Read, Listened, Watched | January 2019

The best way to find new things to read, watch and listen to is by recommendation from your friends, am I right? I love when someone suggests a movie they think I'd like, so I thought I'd start a new blog series to share the things I read, listened to, and watched each month, and a brief recap of what I thought about them! So let's jump right into January's review, shall we?

Read: 

• If you read my 2019 goals post, you might remember that I set a goal to read 12 books in 2019. That means I should be averaging a book a month, but I must confess I didn't finish a book in January, so I am already behind!  But not to fret, there's still time, and I did at least read a bit of Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. My church gave this as a gift at a women's conference that we had back in October, so I'm excited to keep reading and learning areas in my life in which I need to improve! 

Listened: 

• I used to be obsessed with listening to podcasts, but I had really gotten away from it in the past year or two. I decided to give Up and Vanished Season 2 a listen, and while it's definitely not clean and not as good as the first season, it's still interesting and produced really well. I did just recently find out that there is a new season of Serial, so I can't wait to give that a listen! 

Watched: 

• I watched The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society movie on Netflix, and despite the funky name, it's a really cute movie. It's also quite clean, and I always enjoy a good chick flick! 
• I'm wayyy late to this train, but I started watching Making a Murderer on Netflix. While I haven't gotten very far, I've heard this is a really fascinating show, so I look forward to watching the rest! 
• My husband and I have continued watching The Good Doctor this month, and I really enjoy that show. If you haven't yet seen it, I'd definitely give it a watch! 
• Lastly, I'm a huge YouTube fan, and I have been for years. I mainly watch beauty and lifestyle videos, and lately I've been obsessed with Greer Brewer's videos. I love to watch her thrift haul and thrift with me videos, and if those are topics that interest you, I'd definitely check out her channel! 

I hope you enjoyed this different type of post today, and be sure to check back at the end of each month for more of what I read, watched, and listened to each month! 

Personalized Shampoo and Conditioner | Formulate Giveaway

Happy Monday, friends! I am excited to introduce you today to a brand new company you've probably never heard of before (unless you follow me on Instagram, of course!)  Not too long ago, Caroline with Formulate reached out to me about trying out their shampoo and conditioner. Formulate is a company that focuses on personalizing shampoo and conditioners specifically for your haircare needs. I was using some Suave shampoo and conditioner at the time, so really I had nothing to lose by trying out a new brand and new hair care products!

Finding hair care products that produce results and that I enjoy is not always easy for me. I have a decent amount of fine hair that seriously lacks volume and can get oily pretty easily. The longer my hair gets, the more tangles I have, and it can get tricky to manage!

In all honesty, the first formula that I was sent wasn't working for me, but Formulate quickly got to work and replaced the formula with a new one that better suited my hair care needs! Their products are silicone-free and are also free of many other chemicals, parabens, and sulfates that you just don't need in your hair products!

Getting your formula is super simple! Visit the Formulate website, click the "Get Your Formula" button, and fill out all of the answers to the questions. The hardest part? Waiting for your custom formula to arrive in the mail! It's as simple as that!

When your products arrive, you'll find your shampoo and conditioner packaged with plastic pumps that you can screw onto the bottle. If you're anything like me and you tend to waste product by using way more than you need, the little pumps will be your very best friends! You'll also get a card as shown in the picture below with information on your products that recaps what you're looking for in a product and highlights some of the key ingredients in your formula. I love that you will know exactly what's inside your formula - no secrets!

Formulate is giving away a set of their shampoo and conditioners to one of my lucky readers! All you need to do is fill out the giveaway form here, and voila! You'll be entered to win. If you try out any of their products, I would love to know what you think!

New Chapter

Today was my first day at my brand new marketing job, and I am filled with emotions!

I share a little bit about this over on my "About Me" page, but I graduated from college back in 2016, and prior to graduation, I was offered a job in finance. I quickly confirmed that finance wasn't the path I wanted to pursue long-term, and my desire to pursue a career in marketing was still strong. Since finance wasn't really my cup of tea, I found myself looking for a creative outlet as well as the need to gain experience in marketing. I started this blog to fill those desires, and I can truly say it's done both of those things!

I eventually got a job as an event coordinator at the university that I graduated from, and I was thrilled to have such a great opportunity. I learned so much, met so many great people, and got to grow and develop doing things that I enjoyed. I think there comes a point where change is necessary though, so I was excited about moving on to new things. I was offered a position at a local advertising agency in media, and I am thrilled to be starting at an exciting company, and I look forward to learning new things!

I'd be lying though if I didn't admit that this change in jobs scares me big time for a variety of reasons.  I liked the comfort of knowing exactly how to do my previous job. I tend to be an introvert before I know someone well, so meeting new people can be intimidating for me. I have control freak tendencies, so not knowing exactly what my schedule is or what I should be doing makes me uncomfortable. But I know that it's things like these that will grow me. It was an opportunity for me to practice confidence, and as I type this, I'm reminded that it's moments like these that I need to rely on the Lord and not look to myself for peace or certainty.

Despite the fear of change and uncertainty, I am SO excited about this new chapter of my life, and I can't wait to see where it takes me!

Does change scare you? I hope today's post reminds you that you're not alone and points you to the One who can bring you peace! 

Under Eye Moisturization

If you live in a place with cooler weather this time of year, it can be difficult to keep your skin moisturized! I don't know about you, but I don't want crackly skin, and I'm all for slowing down signs of aging. Whether you're 20 or 50, it's important to value your skin and take the time to take care of it. It is so important to find products that you enjoy using since that's the only way you'll incorporate them regularly into your skincare routine. It's easy to get lazy before you go to bed, and many people ignore skincare since it might seem unnecessary. I can tell you for sure that you won't regret the extra two minutes you spent taking care of your skin, but I'm also all for using products that make it easier and quicker!

Several months ago, a brand rep reached out to me and told me about the Viicode O2M Oxygen Eye Masks. They offered to send me a box to try! These patches are an 8-hour under-eye sheet mask featuring a gel-like consistency. You simply apply the patches under the eye before going to bed, and when you wake up, you have seriously moisturized and soft under eyes! I will say that if you have sensitive eyes, this might not be something you would enjoy since it's a bit weird to feel patches under your eyes while you sleep. If that doesn't bother you, then I think you would enjoy this product! I love how easy it is to apply this overnight treatment mask, and the product makes my skin feel so soft and smooth.

Is dry under eye skin something you deal with? If you're in the market for some easy skin care to keep your under eye area hydrated and moisturized, I would give these a try!

XOXO,

Emily

Meet me in St. Louis

I am always up to travel. I love going to new places to explore new things and get out of our comfort zone. We moved about every 5-8 years when I was growing up, and we traveled a good bit to see family and to go to different places. This past year we had the opportunity to go to Alaska, Pittsburgh, Kiawah Island, Asheville, and now St. Louis!

I was actually born in St. Louis, Missouri and my parents both grew up across the river in a small town in Illinois. They both went to the same high school but started dating years later. When I was five, my dad was transferred to Pennsylvania because of his job. I don't remember much about living in St. Louis, but I always enjoy going back to see family. I hadn't been back since Christmas in 2014, so a visit was long overdue.

We left on Christmas day to visit my grandparents that live across the river from St. Louis in Illinois! While our trip was mostly focused around spending time with our family, we did take the time to visit a few fun places despite the very chilly weather!  My husband is a landscape photographer, so we definitely had to visit the arch while we were there.

I, of course, had to pick up one of these super cute Starbucks "Been There Series" mugs!

I'd been up in the arch before, but that was so long ago. You really don't realize how huge it is until you get up nice and close! It's truly amazing, and I've you've never been, it's worth the visit! My parents took us to a few local sites around their hometown in Illinois as well, including a statue of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man who is from the same area they grew up in.

It was great to see my grandparents and to have a Christmas dinner with them and spend some time with them and our other family! All in all, it was a great trip, and it was fun to add another destination to the places we visited in 2018!

XOXO,

Emily

High Five for Friday No. 3

Happy Friday! This three day work week has been perfect for helping me ease back into a regular routine. As always, I'm excited for the weekend! It's the first "High Five for Friday" post of 2019 - how exciting!

I got this Rifle Paper Co. Corkcicle for Christmas, and I am obsessed. Rifle Paper Co. has the most beautiful floral designs, and Corkcicles are my favorite for keeping my coffee warm all morning.

You may have read in my post about my goals for the year, that I want to work on making healthier choices this year. I got a new Ninja blender for Christmas, and the other night I tried THE most delicious peanut butter milkshake that is both low fat and low carb, and it's full of protein! Here's the deal... I've tried some pretty icky shakes and smoothies in my day, so I was slightly apprehensive that this would turn out well. But boy was I ever wrong. This literally tasted like a bad-for-your-bod PB milkshake. The ingredients might seem a tad odd (I hate cottage cheese by itself), but trust me. You need to try this recipe.

I recently started adding this night cream into my skincare routine, and it's really thick and moisturizing. So far, I'm really enjoying it!

Have you tried any recipes from this cookbook? I got it for Christmas, and I look forward to trying my first recipe from it! If you have this cookbook already, let me know which recipes are your favorite!

Last, but not least, have you seen the new Mary Poppins movie yet? I've heard mixed reviews, and I am hoping to go see it soon.

So let's hear it, what are your highlights from this week, and what are you looking forward to this weekend?

Twenty-Five

Cute birthday banner by SIL put up for me! 

Yesterday I turned 25! It's crazy to think another year has come and gone, and I'm officially halfway through my twenties! My friends and family spoiled me for sure and made me feel special!

My husband took me out to celebrate my birthday on Friday night - Red Robin, shopping, and dessert! On Saturday, we spent time with my husband's family and my sister-in-law made us a delicious dinner and lemon bars! On Sunday evening, I made us dinner, and my husband let me pick whatever movie I wanted to watch (except for musicals, because he knew I had The Greatest Showman in mind.) We ended up watching the first Sherlock Holmes movie which I had never seen before, and I really enjoyed it!

Last night we grabbed dinner with our friends and spent some time with them at their house. My friend made me delicious bread pudding for dessert - my favorite! We spent some time chatting and talking about our goals for the year. It's been a fun weekend of celebrating.

Something I'd like to really focus on this year is being confident. While I know I can't put my confidence in myself or anything that I do, my confidence has to come from Christ and who he says I am. I hope to really grow in this area this year and learn and grow closer to Christ through the process.

I'm thankful for another year with friends and family. I look forward to seeing what 25 brings!

Red Plaid Dress

Is it too early to start planning your Valentine's Day outfit? I think not.

I wore this red plaid dress (similar) for our Christmas card photos this year! I'm not one to wear bright bold colors on the regular as I tend to favor neutral colors for my wardrobe, but I must say I love this dress! I picked it up at the Banana Republic outlet!

Finding the right style of dress that works with your body is important, and I've found that dresses that belt at the waist are most flattering on me! I'm vest obsessed so I couldn't pass up on this long sweater vest.

See those pointy toe flats? They are $9 at Walmart... $9! They are so cute! They're definitely not super high quality, but I'm really happy with them for that price!

Have you found a style of dress that works best for you?

Hello, 2019!

Carrie Elle Perpetual Planner

Happy New Year! We rang in the new year at home in our PJs! While I love to be out and about, I do enjoy a slow evening every now and then. We just got back from visiting my family in St. Louis on Sunday, so I spent NYE ridding my house of all signs of Christmas and catching up on loads and loads of laundry. My husband also took me to Lowe's to get a new chandelier for our breakfast nook and we grabbed dinner at Moe's before turning in for the night.  Maybe your NYE looked a lot like mine or maybe you had a night out celebrating with friends and family - either way, I hope your 2019 is off to a great start!

When I look back at 2018 in regards to my blog, I am pleased with what I was able to accomplish. This past year I was able to work with brands for the first time, I posted every single month, and I learned that my blog is something that I have to work on solely because I enjoy it, not for validation from others or what I can get from it - a struggle of mine! I of course still have so much to learn and I hope to continue growth in 2019!

Of course with a new year comes the expectation to set a list of resolutions. This year, I'm simply setting some simple and attainable goals that I hope to keep in mind as I go from month to month in 2019. I find that writing out my list of goals is the best way for me to see what I am working towards and measure progress as I go. What are you working towards in 2019? 

Emily's 2019 Goals

• Read (or listen to) 12 Books - This might seem like a small number to you, but it'd be 12 more than I read in 2018! Really, I need to be better about this, and one book per month seems perfectly attainable with a bit of self-discipline. 
• Blog 2 times per week - This one is self-explanatory, but will take a good bit of planning on my part! 
• This is definitely a more personal goal, but I would love to lose 10 pounds by establishing a more healthy and active lifestyle! 
• I want to stop mindlessly scrolling through Facebook. - I don't know about you, but I find myself scrolling through Facebook (social media in general) way too much. I find that it really affects how I view people and myself when I use social media to determine how I think my life should be. I'm 100% in control of that, and I want to establish some self-discipline to cut out so much social scrolling!

There you have it - those are my goals for 2019! Will you tell me what you want to see more of on this blog in the new year? I am SO thankful for your taking the time to follow along and read what I'm sharing, and I can't wait to post more in 2019!