Week In Review ·

Week In Review

In Austin last weekend.
Cami NYC Tank (wearing XS) | BlankNYC Coated Denim Skirt (30% OFF! TTS, wearing 27) | Anthropologie Bag (old, similar) |Kendra Scott Gold Sunburst Statement Earrings |Gorjana Sunburst Necklace | Timex Watch | Bangle Bracelets (here, here, here) | Madewell Sandals (old, same style different material)

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week! I’m not one to complain about a short week (I mean, they’re great!), but after two in a row (Labor Day and then Austin last weekend) I was craving a full work week at home in Houston. Originally, I had planned to be in DC this week. At the last minute, I decided to change plans and stay put. As a result, I’ve had a super productive week, and I’m heading into the weekend relaxed and ready to enjoy some time here in Houston!

THIS WEEK’S BLOG POSTS

How the Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Protection Saved Me $500 // After the feedback I received from last week’s post, How to Switch from Chase Preferred to Chase Reserve, I wanted to expand upon one of the perks of both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve. The travel protection that the cards offer is unparalleled to other cards. The perk saved me almost $500 on just one travel mishap. Check out the post!

I also spent a lot of time this week updating my credit card – related blog posts. A few that I think are particularly insightful and provide a lot of value:

Half-Marathon Training Update (One Month In) // Michael and I have completed 5 weeks of half-marathon training for our next race (our 3rd together). We’re a little more than a month out from the race (October 27th). I wanted to share an update on how training is going this go around. It’s the first time I’ve ever trained for a long distance race this time of year. It has definitely had its challenges! Check out the post for all the details plus throwback photos from all of the long-distance races I’ve completed!

WORKOUTS

As I mentioned, I was in town all week long, which always helps me to stick to my workout routine! I was on it this week.

  • Monday: Anytime Fitness weight workout + SoulCycle ride
  • Tuesday: 3 mile morning run
  • Wednesday: Anytime Fitness weight workout
  • Thursday: 3 mile evening run
  • Friday: Anytime Fitness weight workout
  • Weekend: This week’s long-run is focused on speed and not distance so it’s a short one – only 3 miles!

PODCASTS

Since I work from home most days, I like to have a podcast on in the background. As a result, I listen to a lot of podcasts throughout the week. Most are business related, but some are just for fun. Here’s what I listened to this week … I went on a Be There in Five binge with the Mormon Mom Blogger Series … It was SO FASCINATING! If you’re not aware of this culture, Rachael Parcell from Pink Peonies is one of the bigger bloggers in this group.

Things to Note

Beautycounter Pop Up! // For my Shreveport/Bossier readers, I’m hosting a Beautycounter pop-up next week in Shreveport! If you’re interested in attended and trying out some of our products (I’ll have lots of skincare and makeup samples on hand!), shoot me an email, and I’ll send you an invitation! If you’re not local to the Shreveport area or just can’t attend, you can always shop with me here: beautycounter.com/ashleehightower

Weekend Sales // A few weekend sales of note:

WEEKEND PLANS

Besides getting our “long run” in, I literally have nothing planned! After two weekends away in a row, I’m looking forward to waking up Saturday morning in my own bed and enjoying coffee at home while watching College Gameday. I’m sure Michael and I will venture out to a brewery for afternoon/evening games and maybe try out a new-to-us restaurant. I’m looking forward to a low-key weekend.

FAVORITE THINGS THIS WEEK

All of my favorite things this week happen to be from Amazon! Lots of good finds lately.

Silicone Straws // I shared this set of silicone straws on my Instagram Stories this week. They are EVERYTHING! I’m obsessed. We’ve had steel reusable straws at home for a while, but honestly, they hurt the roof of my mouth. And my dental hygienist friend recently told me that they can damage your gums. Yikes! So I purchased this set of silicone straws. The pack is worth every penny. For $14, you get 18 silicone straws (in pretty colors), including two that are foldable and fit perfectly into iPod-looking cases! You can keep one in your purse or car to use when you’re out and about (an easy way to reduce your plastic use!). The pack also comes with 4 cleaners too! The straws work perfectly for any drink, including smoothies!

Reduce Steel Tumbler // I’ve been using this tumbler during the week to encourage me to drink more water throughout the day. 🙂 It keeps ice from melting and I like that I can use the silicone straws mentioned above with it!

Floating Shelves // I’ve been needing something for a blank wall in our bathroom. I came across these floating shelves and thought they’d be PERFECT! They come as a set of three. I ended up using the two shorter shelves in the bathroom and the longer shelf in our living room. I like these because they have lips on all four sides so nothing will slide off. Now I just need to style them all! I purchased the white option, but they’re also available in a couple of other washes.

Amazon Floating Shelves | Cobalt Chronicles

Indoor Planter (Stand Here) // If you saw my Instagram Story this week on potting my first indoor plant (aside from my desktop aloe plant), you may have caught a glimpse of the pot I chose for my Monstera plant. I searched high and low for a less expensive 10-inch white ceramic pot, but alas, this one kept popping up. I bit the bullet, and I’m glad I did. It looks really nice in our living room next to the fireplace!

Have a great weekend!