Welcome to my check in! I feel like at the end of the week I still have a lot to say and share, so I thought this would be the perfect place to do it. I’ll be sharing my random thoughts, what’s coming up, answering questions I’ve been getting, and sharing recent purchases, etc.

Musings

Choose your friends wisely, here’s why.

Recently I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how I edit my photos. I edit them in Photoshop and use Greater Than Gatsby actions.

Lately, I’ve been loving a more non-traditional suit, a blazer with shorts. I recently got this great set by BCBGeneration. You can get the blazer here and the shorts here.

This week Harry Josh Pro Tools turned 5 years old. Happy Birthday! I’ve been using this brand for a while now. They sent me this mini brush and it’s the perfect size to put in my travel bag.

Recommendations

Today we leave for the Hamptons an we’re bringing along this car seat iPhone mount for Sebastian.

If you’re a parent, I highly recommend picking up No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel.  Parenting is multi-faceted. This book provides some great perspective and offers some new strategies we may not have thought of before.

I love saving money and I’ve had a lot of success using the Digit app. I’ll continue to remind you because I think it’s a great way to put aside a few extra dollars for those splurge items without feeling guilty. There’s more about how we save money in this post.

What’s Coming Up

This week we launched our New York City Guide Series with the hotel guide. We’ll be following it up with posts on how to get around the city, what to see and do here in NYC, and a special summer feature on what to do with your kids in the city! Super excited to share this with you.

The last few weeks I’ve been getting a lot of questions about some of the things we recently picked up for Sebastian, like this booster chair, scooter, table, the list goes on. I’ll share everything on Saturday with my thoughts on each!

Prime Day starts Monday. I’ll be sharing some of the best deals from the sale right here on the blog.

Questions From Instagram

Do you let Sebastian watch TV? If yes, how much and for how long?

We do. It’s something we’ve always allowed in moderation. Throughout the day, he probably watches an hour a day. We use it strategically. For example, when I need him to sit still when he has a dirty diaper. Sebastian is not a fan of sitting still, so I let him watch his car show while I change him. We also allow him to watch TV while we shoot content. So if we need to shoot a project and we don’t have help, he watches his little show. When we travel, he’s also allowed to watch TV on flights and long car rides. For long car rides, we bring along this car seat iPhone mount for Sebastian. This is the one show in my latest Instagram Story. 

What’s the best way to break into Tech Sales?

Just ask. Jump on LinkedIn and start connecting with people you know and see how they’re connected to tech companies. Or simply ask people. Do you know any tech companies hiring? Ask that exact question. Let them answer and depending on the response, try and get an interview at the company. But you have to start with you being really aggressive by asking.

Do you and Matt share household chores (equally)?

Yes! We very much share the same view on chores and getting things done. We both do 50% of the work. At times, he’ll do more and I’ll pick up other places and visa versa. I have Matt’s amazing parents to thank for these traits. It’s interesting because it’s something we’ve never really talked about, it was just understood from the beginning of our relationship.

What did you study in college?

Everything. I’m kidding, but I was in school for a long time, six years to be exact.  I wanted to be a lawyer, specifically International Law. I have three bachelor degrees, one in Political Science, one in Spanish and one in Russian. In retrospect, I should have just studied Business and got my degree in four years. But it all worked out. I feel that’s what happens a lot. The degree(s) we get end up being irrelevant to what we end up doing in life.

Can we have a tour of your closet?

Yes! It’s coming soon!

Did you give up eating meat? I remember you said starting January?

I still eat fish. But… I’ve made a point not to eat beef, chicken or pork. In the winter, I make chicken noodle soup a few times, but for the most part, our entire family only eats fish in the meat category. I’ll save this discussion for another post!

How do you manage your days as a working mom with Sebastian around?

Planning. I’m a Sagittarius, so this is tough. Planning is agonizing but mandatory. Routines and schedules make me feel like I don’t have any room to move, but I’ve been working on getting more structure in my life. Not because the other way wasn’t good, but this new schedule has been really productive. We always know what we’re doing, what we’re eating, etc. The list goes on!

How often do you like to get your hair blown out?

Every two weeks in the summer. I don’t have central air, so it gets really hot in my bathroom and my hair becomes unmanageable. I’m not a huge fan of paying someone $45 to blowout my hair as it’s something I can do myself. But when it’s hot and I’m squeezed for time, I bite the bullet and go to Drybar.

What workout have you been using?

My at-home exercises. After I see more results, I want to share my thoughts on working out. I think to some degree we’ve all been a little brainwashed by the “fitness industry” that we have to do these insane workouts, take tons of supplements, only eat protein, the list goes on. Again, future blog post.

But till then, think of working out as the tortoise and the hare. You might remember the moral of that story. You are likely to see more success by doing things slowly and consistently rather than quickly and carelessly.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo, Olivia

Topshop Dress | Similar Styles Option 1  | Option 2 | Option 3 | Maternity | Plus

Illesteva Sunglasses | Similar Styles Option 1  | Option 2 | Option 3

Club Monaco Sandals | Similar Styles Option 1  | Option 2 | Option 3

Cult Gaia Bag | Similar Styles Option 1  | Option 2 | Option 3