Latest Obsessions 07.19

It’s HOT in the SUMMER and oh how I love it, so much! So let my latest obsessions, summer edition continue into the month of July – because I am just eating it all up. One thing about summer is it always makes me want to travel, and coming fresh off a trip the travel bug is still lingering, hot! On the opposite side of that, because the weather has been so great we’ve been loving our outdoor living space and soaking up as much sun and summer nights as possible in our own backyard oasis.
Latest Obsessions 07.19 - the bee life
Summer 2020 Travel Plans:  With a bigger trip falling through that we had on our radar for next summer, my wheels have already started turning for another big trip or multiple little ones to fill in the gap.  2020 is going to be a big year – so as much as I hate thinking about it and rushing away 2019, it is definitely going to be one that calls for some planning! Speaking of 2019 – we still have a few more trips queued up and are still swooning from the west coast, lush Portland was definitely an awesome trip!

Our Backyard Oasis: We’ve been a bit obsessed with our back patio and using it as much as possible, from eating dinner, snacks, to late nights sitting with music playing and drinks flowing until it’s time for bed! On the weekends, it’s honestly been weird to sit around inside for too long unless it’s first thing in the morning.  Moz loves it too, she gets all the sun spots!

Running Routine: I’m slowly getting back into my running and fitness routine! It’s been a slow start to 2019 and even slower start this summer – my June Fitness Friday post shares the latest updates from pulling my back, to physical therapy and now getting back to it.  Although this might be one thing I don’t love about summer, is running in the heat – so I’m pushing through and making myself still run!

What’re your favorite things about summer?

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Latest Obsessions 06.19

The first day of summer was this past Friday and the weekend weather that followed was absolutely perfect with the perfect amount of sunshine – 100%. So with summer comes a lot of my most favorite things, like bubbles (the alcoholic type), cookouts and grilled dinners, late nights catching up with friends, s’mores, walks with the pup and vacations!
Latest Obsessions 06.19 - the bee life
Not your ordinary s’mores: Oh my gosh, I will never eat a traditional s’more ever again! I created the ultimate s’mores board a few weeks ago – which is basically a charcuterie board of s’mores, fancy dark chocolate, reese cups, sprinkles and caramel sauce. YUM! To get the full break down and your inspiration check out my post: Ultimate S’mores Board

Vacay Ready Wardrobe: With a few trips coming up I can’t help but want a few new outfits to show off in my vacation destinations.  My latest Amazon Fashion review is a sneak peak at a few of my vacay wardrobes, but I also broke down my tips for getting the perfect Vacation Ready Wardrobe before your next trip!

Cookouts without the Carbs: We’ve been grilling out a lot and eating burgers has been a big part of that! But we have been ditching the fries and the buns and opting for healthier options like fresh berries, and romain leaves as our burger buns – after my week of low-to-no carbs we’ve both been super conscious about what we’re eating and drinking.  So instead of beers, we’ve been drinking hard seizures, lots of regular water, and of course my champagne.

What’re your favorite things about summer? Comment below!

Happy Summer!

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Latest Obsessions 05.19 – Desert Inspired Decor

With our bathroom remodel coming close to an official wrap – the final decor is coming into play and I’ve been having fun by adding in some desert flair, inspired by our trips out to Palm Springs. Which, btw totally has me in vacay mode dreaming of days by the pool and nights dining at trendy restaurants with delicious food (yes I’m watching flights).  So the goal has been to make our bathroom feel like a desert resort – pulling in the all the things we love about PSP.

What I especially love about PSP decor are all the pops of color paired with modern and simplistic lines.  Not to mention, gold!  Channeling some desert inspired decor has allowed our black and while foundation hold strong while building upon those simpler design picks.  And although we’re pulling ours into our bathroom, I couldn’t help but be inspired by some other Palm Springs inspired mod decor, both simple and bold.
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Easy Ways to Bring in Palm Springs to Your Decor:

Faux Plants & Succulents: A few years ago finding good faux plants was a bit hard without spending an arm and a leg – today, you can still spend an arm and a leg for a fun faux cactus (I almost did) – or you can get a little creative and pull in a variety of faux stems and plants into the space.  We ended up creating a fun statement and pop of color with these 40″ Monstera Leaf Stem from Target and 41″ Red Ginger Flower Stem from Target. We found the clean vase at Home Goods, but I was also hemming and hahing about the basket route.  I’ll also continue to pull in smaller faux plants throughout the space for more colors and lush feel, also since we don’t have a ton of natural light this is an easy way to bring a little life into the space.

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Latest Obsessions 03.19 – March Roundup

To close out one of my favorite month’s of the year – my latest obsessions are honestly a bit of a roundup of some of this past month’s adventures, happenings and behind the scenes planning. Ironically we’re closing out the month with a fresh coat of snow after having a lovely day in the 50’s just yesterday. #Spring

Our Chicago Trip:  Our weekend getaway to Chicago was just what the doctor ordered and was a much needed escape from reality – not the mention B and I got to explore another city together and do as much city touristy things as possible while also trying to eat as much Chicago food as we could! This little trip as spurred our other 2019 trips into booking mode instead of just planning mode!

Bathroom Finishes & Accessories: With our bathroom remodel project well underway, we’re finally getting to a point where finishes are right around the corner and we have a defined space! … Although this just means my wheels have been spinning a bit more than usual with all the possibilities.  I still have yet to find some towel holders, soap tray, bath towels and other bath accessories that I love (well that aren’t $100 each) … so I think I’ll actually have to shop in a store vs. browsing online.
Latest Obsessions 03.19 - the bee lfie
Getting Back Into My Fitness Routine: I’ve been working to make this more intentional into my day to day and trying to prioritize around all of the other things that are such as life. It hasn’t been easy, I’ve had good streaks and I’ve had bad streaks but the most important part is that it’s a priority and change is slowly happening – which is better than none at all!

Inspirational Books: I’ve been reading a lot lately which unfortunately isn’t usual for me! I’m more of a vacation/travel reader – but I’ve found some books lately that have been what I’ve needed, they’re educational, inspirational and motivational. I’m looking forward to sharing a few with you as I finish them up!

March was a bit of a rollercoaster of fun, emotions, change and everything in between so I’m happy to see it go and looking ahead to warm months with lots of possibilities, more obsessions and a whole lot more fun!

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Latest Obsessions 02.19

If you’re a frequent Bee reader – you might be noticing a pattern – the beginning of the year I start organizing and decluttering the house… and then I start scheming for upcoming house projects planning for when the weather finally breaks, and even a few while we’re stuck inside! So as I’ve been decluttering, I’ve started a list of projects that I’m looking forward to but also still looking for a bit more inspiration and direction!

Front Door Makeover. I shared my front door makeover wayyyy back on the blog and I love our blue front door, but a part of me wants to maybe explore another color? I’m just not sure since our tan house feels like it limits a few options – I was thinking maybe a deep pink? Or another shade of blue? Or a really stunning green? Or maybe back to it’s original wood? We shall see! But she is in need of a little love, or a fresh coat to say the least. More to come on this project!
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Shear Statement Curtains. Yes, I’ve been on the hunt to replace curtains in our stairwell bay window.  It’s great to have such big windows in an otherwise dark and narrow space, they’re the perfect spot for our plants – and I like keeping them fairly open without blinds, while still giving us a little privacy with the pattern on them.  They’re a bit loved and just need a refresh – but I want to find a 2-pack and enough distraction for the shear. I love the idea of these Ruffle Diamond Curtain Set from Target – but keeping an eye out for a better sale since I’ll need 4-panels!
Latest Obsessions 02.19 - the bee life2Front Coat Closet. After updating our kitchen pantry and then our upstairs hall closet (above) with a fresh coat of paint, fun contact paper and matching baskets for better organization – I start thinking about our throw-all front coat closet.  Although it’s fairly functional, which I thought our kitchen pantry/hall closer both where, I think it could be improved more with better shelving and some purging! So I’m looking forward to giving the inside a fresh coat of paint, building some custom shelving and fully utilizing the space! Latest Obsessions 02.19 - the bee life3We’ve been working through some other projects like our bathroom remodel, which was moving quickly but now we’re just waiting to gear back up on it for finishing touches – which I use very lightly! In between, I’ve been decluttering and better organizing these commonly used spaces around the house.  Beyond planning for house projects, we’re starting to plan for trips this year – it’s always important for us to get away, recharge, explore new places and eat some good food!

What’re you plans for the year?

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Latest Obsessions 01.19 – Binge Worthy Shows

We are all in on this whole winter thing which means we’ve been cozied up inside catching up on all the latest and greatest on our favorite networks.  We’ve been watching some great documentaries, series and movies – and I just have to share our recent favorites, because honestly, they’re just TOO good and I’ve been obsessing!
latest obsessions 01.19 - streaming ed - bee life
American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace 
Who: Darren Criss has won so many awards already for his role as the chilling Andrew Cunanan – his role alone makes these series unforgettable.
Where: Netflix is now streaming! Originally on FX.
Why: As I mentioned, Darren Criss knocks it out of the park with his acting, layer on a pop-culture icon, amazing 80’s music and cinematography and this series is interesting, nail biting and simply stunning from start to finish. Plus you’ll be googling to get a glimpse of the real news events.  We’re watching this for the second time, yup, it’s that good.

YOU
Who: Penn Badgley anyone? For all you Gossip Girl fans, Penn is back to his quiet book worm shelf – but raised to a whole new level of creep.
Where: This is a Netflix original.
Why:  Shay Mitchell is also in this series, so it’s the perfect collide of Gossip Girl and PLL.  What I loved most about this series is that you are rooting for the bad guy and his crazy toxic relationship – while also rooting against him.  You don’t know who is going to live or die until the very end, and boy will it drive you crazy! Annddd make you want to make your social feeds private.

FYRE
Who: Ja Rule
Where: Netflix original documentary – HULU also has their own documentary on this music festival fiasco of 2016.
Why: B and I always love a good relevant documentary, but what I was surprised to learn even more was how false marketing and some a-list models, played such a role into making this whole event that eventually blew up – meaning you can have an awesome marketing strategy without having anything tangible to market.

Dirty John 
Who: Connie Britton!
Where: Bravo
Why: Based on the popular podcast and true story, this scripted series on Bravo brings the romantic drama to life.  The premises is about a successful business woman/mother, who falls for bad boy John – who just so happens to be a sociopath, thief and murder. This is easy to binge in a weekend. If you’ve already watched and can’t get enough there is a documentary with the actual Debra Newell on Oxygen that is on our list!

In our queue/also watching: True Detective Season 3, Vanderpump Rules, 90 Day Fiance, Dirty John Documentary on Oxygen Network.

What’ve you been binging lately? Any new shows that you can’t wait to see? Leave a comment below, I want to hear from you!

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Image Sources: Versace FX | Fyre | YOU | Dirty John

Latest Obsessions 12.18

It’s December! I think I’m almost done decorating our house… just a few final finishing touches and we’re in full on Christmas.  With the decorating nearly behind me there is all the other holiday fun to get ready for and obsess about! So here are my final latest obsessions for the 2018 year.
Latest Obsessions 12.18 - bee life blog
Adding a Little Sparkle.  From sequin sleeves to glittery heels, I always love a little sparkle especially at this time of the year.  I’ve had my eyes on these taupe block heels from Old Navy since I spotted them and love the subtle touch of the heel, which is perfect for a holiday party or four.  I’ll have more holiday fashion inspiration up next week!

All the Greenery Wreaths.  Yup! I’ve obsessing over just plain old, classic green wreaths – but the fun part comes with the styling and finding different ways to hang them a little less traditionally.  Like hanging them in our dining room, as an accessory on the back side of the door facing into the living room – and even our main door having a large wreath hang a bit lower on the door than normal.  Styling simple pieces, with fun pops of ribbon in different styles or places can had a designer touch.

Pottery Barn’s Plaid Alphabet Mug.  I know it’s the season of buying for other people, but sometimes it’s hard not to shop for yourself!  I absolutely love these plaid alphabet mugs from PB – they’re classic and festive. B and I first spotted them when we were window shopping in Palm Desert – and said we’d order them online!

Christmas Jammy’s.  This year we’ll be having a quiet Christmas with my family, so I had a fun idea of couple-christmas themed pajamas, just to have a little fun!  I found these super cute and funny Elf Sweatshirts on Amazon and was inspired – and the rest of the family was game too.  Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with.

As I hinted – I’ve definitely been obsessing a bit over all the holiday fashion trends (like always!) so I’ll be sharing a few of my holiday fashion obsessions on the blog next week!

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Image Source: Wreath Photo 

Latest Obsessions 11.18

It’s November, the month that is quickly becoming one of my favorites for a variety of reasons, from our house anniversary, wedding anniversary, the official kickoff of the holidays and so much more!  And since the holidays are quickly approaching, I can’t help but obsess over the latest holiday trends and getting our house Christmas-ready!
Latest Obsessions 11.18 - the bee lifeSpoiler! I’m switching up our Christmas decor this year, typically red and gold, we are going to be having a green Christmas in this household!  I’ve already started planning and taking advantage of pre-holidays sales and coupons, and before all the good pieces get snatched up!  I’m so excited to share some mini-house tours in the coming weeks… but this leads to my latest obsessions for our Green Christmas decor.

New Ornaments. One of the items I had to bite the bullet on for planning ahead for our Green Christmas, was ornaments!  I’ve always decorated the tree with a variety of red glass ornaments and gold accents, but bit the bullet and stocked up on green bulbs that of course were on sale!

H&M Pillows.  Yessss…. I’m STILL obsessed with H&M pillow covers!  They’re such an easy way to update a space for whatever season, holiday or mood you’re in and I feel like pillow cases really pull together the entire space of everyday living with holiday decor.  So incase you couldn’t guess – green pillow cases will be purchased!

Evergreen Trees.  I want mini tree’s everywhere from glass trees in green and gold to bottle brush trees, to tall alpine trees sprinkled throughout the house – I love the idea of incorporating trees throughout the mantle, dining room centerpiece and bay windows.

So yes, I’ve been busy obsessing and planning for our green holiday decor —  I can’t wait to decorate but going to hold off until after the Thanksgiving holiday!  What Christmas decor trends have you obsessed this season?

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Image Sources: Green Christmas Mantle | Dining Decor | White Stockings | H&M Pillowcases 

Latest Obsessions 10.18

Besides being obsessed with fall and the month of October – because let’s face it, it’s one of the best months for the welcoming cool sweatshirt weather, luscious orange and white pumpkins, warm coffee, big sweaters, blue jeans and booties!
Latest Obsessions 10.18 - bee life blog
Buffalo Plaid.  I’d like to personally thank Marshall’s for this obsession, with some recent birthday present shopping – I’ve noticed that winter gear is in full force (and won’t last long.)  So I’ve been stocking up on a few pieces as I stop in, although these have all happen to be buffalo plaid!  Not only does it work for fall, but it’s the perfect transition into the holiday season.

Mustard Accents.   This turned into a little obsession when I started planning and designing out the finishing touches for our Basement Makeover. It started with looking for the perfect accent mustard colored blanket, but is slowly turning into clothes and other statement pieces.  There is something about it, that again feels like fall – but also from a decor perspective pulls in a modern vibe that I just love!

Layered Doormats.  I love this look and am in search of a larger, colorful mat to layer under a few of our funner/useful mats.  This look is great for adding in a seasonal flair, a pop of color or just a grand statement to welcome guests.  This post from Chris loves Julia has a great key to help you decide how to layer your doormats by mixing in some patterns for a strong base.

Everything Fall. Did I already mention this? But seriously, after this past weekend that seemed like a fall dream, I have been primping the house and our front porch with mums, pumpkins and gourds.  I love creating our own little fall paradise and making a statement for those who pass by and those who come up and visit!  This year I purchased pink pumpkins – yup, I think it might be my new thing.

What have you been obsessing over lately? Leave a comment below, I want to know!

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