lake times

we got to go to the lake for several days for a mini vacation! it was just in the nick of time as we have been bombarded with home buying stress and crazy work schedules. we kayaked, swam, drank beer, read books and slept in the most comfortable bed [a KING SIZE] i have ever been in. 

here are a few photos:

zissou hung out in various kayaks all weekend 

dock dog

kayak tough

summer footwear of choice

wind blown wolverine hair from jet skiing

sunset watching

beauty

<3 jojy

looking towards summer: how do you protect your skin?

good morning! i was catching up on the interwebs this morning [something i haven't done much of with the new pup!] and i came across this post from sally and molly at a piece of toast about a new brand of swimwear called cover. designed by a couple of skin-conscious ladies who wanted better looking protective swimwear. i think they succeeded! their collection is spf 50+ and still attractive/mature/sexy. 

it got me thinking about summer and what my game plan is for protecting my skin. if you have ever been poolside with me, you have probably witnessed me covering myself in opaque white sunscreen + sitting under an umbrella + covering myself up with a towel. i love feeling the warmth of the sun and being outside, but i do not want to mess with the wrinkles, sunspots and possibility of skin cancer that can come from too much unprotected sun exposure. 

inspired by cover, i started checking around for other cute, long-sleeved swimwear. i found these at j.crew. i love the cute prints and the bright solids. i'm digging the bottom right one. i would pair it with some patterned bottoms and call it a day. i also like the tomboy feel of the swim shirt. it would make me feel like the surfer-girl that i will never be!

what about you guys? how do you protect yourself in the summer? have you ever worn protective swimwear [in your adult life]? do you love to tan despite the health risks?

<3 jojy

[photos from left to right: one//two//three//four// via j.crew]

spring time beauty wish list

juice beauty SPF 30 tinted mineral moisturizer: i'm thinking this would be a great makeup for summer. it has SPF which is a must [all day every day, you guys!] and its lightly tinted. assuming my skin is clear enough, i would probably just wear this with a little blush and mascara and be done.

ilia beauty lipstick in "neon angel": i want this stuff so bad. ilia has been my go to lipstick for about a year now but usually only in the red category. i don't know what has come over me, but for the past couple weeks i find myself looking at this lipstick several times a week thinking over when i can buy it. the colors of clothes i wear tend to be more neutral so i feel like i could do this neon lip no problem. i can't stop imaging an all black outfit with a neon pink smile. do you have the image in your head? i'm rocking it, right?

clarisonic mia sonic skin cleansing system: i have been hearing about these forever but never paid them any mind. maybe it's cause my winter skin in freaking out a lot lately, i don't know. but all of a sudden i feel like i need this. has anyone out there ever used one? i think the idea is that it just cleans your skin way better than you clean can it with your hands. apparently it really helps with acne. i'll take it. bonus, they come in fun colors!

soapwalla luxurious moisturizing body oil: i don't know why but i hate lotioning my body. i guess i just feel like it takes too long, and i get lotion everywhere, and it never dries fast enough, etc. but i have never tried a body oil. i love my face oils, so i feel like a body oil could be really great. i also have a weird red itchy rash all over my stomach sometimes [no doc has ever successfully diagnosed it] and i bet it would go away if i was consistently putting a quality body oil on.

have any of you used these products? i'm hoping to get some of these for valentine's day, in my easter basket and/or for my birthday. [hint hint, husband...]

<3 jojy

this season

for me this season is all about:

tights, hot tea, cardigans, crockpot meals, bundled up walks, my favorite lace up heels, holding hands to keep warm, tall socks, good beers [lets be honest thats for all seasons], sitting by the fire [aka our tiny space heater], husbands on tractors [bottom left]...

on a real note, i'm going to try and remember to be in community with others this season. i have a bad habit [as a lot of us do] of being kind of a loner during the winter months. i become introverted and flake out on my friends a lot more than i normally would. i guess by making it public, all of my friends out there can now officially call me out. yikes!

anyways, i was looking back over kinfolk magazine volume 2 in which they talk a little bit about how there is such a difference between summer and winter. in summer, hanging out happens naturally. people are always getting together. but winter is the season of being intentional with our gatherings. there is long lovely quote that i'm not going to type out here but you should check out the magazine and read it for yourself. here's a tiny snippet:

"winter is the recognition, in the form of a season, that we need each other."   
        -nikaela peters in kinfolk magazine volume 2

so, go have a lovely weekend, why don't you! and love on your people. community is important.

<3 jojy