White Bread:

This is something that I’ve been doing for years, but I am trying to make sure that I stick to whole grains versus white bread. I also happen to enjoy the taste of the bread as well, and it’s really healthy as well.

Blogtober 5: September Reading Wrap-up

In September, I really got into the fall spirit. I put up my fall décor up Labor Day Weekend, and have consumed Pumpkin Spice lattes by the gallon.

That fall spirit had also transferred into my reading. This month was a good reading month. I have read 10 books throughout the month.

One of those books was actually a reread for me, which was Throne of Glass. I am rereading the series to hopefully finish the series this time. I am listening to the first four books on Audible, and have been really enjoying them. I finished Throne of Glass a few weeks ago, and have really enjoyed it. I originally read it in 2015 for a class, and loved it. I then read Crown of Midnight, but found myself not enjoying it as much. Five years later, I’ve really enjoyed and have had more appreciation for the series. Currently, I am reading Crown of Midnight, which I am loving so much more on audiobook.

That said, here are the books that I read this month:

The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green: Five out of Five Stars

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino: Five out of Five Stars

Majesty by Katharine McGee: Five out of Five Stars

The Selection by Keira Cass: Five out of Five Stars

The Elite by Keira Cass: Five out of Five Stars

The One by Keira Cass: Five out of Five Stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig: Five out of Five Stars

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: Five out of Five Stars

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert: Four out of Five Stars

The Night Country by Melissa Albert: Four out of Five Stars

What did you read this month? Let me know in the comments below.

Blogtober Day Four: Fall Fashion Essentials

Now that we’re in October it means fall – especially if you live in New England. For some odd reason, this year I am loving all things fall. In addition to pumpkin spice lattes, I also love the cozy fall clothes and accessories. In today’s post, I am sharing some of my fall essentials:

Cozy sweaters:

I love sweaters. They are my go-tos from October to about March. My mom was a big sweater person as well, and every year, she would gift me a sweater for Christmas. To me, it’s more important to have neutral colors, but I do enjoy a few colors including burgundy and a dark pink.

Furthermore, cardigans have become my go-to, especially of late. I’ve been obsessed with the Barefoot Dreams cardigan that I snagged during the Nordstrom sale, and I’ve been loving it. It’s safe to stay that I am obsessed. Another cardigan I have been loving is one from Madewell that I snagged on clearance.

Boots:

In fall and in winter, boots have been my go-to for pretty much years. I wore them a lot when I was in college and I would pair them with jeans. Now that I am in the work place, I either pair them with leggings or nicer pants. One look that I really love is a pair of dark chocolate boots and a pair of jeans. They make an amazing combination.

Sadly, I have not had to purchase boots in quite a few years, since mine have lasted for a while. However, my favorite go-to brands are LC Lauren Conrad from Kohl’s and Clarks.

Chunky Earrings:

I’ve embraced the hoop earring trend this year. Chunky gold hoops have bee n my go-to pretty much all of 2020. I really like the hollow ones, since they are so lightweight that you barely know that they are on. Some of my favorites are the XS Statement Hoop from SV Decker, and the DMQ X Katrina Tell Me About it Stud Earrings from QVC.

Leggings:

Leggings are just a staple no matter where you’re going. I either wear mine with sweatshirts on the weekends, or with sweaters and boots during the week.

Scarves:

I am such a huge fan of scarves. I love making them, and I love wearing them. Personally, I am a huge fan of the chunky yarn scarves because they can keep you warm. Most of mine are handmade, so I unfortunately can’t link them below. However, I am in the process of opening up an Etsy Shop, so one day that will be possible.

What are some fall fashion essentials for you? Let me know in the comments below.

Blogtober Day 3: Tips to Survive Blogtober/Blogmas

Welcome back to the third day of Blogtober. Today, we’re going to talk about how to survive Blogtober and Blogmas. For those of you who don’t know, Blogtober is when you blog everyday for the month of October, and Blogmas is when you blog everyday from December 1-25. These same tips can also be used to some extent for Vlogmas as well, which is the Youtuber version of Blogmas as well.

Now, as you can imagine, writing a post everyday without fail is a challenge and it can be overwhelming. That said, I’ve given you a list of tips to help survive this hectic time. So, without further a due, here are some tips on how to survive Blogtober/Blogmas.

Write ahead: Try to get a head start on posts as much as possible. Let’s just be honest. It’s going to be overwhelming trying to schedule this amount of posts, and chances are, every other responsibility in life. That said, try to start early and write a post or two each week. In the case of my blog, I try to get as much non-time sensitive content out as possible. One good thing about that is that if inspiration does end up striking, I can move the post to a different day without fear that I am skipping a day.

Plan it Out: Your planner is going to be your best friend for this. Make sure you write down on which days which post will go live. That way, you’ll know what went live, and how to promote on social media.
Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself: Life happens. Sometimes, you’re going to miss a day. And, that’s okay. I think that it’s important to not be hard on yourself if that happens, because while writing a post everyday for 31 days is a commitment, sometimes things do come up where you can’t just write a post.
Connect With Other Bloggers: I am a part of many different blogging Facebook groups, and having that community is crucial, because it helps me discuss all of the issues that I have been having and even helps keep me motivated. Both of those, trust me, is a win.
Social Media: I know this is blogging 101, but make sure to promote these posts with the #Blogtober hashtags. When I did Blogmas last year, it helped me discover some amazing new bloggers. Therefore, I recommend you do the same with your posts, and you might connect and grow your audience.

Are you doing Blogtober this year? If so, let me know in the comments below!

Blogtober Day 2: 5 Things I Do to Practice Self Care on the Weekend

TGIF everyone! I don’t know about you, but I want to fill my weekends with self care. I want to remind you all that self care is not selfish. Since I have weekends off, I always try to make some time for myself — whether it’s relaxing on my couch with Netflix, or doing something that I enjoy. So, without further adue, here is what I do to practice selfcare on the weekends.

Crocheting is something I enjoy doing on the weekends.

Make time to do things that I enjoy: Whether it’s sitting on my couch knitting while watching Netflix, hanging out with my friends, or going to my favorite bookstore, I always try to make time to do something fun that I will get excited about. It not only gives me something to look forward to, it helps me feel as though I have control over my schedule.

Do nothing: I can’t spend my entire weekend just sitting on the couch, because I typically have chores to do. However, I usually make sure I spend one night just watching something, whether that may be vlogs, movies or TV shows. Whenever I do, I always feel relaxed.

Pamper myself: I try to do some kind of mask on the weekends, whether it’s for my hair or for my skin. This always makes me feel good about myself, which is always a great way to begin the week on a high note.

Treat myself: Weekends are for treating yourself — whether it’s having a day where you don’t cook, buying a new pair of earrings, or just getting ice cream. Whatever the case may be, treating myself is sometimes needed for self care.

Say no: It’s the weekend. Sometimes, I don’t want to have a series of social engagements. And, that’s okay. It’s okay to say no to events or social gatherings if you had a long week just to recover. Your friends will understand. Trust me.

Blogtober Day 1: Spooky Reads TBR

Happy Blogtober everyone! I am super excited that I am going to be doing Blogtober this year, so expect amazing posts for the next 30 days. I am so excited to share all of the spooky and fall content, so be prepared for that.

Today’s post will talk about all of my spooky reads that I am going to read this month. October puts me in the mood to read all of the thrillers and all of the books about witches. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good thriller. So, I decided to tackle some of the ones that have been lingering on my TBR this month. Whether that happens, we’ll see. But, here’s a list of the books I hope to read this month:

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin
One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
Reputation by Sara Shepard
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkiness
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

What are you going to read this month? Let me know in the comments below.

What I Love Wednesday: September 30, 2020

Happy Wednesday! This is officially the last Wednesday before Blogtober, and it’s safe to say that I am both stressed out and excited. I have many of my posts pre-written, so all I have to do is promote it.

Anyways, in other news, I have a lot of new favorites to share with you today. So, without further adue, let’s just get right into it.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch:

I was obsessed with this show when I was a kid, and I was looking for something fall themed to watch. I thought that was a great time to begin a rewatch of the show, and I’ve been obsessed. It has so much nostalgia for me, whether it’s from watching this when I got home from school or at Nick at Nite.

If you haven’t ever heard of Sabrina, it’s a show about a teenager named Sabrina who finds out on her 16^th birthday that she is a witch. The show follows her as she navigates witch training and high school drama. It is honestly so entertaining.

Fantasy YA/Spooky Reads:

I’ve been obsessively reading fantasy novels this past week or so. Last week, I told you all about House of Salt and Sorrow by Erin Craig, which is the perfect read for this time of year. Since then, I picked up the Hazelwood by Melissa Albert, which has been on my TBR shelf since last year, and its sequel, The Night Country. After that, I plan to read A Discovery of Witches, which is a book I am really looking forward to since I heard that it’s basically Twilight for adults.

Diamonique:

If you’re not familiar with this brand, QVC has a special kind of cubic zirconia called Diamonique. My mom watched and shopped from QVC regularly, and has gifted me some throughout the years. Recently, when looking for earrings for my second hole, I found some of my older pieces that my mom had gifted me or pieces I have brought and forgot about and decided that I want to wear them again. Some of my favorites include: the initial necklace, the stud earrings and the bezel set Sterling Silver necklace. Note: some of the items here are not the exact ones, but I linked it to something similar.

Jazzercise On Demand:

I have found a new workout that I have been enjoying. That is Jazzercise. Since hurting my back, I have been aiming to do something that has been lighter. The app costs $19.99 a month, and offers unlimited video classes. I like it because I can do it whenever I am able to work out.

Furthermore, I also love these classes because they are just so fun. I may return to Jillian Micheals, but I am enjoying it for now.

Moriah Robinson Vlogs:

I found a new vlogger/blogger that I am obsessed with. I have been enjoying her content for a few weeks now, because she showcases affordable fashion. Fun fact: many of the items that she gets are from Amazon, which is something that I love because her picks are affordable and are great picks. I also love how authentic she is in her videos as well.

That is what I have been loving this week. What are you favorites this week?

Guess Who Is Doing Blogtober? I am!

Last year, I did Blogmas, which is when you blog daily from December 1-25. I enjoyed doing it so much, as it was a great way to connect with many new bloggers, and grow my blog a little bit more.

However, Blogmas is only one of the blogging challenges that exist. One of the other ones is Blogtober.

Now, what is Blogtober?

Blogtober is when bloggers basically blog one post a day for every day throughout the month of October. As I mentioned with Blogmas, it’s a great chance to connect with other bloggers, by using various hashtags.

What can you expect to see from me?

31 days of content. That’s pretty much it. I have some posts planned (okay maybe not as much as I would like), but I am basically am having what I normally post with some spooky or fall-themed items thrown in there as well. I am so stoked to spend the next 31 days blogging and sharing some great posts with you all.