Last month I started my Monthly Miscellaea series, a bunch of random thoughts not necessarily worthy of an entire post, and not necessarily design related, all tied into one blog post. I didn’t realize how fun it would be to share some of the other things running through my always moving brain. So here’s what’s making me tick this month…

Halo Top Ice Cream

Anyone who knows the Luhrings (the wonderful family I married in to) knows that they LOVE their ice cream. Somehow, it has just never done the trick for me. I’ve always preferred a gooey brownie or some Skittles. A little over a year ago, Adam started talking about this ice cream he’d read about called Halo Top… Supposedly it was healthy ice cream. “Is that a thing?” I wondered. “If it is, it certainly can’t taste good!”

As a non-ice cream lover, I didn’t give it too much thought until I saw a four pack of Birthday Cake flavored Halo Top at Costco one day. I knew Adam would be so excited to try it. And I figured I should share his enthusiasm (supportive wife, that’s me), so I took a few bites off his spoon. It was actually pretty good, like fluffy light ice cream. We were both immediately hooked. And then we discovered other flavors. Caramel Macchiato, Chocolate Almond Crunch, Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Oatmeal Cookie… The list goes on and on! And then there is my personal favorite. Red Velvet. Seriously. So. GOOD. And now I have gone from ambivalence about ice cream to devoting half a blog post to my Halo Top ice cream obsession. And there is a slight chance I eat Halo Top in my bed almost every night. I think I have finally absorbed the Luhring ice cream gene after 16.5 years of marriage!

Side note: The cheapest place to buy Halo Top is Walmart.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may receive a commission, but at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Beach House

If you follow me on Pinterest (side note: if you don’t, you totally should; I’m an awesome pinner 😉 ), you’ve probably noticed me pinning a TON of beach house decorating ideas lately. That’s because…

My parents bought a beach home in Florida!!! This is something they’ve talked about on and off for years (with heavy encouragement and hinting from me and my sister), and they finally found the perfect condo property and pulled the trigger. I know it isn’t MY house, but it’s almost as exciting. 😉 Stay tuned for pictures and plans in a couple of weeks, but here’s a little sneak peek. The photo quality isn’t the best because it’s from the MLS. None of us have actually SEEN the condo, including my parents! But we have many fun projects planned for this place, and I can’t wait!!

Hoarding Tendencies

As I mentioned last month, I’ve been trying (and failing) to organize our house, and I’ve come to the realization that the problem is different than I originally thought… I’ve never considered myself an organized person (I’m sure my parents would agree!), but I’m an ESTJ, and by nature we tend to be more organized, so I should be able to figure this out. When I take the time to create systems and organize my things, I actually really enjoy the process, and I definitely love the feeling of being organized. But it never seems to stick.

After reading this article on 11 Signs You Have Hoarding Tendencies and relating to 8 of the 11, I’ve finally come to the realization that we have TOO MUCH STUFF. So I’ve been reading up on how to declutter, and slowly starting the process. I can’t recommend Marie Kondo’s book enough. It helps shift your mindset as well as offering practical organizational ideas.

I don’t think I’ll ever fully embrace minimalism. I just have too many interests and enjoy too many things (and, you know, KIDS), but I can definitely find a happy medium between hoarding and minimalism. OK, seriously, don’t worry, I’m not an actual hoarder. No intervention necessary. But I’m now ready to get rid of anything that isn’t bringing joy to our household and ANY hoarding tendencies.

Side note: If you’re not familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality, I’d highly encourage you to take the test here, as it will greatly help you understand your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to relate to those around you who have different personalities. This can be a HUGE help in your marriage and in parenting as well!

Pictured is Anthropologie Capri Blue candle in Volcano. The tray is also from Anthro, but is sold out.

Playlist

We’re still loving the tunes I mentioned last month, but we’ve added a few new ones into the playlist. New faves are “Let You Down” by NF, (which my beautiful sister introduced me to when we got to make a rare sisters-only trip to Target a couple of weekends ago), and “Losing You” by Solange.

Lulu and Georgia

This is my new home store obsession! How have I never heard of them until recently? If you love Anthropologie, you’ll definitely find something at Lulu and Georgia that calls your name too. They have gorgeous furniture and accessories. Just look at these brass mirrors!

I am also obsessed with their rugs. Seriously, how stunning is this?

They even have an uber stylish line for littles.

But don’t take my word for it, go check it out here!

How was your February? Anything new and exciting happen? Any big plans for March? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!