Friday Five | 7.1.16
Happy Friday babes! I have been trying so many different things lately and have had my eye on different items as well, I wanted to do a Friday Five! Keep reading below to see everything from the top 5 places I'm dying to travel to, 5 designer handbag dupes, 5 weekend sales and much more! I hope you all have a fantastic Fourth of July weekend, I'm soo ready for a long weekend even though I'll need to start packing because we leave for another trip in a week! So excited!! Have a great Friday, keep up with me via Instagram(@aubrey.asplen.alley) and Snapchat (aubreyasplen24) over the weekend! Not sure what we'll be doing all weekend long, but we are going to our friends beach condo Monday! Can't wait!
During the summer months I always feel a little more inspired to be healthy and take up better lifestyle habits! I have five specifically that I have been incorporating into my life and I want to share them with you all :)
1. Green Smoothies every morning- Justin and I have been drinking these every single morning. I am a HUGE breakfast person, like I could wake up and eat a large dinner for breakfast- no joke, but I really wanted to start beginning my day with a little healthier and lighter meal to get the morning going. We blend a couple handfuls of spinach, a couple scoops of greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries (sometimes pineapple or banana) and then ice! Super easy, so good and very filling!
2. Deep Conditioning my hair- I have been deep conditioning my hair about once a week and I have really noticed a difference! During the summer my hair gets really long and dry at the ends and deep conditioning has helped! I use a combination of either this mask and this oil or this mask and this oil- I like to mix it up! Most hair masks say leave in for about 10 min, however, I leave it in for at least an hour and sometimes even overnight!3. Pure Barre- You've probably seen me mentioning this workout on snapchat. My girl friend invited me to Pure Barre last week and I've always wanted to try it so I decided to go....I'm obsessed. It is probably one of the hardest workouts I've done (and yes, I played a D1 sport in college and still think that!) but it is so satisfying once the class is done. The moves go to the tempo of the music, the instructors are so encouraging and the other ladies that go are so nice! It's very motivating and that's why I've already gone to 6 classes in the last week!4. Devotionals- I have been trying really hard to make my devotionals every morning a priority. Often I would be good for a week and then get busy and fade off and then not even doing them at all and now I am making it a priority to invest in starting my morning off with God and let me tell you, it's been awesome! It sets an intention for the day and I will often think back to what my devotional said that morning. I feel like my relationship with God gets stronger everyday by making time for Him every morning! For those wondering, THIS is the devotional I am currently reading- I would love to know some more suggestions!5.Making Time- This has been a struggle of mine for a while and I will be the first to admit I am soo bad at constantly checking my phone or working while with loved ones. Justin will be telling me a story and I have to have him repeat it because I was too engaged in my own situation. Lately, I've been trying really hard to put away my phone and computer at a certain time every night, put down my phone and truly listen to what someone is talking to me about and just being more present in the moment. It is SO easy to get caught up in work, social media, etc in this generation and I've consciously made the decision that it's not going to take over my life and that what's going on around me is way more important. That being said- if I don't answer an email or respond on Instagram right away- don't take it personally, I promise I will get back to you when the moment presents itself!
I was browsing Marshall's and Nordstrom the other day and realized that a lot of affordable purses look exactly like some top designer bags! I thought I would round up 5 of my faves right now!
1. Saint Laurent Grained Leather Shoulder Bag
2. Chloe 'Drew' Leather Crossbody Bag
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I love a good summer date night! Anywhere outside is one of my favorite places to be, so the summertime and myself get along very well! I love going on long walks, bikerides, to the beach, through a trail, eating outside, you name it if there's fresh air, I'm there! During the summer, Justin and I like to incorporate outdoorsy places into our datenights. We normally take Roscoe to the beach and let him play in the water- last week Justin had him surfing on the surf board! People were asking us how long Roscoe has been surfing and we said well, this is his first time! hahaha! Below I have listed a few fun dates we like to do this time of year- we're going on a date tonight... I wonder what we'll do!
1.Go on a Picnic! Make some sandwhiches, pack some fruit and veggies, bring some cookies and a bottle of wine and take it out to the beach, the lake, a park, etc... How stinkin adorable is THIS picnic basket (on sale!) or THIS picnic cooler to keep everything cold! I also love THIS blanket and THIS one, especially for the beach!
2. Go to Home Depot and find a project- this is something Justin and I love to do. We will take a quick trip to Home Depot or Lowes and pick up some items for a little house project that night. It gets us out of the house and we get to spend time together and be creative while amping up our home! We recently strung some lights around our patio and it's made all the difference
it's so dreamy and we love eating outside on the weekends! Click on the image to the right for a full tutorial [image via likeasaturday.com] ! *Sidenote, we used metal poles instead of wood stakes and they seem to be the best option.
3. Make gourmet home made pizzas and watch a good movie. This is one of our faves to do as well! We get really good pita bread or naan and get some yummy mozzarella and goat cheese from the deli as well as some other gourmet toppings and make our own pizzas! It's so delicious and can often be healthier than just ordering take out from a pizza place!
4. Go to a state park and explore. Exploring a state park is a great day date! Pack up the bikes or opt for just a little hike, but exploring with your SO is one of the most fun things to do! Maybe you'll even find a cute local spot for lunch!
5. Dress up and dine on a rooftop bar! When you are married or in a long term relationship, things can often get very routine and sometimes you need to remind yourselves to have a special night. Dressing up and finding a cool restaurant downtown or a rooftop bar for appetizers and a glass of champagne can be really fun and different than the daily routine of your life!
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1.Mykonos and Santorini, Greece (preferably by boat between the two :) ) I have been dyingggg to go to Greece, it has been on my bucket list for so long. It looks like the most beautiful place and I'm hoping to get there one day!2. Johannesburg, South Africa. I would absolutely love to go on a safari in South Africa and I have heard that Johannesburg is a beautiful place to vist!3. Havana, Cuba. Havana looks so colorful and fun! I think it would for sure be a place I would love to explore!4. Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam to me seems so serene. I have a few friends who have traveled there and their pictures of all the scenery and the flowers and water and buildings look amazing. Oh and it's very common to ride bikes, that's my kind of place.5. Tunis, Tunisia. My great grandmother was born and raised there. She speaks English, but mainly French. I would love to see where she grew up and explore her culture- it looks incredibly beautiful in Tunis, I'm hoping to see for myself one day!
1.Banana Republic // Extra 50% off sale through July 7th[show_shopthepost_widget id="1734348"]
2. J. Crew // 40% off summer styles + 40% -60% off sale with code COOLSTYLES through July 5th[show_shopthepost_widget id="1734383"]
3. Kate Spade // Up to 50% off plus + extra 30% off all sale with code SUNSHINE[show_shopthepost_widget id="1734452"]
4. H & M // $4 deals including tops & dresses through July 4th
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5. Nordstrom // Anniversary sale starting early access July 14th
