2023 Reading Recap | Book Explorer Vol. 13

I started this year setting myself the goal to fall back in love with reading. With 25 books and over 10,000 pages read, I can confidently say that I have accomplished that goal. Finding joy in reading has been like finding myself again. All of 2023 has been fighting so much for that feeling. With […]

One Year In: Our Experience Adopting a Rescue Dog

Almost exactly one year ago, we brought home our second dog, Maisie, for the first time. We thought it would be cake. We had a rough time with Levi, but we had one under our belt, how hard could a second dog be? Turns out, it’s actually very very hard! But it’s so worth it, […]

Fall Bucket List

I know fall doesn’t officially start for another few weeks, and it’s still consistently 80* in Jersey, but the fall ~mood~ has arrived for me in full force! Summer is always so busy with work, so fall is a time when I can actually slow down, relax, and enjoy things again. Last year I feel […]

Finding the Best Budget Curtains

We’re going on four years in this house, which means one more year for curtain decisions to put the bounds of our relationship to the test. Our first set of curtains were basic ones my mom bought and hung after we lived curtainless for months. They’re simple, short, blue curtains. Now that our third winter […]

My Experience with IV Drip Therapy

Black and white bandaid from Well Hydration in the cook of woman's elbow after IV hydration appointment

With my recent chronic illness diagnoses, I’m working on taking my health more seriously. Almost every time I travel, I end up getting sick, no matter what. I’ve traveled masked and unmasked, by car, by train, and by plane, for work and for leisure. I always end up sick. Sometimes it’s just the sniffles, sometimes […]

Kicking off the Fall Reads | Book Explorer Vol. 12

I’m so so sorry to tell you all, I’m one of those obnoxious fall people. September 1st hits, and it’s jeans and sweaters. I’ll wait a couple of weeks before cracking out the pumpkins and all, but just trust that I’m already planning my Thanksgiving menu. I wanted to get through my last two summer […]

How I’m Recovering After a Week of Work Travel

Coming to you live from my flight home from Dallas, TX after a week of early mornings, busy days, and late nights. Work travel is always fun, and it was so good to see my coworkers and reconnect with people, but I’m so happy to be almost home. I’m taking the next week to listen […]

How I’m Reading More Books Than Ever

Growing up, I read like crazy. I could not be stopped, whole books in a day. Now, I’m not exactly as speedy, but the drive to read everything is still there. Just check my massive list of current reads on Storygraph. I’m not topping out at multiple hundreds of books per year like some booktokkers […]

Reading Goals and New Favorites | Book Explorer Vol. 10

Woman's hand holding a Kindle ereader with the cover of The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand while a dog sits on a couch in the background looking out the window

I made it my mission for 2023 to get myself back in touch with the things that bring me joy, and nothing made me happier than reading. It’s been an upward battle, and then my health struggles and unending brain fog throughout 2022 made reading tough. In 2023 though, I double down with fun, new, […]

Journal #1 Where I’ve Been + Life Changes

I feel like every year I come on here, write a Where I’ve Been, pop out a few posts, and then retire again. I view this blog less in the modern influencer sense, but more in the early 2000’s style, journaling into the ether to find an online community where I feel my real-life one […]