fitness. motherhood. life & style.

Week of Sales

Here I will be sharing and updating all of the Black Friday sales from my favorite retailers throughout the week. I won't be updating on Thanksgiving since that is a time for family! Hope this guide helps!

Abercrombie - 50% off entire store and free shipping

Aerie/American Eagle - 40% off and free shipping, 50% off all sweaters and sweatshirts

Amazon - lots of good Cyber Monday deals all on the home page, including an Echo Dot for $22

Anthropologie - love this site, hardly shop here because of prices so 30% off today is a good deal! I love their home items. 50% off sale, free shipping over $100

Express - 50% off everything and free shipping, my favorite jeans are here and I only buy them on sale!! They fit all body types.

H&M - 30% and free shipping (the sweater I wore for Thanksgiving is included in this, good legging sweater and so soft)

J. Crew - right now it is 50% off with code MONDAY, including sale items (this is a good time to buy a nice coat)

J. Crew Factory - has 60% off everything, you can get another version of my favorite coat for $100!! Normally almost $300. Get an extra 10% off with code SOAMAZING

Mia Karson Shop - I will be having 10% off site wide, and tons of new items up starting Saturday for Small Business Saturday no code needed :) ends Monday night

Nordstrom - they have sales on various good items like some Sam Edelman boots, Tory Burch bags, etc. It's easy to search the sale and I will link some items in my Like to Know It app.

Nordstrom Rack - they have various flash sales listed on the home page and they have a "spend and get" event going, spend $100 and get $20, spend $150 get $30, spend $250 get $75

Old Navy - 50% off everything

Peloton - if you have been wanting the bike they have a deal for all accessories with bike purchase, you can use my code JS2FMJ

Pottery Barn - 25% off everything and free shipping with code CYBER, 30-50% off slippers, 50% off throws, etc. all deals listed on the home page

Rebecca Minkoff - 25% off of $100 with code THANKS25 this includes sale which takes a lot of those bags under $100 or 30% off of $250 with code THANKS30, THANKS35 gets you $35 off of $300 and THANKS40 gets you $40 off $350

Sephora - lots of gifts under $15 here or they have 50% off some items like the Urban Decay Naked2 and Naked3 palettes which NEVER go on sale and are probably some of the best, most universal eye shadow palettes. My bloom palette is back on sale and half off!!

Sole Society - 40% off site wide! I just ordered the travel bag linked here and it is VERY nice quality. I kept waiting for a sale!

Spanx - their leggings are 20% and I do love mine but would only buy them on sale, they hold you in well and can be dressed up or down

Target - they have a lot of deals right now that are easy to see on the home page, way better than Black Friday in my opinion!!

Tory Burch - 30% off $250 with code THANKS and they released a new crossbody just for today

Ulta - $10 off $50 with code CYBERMON19

Victoria Emerson - 50% off all collections!!

Walmart - they are doing the same thing as Target with all the deals on the home page. Again, a good spot for deals on toys, kitchen, electronics.

If there is a store you'd like to see just message me, I'm only sharing deals that I feel are really worth it. I may add a few more through the weekend.


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Green Bean Casserole & Apple Pie Recipes

This year I am also going to attempt these two recipes. I searched for the perfect ones so I will have to update later on how they turned out. Sharing what I picked below.

For the green bean casserole I wanted something very tasty and made from scratch. I found a lot of easy recipes but I didn't want an easy one. Linked here.

For the Apple Pie recipe I am going to do an Apple Crisp Pie. First I will use my homemade pie crust, linked here. Then I will use this recipe for the apple crisp- linked here.

Can't wait for Thanksgiving!!
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The BEST Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Thanksgiving is right around the corner so I'm sharing my favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe. I can't take  credit for this one but I have made it for several years and it is the best Pumpkin Pie I have ever had.

First off I make the pie crust from scratch. It's very easy to double this recipe and make two pies, etc. etc.

Pie crust recipe here.

Then I make the filling and I do use canned pumpkin, but this filling is sooooo good. It is seasoned perfectly. This makes plenty of filling and I usually have a little left over.

Pie filling recipe here.

Both recipes are very easy to follow and have never failed me!

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Peloton Review

Recently I've had a lot of questions on my Peloton so I figured I would round up my answers in a blog post! I figured now is a good time to share since they just started their holiday sale where you buy the bike and get the accessory pack for free.

The biggest question is obviously if it is worth it. For me, it was 100% worth it. When I bought my Peloton, it was just Mia and I and I had a hard time working, raising her, and going to the gym. The gym just became stressful because I was trying to get in and out so quickly. When I was able to work out from home I enjoyed it again and it made it so much easier to work out quickly or do a longer workout while Mia was asleep. This also meant more time with her. I love that not only do I have my bike but I have a ton of classes for weight training, yoga, etc. Now if you are the type of person who can't stick to something, I would not recommend the Peloton. It is an investment and you don't want it to be collecting dust.

Pricing wise, the Peloton can be paid in full or you can do monthly no interest payments. The classes are around $40/month on top of your Peloton payments if you do it that way. You don't have to buy the classes, you can just get on and ride the Peloton. I purchased my bike after Black Friday (holiday season) and they had the deal on buying one and basically getting a mat, shoes, headphones, weights, and heart rate monitor for free (going on right now).

Do you need just Peloton accessories? No you don't! You just need shoes that clip in and light weights that fit on the weight racks (behind the seat) for the arm workouts on the bike. The intervals and arms classes do not need heavy weights, they are the type of classes where you burn out your arms so 3lbs was all I needed and that's the heaviest Peloton offers.

Some other Peloton perks are that they have people come and set it up for you and give you the run down on how to take care of it. You can easily find how to adjust your bike for your body and they have a lot of beginner classes as well that discuss form. The classes are SO motivating and so good. I have not taken a class that I did not like. They have meditation, yoga, running, strength, spin, etc. I have the app on my phone so that I can do the strength, yoga, etc. on the floor. You will want good wifi for the classes on the bike tablet. I haven't had any glitches with the bike or tablet and my shoes are still in good condition as well. The bike is very well made (as it should be) and easy to use. The tablet updates frequently and hasn't give me any trouble. The maintenance on the bike is simple as well and you can easily move the bike (should still have someone help you with this).

I use to think that working out at home would be un-motivating but the fact that I can get a workout done from home quickly and sometimes in my pajamas, is actually very motivating. They also have monthly and seasonal challenges that you can sign up for to keep you motivated. Other riders can see you if they're in the same class with you and they motivate you as well. If your friends have bikes you can add them to your Peloton friend list and motivate each other or see what classes they've taken so you can try them too. They have live rides and sometimes the instructors will shout you out if you've hit a big mile marker like 100 rides. You also get a shirt for hitting that century ride, how fun! They have theme rides and holiday rides and BACKSTREET BOY RIDES, it's all good stuff- trust me.

Hope this helps you weigh your options!


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Chicago Travel Guide

I oddly love these kind of pictures when I travel

We absolutely loved our trip to Chicago! I couldn't wait to get back and share a blog post on this vacation. Chicago is like New York with more space and lots of hidden gems to visit. I'm sharing a few of our favorite parts of this trip below if you ever plan on visiting. Most pictures are unfiltered so you can see Chicago in all its glory!




First off- the River Architecture tour. This tour takes you through the Chicago River via boat and talks about he history of Chicago. It was really interesting, had amazing views, and the boat had a bar (vacation plus). We booked through toursandboats.com and our tour guide was awesome.


Second- I'm pretty sure I had the best Truffle Gnocchi in my entire life at Siena Tavern. This is a nice Italian restaurant on West Kinzie St. if you're looking for a nice dinner in a dark, classy environment. That Gnocchi is on my list of about five meals that I will never forget about.



We stayed at the St. Jane hotel and because we booked early, the price wasn't bad for one room split three ways. It's a nice, boutique hotel that was close to some fun bars, restaurants, breakfast spots, the lake, and Millennium park. I would 10/10 stay here again.





Millennium park is obviously a must see, it's beautiful even in the fall and has the famous Bean. The Bean wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be but it's still cool to check that off the bucket list.




One morning we ran from our hotel through Millennium park and onto the trail along the Michigan Lake which was beautiful. The lake and parks in this area are a must see!


Stan's donuts was right by our hotel as was Garrets popcorn. You need a pretzel bagel and Chicago mix popcorn in your life! Trust me!



One day we had lunch on the river at Beatnik on the River and it was one of the cutest restaurants I've ever been in! It was filled with plants and global vibes. The food was awesome and different with things on the menu like the delicious Baba Ghanoush. There are lots of neat restaurants on the river that were still nice in the fall but would be ever more amazing in the summer.


Last but not least, you have to visit the top of the Sears (now Willis) Tower. It's like a $22 ticket and you can stand in the Sky Deck which is a clear box hanging off the side of the 103rd floor. It's scary, touristy, but awesome!! This tourist attraction did not disappoint.

I'm sure there are a million more awesome parts to Chicago but these were the best parts of our three day trip. Bookmark this for a future trip! I loved this city.



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Gifts for the In Laws

My first gift guide of the season is here! I'm trying to venture away from your basic gift guides that you can find pretty much anywhere. I'm kicking off the gift guide season with a gift guide for your in laws. A very important gift, if you ask me!

I absolutely love this rustic cheese board/cutting board that can be personalized. It's a very nice, affordable, and thoughtful gift for anyone who likes to entertain. Add cheeses, crackers, etc. to make it a full gift basket.



Of course I had to include one of my own products here. A personalized or holiday doormat is also a fun/affordable option for an in law(s) who likes to decorate.



If your in laws enjoy coffee, these mugs are personalized and very unique! Pottery Barn has my favorite mugs and they frequently go on sale. You can either do a set with their last name initial or a set with their first name initials. Throw in some coffee to make this a cute gift set.



I had to throw in some ideas for the more practical person. These are a few of my favorite kitchen gadgets! Make sure to get them something they will use (if they're not a wine drinker don't get them the wine bottle opener, obviously) but I approve of all these items. You can also make a little gift basket out of it with food or other small gadgets.



If your in laws enjoy cocktails, I love this personalized bar set. It's a little on the pricey side but it's very unique! You can add in a drink recipe book so they can get to mixing!




Everyone loves a good robe, slippers, and coffee mug. This is another sweet, gift option that can be made into a gift basket.




Lastly, I always think it would be great to treat any in law to a spay day or date night on you. Sometimes people don't like "things" they instead prefer thoughtful activities or a gift card to their favorite place. Then they can go on a date and discuss how great of a daughter or son in law you are *wink wink*.

See what I mean, we all love a good robe, slippers, and mug full of coffee!!

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