Obsessed: weekly fascinations

< Emma Stone has just been killing it lately with her outfits! >

Happy Friday, 3P wonderfuls!  Friday is almost here, and the weekend is so wonderfully near!  Today I am happy to share with you a few of the things that have brought a smile to my face this week, and yes, I am obsessed with these things!  Have a fabulous weekend, 3P style, and I will see you back here next week!

< This Mr. Rogers remix has me howling with laughter, & crying with tears of sweet memories from my childhood! >

< DVF does is again!  I am wanting almost every piece in this collection  ... and so happy to learn that navy and green are going to be big for fall! >

< Looking for some inspiration for the 4th of July?  Look here and here >

Spanish cluck cluck

Alright, I'll admit it... semi-homemade is pretty much the everyday mantra I am proud to embrace.  The other evening I decided to throw together a chicken and rice dish, and I used this recipe for a quick, simple, and delicious dinner meal.  The finished meal was perfectly flavored, and made me much happier than tacos would have.  Also, my favorite aspect of making a dish like this during hot summer weather: the house is not filled with heat from the oven!

 < Even when just the chicken was browning, the man said it smelled good already! >

< Chicken, green pepper, onions, and garlic... mmm! >

< Dinner is served! >

Weekly Wardrobe: Fiji Style

< What I wore for vacation time in Fiji! >

For those of you who haven't read this before, I recently arrived back to the daily grind after some time in tropical paradise, (a.k.a., a vacation in Fiji).  In place of a regular outfit post, today I am happy to share my vacation outfits with you!  To remain comfortable, cute, and prepared for both humidity and cool breezes were my main goals, and you can see some of what I packed here.  Most of the outfits pictured here are travel and dinner attire, as my time during the day was spent mostly underwater, exploring reefs and meeting tropical fish, who were likely frightened by my underwater un-mermaid-like hair.  However, the outfits that I wore to meals essentially won me the best-dressed award by the local staff.  And after traveling in long maxi dresses, they are my new go-to for plane rides- they survive loooong flights, are easy to layer with a sweater and a scarf, and can leave you emerging from the flight and having a friend exclaim that you look fantastic!

 < Left: what I wore on the 11 hour flight to Fiji (I also added a scarf to stay warm on the plane); Right: Ditched the sweater and the big purse for checking in to the resort in humid heat! >

- Similar dress here and here; similar bags here and here -

 < Left: cool separates for a walk on the beach; Right: Light jacket on a rainy afternoon >

- Similar skirt; similar dress; similar beach bag here, here and here -

< Left: lunch attire on an early dive finish day; Right: blue aztec dress for dinnertime >

- Similar skirt; similar purse here and here; Similar dress here and here -

< Two different dinnertime outfits! Left with gold accessories, right with silver (see accessory details in last photo below) >

- Similar dresses: red and striped; similar sandals: gold and silver -

 < Left: last dinner at the resort; Right: bright, fun maxi dress for the long flight home >

- Similar short dress here and here; Maxi dress here -

A few other details from the week:

< Team anti-frizz!!  These helped me feel good about my hair during in all the humidity, and not like... 

 this!! (image above via Google) >

 < This was a little coffee table I spotted on the only shopping outing we had, and I so wanted to bring it home with me! >

< And finally, a few of the accessory details- enjoy! >

DIY: Summertime jewelry

 < Seashells collected from the seashore on my recent trip >

While I was on vacation in Fiji, a new friend I met was sporting simple shell jewelry she made, and totally inspired me to pick out some shells on the beach to make my own adornments.  While my new friend had simple wire hoops to string shells on for earrings, I have yet to pick up some of the same kind.  In the meantime, I have had too much fun making super-summer jewelry with the supplies I have on hand, and the shells I picked up on my trip from the beach. These pieces I have made are ideal, in my mind, for anywhere near the ocean, but will also be fun additions for summer outfits in the coming months!

Tell me, have you ever crafted up some fun summer jewelry?

 < While I would really like some very tiny, simple wire hoops to string shells on, I am currently using some of my simple jewelry for these summer DIY earrings with shells I collected on the beach in Fiji >

 < Supplies I used to create a seashell necklace >

< The seashell necklace DIY: finished product; I will definitely have so much fun wearing this piece this summer! >

Wonders from the weekend

< Watching the sun go down during a quick weekend road trip >

Happy Monday, 3P pretties!  This weekend went by way too quickly... as usual!  The man and I enjoyed some time by the lake with our wonderful family, soaking up the sun, enjoying the turquoise water and the wonderful surroundings, and laughing while sharing old and new memories.  I am full to the brim with both good food and much happiness, and am looking forward to a great week!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and are going to make this a great week too!

 < A glitter-polka-dot bag I made as a gift for a very special someone >

 < The beautiful, clear water we so enjoyed boating on and being in! >

< Guess what movie we saw with the fam?? >

< Goodnight, lake sunset- it was a fantastic trip! >

Obsessed: summer eats

Warm summer days mean time in the sun, splashing in cool water, road trips and new adventures, barbecues with friends and loved ones, and of course, those colorful fruits and veggies that are prime in the heat of summer.  While I really enjoy fresh fruit salad, I can basically obsess over any summer salad or freshly picked fruit (and hello, fruit sorbet!).  After eying all the photos above, my mouth is watering- time to plan the next backyard barbecue!  What are some of your favorite things to eat and favorite recipes during summer?

Have a wonderful weekend, 3P style, and I will see you back here next week!

* melon pictures above- mine, all other photos via Pinterest

Snapshots from Fiji

< Bula, Fiji!! >

As you might have guessed after reading this post, I recently enjoyed some tropical island time in... Fiji!  Earlier this year the hubs surprised me with the plans for this trip, and while I may have experienced a certain amount of uncertainty prior to this trip (mainly due to the lack of information communicated by the organization that planned this trip), our time on this island was absolutely wonderful.  The views were incredible, the weather treated us well, our villa at the resort was lovely, and the conversations flowed freely with fellow travelers and resort staff alike.  While the main purpose of this trip we joined was to scuba dive, my main goal was to relax in the tropical surroundings.  All in all it was a week of new adventures, relaxation, greeting tropical fish up close and personal, and forming new friendships.  Thanks for all the memories, Fiji, and soto tale!

PS- You can see some of my other travel adventures from this year here and here.  What an amazing year of trips this has been so far!

 < First view of the island after an 11 hour flight >

 < Treats to welcome us to Fiji- a shell lei and some locally bottled water >

 < Green, green land everywhere >

 < Fresh juice waiting for us in our villa for the week! >

 < The amazing view as seen from our villa's front patio. Breathtaking! >

< Bright, tropical flowers were in abundance all around >

< Just what I ordered!  Tropical drinks on a tropical trip! >

 < The resort pool and the ocean beyond that, as viewed at each meal >

 < Fresh, delicious fruit from the island >

 < A glimpse into some of the colorful reef life we enjoyed discovering, as taken by my new diving friend Michele >

 < Taking a walk along the beach and feeling the sand between our toes >

 < Sunrise on an overcast day... >

< And sunrise on a sunny day >

 

< My most favorite desert- a medley of fresh fruit topped with vanilla ice cream >

 < All set for enjoying time by the pool! >

 < Our bags were a-plenty!  All packed and ready to head back home >

< Home again in sunny CA! And back to reality... :-) >