Friday Favorites

TGIF! I was really starting to think Friday would never get here but it’s finally here! I’m looking forward to a relaxing night in tonight after such a long week. The rest of the weekend seems pretty restful aside from a trip to visit a friend and my long run. I hope you all have a great weekend ahead of you! Here are a few things I’ve been loving this week. 

Ladies in the 90's by Lauren Alaina

This popped up on one of my Spotify playlists lately but after some googling, I found out it was actually released back in 2018. How am I just now hearing it?! It really is a good jam. I personally love the references to Shania Twain, Christina Aguilera, Spice Girls, Alanis Morissette, and other ladies of the 90's that I love!

Dunkin' Iced Matcha Latte

I'm such a sucker for new things, especially Dunkin' related. When I found out last week that Dunkin' was releasing a new Matcha latte, I knew I had to try it! After trying it, my first impression was YUM! It has the same flavor as my favorite green tea ice cream so it's a win for me. The only downside is the price. Because it's a latte, it's priced higher than a regular iced coffee. It's definitely one of my new favorite drinks from Dunkin' but it's not something I'd get often due to the cost.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?

Coastal Delaware Marathon Training Week 10

Happy Monday! This weekend really flew by and another work week is here. Training was a bit wacky this week. I had to do my long run from last week on Monday which set the rest of my week off. I had bad knee pain during my run on Wednesday so I cut it short and chose to rest the next 2 days to prepare for my next long run. Although Saturday’s run was only 10 miles, I did an hour workout class beforehand, making it feel longer. I had another good rest day yesterday that I hope will set me up for another strong week of training. We are over halfway through marathon training! Woohoo!

Ran 15 miles to have brunch with this little dude!

Monday: 15 miles

Tuesday: Strength training

Wednesday: 1.5 miles

Hot tea + This Is Us = perfect rest day. 

Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: 10 miles + strength training

Sunday: REST

Weekly Total: 26.5 miles

Question of the Day: What is your favorite thing to do on a rest day?

Friday Favorites

TGIF! The days seemed to drag even though it was only a 4 day work week. We made it, though! I have a pretty chill weekend ahead of me. Saturday will be a bit busy with a workout class and long run in the morning and then going out with friends in the evening. Other than that, you can catch me with my feet up, resting my knee that has been hurting a bit. Before I jump into this Friday, I'm sharing a few things I've been loving lately.

#sharetheSPARK New Mantras

If you read in my post last week or saw my Instagram, then you know I am an ambassador for the #sharetheSPARK campaign that Momentum Jewelry does every year. Each year they release 2 new sayings during the campaign and this year they are AWESOME! The 2 new sayings "remember your why & soar" and "just watch me." I lovelovelove both of them! From now until March 3rd you can get either of these sayings or any of the older #sharetheSPARK sayings for just $12 each! AND if you buy 3 of the #sharetheSPARK wraps, you get a FREE #sharetheSPARK Foot Note :)

Conair Fabric Defuzzer

I've been eyeing one of these up for awhile now but finally got one once John decided we needed one to remove all the pilling from a set of our sheets. Just like everyone said in the reviews that I obsessively read late one night awhile back, it works wonders! It easily removes fuzzies and pilling off almost everything. So far we've used it for our sheets, some of my sweaters, and a pair of my jogger sweatpants. It has made everything look almost like new again! 

Question of the Day: What is something  you're loving this week?

Coastal Delaware Marathon Training Week 9

Happy Monday! I’m checking in early today after a nice weekend away with John’s family. Due to being away, I moved my long run to this morning since I have off. That is why last week’s mileage is on the lower side. I’m off to run 15 miles! I hope you all have a great day, especially if you’re off for Presidents Day!

Monday: 3 miles

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: 3 miles + strength training

Thursday: REST

Friday: REST

Saturday: 3 miles

Sunday: 2.5 miles

Weekly Total: 11.5 miles

Question of the Day: What is one fun thing you did over the weekend?

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday and Happy Valentines Day! To be honest, I kept thinking yesterday was Valentine's Day since John and I chose to celebrate a day early. I have been so confused with dates all week! We celebrated last night with our traditional heart-shaped pizza because we are spending the weekend in the Poconos with his family. Once I get through this long day of celebrating with my kiddos and then a half day in-service for teachers, we'll be on the road. I'm sure I'll be watching the clock all day ;) I hope you all have a fun weekend ahead of you as well!

Belcorva Capris

A couple of weeks ago I won a gift card to Belcorva so after much consideration, I finally purchased a pair of capris. I always struggle to find capris that fit me right. Usually they're too tight around the calves or too loose around the waist. Belcorva won my heart by fitting overall perfectly! I have worn these for multiple runs and they haven't felt like they were sliding down my waist at all. There are pockets on the side which actually held my phone without bouncing out. I was impressed! These may be my new go-to capris.

FitVibes Lemon Bar Protein

After seeing ads on my Instagram feed for weeks, I finally took the plunge and bought this protein powder. The flavor alone was the selling factor for me but it also is great nutrition-wise. I have tried a lot of protein powders in the past and never really found a brand or flavor I love until this one! The lemon bar flavor is delicious without tasting fake. I shook it up in my blender bottle with water and it blended perfectly with no chunks left behind. I loved that even though I only mixed it with water, it was still super creamy. FitVibes also offers a berries & cream flavor and a cinnamon bun flavor that I am now eager to try.

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Hand Cream

My mom gave this to me a couple weeks ago and I put it in my car so I'd always have one there. I've been putting it on each morning on my way to work and it is making such a difference with my dry hands. This back and forth weather has been brutal on my hands but this has been helping revive them. The consistency is a little thicker than I'd prefer but if I put it on before I pull out of my driveway, it has soaked in by the time I get to work. It has a nice smell which is a good bonus :)

Question of the Day: What is something  you're loving this week?

Exciting News!

If you've been on my Instagram the past week or so then you know I've been getting some pretty exciting news lately. I am now an ambassador for not one, not two, but THREE different running brands that I absolutely love. 

Back in January, I was accepted as a Nuun ambassador for a second year in a row. I am all about staying hydrated so representing that brand is a no-brainer for me! In just one year as an ambassador I introduced many of my friends and family to Nuun so I am excited to see what happens in 2020.

Last week, Momentum Jewelry opened up their #sharetheSPARK ambassador "applications" but they did things a little differently this year. Instead of filling out a form and waiting for Momentum to choose the ambassadors, they opened the opportunity up to everyone! The first so many people to purchase their ambassador kits {$20 for the 3 Motivate Wraps- one of each of the 2 new sayings and one from last year, 1 additional fabric wrap color, 1 #sharetheSPARK Foot Note, 1 SPARKlet, and a coupon code}, reserved their spot on the 2020 team. I just happened to go on their site right when the kits were launched so I snagged mine! I received my package on Monday and man, oh MAN, am I excited to share the spark! The two new sayings are AMAZING and the wheels in my head are already spinning with how to share them.

To keep up the awesomeness, I received an email on Saturday morning welcoming me to Team ROADiD! One of my first purchases as a runner was my shoe ID. Shoe ID's are the easiest way to carry your emergency info {mine has my name, hometown, emergency contact info, and allergies} while out on a run, hike, etc. They also offer wrist ID's, ID's that attach to your smartwatch, and more! I am so excited to be part of the ROADiD team and share the importance of runner safety with my running community!

Running is such an important part of my life, if that wasn't already obvious ;) These three brands represent three things I am passionate about when it comes to running- hydration, motivation, and safety.I hope you are all as ready as I am to learn more about what these three brands have to offer!

Question of the Day: If you could be an ambassador for any brand, what would it be?

Coastal Delaware Marathon Training Week 8

Happy Monday! This weekend really flew by for me! We didn’t do too much so I guess I just feel like I need another day to get some stuff done. I took it easy with training this week. It was partly due to the crappy weather but also partly due to the fact that I was just feeling worn down. I figured having a light week would benefit me more than pushing myself too hard. I can already feel it paying off! Now time to drink some caffeine and power through this rainy Monday.

Monday: 4 miles

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: 2 miles speed work + strength training

Friday: Strength training

Saturday: REST

Sunday: 10 miles

Weekly Total: 16 miles

Question of the Day: What is your favorite go-to healthy-ish dinner? 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! We had some pretty dreary weather in Jersey all this week which made the week really drag on. I'm hoping for some sunshine this weekend which doesn't look likely but we'll see! I don't have much going on this weekend besides babysitting my nephew on Saturday so maybe it'll be a pj's and Netflix kinda weekend. I hope you all have a great weekend :)

Say Yes to Coconuts Mud Mask

Every once in awhile I find some pretty cool things at Dollar Tree. My most recent find was this face mask! I've used it a couple times in the past few weeks and I really like it. It is a thicker consistency but still goes on easily. It says its for dry skin which is great for this time of year because my face is always dry. I noticed a difference in my skin after I wash it off. The package says it is a one time use mask but I've been able to get a few uses out of one package. I just keep it in a sealed bag until the next time I use it.

Say Yes Mask Applicator

After falling in love with the Say yes to Coconuts Mud Mask, I went back to the dollar store to stock up on more. Lucky for me they still had more AND also had a cool applicator for applying the mask to my face. It's made of silicone so it easily spreads the mask onto my face and much more evenly then when I use my fingers. The applicator cleans easily making the whole process much cleaner!

Schmidt's Charcoal Deodorant

This was a post-Christmas sale find and to be honest, I wasn't sure I'd be a huge fan. A few years back I fell in love with Piper Wai natural deodorant and never thought I'd find another natural deodorant that was just as good. I won't say this is 100% comparable to Piper Wai but it's pretty darn close. It's in a stick like regular deodorant which makes application much easier {Piper Wai comes in a little jar that you use your finger to apply}. The scent is not too strong and it actually keeps me feeling fresh all day. I got it as part of a gift set for a super cheap price but it normally sells for about $7. When it comes to deodorant, that is pricey but yet again it is natural. I would probably buy it over Piper Wai, though, considering that is close to $12 a jar.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?

Wedding Planning Tips: Saving Money

With Valentine's Day and my 6 months of being married right around the corner, love is in the air! That gave me the idea to share a post related to wedding planning since I never did finish sharing my tips. Even if you haven't planned a wedding yet, you know that it takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Today I'm sharing with you some ways you can cut costs when it comes to the paper/printed items. These are some things I did for my own wedding that I believe saved me a little bit of money that I put towards things I personally felt were more important. I'm not saying you shouldn't spend tons of money on invitations and the like, but it just wasn't what I personally wanted.

So whether you’re engaged, know somebody who is engaged, almost engaged, or just want to read for fun, here are some money saving tips I have when it comes to paper/printed items!

Postcard Save the Dates

If you decide to send save the dates, you can cut costs by making them postcards! Postcard stamps in the US are only 35 cents while a regular stamp is 55 cents. That may not seem like a huge difference, but when you're talking about sending out 150 save the dates, that's a $30 savings! We designed ours on our own and then printed them through VistaPrint for even more savings.

Design Invitations Yourself & Order on VistaPrint

We were lucky enough to have a Photoshop-savvy family member who designed our invitations for us but we probably would have figured it out ourselves if need be. Once the invitations were designed, we kept an eye on VistaPrint for a discount. VistaPrint is always offering deals so my suggestion is to get your design done early enough that you have the time to wait for a deal. 

RSVPify

RSVPify is a website where your guests can RSVP online using their email or a specific code you generate for each guest. This will save you the cost of a stamp and possibly even an envelope for guests to return their RSVP cards. The website does have a fee (starting at $29) if you have over 100 guests, but most likely that fee will be outweighed by the cost of everything else you'd need to purchase for the response cards. Also, RSVPify is super customizable. John and I went back and forth with them to come up with a package that worked best for us. Along with guests being able to RSVP online, you are provided with a seating chart tool to seamlessly create your reception seating chart. Oh, and no more response cards getting lost in the mail :)

Print Seating Chart

Individual place cards to tell guests where their table is can add up. Instead, create a seating chart that can be posted at the entrance to the reception that lists who is sitting at which table. This can be done fairly inexpensively if you do it on your own and not through a designer. We purchased a template off Etsy for just a few dollars, edited it on computer, and then printed it through Staples for about $10. You may be able to do individual place cards for each guest for cheaper but just think of the time you save by printing the chart!

Coastal Delaware Marathon Training Week 7

Happy Monday! I’m checking in a little tired this morning. We went to my parent’s house to watch the Super Bowl last night which just meant we ate snacks and watched the commercials with a little football thrown in. We actually left early so I just had to google who won. Anywho, it was a good week, training-wise! I had some pains earlier in the week that made me stretch and rest a little more but by time the end of the week rolled around, I felt great. I was able to run my long with with my friend which made it 1000x better. I hope you all have a great week ahead of you!

Monday: REST

Tuesday: 1 mile
I went out for my 3 mile run and had a weird pain in my right ankle and left knee. I made the decision to turn around and go back home to rest instead. 

Wednesday: 3 miles

Thursday: 3 miles

Friday: REST

Saturday: 13.1 miles

Sunday: REST

Weekly Total: 20.1 miles


Question of the Day: What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial (if you watched)?