July Recap – Adventures, Outfits & More + Nordstrom Giveaway!

I can’t believe July is almost over and we are 4.5 months into this new COVID era. It’s been a wild ride and while, to be honest, a lot of things are still pretty  crappy right now there is also a lot of positive change happening in the world and I feel like I have a lot to be grateful for – including what a wonderful month July was! Here’s a little “July 2020 recap” for you – sharing everything from what adventures I had, what I bought (*too many clothes* LOL), and what shows Alex and I watched this month. Hopefully you find some things in here that you want to try out!

Also, be sure to  read to the end of this post because I’ve teamed up with some of my blogger friends to do a:
$1000 Nordstrom Gift Card Giveaway! Just in time to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!

FYI I have a post on “How to Prepare for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale” that you should check out! I’ll also be updating my blog with NSale content under this Nordstrom Anniversary Sale header. It will be shown in my header of my blog for the duration of the sale so check it periodically for updates!

What I Bought:

• Rattan Espadrille Sneakers
• Pistachio Blazer & Matching Pants
• Pastel checkered Boyfriend Blazer (size down 1 size, it runs big!)
• Comfy Tank Top & Shorts Pajama Set
• New Foundation – and it is AMAZING. It covers like my Estee Lauder Double Wear, but is under $15
• Rosy Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette (I love this brand – great pigment and well priced!)
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg Face Mask – I just ordered this and cannot wait for it to arrive!
• Pampas Grass  – my new favorite piece of home decor!
• Tie-Dye Victoria Emerson Bracelet – I can’t stop buying these bracelets, they’re too cute. They always release new patterns that are too beautiful to pass up!

What I Did For Myself (Self Care):

• Hopped in a bubble bath with a glass of wine and listened to the whole ‘folklore’ album the night it was released!
• Therapy via Zoom! If you haven’t read my post on Why Everyone Should Go to Therapy, check it out! This past month I had two therapy sessions (via Zoom since #COVID) and I always feel proud of myself for taking the time to do that.
• FINALLY – I’m talking after a YEAR of it being out – watched the new season of Veronica Mars. Veronica Mars is one of those shows that formed who I am as a person (it sounds crazy, but I swear it’s true). Talking enough time to myself to sit and appreciate the new season is something I have been trying to do for a year, so this was a huge win for me.

Where I Went:

• Banff & Lake Louise!! – Check out my instagram for pics & more about this amazing road trip. Or check out this blog post on The Best Views and Short Hikes in Banff & Lake Louise.
• Kelowna, BC. – Alex and I spent two days in wine country doing wine tours (they’re very safe and socially distanced – the precautions the wineries have taken are great) and it was such a blast.

What I Watched (TV & Movies):

• Veronica Mars, Season 4
• Chernobyl – This is one of the most insanely well done pieces of TV I have ever seen. The last 5 minutes of the final episode shook me to my core. I can’t recommend it enough!
• For All Mankind – Alex and I are three episodes into this, and it’s really interesting! It’s a revisionist history show based in the 1960’s in which the USSR beats the US to the moon and then aftermath that comes from that. Some of the episodes are better than others, but I’d give this a solid 3/5 stars.
• Good Girls – I’m catching up on the latest season. Such a great show!

Recipes We Tried:

• Healthy Raw Cookie Dough – I am OBSESSED with this recipe
• Watermelon ‘Fries’ with Coconut Lime Dip – this spicy and sweet treat is soooo good.
• Bass Packets with Tomato, Corn, Chickpeas and Olives – This has become one of our staple dinner recipes. We use cod instead of bass and add more olives and less corn and it is so freaking delicious.
• Vegan Ricotta Zucchini Lasagna – This is my new favorite dinner! It’s vegan, packed with protein and so light and healthy. I’ve made my own recipe combining tips from a bunch of other recipes, and I’ll try to share it on the blog in the next couple of weeks!

Favorite Blog Posts on LLB:

• Summer Home Decor – Inspiration by Room – My home decor obsession is going strong so I am just loving creating this seasonal home decor posts.
• Relationship Q&A – I’m a sap, but having Alex on here co-writing a post with me was so much fun.

Favorite Blog Posts I Read:

• Flying During the Coronavirus Essentials – Louella Reese – I think this is a really important post and one everyone should check out before they fly. Obviously we’re all trying our best not to travel right now, but some travel is likely inevitable for many of us (Alex & I are flying back to Ontario to stay with my family for 2 weeks). This has some great advice for what to pack if you are having to fly right now in order to protect yourself (and others) and make the flight as enjoyable as possible.
• 6 Career Steps to Take When You Loose Your Job – Whit Wanders – Whit bravely shared her experience of being let go from her job due to cutbacks brought on by COVID. In this post she talks about to do if this happens to you. I know so many people are in this boat, so I think this is a great read!
• How to Practice Mindful Self-Care During Tough Times – Style Domination – Dominique shared this awesome post full of great tools for taking care of yourself in these crazy times we are living in. Worth a read!
• Pregnancy Q&A – Southern Curls and Pearls – I am BEYOND excited that the lovely Caitlin Covington is pregnant! She is one of the first fashion bloggers I ever followed and feel like I’ve been on her life journey along with her. So happy for her and this post is really open and honest, which I love!

Plans & Goals For August 2020:

• Visit my family in Ontario! – I cannot wait to see my family. I haven’t seen my parents in 9 months and I haven’t seen some of my nieces & nephews in a YEAR. During non-COVID times I visit them at least once every 2 months so this has been really hard on me. I can’t wait to see their sweet little faces.
• Take more time for Self-Care! – I have a goal of either meditating or stretching/doing yoga for 15 minutes every day.
• Beauty Care! – Again, during non-COVID times I usually get my nails and hair done and get botox every 3 – 4 months ( you can read my post on FAQ’s about Botox). I haven’t been doing these things the past 5 months and  in August I am getting my nails done, hair done and my Botox! I am so excited about it lol.
• Attend Austin’s Wedding! My friend (and photographer!) Austin is getting married August 29th. I couldn’t be happier for her!
• Law Practice Work –  I am currently working a big murder appeal case and I have some goals on what steps I want to complete by the end of August.
• Blogging Work – I’ve set some mini-goals for myself including:
  – hitting 6k followers in the LTK app by the end of August (come follow me in the free LiketoKnow.it app!)
  – securing 1 new sponsored instagram post and 1 new sponsored blog post
  – providing more content based on what YOU request (I’ll be doing more frequent polling on instagram stories)

Ready to shop this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? We’ve got you covered!
I’ve teamed up with a group of bloggers to give TWO winners
a chance to win a $500 Nordstrom Gift Card!

To enter: complete the steps in the rafflecopter below. The more steps you complete,
the more entries you receive, and the better your chance at winning!
This giveaway runs until Sunday, August 9th at 12am EST

Winner will be announced on the widget below. Good Luck!
*this giveaway is in no way sponsored by Nordstrom.

a Rafflecopter giveaway