Latest Favorites: Quarantine Week 14

Hi there, and Happy Friday to you!

Today is Juneteenth, which is a holiday that celebrates the liberation of slavery in the United States. In case this is something new to you, it originated in Texas and is now celebrated on the 19th of June every year throughout the country. Many companies give employees the day off in recognition, and you can help the change to officialize the holiday by signing this petition!

There are many ways to celebrate today, including simply talking about it, decorating the block with chalk, and finding a new black-owned restaurant in your area to order from. And, of course, it’s important to continue the work we’ve put in to listen, learn, and educate ourselves on this movement of change. We’re having the conversations and are watching and collecting new resources every day, and that is something that will not change for the unforeseeable future.

And speaking of the unknown, New York City received some fabulous news that we will be moving into Phase 2 of reopening on Monday. Restaurants will be able to provide outdoor seating for service, hair salons, barbershops, playgrounds, and some offices will be allowed to open. This makes me nervous, but it also feels like a much-needed peek at the light at the end of the tunnel on getting back out and about on a regular basis. Please stay smart and safe out there, my friends!

Well, that was quite the introduction to this week’s Friday Favorites post. I’ll wrap it up here, and I hope you enjoy a look back to the week with me.

Thanks for reading!

LATESET FAVES — QUARANTINE WEEK 14

• 15-30% off Beautycounter, a giveaway, and more

I’m listing this one first today because it’s pretty exciting!

First, the entire Beautycounter site is 15% off right now through 6/23. There are even a few products available for 30% off! (This sale does exclude full regimens/collections, the Flawless In Five starter set, and the newest products including the Skin Twin foundation, Vitamin C serum, and the new Sheer Defense SPF.)

Beautycounter rarely does a percentage-off sale like this (versus a free gift with purchase) … maybe 1-2x per year, so it would be an amazing time to dive in and start switching to safer while you can take advantage of the discount, or stock up on your must-haves.⁣

You can shop the sale here!

Second, I’m hosting a giveaway for a free full-sized Beautycounter product on my Life In Leggings Community page. You can visit the page, message me, or subscribe to the LIL clean beauty newsletter to find out more info!

Third, if you’re hesitant in purchasing your skincare and makeup products online, I should remind you that there is a great return policy. You have sixty days to get a full refund or exchange if you aren’t in love with everything you selected, no questions asked. (And free return shipping.)

I absolutely love to talk about clean beauty, so don’t be shy if you have any questions at all, or even want to chat more about the business side. I really love what I do and appreciate you!

• a sweet garden goodbye

Thank you so much for your messages, support, and prayers surrounding our sweet kitty, Aspen. Saturday was our last day together, and she is now out of pain and living her best life in the clouds with Jesus, as we tell Skyler.

It’s always so hard to say goodbye to a pet. We still don’t know exactly what caused her quick downfall, but we did everything we could to save her … and sometimes there just isn’t anything more that you can do. I shared more of my heart on this on Instagram, and I know a lot of you get it. It’s rough.

I feel very grateful for the twelve years that I got to spend with Aspen. She was definitely the feisty one, the boss of the house, and turned into a puddle of snuggles and purrs when she wanted to. She put up with a lot between Cali, Roadie, and Skyler, but kept us in our place, too. And she always came back for more cuddles. She was the best.⁣

Scott and I decided to take her to an outdoor garden area on our emotional walk to the vets, and we couldn’t have asked for a better send-off. She was very weak from almost a week of refusing food, but just being outside in the sunshine and on the grass perked her up. Her eyes grew wide in observation, and we were able to remember the cat she used to be with those mannerisms, even if it was just for a few minutes.

No matter how hard these days and next few weeks, months, and years will be … holding onto the memories we had together still makes it all worth it.⁣

So I guess it’s see-you-later for now, sweet Aspen. We love you more than you could ever know, and we will see you at the end of that Rainbow Bridge.

• another day in Coney Island

I have to admit that I wasn’t a big fan of Coney Island pre-quarantine. I guess you could attribute that to my only previous experiences happening on July 4th, the very busiest day to visit the beach.

We’ve taken a few family outings to the beach and boardwalk over the last month, and it’s been very refreshing in an otherwise monotonous type of routine during the weekdays. The subways have been meticulously clean, the sand hasn’t been crowded, and we’ve been able to spend hours (with sunscreen in and out of the shade, of course) on the beach to unwind, relax, and take in the fresh air.

Last Sunday turned into several hours at the beach, thanks to the beautiful weather that wasn’t too hot or too sunny. The frozen margaritas didn’t hurt, either. Skyler had so much fun playing in the sand and water, and it reminded us that we need to invest in a beach play set for him … like yesterday. Please drop any recommendations you have in the comments!

We don’t really have any big plans for Father’s Day, but I’m sure it will involve an outing of some sort, and possibly another trip to the beach.

• latest workouts

This past week felt all over the place with my workouts. We’ve been potty training (oh yeah, did I fail to mention this? Woof.), so I’ve been fitting in whatever I can, whenever I get a moment to do so. Scott has been volunteering during the weekdays, so it’s just been Skyler and I.

Now more than ever, I’m thankful for the ability to work out at home, and I’m learning that you can get a good sweat in with even 20 or 30 minutes!

Here are links to the workouts I tried, along with some thoughts.

Friday: Advanced Total Body Dumbbell Workout

Saturday: 3 mile run through the neighborhood

Sunday: REST

Monday: Total Body HIIT Workout // 40 Exercises in 40 Minutes via Heather Robertson (love, love this workout and the combo moves)

Tuesday: 5.25 mile run around the park

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: The Best Band Workout & Total Body Tone Up via Tone It Up (they were both quick – 15 minutes each – so I felt like doing more than one. I’ve been loving their circuits and exercises!)

And I’m craving a good workout later today (maybe something low impact like barre?) followed by a longer run tomorrow.

• favorite LIL posts

» Six Fitness Fact That Might Surprise You

Here’s a few fitness tips that might surprise you, and I hope that you find them helpful. I learned most of them the hard way, after years of overexercising, under-hydrating, and before I earned my Personal Training Certification and Specialization in Women’s Fitness through NASM. 

» New Habits I’m Continuing Post-Quarantine

Let’s chat about the silver lining of quarantine. Are there certain habits or things you picked up during the last three months that you plan on continuing once everyone starts getting back to their normal schedules and going on with their lives outside of the home? Here’s a short list of mine!

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All right. It’s time for me to attempt to clean this apartment. It’s insane how quickly it goes from tidy to disaster status. Such is life with a toddler, am I right?

I hope you all have a great weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week!

*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!