• kids,  mom

    Back to School Thoughts

    As the summer break ends and we start counting down the days till school starts (for us that is on the 11th), I wanted to reflect about this summer as well as look ahead. This summer has been a little different than the past couple of years where we traveled a lot including some trips to Europe and while I did miss the big trips, I really did enjoy this more quiet summer. We still managed a few long weekend vacations (Tybee Island and Arizona) and we will end the summer with an overnight weekend sans kids! Summer Highlights My brother’s wedding and our trip to Arizona weekend in Tybee…

  • travel,  zoos and aquariums

    Odysea Aquarium, Scottsdale, AZ

    Well, this is the second time if not the third I am writing this post! My internet went out the first go around and I hadn’t save anything past the first picture and then I am not sure what has happened to my post when I finished writing it. Did I not save it at all? Who knows? Anyhow, when we were in Scottsdale, we decided to visit the Odysea Aquarium since it was an indoor activities and our family love animals! The globe tank below is one of several that welcomes you at the entrance of aquarium. I was prepared to be wowed since the price was pretty steep…

  • budget,  fashion,  summer

    Skirts for a Week: Shopping my Closet

    Last month, at the beginning of July, I decided to wear skirts that had been forsaken in the depths of my closet. Well, maybe they had not been forsaken, but I hadn’t really worn skirts much of June and July, focusing instead on dresses and shorts. I concentrated on wearing my favorite skirts and realized that just as dresses, they are really comfortable in the summer. This skirt was actually a new buy from a store called Gabe’s which I did not realized was in our little town until my sister in law pointed it out when visiting. It is similar to Ross and TJ Maxx and while I only…

  • fashion,  summer,  Ways to wear

    White Sundress, 5 Ways

    I am enjoying this series this summer and I am sharing yet again a dress, this time, my Target sundress which I cannot find online anymore. As I am trying to rein in my spending these last 2 months of summer, I am working on creating different outfits with some of my favorite pieces. With a graphic tee and white sneakers This look was shared on the 4th for Ada and I’s Sunday Showcase and I also wore it on the actual 4th for church. I love how comfortable and summery this outfit is! With leopard tee and brown sandals This is a very similar outfit as above. Since I…

  • hikes,  outdoors,  travel

    McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trail

    While on a walk in the condo’s neighborhood, a lady who saw me taking pictures of the cacti suggested going to the nearby Gateway Trail. We would then get a taste of the desert without seeing all the neighborhood houses and without having to go on a long drive since it was only 5 minutes away. When we arrived at the the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Gateway Trail, we saw right away that we would enjoy this walk despite our late start. I didn’t realize how close the hills were from the neighborhood. I really wished we had left earlier though as the sun was already high in the sky! We…

  • budget,  Fab 40s,  fashion,  summer

    Fab 40s: Inspired by Air

    This month, the Fab 40s are sharing outfits inspired by air. I knew right away what I wanted to wear so I convinced my son to take pictures for me the same week I became part of the group. I also knew where I wanted to take my pictures, so on a Saturday morning at 9 am before it got too hot, we headed to the Indian Mounds to take my pictures. I borrowed my friend’s pants for the week as she was going out of town because their shape make me think of floating in air. I actually am on a mission to find a pair (these are Bcik…

  • hikes,  outdoors,  travel

    Scottsdale, AZ: Cactus Walk in the Suburbs

    One of the things I loved the most from our visit to Arizona (apart from spending time with my brother and family) was how we were able to take some walks and enjoy the beautiful scenery that is particular to that part of the US. We took a total of 4 walks, each about 2 miles long and this one was introduced by my brother. It was a paved trail that took us from his neighborhood, through a community center area and bordered another couple of neighborhoods. The key to a walk in Arizona in summer is to choose the right time of the day to go: right around 5…

  • hikes,  outdoors,  travel

    Scottsdale, Arizona: the Flora at the Meridian Condo Resort

    On our weekend trip to Scottsdale, AZ, we found that it was cheaper and more comfortable to rent a 3 bedroom condo at this condo complex instead of staying at a hotel especially that we were out of hotel points and our family of 6 needs two rooms. The condos at the Meridian Condo Resort have access to several pools and the landscape is very pretty and for someone from the south, very appealing and exciting: cacti everywhere, pretty bushes and flowers and an abundance of rabbits! We also saw quails daily as well as some desert iguanas. We really enjoyed our stay there. The views of the sunrise were…

  • budget,  fashion,  inspired by,  summer

    Inspired by Nancy’s Fashion Style: All Black Outfit

    I do not wear monochromatic outfits enough and I often forget about neutrals in the summer. So after seeing this outfit of Nancy from Nancy’s Fashion Style, I decided it was time to write an Inspired by post. Nancy has a great fashion style and wears quite a few dresses and skirts. I wore this most of a day, for errands and doing things around the house. By afternoon, I did change as I knew I wanted to clean my very disgusting car and I would workout soon after. While Nancy accessorized with pink, I accessorized with yellow as I wanted to chose a pair of sandals similar in style…

  • budget,  fashion

    Arizona Travel Outfits

    I will be sharing some beautiful pictures from the scenery we came across in Scottsdale, AZ in my Wednesdays posts (I love cacti!) but for today, I wanted to share my daily outfits from our short weekend trip to Arizona. We went to Scottsdale to attend my brother’s wedding and to spend time with him and my new sister in law. I tried to pack ligthly but I did learn a few things from this trip as it was the first time we were visiting such a hot place. I typically wear joggers with a tee and sneakers when traveling but wanted to limit the number of shoes I brought…