Midweek Ramblings.

January 5, 2022

Midweek Ramblings.

{A snapshot from my first time in the Outer Banks this past weekend! I went to see the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. Follow me on Instagram @miss_alk}

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Ramblings:

Christmas recap: Hi there!! Welcome back to my first Midweek Ramblings of 2022, and first one in a few weeks. How was the rest of your December? I got to go home to Maine for Christmas for the first time since 2018! I will say, the crazy COVID spikes thanks to Omicron definitely added a layer of anxiety to my trip that I wasn't expecting. I did have my booster shot prior to traveling, and did an at-home test before leaving and a few days after arriving in Maine to make sure I was okay for seeing extended family. Even though I was negative thankfully, it was still stressful! I really hope things are at a different place with COVID by Christmas 2022. Anyways, it was nice to be home with family for the holiday finally and also get to see some of my Maine friends! The older that I get and more settled that I am in Virginia, I'm not sure I'll always be going home for Christmas each year anymore, but I am glad it got to happen this year.
Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale: This week started off with one of Lilly Pulitzer's biggest sales of the year: the winter edition of the Sunshine Sale, formerly known as the After Party Sale. If you shopped or browsed, what were your thoughts on the sale this time? I had a feeling it would be smaller than normal as it was going to be held online for only one day (in the past it's normally two days, and has even been three days sometimes!). Even through the merchandise selection was definitely slimmer this time, I personally feel like I lucked out as I found three of the top items that I was looking for in my size! But a lot of Lilly loving friends told me they really didn't shop the sale this time, as they were disappointed by the smaller selection. I am hoping the next sale (usually September?) is two days as normal instead of just one day.

Weekend recaps:

Last weekend: I found out at the last minute that I had Friday (New Year's Eve Day) off of work! I slept in and then decided to make the most of the day, so I took a solo day trip down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It was actually my first time in the Outer Banks! I drove around a bit to explore, and then went to check out the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. I stayed in and had a quiet NYE at home this year. The weather on Saturday was freakishly warm for Virginia- it hit a high of 78! I met my friend Emily and her boyfriend for a walk at First Landing State Park that afternoon to enjoy the weather. That evening, my aunt and uncle who live in North Carolina came up for dinner at my place. Afterwards, we went down to the Oceanfront to see the Holiday Lights at the Beach on the Boardwalk (it was the last weekend it was going on). Sunday was another chill day!
This weekend: The rest of my January weekends to-come are looking super busy, so I'm hoping this weekend will be pretty calm and mellow. I am planning to start working today on taking down my Christmas tree and decorations, but if that doesn't happen I'll finish this weekend.

Purchases:

I'll start with my Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale Purchases! First up- I finally got this dress that had been on my Lilly wishlist for awhile.
I was excited to get another Lilly Pulitzer bathing suit in the sale! This one is my first Lilly bikini. Now that I live by the beach and go frequently in the warmer months, I don't feel badly to splurge on new swimwear- I know I'll use it!
I also grabbed this Luxletic skort! I have a few other styles of skorts already, but looking forward to trying this one too.
Beautycounter had an after Christmas sale, and I stocked up on my two favorite products: this acne spot treatment gel, and this charcoal mask. (I tried a bunch of Beautycounter items a few years ago and reviewed them all in this blog post!)

Wishlist:

I think these are the coolest and most high-fashion looking under $100 heels that I've ever seen!
I love the look of these jeans, and I think they'd also be perfect for transitioning to spring in a couple months.
This top might have the most fun sleeves that I have ever seen!
Gorgeous loafers that I think look very designer.
This type of gold chain necklace is so trendy right now, and this is a great option.

Currently reading: Palm Beach by Mary Adkins - Starting off my 2022 reading goal with a novel that I'm really enjoying so far. This book is about a 30-something couple that is struggling to get by financially living in New York City, until the husband takes a job with a huge salary bump in Palm Beach, FL. Shortly after they move to Florida, he gets another even better job offer working directly for one of Palm Beach's wealthiest residents. He takes the job, but he and his wife become directly exposed to the corruption and weirdness of the ultra-rich. I can't wait to finish this book!

Recipe of the week: Cracker Barrel Style Pinto Beans from RefreshHer - This was a delicious and very easy side dish that I made last week. I served it with this cornbread recipe!

Song of the week: Overpass Graffiti by Ed Sheeran - I haven't listened to all of Ed Sheeran's newest album yet, but I have loved what I have heard. Really liking this song especially. Even though the lyrics aren't the most positive, I think the music sounds so upbeat and happy.

Favorite blog posts of the week:

Style Charade - I loved reading Jenn's 2022 goals! And I really enjoyed reading her insights and reflections about using Instagram as a blogger in 2021 and beyond.
Heather Bien - I thought Heather did an amazing job on all of her 2021 year in review posts over the past week. They were all so much fun to read- not sure I have a favorite!
The Stripe - Grace's reflections on taking the last week of the year off from work were both fun to read, and relatable (especially her thoughts on COVID right now).

On the blog this week:

God Bless,

xoxo Annaliese

January 5, 2022

Midweek Ramblings.

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