February 2024 was the official end of the trial month of 2024 aka January 2024. January 2024 was a ROUGH month for me, as I got COVID and was pretty much on the mend the entire month (even having to reschedule an exciting trip to March which I still remain oh so excited for). SO, entering into a month beyond January in 2024 was nothing short of excitement for me. Now that I have been into February 2024, I am oh so grateful to *finally* be feeling like myself again in 2024 in general. I had SOOOO many highs to truly kick off the year 2024, including not one but TWO weekend trips, some fun happy hours with colleagues and fellow Meredith College alumnae, meals and walks and overall time with family, some fun shopping trips, and memories made with friends both locally and in North Carolina and Texas. A few lows occurred too, such as a lengthy recovery via lingering COVID and then pretty much no break into seasonal allergies (which I very much prefer to lingering COVID and am still SOOOO grateful that it is over for me mostly!) and fatigue period. Though February was a pretty great month, I am super blessed and excited moving into March 2024 to what is to come during this new and glorious year!
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My Favorite Buys:
- One of my best friends Liz was soooo sweet enough to gift me Lilly Pulitzer perfume that her Mom found at TJ Maxx in recent times. Liz and I both have Lilly Pulitzer perfumes now which is SOOOO special to me. I shared the perfumes on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee) during the latter part of January when Liz scored them, but received this incredible gift in early February! Another thing that I found during the month of February was my late Aunt Margaret’s never before opened Elizabeth Arden perfume and lotion set. It was soooo special to uncover AND truly have a piece of my Aunt Margaret whom I love sooo dearly to this very day.
- Lilly Pulitzer came out with their 65th anniversary print which IS a pink toile print aka my favorite kind of print (!!!!), SO I *of course* cashed in my credit card rewards miles to get some Lilly Pulitzer goodies! I got: the Lilly Loves DC Getaway Packable Tote & 65th Anniversary Print Popover.
- February was a Target month for sure! In recent times especially in February 2024, I have started to enjoy grocery shopping of ALLLL the things to do at Target at *none other than* … Target. However, alongside a few token grocery items (such as Meyer’s Soap and Liquid IV), I have purchased and LOVE my brand-new Opalhouse online exclusive Pineapple Lamp, Good & Gather Sparkling Water (where a 12-pack costs only $3.75!!!!), & 2 wayyy too many Universal Thread cane handbags (here and here).
- When I was in Dallas, I consigned not one, but TWO incredible pieces *both* for under $50 (!!!!): authentic Louis Vuitton black leather logo flats AND a Lilly Pulitzer Original patchwork shift dress. My Mom told me to check out the consignment stores in Dallas, since she heard that they are some of THE BEST in the country, and, well, she was RIGHT!
- ANDDDD, last but NOT least, I bought as a Valentine’s Day gift to myself not one but TWO customized Stanley 40 ounce tumblers (!!!!!). I have found the Stanley tumblers to not only help me stay hydrated, but also stay healthy and *even* lose weight. My Stanley tumblers are spread ALLLL across my apartment to maximize usage and minimize me carrying them from place to place across my apartment – LOL!
Highs:
- My best friend Liz and I had a super-fun Grammy’s viewing party at my apartment the night of the Grammy’s. The excitement was REAL when Taylor Swift announced her brand-new album AND WON two Grammy’s (!!!!!). It was ALSO fun to watch other incredible artists such as Miley Cyrus get honored, too! I also got to try the ultra-amazing Rob’s Backstage Popcorn for the first-time ever. HOWEVER, the best part of Grammy’s night was Liz was simply being in one another’s company and simply hanging out and catching up together. Liz is such an incredible friend that I am SOOO blessed to have in my life!
- Early on in February, I took a solo museum date to the National Portrait Gallery & Kogod Courtyard to see the brand-new portrait of Oprah and The Future of Orchids temporary installation with a pit stop at Le Pain Quotidian. While at Le Pain Quotidian, I happened to connect with a group of ultra-sweet ladies from England who were visiting Washington, DC for the first time, whom I have since connected with on socials! I *almost* didn’t make a pit stop for some food and coffee, but I am SOOO glad I did!!!
- In around September 2022, my best friends Briana and Brittany and I enjoyed a nice lunch at a nearby to us spot known as Brickmaker’s Cafe. Brickmaker’s Cafe is conveniently situated right along the Occoquan River (an offshoot of the Potomac River!) in Lorton, Virginia. Papa has been DYINGGG to check out Brickmaker’s Cafe & we *finally* went together in early February! Papa LOVED Brickmaker’s Cafe, too!! The night before Brickmaker’s Cafe, I had a Galentine’s at The Spot on Mill Street in Occoquan, Virginia! My besties Haley, Briana, Sarah, and Stephanie ALL came out for the night and we enjoyed an incredible dinner (and drinks!) together and time with one another. We had this GREAT wine cellar room to mostly ourselves which was amazing! An incredible fact that I learned about The Spot on Mill Street when talking with the bartenders there who shared a bit about its historical significance as a place where President George Washington bunked during the Revolutionary War era. HOW NEAT!
The Spot on Mill Street:
Brickmaker’s Cafe:
- Happy hours are starting to pick up for 2024 (after missing them throughout the month of January due to COVID). I arranged a happy hour with my Ignite Young Professionals cohort in between classes AND was SOOOO excited to have such a great turnout at it despite worrying beforehand about turnout. We met up at Open Road’s Rosslyn location, which is a spot my bestie Shivani and I frequent! The next happy hour was after my February Ignite Young Professionals class with my classmates at Courthaus Social. And, my third and final happy hour of the month was hosted by my amazing Alma mater Meredith College’s Washington, DC area Alumnae Chapter in honor of our Giving Day at this ADORABLE and super fun spot in Clarendon called Green Pig Bistro! All in all, each happy hour brought about GREAT conversations, networking, and time to bond with those around me. Blessings ALLL around!!!
- Professionally, I got my first-ever certification! I feel SOOO lucky to work for an incredible organization that supports their employees in their own professional endeavors AND offers lots of opportunities to get certified within the company of your own coworkers. I found my certification experience and coursework to be super fun, especially surrounded by some incredible coworkers and people within my own company, many of which I had yet to meet before taking the course! HOWEVER, after completion of the certification, I felt as if I had a great group of classmates and colleagues that I got to know better and become friends with, which is SUCH A GIFT, especially working primarily remotely!
- I have *officially* made hosting a Galentine’s Party an annual tradition (!!!!!). I had my second annual Galentine’s Party a few days after Valentine’s Day with an excellent turnout! On actual Valentine’s Day, Papa got me a beautiful bouquet of daisies, which I was SOOOO excited to put on display on my gorgeous Valentine’s Day tablescape for my Galentine’s party. I am OH SO BLESSED that some of my very best friends were willing and able to come out for such a sweet evening together!
- Throughout the middle of February, I enjoyed back-to-back Birthday weekend trips to Dallas, Texas to celebrate my fellow influencer bestie Lindsay of @sunshineandstairclimbs on Instagram (here) & Charlotte, North Carolina to celebrate my fellow Meredith College bestie Alanna (here)! SO much time catching up with friends that I LOVE so dearly and meeting new one’s too!!
- The final weekend of February, Papa and I enjoyed a nice local weekend helping my Mom out with some things around her new house. We ALSO were able to squeeze in a gorgeous walk with Rosie alongside Mason Neck State Park’s Marsh Trail (!!!!!!) which was GORGEOUS *even* in the Winter months where the trees don’t block the scenic views nearly as much as they do in the Summer time!
Lows:
- Into February, unfortunately, I am *still* fighting looming COVID fatigue. At this rate, I likely have prolonged COVID to some extent, given that I have a lingering cough and fatigue. Lingering COVID can make travel (which I did PLENTY of this month) extremely exhausting more so than it already is. However, I am extremely grateful, thankful, and blessed for my loved ones for simply supporting, listening, and allowing me to rest and meet my needs, given my prolonged COVID. Luckily by the end of February, my COVID fatigue started to fade away and become replaced with *none other than* … seasonal allergies.
- With some GREAT highs and travels in February 2024 comes some lows on the personal development front. With getting COVID in January of this year, I have gotten WAYYYY too comfortable at home which has taken a toll on me mentally. Now is the time for me to get back out there and enjoy 2024!
- Seasonal depression DEFINITELY hit me this early 2024. After the holidays departed and I got COVID and had a lengthy recovery, it *truly* sucked for me this Winter 2024 which hit me a bit into February 2024. January 2024 was HARD for me amongst many others that I love in my network. Just remember that none of us are alone.
Here’s to exciting the Winter months and being ONE STEP CLOSER (!!!!!) to Spring and then Summer and then Fall and then Thanksgiving (shoutout to the meme that I saw earlier today on Instagram – LOLLL!).
XOXO – Katie <3