The Weekend Recap

One Bathroom, One Cake, and a Whole Lot of Glute Gains

We’ve officially finalized our bathroom renovation project—which feels like both a big and small deal at the same time. Big, because renovations always spiral into more than you expected. Small, because we’re starting with just the one standard upstairs bathroom. But even that is getting a major functional glow-up: we’re moving the laundry into that space, which will make life so much easier. I can’t wait to stop running laundry like a full-service hotel just to get it all downstairs and back up again.

We finally made some real progress this weekend by picking out tile at Floor & Decor. Not to be dramatic, but I’ve been dreaming about this moment like it’s my wedding dress fitting. If you’ve ever made decisions in a home improvement aisle under fluorescent lighting while deeply invested in grout tone, you get it.

In other (sweeter) news, I made the Chantilly berry cake from Whole Foods. From scratch. With my own two hands. Let me tell you, it was labor intensive and honestly way more expensive than just buying the damn thing. But it was delicious. The frosting recipe is a keeper—I’ve mentally filed it in my "worth the effort, just not every weekend" cookbook.

On the fashion front: I’m sharing a Walmart Swim Try On later this week, and this $19 swimsuit has me feeling cute, confident, and shockingly comfortable. I love when something affordable actually fits and flatters—especially when you’re in the midst of a body that's still changing and evolving. Truly a gem.

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And speaking of change… I took my first before and after pics from two months of consistent workouts. I wasn’t expecting much, but WOW. My muscle tone is up, my loose skin is looking smoother, and the glute gains? Undeniable. Sometimes progress is slow and sneaky, but it shows up when you least expect it.

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To round it out, I got my headshots back from my branding shoot and I’m so happy with how they turned out! I shared a few over on Instagram and was really touched by the response. It feels good to be captured in a moment where I feel aligned, grounded, and—honestly—pretty damn proud of how far I’ve come.

Here’s to progress in all its forms—from tile selections to squats to self-confidence.

Have a great week!
xo,
Maddy