Happy Friday! What a week. Usually coming home from a big trip zaps my productivity for a few days, but I feel like I hit the ground running as soon as my flight landed on Monday night. Being in Seattle for work inspired me so much and I'm just so excited to be here. I have a few fun things in the works and I can't wait to share details with you all!

Yesterday we looked at a really cute little rental house that I fell in love with, so now that's all I can think about. Our apartment lease doesn't end until August though, so we need to do a little maneuvering if things are going to work out. Cross your fingers! I hate looking for housing because I get super attached to every single property and then I end up bummed out if it doesn't work.

On Wednesday I taught my Blogging Basics SkillPop class again, and tomorrow afternoon my friend Corri and I are leading our first Instagram Workshop! I'm super excited about it and we've had so much fun putting it all together. SkillPop has been so fun for me and I'm so happy to be teaching so often this month--in a few weeks I have another class (and there are three seats left if you live in Charlotte and are interested in attending)!

Tonight our friend Roy is in town so I'm going to be folding some laundry and cleaning up our place this morning (and maybe packing away some winter things) and then it's the weekend! Before I go I wanted to share some links I've been saving:

To Watch/Listen: 

• I really loved this video with Jemima Kirk. I think she is so beautiful and has such an interesting way with words.
• Speaking of GIRLS actors, I can never get enough Adam Driver.
• This episode of The Tim Ferriss show with B.J. Novak was so great. 

To Read:

• Whatever You Do, Just Start
• I tend to only get superficially political here on the blog, but HB2 is a disgrace and not only is is devastating that it actually went through, but it's also really going to hurt North Carolina if it isn't reversed.
  • PayPal abandons plans to open facility in Charlotte because of LGBT law.
  • NBA may move 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte after anti-LGBT legislation passed in North Carolina.
  • No "Wicked" for North Carolina: Composer Stephen Schwartz bans NC shows over HB2. 

Wish List: 

• So excited about this giveaway on my friend Kristan's blog.
• This watch is a little out of my price range but I think it is so gorgeous.
• Trying to figure out if wide-leg pants are for me. Thoughts? I love this white pair.
• I think this swim suit is so sexy but I'd actually prefer it without the strappy part.
• These clogs are kind of so ugly they're cute and I think they might be adorable with skinny jeans.

--

What are you guys up to this weekend? If you read or watched or listened to something awesome this week, I want to know about it!

I probably eat Paleo about 85-90% of the time, and lately I've added rice and potatoes to my diet (partly because I've been working out a lot harder but also because I love carbs--who doesn't?).

If you've ever been to a Chipotle then you probably know how amazing their rice is. It's citrus-y and savory all at the same time and it pops with the amazing freshness of cilantro--I just love it so much. I used to make a copycat recipe seven or eight years ago but I haven't made it in a while, so when I had all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry the other day, I had to make a big pot of it.

It's seriously delicious, either topped with meat or just on its own, and the next day I actually added chopped cucumber, julienned carrots, and some avocado to make a gorgeous veggie rice bowl for lunch.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/3 cup white rice
• 2 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• A generous pile of fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• The juice of 1-2 limes, plus more for garnish

Instructions: 

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir around, toasting the grains for about two minutes. Add the lime juice and stir.
2. Pour the water in and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water. Fluff it with a fork and add the cilantro.
4. Serve warm and garnish with extra cilantro and some fresh lime wedges.

The other day on Instagram, I got a request to share my hair care routine and products, and I loved the idea, so here we go! 

My hair is naturally very straight but it's also super thick, which I guess is a pretty good combination. I rarely wear it straight because I just don't like the way it looks on me--at the least I'll separate my hair into four sections and curl them quickly to give it a little bit of volume. At the most, I'll pin it all up and curl it in smaller sections, which lasts longer and looks a lot better. If you guys are interested, I can share a post (or video!) that shows exactly how I style my hair--just let me know!

I've been slowly going a little lighter with my color so I try really hard to take good care of it, since lifting color can really do a number on your ends. Here's a breakdown of my washing/styling routine and the products I use:

• I only wash my hair once a week, and when I do I use this shampoo and this conditioner. Once I'm out of the shower, I use this leave-in treatment from Redken and comb it through.
• If possible (and because it's so straight), I like to let my hair air dry. I style it with a curling iron a lot so I always feel like this is my way of giving it a break. I'll wash it a few hours before bed (if I go to bed with wet hair it looks crazy in the morning) or in the morning if I don't have anywhere to be for a few hours. I do always blow-dry my bangs right away, though.
• If I do blow-dry, I like to use a tiny drop of this serum to smooth it out and speed up the dry time.
• I use a 1 1/4 inch curling iron by Hot Tools to style. I've had it forever and probably need a new one soon! I like the big curls but sometimes when I'm in Roanoke I use my mom's and it's a little smaller and I think I may like the way my hair looks with that one a bit better.
• I've tried tons of different dry shampoos and I think my favorite one is this one by Dove. I had one by Redken but I didn't love it and it was a lot more expensive, so I generally stick to drug store brands as I continue to experiment and find the ones I love the most. If I run out then I'll just use good old regular baby powder--it works best if you use quite a bit before bed and then brush it out in the morning.
• I like this hair spray by Tresseme a lot, even though I should probably be using something a little bit nicer on my hair.
• This is my favorite deep conditioner. It makes your hair so soft and it smells amazing. I've been using it for years. I think you can use it once a week but since I only wash my hair once a week, I usually deep condition once a month.
• I very rarely brush my hair (I think that might be weird), but when I do I use this bristle brush that I'm pretty sure I bought at Target.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click and/or buy something I'll make money. I only post things I use and love myself, and I value authenticity and your trust as a reader over any commissions I could possibly ever earn. Thanks for your support!

PS If you're in the mood to shop, everything on ShopBop's site is 25% off until Thursday with the code INTHEFAM. I've got my eye on some tank tops and white jeans for spring and summer! You can check out a few more of my favorites below. And if you have any other requests for blog posts, please let me know! I love to hear them and would love to share content that you've specifically asked for!