Tag: Kennebunkport

Weekending {Extended Version}: Feeling Thankful

9 Comments

There were a lot of really wonderful things in my life last week and throughout the weekend. I came back to MA on Saturday feeling incredibly thankful for my family, friends, boyfriend and some extra time off.

Wednesday morning I was thankful for being able to head to Maine to work from there for a half day of work and beat the traffic and the snow.

IMG_9436

I was thankful for being able to decline lunch/errand plans with my mom and sister in favor of napping, blogging and getting a start on cocktail hour.

IMG_9439

I was thankful for being able to be surrounded by my family, all 4 of us, for the first time in months! We laughed and ate and drank and it was wonderful.

Thursday morning I felt thankful that my weird headache was gone and had apparently just turned into a little head cold. I was thankful for a relaxing morning in the kitchen with my family & for my sister agreeing to video me for some blog things.

I was thankful for the fact I was able to get my sweat on and feel strong throughout the short, but tough workout.

IMG_9456

I was thankful for snow! And for the fact I was in Maine where 12 inches of snow is much more bearable than it is in Boston.

IMG_9447

I was thankful for bubbly, because it makes everything better 😉

IMG_9457

I was thankful for this beautiful spread of food, none of which I prepared (whoops!).

IMG_9462 IMG_9463

I was thankful for being able to sit and watch a movie with my sister.

IMG_9467

I was thankful for being able to go to our friend’s house for games, wine, dessert and laughs. These girls have been in our lives forever and I love them so much! And little Zeke, who is on the MOVE! He even knows how to take a selfie 😉

IMG_9474 IMG_9468

Friday morning, I woke up thankful to still be in Maine. I was thankful that my sister wanted to go to the gym with me and I’m thankful that I was able to have a great workout.

IMG_9480

I was thankful for going out to lunch in Kennebunkport with my parents and my sister.

IMG_9482 IMG_9486

And on Friday night, I was thankful to be home for another night with my family.

Saturday morning, I was thankful for a quick drive back to Massachusetts and an awesome class at Exhale Spa with my sister and friend Amanda.

IMG_9493

I was thankful for a delicious (and I mean delicious) brunch post-class at Ward 8, consisting of a veggie grilled cheese and lots of bubbly.

IMG_9492 IMG_9491

Saturday afternoon/evening, I was thankful for finally getting to see RM! We watched some soccer and decided to stay local for dinner. We saddled up at the bar, enjoyed some drinks, wings & pizza (going out with a bang this week) and were home and in bed nice and early.

Sunday morning, I woke up feeling thankful for not having to rush out of bed, for being able to have a relaxing morning and for having a largely open day ahead. I was thankful for being able to get a Christmas tree with RM- ’tis the season!
IMG_9496

Yes, he is entirely making fun of me.

Sunday night, I was thankful for being able to relax while RM cooked us dinner. On the menu was paleo style sweet and spicey wings, homemade sausage & a fresh salad. I also made some paleo pumpkin banana nut muffins that we’ve been obsessed with lately. It was such a nice, relaxing night- it felt like a Saturday!

IMG_9500 IMG_9501 IMG_9502 IMG_9503

Sunday night was the perfect way to cap off a little extended break. I had been feeling very stressed and overwhelmed prior to the break, but I now feel rest and rejuvenated and ready for the holiday season!

Questions for you: Where did you spend thanksgiving? Did you have a big crowd at dinner? Have you ever been to Kennebunkport? Do you like barre classes? How do you gear up for the week ahead?

Weekending: Margarita’s, Sushi, Maine

Leave a comment

Good morning! I feel like I’m already on Thanksgiving break… or at least in my mind I feel like I am! Unfortunately, there’s still a little work left this week before I can officially check out… Until then, let’s talk about the weekend!

After work on Friday, I went out for a drink with some co-workers to celebrate Christine’s last day. We went to the new Temazcal in Lynnfield and the margarita’s there did NOT suck. They are made with all fresh juices rather than nasty sour mix so I was a big fan.

IMG_9396

When I got home, RM and I headed to Medford to go to my favorite sushi restaurant: Yoki. It was packed, but luckily we scored a seat quickly. We got a few rolls and some sashimi and everything was awesome. Sushi craving successfully satisfied!

IMG_9397

A little trip to Cold Stone after was the prefect way to end the night 😉

IMG_9398

After an awesome kickboxing class on Saturday morning, RM and I headed north. We stopped off in Kennebunkport for lunch at Hurricane Restaurant before getting to my parent’s house. There were fish tacos on the menu, so obviously I had to get them, but I will say I thought ours were better!

IMG_9399 IMG_9400

It felt great to spend the night at my parents house! The stoves were cranking, the wine was flowing and the food was delicious.

IMG_9413

I was able to spend some time working on my Happy, Healthy, Fit challenge, so I was thankful for that! For dinner, we had pork tenderloin, Brussels Sprouts with a  balsamic glaze, dried cranberries, slivered almonds and bacon, mashed carrot & parsnip casserole and roasted potatoes. Everything was SO good.

IMG_9414IMG_9415

To finish off the night, we had some Grand Marnier (well, RM and my mom had some… I can’t handle it!) and sat by the fire. This is one of my favorite parts about being home. Can you blame me?

IMG_9420

Such a great night. RM and I hung around Sunday morning and took our time getting back. I’m always a little sad when I leave to come back to MA, but I’ll be back in Maine tomorrow so it was a little easier on Sunday.

Questions for you: What was the best part of your weekend? Where is your favorite margarita place? do you like after dinner liquors?

Boston Day of Fun, Pat Green Concert & Easter Weekend in Maine {Recap}

2 Comments

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, there’s nothing like the feeling of spending a weekend home in Maine. I come back to the city feeling totally re-charged. I love the fast-paced, city life style 95% of the time, but after weeks and weeks of that, it feels really great to come home to Maine for a slower-paced, less busy weekend.

I cannot tell you how amazing it was to have Friday off. I don’t know what my problem was last week, but I had ZERO desire to work. I managed to get through it, but it wasn’t fun! Friday started off with a much-needed hair cut, followed by a sushi lunch with the guy. We had planned to have a “day of fun” in the city since I had the day off and he had a half day.

IMG_7211

After lunch, we headed to Copley and did some shopping. I got my watch fixed and he scored big time at J. Crew. We finished the day at The Salty Pig, which would have been better if it wasn’t Good Friday (meaning we could eat meat). But! They had Gluten Free beers and a great music selection, so it was the perfect way to end our day.

That night, I had plans to go to the Pat Green concert at the House of Blues with my sister and some friends. Danielle surprised me with tickets for my birthday and even though I had never heard of him, I was excited to go to a country concert with a fun group of people!

IMG_7221 IMG_7222

After a very sweaty (per usual) and still fairly packed kickboxing class on Saturday morning, Danielle and I headed north for the rest of the weekend. We met our mom in Kennebunkport for lunch at Federal Jacks, which was delicious! I got the beef and barley soup (so random, but it sounded so good) and the strawberry and goat cheese salad. I knew I had to go try on clothes after lunch so I wanted to keep it on the lighter side.

IMG_7223

After shopping around at PJ’s Unique Peek for an outfit to wear in the fashion show next weekend, we headed home to finally see dad! He and I prepped veggies and meat for the BBQ- I cannot tell you how excited I was to have a BBQ!

IMG_7225 IMG_7228

Danielle and I were in bed and asleep before 10pm… and didn’t wake up until 8:45 on Sunday morning. I haven’t slept that long in who knows when and it was amazing!!! We did Easter baskets, church, brunch and then helped dad clean up the wood on the lawn (for the winter months) Mom and I went for a nice 40 minute walk and then we all had a bonfire until it was time to cook dinner.

IMG_7236 IMG_7243 IMG_7239

IMG_7245

IMG_7248 IMG_7253

We had an absolutely wonderful meal… so good that I think I need to share it with you soon 😉

IMG_7258

All in all, it was such a good weekend! From the time I woke up on Friday, to the time I went to bed on Sunday (ahhh, the joys of having a flexible job that allows me to work from home in Maine!), I pretty much had a non-stop smile on. I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life- both family and friends, and getting some solid, uninterrupted family time over the weekend was exactly what I needed after a very hectic March and April.

I hope all of you had a nice Easter celebration (if you celebrate it)!

Questions for you: Have you heard of Pat Green? Do you like going to concerts? What did you do for Easter- was it a small celebration or a big family thing? Were you able to enjoy the nice weather?

PJ’s Unique Peek Boutique: Bag Giveaway

89 Comments

Hi, friends! Boy do I have a treat for you today. A few weeks ago, I met the owner of PJ’s Unique Peek Boutique, which is located in Kennebunkport, Maine. I had heard wonderful things about Jane (the owner) from my mom and her friend, Jeanne, and everything they said about her was entirely true. My first thought when I saw Jane, was “wow. She is stunning! And really fashionable.” Well, duh, she owns a clothing boutique, so I guess that makes sense. Anyway! Jane and I started talking about her store and how she just got on Facebook and was trying to get more “likes”, so when I said I wrote a blog and could possibly help with that, she jumped right on board!

Before I get to the giveaway (which you don’t want to miss), I want to share a little bit about Jane and how she got her business started. I’m always impressed when people have a goal and go for it- no matter how big or small it is, working towards your goals or dreams is a huge accomplishment and something to be incredibly proud of.

IMG_6771

Owning a women’s boutique has always been a dream of mine, although over the years I’ve worn many hats, but,…the stars aligned perfectly last spring.  My friend and I decided it was do or die, so we formed an LLC and proceeded to secure a “brick and mortar” location and do our due diligence, researching and preparing our business plan.

Lower Village Kennebunk, a stone’s throw from Kennebunkport and Dock Square, seemed to be the ideal spot and as a bonus there was parking in the rear of the building.  It never hurts to have former President and Mrs. Bush as neighbors!  We opened the boutique on July 5th.  In December, I had the opportunity to buy out my partner, so now the name PJ’s stands for Positively Jane’s.

I’m anticipating to have my online store up and running very soon.  Presently I’m offering some specials on the business Facebook page.  Soldsie and Paypal will be added to Facebook to enhance the selling and buying experience.

The boutique carries fun and fashionable women’s clothing, accessories and jewelry (Kazuri from Africa to locally made wire and stone jewelry).  The clothing lines include Pretty Women, Tribal, Parkhurst, Raffinalla and Southern Lady to name a few. My skin potions (soaps, creams, body butters and cleansers) are made in Maine.  Also, I have some unique gifts made by local artisans from beautiful burl bowls to framed prints to colorful luggage tags.

The days and hours are limited in the winter months, but the boutique is open seven days a week after Memorial day.

So, now that you have an idea about Jane and her store (which I’m dying to go to!), let’s get to the giveaway, shall we? Jane has been gracious enough to give me one of the gorgeous Latico bags that she sells in her store to giveaway on the blog. Made in the US, this leather bag is a “must-have” for any of us who are on the go and always in need of a big bag to carry everything. The straps are thin, so they stay in place on your shoulder- is there anything more annoying than having your bag constantly slip down off your shoulder??

IMG_6764

On top of that, the leather is incredibly soft and I’m in love with the gorgeous blue color- perfect for the upcoming spring and summer season, right?? I’m really digging the liner fabric- it’s a nice surprise when you open the bag!

IMG_6765

I also love that it has a zipper. Since I’m often on public transportation, I always look for bags with zippers to keep everything safe (not to mention when I’m in the car and my bag falls off the seat… having a zipper helps to eliminate everything falling all over the floor!). The bag is rather big and deep (perfect for carrying a laptop!), so I like that it comes with a handy little small, zippered pouch. There are also pockets for your phone, pens, cards, etc., but I’d use the zippered pouch to hold my chapsticks/lip-glosses, hand sanitzer, keys, etc. You could also use it to hold your cash if you decide to leave your bag in the car while you run errands or go out with friends.

IMG_6768 IMG_6767

This bag retails at $169.99, but one lucky reader will receive it- for free!! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what you’re most looking forward to this spring season- clothes, bags, warm weather… can be anything!

IMG_6769 IMG_6770

You may receive extra entries by:

1. “Liking” PJ’s Unique Peek on Facebook

2. “Liking” Burpees To Bubbly on Facebook

3. “Sharing” this giveaway on Twitter

Leave a comment for every extra way you’re entering the giveaway- That’s a total of 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

I will be picking the winner, by random, on Monday, March 10th, so make sure to get your entries in before that 🙂

Good luck!

Weekend {Picture} Recap: Kennebunkport, Lounging, Shopping

2 Comments

This past weekend was awesome, partly because it was a long weekend, partly because it was spent with my family in Maine and partly because I was able to relax and have some “me” time. Here’s my recap.. in pictures!

Friday

IMG_5924IMG_5926 IMG_5927 IMG_5928

We decided to share some pizza’s (David’s is known for their pizzas), as well as a burger and I got the Beef and Barley soup.

IMG_5930 IMG_5931 IMG_5932IMG_5929IMG_5941

got my hair highlighted/lunch at Davids KPT/Drinks at Hurricane Restaurant/Checking out mom’s “ugly Christmas sweater” collection. Could be worth lots of money these days.

Saturday

Danielle and I got up early on Saturday to head back to Brighton for my kickboxing class and then hung around and relaxed for the afternoon.

IMG_5944IMG_5945IMG_5947

Gathering my Christmas decorations/relaxing/shopping at the Gap

Sunday

IMG_5949 IMG_5951 IMG_5952 IMG_5954

Sunday morning workout/Birthday shopping for my sister (We got her AMAZING deals on workout clothes- 3 tops, 1 sports bra and 2 pants for $47!!!)/shopping for me (because I hadn’t spent enough $$$ all weekend! In all honesty, though, I needed both pairs of shoes!)/weekly food/salad/lunch prepping

Questions for you: What was the best thing you did all weekend? If you could always have a 3 day weekend, would it be Friday-Sunday or Saturday-Monday? What is the last thing you splurged on for yourself while shopping?