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how to make a mosiac plant marker

ghost town – Winton, WY

7 tips for maintaining bright hair color

earlobe reconstruction – four month update!

FeatherSnap bird feeder review

what I’ve been reading

Two Guns, AZ

my top ten cemeteries!

my earring collection

living room update!

    July Goals

    by Kaylah Stroup July 4, 2017

    June Goal Recap

    • Work hard to save money! I started investing! In June I began using both Stash + Acorns on top of Digit. That sounds like a whole mess of apps to be dealing with but honestly, I feel so much better spreading out my savings like this. While I can withdraw my money at any time if I need it, it’s nice that it’s not just one simple click away like moving money from savings to checkings is. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve just moved some money from savings to purchase something I didn’t truly need. Now that money gets invested instead so I’m not able to make those spur of the moment poor decisions.

    Stash is an excellent way to start investing if you’re new to it (which I definitely am!) Jeff had been bugging me to sign up for months. He’s obsessed, and I’m starting to see why. It’s simple to understand, and makes getting started a breeze. Acorns rounds up your purchases and saves that money for you. For example, if you made a purchase for $4.76, it rounds it up to $5 and saves the twenty-four cents for you. It’s just small change but it quickly adds up!  FYI – both of those are referral links, you get five bucks to start investing and I get some too! Win/win! 

    • Build running stamina. While I’m sure I’ve built stamina, I don’t feel like my results are super noticeable which I find a little disappointing. I have not given up running though! With the exception of two days, I did some sort of work out (running, biking or yoga) every single day in the month of June. Y’all, I am proud of me! The biggest results I’ve seen so far are mental and that’s worth so much more than anything else.
    • Get The Dainty Squid’s shop running again. Yeah, buddy! Did you see the pouches? I have a little something else coming your way soon. …But in the meantime, definitely go look how cute the pouches are!
    • Bike 50 miles. Guess who absolutely slaughtered this goal? ME! I rode just over 150 miles in the month of June. There are a bunch of photos here if you wanna look at my beeeeautiful bike.

    July Goals

    • Stay ahead! I’m not great at staying caught up on my work. I always manage to get it done in time but I really miss when I used to be a week ahead of my blog schedule. I felt so much happier and in control. This month I’d love to get back to that. I don’t know what happened that I can no longer seem to stay ahead but I’m determined to fix it.
    • Dye my hair. I’m leaving green. At least I’m trying. I know, I’ve definitely said that before but this time it’s happening. …Maybe. At the very least, I have the supplies for a color I’ve never done before, I’ve been working on fading my hair, and something needs to happen because these roots are out of control. Cross your fingers for me, I’m not feeling all that confident I’ll be able to get my hair as light as I want.
    • Keep on pedaling! Last year I met some people at Critical Mass who I immediately clicked with. We rode together for the evening and even went out to dinner afterward which for me, as a shy person, is a HUGE deal. We exchanged numbers, talking big game about how we’d have to ride together again soon but never did. Last month, one whole year later, we finally met up again and ended up hanging out three days in a row. I feel like making new friends can be just as awful as dating and making new friends who share a major interest of yours is like winning the lottery. This month I want to ride a ton with my new buds!

    I’m the first to admit there’s nothing too exciting in this month’s goals. I don’t really have any big projects I want to work on right this second. My main thing I’d like to do is stay ahead of my work so that I can focus on the fun stuff like going out with friends, riding bikes, and photo adventures. Those are the things that make me happiest and therefore make me a more productive person. It’s basically a tornado of goodness once the ball gets rolling, ya know? After all the miles I put in last month on my bike, I feel like I’m on the upswing mentally. I’m even ahead on my blog schedule for once. July, you’re going to be one fine month!

    How about you? What do you want to accomplish this month?
    xoxo

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  • project 365 : days 177 – 183

    by Kaylah Stroup July 3, 2017

    177 : 365 Fancy pants new pillow – which is literally the most comfortable pillow I have ever laid my head on – and some cactus sheets I still can’t get enough of. Also, while searching for a link to those sheets I found this cactus shirt from Target that I had somehow never seen …

    Read more
  • Friday Favorites #421

    by Kaylah Stroup June 30, 2017

    How ca-yoooot are these mugs!? (via McCheeks Mayhem) Love this dress! (via Modcloth) This instax photo frame banner is the coolest! Such a fun way to display your photos. (via Urban Outfitters) Cute shelf! (via Kirralee & Co) Have a nice day! (via Steffi Lynn) Aliens like cacti too! (via Mermaid Hex) Doesn’t this bra …

    Read more
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About Me

About Me

Hello!

I'm Kaylah! Renovating a 150-year-old home in Northeast Ohio. Likely found in my garden.

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THE DAINTY SQUID
  • blog
    • all the posts!
    • stroup mansion
    • some of my favorite posts
    • plants + gardening
    • beauty, fashion + hair
    • reviews
    • window shopping
    • explore everywhere
  • about me
  • contact
  • shop