March 2025:
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Highs of the Month:
- Ryan and I enjoyed a wonderful 24-hour trip to Washington DC at the end of March! I had won a free hotel stay from my work Christmas party in 2024 for a historic boutique hotel called the Phoenix Park Hotel. Even though it was a free stay, the kind front desk staff gave us an amazing complimentary upgrade to the best suite in the hotel!! We also had a great time exploring DC. We went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, saw the magnolias in bloom at the Enid Haupt Garden, had dinner with my friend Nicole, and then woke up early the next morning to enjoy the DC cherry blossoms in full bloom. What a bucket list item to finally get to check off! The past two years Ryan and I have done bigger trips together in the month of March (Orlando, FL in 2023 and Puerto Rico in 2024). We didn't have any big plans in March this year, but our quick DC trip definitely fulfilled my annual post-winter travel urge.
- I also had another great 24-hour trip this month. I visited my friend Cara in Harrisonburg, VA for a weekend in the middle of March, and had a great time! We spent the afternoon golfing together after I arrived, and then we had a delicious dinner and drinks at a new rooftop restaurant in Harrisonburg. It was a fun weekend of girl time that definitely added joy to my month.
- March was one of the more lucrative and busy months that I've had in awhile for blogging, and I'm so thankful! I had a number of sponsored Instagram opportunities over the course of the month, which kept me busy in my free time getting all of the content for those shot and edited. I also exceeded my affiliate link earning goal on LTK for the month, which was an added bonus and something to be proud of!
Lows of the Month:
- It was another tough month on the job search front. 😓 I applied to a lot of jobs in March, and even had a couple of interviews! But nothing unfortunately panned out. I have been actively job hunting since early November (I started right before our wedding), and with each month that goes by, it is hard for me to keep staying positive about everything.
- I had a horrible car service experience for literally the most basic things: an oil change and a Virginia State Inspection. It quickly became very costly and time consuming thanks to horrible customer service. To anyone local reading this post: I do not recommend the Meineke on Holland Rd. in Virginia Beach!
March Weekend Recaps:
- Feb 28th-Mar 2nd: I had just gotten back from my Florida trip, so I knew I'd have to work a good chunk of the weekend at the hotel. I worked both Friday and Saturday! On Friday, my friend Emily hosted a really fun ladies' dinner at her house for several friends. It was a great way to end the day after work! On Sunday I was off, and I went up to Richmond for my friend Caroline's gender reveal party for her baby! I then got to meet my friend Sierra for coffee before heading back to Virginia Beach.
- 7th - 9th: I worked Friday and Saturday again, but still had some fun plans! On Friday night, I went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant with my friend Cathryn. On Saturday night, I hosted my friend Maddy for dinner at our apartment! And on Sunday, Ryan and I went to church and then I met some girlfriends for Afternoon Tea at The Cavalier (the nicest hotel in Virginia Beach). I was thankful to have so much fun friend time this weekend amidst work!
- 14th-16th: I was up in Harrisonburg visiting my friend Cara for the weekend! We had a wonderful time golfing, followed by dinner at a new rooftop bar and restaurant. I had to leave a bit earlier than I hoped on Sunday morning due to a stormy weather forecast, but it was still a great little trip!
- 21st-23rd: Ryan's birthday weekend! I worked on Saturday, but we went to dinner with Ryan's parents after I got off of work. I baked his birthday cookie cake myself this year, so his parents came to our place after for presents and cake. Ryan's actual birthday was on Sunday! We went to the Virignia Aquarium at his request. The last time we had been there together was our second date, three years prior. 😊
- 28th-30th: We were in Washington DC for a quick overnight! What a joy it was to finally see the famous Tidal Basin cherry blossoms in peak bloom! We also enjoyed visiting a Smithsonian museum and having dinner with my friend Nicole.
March Purchases:
- I finally hopped on the charm necklace trend train! I thought this charm necklace was both affordable and super cute. I liked it so much that I also got one for my friend Caroline for her birthday this month!
- I had to scoop up the most perfect grandmillennial spring top for my wardrobe! This top is a bit of a splurge compared to what I normally spend on tops, but I know I'll love wearing it for years to come.
- I also had some great bargain finds this month! I can't believe this classic quarter-zip pullover is under $20! The quality is amazing for the price. I bought it with golf in mind, but I've already been wearing it for casual weekday or weekend outfits, too.
- My best-selling item of the month was for good reason! This under $30 sundress is truly too good to be true! It fits true-to-size, and is incredibly flattering on. Comes in another fun print as well, and some solid colored options.
March Wishlist:
- I am obsessed with this floral shirtdress! Perfect for a more casual workplace or to wear to church! If I was lucky enough to attend the Masters in-person this year, this would be a contender for my outfit for sure.
- Another beautiful spring dress find: I can't get over this under $75 blue hydrangea dress! Wouldn't that be lovely as an Easter option?
- Cute and classy spring heeled sandals that would be great for everyday or slightly dressy occasions.
- Lilly Pulitzer is absolutely killing it with their spring collection this year! I can't remember the last time I loved one of their spring lines so much. I am obsessed with this shirtdress, and anything in this lemon print!
- A cute home find that I'm planning to order ASAP before hosting a party later in April: this acrylic ice bucket! It's just darling for hosting, and it is such a good deal.
March Blog Posts:
Current Discount Codes:
- Armoire (Clothing Rental Service) - Use code miss_alk for 50% off your first month of clothing rentals, plus two extra rental bonus items!
- Cloth + Bristle (Non-toxic cleaning products) - Use code ANNALIESE at check-out for 20% off your first order!
- Loopy Case (My absolute favorite phone cases) - Use code missalk at check-out for 10% off your purchase!
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
I love that you and Ryan did a short and sweet trip to DC. I think quick weekend travel should be more of thing! I'd also love to know how you balance spending time with friends and life in general!
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