July 2018 Favorites

Hey y’all and happy Monday. Hope you had a restful weekend and are ready to tackle another week! This is actually my first full workweek in over a month, thanks to two beach trips in July. Speaking of which, it’s hard to believe July is coming to a close. I know I say this every month, but it feels like July flew by especially quickly. It has become a monthly tradition for me to share a few miscellaneous things I’m loving lately. So without further ado, here are my July 2018 favorites!

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Yasso Bars

I seriously don’t know how it took me so long to jump on board the Yasso train. Just in case you’re unfamiliar, Yasso is frozen Greek yogurt. After seeing Brighton Keller from Bright on the Day post a hilarious picture of herself in a shopping cart full of Yasso in the middle of the Target aisle, I knew I had to try them. They are so delicious. One bar contains around five grams of protein, so you actually feel satisfied after eating one. So far I’ve tried cookies & cream, fudge brownie, and chocolate chip cookie dough. I’m not sure what my favorite is, because they are all so good!

Chick-fil-a Cow Appreciation Day

Cow Appreciation Day is one of my favorite days of the whole year, and it usually happens around the second week of July. On this day, if you dress up like a cow, then Chick-fil-a will give you a free entree of choice, excluding salads. This was the fifth year in a row I wore this shirt for Cow Appreciation Day. I simply cut spots out from felt and glued them on with fabric glue. It has held up in the wash after the big day each year. Of course I like to add a fun girly and preppy accessory to my cow costume, such as my seersucker Lauren James headband. The dressed up cow mascot was not at Chick-fil-a when I went for lunch on Cow Appreciation Day this year, so I’m also sharing a picture below from a few years ago of me with Baby Cow.

Lauren James Seersucker American Flag Cover-Up

I bought this seersucker American flag beachcomber on sale from Lauren James before I went to the beach during the 4th of July week. This oversized long-sleeved cover-up is perfect for when it gets windy on the beach. It definitely came in handy on both of my July beach trips. Although it’s especially patriotic, it’s also appropriate to wear all summer long. The good news is it’s still on sale now- you can check it out here. I highly recommend snagging one for any beach trips you have remaining this summer, and/or to save until next summer!

Behind the Bliss Podcast

I recently discovered a new podcast, “Behind the Bliss.” The co-hosts, Mary Scott and Rachel, are both Clemson graduates, and as a friend and fan of Clemson I love that connection. “Behind the Bliss” is extremely uplighting, encouraging and inspiring. Each episode I have listened to has reminded me that while there are hard things in our lives and this world, God is with us through it all!

One of the episodes I listened to this past weekend shared five ways to find beauty in a broken world, including appreciating the physical beauty the Lord has created all around us. One of the hosts pointed out that this can include clothes, and that there are even references in Scripture to beautiful clothing. As a blogger who focuses a lot on fashion, this really spoke to me. While it’s important to guard our hearts from the idol of materialism, it’s also really encouraging to think about how the creativity that goes into putting together a beautiful outfit is a reflection of the beauty & creativity of our Creator!

It’s honestly difficult for me to put into words how great it is, so I highly encourage y’all to check it out for yourself. Check out the website for Behind the Bliss where you can learn more about the heart behind the podcast, as well as links to listen on iTunes. One of their desires is that by listening to the podcast you will “feel met in your mess and balanced in the bliss.”

Tory Burch Marsden Tote

If you follow me on Instagram or checked out last week’s blog post, you know that I am absolutely loving this Tory Burch tote that was my one and only Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchase. Although the nut color I bought is sold out, it is still available in black and light oak (which actually looks like a pale pink.) Check out my previous post for details on why I love this bag so much! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends on August 5, so if you want to get this great bag on sale act fast. I doubt that there will be any inventory to include the Marsden tote in end-of-season sales, so this is your opportunity to get it without paying full price!

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I recently tried Batiste dry shampoo for the first time, and I am hooked. It definitely works better than any other dry shampoo I’ve used, and the price difference between Batiste and other brands such as Dove isn’t that big. Discovering that I don’t need to wash my hair everyday has been life-changing. In addition to being healthier for your hair, it’s nice for me not to have to deal with drying my long hair on a daily basis (or more like dealing with wet/damp hair for the two hours or so it takes to dry completely.) By day three I usually need to wear my hair up, even with dry shampoo. But thanks to Batiste, my Day 4-5 ponytail did not look gross or greasy last week, and one of my coworkers was super impressed when I told her how long it had been since I washed my hair.

Publix Subs

This month I was also reminded of how much I love Publix Subs, aka “Pub Subs.” Publix has slowly been making its way into North Carolina. There isn’t one close to my place, but there is one closeby when I’m at Emerald Isle. So I went and picked up a Pub Sub and took it down to eat lunch at the beach a couple different days I was there. It had been years since I had eaten a Pub Sub, and I had forgotten how good they are. I realized that I didn’t eat Pub Subs nearly enough during the years when I was in Greenville, SC and lived 5-10 minutes from a Publix all the time!

Thanks for reading about my July 2018 favorites! If you’re inspired to buy or try any of these things, I hope you love them as much as I do! What are some things you are loving lately that have brightened up your July? I’d love to hear!

Once again, I can’t believe July is coming to a close. Although I’m happy this means football season is just one month away, I’m not quite ready to put away summer clothes or say bye to sunbathing at the pool or on the beach. You can bet I’m going to spend August squeezing every last bit out of summer, even though I’m honestly looking forward to fall even more this year than I have in years past.

-xoxo Liz