Healthy Living

5 Fun Things To Do This Summer

June 1, 2020

Disclosure: Daniel’s Lawn and Tree, LLC. is sponsoring this blog post. However, all opinions stated here are my own.

Hi everyone, welcome back to the Allison in Wonderland blog! Although summer doesn’t officially begin for a few weeks, it certainly feels like summertime outside so I thought it would be fun to share some ideas for new things you can do over the next few months. Because of the coronavirus, this summer will certainly look a lot different than it usually does so keep reading for some social distancing-friendly activities!

STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY Just because we won’t be going to as many backyard barbecues this summer doesn’t mean we can’t still have a little fun with each other! Where I live, places like local outdoor farmers markets are starting to open back up and it’s been so nice to interact with other members of the community (and also enjoy a little sunshine while we’re at it!). Going there or even just saying hi and smiling at others while walking or running on a nature trail goes a long way! As more and more businesses begin to open, I can’t wait to go out and support as many as I can. Small coffee shops and stores are going to need our help!

GIVE BOATING A TRY This idea’s a little different, huh? Lately, I’ve been seeing so many Instagram photos and stories of people sailing and boating and I want in! It’s such a fun day-long activity and you’re naturally socially distant from the other boats so it’s perfect if you’re wanting to enjoy the water but still keep a little distance from others. If you’re interested in doing this and live near a lake or ocean, look into rental options around where you live! It might be easier to rent a boat for a day than you think!

SPICE UP YOUR BALCONY OR PATIO With all this time spent at home, I’ve definitely been doing some re-decorating and re-imagining of my space. And now that the weather has finally gotten warmer, I’ve moved on to focusing on my outdoor space! Living in an apartment makes it a little harder to work with but my balcony definitely has enough space to bring in a few small plants and some patio furniture. If you live in or very close to Delaware, a local company that has great reviews is Daniel’s Lawn and Tree, LLC. In addition to plants, they also provide tree care in New Castle County so if your backyard needs some help in the landscaping department, they’re the ones for the job. Stay tuned for my new, cute, plant-filled balcony!

FIND A DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATER How fun does this sound? I know these types of movie theaters are very hard to find these days but if you have one around you and have always wanted to go, now’s the time! I know I’ve been dying to go to one for years. Check what movies they’re playing this weekend, throw some pillows and blankets in the back of your car, load up on yummy snacks, and you’re all set. This would also make for a super cute summer or fall date idea!

FOCUS ON SOMETHING FUN THAT’S TO COME Although I try not to live my life just waiting for the next big event, the last few months have been unlike any others. I think we can all agree this is such a crazy time! Something that’s been helping me get through this time is looking forward to my wedding. I’m getting married in October so I’ve been very focused on wedding planning and getting ready for the big day and it’s been so nice to think about something other than the fact that we’ve been stuck inside for what feels like forever. If you have something exciting coming up over the next few months, lean into it and focus some of your energy there! It will be here before you know it!

That’s all for today’s post on things you can do this summer! Even though this summer won’t be quite the same as it usually is, I’m still so excited for warmer days and enjoying the sunshine. If you end up trying any of these activities, let me know! I’d love to hear how it goes. My next post will be one from my wedding series and it’ll be up in just a few days so don’t miss it. Have a great week!

Healthy Living

Surviving the Coronavirus Quarantine

May 13, 2020

Disclosure: Bates Moving & Storage is sponsoring this blog post. However, all opinions stated here are my own.

Hi everyone and thank you for tuning in to today’s post on the Allison in Wonderland blog! We’ve all been going through a lot lately, both mentally and physically, with the coronavirus and unfortunately, some important things in life don’t stop just because we’re in the middle of an insane global pandemic (ugh!). Bills still need to be paid and your mental health doesn’t become any less important so I’m here today to provide some tips on how to continue moving forward in all this craziness!

When you need to workout: At the start of all this, the gyms and parks in my area were one of the first things to shut down so it’s been about two months now of trying to figure out how to stay active, strong, and motivated from home! MadFit and Sarah’s Day have been my two favorites to follow along with on YouTube. They both have great, low-impact workouts ranging in intensity and I’ve been loving them! They keep the workouts fun and they’re super easy to follow. And most of them are only 15 to 20 minutes so they don’t take long to complete at all but they still give you a really good workout!

When you lost some or all of your income: Poshmark is no replacement for a part-time or full-time job but every little bit counts when you’re in this type of situation. We all have clothes lying around that we don’t wear anymore (or maybe forgot we even had!) so now’s the perfect time to sell them! Poshmark is a super easy to use app and you can make hundreds of dollars in a pretty short amount of time, depending on what you sell. You can also sell jewelry, accessories, and smaller household items, too. Giving up just a few of your items could make you enough money to pay a few of your monthly utility bills!

When you’re moving: I know a few people who’ve had their apartment or house leases end during this pandemic so they’ve had to move across the city or even to a different state in the midst of everything. One moving company I know of that can make things a little easier for your move is Bates Moving & Storage. These Wicomico County movers are local to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and have a lot of great reviews! When you’re moving, the last thing you want to worry about is the logistics of getting your things from place to place so they’ve got you covered.

When you’re missing your friends and family: The social isolation has been one of the toughest parts of the coronavirus quarantine for a lot of people. We went from seeing whoever we wanted whenever we wanted to not being able to see anyone in a very short amount of time and it sucks! Especially with special family holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day passing while we’re stuck at home, it’s gotten harder and harder as the days go on. A couple things I’ve been using to stay connected with my people are Zoom and Houseparty. Zoom is a multi-person (up to 100 people) video chat so my fiancé and I have been doing Zoom calls with our extended families every weekend! Houseparty is also super fun and entertaining. Like Zoom, it’s an app that allows you to video chat but it also allows you to play games with each other… it’s such a godsend in a time like this!

When you’re scared to leave your house: Going outside right now can be pretty scary. If the thought of going to the grocery store for your usual shopping trip is stressful, try to space it out as much as possible. This can be tricky if you’re a female but one feminine product that’s really come in handy for me lately is reusable pads. The brand I’ve been using is HighOh but I’m sure there are other great ones! Talking about them might be a little TMI but they’ve really helped me spread out my essential trips to the grocery store and drug store even more than I already was. They’re just reusable pads that you can wash in your washing machine and then they’re clean as new, that’s it! Good for the environment, good for your wallet, and good for quarantine. In times like these where I’m trying to not go outside and save as much money as I can, these are the best!

That’s all for today’s post on things that’ve been helping me during quarantine! I hope it was helpful to you in some way and remember, these are unprecedented times for everyone so don’t beat yourself up if you’re having a rough go of it. We’ll be out of this very soon! And my next blog post is coming in just a couple weeks and it’s wedding-related so I hope you’re as excited as I am to continue with that series. Talk to you then!

Healthy Living

Stupid Things I’ve Spent My Money On

February 19, 2019

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post! I’m trying something a little different this week and writing about a few stupid things I’ve purchased in the last few years. I saw this going around on YouTube so I thought I’d do my own take on it. Let’s get into it!

My first purchase that I regret is my iPad. After I graduated high school, I purchased an iPad and, to this day, I think I’ve only used it about 5 times. I already had a laptop and an iPhone so I just didn’t need it. When I bought it, I believe the price was around $500 so it’s definitely something I wish I didn’t spend money on.

The next thing I wish I hadn’t bought is my couch. When I moved into my apartment, I had just graduated from college and was moving out on my own. I was trying to furnish my apartment very inexpensively so I purchased a very cute, small couch from Wayfair and that was that. Although it is very cute and I love the way it looks, it’s not the most comfortable couch to sit or lay on. It’s not terrible and would definitely work for an office couch or somewhere that doesn’t get used a ton but for a living room couch that gets used everyday, it’s not very good at all. I wish I’d actually gone to an furniture store and seen it in person before spending hundreds of dollars on one that isn’t good.

The last thing I wish I hadn’t spent so much money on is clothing that I never wore. I had (and still have) so many clothing items from high school and early college that I bought and never wore. In most cases, it was because I bought something very specific that can only be worn in certain situations and then ended up not needing it or not wanting to wear it. Now, my wardrobe is filled with lots of basics that I can mix and match so I definitely learned my lesson but I wish it hadn’t taken me so long (and so much money) to realize.

That’s all for this week’s post, I hope you enjoyed it! What’s one purchase that you’ve made that you regret? Let me know in the comments below. Have a great week!

Healthy Living

Tips for Living By Yourself

January 15, 2019

Hi cuties, welcome to another apartment related post! If you’ve been keeping up with me, you might know that I’ve been living by myself for the past year so I thought I’d share some tips on how I do it. Let’s get into it!

My first tip is to be very “on top of” your bills. If you live by yourself, you’re the only one who will know when the bills come in. Whether they’re emailed to you or sent in the mail, you’re the only one who will receive it so you need to make sure they get paid because you won’t get any reminders from anyone. This is a big one!

My second tip is to get door and window stops. I always make sure my doors and windows are locked but having stops gives me a lot of comfort, especially because I’m living alone. It’s just one extra layer to deter people from trying to get in.

Another tip is to learn how to cook for one. This is something I’m still trying to get the hang of. Cooking for one is hard! However, if you do make a little bit extra, it is nice to have the leftovers…

My fourth tip is to make sure you get out of the house. Living by yourself, it’s really easy to get trapped in a lonely routine of going to work and coming home for the night. Once you come home, you don’t see anyone, so it’s important to get out and go to the gym or out with friends or just somewhere you’ll have interaction with others!

My last tip is to be prepared for the expense. Living alone is very expensive. Most times, you’re living in the same size place you’d be able to share with a significant other (therefore, splitting the expense) but you’re having to pay for it all by yourself. It is nice to have the space to yourself but paying for everything can be a lot (especially when it comes to furnishings).

Those are all my tips for today, I hope it helped you out! I absolutely love living by myself but it has come with it’s challenges. If you have any other tips, please leave them in the comments below. Have a great week!

Healthy Living

Being Content

July 24, 2018

Hello babes and happy Tuesday! After spending the last month on a little blogging break, I’m so excited to be back in action, sharing some fun content with you all! Before we get back to my usual posts though, I wanted to share about a topic that’s been on my mind lately… being content. Keep reading to hear what I’ve been thinking about and to see if you can relate!

A few weeks ago, a family member asked me what was next in my life. For the first time ever, I really didn’t know how to answer. In my day-to-day routine, I have a lot going on. I’m still settling into my new job, I’m constantly on the go, and I’m just busy in general being a 21 year old! But as far as important life events, I’m at a loss. Ever since I was little, I was always focused on the future, what was coming next for me. Whether it was high school graduation, going off to college, summer internships, traveling, college graduation – it was always something big and exciting. And now that I’ve moved out on my own and begun my career, my life is much more stable. And while I was really looking forward to my schedule quieting down a bit, I’m realizing I wasn’t completely prepared for it.

In life, I believe that we adjust to the circumstances we’re given. If we’re constantly busy and go-go-go, after a while it will become normal. If we constantly have nothing to do, it will become normal. So I think my hectic and exciting life became normal for me. It became what I expect my life to continue to be but I’m in a new chapter now. And it’s an exciting one! It’s just exciting in a much slower, more grown-up way.

I think what I’m trying to say is that being comfortable and being content with the circumstances of your life isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t mean you aren’t making progress. Life is constant rotation of emotions and events and you’ll need to adjust to each and every one of them but just because you adjust doesn’t mean your life isn’t as fun and enjoyable as before. You have the power to make your life just as you want it to be (busy or not) and when you realize that, you’re golden.

Can any of you relate? I know in talking to some of my friends from school that this is something a lot of people go through after graduating college or moving out on their own. Life is so, so fun and trying your best to find enjoyment in everything you do makes such a big difference in leading a fulfilled life. Please leave a comment below if you’ve experienced this or if you have any advice for those who are experiencing it now! As always, thank you for reading and I’ll see you next Tuesday for another post!

Healthy Living

3 Ways to Get Into Shape for Summer

May 22, 2018

Hey everyone, happy Tuesday! Who’s ready for summer? I know I am. I live on the East Coast and it’s finally starting to feel warm everyday and I’m so thankful. The warmer weather always makes me want to get outside and enjoy the fresh air so I thought I’d put together a few of my fitness tips for getting back into shape for this season. Let’s get into it!

My first tip is to get into a routine. Personally, I thrive when I have structure so a routine is really, really important for me to have in place to be able to stick to it. The gym that I go to is right on my way home from work, so it makes it super convenient! I go to work, go to the gym, and then go about the rest of my night. I’ve noticed if there’s a day that I have to stay later at work or if something comes up where I can’t go to the gym, I won’t want to go the next day so I know my routine of going consistently is what keeps me showing up everyday.

Another tip is to watch Netflix or Youtube videos when you’re doing cardio. I just started doing this recently! Even though I really enjoy going to the gym, I can get burnt out pretty quickly. I do similar workouts everyday and, honestly, the elliptical just gets really boring after a few weeks but watching a show or a video while you’re doing it makes it so fun! You’ll get distracted so you won’t focus on how tired you are and I’ve noticed it’s a lot easier to go at a quicker pace because you’re getting so into the show. I highly recommend trying this out!

My last tip is to find workouts that you think are fun. Even though I go to the gym most weekdays, I also like to switch it up every once in a while by doing other active things like playing tennis. I played tennis all throughout high school and it’s a nice way to get a workout in while having fun and interacting with other people. You can also get a nice tan while you’re doing it, too. 🙂

That wraps up this week’s post. Thank you for reading! If you have any specific post ideas you’d like to see from me this summer, please let me know in the comments below. Have a great week!

Healthy Living

My Favorite Bible Verses for Recent Grads ft. The Anastasia Co.

February 20, 2018

Hey everyone, happy Tuesday! I hope you’re having a wonderful start to your week. I’m back today with my first post-college graduation themed blog post! If you didn’t know, I graduated from James Madison University about two months ago and have had a lot of changes in my life throughout those two months. I moved into my own apartment, started my first full-time job, and celebrated my two-year anniversary of blogging on Allison in Wonderland. Woohoo! With these changes, I’ve felt joy, excitement, and gratitude but I’ve also felt nervous and overwhelmed at times.

In college, I was constantly surrounded by sweet, humble friends who poured truth and grace into me every chance they got and now, I’m still surrounded by wonderful, incredible people but it’s different. When you’re in school, you have all the time in the world to grab coffee with your girlfriends and chat about life or make fun weekend plans over lunch but when you get a full-time job, that time you used to spend sipping cups of coffee goes away instantly. It’s quite an adjustment and it’s taken some time to get used to my new normal but I’ve found some Bible verses that have given me a lot of peace – I thought they might be able to help you too!

The first one is a verse that has been my favorite for as long as I can remember… Matthew 28:20. It says, “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This verse has always comforted me because it shows that, no matter what happens, the Lord is always there for us. Sometimes, when I’m in certain situations, I wish God would just tell me what to do or tell me that everything is going to be okay and then I remember, He already has. Through this passage and so many more, He constantly reassures us that we are being protected.

Another favorite of mine is James 1:2-3 and it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” This verse stands out to me because it’s saying no matter what you’re going through, whether it’s your faith being tested from personal doubts or doubts from your community or the situation you’re in, His purpose is only to make your relationship with Him stronger. No matter how strenuously our faith is tested, He will always come through, and this verse is a wonderful reminder of that.

The last of the verses I’m going to share today is Lamentations 3:22-23. This is one that makes me weep! It says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.” How cool! Can you imagine loving someone so much that no matter what they did, no matter how badly they shunned you and turned away from you, you still would welcome them into your heart and home with open arms? I, personally, am very stubborn so this is extremely hard for me to imagine doing but that’s how the Lord feels about us. He loves us so much!

Throughout the last few months of adjusting to the “real world,” I’ve really appreciated things I can use in my daily life that remind me to live both humbly and kindly so when I came across The Anastasia Co. on Etsy, her prints were just what I needed. One of the prints I got is even one of my favorite verses that I mentioned above! The three beautiful prints above are from her shop – click here to check them out! She has many, many different designs and she also sells other things like notebooks and planners that are pretty adorable as well.

That wraps up this week’s post, thank you for reading! If you have any favorite Bible verses of your own, please leave them in the comments below – I’d love to read them. Next week, I’ll be back with a winter version of my Weekend In My Life series, so don’t miss it!

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Healthy Living

My New Years Goals

January 16, 2018

Hello and happy Tuesday! In today’s post, I’m sharing some of my personal goals for the new year. I’ve never been one to make a big deal out of my yearly goals so I thought maybe publishing them would give me accountability in (hopefully) achieving them. Let’s get into it!

I’m breaking down my goals for 2018 into three categories: physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. As far as physical health, I’d like to make myself go to the gym at least four times a week. Throughout my years in college, I was constantly driving back and forth between Virginia and Maryland, traveling, doing schoolwork, and a million other things so I wasn’t able to make going to the gym a priority. Now that I have more of a set routine, I’d like to get back into working out! Another goal that goes hand in hand with going to the gym is eating better. When I get busy or stressed, I tend to make some unhealthy food choices and that’s not good in the long run so I’ve been thinking about trying meal prepping. Has anyone had success with it?

Moving onto mental health, I’d like to focus on being positive and consistent this year. I wouldn’t say I’m a negative person but I definitely let people and situations get to me sometimes and I’d like to stop that this year. Being positive with yourself and others is so important and my whole life could be affected by making a few small changes. Being consistent goes along with that as well! I’d like to be more consistent as far as being positive, going to the gym, eating healthy, things like that. I’ve learned that I thrive when I’m in a routine so I hope making an effort to be more consistent helps me succeed in the coming year!

As far as my spiritual health, I will make a point to go to church more often. Throughout college, I went when I could but if I got busy, it was always the first activity I canceled. Thankfully, I had other religious organizations that poured into me during the week but none of them were the same as a church service and I miss it! I just moved (moving blogs coming soon!) so I’m in the process of finding a new church to call home and I can’t wait to get more involved.

I’ll keep you updated with my how my goals are playing out as the year progresses! Did you make any goals of your own? Let me know in the comments. Have a great week and I’ll see ya next Tuesday!

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