Happy July, friends! I seriously cannot believe that the 4th of July is this week. It’s hands-down one of my favorite days of the year, both a celebration of a country that I love and a sort of kick off for the rest of summer. We get together with family in the morning, ride bikes to the Huntington Beach parade, then head to Newport to round out the day with friends, fireworks, and BBQ. It’s a day of traditions that I look forward to every year. And it’s THIS WEEK, EEEK!
So today I’m sharing a couple of easy peasy, relaxed and casual July 4th looks in case you need a little last-minute red, white, and blue. Y’all, these shorts are under $10, and I’m obsessed with the fit. (I went up two sizes from my normal skinny jean size.) . I’ve now ordered a backup pair and have been wearing them nonstop. Dress them up with a boho blouse and wedges (below) or dress them down with a $10 striped tee and sneakers (above). Here’s hoping everyone has a great week ahead!
Remember this post wayyyyy back in April of 2018 where I shared a bunch of before and after photos of our home remodel? Well around that time we had just finished a pretty big overhaul of the backyard, and I intended to share it sometime last summer, just as soon as I found new patio furniture. Fast forward to now, and we’ve JUST created an outdoor space that we love in the backyard.
Although we don’t have many “before” photos of the backyard, if you scroll below, you can get a little feel for what we were working with. It was overgrown (to say the least), had concrete poured in some strange “figure 8” pattern, and had dirt instead of grass. It definitely wasn’t a place that we wanted to hang out or relax, but now, we are loving this space thanks to a few key changes.
Podocarpus Trees – Definitely one of the best things that we did in the backyard was lining all of the block walls with Podocarpus Trees. We had them planted pretty close together, and after a couple of seasons, they had grown SO well. They’re regularly trimmed as a living wall, and it provides so much privacy, noise protection, additional shade, and overall peace in the space.
Jacuzzi – This, by far, is one of our favorite features of our entire home remodel. We use the jacuzzi ALL of the time, and we designed it pretty big so that it doubles as a small pool in the summertime. (It even fits a full-sized float or two.) We went with a natural stone exterior, a soothing waterfall feature, and two functioning coolers on the sides that are so handy for outdoor parties. When we aren’t in the jacuzzi, we most likely have the waterfall feature on with the French doors in the kitchen open so that we can hear the sound of water throughout the house.
Fruit Trees – In addition to the Podocarpus Trees, we also planted avocado, Valencia orange, and Meyer lemon trees. They don’t produce a ton of fruit yet, but it’s always nice when we can just grab an orange or lemon or avocado from the backyard.
Actual Grass – Here’s a shocker – planting grass was a significant change to the dirt patches we had before. To the left side of the jacuzzi, there’s a strip of grass where the dogs can run and chase birds to their hearts’ desire. And yes, we unfortunately have burn patches in the grass ALL the time because, well, dogs.
Built-In BBQ – The built-in BBQ and bar area has been so nice to have for grilling out or even just for putting out food and drinks during parties. We made the bar pretty big, so there’s a ton of counter space for entertaining. Originally I wanted to put barstools around it, but for now it’s kind of become a standing room bar. We’ll see, the jury is still out on that one.
New Patio Furniture – Last but certainly not least, our new patio furniture is what helped tie the entire space together. I don’t know if you guys have looked into outdoor furniture lately, but it can be crazy expensive, so I was so excited to find these two sets that I love at Walmart. On any given weekend you can find me lounging on this couch or hanging in one of the rocking chairs – every piece is SO comfortable, and the quality really can’t be beat. (Clearly, it’s pup-approved too.)
A year or so ago when we first finished our home remodel and finally had a nice bathtub (that I 100% love), I had a little Sunday spa ritual that always helped round out the weekend in the best way. I would do ALL of the skin treatments and take a hot bath with a mask on my face and a magazine in my hands. Over the past few months I’ve gotten away from my Sunday spa nights a bit, and my skin has certainly missed the masks.
I’m sure we all know how much a good mask can leave skin feeling clean and refreshed, but they can also leave you with a big mess. Until now. Recently I’ve been trying out these new Olay Clay Stick Masks from WalMart, and I have to say, they’re as easy to use as they look. Just rub the sticks over your entire face or targeted problem areas, let it sit for a few minutes, and remove with warm water or a wet washcloth.
There are three different formulas – Glow Boost White Charcoal, Pore Detox Black Charcoal, and Fresh Reset Pink Mineral Complex – and each stick costs just under $10. I’d put these little magic wands up against any of my favorite face masks of the past, and I’ve been loving the results. The masks dry with a slightly “tightening” feeling that I love, and after removing them, my skin feels firmer, my pores look smaller, and my face has an overall squeaky clean feeling…without the whole mask mess.
With the holidays fast-approaching, I’m thinking it’s time to get back to my Sunday night spa ritual, but I’ll be replacing my old masks with these Clay Stick Masks from Olay.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
Y’all, remember this tiny little puppy from just about three months ago? Or remember this little cutie pie face? Well, girlfriend has been doing some growing, and these days she’s a bit more like a baby deer than the fragile little puppy you saw before. And, you guys, I’m happy to report that little Louise is no longer making me a total crazy person. Big victories, over here.
Luckily the potty training phase did not last long, and shortly after she arrived, she was all good in that department. Hallelujah! She’s also much more independent these days, and while she still follows me around from room to room like a shadow, she’s perfectly fine to spend some time outside (laying in the sun or chasing crickets around) while I actually get some work done.
She’s still sleeping through the night, every night, and we’ve now learned that, similar to her mama, Weeze does NOT like early mornings. Every morning we let her up to our room around 6:30 am. She burrows herself under the covers and will stay there until 10:30 am or so if you let her. It’s pretty glorious and gives me a few hours of uninterrupted working time every morning. And when she’s up, it’s time for a LONG walk to get out some of that puppy energy.
When it comes to her food, there’s been a bit of an adjustment period. The breeder originally dropped her off with a brand of puppy food that I soon realized was no longer carried in any of our local stores or online. Sooo that was a bummer. We had to transition her to a different puppy food (made a bit easier by mixing the two together), and when she was ready for adult dog food, we landed on this Grain-Free Chicken recipe from Nature’s Recipe. We like that it contains no corn, soy, or wheat, as well as artificial flavors, and no poultry by-product. Every Nature’s Recipe product is made with ingredients from nature so Weeze girl feels her most vibrant self, each and everyday!
Previously Nature’s Recipe was only available at specialty stores, but now, I can find it at Walmart which is so close to our house. (Lucky for me because somehow I never notice when we are almost out of Louise’s food.) It’s great to know that I can easily grab a bag while I do my shopping at Walmart for an affordable price!
I’ve had so many questions and Instagram messages about her breed, and four months in (we got her around 8 weeks), I couldn’t recommend Vizslas more. She’s a high-energy speed-demon at times, but overall Weeze is a big sweetheart who loves people and other dogs. (When other neighborhood dogs bark at her, she cries.) Plus, how can you say no to a face like that?
Looking for a new pair of skinnies to add to your wardrobe this season? How about a pair that’s under $20? Seriously. I recently scored these Simply Stretch Modern Skinny jeans that are part of the Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ collection at Walmart, and they’re a total steal. (And with the holidays, like, here, couldn’t we all use a good deal right now?) They fit like a glove (I sized down one size) and are SO comfortable for all-day or night wear. They’re made of premium, super-stretchy “Simply Stretch” denim and somehow manage to keep their shape all day. (No saggy jeans here.) They’re available in regular, long, and short sizes and come in four classic washes. I’m thinking that a clean, black pair is next on my list because at this price, why stop at just one pair? Well, besides the fact that I have absolutely zero space for new jeans in my closet currently, but that’s fine. Out with the old and in with the new just in time for all of those holiday commitments that you forgot you made. And hey, if you have to attend your Aunt Margaret’s annual ugly sweater party, you might as well show up in a fresh pair of skinnies, right?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ through their partnership with Redbook, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make My Style Dairies possible.
Hip, hip, hooray for Friday! This week was beyond busy, and I spent most of it up in LA filming a couple of holiday videos with my favorite retailer. (Can’t wait to share with you guys!) Shooting wrapped just in time for me to make it home for my birthday yesterday, and I had the best day. Before leaving LA, I hit the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale, and it was crazy good. Seriously, if you’re in LA, GO. Don’t walk, run. (Details below.) I scored an amazing leather jacket for myself and a few bags for Christmas gifts. The leather jacket accompanied me to dinner last night at Bayside with my main squeeze, and the food was delicious. We rounded out the night with a fire in the fireplace and wine in hand. Thanks so much for all the birthday love yesterday! Now the weekend is here, and I can think of nothing better than a cozy cardigan and even cozier boots and doing nothing at home. Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend!
Pistola denim shorts; Time and Tru striped tee; Johnston & Murphy sneakers; Saint Laurent handbag; Ray-Ban sunglasses; Gorjana necklace
Pistola denim shorts; Aqua top (old); Time and Tru wedges; straw handbag; Gorjana necklace; Ray-Ban sunglasses
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
