This is the first weekend that has FINALLY felt like fall and I am all here for it. Although I will never complain about 70 and sunny weather, I am a sucker for pulling out my favorite outerwear pieces each year. I also have been wanting a J.Crew Barn Jacket for years upon years now and finally caved when they were having their coat sale and snagged this one for under $50 and am in love!
Needless to say, the chillier weather has brought around all kinds of new music to my commutes to school and drives around KC. I want to get better at sharing my monthly playlists with you all, so here is my first attempt! There’s a little of everything, but I’ve been loving the variety this month. I also made sure to include a new tune from a good friend I’ve had since elementary school in there; it is such a fun song and the perfect thing to accompany my windows down drives to Trade Joe’s these days. Let me know what you all have had on repeat this month so I can check them out and maybe include them on next month’s playlist!
Although this is not one bit how I imagined spending the last months of my senior year, here we are. Covid-19 is impacting us all whether it be directly or indirectly, and I do not want to come off as insensitive to anyone whatsoever through this post. There are so many food banks, organizations, and people that you can donate to in order to help the greater good. All of us are struggling through this in one way or another, and there is no better time than now to simply love thy neighbor. A smile and a wave to a passerby on your daily walk or a card via snail mail or a FaceTime to your grandparents or elderly friends is making an impact all of its own. This time and space is awkward and uncomfortable for us all, but is is nothing we cannot get through with a little love.
I was home for a bit in Omaha with my family and am now back in Lawrence living in my senior house and Zoom-ing my kindergarteners everyday. They truly do make days a little brighter even though I’d give anything to go back and spend the rest of the month with them in the classroom like originally planned. In the meantime, I figured I could share a few things with you that I have been enjoying throughout the past few weeks.
WATCHING :
Little Fires Everywhere. Oh. My. Goodness. I read the book by Celeste Ng earlier this summer and fell in love with the details and characters of the story so I was beyond thrilled when I saw none other than Reese Witherspoon was helping bring the story to film. If you haven’t binge watched already, go watch the first 4 episodes that are live on Hulu now.
Also Love Is Blind. I hopped on the train. I did It. I hate how quickly I zoomed through It and STILL am not over how obsessed Jessica is with being 34…#iykyk 😉 What are your thoughts on the absolutely wild show?
READING :
(or…re-reading for that matter!) I am yet again reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It is the coolest idea for all the Type A’s out there on how the author creates a “system” to allow herself be happier in her life. Although as a 21 year old I don’t find it logistical to apply ALL of Rubin’s “rules” (an entire section dedicated to marriage life isn’t exactly part of my agenda right now ;)) I find the book overall as a great refresher and reminder on how happiness really is a mental choice!
DRINKING:
I’ll be real honest, there have been a solid at least 3 days where I have cracked open a Truly Lemonade before 4pm. I don’t know what year it is during this strange time, let alone what hour. However, whatever hour it may be, I am a large fan. I have never been the biggest carbonation drinker and the great lack of bubbles in the lemonade version opposed to the classic Trulys really sold me. The classic lemon lemonade one reminds me of the “Simply Lemonade” flavor, which I have grown up loving. Welcome to the 21+ version!
SNACKING:
Chile & Garlic Cashews from Trader Joe’s. I don’t even have the words to describe how much I love these. I didn’t know I needed this flavor in my life until I bought these on a whim. They are SO good and have just the right amount of spice. 11/10 recommend.
LISTENING:
Lots of everything for various moods of the day, but I’ve been a big fan of Fran’s “At The Beach With You” playlist she put out a few weeks ago. A perfect mix of longing for summer sounds and late night drive windows down songs. It’s been the current soundtrack of my more than once daily kill some time drives and I’m still not sick of it.
I wanna hear what you’re loving during this strange time. What is keeping you busy? What is comforting you or allowing you to find little joys? Leave me a comment below or let me know what other kinds of posts you’d like to see! Until next time. xoxo, Ally
We are already 5 days into March and to be honest I still feel like we just started February. The days are long, but the weeks are flying, anyone else? I’ve been spending days student teaching kindergarten and nights working, at class, or attempting to squeeze in a grocery run or episode of This Is Us (I finally caved and started it over the last holiday weekend and am hooked!)
Life is crazy busy per usual, so I am really in a spring break mindset this March. The weather is finally starting to warm up here in the midwest and dinner & drinks al fresco and sandal shopping sounds like the perfect celebration. My spring break isn’t until the week of the 16th, but a girl can properly mentally prepare, right? 😉
I created a mood board for my spring mindset that is all things floral, sun, and bright colors that match my mood! I am linking both the desktop and phone wallpaper downloads to share with you all as well! Go ahead and click on which one you’d like to use, click on the three dots in the upper-right hand corner and download!
Share them on Instagram if you use them and make sure to tag me so I can see! Over at @xoandco!
Xo&Co. 