My Peace Love Life

Nick's Surprise 30th Birthday Mexico Trip!

1/30/2020

Last year I took Nick on a surprise trip to Mexico for his 30th birthday. And when I say surprise, I mean he didn't know where we were going or what we were doing until we got to our gate at the airport and I let him look at his plane ticket! It was pretty amazing, and I was super proud of myself for pulling it off!

We stayed at an all inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, and had a complete blast!

Barcelo Maya Palace is absolute perfection. See for yourself this paradise on earth!

The bathroom in our room!

There is little I love more than free food, and hardly anything Nick loves more than free booze, so we were in absolute Heaven our entire stay!

Me getting to cross off number 75 on my Bucket List; Eat tacos and drink tequila in Mexico!

Ahhhhh the beach...I feel wonderfully at peace by the ocean, and the little slice of beach that our resort sat on was no exception!

We had the incredible opportunity to visit and spend part of a day at Emotions Native Park.

Zip lining was an adventure!

We also got to ride ATVs throught the jungle which Nick was crazy excited for.

We also swam in a cenote, which is a body of water in an underground cave, and I was absolutely obsessed with the experience!

Thanks for coming over and enjoying our pictures!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more!

Pssst! Don't forget to check out my book I wrote, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" on Amazon to learn how you can take fabulous vacations like this, and also rock your everyday life!

Peace Love and Mexico
Jess <3

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Jumping into the New Year Like...!

12/30/2019

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We are wrapping up yet another year, and so of course I am here yet again to talk about goals and the coming year!
I absolutely love this time of year; Christmas has just ended so everything is a lot more chill, you have fun new Christmas toys to play with (I'm talking about you Hoover cordless vacuum [thanks Mom!]), and we all find ourselves straddling the ending of an entire year, and the crazy exciting beginning of another! A year that has never happened before, where anything is possible, and where we can become and do whoever we want. How exciting is that?! This is why I absolutely love the New Year!
Are you ready for it? If not, don't worry, help is on the way dearie (said in a Mrs. Doubtfire voice)!

I don't know about you, but 2019 was a rough year for my family and a lot of family friends.
I am not one to complain about years all willy nilly, but 2019 kicked my butt too! I am completely and totally exhausted.
So if you are one of the people who can't wait to say goodbye to 2019, let's first read my article from a couple years ago, "How to Move Past a Bad Year and Look Forward to a New One."
Feeling better? Awesome, me too!

Next up is setting some goals for this new year.
Lucky for you I have some super easy goal setting templates for you in a blog post from 2013 that you can check out.
Also, in my book I go way in depth about goal setting (one of my passions!), so if you want to dig deeper, be sure to check that out!

Jumping into the New Year like...!

Once you are in the right mindset, and have some big beautiful goals set, there is nothing stopping you from achieving some truly amazing things in the new year!
And it also doesn't hurt to read motivational blog posts...oh what luck, I happen to have some for you right here!
-Be a boss with money this year by binging my entire Money Management Mondays series.
-Read all of my goal inspired blog posts.
-Check out my bucket list, and get inspired to start your own for the new year.

And last but not least, if you are really serious about taking back control of your life in 2020, I highly recommend reading my book, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map". It is an adorable little book that is a fun and quick read!
You will learn how to kick butt at goal setting, how to attain those goals, how to conquer fear and then conquer anything else you want, I give you my world travel secrets, and more! It is only $9.99 for the Kindle version, and $19.99 for a paperback (links below).

Have a safe and a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Years Day, and a wonderful and productive start to your 2020! I am so excited for all of us!

Peace Love and 2020
Jess <3

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A Very Merry Waste-Free Christmas

11/30/2019

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It's no secret that we as a human race have royally messed up our duty as keepers of this planet. Thankfully, we have become more aware as of late the mistakes we have made, and there are strides being taken in rectifying these mistakes! Saying no to a straw? Easy! Bringing my own bags to the supermarket? Done! Being eco-friendly and waste-free during Christmas time? Ummmm....?
With Christmas being the most wasteful time of the year, it is super important to have a game plan in place, so you can be eco-friendly year round! It really is possible to be waste-free during the Holidays.
Keep reading for my tips on being waste-free all Christmas long!

Gift Wrapping;
Did you know that we generate an additional 7 million pounds of waste between Thanksgiving and New Years Day? My Mom and I both have in our homes containers overflowing with gift bags, boxes, and tins. Every Christmas we put gifts in these, and then after all the presents have been opened, we pick our way through the debris reclaiming our individual bags and boxes, take them back home, and repeating next year! It seems crazy to throw away perfectly good bags and buy more every year.

I will be the first to admit that there is something deeply satisfying about tearing open wrapping paper like a little kid hopped up on pixie sticks and Mountain Dew! So whatever presents aren't placed into a reusable bag or box, we wrap with newspaper and junk mail. It's actually pretty cute! And bonus, we don't need to write who the present is from-everyone will already know!

Food and drink;
Did you know that agriculture is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions? Not to mention the cruel treatment most animals endure, even if it's just a chicken laying eggs.
"Rearing livestock for animal-based products requires far more land, water and energy than producing grain; 27kg CO2 is generated per kilo beef in comparison to 0.9kg per kilo of lentils. According to a 2016 Oxford study, the adoption of a vegan diet globally would cut food-related emissions by 70 percent."
I do not personally eat 100% vegan, although I do recognize how important it is, and about 95% of my cooking is vegan. I do love eggs, but only the Certified Humane eggs! Make sure your eggs are certified humane, and free range or pastured. Cage free eggs, although better than nothing, are not ideal-chickens although not kept in cages, are usually not let outside and are kept in a very cramped spaces. Remember it's about a good life for us, and for our animal friends.
So why not try a couple vegan recipes out this Christmas?

Starting with my Vegan Christmas Eve Ice Cream Hot Cocoa (pictured above), it's sure to be a hit!

There is nothing better than my Vegan Caramel Apple Oatmeal on a cold winter morning!

My Organic, Vegan, and Fair Trade Peanut Butter Cups make great gifts and holiday treats!

Check out my Pinterest board for some of my favorite vegan recipes.

Gifts;
When giving environmentally-conscious gifts, there are many avenues we can take.
Do we give gifts that will help the recipient reduce their carbon footprint? Do we give gifts that just with their being made make the world a better place? Do we give gifts that have been recycled/upcycled? Yes, yes, and yes! So check out these 14+ gifts hand picked by me, that will make everyone on your list, as well as Mother nature, smile.

1. Soda stream.
We absolutely love our Soda Stream. My parents got it for us for Christmas last year and we have used the crap out of it! Nick is a pretty big pop drinker and I have tried to get him to cut back on it-for his health, and for environmental purposes. The Soda Stream takes regular tap water, and turns it into delicious fizzy water, making it the perfect gift for any Le Croix lovers on your list. Just do what I do and add a squeeze of lemon juice, or any other fruit to it. You can also buy concentrated syrups that taste just like your favorite pop flavor. They contain no high fructose, and one bottle of the syrup will make 9 liters of pop! And is your CO2 tank empty? No need to throw it out and buy a new one, just take it to Bed Bath and Beyond where they will fill it back up for a cheaper price than buying a new one!

2. My book!
Ok maybe a paperback book isn't necessarily eco-friendly, but the Kindle version is! This book is great for a new graduate, someone you know who wants to start living better and bolder or traveling the world, or anyone who wants to create their Dream Life!

3. Environmentally friendly toothbrush.
A bamboo toothbrush makes a great stocking stuffer, and is a great way to educate your loved ones about how in the United States alone it is estimated that 1 billion toothbrushes are thown away every single year, creating 50 million pounds of waste annually! And considering the fact that plastic (including those 1 billion toothbrushes) never breaks down, a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush is a great thing to use!

I love Francesco Palmieri because they have a wide range of eco-friendly products, including these colorful bamboo toothbrushes. And use my code RECYCLE to get 20% off!

4. Re-usable feminine hygiene products.
Another great stocking stuffer for the ladies on your list is re-usable pads (from Ursa Major Mama on Etsy)! Ok I know it's not the most fun subject, but look at how cute they are!

5. Re-usable glass straws.
How about some Strawesome re-usable glass straws for everyone you know!

6. Re-usable water bottles.
7. To go coffee mug.
8. Beeswax wraps.

9. T-shirt pillows.
My handmade t-shirt pillows are up-cycled- made from old t-shirts that I find at thrift stores and garage sales. Plus 10% of everything I make goes to multiple charities that are changing lives. Check out all my pillows and then send me an email (volkejessica@aol.com) telling me which one you want so I can ship it out to you before Christmas!

10. A french press.
11. Fair-trade coffee.
12. Live plants.
13. Re-usable coffee sleeves.

14. A bracelet that helps save the turtles.
How about a beautiful bracelet made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, 100% post-consumer recycled glass bottles, including less than 5% reclaimed ocean plastic and glass? And what if that very same bracelet funds the removal of one pound of trash from the ocean and coastlines?! Yeah, 4ocean is an amazing company that sells not only recycled bracelets, but also single-use alternatives, such as straws, shopping bags, water bottles, and tumblers. Every item you purchase from them helps pull one pound of trash from the ocean.

Some more ways to ensure waste-free and world changing Christmas gifts this year and every;

- Shop thrifts stores and garage sales.
Not only will you find super unique and cool things that are crazy inexpensive, but you are keeping things from going into landfills, and stopping new products from being made.

-Give sentimental gifts.
Sentimental gifts will be remembered much longer than some gadget you picked up at Wal Mart last minute.

-Shop small businesses.
When you purchase from small businesses, you change the world.

-Shop local.
Less shipping equals more eco-friendly.

-Purchase my handmade gifts.
10% of my profits go to world-changing charities, and a lot of my products are up-cycled. Check out all my products and then send me an email (volkejessica@aol.com) telling me what you want so I can ship it out to you before Christmas!

-Give experiences.
Experiences are some of the greatest gifts you can give.
Seeing a movie together, concerts, a picnic, a lunch date, use your imagination!

-Buy from Etsy.
Etsy is one of my favoritest places ever to shop for gifts! You are purchasing items from small businesses, you can find lots of vintage things on there, everything is so cute fun and unique, and last but not least, Etsy offsets 100% of carbon emissions from every delivery!

This year make the holidays more about the experience and feeling than about gifts. It will feel good, trust me. <3
P.S. These dreamy Christmas pictures are from the amazing Rockin' Red Photography.

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, and this post may contain some of these, and other affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking one of the amazon links, or some of the others, this blog receives a small commission. Amazon has no input on what I link, and I only link to products that I like, or trust. The price when clicking through my link is the exact same as any other path you use to find your way to Amazon or the other sites. Thanks for your support!***

Peace Love and Waste-Free Christmas
Jess <3

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Nick and Jess in Saigon, Vietnam

10/24/2019

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Nick and Jess in Saigon Vietnam-things to do and see, and where to stay while in Saigon

Also known as Ho Chi Minh, the exhilarating city of Saigon in Southern Vietnam is a true senses overload in every aspect! My poor husband didn't know what he was getting himself into when he agreed to go to Vietnam with me-but he ended up loving it! Having been to several Asian countries before and having lived in a small city in China, I knew somewhat what to expect. Asia in general is not for the faint of heart-it's for the true traveler, the person who wants to get pushed with great force out of their comfort zone, but in return, experience a place unlike anything you've ever imagined, a place so different from home, that you can't help but fall in love!

Enjoy the short cute video I made about our time in Saigon, and then check out all our fun pictures, and some tips on what to do and where to stay while you're in Saigon.

We stayed at Yellow House Saigon when we first landed in Vietnam, and loved it so much that we stayed there again once we returned from our time in Mui Ne!

Yellow House Saigon is an adorable little hotel that is located down a tiny back alley in the heart of Saigon. We loved that it wasn't a touristy hotel that caters to foreigners, but a more authentic place (complete with a rooster outside crowing every morning, and a shirtless old man with missing toes, sleeping on a cot in the alley entrance!), employing local people (only a few of whom spoke English-when we arrived at Yellow House it was late, the night clerk didn't understand English, and so he had to call and wake up, another employee on the phone, who translated for us! Hahaha love it!).

Speaking of authentic, we were also obsessed with their breakfast! None of that cheap hotel food here! Every morning one of the ladies cooked an insanely amazing breakfast-stir fried noodles or rice and eggs with hot sauce, bread, fresh fruit, fresh juice, and, as I put it on my Snapchat (above), the blackest, most delicious coffee I have ever met!

Our absolute favorite activity in Saigon was walking! Since our hotel was already in the midst of the labyrinth that is the back streets of Saigon, we spent a great deal of time wandering the streets, seeing what the city had to offer. You never know what you're going to see when you're walking down the street in Vietnam...

Our lovely shirtless pastries man! Go to Vietnam just to eat the pastries-you will not regret it!

We also really liked the Ben Thanh Market! It is more of a touristy place, but it is a great place to let yourself be overwhelmed with colors, sounds, culture, and the perfect place to practice your haggling skills (tips at the bottom)!
We also bought lots of fun and inexpensive gifts for our families from the Ben Thanh Market, as well as really cute clothes for ourselves.

Saigon Square is also a cool place to do some shopping-I got some great shirts here!

Bonus! On your way to Saigon Square you will stumble upon this most adorable umbrella sky!

The Hidden Elephant is an adorable hidden gem, that is located in the surrounding area of Ben Thanh Market. You enter through a literal tiny hole in the wall...

...make your way through this cramped passage, go up a couple flights of stairs, and then you arrive! We walked into the Hidden Elephant, and instantly felt awkward-it was the quietest place I have ever been! We practically tip toed through the coffee shop, and made our way out onto the balcony, which was amazing.

The Hidden Elephant <3 <3 <3

*Tip: When walking around Vietnam, wear a backpack, or a purse that goes over your body, instead of a normal purse. We were told that guys on motorcycles will sometimes grab your purse and drive away!*

While in Vietnam you must pick up a coffee flavored Coke! It will change your life!

Tips for haggling while shopping in Vietnam

Haggling.
In most of Asia, haggling is a part of every day life. I learned to haggle while living in China, and I loved it!

Here are a few haggling tips:
-First of all, you need to know that one U.S. Dollar is equal to over 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. So when you are told the price of something, convert it to American Dollars, and if the price seems fair to you, and it is something you are ok with paying, then no need to haggle!
-With that said, haggling can be fun (and addicting), so definitely try it out!
-Since you are a foreigner they automatically assume you have money (with 1 million [yes million] Dong equal to about 45 American Dollars, they're not wrong!]), so they will start the price out higher, sometimes much higher than they would normally sell it for.
-Look around. We walked the outer corners of the market, where most items had price tags, so we could get a general idea of the prices of things. These were still more than a local would pay, but at least you get an idea.
-Haggling is all about the win win. Both parties need to come out feeling happy.
-And last but not least; Haggling is fun, I do like to haggle here and there, and is sometimes vital to me not feeling ripped off, but at the end of the day, 10,000 Dong is only 43 cents!!! I am not going to haggle over 43 cents, because I know that that 43 cents will go a whole lot further, and mean a whole lot more, to the person selling their wares on the side of the street, than it will to me!

And that was Nick and Jess, and our adventures in Saigon, Vietnam!

Pssst...want to travel the world but don't know how to start? Check out my new book, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" to get started on your travels today!

Peace Love and Saigon
Jess <3

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My Book "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" Available Now on Amazon!

9/19/2019

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Well guys it's officially here, my book "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" is now available on Amazon! It is available as an e-book for the Kindle, as well as in paperback!

This road map is your official guide to get you started on the path to your Dream Life!
This interactive and entertaining guide shows you; how to set and accomplish any goal, why setting goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, how to not let fear hold you back, why failure is so important to your Dream Life, and lots more!
The author candidly shares with you her own struggles and triumphs on the road to her own Dream Life, letting you in on all the secrets she's learned along the way.
Is travel a part of your Dream Life? Jessica has traveled to 17 countries and counting, and in this book she shares with you her travel secrets; a practical step-by-step guide to start traveling, accommodations, flights, visas, and how to easily save money for any vacation!
So what do you think? Are you ready to change your life? Are you ready to take the first step onto the path that begins the journey towards your Dream Life...?

Buy now for Kindle and paperback!

If you purchase, read, and enjoy my book, I would love to hear from you! After you leave a review on Amazon, and send me a testimonial about my book telling what you liked about it, and how it has helped you in your life, you will be given a shout out on my Instagram stories, and your quote will be used on this blog, and on my social media! You will also be entered into a drawing to win an 8x10 autographed pinup picture of me! So send me a dm on my Instagram page or Facebook with your testimonial by December 1st to be entered!

Peace Love and Creating Your Dream Life
Jess <3

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My Book is available for Pre-order on Amazon!

9/6/2019

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Well everyone, I am tremendously excited to announce to you that my book, "Creating Your Dream Life; A Road Map" is now available for pre-order on Amazon!!!
I have been working on this book little by little for years, and am finally ready to release the final copy for the world to see!

This road map is your official guide to get you started on the path to your Dream Life!
This interactive and entertaining guide shows you; how to set and accomplish any goal, why setting goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, how to not let fear hold you back, why failure is so important to your Dream Life, and lots more!
I candidly share with you my own struggles and triumphs on the road to my own Dream Life, letting you in on all the secrets I've learned along the way.
Is travel a part of your Dream Life? I have traveled to 17 countries and counting, and in this book I share with you my travel secrets; a practical step-by-step guide to start traveling, accommodations, flights, visas, and how to save money for any vacation.
So what do you think? Are you ready to change your life? Are you ready to take the first step onto the path that begins the journey towards your Dream Life?

You can pre-order the Kindle e-book now, and it will be delivered to you when it goes live, on September 18th.
If you would like to own the paperback, it will be available for purchase on September 18th.
Don't worry, I will be posting a new blog post on the 18th with links to purchase the paperback or the e-book version!

Thank you so much everyone for your support!

Peace Love and My Book!
Jess <3

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The 10 Must-Read Books of Summer

8/7/2019

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Ahhhh summer.
I don't know about you and your summer plans, but for me, I like to put in some serious reading time! And I am always searching for that next great summer beach/hammock/airplane/bathtub/porch read...

If that sounds like you (and if this place looks like the closest thing to Heaven on Earth to you [and yes, this is a real place, it is inside a mechanic shop back in Navarre, Ohio]) then get excited, because I have here for you 10 of my favorite summer reading material that will be sure to keep you company all summer long!

The Arsonist by Stephanie Oaks
The skillful way this author weaves together historical fiction with the modern day story of two young people each searching for something, absolutely and completely blew my mind! I could not put this book down! The Arsonist by Stephanie Oaks is a gripping, heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, must-read that will leave you gasping out loud!

Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
When I picture summer, I think of travel. Nights of Rain and Stars gripped me because it truly brought alive those beautiful emotions that only travel can bring out.

The Rope by Nevada Barr
The Rope is a great whodunit, but with the added twist of howdunit, and whydunit! An intense and thrilling read that I highly recommend for anyone who loves the creepy and mysterious.

The Testament by John Grisham
What an entertaining story! I was enthralled, enraptured, and so entertained from this book's exciting beginning, all the way through to its satisfying ending. This is a story so different from all other books I have ever read!

A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison
Corban Addison is a newer author with only four novels to date, but he quickly made it on to my list of favorite authors with his book "A Walk Across the Sun" (definitely read his other three books as well!). It is inevitable that I will end up sobbing uncontrollably while reading any Corban Addison book, and A Walk Across the Sun was no different. This fictional book tackles the very real and daunting subject of human trafficking-the global trade in human beings. In preparation for this book, the author actually traveled to India and spent time with a human rights agency that combats forced prostitution, interviewed investigators who roam the red light districts looking for tips about minor girls, met children who were rescued from exploitation, and actually went undercover in a brothel. Says Corban about this experience, "At the end of my trip, I went undercover into the brothels of Mumbai. Behind closed doors and drawn shades, I met girls who were not free to leave. I will never forget shaking the brothel owner’s hand after I declined to make a purchase. In our world of shifting shadows, the face of evil is often hard to discern. But I saw it that night. Then I came home and wrote the story." This is not a light beach read, you will cry, but it is such an important subject, written so incredibly, you will not be able to put it down.

The Rules by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
This psychological thriller was, to my delight, reminiscent of one of the best selling mystery novels of all time, "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. When reading "And Then There Were None" I could not get enough of the terrifying notion of being stranded with ten strangers, all of whom are being picked off one by one by an unknown murderer-presumably one of you! That to me, is the absolute height of terror, and one of the most exciting things you could read! So when I began to read The Rules, I could hardly believe my eyes! The Rules definitely followed all the rules of a great terrifying thriller!

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
I have been crazy about the Jurassic Park movies since I was a kid, and was so stoked to finally be reading the book! The book (per usual) goes into so much more detail than the movie, and I was ecstatic to be discovering these new details! Both the process of how they make the dinosaurs, and Ian Malcom's Chaos Theory, are explained in such wonderful detail that I had a whole new understanding of both subjects, as well as Jurassic Park as a whole! This book is packed full of a crazy amount of things that weren't included in the movie, as well as a completely different ending! You think you know Jurassic Park? You're wrong!
I can't wait to read the second book!

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I absolutely adore this book! I have read it three times already, and don't plan on stopping there! To me, Eat Pray Love is a quintessential summer read-travel, self discovery, love, adventure, it really has it all! Each time I've read this inspirational true story, it speaks to me. Each time speaking something different, and every time giving me all the emotions. I know one of the reasons that this book speaks so loud to me, is that I myself have traveled the world, doing several solo trips. I think this book brings back to me those feelings that only being a solo female traveler can give you. This book will give you confidence, self-realization, and a heaping dose of wanderlust!

The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost
This book entertained and thrilled me to no end, telling about far off lands and grand adventures! The author's wit and writing style is something absolutely wonderful on its own. I laughed out loud at this true and hilarious account of two expats living in Tarawa, a remote South Pacific Island in the Republic of Kiribati. If you've ever wanted to just pack up your life and move to a deserted island, pick up this book and live vicariously through Maarten and his girlfriend Sylvia, as they navigate a completely new world and way of life.

The Great Brain Series by John D Fitzgerald
I have been reading and re-reading every book in the Great Brain series since I was a kid. They are young adult books but are super entertaining, with tons of heart. These are great quick feel-good reads.

Peace Love and The Books of Summer
Jess <3

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Make the most of your Summer, with help from New York Weekend Breaks

7/12/2019

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Make the most of your Summer, with help from New York Weekend Breaks

Ok ya'll, how is your summer so far?!
Since today is officially the beginning of the third week of Summer, I just thought I would check in with you! Are you drinking enough water? Wearing sunscreen every day?
Are you making the most of your summer?
Because not only is Fall ten short weeks away, but you all know why I love July-it is the start to the second half of the year! The first half of the year is over now, and you know that the second half will go even faster! So make sure you are making the most of it!

Don't you wish adults got summer vacation? Me too!
So even though we don't have a summer vacation, and a lot of us don't even have the vacation days to go on an extended trip, we can still have a fabulous summer weekend trip! To...you guessed it, New York City!

New York City can be the perfect weekend getaway. Remember a couple summers ago when my mom, my sister, and I spent 14 hours in New York City? Such a blast! And in such a short amount of time, we saw and did a crazy amount of things!
So I can only imagine what a magical time could be had in a full weekend.

New York City however, can be quite daunting (this coming from a girl who traveled to China by herself!)-enter New York Weekend Breaks!
New York Weekend Breaks is the absolute go-to New York City website. It is the most thorough, and my favorite NYC site I have seen yet.

New York Weekend Breaks .com has the insider tips on restaurants, hotels, nightlife, culture, and attractions, even transportation.

Are you ready to plan your three day NYC Weekend Break? Perfect! Let's begin by checking out the 3 Day Itinerary page on New York Weekend Breaks. This page is the perfect place to start when you begin to plan your trip. This page already has three days in New York City perfectly planned out for you! Including how much time needed at each attraction! You can just print out this page and have your entire 3 days in New York planned, or if you want to customize your trip a bit more, use my favorite part, the Trip Planner!

New York Weekend Breaks' Trip Planner lets you build your perfect customized vacay by saving any content in the site on to the the Trip Planner page, so you can have access to your entire New York itinerary at any time!

Next time I visit New York City I will definitely be staying longer than 14 hours, and I will definitely be using New York Weekend Breaks to plan my entire trip (you can even book your flight and hotel directly on the home page!).

So are you ready for your summer vacation?! Start planning today at
www.newyorkweekendbreaks.com

*Huge thank you to New York Weekend Breaks for sponsoring this post! The content and opinions expressed here are all my own.*

Peace Love and New York Weekend Breaks
Jess <3

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My Summer 2019 Thrift Store Haul

6/14/2019

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By now you guys all know what a fashion-cheap-sta I am (did I just make up a new word right now, or is this already a thing?!). I love clothes, shoes, accessories, and hair and makeup, but I also am all about saving (and making and investing) money!
I am not the most comfortable person in front of a video camera, but I really wanted to make a haul video for you guys, my own kind of haul video-a thrift store haul video!
So check out my Summer 2019 Thrift Store Haul video below, with pictures following.

I hope you guys liked it! I wasn't tooo awkward in front of the camera was I? If you enjoyed it please give it a like and subscribe to my Youtube channel thaaanks!
And a very special thank you to Rocco for his adorable appearance!

The $54.90 Akira skirt that I nabbed for only $3.00.

My $1.00 clip on earrings that I am obsessed with!

Shop my earrings here! They're not $1, but still great deals!

My $.50 cardigan that matches perfectly the Bob Dylan pillow that is for sale on my Etsy Shop hint hint.

Who doesn't love espadrilles? And for only $2.00, I'm obsessed!

I got this whole thrift store haul in one fell swoop at my favorite thrift store while visiting my family in Ohio last month. My Mom flew me back to attend our family reunion, but I made almost a week long event of it. I had a marvelous time seeing all my relatives, and my parents and I had the most wonderful time eating at little local diners, and shopping at antique stores, flea markets, and thrift stores. My wonderful Father footed the bill for this thrift store excursion (as well as all my food), he's just the greatest!
You can see me in my black and white $3.00 dress above, with most of my crazy cousins (there's a few missing, there's I believe 31 of us)!

And all that for about $12.50! Aren't thrift store finds just the greatest?!
So what are you waiting for? Grab a twenty dollar bill and some friends, and head out to your local thrift store to stock up on your new (used) summer wardrobe!

Peace Love and Thrift Stores
Jess <3

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Money Management Mondays Part 18; Redefine your Birthday List

5/17/2019

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Money Management Mondays Part 18; Redefine your Birthday List

Greetings dear and wonderful readers! Thank you so much for stopping in and reading the blog today! It is true that I have not been posting as much as I used to (oh the days where I posted once a week! And now it's down to only once a month!), but this is as much as I am able to post for now with all that is going on in my life, so I am ok with that! But if you simply can not get enough of me, and you must have more of My Peace Love Life, why not check out some of My Favorite Posts? These start all the way back at the beginning (including my first post!), and you have 15 pages of posts to read, if that doesn't keep you busy I don't know what will! Or how about re-reading all of my previous 17 Money Management Mondays (posted below)?!
As for me, here are some of the things that have been keeping me busy;

-Tatty Zaps
Tatty Zaps, otherwise known as our tattoo shop that we opened last year! Nick has been doing a fabulous job of running the business, but I get to help with the social media aspect of it, and the finances, which has kept me pretty busy.
-Work
I have a lot of finance based goals for myself this year (including pay off my credit cards, which I did in March[!], and have $3,000 in an emergency fund [which I now am over halfway to!]), so it was important to me to keep working outside the shop, no matter if it is doing good or bad. So I have been working my normal waitress job, as well as working as a cater waiter, and doing focus groups whenever I can!
-Instagram
I have been doing a great job of keeping up with my Instagram page lately, and am loving doing it! I am very excited to keep growing my Instagram.
-My book
Yes I am writing a book! This has been taking up a lot of my time and energy lately, but I am just so excited about it, I am loving writing it! I am not exactly sure when it will be ready, but I do know that it will be released this year, so keep your eye on here and my Instagram page to be kept in the loop!
-Nick LaPinta
My husband turned 30 on Wednesday, so we of course celebrated his Birthday then and had a wonderful time, but I have been planning something else for him as well! With our business and our finances as they are, we knew that we couldn't do anything big on his actual Birthday, so I have been planning for some time now a big 30th Birthday surprise for the end of the year. I can't tell you what it is, because duh it's a surprise! But stay tuned for later this year to find out!
-Etsy
I have been making my wonderful t-shirt pillows and selling them on my Etsy Shop the last couple months. I have also just recently begun selling my pinup pictures on there too.

1. Don't own a smart phone.
2. Don't have a car payment.
3. Don't smoke cigarettes.
4. Don't play the lottery.
5. Purchase my Financial E-Course.
6. Live Cheaply
7. Be Positive about Your Money.
8. Financial Course.
9. Decide what is important to you.
10. Simplify Your Christmas Shopping.
11. Save (and Roll) Your Change.
12. Don't Drink a lot.
13. Keep Track of Everything you Buy for an Entire Month.
14. The No Spend Month.
15. My #1 Secret to Saving Money for Travel.
16. Don't Make Excuses.
17. Don't play the bank's games.

And now for #18 in my Money Management Monday Series; Redefine Your Birthday List.

You remember how when you were younger, adults would ask you what you wanted for your Birthday (or Christmas, or Hannukah, or Easter, or whatever), and you would immediately answer enthusiastically about the latest toy or hot wheel or doll you wanted? Now as an adult when someone asks what you want for your birthday you probably think something like, "How about you pay my rent, buy me a new alternator for my car, or help me out with some of my student loans?!" You of course don't say these things, and instead mumble an unenthusiastic, "I dunno." Sound like you?
Well today on our Money Management Monday, I want you to redefine your Birthday list (and Christmas list, and Hannukah list, and Easter list), to not only save you some money, but to actually have an answer when someone asks what you want!
My husband and I, along our Money Management quest have discovered a way to redefine our Birthday lists, to save us a ton of money over the years, as well as answer that pesky and ever-present "What do you want for your Birthday?" question. Today is a very simple Money Management Monday. Here it is!

I keep a special notebook in my desk, and whenever I realize that Nick or I need anything, I immediately write it down in the book. Whenever I catch myself thinking, "I would really like to have this or that", I write it down in the book! Once you start doing this, I think it will surprise you the amount of items you have written down, it did me! Then whenever I get asked by someone what Nick or I want for our Birthday, I just pull out this list, and I have a very specific, good amount of present ideas to give them!

Making these lists has drastically cut down on the amount of things Nick and I purchase for ourselves, thus cutting down drastically the amount of money we spend!
Here are some examples of things we have received for gifts, and didn't have to spend any money on;

-I no longer spend money on cds (yes I still listen to cds) or records (yes I collect records), or dvds (yes we still watch dvds).
Whatever cd just came out that I want, I ask for it for Christmas! I love love love opening cds!
-An umbrella.
I lost my cheap little umbrella before moving to Atlanta, and soon found out that when you live in a city and walk a lot, you need an umbrella! So I added it to my list, and for Christmas my Mom bought me one of those super awesome reversible umbrellas, and whenever I use it people are always jealous of it!
-Most of our kitchen appliances.
I don't know about you, but spending my hard earned money on any kitchen appliance does not make me happy! We fortunately got most of our kitchen appliances as gifts when we got married (which was awesome!), but anytime we've needed any other appliance we just ask for it! And our families are really good about buying us fun new appliances that we haven't even had to chance to ask for!
-Socks.
I can not even remember the last time Nick or I bought socks. We always get them as gifts, and as an adult, I love getting socks! I'm not the only one am I?
-My sewing machine.
-Clothing, accessories, and shoes.
I don't usually even ask for clothing, accessories, or shoes, but my family always gets them for me (and I always love what they buy [they know me so good!]), cutting out the need for me to go out and buy lots of clothes, shoes, or accessories throughout the year.
-A French press coffee pot.
After I dropped and broke mine, my Mom swooped in and saved the day by buying me another one for Christmas!
-Home decor items I want, office supplies, plants (real and fake!), car parts, bedding, and lots more! Though you can take it too far-my family still makes fun of me for when I asked for toilet paper and canned goods as gifts right before we moved to Atlanta! Hahaha live and learn!

So what do you think, are you ready to whip out your own notebook (or a new notes in your phone) and start redefining your Birthday list? And Christmas is really just around the corner, so why not be prepared for that too?

Peace Love and Money Management
Jess <3

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