Sharing some of my favorite fashion finds for fall + some new wardrobe essentials.

Helloooooo! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a great morning so far! I’m subbing a class at the gym and meeting with a friend for coffee afterwards. It’s been raining a ton here in Tucson lately (summer monsoons are the best) and it’s cooled down a bit. While we’re definitely not ready for boots and sweaters here, it’s making me very excited for fall.

For today’s post, I thought I’d share some of the fall fashion picks that I have my eye on + some wardrobe essentials. I’d love to hear what you’re scoping out for fall and if there are any trends this season that you actually like. Fashion has been a bit weird the past couple of years, but I tend to stick to the classics, like blazers, sweater dresses, cute headbands, and cozy sweaters over the fall and winter season.

Here are some of my top picks!

Fall Wardrobe Essentials

Tops and sweaters

This gorgeous cut-out sweater. I have one from last year and wore it all the time.

Classic v-neck button-up.

This recycled cashmere wrap sweater.

This off-shoulder pullover.

Outerwear and blazers

Classic black blazer.

LOVE this plaid blazer.

This lightweight star jacket.

Dresses and skirts

I want this sweater dress in every color.

This floral dress would be so cute with booties or heeled sandals.

These sleeves are everything.

The perfect date night dress.

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Sharing tips on how to not kill your houseplant and keep indoor plants alive and thriving!

The Pilot says I used to have a gangrene thumb. I was the person who’d walk through the plant shop and plants would instantly recoil in fear that I would bring them home. The unlucky chosen ones were brought into our house, neglected, and lived a sad, yet quick, death.

With a huge learning curve, over past handful of years, I’ve really turned things around! We now have a full garden with lots of herbs and veggies, multiple thriving indoor houseplants, and the legendary Frida, our 10 ft-ish fiddle leaf fig.

Houseplants can make such a difference in home decor and the overall vibe of the house! They can help purify air and can also add more style and character to your home. Plants naturally grow in the wild but you can recreate a plant’s natural habitat indoors. Today, I’m sharing some tips that can help my horticulturally challenged friends out there kiss their black thumb goodbye and keep your plants alive thriving inside your homes.

How Not to Kill Your Houseplant

Choosing plants wisely

Don’t be afraid to start with an “easier” plant, like a succulent, lavender, aloe, cacti, spider plant, or my fave easy plant, the Heart leaf Philodendron. This post has a list of popular houseplants. Check out the tag to see how much sunlight and water they need and plan accordingly for the type of care that’s required. Succulents and cacti need very little water (too much can give them wet feet and soggy roots), while aloe needs a bit more, and the Heart leaf Philodendron likes to dry out a little and then be completely drenched.

Put plants in the right spot

Sunlight is a critical factor, as some plants need a lot of sun and others don’t need much at all. Before making your purchase, check out the tag of the plant or do a quick google search to see how much light they prefer. Our fiddle leaf fig loves being in a large south-facing window, which receives hours of indirect sun. Other plants in the house do well with indirect sun from various windows. When you bring your plant home, place it into its spot in the same pot you brought home from the nursery. This way it can get used to its new environment befor

easy ways to lose weight fast

Looking for easy ways to lose weight fast?

We all know the quick-fix diets don’t work. In fact, these are 5 diets I stopped doing to Lose 45 pounds!

That said, there are little daily habits you can add it that will help you start losing weight today!

If you need a place to start, add these science backed tips into your daily routine!

3 HEALTHY ways to Lose Weight:

1. Eat More Fiber:

 Fruits and veggies with water soluble fiber will increase the feeling of fullness to help you avoid overeating naturally. Some of my favorites are foods like:

• sweet potato, avocado, apples, broccoli, beans, nectarines, flax and oats.

Aim for 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies each day! These are easy to add to your Hot Body Meal Plan meals anytime or as a quick snack.

2. Drink Green Tea/Match:

It can “increase energy expenditure by 4% and increase selective fat burning by up to 17%, especially harmful belly fat. Matcha is even more powerful”

Pep Rally Energy Boost is a delicious way to get your daily dose of green tea and matcha. Get yours here. 

3. Get Enough Sleep: 

7-9 hours can help decrease cortisol levels, increase metabolism, reduce the risk of obesity and weight gain and help you make better food choices throughout the day!

If you’re struggling to get in 7-9 hours of solid sleep, take Read more

Sharing the books I read in July and if I’d recommend adding them to your list!

Hi friends! How are ya? Hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! We’re back from a super quick trip to San Diego to celebrate Max’s Bar Mitzvah. I wish we could have stayed longer (!), but we managed to do as many San Diego adventures (and eat as much as much amazing food) as possible. I’ll share some more pics and adventures in this week’s Friday Faves.

For today’s post, I’m sharing the books I read last month! I’ve been slacking a little bit on IHP studying, but managed to read five books in July. Sharing the goods (and not-so-good…) below! If there’s anything I need to add to my list this fall, please lmk!

(Suit is here. One of my faves!)

What I Read in July

The Alchemist

The Alchemist seemed to me like one of those books that “everyone has to read.” It’s received overwhelming positive reviews, is frequently recommended in my online book groups, and I appreciated it was rejected by various publishing houses before becoming a worldwide sensation. It reminds me of a fable, and is very short and easy to read. It’s based on the story of a shepard named Santiago who seeks out to find treasure and various characters and situations he encounters on the way. Despite obstacles during his journey, he remains dedicated to achieving his “Personal Legend.”

The Alchemist demonstrates that the journey can sometimes be more important that the destination, the importance of staying committed to our goals, and that our desired destination sometimes isn’t what we truly need or expect.  While I did enjoy the message behind the book, it’s not in my top five favorite books. I felt like I could have read the Cliff’s Notes synopsis and been completely satisfied. My rating: 6/10

From Amazon:

 Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

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Helloooooo! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? The kids are wrapping up their first half week of school and actually missing today because we’re off to San Diego! It’s Max’s Bar Mitzvah tomorrow (Betsy’s son! He’s like our lil nephew) so we couldn’t miss it. I’m so so excited to see them and enjoy a short weekend at one of our favorite spots. I hope you have a happy and fun weekend ahead!

Obligatory first day of school pic:

Also wanted to note here that I wrote, “To have a great year!” for their wish for the year, but they actually said, “For school to be over!” and “For school to be canceled” so there ya go.

I’ve been definitely looking forward to more of a routine around here (especially some block hours to get work stuff done!) but I really miss my little crew. We had the best summer together and it’s way too quiet without them here in the morning. I’m glad they’re having fun with their friends and seeing their amazing teachers again, but back to school season is always a little bittersweet.

Some exciting news on a personal level: I get to sing again! This is a bit random (I mean, what isn’t random about my life?) but I sing soprano with a local choir and our season was canceled in spring 2020 and all of last year. We’re finally having a season this year and I’m SO PUMPED ABOUT IT.

I was a bit nervous because we have a new director and he wanted to meet each of us individually before returning. It wasn’t a formal audition, but definitely felt like an audition, so I had a handful of vocal lessons with my coach to get back into things. I had to sing a bit of Beethoven’s 9th and ended up keeping my spot, so that’s a win. Choir was one of the things that really brought joy into my week and it felt like pure luxury to enjoy a hobby so much. I’m really thankful to have it back in my life after a long hiatus. If any Tucson friends want the info for some classical concerts coming up, I’d be happy to send the info along!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below!

Friday Faves

Read, watch, listen:

Loved watching this home tour from Katy Bowman. Ready for the Pilot to raise his eyebrows when I say we should replace our seats with logs.

Definitely catch this guest post from the Pilot if you missed it!! I’m so so happy it was helpful for so many of you. Thank you for those who took the time to comment and send me a DM. I told the Pilot he’s taking over the blog loll. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section of his post and he’ll respond to your questions this weekend!

What are your daily rituals?