easy happy hacks

A while ago I shared some simple hacks I incorporate to make life a hint sweeter. You guys then shared so many of your own amazing happy hacks, and it was so fun to get even more ideas for things to bring moments of joy throughout our day, even if small.

Today we’re diving into a third round of your submitted hacks. They’re so good!

Walk around the block before and after work.

10-15 minute walk outside after the kids are asleep.

Friday family movie nights with popcorn.

“Don’t delay joy.” Watch the show! Take the bath! Eat the treat!

Taking 10 minutes in the AM with coffee/tea to sit outside and watch and listen to the birds.

When I order something online, I always include a little gift note to myself like, “you deserve this!”

Putting a dab of Vaseline on wrists and neck before spraying perfume so it lasts longer.

Get a mirror ball and put it next to your window. You get room sparkles every time the sun hits it!

I do this in my office with a mirrored disco ball! – KB

Sleeping in the guest room when you don’t want a roommate, aka your spouse.

Take a quick shower before a bubble bath, and put a hair mask in. Extra luxurious!

This is my favorite bubble bath for luxe nights. – KB

Popping into a thrift store whenever I have a moment. I love a great find!

I did this last week and it really is the best. – KB

Making fruit-flavored ice cubes for a delicious afternoon-infused water.

Make a double batch of brownies or cookies and freeze half. Best treat to pull out one by one!

I did this with oatmeal chocolate chip cookies last weekend! -KB

Read a book set in the location of an upcoming vacation.

Timers on all of my lamps so they automatically come on at night.

Google  “change your life chicken.” One sheet pan, no dirty dishes, best chicken ever!

Pack a spindrift for the drive home from work. Treat it like a mocktail.

Special perfume on Friday before work… going into the weekend perfume!

I keep a perfume roller in my purse for touch-ups throughout the day.

Change up your work spot. Sit outside for a power hour of tasks or calls.

Aromatherapy shower steamers!

aromatherapy shower steamers

Thank you to everyone who submitted your happy hacks. I can’t tell you how much I love reading these and incorporating as many as I can. They are so good! Have a beautiful week – xo –

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myrtle topiary

– using some birthday coins from my parents to buy these adorable topiaries

pink leather laptop case

— using this beautiful Bell’INVITO laptop case for the first time –

lettuce grow farmstand

– getting excited to start growing some vegetables –

two step step stool

– getting our new Audwell step stool

gold picture light

– rearranging some art in the house… for fun (picture light) –

1)  I looked around locally for some indoor tabletop topiaries and couldn’t find any. Believe it or not, when I can find a particular plant variety, I go to Etsy. I used some birthday money to buy two of these small topiaries and one large one. I am LOVING them.

2)  It’s been so interesting watching these plants grow in our outdoor Lettuce Grow. I’m trying to let it work on filling out before clipping much from it… but I think this might be the week I start using the chives and arugula.

3)  I recently found this gal on YouTube and loved watching her use her design expertise while thrifting. Hearing about the sections of stores she goes to is really fascinating, and it inspired me to pop into Habitat ReStore and Goodwill. I found a basket, marble pedestal bowl, tervis tumbler and bathroom trash can for a total of $11. Honestly, it was a thrill.

4)  Two weekends ago I had a few hours of time to kill and ended up rearranging some of the artwork in our house. I wanted all of our paintings to be on the main level where we spend the most time, and I am so glad I did. When you first move into a space and start hanging/storing your things, sometimes it’s not necessarily the best placement once you learn the rhythms of your space.

Every now and then when I rearrange pieces, I’m really reminded of that.

5)  I am going to be so blue when And Just Like That is over. Episode 9 of 11 aired this week and I look forward to it SO much. The first season had a lot of grief and melancholy, while this season is a return to cheerful Carrie and feels like such a companion to SATC. I have been a fan of this series for as long as I can remember, so it’s been such a treat to see new stories for this cast of characters we feel we know as our own friends.

If you’re a SATC or AJLT fan, I can’t recommend The Writer’s Room podcast enough. I might even enjoy it more than the show. It’s the writers that have made this brand so enticing, and hearing all their commentary is so entertaining.

Thank you so much for checking in and reading! Hope everyone has a beautiful weekend – xo –

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girl dinner trend

I have been seeing everyone reference their “girl dinner,” and this is a trend I can absolutely get on board with. I LIVE for a girl dinner. A meal you piece together that requires little to no cooking or cleaning and is therefore easy and efficient.

Girl Dinner = a meal consisting of snacks, side dishes and small portions of randomly assembled food.

New York Times article here.

The Skimm’s video definition here. “It’s about taking pleasure in your food, especially when you didn’t spend much time preparing it.”

When Christian has a work or guys dinner and I can eat dinner solo, it’s always going to be a combination of snacks while standing in the kitchen. Or I snack as I cook for our kids and then skip sitting down for an actual meal. That’s just what it’s gonna be.

On nights we return from traveling, I usually prepare the kids a more balanced meal. Then Christian and I will feed ourselves separately on our own. This happened recently but because of this new trend of labeling this habit, it inspired me to ask Christian if once a week we could just do solo dinners. It basically just feels nice to skip cooking and cleaning for a night. It’s a night off.

I LOVE a hodge-podge assortment of things. Last night I had cheese and crackers, cucumber with Everything But the Bagel seasoning, and a piece of coffee cake. It was excellent.

I’d love to hear what your recent girl dinner was. A few examples in this article. Let us know in the comments! Thanks so much for stopping by – xo –

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As the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale wraps up, I wanted to share what I think is the best of what is still available for purchase. Each year, pieces sell out or things get past you that you didn’t realize wouldn’t have as large of inventory.

Even this year, as a cardholder, things I thought I might purchase were sold out before I even had the opportunity to shop! However, there are still some really great items that will continue to be marked down until the sale ends this Sunday, 8/6.

To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.

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This underwear remains among my top sellers for several years in a row. I love the different cuts from the same brand. They are one size fits all and somehow… it works. Amazing!

Hanky pankies marked down – to know them is to love them. I have over 20 pairs!

I have this gigantic pump lotion and use it almost daily. I also use it on my kids!

I have these boots in a different color and they’re so pretty. I love the western touch.

I would have bought this cashmere cardigan (and this one) if I didn’t have way too many sweaters. But ugh… I love.

If I didn’t have a leather jacket already, I would absolutely use this annual sale as an opportunity to get one. This one is marked down $170!

I have two of these tennis skirts and they’re so cute. Spanx just always gets it right.

Thanks so much for reading and have a beautiful weekend! Looking forward to some non-sale content next week – xo –

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summer veggie sandwich

I shared a video making this sandwich a while back, but I wanted to put it here because it’s really that good.

Originally inspired by this tik tok video, I will make vegetable sandwiches with just raw veggies, two lightly toasted pieces of bread, mayo, and some spices. That’s it. And it’s so good.

INGREDIENTS:

two slices of bread (lightly toasted)

sliced onion

sliced tomatoes

sliced cucumber

sliced bell pepper

Lawry’s seasoning salt

dried dill weed

DIRECTIONS:

Spread mayo on one (or both) sides of the bread. Layer your cucumber, onion, and tomato. Then generously sprinkle dried dill weed and Lawry’s seasoning salt. Then add your bell pepper and add seasonings again.

PS – I made this the other day and forgot the dill. It was missed. Don’t skip on the dill! Dried or fresh works great.

If you try this, let me know what you think. It has over 150k plays on Instagram and almost 3k saved the recipe. I’m telling you – try it!

Thanks so much for reading and find more food & drink recipes here. xo –

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As we close out July, I want to close out the month sharing July’s top sellers. The majority are #NSale pieces (but not all!), which means they are still on sale through 8/6.

To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.

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I love to see that you guys are loving these pajamas as much as I am. I have the long-sleeved in 2 colors, short-sleeved and I just ordered a long-sleeved/short combo in zebra. I can’t stop. The fit pre, during and post-pregnancy. The best.

I shared a reel wearing this sweater here. The denim is also over $30 off and I’ve had them for years. Love ’em.

I recently used this fabric shaver to clean up some cashmere lumbar pillows I have in the family room. Now they look brand new. I use this device on home items more than anything else!

I’ve had this cashmere scarf in grey for over 7 years and it’s one of the best buys in the sale every year in my opinion. I also stock up on my favorite seamless panties every year. They’re one size fits all and I have NO IDEA how. Magic!?

Silk hair ties. You can never have enough. They’re also a great gift!

Thanks so much for reading and I hope everyone has a great week. Appreciate you! xo –

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best easy cinnamon rolls

This cinnamon roll hack is going to blow your skirt up. Trust me.

We love cinnamon rolls in our house. It’s probably one of Hudson’s favorite Saturday treats. Trader Joe’s sells amazing jumbo cinnamon rolls, but I wanted to see if there was an easy way to make them taste even better.

After some googling, I stumbled across this super easy recipe to add three ingredients to your cinnamon rolls, and WOW. Wow. Wow. Usually, we have 1-2 cinnamon rolls left over and when I’ve made them this way, zero left over.

Ingredients:

canned cinnamon rolls

2 TB melted butter

2 TB  brown sugar (I reduce it a little from the original recipe)

1 TB chopped nuts (I used walnuts once and pecans once, both excellent – the more chopped the better!)

Directions:

Melt the butter and put in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle your brown sugar on top of the butter and then the nuts. Place your cinnamon rolls upside down (extra cinnamon-y side down).

I bake them according to the package directions but subtract about two minutes.

When you take them out of the oven, flip them upside down. When I do this, I’ll drag them along the bottom to try to get all that new “topping” on. Then ice them as usual. More info in the original recipe here!

Tell me they don’t knock you out. SRSLY.

For more recipes and food favorites, check out the food + drink category of this site. Thank you so much for checking in and reading! xo –

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I have been sharing shopping guides for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, but as I shopped yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to share what I had in my cart.

 

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I have yet to purchase any of the above (but… should I?!), but I did buy 3 pairs of this underwear and 3 pairs of this underwear because I buy at least 5 pairs every year. Somehow one size fits all and it’s AMAZING.

I LOVE these gold flats. They look so luxe, I think the gold is so fun, and the style is timeless.

I was in the process of buying these silk pajamas and then stopped myself only because my pajama drawer is currently so full it will not close. But I still want them so badly – the reviews are so good!

I really want this cashmere shirt and pant set + the matching cardigan. I have so many lounge sets and absolutely don’t need it… but I REALLY WANT IT.

For shopping guides for the guys and athleisure click here. Find shopping guides for home, beauty and loungewear here. For kids, fall staples and shoes/accessories, click here.

Thank you so much for checking in! xo –

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Today is the first day that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to the public, which means anyone can now shop the sale until it ends August 6th!

I shared my shopping guides for Home, Beauty and Lounge here, as well as guides for Fall Staples, Shoes + Accessories and Kids here.

Today we round out with the best of Mens and Athleisure on sale. To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.

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I absolutely LOVE the Spanx Booty Boost legging. They are so great, and I have several pairs in different colors. I hope they come back in stock! Pair it with this sports bra crop top and you have my ideal pilates outfit.

I also have this pleated skirt in a few colors and it’s really cute. I haven’t gotten out my athleisure skirts yet this year, and I really need to.

When it comes to workout dresses, this one and this one are seriously as chic as they come. Love!

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Christian isn’t a huge shopper, but there are some great mens pieces this year that I plan to have him look at.

I love this sports blazer. It’s a classic.

I think this could be such a chic work/gym bag for the guys who work out before work (which Christian does).

I love casual tees like this. They get so much wear.

I’ll be updating content as things sell out (especially on LTK). I don’t know what is going on with inventory this year, but things are definitely selling out quickly.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for trusting me with these recs! xo –

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I have been taking my time combing through what’s available in this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and I’m going to bring you what I think is the best of each category.

As I have said for years to y’all, you do not need everything. I just want you guys to know what’s available and from there, you can decide what you think is the best!

One year I literally spent $100 on new underwear. Seriously. Also… no regrets!

To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage –

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These kinds of plates are the only ones that Theo can’t toss over his shoulder. I have a blue one and use it daily. Daily!

Lots of colors of natives are available here and here. We love ours and double love that kids can get them on easily by themselves.

We use our Tripp Trapp every day. A sleek bouncer like this and a travel crib are newborn must-haves. I used the Doona with both boys and can’t imagine not having it, SO EASY. We also have the Doona Trike and it’s a big hit!

We don’t have any of these riding suitcases but Hudson would LOVE it. Honestly, Theo would too (he’s a wild one). We DO have a stroller wagon and it is absolutely amazing. Even more so than I thought we would.

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When I’m shopping for clothing, I recommend opting for quality over quantity. Maybe this is the year that you buy that leather jacket you’ve always wanted or one pair of great designer jeans. In years past I’ve splurged on Stuart Weitzman boots. All of these items will last years rather than a dress that might only feel “current” for a few seasons.

This blazer is so gorgeous and while it’s green, I think it could be a statement piece that feels refreshing. A standout piece. This cashmere cropped jacket is so insanely gorgeous. A splurge for sure but it’s Jackie O classic.

The sweater lineup is always amazing in the #NSale and while I really don’t need a single sweater… if I WERE to buy some I would lean toward something timeless like this black wool and cashmere cardigan (would look super cute open with a tee) or this longer cardigan.

My favorite sweater at a lower price point is this oversized mock neck one. Love the color variety!

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I usually find more shoes that I love than this year, so I combined this category with accessories. My #1 on this page would be the Stuart Weitzman boots already mentioned. I have a pair of their boots that I’ve literally had for nine years and they still look incredible. If you spray them with a protectant spray and take care of them, who’s to say how long they could last!?

I have a Michele watch that I wear almost daily. In fact, I’m wearing it right now as I type this. I love their watches and think this multitone watch is beautiful.

I’ve always loved this clutch. I am not in a season of life where I wear evening bags like this much, so it would be too much of a splurge for me. But if you do – please grab this on sale!

I think I might buy a pair of sneakers this year. These lighter-shade ones are so good!

I have another post coming with the best of lounge, athleisure, mens and home. Will be posting those shopping guides asap.

Thank you so much for your trust and loyalty when deciding if and what pieces are for you. It really means so much to me. More to come! xo –

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So far we have covered the best of kids, fall staples, shoes + accessories. Now we dive into home, athleisure and beauty! First up is home, let’s get into it.

To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage –

 

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Last year I got these confetti spatulas and they’re super cute. The “cutting board” is kind of useless though, just an fyi.

I LOVE wooden bowls like this. I use them for salads all the time, but they can also hold fruit, Halloween candy, Easter eggs. Wooden bowls and cutting boards are just classic (and great gifts!).

Our bedding is included and I’m a Boll & Branch forever kind of girlie. I have been using their sheets, bedding and towels for years and absolutely live for them. They give me promo codes periodically for you guys, but this discount from the Nordstrom Sale is just as good.

I have two of these blankets and one of these. I have purchased all of them from Nordstrom Sales in years past and I’m grateful because our kids are obsessed with them. As in dragging them all over the house obsessed. It’s kind of a problem.

I have several silk pillowcases from Nordstrom and I use them exclusively. Not only are they great for your hair and skin, but they just feel like a fabulous moment of luxury at the end of a long day.

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I think the beauty selection this year is the most superior across all categories. There are some serious deals!

In the lipstick world, Pillow Talk is a cult classic for a reason. It’s one of those classic neutrals that literally looks good on everyone. My YSL lipsticks are the most beautiful beauty items in my makeup drawer. They also happen to be moisture-packed which is a huge bonus! These tinted lip balms live in my bathroom drawer. I apply them every morning to nourish as well as give a small hint of color.

I’ve been using Moroccan Oil in my hair for over 10 years. Since before I was even married! It lasts forever, is so great for your hair, and smells amazing.

We use this sunscreen all summer on our entire family. It’s our favorite.

This mascara is so, so great for big lashes. I use it for special occasions because I want it to last – it’s one of those. Five stars.

If you struggle with applying eyeshadows, these shadow sticks are fool-proof and really pretty. I will often bring them with me when I travel because I can apply and blend with my finger, skipping bringing eyeshadow brushes.

My favorite deodorant. I buy a three-pack every year during the sale and it lasts me all year. Trust me on this one, I’ve never met a single person who tried it and didn’t like it. Seriously.

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In the lounge category, we have pieces you will really actually wear (let’s be honest).

I have three pairs of these short and long-sleeved pajamas. They are so silky soft and comfortable. I even wore them throughout both pregnancies.

I bought this exact grey cashmere scarf years ago in this sale and wear it all the time, especially in travel. I handwash it at home. Worth every penny.

I bought this bra and this bra last year and they were some of my top sellers, along with this underwear. I bought $100 of underwear one year because I wanted to toss old undies. If you buy ANYTHING from this sale, let it be fresh, great underwear. THAT will make you feel rich, and I’m being 100% serious. And hanky pankies! Everyone loves hanky pankies!

Mens and athleisure coming up next! Thank you so much for checking in and trusting me. XO –

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prime day 2023

Amazon Prime Day is here! If you have two eyes and an Internet connection, you probably know this because of all of the pre-Prime Day hype. But I want to make sure you know to best take advantage of these two days of deals, so let’s get into it!

To shop, click directly on the item below or find its associated numbers below the collage –

 

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I don’t go crazy during Prime Day personally but there are a few things this year that I think are great buys to consider.

This lip balm (squeeze tube here) is a cult classic. I keep the squeeze tube in my bathroom drawer and the jar in my bedside table. Love ’em.

I’ve shared this blow dryer brush with you guys in the past here, but it’s such a great tool for the fastest, easiest blowout. I use it when I want to wear my hair straight.

I don’t want to live without my robot vacuums. I love them, they are my assistants. I recently got this Roborock and it’s awesome – it also mops!

I love this workout top. You can see it on here, but it’s a sports bra and top in one. It’s so flattering and works with any workout legging. I love from the same brand these for pilates. A+.

If I didn’t think I’d lose them, I’d buy these AirPods pro. This is the time! I can’t live without my Bose headphones. I’ve had mine for years and they prove their value time and time again.

We bought a Frame TV for our bedroom after Christmas, and I love it. It’s so fun to rotate through art, and I even bought this gold frame for it. No regrets.

I have these heels in three colors. Now they have over 30 colors and patterns! They go with everything and are under $50. You can see them being worn here and here.

Dyson vacuum. Need I say more? It’s the best. I don’t ever want to live without it. There’s absolutely no way I’d vacuum as frequently if I had a large, bulkier plug-in vacuum.

I’ll be sharing other great finds on the LTK app, which you can also find under “shop my Instagram” in the menu bar of this is website in the top left corner.

Thank you so much for checking in and happy shopping! #NSALE covering come soon as well. xo –

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