5 things you probably don’t know about me 👱🏼♀️
1. I’m super into personality tests and have taken every major player out there. I’m a type 7, ESFP, green and definitely resonate with what they say. I love learning more about myself and why I’m that way, seriously so cool.
2. My love language is acts of service. It makes my heart so happy to have help around the house, someone to do chores with and to run errands. 🤤 Literally can’t be beat. 3. I LOVE motivational speaking. Books, podcasts, speeches, songs, anything. It makes me feel like I’m getting a pregame huddle in from a football team I’ve never played on. So if you have recommendations I would love to hear em🤓
4. I don’t watch a lot of TV but my favorite shows are definitely Catfish, Live PD, SWAT and The Good Doctor. (the GOAT’s of course being the Office and Friends obviously ) Honestly pretty much anything Lance watches, I end up watching since I really don’t watch shows without him. And by default they end up being my favorite 🤷🏼♀️
5. Guilty pleasures: Tik Tok, singing disney music, yogurt covered raisins, pinterest, 2000’s emo music and sweet tea mio🍹
I could’ve kept going but I think 5 is a good place to pause for the day 🥳
If we have any of these in common lmk 🙂 have a happy Monday y’all! 💗
Is there ever a “right time” to do anything? Ever?
Is there ever a “right time” to do anything? Ever?
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one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given: QUIT AIMING + F I R E. 💥
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For so long I’ve kept my mouth shut about what it’s been like to totally recomp my body, prep for a bikini competition, train, meal plan, and push my body to its limit. Which is one of the craziest, most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. All because I’ve always felt like I didn’t have the “look” yet. It just wasn’t the “right time”. Like unless I looked like a #fitspo then it really didn’t matter what my life’s like or what my story was. (dramatic but true)
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“I’ll start posting pics when I’m stage lean”
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“Just let me lose a few more pounds then I’ll start putting myself out there and opening up more”
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“I don’t have a six pack yet, but when I do I’ll start sharing more of my transformation”.
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LIKE WHAT? 🤯 I’m rolling my eyes at my past self for myself and everyone’s sake right now.
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Listen, I am still a work in progress as much as the next person. I love to work on myself. Set goals, grind for it, reach, repeat. But I definitely have the tendency to overthink a lot.
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BUT little Liv’s IG is in the works of a major makeover right now. ☀️ One where she actually shares what’s she’s passionate about and gets a little more personal and transparent over here.
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So if you’re into the change in scenery, beautiful. Not so much? I’ll catch ya later.
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To anyone else reading this who is a fellow over thinker, who’s scared to just rip the bandaid off and go for what they want for whatever reason, here’s your sign that there’s NEVER going to be the perfect time. ✖️To quit your job, to open your Etsy store, to go back to school, ask for a raise, for ANYTHING.
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The O N L Y thing standing in your way is you. Find what you want and GO GET IT.
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#readyaimfire
ROAD TRIP PREP! Packing, Driving + What's In Our Car!
Hi Guys!
We’re in the home stretch now with about 1 day out from our move to Houston and we are feeling the heat. (would be literal, but Houston is actually flooded right now.)
With our journey fast approaching, I thought I’d give you all the juicy details as to what in the world we’re doing over here!
Our move is broken down into a few different chunks for us, with the first part being moving out of our home base in Cincinnati and driving up to Columbus and staying with our families until it’s go time, and this part happened this past Wednesday. The second half being this coming Tuesday, when we actually start the drive down south.
Today I thought I’d let you guys have the scoop on all things R O A D T R I P as we get ready to head to our new home + addressing a lot of talking points that you all have been asking about in regards to the “how” of our trip.
Hopefully hearing what our plans are and what we’re doing might help any of you doing a super long road trip or move like this anytime soon!
P A C K I N G
Okay this one is kind of a crap shoot if we’re being honest. Have you ever tried to condense down your 2br/2 bath down to fit in the innards of 1.5 cars? Yeah, me neither.
No but for real, packing this thing has been completely Lance’s reign to be honest. In our marriage I’m the creative half and he’s the logical half, and we’re always balancing each other out in one way or another. With that out in the open, he is 100% better at packing the car. It’s like he can see it and picture where it’ll fit best before he even gets it in there. I have no clue how he does it, but honestly I like that, because he does a lot better job than I think I would. Or that’s what I keep saying to get out of it.
The two biggest tools we’ve utilized during this process were:
V A C C U M S E A L E D B A G S. Vacuum sealed bags. T H E S E are legit. We now can fit almost our entire closets in these bags into 1 seat in the Civic (car that’s being shipped) and that is L I F E C H A N G I N G. If you’re moving where every inch of space is valuable, check these out. We found ours at Walmart and paid $37 for about 15 bags ranging from medium-XL and that was the perfect amount for us. Here’s a link to a similar style that I found on Amazon: here that also have a 5% off coupon #win
“I M M E D I A T E N E E D S” B I N. I’ve been calling it this but it’s really just our must haves. This bin will be making the drive with us and has just about everything we will absolutely need in the first week of being there, that isn’t too big, or would be necessary to have there immediately. Really this is a huge catch all that I’ll get deeper on later in this post, but it’s helped make sure everything we need makes it down there and isn’t scattered all over.
Let’s be honest here for a second: we have definitely sold, donated, thrown away and stored well over half of all our belongings and are taking no furniture with us (with the exception of a desk lamp if that’s even considered furniture). So we really only had to focus on kitchen items, bathroom items, bedding, dog supplies and minimal decor, followed by what was left of our clothing that fit all of our stipulations. Meaning: items that were currently in season (so no Ohio winter-level-tundra clothes), clothes in good condition that fit, and that weren’t taken to Plato’s closet—which has honestly been an awesome resource for us to make some coin during this process.
W H A T ‘ S I N O U R C A R ?
So first thing’s first:
If you’ve read my previous post about our moving announcement, you’ll know that we’re packing everything we need in between Hubby’s Civic (which is getting shipped + will meet us in TX the following week) and my Corolla. Meaning, all of our needed items will be down there, but only the items in our car will be down there with us immediately since that’s what we’re driving, and all the items in the Civic will be down there shortly after. Hopefully that makes sense.
(I’m only really going to be talking about our car we’re driving down there today, because the car we’re shipping there is just plain and simple packed to the brim.)
In addition to that, in the backseat of my car, we’ll have company: our two huge puppy friends, who will have to get pretty cozy during this trip considering the size of their bodies in relation to the size of the backseat.
Okay here’s what our car will be strapped with (for the most part):
2 suitcases, rubbermaid container with immediate needs + cleaning supplies, small box of kitchen supplies, tote bag with shower + beauty supplies, bag with snacks + drinks, bedding (in a vacuum sealed bag), dog supplies (cage, food, leashes, toys, dog bed + sling hung in backseat), supplements + protein powder, gym bag and random nick knacks that have no other home.
If you’re thinking that there’s no way that can fit in our car: trust me, same. But everything else we’re keeping, daily use items, bedding, towels, kitchen utensils etc, will be in the Civic + be shipped to us within the first week of our arrival—fingers crossed!
So that’s our overview of what all is going on in our compact car, but if you want to know all the details on this Tetris situation; they’re all down below. + in true OL fashion, I’ve broken this down into even more categories. Yawn. We all knew it was coming. Lets continue.
T H E E S S E N T I A L S
For us this is everything that makes this whole operation run smoothly. Here are some of my favorites:
Phone Holder with Suction Cup base:
Having this thing in my car makes me feel like an Uber driver and feels very nerdy. BUT I’m a horrible driver + honestly need both hands on the wheel as often as possible, so for the price this was my best option. (also this is a comparable model to mine, that I purchased at TJMaxx for under $7)
Contrary to popular belief, these aren’t just useful for airplane travel! I’m not a car sleeper but my husband sure is and he is a huge huge fan of these little things.
Regardless of if you have kids or not, these are two essentials when you’re living out of your car for a couple days. Spills, cleaning up miscellaneous stickyness, wiping doggie paws, taking off makeup, I can’t name something these two heroes can’t accomplish together. Try me.
This is a shoe in, especially if your eyes are as light sensitive as mine. Keep those baby blues or whatever you’re equipped with, from being blinded by the light and bring your favorite sunnies to the party. Linking my all time favorite Ray Bans above that I purchased almost 4 years ago now. They’re amazing and such a deal from the name brand site. BUT any will do to save you from squinting.
D O G G I E S U P P L I E S
Here’s some of my die hard doggie parent supplies for a day in the life of a corolla:
Doggie Backseat Hammock/Cover:
If you’re a dog mama/dad you totally need one of these. If you throw your pups in the back on the daily, or often whatsoever—this is a game changer. I love having this install and detach so easily, where we can throw it in between both cars so easily. Also we wash ours in the washer and have had zero problems with that. Highly highly highly recommend this gadget! (this is a dupe we paid a lot more money for $$$)
TBH we took way too many dog bags from our last apartment complex before moving out, so we’re extremely stocked up on these. Also Kroger bags are a crowd favorite + free alternative to these guys. BUT nevertheless it’s a need when traveling with horse size dogs who also drop horse size poop. Yikes
Dog treats + Chew toys
If you have “tough chewers” like we do, you know any chew toy is pretty much a waste of time since it gets destroyed and inhaled within the same 10 minutes. This long car ride is justifying the little break in their boredom by giving them the occasional toy + treat to help make this ride bearable.
I’ve seen the coolest travel water bottles for dogs to utilize while traveling, but in all honesty I’m not sold that that’ll be enough for my thirsty doggos. SooOooO in stead I’m sticking with regular bowls and shaking them out each time we get back in the car, so yeah do whatever works for you.
I M M E D I A T E N E E D S B I N
I’ve been talking a lot about this guy, so lets dig into this little deeper: this is a huge clear Tupperware container filled to the brim with items we will need right when we arrive to our new home (since everything else is getting shipped), odds and ends we’ll need while driving and cleaning products for the most part
Towels, shower liner, shower curtain, shower curtain hooks, wash cloths
dish towels, paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning rags, hand soap, dusting fluffy tops and handle, swiffer mini mop thing
lysol wipes, dishwasher pods, laundry pods, dryer sheets, brillo pads, dish sponge, scrub daddy, dish liquid (now that I’m typing dish liquid I think I forgot it…..), air wick and pods + febreeze spray (incase it smells closed up)
band aids, tylenol, cold medicine, cough drops, neosporin, midol
extension cords, multi plug plug ins (you know what I mean), tools, scissors, tape
And I think that’s just about it! We also have a toolbar that’s in this category but just is lumped with it, not actually within it. But that’s really what’s in this bin. In case we need to do laundry, take a shower, tool anything together, (idk) we can 100% do what we need to do to survive with this bin. Or at least I hope I didn’t overlook anything else we need need. Ya know?
At this point we’re going to just cross our fingers and hope we can shut the doors. Maybe we should start visualizing?…….
D R I V I N G
I have gotten so many questions about our drive down so far, so I thought I’d do a little blurb about the low down on the way down:
We’re splitting our driving up into 2 days, since the drive is roughly 17 hours and 1,100+ miles down there. With the dogs in the back, and hubby and I not having too much long distance driving experience it was unanimous that this would be the best for everyone. Day 1 we’re driving from Columbus to Little Rock, and then day 2 from Little Rock to Houston.
We’re staying in Little Rock overnight, where we’re staying in a pooch friendly Airbnb with a big backyard where the puppies can play and run, and get rid of some of that pent up energy. Thank goodness.
Pretty cut + dry about our drive, but I thought I’d write it down just incase any of you guys were curious too!
A P P S
Some of the coolest apps I’ve found through my road trip research are here':
WAZE: I’m a waze user, lover + fan. I love being able to see how traffic is moving, if there’s a wreck, cop on the shoulder, or the reason for the standstill I’m currently in. Also it’s integrated with Spotify now which is amazing and my favorite thing ever.
GAS BUDDY: Unless you live under a rock I’m sure you know about gas buddy. This app has been on my phone since I was a little old freshman in college + trying to pinch those pennies. This app shows you the cheapest gas prices around you, and honestly $.50 a gallon will definitely add up when we’re filling up3-4 times in the matter of two days. Lets not think about that.
iEXIT: This guy is so cool. Especially since we're driving a route neither of us have literally ever been in by car, this is going to be a life saver. What this guy does is essentially uses your location to let you know what exits are around you + what they offer. In case of emergency bathroom breaks, gas, food, etc, you can find out what’s by you without waiting and reading exit signs. Genuis.
ROADTRIPPERS: I just found this app out through my research for this post and holy moly this might be my new ride or die for this long drive. It shows you route information, integrates music + controls, and most of all shows you cool landmarks, points of interest, restaurants, outdoorsy spots + honestly whatever else you’re looking for. This is such a cool idea + makes planning a road trip way easier than it once was.
SPOTIFY: need I say more? I am totally a stan for spotify and listen every single day. Are you team #applemusic or team #spotify?
I’m pumped to test out these apps + let you guys know which ones we actually used while driving and give you our honest opinions on what was awesome + what was not worthwhile during our drive. I can’t believe this move is less than 48 hours away and that I’m actually typing this post. This is so surreal!
Alright friends, I think that just about covers it! I know this post was all over the place, but there’s so many weird aspects to this move that I wanted to clear up and get out there before we took off this Tuesday! If there’s any more moving posts or travel questions you have, send them my way + let’s chat!
In the meantime, I hope you all have an awesome start to your week + I’ll talk to you guys very soon!
xo,
Olivia
We're Moving?!
Hi guys!
Yes, you read that right, WE ARE M O V I N G! (whaaaaaaaaaaaaat)
On May 14th, my cute husband and I will be taking the biggest leap of our life so far, possibly our biggest leap ever: we are moving to TEXAS! Which means we have 20 days to completely pack up our sweet little 2 bedroom apartment and take the 17+ hour, 1,167 mile journey to Pearland, Texas, and start this cool new adventure. And limited time to practice my yee haws and “everything’s bigger” mantra.
Most of you have known about the big move for a little while now, since we found out in the end of January we would be moving ourselves. And now we're in the last leg of this move; our two-weeks notices have been turned in at our jobs, we're finalizing travel plans, deciding what stuff we're going to store, what we're going to sell and so on. BASICALLY a lot is happening, we’re living in a sea of orange boxes and it seems like every day we get a one decision closer to being all ready to go.
But maybe I should back track and tell you WHY we're actually moving if you don’t already know: my awesome hubby, Lance, has worked incredibly hard to get into an anesthesiology assisting program over the past year, and he was ACCEPTED into a very respected program based out of Houston! (hallelujer!) There are only 13 programs in the country that offer this education, so we are so excited to spend the next couple of years in Texas, where he'll be pursuing his dream career, and we’ll be truly on our own now for the first time!
I think this is a pretty special experience to share with you, and to document for ourselves, while taking this huge step in our life together. With being married only 6 months, at 22 and 23 years old, moving across the country, with our two horse sized dogs, no furniture (did I mention that? :,) ), an air mattress, packing all of our belongings within a Civic + the trunk of a Corolla; we absolutely are right there with you while you’re thinking that we’re crazy. Because we’ve thought that too. More than a few times.
I think we would be false to say we're not intimidated about starting over for many reasons, or that this isn't bittersweet, because it is. If you would have told me even a few months ago we would be moving with so few items, to a new city where we know nobody, all by ourselves, I think I would honestly P A N I C (which I have, but we're kind of THRIVING now, and I’m actually feeling cleansed internally by this huge unhaul. I am also very painfully trying to get with this whole minimalist mentality… it’s a stretch for me, but I have so much respect for people who don’t get attached to stuff now—on another level.)
To come full circle though, I wanted to start this blog with a little life update about us moving, packing our house up, driving down to the big TX, starting our new southern life with our doggos, spreading our wings (for real) for the first time. Flying solo, together. If he’s a bird I’m a bird, right? :)
So long term this blog will entail so much more than diary entries, but I do know right now I think this is a really cool thing that I want to remember, and if you want to continue to follow along, hang on for the ride!
Hope you all have had an awesome week so far! Check out some of my more bloggy posts if you’d like, in the meantime I’ll be working on my next Lagunzad’s go cross country update for you!💛
Olivia