Hi, dear readers!

I hope you all are doing well in these uncertain and trying times of dealing with the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Both Nick and I have been working from home for the past two weeks and we’ve pulled Sebastian from daycare. As a public health professional, practicing social distancing to flatten the curve is very important to me so we’re doing all we can to be a part of the solution instead of the problem. We’re only going out to grab groceries and even then, Nick goes by himself. I make him take disinfecting wipes with him to use when he touches anything and then when he gets home he washes his hands very well.

Last year I created and failed pretty miserably at a 19 in 2019: A list of 19 things to do in the year 2019. Since I only did a few of them – far less than I ever imagined – I’d like to pick it up again this year and try to complete some of those things I had wanted to do then. The things I did accomplish this past year were: attend a wine tasting, put down new floors, paint and renovate the laundry room, and bake a fancy cake. That’s 4 out of 19; I told you I failed miserably. For this year, I’ll include the ones I didn’t do plus 6 more and they can serve as my New Year’s resolutions.

So, in no particular order, here are my 20 things to do in 2020:

Welcome back to another outfit round up! This is the first round up I’ve had of outfits I’ve worn since starting my new job. Our dress code is about the same as any other nonprofit/academic institution which is business casual and jeans are fine. I’ve been trying to dress it up and get back into my professional style & mindset. These are a sampling of the outfits I’ve worn in the last few weeks that are trying to be *slightly* more business and less casual.

Loving these outfits.

Obviously bathroom lighting isn’t ideal for outfit photos and the lighting in the restroom at my new office is the worst. It’s really hard to get the color of my clothes in these photos. My navy blue pants, gray skirts, and brown tights all look darker than they actually are but hopefully you get the gist.

Hi, everyone! These last few weeks (months?) have been a bit of a whirlwind with lots of changes and new routines to get used to. I’m here with an update on all of the newness in our lives including a new job, Invisalign, new daycares, and a new furbaby!

Beauty

I cut my hair and I started Invisalign!

You can’t even see them!

In middle school, I wore braces for two and a half years. Over these last few years I could tell that my teeth have been shifting. I was becoming increasingly unhappy with my smile and finally decided to do something about it – Invisalign! I started mid-November and wear a special set of trays for one week and then change to the next special set. Each set applies the right amount of force to move my teeth to where they need to be. I’ll be wearing them for about 9 months, which is a piece of cake compared to the years I spent in metal braces. I’m slowly acclimating to them but the best part is I’ll be done before you know it!

Work

In November, I started a new job at Duke University as a program coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research and I’m housed within the Department of Population Health Sciences. I coordinate the social and behavioral sciences program for investigators who research HIV/AIDS, so I’m still working in the field of sexual health – my passion – but in a slightly different capacity. I’ve been with this job for a little over a month now and I’m loving it so far. My team is amazing, my office is bright and happy, and I really like the work I’m doing it. It was a much needed change of pace and a great step up in my career.

My sweet digs at the new office.

Home & Family

As if a new job and new teeth (sort of) weren’t enough, we decided to move Sebastian to a new daycare and then we adopted another dog!

New School

Santa visited Sebastian at his new school. He was so excited! He told Santa he wanted cars for Christmas.

Seb’s new daycare is about 10 minutes from my new office and I like being so close by in case anything happens. It’s located farther away from our house than his previous daycare (about 20 mins vs. 7 minutes) so we’ve had to create a new morning routine to make sure we’re ready and out the door without being late. It has been worth it, though, because in the short time that he’s been at this new daycare he has flourished! He’s happier, speaking more, and singing songs. At his old daycare, he was having a bathroom “accident” almost every day but at this new daycare he hasn’t had a single one. I had had some suspicions about his former teachers not paying enough attention to the kids and this kind of confirms it. But the important thing is that he’s thriving now!

New Puppy

Meet Milo, our new puppy!

Milo Pilo

He’s a 1.5-year-old Chihuahua mix, and he’s quite the snuggle bug. We adopted him at the beginning of December and fell in love immediately. He’s such a sweet, wiggly little guy and we’re so happy to have him. We had a few early hiccups but he’s settling in quite nicely! We chose his name because we thought it sounded good with our other dog, Mia. Mia and Milo… kind of rolls off the tongue! His full name is Milo Pilo with ‘Pilo’ being a subtle nod to Nick’s and my favorite TV show in the whole world, Parks and Recreation per the clip below…

…and also because we make our dogs’ names rhyme! Chico Antonio, Mia Sophia, and Milo Pilo. It’s just what we do 🙂 I mean, look at how cute they are!

Mia & Milo

Anyway, I think that’s it for now. With the holidays coming up, we’ll be even busier but I have a few things in the works for the new year so I hope you’ll stick with me. Wishing you all the best!

Xo, Nicole

I loved this outfit from a week or so ago, and I’m very sad I haven’t gotten a better photo of it yet. This poncho sweater is a trend I’ve been wanting to try for a while now but oversized sweaters can be tricky for short folks to pull off. The sweater can look way too big or make you look smaller if the proportions aren’t right. This one is a Petite and fits perfectly on my 5′ 1″ frame. And it makes me look like a sophisticated adult instead of a little kid playing dress up. I’m so excited that I found it. In the photo above, I gave it the half tuck; in the photo below, I left it out. Which look do you like better?

Sweater: Loft Outlet | Jeans: Liverpool London via Stitch Fix | Heels: H&M | Necklace: via Stitch Fix