Anyone else out there can relate to being an "extroverted introvert"?

*slowly raises hand*

While I love hanging out with my friends and going to new places around the city, nothing tops a peaceful evening at home. Some of my favorite weekend plans include slipping on my comfiest sweatpants, throwing my hair in a top knot and wearing three layers of sweatshirts AKA basically wearing a portable blanket around the house.

This weekend was lit, y'all. And when I say lit, I mean my candles. ALL WEEKEND LONG. The only upside to this eternal winter is the excuse to stay at home every night wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, canoodling with a giant bowl of popcorn and being practically super glued to my couch.

And what are the ingredients to a perfect night in? I'm so glad you asked.

Exhibit A: The Noms

My personal go-to comfort, staying-at-home meal in is quite simple.

1 Archer Farms Goat Cheese and Spinach Pizza

+

1 Cranberry Kale Side (for some vitamins in my life)

+

1 can La Croix sparkling water (may substitute with the occasional moscato)

+

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

(yes, you read that right. a BAG.)

oh. and popcorn. for a later snack, of course.

Exhibit B: The Wardrobe

If we're being completely honest here, it would be the rattiest pair of Nike sweatpants I own and wearing an XL sweatshirt from the hubby's football team.

But for cuteness sake, I would throw on these comfy herringbone leggings from Target (no longer sold), this cozy pullover from Old Navy and fuzzy slippers to complete the ensemble.

Exhibit C: The Treat Yourself Method

Besides catching up on all my favorite reality TV shows (Music City fans, you out there?), I also love this downtime to invest in true life motto: treat yo'self. With the Target Beauty Box I picked up this weekend, I did just that. For only 7 dollars (actually insanely cheap), I got seven samples of beauty products I've been wanting to try for a while. My personal favorites were the sweet smelling bath bubbles from Dr. Teal and Olay Regenerist Whips face moisturizer. And the best part is, the beauty box has coupons for ALL of the products inside, making it even more tempting to run out and buy the full size stuff. I am such a sucker for samples, but they honestly are the best (and most affordable) ways to find your new favorite beauty products. Plus, Target has more than one style of box to try from, so sorry bathroom cabinets. You're gonna be looking real full, real fast.

Oh darn. There goes my weekend plans again.

Shucks.

If you're anything like me, just a regular old pale-skinned Minnesotan, then the weather from the past few days just makes you want to crawl under the covers until the warmth of spring can coax you out. I've honestly debated whether I should petition the government for an extra week of PTO for all Minnesotans just because of the endless winter we seem to STILL BE ENDURING.

In April. #goodnesssakes

But, for every complaint I've made about this darn white stuff the past two days, I'm starting to realize there are so many other things about this great state that keeps me from just packing a suitcase and heading south (don't get me wrong, I've come veryyy close in the past 24 hours).

Some of these MN perks include:

-The grand and marvelous Mall of America. Because when you live less than 5 miles away from 550+ stores at all times, can you really get mad about a few inches of measly snow in your way? With a Chipotle, J.Crew and Doc Popcorn all among them?

No, not really.

-Tater tot hot dish. The key supper recipe in all Midwestern's homes. Because nothing says "enjoying winter" than consuming half a pan of this cheesy goodness, piled under four blankets and binge-watching an entire season of "One Tree Hill" on a Saturday night. Am I right?!

-Four seasons to enjoy every year. While sometimes I envy the eternal spring weather of our friends in California, it's got to be a little weird not to experience more than 1-2 seasons in a year. Is it Christmas? Who knows? Still 65 degrees and sunny outside. And when do you know it's fall time without breaking out your coziest sweater and curling up with a hot pumpkin spice latte to get you in the spirit? We Minnesotans are lucky for the ever-changing weather and all the fun activities that go along with it!

-And finally, our overall MN pride. I'm sure anyone who was watching the Superbowl this year just chuckled to themselves as the reporters interviewed attendees outside the stadium in the record-breaking-freezing temperatures this year.

Those fools. Who in their right mind would want to live in Arctic-circle conditions?

Yes, we endure long hard winters (like this one). And yes, it isn't always enjoyable digging out your car from under five feet of snow in the pitch black darkness of winter mornings.

BUT. We are who we are. We know what we can get through.

We are Minnesotans. And we are home.

*insert Vikings horn sound here*

And what better way to show off our love for this great state, than wearing the coziest of sweatshirts during this chilly season. LakeBound Clothing has the best outwear to throw on whether your running a late-night Target errand or just lounging around the house. All of their apparel has such a cute rustic feel to it, making you dream of cozy nights tucked next to a crackling fire in the northern woods of MN. 

Plus, it makes these last few nights of winter *fingers crossed* seem a bit warmer with a new favorite sweatshirt to throw on. Just sayin.

Random Thoughts and Favorites from January 2018

First off on the January favorites, this sweatshirt from Marshall's. Bought it on a whim and I am IN LOVE. Its so easy to throw with some skinnies and booties for a night out OR paired with your coziest leggings and watching Netflix in bed. Both tested by moi and approved.

If you haven't heard the newest song from Maren Morris, Zedd and Grey, do it. Do it right now. This baby will be stuck in your head all day. Seriously been playing it on repeat each morning as a I drive into work and singing along at the top of my lungs. (Sorry to all those who witness this karaoke solo on 494 in the AM).

Speaking of work, with my new job this week, I also got a new dress code! Bye bye khakis, hello jeans <3 Our motto is "dress for your day" so I've been typically wearing a blazer with a cute button down, skinny jeans and flats/booties. Seriously, it's been so nice to change up my look everyday and actually use more than 10% of my closet. And definitely yet another excuse to go shopping for more business casual ensembles.That's what credit cards are for, right? *insert facepalm emoji here*

If you didn't see my last post on my winter skincare routine, open another window and scroll through. Still in love with my Pearlessence oil during this awfully long January weather. My skin has never felt more hydrated, despite the negative weather.

I <3 The Bachelor. And not because its a particularly interesting season. But when my friends get together for our weekly viewing parites, we now have a little game of throwing Snapchat filters on these poor girls. GAME CHANGER. If you don't follow me on Instagram, you know you gotta for every Monday night now. #NoTeamBachelor #JustInItForTheFilters #CheersfortheMNGirl

And lastly, Superbowl Week is here in Minneapolis and everyone is a buzzin. Not remotely kidding when I thought I saw JT at the MOA last week. Turns out it was just some guy sitting in the rotunda. Nevertheless, it's been star-searching central here in MN and I am just crossing my fingers Nick Jonas or Thomas Rhett stops by our local gas station or something. Reaching for the stars #literally, but a Midwest girl can dream, right?!

Anyone else feel personally victimized by their own skin pores sometimes? Like I was promised that once I graduated high school, these little facial enemies called "spots" would automatically go away.
Nope. Wrong-o. They continue to take vengeance against my precious skin, while adding on to the growing list of concerns I have about my face. Like wrinkles. They are a thing. *Shudders*

Guys, I'm here to tell you that I've found the cure. The solution to all your post-grad-why-do-I-still-have-acne-I-have-a-401k-for-goodness-sakes problems. It may not work for everyone, but this is what I have found to work best on my combination skin.

I have always struggled with spot acne. Mostly focused on the sides of my chin and occasionally on my t-zone. My skin is normally tight-dry in the evenings after washing, but super oily only after a few hours on my nose/forehead/chin. Because of my situation, below are some tried-and-true products I have found to work on my face, especially during these bitterly cold MN winters.
**This is not an ad nor sponsored by any means. I'm just that passionate about these products/skincare. Seriously.*

Dr. Wellness Volcanic Ash Clay Mud Mask
-My weekly ritual, which I look forward to every Sunday to cleanse and purify my pores from a week's worth of foundation. I love this mask and have noticed a huge difference in my pore size and brightness of skin after one use. Purchased it on a whim at TJMaxx and I am never looking back!

Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer
-Obviously, we Midwesterns spend most of our time indoors from about November - March. So, let's just say my skin is less than colorful after a few weeks of keeping hidden indoors. I love this moisturizer because it gives a natural glow to my skin #exactlywhatthelabelsays and makes me feel not so ghostly come springtime. I also use the body lotion version (mixed with a scented lotion) to match my facial "faux tan". Easily can be found at your local superstore or drugstore!

Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream
-Guys, I may have a suffered a slight quarter-life-crisis attack when I picked this up.
But I'm too young to be thinking about wrinkles! These are just smile lines...right?!
However, once I got past my initial shock, this cream has been CRUCIAL in my nightly routine. Like I said before, these cold winters bring some major dryness to my skin by the end of the day. I love lathering this cream on my face after cleaning it because I feel like it just locks in moisture, so my skin can just drink it all in while I'm catching some zzz's. The best part? I found this in the travel section at Target, so you can sample it before buying in bulk. Try it out and fall in love too like I did <3

PearlEssence Argan + Vitamin E Balancing Facial Oil
And now...*in my best British accent* for the STAHHHR of the show! Seriously, this is the product that inspired me to even write this post to begin with. This facial oil has been a literal miracle for my skin care routine over the past few months. Again, I purchased this on a whim when I was at TJ Maxx and it has probably been the decision I have made skin-wise. The best way I can honestly describe it? Well, if you have seen the Hunger Games and can recall the magical gel Haymitch sends to Katniss when she had several open stab wounds? And they magically healed overnight with application? Yea, this oil is basically the same.
(On a very different scale. Like a 10 on the beauty scale, compared to a 10 on a scale of life-saving medicine products during an all-out battle in the Capitol. But you get my point.)
This oil has significantly reduced my outbreaks on my chin over the past several weeks. And it seems so strange to slather on a bunch of oil over my acne (isn't that how it started?), but it must have a miracle element that cannot compete. If you are looking for something to radically change you skin, this would be at the top of the list. And just watch...the miracles occur <3

Ba-da-da-daaaaah! My skin after a few weeks of this routine. Note: I am wearing some minimal makeup on in this selfie. Butttt no acnes spots were edited or removed. That balancing oil is just that good. Yasssss.

Let me know if you have any luck with some of these products as well! Or if you have any winter skin care products you swear by, I wanna know!