I got a new J-O-B!!

It's official - I've finally landed my first counseling job and I couldn't be more excited!! Since I just graduated with my masters in counseling about three weeks ago, I feel like everything has happened so fast I haven't even had a chance to process everything. Even though I really enjoyed teaching, I'm so excited to be making this career move into counseling where I think I can really make a difference. I've always loved psychology, hearing other people's life stories and journeys because I find those kind of things fascinating -- so needless to say, I think the counseling profession is perfect for me (and now that I think of it, probably why I like blogging so much!)

With that being said, I have already started fantasizing what my office would look like and how I could decorate it (of course) so I wanted to share some of my counseling office ideas. 

All images can be found on my pinterest page.

I love the whole "Keep Calm" idea, especially in a counselors office, so I think sentiment is really cute.

Plus the little couch on the top cracks me up since laying on a couch isn't so much what counseling is all about anymore. Too Freudian for me!

I'd love to also have a zen garden because it's so calming for clients.

Love this organization, the inspirations boards, and the message --

 "do what you love, love what you do"

great inspiring quote by Einstein.

I love how these book ends are both both cork boards and can hold pens/pencils and plants. 

Perfect for a desktop! 

 I think it would be cute to have a bowl of affirmation stones on my desk as daily reminders to myself and others.

 Love the organization (and chevron print) in this office organizer/planner. This will be helpful to stay on top of appointments and other "to-do" items and make them a priority.

 And I actually have this exact print on a magnet on my fridge. I just think it is a beautiful reminder that sometimes when we think our world is over, it's just getting good : )

This sentiment is probably my favorite. This helps remind me that we must truly live in the now and soak in the present moment to be happy : )

I hope everyone is having a peaceful day and remembering to live in the now!

-Pretty Little Things

Last Days of Summer and Rainbow Sherbet

As the last days of summer roll by (sigh) I have been trying to soak in all the sun while I can. Just the other day, D and I checked out this new Beer Garden in Hoboken that is on a pier that everyone calls Pier 13 -- but I was joking around saying that they should call it the Pier Garden! Anyway, the view of NYC was gorgeous and I wished I had known about Pier 13 when it opened back in July. If I knew, I would have spent many days on the pier enjoying the local food trucks and some cold beverages with friends. Here is the casual outfit I wore when meeting up with friends, which kind of reminds me of rainbow sherbet (hence the title above!) haha

 Outfit Details:

Peach T-shirt: Old Navy // Hot Pink Shorts: TJ Maxx // Sandals: Report

Watch & Bag: Michael Kors // Leather Bracelet: Tory Burch // Love Necklace: Tiffany & Co

 Gorgeous view from the Pier. There's the Empire State Building straight ahead.

 Whoa frizzy hair alert! Must have been all the humidity near the water that got my locks all volumized!!

 And to the right we have the new Freedom Towers being built in place of the World Trade Towers.

It will never be the same, but it's certainly the New, New York. And I love it just the same ; )

Hope you all have a lovely day and enjoy your last days of summer!

-Pretty Little Things

Mad about Madras

Before D and I left for vacation we went down to Long Beach Island (LBI for all you non-New Jerseyians) to visit his mom at her beach house. Seriously, who goes to the beach before going on vacation --apparently we do! I got a chance to rock my super old madras skirt -- really love the madras print -- something about it feels so beachy to me! I've been wanting to find cute madras shorts for me and D and can't seem to find what I'm looking for anywhere. Anyway, here are some outfit pics of the day and a few instagram shots of our stay down the shore : )

Outfit Details:

Navy Tank: Abercrombie (so very old) // Madras Skirt: American Eagle (also ridiculously old) Sunnies: Loft (also crazy old!) // Watch & Bracelet: Michael Kors (gifts from D)

 Love Necklace: Tiffany & Co (bday gift from D) //Flip Flops: Tory Burch

Sorry about the bra strap shot!

This is the face I always give D to make him laugh : ) 

Toes in the sand : )

Fresh crab legs from my favorite place and coronas. Not too shabby

 And at the night D surprised me by taking me on the ferris wheel and kissing me on the top! 

Which was so cute and sweet because he knew it was 31. on my Summer Bucket list to kiss at the top of a ferris wheel!! What a doll he is : ) Overall it was the perfect quick trip to the beach that was filled with a lot of laughs and a lot of great memories!

Hope you all have a lovely day : )

-Pretty Little Things 

What to Wear to a Summer Wedding?

For me, I love wearing bright colors to a summer wedding. And I like to keep the accessories simple and neutral. This friend's wedding was particularly fun and special because as my classmate in grad school, we were celebrating our recent graduation -- no really, we graduated and finished our program on a Friday and she got married that next Saturday. So talk about having something to celebrate about! We had a great night of full of dancing and laughing and so so so much food. She even set up an entire dessert ROOM at the end of the night. Yeah, let's just say I was stuffed when we left : )

Outfit Details:

Dress: Boutique in Hoboken // Clutch: Tory Burch // Love Necklace: Tiffany & Co

Bracelet & Watch: Michael Kors // Nude Heels: Nine West // Nail Polish: Essie Case Study

And here some photos and wedding details:

Gorgeous flower center pieces.

Crab and shrimp appetizers -- yum!

Me and D at our table.

Pics of me and the girls celebrating our graduation -- we did it!!

And a lovely photo of me and D. I think we clean up pretty nicely, don't you think?

What do you like to wear for a summer wedding?

-Pretty Little Things

Back to Jersey in Style

This is the only other outfit I photographed from vacation, and this was back in Jersey after we got back from the airport. Blogger FAIL! Again, I went with the comfort of a maxi dress and threw on a light cardigan (in a neutral color of course) as I used this cardi with pretty much everything on vacay.

 Outfit Details:

Cardigan: New York & Co. // Maxi Dress: Target // Bracelet and Watch: Michael Kors

Snake skin wallet/purse: Nine West (this was perfect for carrying the bare essentials on vacation because it carries your cell phone, money and turns into a purse) 

 Flip Flops: Report

Happy Monday everyone!!

-Pretty Little Things

Vacation Snapshots

I had all intentions of taking daily "outfit of the day" photos on vacation and made detailed efforts to pack my cutest outfits for the day and some going out looks for night. Really I did! But as it turned out, most of our vacation I spent in a bikini, tanks tops, flip flops and cover ups. Honestly, I barely wore shoes! At first I was disappointed that I had an entire LARGE suitcase full of unworn clothes and felt like a fashion failure, but then I realized a 6 day vacation spent entirely in a bathing suit is not a bad thing -- at. all. 

D and I had such an amazing time and the trip as a whole (we went down to St. Pete Beach, FL) was perfect. In fact, we only left the resort once on the last night for a nice dinner downtown -- only to be caught in a serious monsoon! So much for straightening my hair that day! Anyways, here are some of the photos I did take -- my apologies for the lack of outfit photos. But I'm assuming you can only see me in so many bathing suits before it gets repetitive!

Enjoy : )

Pic before takeoff.

My in-flight reading. Anyone else a huge fan of Sky Mall? They seriously have the best little gadgets in there!

Hibiscus flower in the hair.

 As soon as we got to the resort, we hit the pool!

 Salty's Tiki Bar.

Soaking in the sun.

 We stayed poolside until sunset. 

 Florida humidity is so unforgiving for naturally curly hair. Boo!

To me, vacation screams tropical drinks and Coronas : )

 Then we spent a lot of time at the beach.

Trying to not get knocked down by the waves.

 I kept joking around that I felt like I was in a Corona ad lounging on the beach all day!

There's D in the striped shorts!

This is pretty much the most clothes I wore on the whole trip. Lots of tanks and shorts.

Here D and I took a quick pic after having lunch.

 Unfortunately (due to the tropical climate of Florida) it's known to rain scattered throughout the day. While most days it wasn't a problem, one day it rained until 5pm. Boo! But no worries - all that meant was ordering room service (which is always fun) taking naps, and spending quality time in the room : )

When in Rome.....since we were down south, this Jersey girl wanted to try grits for the first time.

Not bad I must say! These grits were even organic too!

 The adult pool where we spent most of our days lounging.....

...and eating Pizza Hut. Yup, the resort had a Pizza Hut right next to the pool. Since D and I have a weakness for this fast food fav, we may have indulged in it's cheesy goodness once or twice ; )

And I got a chance to catch up on my fall fashion issues (my favorite!!)

My InStyle magazine was a whopping 652 pages -- that thing was seriously like lugging around a telephone book!!

 Getting some drinks at the resorts tavern. Casual night listening to live music.

And our last night, D surprised me by having champagne and chocolate covered strawberries delivered to the room. What a doll he is! 

 Pink champagne!

Yummy chocolate & nut covered strawberries.

 Cheers to a fantastic vacation!

And notice D's extra shiny nails? I talked him into getting a men's manicure while I got mine done too!! What a sport he was! Here I'm wearing Essie's Play Date.

At the airport heading back to the dirty Jersey : (

We'll miss you TradeWinds Resort! Until next time!

And now, back to reality....

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

-Pretty Little Things