Amanda Alvarado

The warm weather is here and I am very excited about it!

When the seasons change, many of us think about our to-do list that we have been putting off (at least, I am!). Things like doing yard work, cleaning out our closets, and getting our cars serviced do not exactly scream out ‘fun’ to me, but sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do and when you do get these things done, you will feel much better!

Luckily, for us right now, we are not commuting to work and we do not have our social calendars filled to the brim, so it’s a great time to get your warm weather preparations checked out! Here are a few things that you should do to get ready for spring and summer months...

Give Your Yard An Update

Are you sitting at home, tired of Netflix already? If so, get outside and get something done - such as yard work! Remember, though: Lowe’s and Home Depot workers are affected by this virus, too, so please be courteous. Go shopping once, or even better, order online and just pick-up! Then, get to work. Plant a garden, tidy your flower beds, pull weeds, and put down mulch. Get your yard ready for spring and summer while also improving the exterior of your home, which is really important.

Purchase Summer Clothing

This is one thing that you do not even have to do without leaving your house. If you are okay with shopping online, go for it. This way, you have time to try on your clothes from the comfort of your home and then return them after the stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Have Your Car Serviced

This is a great way to get something done while also practicing social distancing. Just drop off your car and go while it is being serviced! In order to take great care of your car, you need to get it serviced regularly. If you have a Mercedes specifically, finding a great, reputable shop to do the work on your car is a must. MBT of ATLANTA Mercedes Master Techs is that place.

They have 20+ years of combined experience, all of the tools, computers, and know-how when it comes to servicing and repairing Mercedes vehicles. Located in Norcross, GA, and servicing the Metro-Atlanta area in full (Doraville, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and more), MBT of ATLANTA offers the highest quality of Mercedes Benz auto-repair services in the area. When you drop your car off, you can speak directly with your technician, which cuts out any potential confusion and miscommunication. That is just one way that they provide honest and reliable services. Another reason why they are superior is because they are a company built by the techs - they specialize in Mercedes vehicles only, so they really know what they are doing and talking about.

They say, “At MBT of ATLANTA Mercedes Master Techs, we are committed to providing you with the highest level of service, so you’ll always choose us for your maintenance and repair needs. Starting with STAR Diagnostics, we provide the best Mercedes service and repair in the metro Atlanta area, with clients from Doraville, Buckhead, and Sandy Springs visiting us for their Mercedes Benz service and repair needs. For most people, auto maintenance and repair is not fun or convenient. So, we want to make the process as easy and enjoyable as possible for you. We genuinely care about your Mercedes and your experience with us, and it shows! Our first-time customers become long term customers time and time again, choosing us for all their auto needs. Our testimonials prove it time and time again.”

From their 5 star reviews on Facebook, 4.9 star rating on Google and Yelp, as well, you can trust that they will take good care of you when you bring your car in for servicing. MBT of ATLANTA provides services such as Anti-theft services, transmission services, collision repairs, Mercedes wheel alignments, Mercedes engine repair Atlanta, and more.

Plan A Trip

I love traveling in the spring and summer months. With this virus going on, who knows when we will be able to travel, but that does not mean that you cannot plan a trip. Personally, I am going to go ahead and plan everything out (maybe for June or July?) and book while prices are great!

Those are just a few things that I am doing to prepare for warm weather! What’s on your to-do list?

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It feels like it has been an eternity since I've been here with you. I mean, it kind of has, yeah?

Let me just say that life has been BUSY, but in the best way possible. I know that I've been a bit M.I.A. lately, so I just wanted to get real and tell you all what I've been up to, how the new job is going, purchases I'm loving right now, and even a little about the most recent trip I took. I guess the photo is a dead giveaway, yeah?

This post is probably going to be EVERYWHERE, which is probably a blogger faux pas, but oh well. It is my corner of the internet and I'll do what I want.

I guess we'll start with my new job! I'm loving it so much. I'm working in news and it has been such an incredible move for me. My schedule is a bit crazy with the hours I am working there, but I truly am loving every bit of it. I think balancing this new job with this little hobby here has been the biggest struggle and I just wanted to give myself some time to dive fully into my work. I think I've found a good balance and ready to finally get back here and hang out with you.

Next up... I guess my living situation? I moved back home after college and honestly, I'll be here for a little while. Everyone is different, but for me, paying off some debt that I've accumulated is really important and living at home is the best financial option for me right now so I can really tackle this debt. I know that isn't always the best for everyone, but for me, it works and keeps my living expenses lower than it would be living on my own in the heart of Atlanta. I also love that I get to see my nephew so much. When I do move, leaving him will be the hardest part. We are besties... most of the time. He gets mad at me when I don't let him eat 1846579 Dum Dums.

I want to take a minute and talk to you guys about some purchases I've made and loving! I've bought a couple different little things that I'm excited to share with you and could do like a designated post, but I think I just want to share it here first.

Cool Sneakers

I love a good sneaker. Honestly, I would wear a sneaker over a heel any day. I'm 5'7" so I feel like I don't really need added height anyway. I recently bought these Steve Madden sneakers from Saks Off 5th and I love them! I wore them to work the other day and they made my outfit look cool, but best of all... my feet were SO comfortable.

Tinted Moisturizer

I've been looking for a good tinted moisturizer for some time now. I don't wear a full face of makeup very often, but I like some coverage during the work week. Whitney Lyn, a sweet friend of mine thanks to Instagram, pointed me in the right direction and helped me find a great tinted moisturizer from Beautycounter. I don't think I'll ever get another product.

Facial Oils

While we're talking about Beautycounter, I also picked up some facial oils. I am big on skincare and while I don't know everything, I'm constantly researching and trying out new products. The Skinny Confidential is a wonderful resource. Lauryn is the coolest and shares all the best tips. Anyway... hearing her talk about oils got me interested in trying out some facial oils. Beautycounter has a mini oils set with all their oils to try, so I picked this up while I was shopping. I was looking for something with vitamin C and Whitney recommended the No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil and the little set if I wanted to try them all. Of course, I wanted to try them all!

If you want to know what Beautycounter products will work for you, definitely reach out to Whitney!

Leggings

I live in leggings when I'm not at work. Well, I wear Betabrand dress pants quite a bit, so I feel like I'm in leggings like all the time if I'm being honest. Anyway, I was wearing some leggings while out with my mom and I look between my thighs and I see a hole. All my ladies with thick thighs know exactly what I'm talking about here. I had a coupon for Aerie and I've heard some really great things about their leggings, so I picked up the Play High Waisted 7/8 Legging to wear during my P.volve workouts and the Chill High Waisted Legging to wear when I'm on the go. I'm never wearing another legging again. These leggings are incredible. I love how light the Play leggings are and the Chill leggings are perfect to wear with an oversized sweater and an over-the-knee boot or sneakers.

Lastly, I'll give a quick little recap of my trip to Orlando! We were given some tickets to Disney World and spent Sunday there. We split our time between Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. It was my first time and I definitely want to go back, but do an entire park a day. I loved the safari ride at Animal Kingdom and sipped on a Rum Blossom in Pandora. At Magic Kingdom, making sure my 2-year-old nephew, Bentley, met Mickey, Goofy (his hero), and Donald was the priority and we made it happen. We watched some of the parades and the fireworks at the end. I ate the most delicious lobster roll, Dole Whip, and a Mickey ice cream bar.

Oh... actually, one more thing. I just want to talk to you all about anxiety. I've talked about it before, but I get anxiety and it can be debilitating. Thankfully, I've found that changing my mindset really helps and I'm currently doing some inner work but focusing on gratitude and putting my energy into positivity. Meditation is something I need to really make part of my daily routine, but I find that helps me so much. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but I wanted to briefly share how I'm working on myself. Anna Wood is a beautiful soul and inspired me. I think my point here is that your life is your own journey and you have to find what works for you. We are all different. We have different stories and perspectives. You must do what makes you happy and sparks true joy in your life.

I think that brings us to the end of this little life update. I tried to keep it to the point and I really just want to thank you for being here. You are a light in my life.

xx,

Amanda

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Are you struggling to find last minute Christmas gift ideas? Let me help you!

I was struggling myself until I came up with this list, so I hope that it helps you out, as well. Here are some of my best last minute Christmas gift ideas.

An Experience

Material things are great and all, but there is nothing better in life than a good memory of time spent with family, friends, and loved ones. Many times, a memory will last longer than a material thing anyway! One of the greatest parts about gifting an experience is that it can be as inexpensive as a local hike or a couple of movie tickets, or as extravagant as a vacation with the family to another state or country. You can make your gift unique and personal by picking an experience that is special for the person you are giving it to, such as a cooking subscription or a cooking class for a friend who loves to cook, or piano lessons for your friend who has been wanting to learn to play an instrument. Not only will the gift be meaningful, but the memories will last a lifetime.

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

Memories aren’t the only gifts that last for more than Christmas day - if you want to gift something that won’t be tossed into the pile of short-lived excitement, try a gift that keeps on giving, or something that will continue to be a gift or surprise even after it is opened once! Subscription services are a wonderful example of this, and there are so many to choose from! If you have a loved one who is very stressed out, consider a weekly or monthly massage subscription. For your friend who loves to cook, a food subscription would be very valued! For your girls (or guys) who live on red wine, check out some wine subscription services. There is something for everyone!

A Plaque or Nameplate

If you have someone in your life that has recently accomplished something huge, think about gifting them with a plaque to celebrate them. A custom plaque from East Point Foundry is a great gift for commemorating important people and institutions. Bronze has been a staple in history to honor and memorialize the living and dead alike, says East Point Foundry.

“Whether exemplary service in mankind, or a commitment to excellence, East Point Foundry takes this cause very seriously, which is why we hand-craft every Bronze Plaque, start to finish right in our 100% American made Foundry located in Atlanta, Georgia since 1948.” Your plaque - no matter if aluminum or bronze - will be 100% unique and designed/approved by you to ensure perfection. You can choose from different borders, textures, and more to make it unique. You can provide East Point Foundry with exact specific dimensions, or a big picture idea. Either way, they will meet and then exceed the challenge and your expectations for your gift. In addition to plaques, they also offer nameplates, lettering, sculptings, and more.

A Gift That Gives Back

There are so many gifts that give back and I feel like every single year, there are even more options! For example, originally, the trend used to be supporting or “adopting” an animal in need. Now, there are still those great gift options, but there are also gift options that can benefit other charities around the world. For example, Toms has donated over 60 million pairs of shoes with its buy a pair, give a pair program. That means that for every pair you gift during Christmastime, that is one pair of shoes that is given to someone in need.

Smart Home Products

Smart home products are there to make your life easier and in my opinion, every person needs their life to be just a little bit more seamless each day. Products such as an Amazon Alexa (or a Google Home) allow you to control your smart devices in your home, play music in the blink of an eye, or even research recipes and start timers. Having an Alexa or a Google Home is a great hands-free way to get things done more efficiently. For example, they can turn off lights for you when you do not have an extra hand, or even start your washing machine for you later on.

Nest has great smart products, as well such as doorbells, cameras, and smoke detectors. The great thing about Nest products is that you can access them from your phone or computer and you can control them with your Alexa or Google Home. More and more people are also using Nest Cams as baby monitors because they are a safe option and they are easy to access at all times (even away from your home). So, if you know of someone that just had a baby or is pregnant, that might be a great option! Nest’s smoke detectors and thermostats can work seamlessly together and also alert you when there is a potential issue. For example, if there is a fire, your thermostat and fire detector will work together to prevent the fire from spreading. Most thermostats will cool the room after a fire has started because it thinks the room is just getting hotter, but if the Nest fire detector recognizes smoke or carbon monoxide, it will alert your thermostat and your thermostat will automatically shut off your air, which can help prevent the fire from spreading. You will also receive an alert on your phone saying that your fire detector is going off. If you have a Nest Cam, you can see what is going on.

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