Achieved my goals for 2018

 

Happy Friday, ladies! I am so excited to share a bit of good news with you today. On 01.01.2018, I wrote a post recapping 2017 and setting goals for 2018. In that post, I set 2 goals for myself: Goal # 1: Run my first half-marathon (which I did in April). I am currently training for my 2nd half-marathon (in October). I will talk more about it in the near future. Goal # 2: Make a career move. I've been actively looking and am so thrilled to announce that I have accepted a job offer! I put in my 2 weeks' notice earlier this week and will be starting my new position right after the holiday. As mentioned in the same post, I've been with my current company for almost 9 years. I enjoy what I do and the people I work with but after 9 years, I am ready to take on new challenges. Some people might ask, why don't I move up to management? The answer is simple - I don't want to. My husband has a high demand and super stressful career, I want to be the one who's there to take care of the girls and the family when he can't. A management role comes with additional responsibilities and stress and that's not exactly what I am going after. I am all about work life balance. The technical side is where I want to stay (I work in software development). With that  being said, I am excited for the opportunity and new challenges. I look forward to meet my new team, hit the ground running and work hard

I feel amazing knowing that I achieved the goals I set for myself. Other than wasted my time on a so-called friendship (which is already a thing of the past), 2018 has been great so far. I truly believe beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity. I can't wait to see what the second half of 2018 has in store for us #blessed

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Achieved my goals for 2018

Favorite Louis Vuitton print

{Palm Springs backpack | Speedy 25B | Neverfull MM}

Hope you're having a great week so far. Today, I have a fun post for you. I finally own 3 Louis Vuitton bags in 3 different prints. I am curious as to which print is your favorite and why? For me, I don't necessarily have a favorite print, I prefer different prints for different bags. Start off with my Speedy 25 Bandoulier, I chose Damier Ebene print because it's carefree. I wanted a low maintenance bag for travelling and DE is the way to go. Next is my beloved Palm Springs mini backpack. Between the monogram reverse and monogram, the latter is the obvious choice for me. I just don't like the look of the reversed monogram. I am so glad they decided to put black leather straps on this piece instead of vachetta leather straps like most of their monogram pieces. I don't know if I would buy this backpack if it wasn't for that. Since those 2 prints are dark prints, I went with Damier Azur for my Neverfull. This is the most high-maintenance print out of the 3. This bag is definitely a summer bag for me. The print is so clean and crisp. Because of that, it requires extra precautions to avoid color transfer. To me, each print serves a purpose and I am glad to have the trio. If you're a Louis Vuitton fan, which print is your favorite? Also, I am hosting a giveaway on IG. Enter here if you're interested

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Favorite Louis Vuitton print

Longchamp bags are 50% off (today only)

**Update: New bags are added to the sale here**

Sale alert! Longchamp bags are 50% off right now (today only). If you're a long time follower, you know I am a huge fan of the brand. I own 4 pieces myself. Everything pictured below is 50% off today. So hurry if you're in the market for one.

Large shoulder bag
Medium shoulder bag
Cosmetics case
Travel tote
Mini tote
Geo large tote
Pastel large tote
Geo zip pouch
Neo large tote (gold)

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Longchamp bags are 50% off (today only)

The cutest summer top for $8

I hope you are all having a great week. I am glad Friday is finally here. The hubs is out of town on a business trip this week. I am looking forward to having him home and a fun weekend with friends and family. Today, I am excited to share this top with you. It's $8 (yes, you heard it right). I ordered it without any expectation. It turned out way better than I expected. It's adorable and the color just makes me happy. If bright yellow isn't your cup of tea, this top is available in 6 different colors. It's a crop top but the length is perfect on me when pair with high-waisted bottoms. The material is comfy and definitely not see-through (I wore this underneath). I adore this top and might pick up the blue one as well. Outfit details: Shein top *available in 6 colors - size S* | AE high-waisted festival shorts | Louis Vuitton Palmsprings backpack | Target sandals | Free People sunglasses | Cartier bracelet

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The cutest summer top for $8

Father's Day gift ideas

First and foremost, I'd like to thank each and everyone of you for your sincere comments on my last post (and on my IG account). Your support means the world to me. Now onto today's post. Father's Day is right around the corner so I thought I'd share some of my husband's favorites along with what I got him for this Father's Day. Men can be notoriously difficult to shop for. Luckily for me, I never had a hard time shopping for the hubs. What can I say? I know him well =) I hope you find this list helpful.

- Yeti soft cooler - If you haven't experienced Yeti products, you need to =) We take this cooler with us everywhere and it's been amazing. It keeps everything cool for more than 24 hours. It's compact yet can hold quite a bit. This cooler is perfect for the pool, the beach or a road trip with the kids. It's a great product that can be used by everyone. We also have a few Yeti tumblers and they have been wonderful as well.
- Amazon's Echo - We purchased it 6 months ago and have been enjoying it. I use it mainly for playing music in the kitchen. The kids love it too. Definitely not a must have. It's just something fun if your husband is into gadgets

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Father's Day gift ideas

A personal story :: How to deal with a friendship breakup

Today's post is a little different. If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know I don't share too many details of my personal life on here. It's an Internet world after all and I just don't feel comfortable doing so. However, I happened to listen to one of Dr. Laura's calls on my way to work this morning and it really hit home. She gave me the encourage to share my story with you while my feelings are still fresh. Some might get it, some might not and that's OK. If you're in the same situation, knowing that you're not alone and I hope you can relate. This caller asked Dr. Laura about how to deal with a clingy friend. While the topic wasn't exactly that I was dealing with, it was very eye-opening. You can listen to part 1 here and part 2 here if you're interested.

The history: I've known this person for over 15 years. We were casual friends for about 6 years. Had a fall out and decided to call it quit in 2008. 4 years later (2012), this person reached out to me and wanted to reconnect. I was skeptical at first but thought it's better to make friends than to make enemies (not exactly enemies but you know what I mean). We slowly but surely started rebuilding the damaged friendship. Even though, I had great memories throughout the years, there was always something holding me back. I never considered this person as a lifetime friend but I can't seem to break this friendship and I didn't know why. It's so clear to me now after listening to Dr. Laura this morning. More on that in a second. 3 months ago, we had another fall out and at this point, I knew it was time to end this friendship for good. I'd be lying if I said this breakup was easy because it wasn't. I've known this person for over a decade and we had a lot of history together. If you're in the same situation, here is how I deal with it.

Step 1: Be honest with yourself about what you want to do - For some people, they want to see if there is a chance to rebuild the friendship. For others, they just want to get over it and move on. For me, it's the latter. I am not sad that this friendship is over. It wasn't the lasting friendship that I am looking for. Like I mentioned earlier, there was always something holding me back. I never fully trusted this person after we reconnected. A year ago, I stopped introduce my new friends to this person for the same reason. I don't miss having her in my life. My ultimate goal is to get over the feeling of betrayal.

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A personal story :: How to deal with a friendship breakup

What I wore to a theme park

My first born turned 13 yesterday! This has been the fastest 13 years of my life. I can't believe she's officially a teenager. There is no guarantee the next few years aren't going to be bumpy but no matter what happens, I hope she knows that she is loved. Thank you for making me a mom. Happy birthday, sweet girl!

For her birthday, we took the girls and one of Courtney's friends to Cedar Point. We all had so much fun (including the little one). This is what I wore. Paper-bag shorts are so on trend right now. This particular pair is so comfy, high-waisted, not see through and has pockets. Basically, they tick all the boxes. I wore these shorts all day and there were no wrinkles. If you're looking for a pair of summer shorts, check them out. Outfit details: Shein shorts | GAP tee | H&M denim jacket | Adidas sneakers | Longchamp backpack | Cartier bracelet

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What I wore to a theme park

Outdoor living inspiration

{Our future backyard - Designed and drew by the hubs}

Next month, we'll be turning our backyard into an outdoor living space and I couldn't be more thrilled. This is one of the big home projects that we've been saving for. We moved into this home 4 years ago and haven't done anything to the backyard. You might or might not remember, my husband and I designed our home from scratch (more details here). We're big on creating something unique and works for our family. With that being said, he once again designed our very own backyard. He spent weeks designing and drawing. Above is the final layout of the patio. We're finalizing a few things with the contractors and hope to break ground next month. Here are some outdoor living images that I use for inspiration.

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Outdoor living inspiration

Floral shorts :: Bamboo bag

I am head over heels in love with the elastic waist shorts trend. I picked up a few affordable pairs to rotate this summer and I can't get enough of them. They're breezy, extremely comfortable and perfect for those hot summer days. From running errands to the pool, these shorts are an excellent choice for the weekend. Outfit details: H&M shorts *available in several patterns* | Banana Republic cami | Bamboo bag | Cartier bracelet

Another affordable summer find is this bamboo bag. I compiled a list of designer and affordable options here. For me, I don't like to spend a lot on trendy handbags. This cutie is only $35 and I couldn't be happier with the quality.

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Floral shorts :: Bamboo bag

Handbag Review :: Teddy Blake Vanessa Tote

Happy Friday, ladies! It sure doesn't seem like a short work week to me. The kids are out of school and we're looking forward to a great summer. For this week's handbag chit chat, I am going to review this beautiful Teddy Blake Vanessa tote. I've worked with Teddy Blake in the past and am happy to review another of their bags just in case you're interested. This bag is not as popular as the Caty or the Eva so I hope you'll find this review helpful.

As you can tell, the Vanessa is very reminiscent of the Prada Cuir double tote (which I reviewed here). This bag is made out of textured calfskin leather. It's not as rigid as the signature Prada saffiano leather but still gives structure to the bag. I love the texture and feel of the leather. Not to mention, it smells amazing! Similar to the Prada Cuir, the Vanessa features 3 compartments (two open compartments and one middle compartment with zipper for security purposes). There are no pocket on the inside of the bag. Since it's a tote, there is not much organization. To keep my things organized, I use this purse insert and it works like a charm. There are pockets for my phone, my cosmetic pouch, my wallet and keys. I can use the other open compartment for files and folder.

Other features that I love:
- The interior is lined with real suede
- The bag comes with a 50" adjustable and removable shoulder strap
- The bag has 4 metal feet on the bottom for added protection
- It's a tad smaller than the Prada Cuir medium (which was one of the cons for me) but still very roomy

Let's talk about the color! The Vanessa is available in 7 different colors. I chose the beige because I wanted something neutral that I can wear to work everyday. This color literally goes with everything and anything. As you can see in the photo above, the color works well with both printed and solid pieces. Not to mention, this color can be worn any time of the year. If you don't want to spend $2800 on the Prada Cuir, the Vanessa is a fantastic option. I don't know about you but I am always nervous wearing an expensive handbag to work. Plus, my kids always throw their stuff on top of my bag when they're in the car. For under $500, this classic silhouette will never go out of style.

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Handbag Review :: Teddy Blake Vanessa Tote