A Lifestyle Blog about Marriage, Parenting, Fashion and Fitness
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Blue Maxi c/o PinkBlush // Heels (on sale for under $50!) // Sunglasses // Bag // Earrings (Dupes under $15)
I can’t believe how fast this week is going by. Is it just me, or is it going by quickly for you, too? I’m not sure if it’s all the sunshine we’ve had, or the fact that we have been running around like crazy people all week. I must say that while we have had a busy week, we have also made time to play outside quite a bit. I think we have been so excited to see the sun shining and feel the warmth outside. Especially after all of the storms last week. I recently received this maxi dress from Pink Blush (one of my favorite shops) and I thought it would be fun to style it two different ways. I love maxi dresses because they seriously look good on everyone. I can’t think of one body type they don’t work for. They are also really easy to dress up or down and during the summer, they are cool and comfy.This dress has pockets and a slit that goes just below the knee so it is easy to tie in a knot which is a trend I am loving right now!
This weekend was so much fun! In addition to celebrating our 5th anniversary, Thursday night, we went to a dinner with our family and saw lots of friends we haven’t seen in a while. It was a special night. I absolutely adored my dress and this necklace from Penelope’s Stories! I love their shop! They have the prettiest accessories that are great for all occasions. Be sure to check them out on Instagram and Facebook!
It’s official! As of Monday, I said goodbye to my twenty-seventh year and hello to twenty-eight! If you know me, or have read my blog for a while, you know how big of a number person I am. I was born on 8-8-88, was 18in. long and weighed 5lbs. and 8 oz. (which is 88 ounces). I bet you can’t guess my lucky number! So, I’m obviously really excited to be 28! I’m not a huge fan of odd numbers and my 27th year was a little crazy. This next year, we will be welcoming a new baby boy and moving into our new home where we will share so many new memories with our growing family. I am beyond excited to see what all this year will bring. We have already been so blessed and I can’t imagine what’s in store for our future! Today, I wanted to celebrate by sharing one of my favorite maternity (and non-maternity) shops – PinkBlush! They have been a favorite of mine since my first pregnancy and continue to wow me with their maternity options. If you read to the end, there might even be a PinkBlush giveaway or something! 😉
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I think it is safe to say my baby bump has POPPED over the last couple of weeks. I definitely feel like I look 30 weeks pregnant rather than 24. As my stomach is rapidly growing, I have had to start pulling out my loose fitting tops and have busted out my maternity jeans. I remember with Hamp, I fought maternity everything, but when I gave in, it was the best decision I ever made. I love my maternity jeans. Over the next few weeks, I am going to share a few of my favorite fashions and stores to shop while pregnant. It can be so hard and frustrating watching your body change so much and gaining so much weight in a very short amount of time. I still think it is important to get up and get dressed because it makes you feel so much better. So, bare with me as I share my growing baby bump (and bootay).
During my pregnancy with Hampton, I bought a few things I wish I hadn’t wasted money on. Although during your pregnancy, time seems to stand still and you feel like you’re pregnant forever, you are really only pregnant for 9 (or 10?) months. Only about 6 of those months will you actually need maternity clothes. Here is a list of maternity items that are a must have in my book and a few that were a waste of money:
What to splurge on:
Maternity jeans from The Loft. They have an amazing fit and I wore them throughout my entire pregnancy. They are really great quality and I even scored mine while they were on sale! Definitely watch for those sales. Jeans are a staple piece in my wardrobe. I wear them all the time, so I could not due without them.
Maternity leggings. I bought mine at Motherhood and love them! You can get away with wearing your regular leggings for most of your pregnancy, but I loved having the tummy panel in the maternity leggings so that they didn’t leave that awkward ripple across your stomach. Leggings are a pregnant woman’s BFF. Trust me.
GapFit Maternity capris were my go-to for workouts. Again, I could wear my normal workout clothes for most of the pregnancy, but towards the end, it was nice to have a pair that had a tummy panel. They were so much more supportive and comfortable.
Pink Blush Maternity: pretty much everything on this site. Their clothes are great because you can wear most of them even post-pregnancy, and I have been very thankful for that. They are also my go-to for special occasion pieces because they are so affordable compared to other maternity stores. My Easter dress was from there along with this tunic I wore on Valentine’s day.
What to save your money on:
Old Navy, while I absolutely love them for my non-pregnant body and for my kids, their maternity clothes never seemed to fit me right. I was pretty disappointed in their pants, especially. Maybe they fit other body types, but definitely did not work for me at all.
Maternity shirts. Save your money on these. I bought one when I was pregnant with Hampton and I do still wear it occasionally, but it is ribbed on the sides and therefore I will not be able to wear it post-pregnancy. I learned that the best way to save money is to buy a size up or wear tunic style tops. These are loose and flowy so they are perfect throughout your pregnancy as well as postpartum. This way, you don’t waste money on ribbed tops AND postpartum shirts.
My favorite postpartum piece so far:
My Jessica Simpson compression tank (similar here). It is breast-feeding friendly and holds your stomach in which is so nice right after baby. I wish I had bought another one. It is so comfortable and I have absolutely loved wearing it postpartum.
Check out my post on How To Have a Stylish Pregnancy!
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 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?
This Saturday will be Ryan and my 8th Valentine’s day together! It is so incredibly hard to believe. Most days, I feel like it was yesterday that we met in Gatlinburg and fell for each other almost immediately. A little over 8 years, a marriage, baby and another baby on the way later, here we are! We are still not 100% sure how we are celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, but it may include a little nugget named Hampton, so this mama wants to look good for her boys!
You may remember me talking about my latest pregnancy craving, well it’s still going strong. I am obsessing over Pink Blush’s spring line. Don’t worry, you will be seeing more of their styles on my blog very soon! I thought this dress was appropriate for Valentine’s day. It is feminine, flirty and makes a pregnant woman still feel like she’s got it. You know what I mean? Not to mention, it’s pink. One of my very favorite colors. I have been loving the color pink lately as we are preparing for our baby girl’s arrival. I recently bought her a few pink bows/outfits that are so adorable, I just can’t even wait to match her and wear our pink every Wednesday. It will happen.
I love this fun dress because I will definitely be able to wear it even after my pregnancy this summer which is awesome with a capital A.
What are your plans this Valentine’s Day? Do you know what you’re wearing?
Don’t you love discovering new things that are kind of incredible? I have been loving me some lipstick lately, but let’s be honest, it always rubs off in like an hour. If we’re lucky. Well, I’m about to change your life.
Cover Girl Lip Stain
stays on for 24 hours. No joke. I put it on in the morning, went to lunch with my grandma, chased Hampton around all day, worked, read, went to bed, woke up the next morning and it was still there. I’m not joking. I was shocked. My sister (who told me about this amazing product) was not lying when she told me this would happen. So, I of course had to share it with you. I ran back to Wal Mart and bought another shade because it is so awesome and I haven’t stopped wearing it yet.
Here are a few other things I’m loving this month:
This Book 
This Dress has been my go-to the last 2 weeks now. It is so comfortable and cute. You can style it so many different ways which I love. You will probably be seeing it again.
Downton Abbey is back on! Have you been watching it this season? I am so into it! It’s the best show on Television right now. Hands down.
FRESH Sugar Rose Lip Treatment
This workout from Tone it up! It works all the right places.
What are you loving this month?