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Spring OOTD

March 11, 2015

Dress: c/o Pink Blush here

Shoes: DSW

Spring is in the air! We have had some pretty crazy weather around these parts the last couple of weeks. Tons of rain with extremely hot weather one day and extremely cold the next. The weather can’t make up it’s mind, which means only one thing. It’s almost springtime! I love this time of year and it seems like it doesn’t get as much hype as the other seasons. When you’re up against Christmas, Halloween and lazy pool days, it can be hard to compete, but I love spring. All of the fresh blooms and the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is enough to get me excited. Plus, the warmer weather is definitely something to celebrate.

I’ve been dying to bring out my florals again and it is finally time! I love this dress from Pink Blush so much. It is a fun print and very appropriate for this time of year. The length is perfect for a pregnant woman, but it is a dress I can wear after baby as well. I love it so much that I’m pretty sure I’m going to make it my designated Easter dress!

What do you love most about Springtime?

P.S. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite bloggers here! Also, I am offering ad swaps again! Check out my sponsor page for more information!

Hampton’s First Haircut

March 9, 2015

My baby boy is growing up so fast. It seems like I JUST had him, but I blinked and here we are ,16 months later getting his first haircut. His hair has been getting pretty long, but I wasn’t ready to cut it until last weekend. We went on a walk like we do every Saturday and two different neighbors stopped us and said “awe she is so cute.” SHE. Umm… no, he is a boy and is wearing blue, but okay, I get the picture. So, I made an appointment with a childhood friend of mine to cut his hair. I actually didn’t cry, but I had so many mixed emotions. I was excited, sad, and sort of in disbelief that he is old enough to have his hair cut. It is crazy how fast time flies.

My handsome little boy!

Did you cry when your child got his/her first haircut?

32 Week Baby Update // Kandi Daniel Studios

March 6, 2015

Deer Gown: Kandi Daniel Studios here

Moccasins: Freshly Picked

As I was going through all of our baby girl’s clothes the other day, it hit me that I had not purchased any gowns for her to wear. I put Hampton in gowns every night for the first few months because they made it so easy to change him during the night, and we were doing a lot of that. It hit me immediately that I needed to get some gowns ASAP, so I took to Etsy, of course. I found this adorable little monogrammed antler gown from Kandi Daniel Studios and I knew I had to have it. Not only is the design adorable, but I love the ruffle detail on the sleeves. It is so girly which is a must for our little girl.

By the way, did you catch it? Her initials are SRC! I’ll let you have fun guessing at her name for the next few weeks. 🙂 I’m so excited to share it with everyone. Her middle name is very special to Ryan and me for very different reasons, but we have known since before we got married that we wanted to use it, and her first name just seemed to click with both of us one day. It also goes great with Hampton, so it was a done deal. I am thrilled that we finally settled on a name and I can monogram all. the. things.

Kandi Daniel Studios has so many cute tees for brides, moms, and babies, as well as monogrammed shorts, Easter toys and more! She offers a wide variety and everything is so adorable.

Kandi is giving all new customers a 15% discount with code NEW15 with your first order!

Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram!

And now for my weekly bump update!

How Far Along: 32 weeks! Only 8 more to go!

Size of Baby: 3 3/4 lbs. and 16 1/2 inches long

Gender: Our baby girl! SRC!

Movement: All the time. She has really been keeping me up at night because that is when she moves the most. It’s so sweet, but I’m afraid she is going to be like her big brother and be a night owl.

Sleep: Who needs sleep?

Workouts: This week, I have walked a lot more because it has been so nice outside. I’ve walked about 2 miles a day and I’ve still been completing my TIU workouts with a lot of stretching and yoga thrown in. It has made me feel a lot better when I stretch.

Maternity Clothes: I’ve been rocking my Nike shorts most of this week. It has been warmer and it has been so nice to wear shorts.

Symptoms: Luckily I haven’t had any more painful Braxton Hicks this week. I’ve been trying to drink lots and lots of water to keep hydrated so I don’t have anymore pain. It has definitely helped.

Cravings/Aversions: Just sweets every now and then. My cravings still haven’t been crazy. I even made it three day in a row this week without any sweets at all. 🙂

Missing Most: Sleep. And my abs. Because they are officially gone. At least for the next couple of months. I am having a really hard time doing any sort of ab workouts now, although I haven’t given up completely yet.

Nursery: I shared a sneak peek at our nursery this week! Did you catch it?

Zulily

March 5, 2015

Post may contain affiliate links.

It’s no secret I have been so excited to dress this baby girl! I have been to a few consignment sales and racked up on a few essentials, but thanks to a close friend of mine, I have rediscovered Zulily. I say rediscovered because I have looked on their site several times for Hampton, but it’s true that girls are way more fun to shop for than boys. Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping for Hamp, but there is just something abut a frilly little dress.

I recently bought her a dress from Jelly the Pug and I bought myself, Ryan and Hampton some TOMs for a fraction of the price. I love this site because everything is so marked down. I even scored Hampton an adorable Easter outfit for $15. I mean, you just can’t beat that. I think it’s safe to say we will definitely be shopping on this site more often now that we are on a tighter budget.

Do you shop on Zulily? Check out today’s deals here!

Book Review: The Rosie Project

March 4, 2015

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

June, 2014 Simon and Schuster

Pages: 320

Synopsis from Goodreads: An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical–most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent–and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don’s Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie–and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

“The Rosie Project” is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

My Thoughts: Although I am a psych nerd, this book just didn’t click with me. Sure, parts of it were interesting, but I just don’t think I have the right sense of humor for this book. I found it to be a bit slow and boring most of the time. It was better towards the end, but even so, it became predictable and held little surprise. I can’t really decide if I want to read the sequel – The Rosie Effect – now. I gave this book 3 stars.

Have you read it? What did you think?

Check out my list of 15 must read books this year!

St. Patrick’s Day

March 3, 2015

When is St. Patrick’s Day? March 17th. What is St. Patrick’s Day? It is a day that celebrates the arrival of the Christian church in Ireland as well as Ireland as a country. I am a Christian and part Irish and therefore, I love this holiday. Really, I love all holidays, but this one includes my favorite color – green and celebrates part of my heritage which makes it even more fun. I can’t wait to celebrate this year with Hampton and teach him a few traditions I grew up with.

Here are a few ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your kiddos:

– Wear green so you don’t get pinched

-Leave your shoes outside your bedroom door the night before so the leprechauns can fill them with candy.

-Drink a green Shamrock Shake from McDonalds

-Look for a lucky 4 leaf clover.

-Go to a parade.

-Bake some (green) M&M cookies and add green food coloring to make them extra lucky.

Are you Irish? Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Baby Girl’s Nursery Decor // Blockaholic Boutique

March 2, 2015

Blocks c/o Blockaholic Boutique here

Eiffel Tower: Hobby Lobby

Shelf: Target

We are officially 2 months (or sooner) away from meeting our baby girl! I have finally organized Hampton’s new room and Baby Girl’s closet, and I have officially started decorating! I know I know, it’s about time. With all the adorable nursery ideas on Pinterest, I just couldn’t decide what to choose. With less than 9 weeks until she arrives, I still have a lot to do around here. It’s times like these that I am very thankful for Etsy. I was so exited to find these adorable baby blocks from Blockaholic Boutique. They are so adorable and GREAT quality. I am loving these blocks for a baby boy. Are they not the cutest? They are real wood, painted and personalized. They can be customized to your specifications. Since we didn’t know our baby girl’s name until just recently – yes, we FINALLY have a name!! – I ordered the blocks to say “bebe Cantrell” instead!

Since we have waited so late to decide on a name, we are going to wait to announce it until she is born, however, you will get a sneak peek at her initials later this week! I’ve got to keep you guessing! 🙂

I’m so thankful to have finally started decorating her nursery. Luckily, I don’t have much more to do. I have one more shelf to decorate and I need to find something to put over her crib. Other than that, we are all set! I can’t wait to share more details of her nursery with you as I complete it!

Be sure to check out Blockaholic Boutique on Etsy! They have the cutest blocks and nursery decor around!

Washington D.C.

February 26, 2015

This post is sponsored by Vimbly but opinions are 100% my own.

Ryan travels to Washington D.C. several times a year with his job. Although I have been to the city before, I have never been with him. I’m determined to go with him after the baby is born. I have been so excited about visiting our nation’s capitol again that I am already planning our trip. Of course, I would like to visit the monuments and museums, but I really want to spend more time touring the city itself. Vimbly is one of the websites I have been using to find things to do and places to see and it has shown me that there is much more to DC than the typical tourist stops.

I thought the monument tour looked really great and being the chocolate lover that I am, I’d love to go on the chocolate tour. As far as food is concerned, the possibilities are endless! Did you know you can go on a Gelato factory tour? Yes, it may be the pregnancy cravings talking, but yum. I don’t turn down gelato.

If we go during the summer, I would love to go kyaking or paddle boarding! There are so many options for fun activities that we don’t get to do here very often. From dance classes to BYOB Wine and Painting, this city has so much more to offer than I ever realized.

Vimbly has made it extremely easy to plan our entire trip to D.C. They operate in 18 major cities across the U.S. and are expecting to establish a national presence this year. It has helped me tremendously in finding great restaurants and date ideas. Be sure to check out all of the incredible classes, food, tours and more going on in your city!

Stayfree with My Yoga

February 25, 2015

This post is sponsored by Stayfree and Sverve, but opinions are 100% my own.

I have fallen in love with yoga since quitting dance 3 years ago. It has kept me flexible and centered and gives me a lot of the same gratification dance did. It has filled a big void in a way. I also love yoga because it has been so nice to do while pregnant. I have felt more myself on days that I stay active and flexible. I had less back and hip pain this time around and I am so thankful for that.

I recently heard about a collaboration between Stayfree and Gaiam TV that excited me! Now through March 12th you can purchase any Stayfree product and receive a free 30 day membership to My Yoga on Gaiam TV!

Yoga keeps me calm and definitely de-stresses me after a long day. After hearing about this recent collaboration between Stayfree and Gaiam TV, I rushed right out to Target and purchased some pads (because know I will need them anyway after the baby comes) and I uploaded my receipt right to Stayfree’s site!

I can’t wait to receive the videos and get started right away. Best part? I don’t even have to leave my house! I can do it outside on a warmer day, or right in my living room. Convenience is everything when you have a sixteen month old!

Be sure to take advantage of this deal by March 12th!

Color Block

February 25, 2015

Top: c/o Pink Blush here

Earrings:: c/o Laguna Pearl here

Jeans: Motherhood

Boots: Shoe Station (old)

I am officially 30 weeks pregnant (and 4 days). I’ll be honest, most days, I just want to stay in sweat pants all day, and working from home makes it very easy to do that, but I always feel a million times better if I make myself get dressed for the day. There is just something about getting dressed that is an instant mood booster. I feel more confident and ready to tackle the day ahead. This top is perfect because it is cute and acceptable to wear while running errands but also extremely comfortable. I love the color block look, but the colors are what really caught my attention. I love that it is still neutral but has a little added pink. It’s simple and feminine.

I am totally obsessed with these earrings from Laguna Pearl. They can be easily dressed up or down. The dark color was the perfect contrast with this outfit. I am not a huge fan of flashy jewelry. I love simple and elegant pieces. I love these studs because they are a funky twist on an old classic that will never go out of style.

I am definitely feeling a lot more pregnant this week. My energy hasn’t been quite what it has been and my workouts have been really tough. I’m starting to have a harder time fitting in my pre-pregnancy tops, so I am very thankful for the few maternity items I have acquired. I’ve also been feeling a lot of pressure and I’m pretty sure baby #2 has started moving down a bit. I’m going to the doctor this morning, so I am really excited to check up on baby girl!

What is your go-to clothing item that is stylish but comfortable? Do you wear flashy or simple jewelry?