It's starting to "feel a little cooler" here in Florida (and by cooler I mean low 90s as opposed to high), but I am not letting the heat stop me from pretending its fall which is my favorite time to cozy up with good book. With the stack I made it through this month I feel like I may as well have been holed up in a cabin with its own personal library. I am considering starting a reading round up, because I would love to see what everyone else is reading. Want to link up what you've been reading lately? Join in using the "add link" button at the bottom of this post for any book related blog posts you have and let's read together!
I had forgotten how much I loved Sarah Dessen books when I was in high school. I had read her well into my early 20s as well and at some point fell away from it, completely on accident. When a friend mentioned one of her books the other day I decided to see if there was anything I hadn't read from her available when I went to the library. Saint Anything reminded me of everything I enjoy about Sarah Dessen and her writing. Not only that but Saint Anything is a book that hits very close to home for me...
For the first time in what feels like forever I am sharing more of our time on the road and getting back my monthly travel link up- so be sure to add any of your own recent adventures at the bottom of the post. Today I'm heading back clear across the US to our time along the California cost... most of the fun is in the video, but here is what we did and where we stayed!
RVing The California Coast
We entered into California and headed straight for Redwood National Park. While we didn't have time to do the full park, we started at the northern tip near Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
One month later, one new post, same monthly link up with Anne; I am really doing well at this whole goal of getting out more regular blog posts! Here's to trying again next month, but for now here is what October is looking like currently...
{Arranging} Schedules and permits and licenses, oh my! We are finally getting closer to being able to open the wine bar. Crimson House is starting to move forward, without the backwards steps we seemed to keep tripping over. It feels so nice to see a year and a half of waiting begin to pay off!
{Loving} The sweet time that we got to spend with our nieces and nephews this past weekend!
{Embracing} The fact that right now we aren't really sure what life is going to look like in the coming months. For a while I was having a very hard time with that- to be honest, a lot of days I still do, but I am trying to just let this season play out however God is intending it to.
{Purchasing} ALLLLL the beautifully illustrated wonders of the Wizarding World! The newest Harry Potter Illustrated edition comes out on the 29th and you best bet that I have had it preordered already. I am beyond excited for it to arrive! Do you own any of the illustrated editions? They bring Harry Potter to life in a whole new way! I love seeing the creativity and imagination put into setting the words to illustrations.
{Sharing} Favorite books to read in October over on Pinterest! I created the light last year and have added a few that I have read since. I love reading spooky stories to get me in the halloween spirit! What are some of your favorite October reads?!
Short and sweet, but that's October here currently!
I feel like I say the same thing this time every year; maybe it's just the cycle of life, but it seems like I can only keep up with a monthly post these days! And so, now, one month later it's time for another Currently link up with Anne. I have set goals for more regular posting though, because I have trips to catch up on and things to share from our current little beachside town. Now to just see if I can actually follow through! Anyways, here's what things are currently looking like around here...
{Making} Plans for where we will be parking our little home-on-wheels for the next two months. We weren't planning to leave our coastal campground for another month, but thanks to Hurricane Dorian we made a quick exit Sunday morning and came inland to my parents in Orlando. Once the storm passes, we are thinking we might actually try to find a park near Disney for the rest of the month to get good use out of our annual passes and go to Epcot Food & Wine as often as possible. Not going to lie, I'm not side about that aspect of the quick changes Hurricane Dorian brought us. It also gave us a good excuse to give the camper a good deep clean!
{Discovering} All the great Amazon finds!! Here are some of my favorite Amazon finds of the month:
Amazon Finds of the Month
The Missing Years- I stayed up until 1am finishing this last night; something I haven't done in a long time! Set in the Scottish Highlands The Missing Years by Lexie Elliott is the perfect read as we head into fall. It's got such a spooky edge to it without being scary and will have you questioning everyone in the book. When Ailsa Calder inherits half a house she moves into it with a half-sister she hardly knows and begins to try to piece together what happened to her father, who disappeared when she was only a child and who owns the other half of the house. However, when strange things begin happening at the house she will start to question if she should be staying at all. If you like family mysteries, Scottish accents and houses that go bump in the night you will want to grab The Missing Years!
We spent the past weekend ending out the summer Georgia style with our annual Aunt Mel and Uncle Andrew trip to Big Canoe with our nieces and nephews. We are in the car on the way back to Orlando and the kiddos are well worn-out and ready to start a new school year. Linking up with Anne for another Currently edition; here's how our August is looking right now!
{Ordering} A new one piece bathing suit from Amazon! Considering it was under $15 I got a lot of life out of this one, but I stretched the back of it going on the rock slide this weekend. I really want a one shouldered suit, so I am snagging this one and crossing my fingers it fits as well as my last Amazon suit find!
{Watching} We've been watching Dexter on Netflix. We are on the 5th season and it's starting to get a little repetitive for me. Babe still likes it so we are sticking it out, but we've started mixing it up with Redbox movies we haven't seen yet.
{Cooking} Our HelloFresh meals! We had it a long time ago and I recently decided to try it out again when we got a coupon code for joining up again. While I do think it's a little expensive if you are paying full price it's so convenient and you have most of your meals planned for the week. We also had Blue Apron last month, but we have been much more satisfied with the HelloFresh meals, so I canceled the Blue Apron subscription. If you have been wanting to try HelloFresh I have 2 free boxes left to give out and am happy to share (email me at lifessweetwords@gmail.com), once those are gone you can also save $40 off your first box here.
{Wondering} What in the world our next life step will be: between Crimson House, online teaching and another job possibly in the works it will mean juggling a lot, but I tend to typically have a few different jobs I am doing at any given time and I like the variety. It does lead to rethinking where we may continue living though; do we stay in the camper? Do we move the camper closer into Orlando instead of staying at the beach? Do we move back into our house that we are currently renting out? So many things to process in the next month...
{Savoring} My last few bottles of Vital Proteins collagen water! I received these to try out and really like them. I love Vital Proteins collagen peptides, so I was really excited when they came out with collagen water. I really do feel like my hair and nails are a lot stronger since I started using collagen and my face seems a little more dewy. The collagen waters are also just a nice way to add flavor while I try to stay hydrated. I will typically pour half of a bottle into my Yeti and top it with regular water. Makes each bottle last longer and also helps me drink more water during the day.
I tried the Blackberry Hibiscus and Blueberry Mint flavors. Both are good, but I definitely preferred the Blackberry Hibiscus (I can be weird about mint) and I am going to grab the Strawberry Lemon to try next. I have a few more bottles left, so I figured I would let one of you do the taste test and try them for themselves. I am giving away two bottles of Vital Proteins Collagen Water (one of each flavor)! Enter below to win the chance to try them for yourself.
**Rafflecopter Giveaway is now closed: Congrats to the Winner, Rebecca!**
Life has been a little crazy this past week, so I am really looking forward to some fun with my little loves this upcoming weekend! Here are a few favorites from the last few weeks...
{One} PlantFusion Plant Based Protein
I have been trying to get more protein into my diet and when Babe started looking for a organic protein powder we stumbled across PlantFusion; an organic, plant-based protein company. I was super curious to see how a plant protein would hold up and I can say I am very happy! Not only is it non-GMO, but it's filled with so many good for the belly ingredients that I can feel good about what I am eating. I know there are tons of great ways to use protein, but I am usually looking for something easy and on-the-go. Here are some of the ways I fit extra protein into my diet...
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScoopSummerSavings #CollectiveBias
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I am not after many big ticket items this year, though I am considering getting the Kindle Paperwhite for $85. I always swore I would never read books digitally, but since downloading the Kindle App on my phone when we were on the road it is been so easy and convenient to download something new if I don't have time to run to the library or bookstore. Anyways, this year I am mostly snagging smaller items that I need and use regularly, along with a few little happies that I couldn't pass up. Here's some of the fun I've found for:
**Prices are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Don't forget to snag something you like, as the price may change back to normal pricing once the items are sold out!
Hope you are getting ready for an exciting 4th and that you're off until Monday!!
We are in route to Tennessee and I am linking up with Anne to share some July Currently fun. Here's a peek at life currently:
{Reading} SOOOO many good books!! I just finished reading The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton and it is my favorite of hers so far {I have read 3 total}. I am listening to The Price of Paradise on Audible and it is also very good. Set in Cuba (and partly in Spain), during the 40s and 50s, it was originally written in Spanish before being translated into English. If you liked Next Year in Havana this is another one to grab!
I hope the week has been good to you! We have been busy over here, but excited for a break soon when we head to Tennessee for the 4th of July. I am looking forward to some time away with Babe, a 10 hour road-trip (no, there is no sarcasm in there), mountain-air and time with family! Until then though, here are some of the thing I have been loving in June...
{ONE} WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT BOOK CLUB AWESOMENESS
I am in a wonderful book club with some amazing ladies! We are truly a hodgepodge group of this person knew this person and somehow we became a group that just seems to gel really well. I feel like that doesn't always work out that easily, but I am so thankful this one did. I treasure each night with them, but this book club was extra special. Not only did we call get fairy hair in honor of our book club pick for the month (The Cruel Prince), but our own sweet Isabel is officially an author!! Her book WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT will be released on January 7th, 2020, but her ARC copies have come in so we got to see her book in the flesh. Seeing all her hard work displayed on printed pages was so awesome! I can remember when she first started pitching her book around 2 years ago. I never knew it could be such a long process to go from acquisition to print and she has poured her heart into every piece of it; she even got to use her design background to illustrate the cover and it is pure magic.
Source: Isabel's Instagram {she will be hosting ARC giveaways; so be sure to follow her}
Add any travel related fun to the link up at the bottom of the post!
Saturday was World Ocean Day! I have always loved the ocean, but now that we are living by the beach I have truly come to appreciate how crucial, wonderful and expansive the beauty of our oceans is. I figured it was the perfect time to share some of my favorite ocean quotes!
"Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free." -Christy Ann Martine
"For her the ocean was more than a dream, it was a place she needed to visit to find herself.
And when she returned to the city, you could see the sun in her eyes, the wind in her hair, and taste the infinite salt on her lips." - Jose Chaves
Soooo, it's only been a handful of months since I have managed to get a #TravelTuesday Link Up live, but here we are... thanks for being patient!
Be sure to link all your adventures at the bottom of this post!
I'm not actually going to write a lot this month, but am going to let our newest video from our time on the road speak for me. If you've never considered paying Idaho a visit, here are our favorite reasons why you need to change that...
Idaho truly is a spectacular state; from the stunning Shoshone Falls in southern Idaho to the rail trail ride on the Route of the Hiawatha in the north Idaho had so much to offer for any outdoor lover!
Cheers to a new week {following a hopefully restful weekend}!
I'm a little late to the game this month, considering we are now almost a week into May, but I'm joining Anne for another Currently link up. Here is what is happening in my world this month and some current faves that are too good not to share...
{ADMIRING} The way my eyes feel after using my new Pare Activated Charcoal Eye Mask! We spent Saturday night in Orlando with friends and it was such a wonderful, needed time but getting home late left my eyes feeling tired and puffy when I woke up Sunday morning. I figured it was the perfect time to give these beauties a try and Pare did not disappoint! Filled with hyaluronic acid and other wrinkle fighting wonders these moisturizing eye warriors helped my eyes fill less puffy and more rejuvenated. If you love a little self-care Sunday {like me}, these eye masks are just the thing you need! Tip: stick them in the fridge before applying to add an extra cooling element for and even more eye-brightening punch!
Spa-like and RV Shower, don't tend to go hand-in-hand...
One luxury you give up when you move into an RV is a long, hot shower at the end of hard day. You can have short and hot, you can have long and cold, but you can't typically have both. Unless you are willing to load up a shower caddy and trudge through the campground to the showers, you aren't going to have an endless supply of hot water- and that's even if your campground has showers.
But, after 7 months on the road and over a year and a half living the RV lifestyle I've learned a few tricks to make an RV shower as close to spa-like as possible. It may not be easy, but it can be done. Here's how...
Here's what life is currently looking like around here as we kick off April...
{Experiencing} A little bit of road sickness! I have started working on the huge backlog of video content I have from our time on the road and it's making me miss being out there traveling. Waking up somewhere new every week was such an adventure and I miss the intentional moments it helped us create. Trying to take a little bit of that intentionality we had on the road and bring it back into our day-to-day grind.
{Appreciating} The memories! It may make me a little road sick, but it also makes me so grateful to remember all the beautiful places we saw. That smile on Babe's face towards the end of the video?! Y'all, melt my little heart... so thankful to have that captured and be able to look back on!
{Wishlisting} All the Disney and Harry Potter tees! Amazon has so many cute options and I can't stop adding more to my Amazon shop. Babe got me a Deathly Hallows tee for Christmas 3 years ago and I have literally worn it out. Now I just have to decide what to replace it with... as of right now, this is looking like the winner!
{Posting} New video content! My goal since the beginning of the year is to get one video edited and added to our channel each month... so far I am 1 for 3 haha- here's to hoping I can get caught up by adding new one this week!
I am also trying to post more to my IG stories and take a little break from feeling like I NEED to post something to my actual feed all the time. I love IG for a lot of reasons, but it has left me feeling a bit drained recently. Trying to bring the fun back into it and hoping that a little break may help!
{Considering} Which book to pick for book club! It is my month to choose a book and I just could NOT decide. I tend to pick books I have already read, that I know I like, in fear of picking something new and it not being great. This month I really wanted to try to pick something I hadn't read, so that I was reading along with everyone else. My sweet book club gals helped me try to sort through options last night and I thought I had one, but then this morning I still wasn't 100% sure... I finally settled on The Alice Network! It sounds good and not something I would typically read, so I'm really going out on a limb here. Have you read it?! Please let me know I picked a good one!
Happy Monday! Cheers to a new week and a very strong cup of coffee! Things have been crazy around here this month, but also so good. We are finally beginning to make a little headway with being able to get Crimson House open, the weather finally turned beautiful AND my bestie moved back to Florida! It has definitely been a month of favorites; here are some of them... ONE: Celebrations! I celebrated the fact that my bestie and I are living in the same state again for the first time in two years! Then we all celebrated the wedding of Blake and Christine. Babe made the most handsome of groomsmen. Typically I watch the groom at the wedding, because I love to see the look on his face the first time he sees his bride, but I do have to say I was a little distracted watching my own handsome groom up there. It was such a fun night of dancing and wedding merriment! TWO: Great Dress Finds on Amazon As someone who despises shopping, Amazon has truly been coming in handy lately. I have literally worn the exact same outfit to the past 3 or so weddings we have been to, all of which include the same people that have attended the previous weddings. I figured it was time to get a new option, but the thought of going into a store, trying something on and scouring the racks seemed so daunting. So, I scoured Amazon instead and it really paid off! I ordered two different options, in case one didn't work. I really liked this one because of the great pockets, but it ran a little long. Thankfully the second one was perfect!! I am in LOVE with this new dress and it will probably be my go-to for the next 3 weddings we attend! I love outfits with cute backs, especially when they are only $20. I grabbed an extra small, because it was cheaper than then small I would typically get. Thankfully it worked out and it's not too snug, but I would recommend going true to size {unless you're like me and would rather suck it up to save the buck lol}.
THREE: Beautiful School Bus Conversions We had sweet friends come back into Florida, after working on their school bus conversion up in Iowa. They have truly made a beautifully functional home-on-wheels for their little fam (mom, dad, 1.5 year old and two pup babies)! We spent time sharing our favorite boon docking spots from out time on the road, seeing how their solar power works and just enjoying being with people who don't think you are crazy to want to live in a small space with no settled spot to call "home". It really had us missing road life! FOUR: More Lifelong Friend Visits This month has been filled with people! Another of my best friends since childhood is visiting her parents. We got to enjoy brunch with her and her husband after their kid-free getaway and I am heading down to Orlando later today to see her sweet littles before she goes back to Birmingham. FIVE: New Yummy Places As part of the wedding weekend the bride and groom invited guests to meet them at Tuffy's Bottle Shop in Sanford the day after the wedding. It was such a good spot! They have a bocce ball court, permanent food truck, frozen Moscow mules AND a cute little camper that makes a fun spot to sit and sip with some shade (and for those that prefer life on the water, there is a dry-docked pontoon to sit in too). Tuffy's Bottle Shop is definitely an awesome vibe for anyone looking for a fun weekend spot near Central Florida!
SIX: Wine Weekends My aunt and I spent a Saturday doing some wine research for Crimson House at a fundraising event for Orlando Magic's Youth Foundation. We spent a beautiful afternoon at the Ritz sampling wine and chef-made small plates, talking through different options for the wine bar. I may or may not have geeked out over the fact that Art Smith was there cooking up grub, I also may or may not have pointed right at him trying to show Linda who he was and he may or may not have seen me... thankfully he was super cool about it and came over and introduced himself and took a picture. Y'all that man cooked for Oprah!!
I'm joining in with Anne for another Currently link up; here's a peek at what things look like for us currently...
{Scheming} To get my niece on both Tower of Terror and Rock N' Roller Coaster! Babe and I have been trying to get FastPasses for Rock N' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios MGM and I finally booked them two weeks out. I also booked some for my niece as well, knowing it could be risky. I called her a few nights ago to let her know we were going and that I already had FastPasses booked. I gave her the ultimate Disney ultimatum; she could either go with us, but had to be willing to go on the rides I had already booked OR wait this one out and not go this time around. Being her smart almost-8-year-old self, she asked, "what are they?" So I told her one of the rides is basically and elevator with a bit of a drop and that the other was a roller coaster. I know, I know; I might have undersold Tower of Terror by not telling her the name and saying it only had a slight drop, but she didn't even bat an eyelash at it. Rock N' Roller Coaster however she had a bit of an issue with, as her response was "well, I'm not so sure about the roller coaster." I stuck to my guns and told her that was fine, if she didn't want to do the coaster she could just come with us next time. She thought about it for a minute and said, "I guess I will come!" So we head out to tackle them tomorrow! Who thinks we will be able to make it happen? And who thinks they will be wasted FastPasses?! It's really any ones guess! Thankfully the third is Toy Story Mania; so that will hopefully be the buffer that keeps us in the game!
{Reading} I just finished The Silent Patient for book club; so good!! I usually pride myself on being able to guess what's going to happen in books, but this one had so many good plot twists it was hard to really know what the ending was going to be. I was shocked, in a good way! It was an edgy, suspenseful novel about a woman who is believed to have murdered her husband and then stops speaking- for 6 years. When a new doctor comes in to take over her care he tries to unearth what has kept her silent all these years. As he tries to unravel her story you find yourself right there with him and beginning to wonder if everything really is as it seems...
I just started The Orphan's Tale and am already enveloped in the story. I usually don't like a lot of history fiction, but I can't put it down. Following the storyline of two different woman around WWII I am only a few chapters in and already so invested in each character and so curious to see how they will intertwine in the end.
{Buying} All the Disney tees!! Now that we have annual passes again I want all the new cute shirts. {Making} A lot of to-do lists! We are forging ahead with projects with Crimson House and the to-do lists seem never ending, but we are inching closer and closer to being able to open. Wish us luck! {Accomplishing} Laundry?! Can that count? Even if I still have a whole basket full of dirty clothes?... Honestly, one of the most frustrating things with opening a business is feeling like you aren't getting a lot accomplished. I know in reality that isn't true and we have come a long way, but it seems like one step forward and two back right now. Anyways, I am counting eating breakfast and getting a load of towels done as stellar accomplishments right now... sometimes it really is the little things!
After my first Amazon clothing purchase was a success, and then seeing a group of girls wearing the cutest Disney themed F.R.I.E.N.D.S shirts in the parks a few days ago, I have been scouring Amazon for all the Disney fashion finds! There are so many great options and buying on Amazon helps save a few bucks compared to Disney shop prices once you are at Walt Disney World. These are some of my favorite Disney Fashion finds on Amazon:
Link up at the bottom of this post and let's travel together!
Most of my travel posts are going to be getting a lot more ear-shapped this year, now that we have Disney World Annual Passes. We've been a handful of times in the last month and most of them have been spent at Epcot and that's all thanks to Epcot's International Festival of the Arts!! This is the third year that this specific festival has been hosted, but it's our first time attending and I must say I think it might be my favorite!
If you had asked me before I attended I would have told you it was the Flower and Garden Festival (I prefer to spring food choices in comparison to Food and Wine), but I think the International Festival of the Arts just might have it beat and here's why:
Reasons Epcot's International Festival of the Arts is the Best Epcot Festival
Interactive Exhibits
I honestly think the interactive art exhibits is the main reason Festival of the Arts beats out the other Epcot Festivals in my opinion. I love the paint-by-number art wall! It makes you feel like you are truly apart of the Disney experience. The interactive photo spots are also so much fun! We have only done one so far, but plan to make a another visit before the festival ends so that we can hit up a few more.
Did it not seem like we somehow fit an entire year into the span of one month?
Thankful that February is here and ready to kick off a new month! I'm joining in with Anne for another Currently edition; here's what's going on in my world lately...
{anticipating} It has been a whirlwind since we got back. Trying to open a business is NO JOKE! Any time I enter a restaurant now I just can't help but think, "how did you get open?!" Even if it's subpar I just think, "kudos to you! Your burger may be dry and the drinks not so pleasant, but you are open and you are making it happen!" We have hit quite a few road bumps, but are inching closer to getting Crimson House open and ready for business. I would welcome any prayers for smooth sailing ahead!
{making} Harry Potter wine glasses! We went to a wine glass painting night last week and it was so much fun. I of course went rogue and instead of using one of the given templates decided to make my own set of wine glasses. Anyone can have a pineapple; I wanted something that actually fit my wine-sipping soul!
Hope this finds you having a great day and excited of the weekend! I just got back from a week away, so this week has been a little hectic with catch up, but it's also been a few weeks of wonderful faves! Here are 5 things I have been loving lately... {ONE} Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour We took a little detour on the way to North Carolina and made a stop in Lynchburg, TN to pay homage to the legendary Jack Daniel's with a distillery tour. It was a bit of a pricey detour ($50 for the two of us), but we had been wanting to visit ever since we tried out Maker's Mark in Kentucky. While we did favor the Maker's Mark tour over Jack Daniel's Distillery it was still a lot of fun and worth a visit once! The history of the tour was really neat and ended with a tasting. Join us for a peek inside!!
{TWO} Time with Sweet Friends
I had been trying to get away to visit friends, planning to make a road trip out of it. I kept having to put it off and then it finally worked out in the best way possible. I was able to head to Birmingham to visit with one of my lifelong friends and her sweet babies, then loop through Huntsville to pick up Babe who was there for a work trip, before we headed to western NC for a couples weekend of winery touring with my bestie and her boy.
I am kicking off the year by sharing one of my favorite spots of 2018! After spending 7 months on the road, and traipsing through over 20 different states, you might be surprised to find that my favorite one was Idaho... yes, Idaho! I was just as shocked! We planned to drive through, spending one night in Idaho on the way out west and again on the way back east. Plans changed quickly and here's why... Though there are more, here are 5 reasons to visit Idaho.
