Category: Me

Prime Day – Deals I’m Watching and My Favorite Amazon Items

Happy Prime Day. This is the page I will continue to update as more deals get released through Wednesday night. So keep checking back in!

Due to the mess that. is 2020, Prime Day was rescheduled to Oct 13-14 from its usual July date. This being the case, I am going to try and get as many Holiday presents as possible while they are on sale. Hope these categories & links help you with your Prime Day & Holiday Shopping. GOOD LUCK!

ButWillThereBeWine’s Prime Day Guide

My Favorites:

For Him:

Kids:

Home:

Holiday & Stocking Stuffers:

Essentials: 

(or as I like to call it, stuff you need anyway so might as well stock on while it is a deal)

Deal Updates!!!!

Lots of great gifts “for her” in this new update!

Gifts for a wine lover!

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New Year Resolution: Wear More Color

Flasback almost 2 years ago. It was December 31, 2018 and I was trying to think of a realistic resolution that I could actually keep. After going through all the usual options, I realized that my wardrobe (while items I really liked) were all very similar in color: white, black, gray & blue jeans. In 2019 I was going to add in some color!

I am not a shopaholic, but whenever there was a sale or I need a new item in my wardrobe, I made sure it had more color in it.

Luckily – this resolution has been a lasting one that I really embraced. I haven’t looked back. Over the last year and a half, I have incorporated a lot of green (hey! I am a redhead with blue eyes), some blues, yellow, a few pattern wrap dresses & a little pink.

I was reminded of this resolution this morning, when I wore my Midnight Pine Green skinny jeans. Turns out, over a year later, they are not only available in select sizes – but are on sale.

Give it a try – it’s certainly one way to brighten up 2020!

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Versatile White Oversized Sweater

I have a new favorite item from Amazon, this $25.99 oversized white sweater. If you watch the video below, I go into detail on how I am not really shopping right now. With no where to go, it doesn’t make sense to add much to my wardrobe. However – this price point and ability to style it a few different ways….makes this sweater the exception.

From leggings dropping my daughter off in the morning at school or going out to dinner. You definitely get your moneys worth with this soft sweater.

I am wearing a small, and am usually a size 4. So it is definitely oversized.

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Favorite Halloween Costume

My birthday is 2 days after halloween, so basically it has been grouped into a Halloween party/weekend my entire life. But rather than those who share a birthday around Christmas, I love it! What a fun holiday to piggy back on. Since it is coming up next month, I thought I would resurrect these photos from (gulp) 2014. This was a fun one: easy costume (leather leggings & dark brown shirt) but the detailed makeup and twigs for antlers made it memorable.

Maybe I will do a fun makeup costume for 2020….although let’s be honest, if I can even take my kids trick-or-treating this ear, any makeup look would be covered by a mask anyway! So maybe not?

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Favorite Amazon Products

We order a lot for our home & family on Amazon…. and I mean a lot! But let’s put necessities aside, here are some of my favorite items from Amazon that I have bought over the last year:

Clothing & Accessories:

Silky Pajamas

If we must be home all the time, might as well be in comfortable jammies, am I right?? Well my sister in law sent me a pair of these back in March when quarantine first began. They basically turned into my uniform. 5pm, pajamas promptly went on and wine was poured no matter what. If you think I am kidding, I am not…. multiple neighbors saw me in them when getting my 5 yr old inside for dinner. In fact, I liked them so much that I sent a pair to my  sister & ordered another set for myself as backup when they were in the laundry (machine wash on delicate – easy peasy). 

Full transparency, these are not made of silk but they feel like it. And thank god for that – my quarantine cooking/cleaning & kids would’ve ruined an expensive silk set in the first week. 

My sister in law sent me the blue leopard, I gave my sister the pink stripe pattern & this new palm leaf print might just have to be added to the collection as well.

Size: Small

Price: $28.99

High Low Formal Dress

Over 4 years I was pregnant, breast feeding, losing the pregnancy weight, then had our 2nd daughter – so start the process all over again. We had a few weddings to go to over the past few years, and I didn’t want to spend money on a dress that may or may not fit in a few months/pounds lost. 

While I know there aren’t a ton of Formal Events or Weddings happening in 2020, trust me when I say I got my money’s worth and then some from this baby. For those of you in the wedding circuit, this dress is cheaper than renting – bonus you can wear it more than once.

I felt very secure on the top, and the cute inside skirt gave me extra coverage on the dance floor. Because sometimes you need to catch a wave….or wait on the pavement for your uber (sigh).

As a redhead, I looove wearing green. But I am tempted to buy this again in black for 2021.

Size: M

Price: $29.99

Green dress

Black dress

https://amzn.to/3mjRBXI

The Only Purse Organizer You’ll Ever Need

Raise your hand if you can’t find your keys when it is time to unlock your car. This purse organizer has been life changing. I am keeper of ALL the things: my items, my kids, snacks …and now MASKS. I can’t say enough how awesome this is.

There are several sizes depending on the tote or work bag you have! Oh and changing purses…..just pick it up and swap into the new one in a matter of seconds. I can no longer use the excuse “I left it in my other bag”. 

Size: Medium Slender

Price: $13.29

Golf Attire:

Most retail stores weren’t open when I started learning how to golf this spring.

These are my favorite items from my amazon golf purchases.

First and foremost, these Nike golf shoes!!! I originally had a pair of FootJoys but returned them. This pair, as seen in pic on left, are SO comfortable. The fit and look like a sneaker but have all the qualities you want in a golf shoe. I get so many compliments on them, the conversation usually stars with “Are those golf shoes”…which is what I like about them, they are stylish and sporty. In fact, a couple of the women at our club have since also bought them.

Additional amazon golf finds include:

White golf skirt, M $25.99

Black skirt , M $24.99

https

Adidas Black short sleeve golf shirt: Medium, $33.88

https://amzn.to/2Fme8lx

Home & Health:

Moscow Mule Set

Remember that moscow mule set I got Ryan  for our 7th anniversary! It is beautiful, and arrives in 2 days!

Price: $43.97

Collagen Peptides:

I put this collagen in my shake or coffee every morning. I used my last scoop this morning – which is what made me think of writing this post. I have tried a few over the years, SR is definitely my favorite brand.

I started using collagen 2 years ago – I had a ton of hair fall out after breast feeding and needed all the help I could get. 

Price: $27.95 for 16oz

24oz Tumbler

Don’t sleep on this cup!!! Cheaper than Yeti brands of the world, vacuum insulated….and holds a sh*t ton of coffee. And what parent/teacher/adult doesn’t need that right now?? I am lucky enough to have a friend with a cricut who personalized mine! The rose gold and carrara marble are my fav colors.

I LOVE this insulated cup because:

  • Arrives in 2 days, free shipping w prime
  • Two different tops – straw for cold beverages or lid for hot. AMAZING
  • Fits in car cup holders
  • Lightweight
  • Durable – I have had mine for over a year! Dishwasher and children have yet to destroy it!

Size: 24oz

Price $22.99

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My Conversation with a Life Coach

Back in my first post “why start a blog”, I mentioned how blogging came up in my meeting with a life coach. This post is dedicated to our conversation, unexpected emotions and benefits of our 1:1 meeting.

My sister has had a life coach for years so while the term was familiar, I have to be honest in that I don’t exactly know what coaches do. Before I get started, the term Life Coach made me a little uneasy. Was I failing if I needed a coach to help me with my life?? On the other hand I pondered, why don’t we work on the development of our personal lives? We just stop going to school after our degrees. Then attend multiple professional conferences & workshops to continue that path…. but not have meetings or collaborative sessions towards achieving our personal goals??

I was navigating the unknown during a pandemic no less…. so why the hell not. It certainly couldn’t hurt!

Let me start by saying I prepared for my zoom appt as if I was preparing for a big client meeting. I had my husband block off his calendar to take the kids, I wrote out the list of my strongest professional qualities & skills, proven accomplishments & ROI stats. It was only a few minutes into the call that I realized I approached my conversation with Ali Ray Coaching as if she was a Career Coach – and NOT a Life Coach. 

Quickly Ali helped me evaluate the core values I needed in order to be fulfilled in both personal & professional endeavors. All while she let me mourn the abrupt end to the latest chapter in my marketing career. I was way more emotional than I expected! I cried…multiple times, while unexpected, it actually felt really good to let it all out. To give you some context, I was let go then immediately asked our nanny to wrap up. Literally, the next day I dove in, head first to stay at home mom/cook/cleaner life in a quarantine. I never gave myself the proper time and emotional release to process my layoff. 

Ali was not only a great listener but she also prompted me with pointed questions, insights & action items to further explore my passions. She inspired me on so many levels, but her encouragement that my life & interests don’t have to wait until 5pm/weekends to begin was by far the greatest. Starting a blog was just one step on having one of my passions come to life. I am currently working on my second big milestone down this new path. More on that soon  (wink wink).

I highly recommend anyone contemplating working with a life coach to take the next step. For me, our conversation helped me:

  • Evaluate my core values & life passions
  • Gave me a starting point for “what’s next”
  • Release of the past chapter & emotions
  • Motivation to move forward


Thank you, Ali. You were truly a savior during a dark time in 2020.

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COVID Wedding Attire

Took a few days away from the blog to spend some needed time with family and attend a 30 person wedding for one of my dearest and oldest friends. But I am back and have lots of content to share.

What was a COVID wedding like? While definitely different, the smaller group was intimate and spending the whole night with the Bride & Groom was so special. Beautiful speeches, both in person and on video, made the couple’s night. And judging by the smile on the Bride’s face – she couldn’t have been happier with how the wedding went.

I have basically been wearing the following for the last 5 months:

  1. yoga pants
  2. pajamas
  3. swim coverups

So when it came time to chose a dress, I wanted to look nice (of course) but be comfortable. I’m trying to stay on a budget right now but the sales right now are WILD. I found this steal on Ann Taylor Factory’s site two weeks ago. It was cheaper than renting a dress. I hope to wear it to showers, holidays or work (when I figure out my next chapter).

Originally $109.99, now marked down to $22.99. I loved wearing it as much as the price! I especially liked the fluted bottom.

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Our Anniversary

We unplugged and enjoyed our weekend. Yesterday we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary, no matter how small we exchange a gift. This year we both stuck to the traditional wedding anniversary gift, 7 years = Copper. I chose a Moscow Mule set, while he opted for a personalized copper frame of our wedding song sheet music. Both will be cherished!

This year I am particularly thankful for my husband. No matter how difficult 2020 has been, I know it would be unbearable if I did not have him with me.

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Quarantine Hobbies

Once we all realized that the quarantine was going to be longer (way longer) than 2 weeks, the internet was on fire with suggestions on how to occupy our time and minds. 

Here are some of ours:

  • Calligraphy
  • Baking
  • Purging & Organizing
  • Self Care
  • Golf
  • Exploring Outdooors
  • Gardening

Ok, so how did each of these go?!

  • Calligraphy – I wanted so badly to love this. I bought the book and specific pens on amazon, with grand visions of addressing my holiday cards this December in style. But truth be told, this sh*t is HARD. I gave up after a couple hours total in practicing.
  • Baking – My 5 year old loves a good baking project, however my waist does not. So this was really fun but short lived thank GOD
  • Purging & Organizing – a silver lining of being home for 5 months, has made us look at our house & mess FOR 5 MONTHS!!! We have gone through all the closets, girls clothes, garage & storage and it feels amazing! I even organized tupperware one day during naptime…. not sure if that is good or just plain old pathetic.
  • Self Care – whether this was a few quiet mins to myself or pajamas & wine promptly at 5pm, self care during quarantine was more important than ever. I was pretty depressed after I lost my job, so when Universities were offering free courses, I gave it some serious consideration. I took “The Science of Well Being” offered by Yale University by Dr Laura Santos. It had a 4.9 out of 5 rating!! The course describe itself as “engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits” and it did not disappoint. Check it out!
  • Golf – It is happening! My husband has golfed most of his life, and I enjoyed spectating. I took a lesson and joined our club’s ladies league in June. The women are all ages – they are fun, kind & VERY patient with me every Tuesday night. It is incredibly difficult & very frustrating but I love it. I hope this COVID hobby is one that sticks.
  • Enjoying The Outdoors – ok, a little embarrassed to admit this but there is nature reservation less than one mile from our house. Prior to COVID we had only been there 2 times in 5 years. Well, let’s just say we made up for lost time – we hiked, swam and explored multiple times a week. Then when weather allowed, we ventured to local beaches & pool.
  • Gardening – I had the best of intentions regarding this one but did not have the follow through to tend & keep them safe from animals. Next year – watch out bunnies and deer, it is on. I have Nonna dreams of growing my own tomatoes and jarring homemade sauce. I did, however, have luck with planting 2 new garden beds & an indoor hydrow garden. Basil all year round = VICTORY!

Honestly, I wish I had even more creative items on the list but parenting, job searching, cooking & keeping the house somewhat clean really tapped me out.

And to the people sewing masks, whether for personal use or donating them to front line workers – I am in awe of you!

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10 Facts About Me

  1. My engagement & wedding videos are on YouTube
  2. I love fresca….there! I said it!!
  3. I won a dance contest against Rob Gronkowski
  4. I am currently learning how to play Golf. 
  5. I worked in the service industry (mostly bartending) for 15 years
  6. I ran a marathon to check it off my bucket list – Chicago 2009
  7. My professional background was advertising & marketing prior to COVID unemployment
  8. I have two beautiful daughters
  9. I designed & managed our 2018 home renovation
  10. I married the best guy I have ever met – watch the engagement…you will see for yourself!
Wedding Video from the very talented Michael Justin Studios
(link to Engagement video is in YouTube description)
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