this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

Happy August, y'all. This week, I'm focusing on reminding myself to be content with what I have and with my current season in life. Can I get real for a minute? All summer, friends and family members keep asking how the house hunt is going. It's painful to have to say... "it's still going" when in truth we have found a one-of-a-kind home but it is out of our price range. Several friends are mamas-to-be, and I have to remind myself that it's not my time yet. Teachers head back to school today, and there's a part of me that feels like I should be further along, more accomplished in my career. More, more, more.  I often forget that comparison is the thief of joy, until I realize that I've spent fifteen minutes or half an hour scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and feel worse instead of better. Two posts that really resonated with me this week were "The Traps" at The Inspired Room and "Of Elder-flowers and Jealousy" at Design for Mankind.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

SWOON.

• From 100 Layer Cake, a boho wedding's cool ceremony arch.
• A gorgeous interfaith wedding in NYC from Snippet and Ink.
• At Style Me Pretty, a graphic designer's beautiful wedding.
• How cute is this sprinkle-covered pink birthday cake?

SMILE.

• August desktops: Organised Housewife, Smashing, Flipsnack.
• Lunchbox love: Lisa Frank zebra cakes from Studio DIY.
• Girl Meets World's season finale will be a big BMW reunion!
• On my wishlist for fall: J. Crew's cute, colorful signet purse.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: The SC Aquarium, a date night LBD outfit, midsummer in IG, fave fictional pets.
• 2014: My August favorites.
• 2013: The things I can't live without and punchy wardrobe picks.
• 2012: Brazilian pork chops, a hearts of palm and avocado salad, an avocado-coconut milkshake, and an Olympics Ring tie-dyed shirt.
• 2011: Orange wardrobe and home inspiration, rustic and modern fall wedding ideas.

My November Essentials

What I'm loving this month...  (Disclaimer:  Amazon items contain an affiliate code)

Milky Way Caramel Apple Minis

Mr.Q and I sometimes joke about creating a "seasonal food blog" for all the weird treats that pop up around various holidays.  When I spotted these Caramel Apple miniature Milky Ways (my favorite candy bar), I knew we had to try it.  These things are delicious and not overly sweet or apple-y.

Emergen-C

When I was coming down with a sinus infection earlier this fall, my chiropractor (who is my go-to guy for all things medical) recommended that I get a cool mist humidier and some Emergen-C.  I didn't get sick, regained my energy, and didn't have to miss a single day of work!

Sarah Hearts calendar wallpaper
As a very forgetful person I need all the help I can get even just to remember what day it is, so I keep a calendar wallpaper on my work and home laptops.  I love this month's calendar wallpaper from Sarah Hearts - the navy and orange is autumnal and preppy.

Lia Sophia "Diary" earrings
Drop earrings are really on trend right now, and I love the filigree pattern and matte silver finish of these - they go with everything and are perfect for everyday or with dressier outfits.

Zoya "Odette" nail polish
I originally purchased this muted lilac polish for spring, but I love it for fall - it looks awesome with other jewel tones and with gold jewelry.

Payless "Copper" mocassins
Minnetonka moccasins are adorable but out of my budget right now, so when I saw these while shopping Payless for shoes to wear to a wedding, I had to try them on - and didn't want to take them off. These flats are so comfortable, and they were BOGO when I picked them up so I got my wedding shoes as well :)

Linking Up:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir
The Circle at In Its Time

My August Favorites

1. Popsicles - I love frozen treats and ice cream in the summer, but I'm also trying to stay healthy, so my solution this year has been to make my own.  One day, I had made a green smoothie and the recipe made 2 servings.  I put one in my glass and poured the rest into my ice pop mold - it worked great!  

2. Flamingos - At my college roommate's Alice in Wonderland themed bridal shower, these cute flamingos were hanging out around the fireplace and I thought they were so cute.  Last month the hot print was pineapples, but I've moved on to these guys.

3. "Word Crimes" - If you've been living under a rock, you may not have seen Weird Al's parody of "Blurred Lines," and you need to remedy that situation immediately.  As an English teacher, I love this so, so very much.



4. OPI nail polish in "Keeping Suzi at Bay" - My mother in law and I got pedicures together on vacation, and I think this is the longest time I've kept the same color on!  I love this navy shade -  it's a little out of my comfort zone for summer, but I've gotten tons of compliments.

5. Getting letters in the mail - Thanks to my friend Z for making my day recently - I'd almost forgotten how much I love snail mail.

6. Google Smarty Pins Game - I love whatever developer at Google got the bright idea to turn Google Maps into a geography trivia game.  In this game, the goal is to drop a pin in the most precise location possible to answer a trivia question.  You lose miles based on how far away incorrect answers are, and the game ends when you run out of miles.

7. My kettlebell - I've been doing yoga and dance and wanted to add some strength-building activities to my routine, so I dusted off my old kettlebell.  There are tons of kettlebell workouts online and I feel like I get more out of swinging the kettlebell than lifting individual barbells.

8. Chia seed pudding - I decided to see what the chia seed fuss was all about when I saw this recipe on the FitSugar flat-belly challenge.  I love breakfasts that can be prepped the night before, and it was cool to see what was a weird soup the night before become a solid pudding.  I used coconut-almond milk and topped my pudding with diced peaches and slivered almonds, and the recipe above made two servings.

9. Lemon water - Another Internet tip I've been trying is drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning.  In theory, it balances the body's pH level and helps flush toxins.  I'm not sure if it's actually having an effect but it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for myself.  I also made a pitcher of detox water with cucumber, lemon, and mint and having a little flavor helps me drink more H2O during the day.  I've almost broken my soda habit!