{turning 30 in quarantine}

I turned 30 during a global pandemic... wow, that feels weird to say!

Orange Dress (size small) // Colorful Hoop Earrings // Handwriting Necklace (Love in my dad's cursive) // Cowrie Shell Bracelet Set // Lipstick & Liner - Charlotte Tilbury "Pillow Talk"

This birthday wasn't what I expected it to be. I was supposed to be celebrating in Greensboro with one of my best friends while attending her baby shower. I was supposed to be on a sunset sail with all of my Key West people. And the following weekend I was supposed to have all of my best friends from college come and visit me during Songwriter's Festival.

But you know what? It's just one birthday. What my friends ended up giving to me and doing for me is a memory that I will hold on to for my entire life. They got all of my family and friends (from DC to Key West) to record a video wishing me happy birthday and send in photos to be compiled into one massive video!! Yes, I cried - it was a 23 minute video!!! They also dressed up as different versions of "Jenn" lol. It's funny how you think you know yourself well and then your college besties really hit it out of the park!

30 is just an age; one that I don't feel at all haha. I feel like I'm 25 (ironic because when I turned 29 last year I said I felt like I was 26 - guess I took an extra year off lol), my health is the best it's been, I'm with an incredible man, and I'm living on the most gorgeous island! Life has a funny way of spinning you around and throwing the most unexpected things at you. There will always be more work to do personally, emotionally, and mentally but I truly feel like I'm in a place where I'm meant to be - so content and genuinely happy.

Last year I shared 29 things that I've learned. I wanted to take a moment to make a list like that again... It was great to look back on and reference when things got tough or I lost my way!
So here are 30 things that I've learned:

1. Your "timeline" should NEVER be compared to someone else's. It is normal and okay to not be married and have kids at the age society tells you to.
2. Never apologize for your style or change it to fit in. If it makes you happy, rock it.
3. Find an exercise that makes you tick - even if it's just long walks
4. Branch out and make new friends. These new personalities and experiences can open new doors for you, even when you're 30!
5. Take more photos. Print them. Frame them.
6. If a friend doesn't invest their time in you, it's not always worth it to keep investing in them.
7. Make cleaning your house become a habit. Work it into your morning routine while making coffee or as part of your night time routine. When someone stops by to say hi, you'll never be embarrassed.
8. Learn to make your favorite coffee or tea at home. Saving money by not spending it at Starbucks every day will go far!
9. Invest in a skincare routine. By invest I mean invest time in your skin - it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg! But tone, cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize.
10. Dance. All the time. Especially when you're happy and definitely when you're sad.
11. Don't sleep with your makeup on. When my day is over and I have nothing planned I take it off early in the night. Bonus points bc then it's a shorter amount of time to get ready for bed!
12. You're never too old to try something new, start a new career, start over, start a new hobby, etc!!
13. Drink more water... personal goal of mine!
14. Tell your friends you love them - never stop :)
15. Take time to visit your parents and grandparents! There are so many memories to be made.
16. Learn to be patient. It will take you far in life
17. It's okay to say no - you know yourself best and need to put yourself first in some situations. Don't be afraid of upsetting someone in the process. They will eventually understand.
18. If you think someone has been quiet or distant recently, reach out and ask them how things are going. Even if nothing is wrong it will make them feel loved that you thought of them.
19. Use lotion on the tops of your hands every night - it will keep them looking younger
20. You can never have too many face masks on hand. Keep them in your fridge so you can have a little spa moment spontaneously.
21. Say thank you - it can make someone's day better.
22. SAVE YOUR MONEY. I think we've all really learned recently that things can happen and it's scary. Have enough in a savings account that you can pay for 2 months rent plus bills minimum.
23. Learn how to do your taxes and then take the time to understand them - and pay that knowledge forward. This is something that needs to be talked about more IMO.
24. Date yourself. Know what you need, cater to it, listen to your body and heart. Love yourself!
25. Take those vitamins and that probiotic. You may not see it doing anything right now... but it's setting your future self up for success.
26. Ask questions, seek out answers, educate yourself, never stop learning.
27. Have a go-to cocktail that you can impress people with. Even if it's a G&T but you add a lime wedge on the rim!
28. Don't let guilt eat you up... give yourself some grace on the hard days.
29. Not everyone is going to like you. That's okay! Just make sure you like yourself and you can tackle anything that's sent your way
30. Don't be afraid of the future - MAKE THE MOVE. It could be the change you never knew you needed in your life.

If I have one thing I want to do with this year... dream more, dream bigger, dream harder!

Love Always,

{29 things i've learned in 29 years}

I absolutely love celebrating my birthday... it's an excuse to get all of my friends together and go do something fun! But for some reason this year I was kind of dreading it. My birthday truly snuck up on me and I began dreading the number twenty-nine.

White Crop Top ($13) // Pleated Pants ($15) // Straw Purse // RayBan Sunglasses // Palm Leaf Earrings // Bite Lipstick in Pastille

I'll probably look back on that previous statement and laugh at how silly that sounds. But 29 sounds old to me. I don't feel that age - I feel like I'm still 26 and have so much more to learn, see, do experience. I tried to think of ways that I could stop dreading this new age (and it's not because I'm afraid of eventually turning 30, for the record) and embrace the life I've been lucky to experience. With every passing year in my late 20's I've had pretty large life experiences happen: living alone, losing my dad, friendships ending, work experiences, heartbreak, falling in love, Kyle being deployed, etc. In fact, we've all had these huge life moments that come and go and we never look back on them to realize what we took away from those experiences.

So today, I'm going to celebrate 29 things that I've learned and taken away from my life. Big or small...

1. Having no polish on your nails is better than a chipped manicure - especially if you're presenting at a meeting.
2. Always wear sunscreen - after a skin cancer scare last year that left me with a big scar on my back I will never go a day without. I was always good about it but I now see a dermatologist every 3 months because some people are more prone (hello freckled arms)!
3. Don't be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve. You will only wish you had said the things you didn't say.
4. Put lotion on your hands every night and it will help keep the thin skin on the tops of your hands looking young! (I learned this from my mom who just turned 60 and she has the hands of a 30 year old I swear)
5. Invest in good running shoes. Arch support does wonders for your knees.
6. Learn how to cook a really good meal that you can prepare in a pinch for company or to impress a date. Something with easy, simple ingredients instead of ordering take out.
7. Know the difference between there, their, and they're.
8. Allow yourself to fall in love deeply. Don't regret putting it all on the line because you never know what may come out of it. Be honest and open and learn to communicate. Kyle and I met on December 1st, a week later he asked me to go to Charleston with him alone and rent a boat for New Years. I said yes and my friends thought I was crazy - best decision I have ever made. We spent a week together and now we both admit that it's what solidified us.
9. Workout. Exercise. Run. Move your body!!
10. Listen to your parents. Ask them about their childhood, write down their stories, and soak in your family history. On that note, take photos with them. I have such few photos from the last couple of months my Dad was alive. Granted, it was hard to see him sick and frail but all the time I got to spend with him was still just as valuable - I wish I had more photos.
11. Send cards and notes - that's something I'm working on doing more. My good friend Elise sends little notes all the time and it instantly brightens my day.
12. Have one dress in your closet that you can put on no matter the day or season that makes you feel like you can take on the world.
13. Go to as many museums as you can and educate yourself on the different people and cultures that make up this world. Stop closing yourself off to what's happening around us.
14. If you have a dream, just do it. I always say "don't talk about it, be about it". I talked about starting a blog for years!! 5 years ago I finally did... crazy to think how far this little page has come.
15. Make time to read. Soak up all that knowledge and allow yourself to escape from reality.
16. Have an emergency savings account. Enough to cover your rent, student loans, and bills for a month minimum.
17. Travel. I never regret a single penny that I spent traveling by myself or with friends.
18. You will get your heart broken. I had an 8 year relationship end via a phone call on my lunch break. I've never felt pain like that - but cry, call your mom, cry more, and then move on. "A person who values you will never put themselves in a position to lose you." Heartbreak is God's way of opening up your life to something so much more.
19. Dance. Dance in the street. Dance in your bedroom. Dance because the pasta is delicious.
20. Take vitamins and take care of your gut health - you may not notice an immediate difference but when you get older (older than 29 haha) you'll feel and look younger always!
21. Cut back on the drinking. I'm not saying stop all together, I just mean you don't need to be drinking every single night like you're still in college... 
22. Learn to love time alone. Go to a movie and dinner by yourself. Treat yourself to a facial. Walk around the city for hours just watching people. Have a picnic with a good book. Just be at peace with yourself.
23. Tell your friends you love them. Most times they will be your family.
24. Stand up for yourself - I've let people walk all over me and it's something that I always look back on and regret. Life is way too damn short to have any regrets.
25. Let the toxic friendships go. Even if they aren't toxic; it takes two people to keep a friendship going. If the other person isn't taking time to talk to you, invest in your life, know what's going on... then it's one sided and you should be putting your energy towards people that are genuinely interested in you. Recognize when you're that person too.
26. Get out and enjoy nature more - it's so good for the soul.
27. Eat your vegetables. How silly does that sound? But after really learning to fuel my body with dense nutrition for the past year (thanks Isagenix!) I've seen how much more energy I can have after eating better constantly.
28. Teach yourself how to do basic things early on: wash & fold laundry, make pasta, change a tire, file your taxes, take public transportation, fold a fitted sheet, etc. These simple things will genuinely make your life easier.
29. Nobody can be you except for YOU. This is something I've had to really work on the past 2 weeks. Competition and comparison has been all around me and it put me in a funk. My friend Katie reminded me "only Jenn Rog can be Jenn Rog"... and only you can be you. Celebrate your differences.

Happy May, my friends :) I'd love to know the biggest life lesson you'd tell your younger self or want to remind yourself of now!! XOXO

White Crop Top ($13) // Pleated Pants ($15) // Straw Purse // RayBan Sunglasses // Palm Leaf Earrings // Bite Lipstick in Pastille

Love Always,

{birthday wish list}

Well it's almost May... which means my birthday month! Last year I was convinced that it was gonna be my best year yet but after everything I went through I'm positive this year is going to be the best yet haha ;) I think things are already looking better! I've got lots of trips with friends planned and am excited to explore my new neighborhood more.

I already ordered these shoes for myself for my birthday and my momma got me a new vacuum (old lady status - woo)! Of course I dream about a designer handbag and a David Yurman ring every year haha what girl doesn't?!

This summer I'm all about easy, flowy dresses, nude shoes, and fun accessories for my go to outfit. I've always been an accessory girl so a dress like this one that I can dress up or down and style different ways is begging to be in my closet. Another thing that you can always wear is this Maya Brenner necklace - I wear monograms all the time and this gold one would be so easy to pair with statement earrings or even layered under a big necklace!

Since we're all dreamers - what's on your wish list?!

Psst y'all know I'm OBSESSED with Baublebar... they are having a huge flash sale (50% off!!) through this Thursday! So grab your favorites while they're cheap! Shop them below!




Love Always,

{birthday celebrations}

What a week.. I've had so much fun celebrating my birthday and truly think that this year is going to be a good one. That's what I'm telling myself at least :) The last couple of months have been hard! But May was kicked off to a great start byseeing tons of friends, going out every night, eating delicious food, toasting to good health and planning for fun trips! Now, I'm so happy it's Friday because I'm tired!!

Did you enter all of the amazing giveaways from this week? [Can I be chosen as winner? ;)] Don't forget to enter below!!

$100 to Gigi New York // Original Post

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It Cosmetics Contour Palette & Brush // Original Post

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kendra Scott Necklace // Original Post

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vera Bradley Makeup Bag // Original Post

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of Luck!! I hope everyone is excited about winning - this is my way of saying thank you for supporting this blog the last (almost) two years and always being encouraging of me! You supporting the brands I love only encourages me to bring you new content every day :) Plus, it's really fun!!

Love Always,

{sunshine & turquoise}

Another day of giveaways! Yay! This time it's a piece from my favorite jewelry company... I bet you can't guess what that would be hehe ;)

Photography by Rachel Brennan

ASOS Maxi Dress // J.Crew Jean Jacket// ASOS Cat Purse // Kendra Scott Necklace c/o // DY cuff // Sam Edelman Sandals (similar) // Butter London Nail Polish // Bite Lipstick in "pastille"

It's been all rain and and nothing but clouds in DC for the past week... I planned this shoot 4 times and shot it twice. It was quite the struggle! But I was determined to shoot this look because I'm just so in love with it. (These photos were taken in a slight fog that ended with rain... ha.) I haven't stopped wearing my jean jacket [best purchase ever] and it was the perfect addition to wear with this yellow maxi aka my sunshine. I'm pretty good about breaking out the bright colors in the spring time when it's gross and depressing outside - you have to make your own sunshine. It's the perfect compliment to this gorgeous turquoise Kendra Scott necklace. That you can win below!!! I love how the back of the stones even have a pretty look to them. This is different then my typical tassel necklace but it still provides the length and interest that I love. Double it up or wear it around your wrist - it's perfect!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love Always,