Sunday Lately: Digging, Aiding, Experimenting, Believing, Refreshing

Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe

We e-hangout every Sunday, sharing a small glimpse into the past week of life in our own words.

It's been a couple of weeks since I checked in here with Sunday Lately, but I'm back!  Trying to find the space to write has been challenging with various commitments, but I always say that it's important to only write when you feel compelled... or when you have a true deadline.  Usually, my blog doesn't fall into the latter, hence my absence!

DIGGING... First Watch's avocado toast.  I know it's probably overpriced, and I could likely make it the same at home, but seriously... amazing bread, avocado, seasoning, lemon, salt, and basted eggs?  I seriously could eat it every day.

AIDING... my sleep.  I'm determined to focus on eight hours per night, so I've been focused on getting to bed at 10pm and up at 6am.  It's a work in progress.  Dan likes to fall asleep to television, so I have to wear an eye mask to block out the light.  But he does humor me with lower volume and a sleep timer, at my insistence.  I really wish we could eliminate the TV altogether, but his entire family is accustomed/conditioned to falling asleep to the TV, and they all struggle to sleep when they don't have it on!

EXPERIMENTING... with new Starbucks menu picks!  And no, not the Unicorn Frapp or whatever, I refuse to try that concoction.  But the Pink Drink (the strawberry acai refresher with coconut milk) is really tasty, and I don't even like coconut.  There's also a less sweet version of the chai latte being offered, which it probably better than the ones I order normally.  And both drinks look so pretty iced, eh?  Even I can't resist Instagramming a pretty Starbucks cup.

BELIEVING... in the power of nature.  I took some beautiful photos before my friend Kimmie's memorial, on a rainy, spring day.  I have a blog post drafted of things that remind me of her, but at her memorial last Saturday, I was just struck by the greenery around me, the flowers, just nature.  Now, when I get up in the morning, I sit and listen to the birds.  And on Monday, I went outside to eat an apple during work, listening to music and walking barefoot through grass.  I forgot how much I love the feeling of grass under my feet!

REFRESHING... my shoe collection!  From flats to sandals, the warmer weather has me more excited about shoes, probably because I'm also back to wearing my dresses and skirts even more.  (See what I bought this month here.)  Comfort is key for me.

THIS WEEK IN SOCIAL MEDIA...

• On the Blog:  My monthly closet budget post, with ALL THE TARGET THINGS.
• On Twitter:  I checked out the Rifle Paper Co. collab for LeSportSac and had to resist buying it.
• On Pinterest:  Move over, onions!  Shallots are our favorite thing to use when cooking steak.  So much flavor!  This recipe looks right up our alley.
• On Instagram:  We've replanted our Aerogarden, and you can check out my sporadic updates at #aubreysaerogarden
• Shopping:  The hemline of this dress is just beautiful!  I'm tempted to get it to wear to my sister's wedding, because I know I'd rewear it as a holiday dress!  Also, I'm obsessed with Jockey slip shorts under dresses.  OMG, game changer!  They're not Spanx (no constriction), and perfect for running around in a cute dress at a festival or at work.

How was your week?

Budgeting Bloggers: April 2017

This is the month that I shopped the hell out of Target, to include the same pair of shoes in FOUR COLORS because I have zero self-control around a reasonably priced, on-trend, comfortable shoe.  Sigh.  I know.  Judge me, and then look at how cute my shoes are.

1. Aerosoles High Hopes Sandal in Light Tan (originally $79 a pair, paid $56):  I love the styles coming out right now for sandals, but I need comfort!  I saw these on the Aerosoles website, but I ended up buying via Amazon for a little bit less.  They're comfy and on trend, and I can't wait to wear them with my dresses as the weather warms!
2. Merona Poppy d'Orsay Pointed Toe Flats in Tan, Black, Cobalt, and Tomato Red (originally $23 per pair, paid $35 for two pairs... twice):  YES I AM RIDICULOUS.  These shoes are soooo cute, and with the BOGO 50% deal happening I ended up with FOUR PAIRS.  I love them, and they're comfy for work.  I wear them all the time, and they're a great buy.
3. Victoria Beckham for Target Black Satin Photo Top and Skirt ($28+$30):  I went into the Target nearest to me, a small one, when they opened with this collection from Victoria Beckham.  I originally went in with a few tops in mind, but the top I ended up falling in love with was this floral top.  It's not my ordinary style, and based on the preview it wasn't one that I anticipated trying, but I put it on as a whim.  I loved it on!
4. Target Softest Crew Tee (paid $8 on sale):  This was super soft and reminded me of a Lularoe Tee.
5. Xhilaration Placed Print Tank with Roses (originally $20, paid $15 after discounts)?:  This just looked pretty.  Great summer top in a nice print.
6. H&M Jacket ($45 via Poshmark): This white jacket with faux leather insets just felt like a great layering piece for work.  Purchased it used via Poshmark, and paid shipping on it.  I don't wear my white denim jacket enough, but I feel like this one has edgier style and will get more wear.

$252 spent - $81 sold = $171 total spent this month

$1415 - $171 = $1244 remaining in 2017

I also restocked my Poshmark closet to make some money back on clothes I don't wear, and it is working!  Sold a decent amount this month.  I've tossed shoes and clothes, bagged them up for donation, and put the rest in the Poshmark bin.  I feel better and better about how my closet is shaping up, even though I'm totally still buying things.

I'm linking up with the rest of the Budgeting Bloggers at Franish!

What did you add to your closet this month?

Previous 2017 Budget Posts...

January Budget
February Budget
March Budget

Back to Active with Biofreeze®

I haven't mentioned it much here on the blog, but for the past few weeks I've been on a journey to be more active.  I was into sports from the time I could run, and I even did a couple of years as a college athlete.  And many of you know I'm a military Veteran; it used to be my job to stay in fighting shape.  But a few years ago, I fell off the wagon...  hard.  And every time I tried to get back on, I'd back off because it was hard to overcome the soreness and get back in the habit.

Recently, I've been trying to attend fitness classes at the gym near my apartment, including some pretty intense HIIT and strength training ones.  I'm using muscles I just haven't used before, and to be honest, OTC pain relievers weren't really cutting it.  My soreness even made it hard to sleep.  It's hard enough to get motivated to lose weight and exercise, only to have soreness happen to boot.  So when I had the opportunity to try Biofreeze® for my muscle soreness post-exercise, I say YES PLEASE.

I was able to try three forms of Biofreeze®, the roll-on, spray, and gel.  I was excited, because I knew each bottle could play a different role.  The spray, for example, was perfect for the spots (like my back) that I couldn't reach on my own.  The gel was perfect for rubbing on my sore areas after I showered, so I could apply a little massage and relief to key sore points.

Biofreeze® really is as effective as ice for treating my muscle soreness, but without a dripping towel or bag of melting ice.  I can totally pack it in my bag to take on-the-go!  My favorite for travel?  The roll-on!  It's the perfect TSA-friendly size.  I took it on a business trip earlier this week out-of-state, and I loved having it on-hand after using the hotel gym.  And it's effective; no NSAIDs needed for me, just a little of the menthol in these products for fast-acting relief for my aches.

Oh, and did I mention it's now available without a prescription, at retail stores near you, AND made in the United States?  This used to be something you could only get through a medical professional.  Now it's easily accessible for all of trying to get back into healthier habits.  Biofreeze® is also free of parabens and propylene glycol, never tested on animals, and available in dye-free formats.  All the good, without the bad.

Biofreeze® has been a great helper for me as I try to get back to fitness.  I push myself harder because I am no longer afraid of the painful recovery.  I can treat my sore muscles with a cooling, relieving gel, and move on.  That's definitely something worth sharing with you, to help overcome pain and push forward towards your health and fitness goals!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.