Miyu Beauty* // So, this Canadian beauty line is just a winning combo of beautiful packaging and fulfilled promises. I literally ticked off almost every single box in the "you'll love it if" section (you do not drink enough water, consume too many caffeinated beverages, travel frequently, live in dry climates or just naturally have parched skin....guilty as charged!), and my super dry skin did in fact love it. My thirsty skin tends to get red and flaky around my nose and cheeks, and a light dusting of the nutrient-rich facial mist seemed to calm my redness down while adding a little boost of extra hydration to my moisturizer. I'm totally stashing it in my purse to keep my face from looking too hot mess when it gets crazy hot out in upcoming months (ahhh, summer is coming!).  I feel so very Marilyn Monroe when I spray on this botanical blend and sip my pretty anti-oxidant and collagen-boosting tea in a silky robe. I highly recommend giving the line a try (Anthropologie just started selling their collection because I'm telling you, this is good stuff!), or you could stock up on some mists and teas since they make for a fab gift too!

Bikinis // Most of my bathing suits were sun-bleached tattered rags, so I snatched up this ae tropic floral corset bikini top and bottom, along with this crocheted style and fringed bottoms. I did chuckle a bit when I discovered my 12 year old niece shops at the same store that her old auntie just got some beach swag from. Isn't that what the beginning of a quarter life crisis entails?

Mercer Bib Necklace // My co-worker Pam is a seriously dangerous threat when it comes to any ounce of maintaining my budget. I pretty much want anything and everything she wears. She came prancing into work the other day wearing this necklace, and when I learned it was a cool $28, I had to literally stop myself from sprinting to my car and driving to Urban Outfitters. Unfortunately, I also got this kimono, several of these undies, this bra and this bra because I am a weakling when it comes to budgeting and they were running a special promotion ending that day. Damnit, Pam.

Fouta Towel // I bought mine at a local Austin shop called Take Heart a little bit ago because I have a weird obsession with pretty handmade fouta towels. With only a few options in stock at the store, I went gaga when I saw the huge beach wrap and towel collection at Nine Space. It's super impressive, and offers some rad huge striped options to take to the beach or pool. You can even use them as a cute tablecloth. Multitasking! Hooray!

Gizeh Birkenstocks // My unstylish self has been rocking Birks since I was a lanky 15 year old living life in the good ol' fashioned Midwest. This is the 4th pair I own, and I purchased them 4 years ago for our honeymoon to Bali. Man, I am super lucky these ugly-chic shoes are back in style because it somehow justifies my bizarre loyalty to wearing Birks (even in -17 degree weather when I was in high school....seriously, that's how true blue I was).

Panama Hat // Yet another thing I've had for quite some time that has been getting lots of wear lately, I would by this J.Crew hat in a rainbow of colors if they had them. I love it. I wish they had a navy blue option!

*I was sent complimentary samples from Miyu to review the line, and the above review is my 100% honest opinion. It's really great stuff, you guys!

My love affair with watermelon goes way back to the days when I was a pint-sized (well....actually 'husky-sized) kid. I would jump up and down with glee when my Dad would make a detour on his way home from work and visit Stanley's, a local fruit and veggie market. The ultimate prizes that Dad would bring home in those humid summer months would be coconuts and watermelon. My little brother and I would patiently watch as Dad carefully sliced open the watermelon, and carved it up. He would toss each cube into our huge tupperware container, but not without first letting us cherry-pick the pinkest pieces. Before we polished off one half, I would make it my mission to be the first to the pull the uncut half of the watermelon out of the fridge and drill holes with my spoon straight into the heart, slurping up each morsel of juicy sweetness. Gosh, I was a really annoying kid. ;)

These days, when I'm not munching on straight-up watermelon, I am eating it as a savory salad. I'll tell ya, something magical happens when you put these 4 simple ingredients together: cubed watermelon, crumbled feta cheese, basil picked from our garden, and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. No recipes....just grab and toss it in a bowl. Make it, eat it, love it. Enjoy!

In Instagram speak, these are what I'd call wayyyyy latergrams. John and I were in San Antonio a couple weekends ago visiting his parents who flew into town, and it was quite possibly one of the most needed and relaxing staycations we've ever had. I mean, how often do you see a sloth live and in the flesh when wandering in the hotel lobby? And how often do you have the opportunity to accidentally be in town during the wonderfully colorful Fiesta? Rarely, friends....so we took full advantage and mosied about town while we waited for the in-laws to arrive via their private jet (jokes...but I bet they wished they did after their horrendous day of travel!). Just wanted to share a few snapshots because I think life is best lived with confetti in the streets, flowers decorating doorways, and streamers dancing along patios.

PS: This Kristen Bell moment takes the cake for all Slothtown, USA sightings.

PS #2: Those jeans that I have been living in since I got them? They are the Aiden by J Brand in Meadow. Total perfection. Get some.

April's showers had me thinking purely of flowers, which meant I hightailed it to HomeGoods to pick up several pots for our deck and began planting basil, rosemary, mint (anyone want a watermelon mojito?!), dill, parsley, lavender, red lantana, pink and white petunias, and a bunch of other flowers with names I'll never know.

A couple months ago, I went on another green bender. I bought a handful of house plants, and peppered them around the living room and kitchen. It wasn't long after until the leaves started to shrivel because yours truly used pots that didn't have a drain hole (d'oh!!!) and we experienced a Biblical plague of flies that infested the soil and, consequently, our house. It was then that my sweet and patient husband banned me from bringing in live plants from the house.

Since the great bug fiasco, I've mostly kept to my promise to keep the greenery in the casa artificial. However, our surviving snake plant was looking super lonely so I decided to sneak some cacti friends into the house to keep it company. I mean, it's pretty dang tough to kill a cactus, they are watered so infrequently that bugs are few and far between, and they are just so stinkin' adorable in their little DIY pots. Wouldn't these make a cute little housewarming gift set?

Here's how to make your own painted terracotta pots:

1. Pick up a variety of terracotta pots and spray paint them with a primer. Let thoroughly dry.
2. Spray on 1 - 2 layers of your base coat of color. Let thoroughly dry.
3. If you want to add designs like I did, use painters tape to form the design and tape off the rest of the space you don't want painted. Add your contrasting color, and let thoroughly dry. Note: the blue painter's tape is total crap, don't ever buy that junk....green Frog Tape is where it's at.
4. Spray on a layer of protective clear coat to make sure it won't chip off when you go to plant and water your plants.
5. Plant your succulents and cacti, and set them on tables or bookshelves. 

Tip: For doing the color block pots, you can pretty much only get a straight line going across the wider portion of the pot, so you'll have to apply the contrasting color to the top portion only. Just something to keep in mind when painting your base and contrast colors.