Friday Favorites: Quarantine Week 24

Hi friends! I’m not quite sure how to start this post other than saying things feel really heavy right now. Professional sports have been cancelled (again), this time in protest, and it’s really sad that our country is experiencing such heartache and drastic measures in order to result in change for good.

I want to keep things light around here, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that I am praying for basically everyone right now, and especially those who have been directly affected by Hurricane Laura this week. Students, teachers, parents, and staff going back-to-school have also been on my mind, and my heart is going out to everyone above and then some. It’s such a crazy time to be living in, and there is a lot to process on the daily.

That said, we will push through it, because we always do. I can only hope that the day in the future when we blink and get a flashback of everything that made us stronger is sooner than later. It just seems wild, right?

I get it, and I felt led to sharing that I’m feeling it, too.

But in the spirit of keeping our heads high and finding a little bit of sunshine to focus on today, I’m here to share the week’s round-up of Friday Favorites.

Happy Friday!

LATEST FAVES — QUARANTINE WEEK 24

• new scenery + new (to us) playgrounds = new attitude

Since last week, I have been spending a lot of solo time with Skyler, and we’ve been navigating through a series of frequent tantrums. Things that we used to lean on for community for him like gym daycare, arts and crafts class, indoor play gym time, and more are still closed, so we’ve really been missing those outlets and opportunities to interact with other kids his age.

I’m very thankful that the playgrounds have now all opened by us, however, and we have made a point get out and explore more of them this week for something new. Skyler has loved our new adventures and comes home with stories about crazy slides, water rings (the splash pad areas), kids he sees, things he got to climb, etc. It’s definitely the light in his days right now, and he does so well being out and about.

As we have resisted it, Scott and I both think that it’s time to get him into pre-school, even if it’s just for a few hours, two days a week. Skyler is begging to see and hang out with other toddlers, and it would be a win for all of us, as Scott and I could both focus on work during those specific hours every week. I’m currently on the search for facilities with flexible and part-time hours available in our area, and I’ll keep you posted as things progress.

• going LIVE and sharing my healing from miscarriage story

Those who have been following along for years know that our journey to having Skyler was not an easy one. It took several years of infertility struggles that included losing two babies through miscarriages, and it was a really dark and an extremely hard time for me, both times.

They coincided with me posting less frequently on the blog, because it was a lot more challenging for me to produce the creative and inspiring content that is my goal to publish here. Some might remember that I took a hiatus or two, and the mental exhaustion that came with the infertility struggles and losses is where it came from. It was all-consuming for me.

I can’t thank you enough for following the journey through the good, bad, and uncertain times around here. I love and appreciate you all so much.

Well, I went live on Instagram for the first time, and it was because I was asked to share my story and how I found freedom from my miscarriages on my church’s community page. It’s not an easy subject to speak openly about, but I believe that it is so important to do.

If you’re going through something similar or know of someone close to you, I would love to share my heart and message of healing with you. You can access the video here, and please, please reach out if you need someone who can relate to talk to!

• La Villa Pizzeria — Park Slope, Brooklyn

We are in a season of quarantine that still has our restaurants open for outdoor-only dining in NYC. It’s a bummer, but also feels safer, as anywhere we’ve visited has been strict on social distancing spacing and safety procedures.

Scott and I noticed that some of these restaurants are actually flourishing, despite the need to close the inside down, and their outdoor setup seems to have helped their business in a big way. One of those places is an Italian restaurant near us called La Villa Pizzeria.

Their tables are usually full outdoors, but we were able to grab an empty one on the back patio and enjoy a round of house-made frozen beverages, calamari, and two main dishes large enough for leftovers. It was all delicious, and the portions were more than generous.

The serving staff was incredibly attentive, and we left with very full bellies with an intention to visit again soon. If you’re ever near the area, I recommend you stop in!

• clean beauty news

I sent out a newsletter with all of the details yesterday, but I wanted to share a few highlights here, in case you missed them and are interested in starting a journey in clean skincare and/or makeup.

Through TONIGHT ONLY, Clients and Members (just don’t check out as “Guest”) can earn back product credit when they purchase $125 or more in  products, and this is so easy to do! This little savings will be nice to piggy-bank and use in October, right as the brand-new and limited-edition Holiday collection rolls out.

Here are the details …

• Spend $125-$199, and you will receive $10 in product credit.
• Spend $200 or more, and you will receive $25 in product credit.
• BOB Members will receive this incentive PLUS the normal 10% product back on their purchase. (so awesome!)
• Product Credit will be available to use through October 1st – 31st only.
• This promotion began yesterday and ends today (8/28) at 11:59pm PST.

Read the full list of terms & conditions here.

ALSO, if you’ve never purchased from Beautycounter before, you are still eligible to use the current 20% off promo codeCLEANFORALL20 – good through 8/31 – in tandem with this promotion (as long as the subtotal of your cart hits the above thresholds, after the discount has been applied).

Please reach out with any questions you have. I love helping and creating the perfect round-up of customized products for any budget.

Other things you need to know …

Band of Beauty is our VIP perks program, and it’s a great way to earn credit to use each time you shop. If you ever plan to spend $100 or more, this is a must. It costs $29, and you receive:

• FREE full-sized Counter+ Charcoal Facial Mask ($49 value) with any purchase of $50
• FREE shipping all year on all orders of more than $100
• 10 percent back in product credit on every order, which adds up quickly

LAST THING, Beautycounter now offers a payment plan that splits your cart into four interest-free payments through a Klarna! Anyone is eligible with orders between $35-$999, before taxes and shipping. You’ll know if this applies to you, because the option will be presented at checkout on the website (this offer is not valid on the app).

Please reach out with any questions you have. I love helping and creating the perfect round-up of customized products for any budget.

• IDEA World Virtual 2020

I had the opportunity to attend IDEA World – my favorite fitness convention – online this year, and I shared all about my experience earlier this week.

While I usually cherish my time away to focus on attending a conference with all of my attention on the day’s activities, it was nice to have Scott join in on a session or two with me. Fun fact, he was also attending a conference online that weekend and even led a session as a presenter!

Three cheers for that and also for my mom who was in town and could help us with Skyler.

The post really dives into my thoughts, along with the pros and cons of attending a conference online versus in-person.

• latest workouts

Once again, my workouts were shuffled around and planned right before completing them every day. I’ve mentioned this before, and I’ll say it again, this is really not my preferred way of training. But, with the gym still being closed and without help from childcare, I’m just doing my best to stay afloat and get in what I can, when I can.

There is hope of getting back to more of a routine soon, but until then, I’ll just keep trying new workouts at home and sharing my thoughts with you!

Here’s what I did …

Friday: REST

Saturday: 30-Minute Strength Training Workout With Weights via POPSUGAR Fitness. I really liked the warm-up on this one! The time went by quickly, and it was challenging with a series of exercises like deadlifts to rows, push-up variations, side planks, and more.

Sunday: Intense Fat Burning Tabata Workout // Cardio, Abs + Booty via Heather Robertson. This one got me very sweaty, and I really loved the exercises that she paired together, especially the long glute circuit at the end. Feeling ready for more of a challenge, I did a few more cardio Tabata moves at the end! (mountain climbers, up and out jumping jacks, and alternating side lunges)

Monday: 4.5 mile run through the park

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: 30-Minute Total Body Partner Workout via Sydney Cummings. I talked Scott into doing this one with me and we both really liked it. My abs have been sore ever since!

Thursday: Stretching, Yoga, Pilates, Workout Blend via FitnessBlender. This is a very slow-moving series of stretches and low-key exercises to help your muscles recover. I lowered the volume on the video and followed along to my own soundtrack in the background. It was just what my body needed!

This was the first week that I actually incorporated an active recovery workout into the mix in a long time, and I don’t like that it took me so long. My ideal workout plan always includes a day for yoga or Pilates that also focuses on stretching, and I have been missing it.

• favorite LIL posts

» Summer Fiesta Bean Salad

Holy throwback! This is an extremely easy summer salad to throw together to enjoy at home or take to a gathering.

» 15 Minute Backyard Bodyweight Workout

Two circuits with four total moves that are quick and effective. Exercise breakdowns and video included!

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All right, it’s time for me to knock out a few to-dos before we meet up with some friends at the park this evening. I hope you all have a good weekend ahead, and I’m thinking of you.

Stay safe out there!

*Disclaimer: Friday Favorites posts may contain affiliate links. Also, I am a Beautycounter consultant and love what I do with the company. By using the links provided in this post to order products, you are supporting my business. I always appreciate you!