Happy Monday! I’m not sad at all that we’re now in the last few days of February. I’m so ready for the arrival of spring! Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to this past week.
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Home Projects & Updates
Over at the new build, they started our siding! Here you can see the board portion of the board and batten around the front porch area as well as most of the window trim.
By Sunday when we visited, they had started adding the battens! We finally settled on Sherwin Williams Greek Villa for the exterior color since the HOA wouldn’t allow for a true white (there are too many on our street already and we’re one of the last to build). But I think it will be a nice warm white!
It has been a pretty damp winter around here, with lots of dense fog in the mornings. We definitely had some mossy mold and mildew building up on our sidewalk and porch so Kurtis decided to tackle that on Saturday.
It’s always so satisfying to watch it getting cleaned up! We used to have a much larger, gas-powered pressure washer, and we found that he’d only drag it out once a year or so. Now that we have this more compact electric option, he’ll use it multiple times a year because it isn’t always such a process. The great part is, it’s still plenty powerful for anything we use it on. Some of the more high-powered ones will strip paint or cut concrete if you’re not careful! But, this cleaned up all our concrete, brick patio, and window trim where it was getting moldy/mildewy with very little effort! I forgot to take an “after” photo once it all dried, but you can see the difference below.
Let’s take a moment to admire those blooms, too! I took this picture earlier in the week before some of the petals started dropping. Turns out this is a type of spirea bush! We had several spireas in Omaha, but most had more pink or burgundy colored blooms. These white blooms are so pretty for spring, and smell heavenly!
I also bought my very first Florida plant! We still probably have 2-3 weeks left where we might get some really cold overnight temps, so I’m holding off on several varieties I want to buy. But, I did buy my very first rosemary plant. It felt fitting since we’re technically in Rosemary Beach! So excited to add to the plant collection over the coming months! The sellers of our home left multiple pots around the yard, so I can’t wait to get them filled!
Top Sellers Of The Week
Following are the top sellers from last week across all of my channels. Links to each item are below the graphic.
BEST SELLERS (each number is clickable): #5 | #4 | #3 | #2 | #1
In Case You Missed It
Following are the posts I shared over the past week, in case you missed some days!
Following are the most read blog posts of last week (excluding any of the new posts already mentioned above). Many times this includes old posts that are popular on Google or Pinterest.
- The Best Green Paint Colors
- Pottery Barn Sofa Review
- Cute New Arrivals From J. Crew Factory
- The Best Fake Plants: My Favorite Sources and Tips for Buying Faux Greenery and Flowers
- The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors
Around Town & For Fun
It’s been great bike riding weather again, so we trekked down to Alys Beach to our usual Raw & Juicy for breakfast. I love the early mornings down there when the streets are all so quiet and peaceful!
Tuesday was Mardi Gras and we attended a dinner and family game night with our friends at the beach club. It was a lot of fun and we were so excited our team took home the top prize during Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud! The sunset wasn’t bad either 😉
The mornings and nights have been rather foggy and gloomy, but the days were mostly beautiful last week once it all burned off! We’ve seen a lot more animal activity around our neighborhood. I also saw my very first alligator (from a very far distance thankfully).
On Wednesday at golf practice, we had three deer just casually cross the course too!
We then saw even more deer at the pond across from our new build. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but aside from the beach area down along 30A, most of where we live is forest and a huge chunk of the land is State Forests and State Parks. Which means lots of wildlife (including bears occasionally)!
Friday night, we tried a new-to-us restaurant, Gallion’s, in Rosemary Beach. It was designed by Erika Powell from Urban Grace Interiors, one of the first accounts I ever followed from this area!
We actually sat outside because it was such a beautiful evening.
The food was excellent (I had grouper and Kurtis had ahi tuna) and the carrot cake was beyond! It had little pieces of caramel corn on it too. So good!
Just a typical day around here. Bailey passed out on her ottoman and the other two looking like they were getting into trouble before I checked on them. Our “catio” is in a bit of disarray because we pulled two of our swivel chairs out of the screened-in area for when we want to sit at the firepit!
We’re still loving these little rechargeable cordless lamps for evenings on the patio! They come in a variety of colors, and I love that they have three light settings.
Saturday night, we met some of our friends and their kids in Panama City Beach. Although it’s only about 20 minutes away from our house, I don’t talk about PCB much because I think we’ve only been two or three times since we moved here last October! It’s the closest spot for us to hit Target/Walmart or a mall and most chain stores and restaurants you can think of. It’s also a very touristy town (with beautiful beaches), but more of a high-rise condo on the beach style of vacation. Pier Park, where we were, is a great spot for families with kids that are craving a lot of activity while on vacation! We just prefer the slower pace and small-town vibes of 30A. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to visit PCB once in a while!
I feel like the collage below perfectly describes our PCB night. Ha! We started with dinner at a hibachi restaurant, Osaka. The five younger boys we were with were in heaven and our hibachi chef was hilarious and quite entertaining! Following that, we headed to Dave and Buster’s. Kurtis and I had been challenged to a skee ball tournament by some of the kids, and we always love a good challenge. But, there were far too many games and distractions for the kids to follow through with the whole tournament. Believe it or not, I had never been to a Dave & Buster’s despite there being one fairly close to us in Omaha. We had fun, but definitely didn’t need more than an hour or two there 😉
Sunday morning we did our weekly visit to the new builds with our friends. Rachel and I also had golf practice (our third of the week). Apparently consistency is a thing with golf 😉
The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so Kurtis and I headed down to the beach after my golf lesson. It was our first “real” beach day of 2023, and actually the first time we put our suits on since early December when our friends were here. Apparently all the other locals had the same idea because it was packed! I think everyone knows the spring break families will all be arriving soon, so in theory it was a great time to go before all the tourists arrive. It’s always so peaceful sitting along the water!
Such a pretty sunset over the dunes and the gulf!
Kurtis and I are headed to Grand Cayman next week for his company trip! I still plan to post while we’re away, which means it’s a busy week ahead. I think I mentioned this before, but we’ve found an amazing cat sitter/house sitter to watch the cats. Bailey’s insulin shots are the biggest issue (since they consistently have to be every 12 hours). We’re looking forward to some beach time, and seeing friends we haven’t seen since pre-pandemic in 2020 when we went to Nevis! We’re still working on our warm-weather wardrobe, so here’s a bit of real-life for you. Lots of orders, and lots of returns (and maybe lots of dishes) just piling up in our kitchen as we prepare for the trip.
I’m starting round two of the ProLon Fasting Nutrition Program this week before our trip. I’m excited to see how it varies from my first experience and to see the results. Definitely do your research to see if it’s right for you before purchasing, but I did ask them for a discount code for any of you that have been considering it. I know it has become really popular after Chris Hemsworth’s “Limitless” series. If you use code LOVS1 it will take an additional 10% off the already discounted price on my link.
It’s a bright and sunny morning today, so I’m planning to head to Hola Beaches and get some updated photos to share with you all. Have a great week!
Recent Buys & Sales
Following are some sales from the weekend that have carried over and are still going strong!
- AMAZON has a number of daily deals happening now! You can shop their site here.
- ANN TAYLOR is offering 25% off full-priced tops and sweaters with code ENJOY25. You can shop their site here.
- ANNIE SELKE is offering 20% off sitewide with code REFRESH! It’s where I get my favorite Dash & Albert rugs. You can shop their site here.
- ANTHROPOLOGIE has added new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
- BALLARD DESIGNS is offering up to 70% off sitewide! You can shop their sale here.
- DUDLEY STEPHENS has up to 60% off in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
- GAP is offering up to 40% off select styles as well as an extra 50% off sale items with code GOSHOP, and an extra 10% off regular-priced items with code TREAT. You can shop their sale here.
- HOMEGOODS has a number of new arrivals, as well as free shipping on orders $119+ with code SHIP119. You can shop their site here.
- J CREW is offering 25% off your purchase with code GOSHOP. You can shop their site here.
- J CREW FACTORY is offering 50% off sitewide. Plus get an extra 15% off 3 styles, or an extra 20% off 4+ styles with code GETMORE. You can shop their sale here.
- LOFT is offering 40% off tops and sweaters. You can shop their sale here.
- LULULEMON has a large sale section with some major markdowns. You can shop their site here.
- MADEWELL has added a number of items to their sale section. You can shop their site here.
- MARK & GRAHAM is offering up to 70% off in their sale section, and free shipping on orders $100+ with code SHIPFREE. You can shop their site here.
- MARSHALLS has a number of deals sitewide plus free shipping on orders of 89+ with code SHIP89. You can shop their site here.
- MCGEE & CO. is offering up to 25% off sitewide. You can shop their sale here.
- MICHAELS is offering 20% off regular priced purchases with code DAILY23US. You can shop their site here.
- NORDSTROM is hosting their Last Chance Winter Sale with items marked up to 50% off! You can shop their site here.
- OLD NAVY is offering 50% off swimwear for the family. Plus get 30% off your order at checkout (including clearance) – no code required. You can shop their sale here.
- OVERSTOCK is hosting their Spring Home & Outdoor Sale, with up to 70% off 1000s of items! You can shop their sale here.
- POTTERY BARN is offering up to 50% off in-stock furniture and more as well as free shipping on bedding, pillows, and more! You can shop their sale here.
- REJUVENATION is offering up to 40% off furniture and decor. You can shop their site here.
- RUGS USA is offering up to 75% off. You can shop their site here.
- SERENA & LILY is offering 20% off everything, including sale styles, with code code SPRING! You can shop their sale here.
- TARGET is offering 20% off women’s tees, tanks and shorts as well as up to 25% off outdoor furniture and decor! You can shop their site here.
- TJ MAXX has a number of deals sitewide, up to 75% off select items, and is offering free shipping on orders $89+ with code SHIP89! You can shop their site here.
- TORY BURCH has a number of new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
- TUCKERNUCK has a lot of cute new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
- WEST ELM is offering up to 50% off all sale styles and up to 20% off quick-ship sofas and sectionals! You can shop their site here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA is offering up to 75% off in their clearance section. You can shop their site here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME is offering up to 50% off in their clearance section. You can shop their site here.
- WORLD MARKET is offering 10% off curbside and store pickups to members (it’s free to join)! You can shop their site here.
I hope you all have a great week!
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karen sunday says
I love your blog so much, Especially right now!!!! I love your houses and we found the 30A area due to another blogger years ago and I said I have to go!!! So we have stayed in a rental in Blue mountain area that is just beautiful. I cannot wait to see what you do with this new home! AHHHH Rosemary!! Sincerely K Sunday
Sarah says
Thank you Karen! So glad you love the area as much as we do!
Linda Grubbs says
Rosemary bush! Perfect choice. I’m pretty anxious to see what other plants you are able to find and grow there.
New build is looking so, so good!
I loved that shot of the buildings at Alys Beach….and there is nothing like the beautiful water at Rosemary Beach! Great post .
Sarah says
Thank you Linda! I’m excited to try some new plants too, especially ones that wouldn’t survive in Omaha!
Brigid Steiner says
Sounds like a fabulous weekend, I love these posts! What other IG accounts have you discovered since moving down there? I’d love to check them out. Thx!
Sarah says
Thank you Brigid! I followed most of the accounts before the move, but I also really enjoy Kara Miller Interiors (she’s on the other side of Florida though), my friend Rachel at Pinteresting Plans and @stayon30a (for local info), and Susie Bettenhausen (a local artist)!
B says
Hi! I would love to hear about your experiences with ProLon if you’re comfortable sharing.
Sarah says
I have no probelm sharing! I’ll plan to include more info in next week’s Weekend Recap (after I finish the full second round)!
Amy C says
Your content is more basic than ever. It was one thing to pretend you were styling with PB and S&L (I mean who couldnt0 but now you are just extremely boring which tells me you have nothing to offer when you are not stealing expensive brand already set rooms…. This is not a job, this is the lack of any thought or work…sorry you just suck right now
Sarah says
Thanks for such constructive and helpful feedback! Have a great weekend!