hey there friends! I’m striving to get a steady system of posts down here on the blog so more often than not expect: posts: Monday/Wednesday/Friday with an instal-lately on Saturday! Onto those Insta loves!

my birks have been my go-to shoe for just about every outfit imaginable in the summer. I love this style and you can get the same ones right here

4th of July was a week ago but my family is still just a little sparkler crazy. Anyone else have a little love in their heart for some smoke bombs, especially pink ones? because this girl sure does!

my new bedspread is the love of my life. I got it from PBTeen and it seriously makes me feel so much more productive. (if a bedspread can be productive…) I paired it with some navy striped sheets and my aesthetically appealed heart is pleased beyond belief.

My soon-to-be newspaper staff for my school friends and i attended a local “Jazz on the Green” for free in a park this past Thursday. We made a picnic out of it and it was so much fun. I got a henna and it is so much summer fun lemme tell ya!

Hope you have a fab weekend!

xoxo, Ally

1. I made a Q&A site so if you’re ever dyeing to know where I got my shoes in an Insta or just wanna chat, check me out here! 

2. i’ve been head over heels in love with tassels lately and am really wanting to try THIS diy, hopefully I can pull this off even though it looks fairly simple..

 3. looking for some new wallpaper to spice up your device? check out this link for lots of fun prints and patterns!

4. if you’re a news lover and constantly want to stay up to date but never think you have the time, subscribe to The Newsette NOW! I get an email to my inbox every morning with the latest news keeping me #hip and #cool, but honestly, it’s so much fun and I’m obsessed. did I mention it’s FREE?

5. I love me some smoothies, and I love me some chocolate….but being healthy has to be thrown in there somewhere. Check out GimmeSomeOven’s Healthy Green Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie for the perfect compromise!

6. 12 things Reese Witherspoon can’t live without because we all need a little dose of Elle Woods inspo in our lives

7. have you ever seen Evelyn Henson’s “monthly to-do lists?” they’re the cutest wallpaper and also real life inspiration to get up and make the most of each month!

8. because my all time favorite blogger deserves a shoutout: http://www.amybelievesinpink.com Hey Amy! 🙂

9. GAP is having a huge sale right now and how stinkin cute is this jumper?! brb while i head on over and snatch it right now…

10. tell me what your’e loving! drop a comment or send an email to me over at xoxoallisonnicole@gmail.com

xoxo, Ally

we’ve all been stuck in the summer rut before. needing a fab tan and wanting to look good in our vacay pics, loathing over those summer instagrams of fresh fruit and smoothies but craving some warm chocolate chip cookies and pizza instead… been there done that. like last night. no lie, i was craving chocolate chip cookies and may have made them only to take an instagram of them only for them to come out burnt and way too not-insta worthy. Summer months can make us feel semi-sickly with all the humidity and energy being soaked up solely from spending time out in the sun! here are some of my tips and tricks to simply just get you out of that rut:

1// steam it off: whether this be a walk around your neighborhood with your furry friend on a sunny day, or lounging in a warm bubble bath after a long day of living your life. sweat detoxes the body like no other and leaves all the nasty stuff behind and gets you feeling rejuvenated without really much work for you at all..win win I might say.

2// hydrate up: when I am feeling extra sluggish i strive to stay away from my morning cup of coffee, even though this may be the opposite of what you would expect. reaching for that latte instead of a class of cold water can leave you feeling great for a bit, but run down later in the day. grab a fun water bottle and throw in some fresh fruit to mix it up and get yourself wanting to drink some h2o!

3//don’t forget to indulge: grabbing that quick piece of chocolate your sweet tooth has been calling out for its totally a-okay. especially if you op for a healthier choice like dark chocolate (which happens to be my ultimate fav)! not only does this satisfy your sweet tooth, but it gets the craving away instead of making it grow larger to where you really binge later in the day!

4// stay away from carbs and head towards the fruit: carbs make you feel sluggish and lack energy you need later in the day if you aren’t doing tons of physical activity. although i love me some bread, heading towards the fresh fruit at your local grocery store can make you feel so much more refreshed and give you that sweet craving you’re looking for. plus, tell me a better summer pair than poolside tanning and watermelon? nothing.

Hope these tips help you to keep yourself energized and ready for fun this summer!

XO, Ally