The Year That Was: 2012

Well, my husband called me out last week for not showing up on this blog for sixty-some days, and that made me sad, because...seriously. Sixty-some days? Where have I been?

I mean, other than getting ready to have a baby, and having a baby, and taking care of a baby, of course.

But seriously, I've missed this space. This is MY space. And I plan to come back strong with all new goals in 2013. But in the meantime, let's review those 2012 goals, shall we?

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1) Clean/reorganize my closet. - This didn't happen because I didn't want to organize my closet while I'm too fat to fit into any of my clothes. Because right now? I just want to throw everything out and start over. I'm going to carry this over into 2013.

2) Institute a monthly date night with Steve. - This kind of transitioned into a weekly lunch date, but I'm going to do better in 2013. I swear.

3) Make sure one of those monthly dates is a really, really nice dinner somewhere. - Nope.

4) Put together a Christmas/Advent activity calendar for Brigid. - We did this! And it was fun!

5) Do one Pinterest-found craft or implement one Pinterest-inspired design idea each month. -My Advent activity calendar was full of Pinterest. So was Brigid's birthday. I'd say that counts. Sort of.

6) Call my college friends at least once a month. - Ugh. No. In fact, I still owe some return phone calls to people that called me first. I am TERRIBLE with phone calls.

7) Facetime with my sister(s) once a week. - We kind of transitioned to every other week towards the end of the year, but this was still a success.

8) Make a meal entirely on my own (I don't cook, so this might be the biggest one of the year!) - Nope.

9) Create an art wall in my staircase. - No.

10) Organize a playroom for Brigid. -Yes! Sort of! We turned the office into a playroom, which has been awesome. But the organization is still a little lacking. We did pick up some storage units from IKEA this weekend, though, so we're practically there!

11) Organize a workspace for me. - No.

12) Give up meat for a month. - No. This was hard while pregnant, but again...it will roll over to 2013.

13) Take Brigid on a picnic in the park, just the two of us. - Yep.

14) Read at least one book a month. - Read this year: Three Hunger Games books, three Dragon Tattoo books, Bossypants (Tina Fey), Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling), three Fifty Shades of Grey books, both Divergent and Insurgent (Veronica Roth), Good in Bed (Jennifer Weiner), Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn), and Mrs. Kennedy and Me (Clint Hill).

15) Take Brigid to South Bend for a weekend. - Nope. My 2013 list is just writing itself at this point, isn't it?

16) Get a mirror or painting for the dining room wall. - Done.

17) Do the 30 Day Shred for the full 30 days. - Oh, I did it, all right. But I do NOT look like Jillian Michaels, and I would like my 30 days back now, please.

18) Research/practice meditation. - A little bit. *cought2013cough*

19) Find a 'mommy and me' class of some sort for Brigid and I to attend. - No.

20) Write something, anything, not blog related. - No.

21) Take a bubble bath once a month, just because. -No.

22) Take one lunch break a week, even if it's only 15 minutes, to sit somewhere quiet and recalibrate/reflect/replan the next few days. - No. Not at all.

23) LAPS everyday. - Ditto.

24) Implement a $50/month budget (for all gratuitous expenses: make-up, lunches, coffee, clothing, accessories), and stick to it. - Let's not talk about this one right now. The boxes in my closet are mocking me.

25) Give up carbs for January and February. Except maybe birthday cake, because I am not a machine. - HAAAAAAA! 2013. Again.

So! I...uh...well...

Eight out of twenty-five. I accomplished eight of the twenty-five things on my list. I'm blaming pregnancy, because I still can. I think.

2013? I'M COMING FOR YOU!!!

Six-ish Weeks and Counting

Yesterday, one of my co-workers told me she could always tell when I got into the office in the morning, because she could hear me sigh as I sat down. I generally refer to it as 'grunting', but I'm glad she went with 'sighing' instead. It sounds much more feminine and sweet. It also sounds much more inaccurate, but still...

I'm going with it.

As of this coming Friday, I will be six weeks out from my due date, and I would be lying if I didn't say I would pay all of the money in the world to speed these weeks along a bit. I am feeling cumbersome and uncoordinated and just...tired. Steve and I have plans in the next few weeks to clean out the office off of our family room, so we can turn it into a combination spare bedroom (in time for my sister's visit over Thanksgiving, since the room she normally sleeps in is now Brigid's room) and playroom, so I can open up some family room space currently occupied by toys for all of the stuff that comes along with babies. And all I can think about is how much work it's going to be for poor Steve because bending over and picking something up isn't exactly my strength right now.

But, instead of wallowing in my 'I'd give anything to be able to take a deep breath. JUST ONE DEEP BREATH!!!' despair (because even THAT is too much effort for me right now), I'm making plans. I bought a treadmill last night, because I started running after I had Brigid, and I felt fantastic, and I imagine it's going to be kind of hard to run outside of the house when there are TWO schedules to work through, so running IN the house might just make my job easier. I found and charged my Fitbit, so I can start tracking activity and food intake now, to maybe get those terrible pregnancy habits I HAD been forming a little more under control earlier than I did the last time.

Mostly, I'm doing this because I am beyond tired of waddling, and I want to feel like I'm maybe going to make things easier on myself in the long run, but also because my metabolism is now three years slower than it was after Brigid, and I really should have been watching things closer during the ENTIRE pregnancy, but you know...hindsight. And all of that.

And of course, I spend quality time with all of my sweaters and skinny jeans and boots that no longer fit over my calves at least once a week, because as materialistic as this sounds, missing all of my clothes was a seriously motivating factor after the first pregnancy. And I will take whatever motivation I can find right now.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to take my 17th trip of the day to the bathroom, and it's going to take me a few minutes to leverage myself up and out of this chair...

Pregnancy. It's so glamorous!

Eight Years Ago...

Eight years ago, Steve and I had been together for three years, having met our senior year of college. We were living in Cincinnati, working in completely different jobs, with no real responsibility outside of our two cats, who were perfectly fine with being left alone for a day or two if we decided to make an impromptu weekend trip to somewhere fun.

I was working for a bank, and attended happy hours two or three nights a week. Steve was working in sales, and had season tickets to almost every sports team in and around Cincinnati (including a full slate of home baseball games, an entire NFL season, and a college basketball schedule). What we were going to do on any given weekend night was a pretty big topic of conversation most Friday afternoons.

We never slept, and it really wasn't that big of a deal.

Now, all of this time later, we live in Atlanta, with those same two cats, but we've added two dogs and a kid to the mix, with another one of those babies everybody is so crazy about on the way. We get home from work as soon as we can. We can find the time to make maybe three or four live sporting events a year, if that, but it has to be planned well in advance. I can't tell you the last time I tried to make plans for a weekend night, since we're too busy at the zoo or the pumpkin patch or the apple orchard or Costco during the day to have any energy for anything other than quality couch time at night.

 

We still never sleep, but HOO BUDDY has it caught up with us, big time.

 

And still, I don't mind. I love our life together, and other than the fact that we still haven't won the lottery and moved ourselves to our own private island somewhere, I really wouldn't change a thing.

 

(But seriously, world. Where, in the name of all that is good, is my island?!?!?! I would like it now, please...)

The Belly is Back

Nothing like writing a really depressing post, then disappearing for a week, huh? I do want to thank you for the sweet comments and emails after my little 'Brigid doesn't like me' meltdown. I know I'm being just a bit ridiculous and over-reactive to the situation, but this parenting thing, man...it's tough. Kids get pretty good at tearing your heart out when you least expect it at a very, VERY young age, apparently.

COMPLETELY related, I feel like I need to go back and apologize to my parents for everything I ever did when I was growing up that may have hurt their feelings, because goodness knows they deserve something from me, now that I know how hard this whole thing is.

Also completely related, maybe you could send some sunshine and rainbow thoughts my way starting tomorrow, when Steve leaves us for a four night trip to Denver, if you have any to spare? I don't want to get beaten by a three-year old again, if I can help it.

On a more positive note, a lady at the gas station told me I looked cute today. So I've got that going for me, which is nice...

T-shirt: Target

Cardigan: Banana Republic (outlet)

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Sad. I'm just sad...

My daughter doesn't like me. Not in the way I always thought she would, anyway.

From very early on, it was obvious that Brigid was a daddy's girl. We couldn't persuade her to sit and cuddle with us very often, but when she did decide she was ready for a break? It was always a break with Steve. When we go places? She wants to hold daddy's hand. When we get into the car? She wants daddy to buckle her in. When you ask her who she loves, who is her favorite, who she wants to hang out with? The answer is almost always daddy.

When she's not feeling well? She wants her daddy.

And, I know, I should be happy about this. I shouldn't take it personally. Steve and Brigid have the kind of relationship that any daughter should have with her daddy. She adores him, and the feeling is mutual. They're very lucky to have each other.

But still, I wonder...what did I do wrong?

I know she loves me. I know, when there are other people around, she asks for me sometimes. But she also refuses to hug me sometimes, refuses to give me bedtime kisses, refuses to let me read books to her.

Because she wants her daddy.

Last night, we were in night two of Steve's three night business trip to Charlotte. And Brigid, upset about going to bed, started crying for her daddy. And I tried to tell her he wasn't home. I tried to ask her what mommy could do to help her feel better. And I got nothing more than 'I want my daddy'. Repeated over and over and over and over again. I tried to hold her, I tried to read to her, I tried to let her play with the iPad, I tried just lying next to her and rubbing her back.

My presence just seemed to make everything worse. And she never once stopped asking for Steve.

After about an hour of this, I told her I would go downstairs and try to find something to make her feel better. And then, I just went to bed and cried. At 8:45. I was too exhausted to do anything else.

For the next thirty minutes, she was mostly quiet, except when she'd call out for her daddy every few minutes. And then she fell asleep. Only to wake up this morning, asking for daddy again.

If this were an isolated incident, I'd chalk it up to her trying to get a rise out of me. But it's happened the last few times Steve has been out of town. It happens sometimes when he's in town, and I'm just trying to put her to bed. It happens at preschool, no matter who drops her off. It happens when my mother-in-law is driving Brigid back from lunch with friends. It happens when I get her up some mornings, and Steve is already at work.

She loves her daddy. I picked a great father for my kids. We should all be happy that we are so lucky in this situation, where I don't have to be enough for her. And yet, my heart is broken because I'm not enough for her. I can't comfort her when she is upset like her daddy can.

And that's tough to face.

Much like the job situation, I'm very much hoping that this is another product of crazy, raging pregnancy hormones, and I'll be able to process all of my feelings of inadequacy in a more realistic light six to twelve months from now. But at this moment? I feel like a crappy mom.

How am I supposed to do this all over again a second time?

Exponential Growth

Do you see that belly, right there? That is a 34 week pregnant belly in size, at only 30 weeks of pregnancy. I weigh less than I weighed with Brigid, and yet...34 week belly. This is impressive, no?

And did I mention the part where I am going to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of one of my lovely former roommates from college on November 3rd? I'm going to see her this weekend for her bridal shower, and I am FULLY expecting her to take one look at me and say, 'Nope. I take it back. You're out.' Not that she would, or anything, but...holy aesthetic destroyer, batman. I am going to request that I stand behind EVERYONE during that photo session...
 

T-Shirt: Target

Cardigan: Banana Republic (outlet)

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Belt: Land's End Canvas

Bracelet: the beach

Shoes: Nine West

Another Week

Last week was a week, and I didn't get around to posting anything at all because I was too busy dealing with doctors and croup and 'roid rage in a two-year old, but I'm determined to make up for it this week.

THIS WILL BE A GOOD WEEK!!!!

And just to start things off right today, I went into Hobby Lobby with a list of two things that I needed, and left $70 lighter. Today? I'm counting that as a win.

Happy Monday!

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Banana Republic (outlet)

Boots: DSW

That's better...

Today, my friendly 'your hips are getting bigger' co-worker told me she liked my style.

She also told me she doesn't remember me getting this big, this fast with Brigid, but I'll take what I can get.

(And honestly, in her defense? I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING THIS BIG THIS FAST WITH BRIGID, EITHER!!! I DEMAND A RECOUNT.)
Sweater: Motherhood Maternity Jeans: Motherhood Maternity Shoes: Kenneth Cole (outlet) Necklace: ebay

Still Trying

It is so very much easier to dress a pregnancy in the early stages than it is once you start measuring four weeks ahead of schedule, but unfortunately, sweatpants are STILL not considered office appropriate attire, despite my best lobbying attempts. So, dress I do. I usually try to add a scarf or a belt to liven things up a bit, but after being up all night with indigestion last night, I just didn't have it in me.

I just hope the bright colors distract people from the size of what's under those colors...

(Side note: Those of you willing to come help me out if I paid in tacos and taffy? You are sooooooo my kind of people!)

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

T-Shirt: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Target

Eat ALL the Things

I am hereby placing a personal ad for someone to come, stand over my shoulder, and smack me in the back of the head every time I go to take a bite of something. Because the over-eating on my end is getting kind of ridiculous. I am not even really hungry, and yet, if there is food in front of me, I will eat it. What is that about?

I mean, yes. I am more hungry than normal. That is to be expected at 6+ months of pregnancy, and honestly, eating more because I am more hungry doesn't bother me in the least. What does bother me is that I can't stop, even when I've eaten to the point of being uncomfortably full. Because I know I should have stopped, and I want to have stopped, and still...I haven't actually stopped. I DO NOT LIKE THIS, AT ALL.

So. I'm hiring an assistant. Who wants in on this for the next three months or so? Atlanta is beautiful in the fall, I promise. Plus, I myself am funny, and a good driver, and my office has comfortable chairs, and I will pay you in uneaten Air Heads or Laffy Taffy or cookies or tacos or Chex Mix or whatever else you can stop me from eating.

And who could refuse an offer like that?

Vacation Shopping

Well, it was a lighter than normal haul for me this year, seeing as how NOTHING IN THE WORLD WILL EVER FIT ME AGAIN (sorry...pregnancy dramatics tend to be my new normal these days), but I still managed to snag a few things for myself while we were on vacation last week. The best part about our end-of-summer vacation is that all of the little shops around town are having their end-of-summer sales, so I was able to add to my already-too-large flip-flop and bracelet collections at 50% off.

(Notice that I focused on the two things...shoes and jewelry...that fit no matter how much weight you gain? Well, shoes, jewelry, and household knick-knacks, I guess. But you don't really want to see pictures of the new lantern or creepy ceramic skull I bought for the house, do you?)

(Well, even if you do, it's too bad, because I didn't take pictures of those. Maybe tomorrow...)

Friday Round-Up

Tomorrow, we're off on Vacation, The 2nd, since Vacation, The 1st was postponed last week due to the tropical storm that, right about the time when we were supposed to be leaving, looked like it was headed straight for the Florida panhandle, which was also where we were headed. So, tomorrow it is.

Now, to do all of that packing I've been putting off all week...

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But first! A few things that I've enjoyed reading these past few days!

One thing I need to start doing is figuring out what it is that makes me truly happy in life, because I feel a little all over the place right now. This post by Amy on that exact topic might be a good place to start.

(Also, if this space starts getting a little more inward focused, I'm sorry. I need to get a few things figured out for myself, and since this is my happy place, this just might be where I come to do just that.)

I used to be a very political person, to the point that I was working towards a second major in Government when I was in college, because I found it all so fascinating. However, the truth of the matter is that politics are an ugly game most of the time, and supporters of both sides seem to fall prey to that. I love Ginger's take on things we need to keep in mind before we start spewing too much venom at each other.

And that's really all I have this week. The end of summer seems to be a pretty busy time for everyone, including myself, and my Internet surfing just isn't up to par right now. I hope everyone has a lovely, lovely (and three-day long, maybe? probably?) weekend, and I'll think of you all fondly while I'm lying on the beach in total relaxation!

(Or, chasing a toddler around the pool, which is a much, much more likely scenario, honestly...)

The Yellow One

I knew I'd worn a version of this necklace once before, but I couldn't remember which one it had been when I was getting dressed this morning. Luckily, my almost-three-year-old has a much better memory than I do, as she informed me this morning that I was wearing a pretty yellow necklace, but she liked the pink one I'd worn last week much more.

She's good to have around, that kid.

(Also, when I wore the pink one last week, I wore it with this exact same dress. The necklace really only works on me when I wear it with a higher neckline, and for some reason, this is the only maternity item I own, dress or t-shirt or blouse, that doesn't have a v-neck. I'd think that I should maybe rectify that, but I only have about three more months left, and I just don't want to. I just want the rest of my wardrobe back!)
Dress: Motherhood Maternity Sweater: Gap (outlet) Necklace: ebay

Best Laid Plans...

I am SUPPOSED to be at the beach right now.

But I am NOT at the beach right now, because Mother Nature is kind of a brat and decided to drop a tropical storm/hurricane across all parts of Florida and Mississippi and Louisiana that do not need or want said tropical storm/hurricane. And since my philosophy in life includes the words AVOID DRIVING INTO MAJOR STORMS and all, we've pushed our beach trip back a week, in hope that things will clear up in a few days.
So, to make myself feel better about the delay, I made Steve drag all of the Halloween decorations out of the basement so I could start my planning process. And now, I will postponed packing for the trip that we leave for on Saturday, to instead start decorating for a holiday that is two months away.

I take procrastination to whole new levels, my friends.

Whole. New. Levels.

Something to Say

I've spent the past couple of months thinking that maybe I am going through some sort of pregnancy-hormone-and-HGTV-driven midlife crisis, where I want to pack my family up and move us somewhere exotic, like they do on House Hunters International. I've wanted to buy a vacation beach house. I've wanted to redecorate the house I currently live in, from top to bottom. I've wanted a new car, a new yard renovation, a new set of family room furniture.

Well, ok...the family room furniture was a legitimate need that we did follow through on. But everything else?

Not necessary.

Not possible.

Not happening.

And so, I've felt...stuck. And increasingly miserable.

I am miserable because I don't feel like myself. I am miserable because I am constantly mad about something. I am miserable because I know that I'm going to lash out at someone I love at some point during the day for absolutely no real reason whatsoever, other than the fact that I just don't know how else to react.

I am miserable because I just want these feelings to go away, and I don't know how to make that happen.

At this point, I'm starting to think my issues are all job related. I am just now realizing that, while I'm finally in the type of position I've always thought I wanted, I've apparently always thought wrong. What I've spent the last ten years of my life working toward, career-wise, doesn't seem like something I'm going to be able to sustain for the next thirty or forty years, since the very thought of going to work some days make me feel physically ill.

I'm tired. I want to stay home with my baby. I DON'T want to have to think about how I'm going to manage a full-time schedule for work, while also managing a full-time activity calendar for school-aged children, because let's face it...

That day will be here well before I'm ready for it. And I don't want to be in the same place, struggling with the same issues, when it DOES arrive.

So, I'm working on a plan. And in true Tara fashion, it involves putting everything off for a little longer, so I don't have to deal with it right now. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing until December. I'm going to have my baby, and then I'm going to take all twelve weeks off available to me to recover from having that baby, even though six of those weeks will be unpaid.

And then I'll come back to work.

I'm going to see if what I'm feeling is hormone driven, which is what I think it might be, or if my job IS, in fact, sucking my soul dry, which is how I feel right now. If it's the former, then that's great. If it's the latter?

Then I've got about a year to figure out what I should have been working for over these last ten years.

Because honestly? I have absolutely NO idea.

Giving In

Yes. That's right. I did it.

I jumped on the bubble necklace bandwagon. *sigh*

And yes, I'd be so super ashamed of myself for giving in to peer pressure, too, except that I kind of (absolutely, 100%, completely, totally, etc) adore this necklace.

I picked up one in pink and one in yellow, and it's taking every ounce of self-restraint left in my body to keep myself from going back and buy it in red and green and blue and turquoise and EVERY SINGLE OTHER COLOR THEY MAKE THIS NECKLACE IN because, yeah...
It's kind of pretty, you know?

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Loft (outlet)

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: ebay

Halloween, Part I: The Planning

Last night, I bribed Brigid into staying in bed by promising her a trip to Hobby Lobby. And today, I followed through on that bribe, even though it was so very, very tough for me to do so.

(No, it was not. It was not tough, at all. I LOVE HOBBY LOBBY!)

Anyway, I went to try to find a table runner (or, fabric for a table runner), some flowers for a Halloween centerpiece, and some black chargers for my Halloween table set.

I failed on the runner, but I did find some creepy red, battery-powered candles, to go with the flowers and the chargers. While I'm still working on ideas for the centerpiece, I am already pretty happy with my table setting layers.

Have I mentioned how much I love to decorate for Halloween?

Placemat: Kohl's $3/each (purchased last year, for my Christmas table)

Chargers: Hobby Lobby $1.50/each

Appetizer Plates: Pottery Barn $35/set of six

Getting By

Oh, you guys. Today...

Today has been a day.

All I can say is that it's a good thing it's Friday.

(Oh, and entirely unrelated to my day and a half that I'm having, could you all do a NO RAIN dance for me for this weekend? I'm going to see Jason Mraz tomorrow night, and you should know that if I'm willing to brave an outdoor concert in the middle of August, at 5+ months pregnant, then that concert is kind of a big deal to me. If it rains, I might cry. And you don't want that on your hands, now do you?)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Gap (outlet)

Belt: Express

Shoes: Kenneth Cole (outlet)

For Every Season...

The last few days, it's been in the 70's when I've left for work. And even though it has been closing in on 90 everyday when I head home, those sliiiiiightly cooler mornings have me thinking fall.
And nothing screams FALL!!!!!!! like sweaters and tweed, right?

Sweater: Motherhood Maternity

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: I wore these yesterday and totally forgot to check...

Friday Round-Up

IT'S TAX FREE WEEKEND IN GEORGIA!!!

Now, who wants to follow me around all weekend, reminding me that I do not, in fact, need anymore maternity clothes to get me through the last four months of this pregnancy and that buying clothes for after the pregnancy is not actually any better of an idea, either?

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Just a few things around the Internet that are making me thoughtful this week...

(or hormonal, maybe? thoughtful, hormonal, it's all the same thing these days, right?)

There is some soul-searching going on all over the place right now (like here and here), and I'm kind of starting to think I need to get in on it.

I don't want to think about Brigid turning three in a couple of months, but I keep trying to remind myself that every stage has it's own awesome perks...

...except for maybe when she turns into an adult? I just don't think my heart will be able to handle that...

(and again, like I said...hormonal. that has to be it. please tell me I don't have to get through the rest of my life as a nonstop ball of sadness and sap, because I just don't think that will work for me.)

Camouflage

If you need me, I'll just be over here, pretending you can't see my baby belly behind my extra large scarf.

It just felt like a good day to hide, I guess...

Dress; Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Gap (outlet)

Scarf: Cost Plus World Market (from Jess in her last scarf swap)

Shoes: Nine West

Belt: Land's End

No Filter

Yesterday, an assistant on my team who was out of the office last week took one look at my stomach and said, 'Damn, girl. I wasn't gone THAT long!'

(YES. THAT IS A DIRECT QUOTE. I SWEAR!)

This is the same lady who told me that she knew I was pregnant before I told her that I was because she could see that my hips were getting bigger.

Seriously.

I know she means well, but come ON!

My beach ball baby and I are just going to start working from home for the next few months, I think...

T-shirt/Tank: Target

Cardigan: Loft (outlet)

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: Nine West

Belt: Target

Friday Round-Up

I really didn't think I'd be getting all engrossed in the Olympics this year, because there are just too many other things going on for me right now, but something about the women's gymnastics team (and, if I'm being completely honest, the eye candy that is the male swim team) has drawn me in.

And now, I hate NBC for tape delaying EVERYTHING, only to stretch the coverage on into midnight every night just for the fun of it.

SOME OF US LIKE TO SLEEP, NBC!#!$#&1!

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...

longest. week. ever.

Thank goodness it's Friday!

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Just a couple of links today, if you're looking to kill some time before the weekend officially starts....

This. This post makes me happy that I'm the mother of girls. I just hope I can live up to the responsibility, now.

A couple of my favorite outfits this week, courtesy of Kendi and Tara.

You know, I've gone through this pregnancy so far making plans for what I'm going to do to get healthy again when it's all over. And then I realized...why wait? There's nothing that says I can't get healthy WHILE I'm pregnant, right? This seems like a good start. (I'm starting small with morning oatmeal, I think. Have you seen this recipe for refrigerator oatmeal floating around Pinterest recently? It has to be better for me than the chocolate chip cookies I had this morning...)

And finally, on a shopping note...doesn't this framed burlap initial just scream perfect wedding gift for a rustic wedding? Oh, what? I'm the only one hearing voices today?

Fine. Happy Friday to you, too, then...

Optimism Is a Good Thing

Unfortunately, the purple top on this dress just does not photograph well, at all. And that's too bad because honestly? That pretty purple top is the only reason I bought this dress in the first place. But you know what IS nice about this picture?
A black skirt, a blurry iPhone camera, and a slimming mirror.

If you need me, I'll be over here ignoring EVERY OTHER MIRROR in my life that is trying to tell me that I look much, much bigger than this. Welcome to my happy place, friends :)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Belt: Land's End

Shoes: Target

Countdown

It's August, y'all. Seriously.

 

August.

 

This means three weeks until my final Gulf Coast vacation of the year (and maybe next year, too, because who wants to drag an itty-bitty baby to the beach?). Four weeks until I can justify getting my Halloween decorations out (Yes, I decorate in September. No, I am not ashamed of it). Ten weeks until Brigid's birthday. Eleven weeks until my anniversary. Thirteen weeks until Halloween. Thirteen weeks and one day until I can listen to Christmas music. Sixteen weeks until Thanksgiving. Eighteen weeks until my due date. Twenty-one weeks until Christmas, itself.

 

And now, I've exhausted myself just thinking about it.

 

It's a good thing I love this stretch of the year!

Dress: Target ($8 on clearance. My favorite kind of purchase...)

Cardigan: Target

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: J Crew

Decorating a house I don't own...

The bad news: In about a month, my parents will be moving out of the house they've lived in for almost 20 years, leaving behind a 100+ years old farmhouse on five acres in the middle of nowhere Indiana, complete with pool, pool house, and pond, and moving into a much smaller house located in town, where all of the things we've always loved to do at my parents' house will no longer be available to us.

Sad.

The good news: In addition to this smaller house? They're also in the process of buying a townhouse on the beach in Florida.

Not as sad, anymore.

I, of course, immediately started a Pinterest board to decorate the place, like it's my very own beach house or something, and headed off to the Pottery Barn outlet for a little bit of window shopping, too. A few of my wishes?
It's hard to tell with the iPhone pictures, but this is the color palette I want her to use in at least one of the bedrooms. It just screams BEACH!!%$#%! to me.

Seashell pillow. Because, of course.
Starfish pillow. See above.
Coral candle holders? Same.

I'm trying to talk my mom into a nautical themed family room, with navy blue furnishings (because they're planning to rent the place out for the next few years, and light colored furniture is kind of a no-no in a rental, I think) and a pale gray wall, so I think rope accents would be perfect, right?
Green and light blue. Just like the ocean!
Linen picture frames, with beach scenes in them would fit perfectly on a shelf in the family room, I think.
I love the look of distressed wood in furniture (even though I think this distressing is most likely factory made), so I will be on the look-out for some new side tables when I hit up the antique stores on our Florida vacation in September.
Bedroom number two, perhaps?

Seriously...this is almost as much fun as decorating for Christmas, you guys!

Friday Round-Up

So, give it to me straight...am I the only one who loves to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, but then can't watch any of the actual Olympic competitions because seeing people lose what they've been working so hard to win for so many years is just more than my hormone addled heart can handle?

Yes?

Ok. Carry on, then.

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Friday links, anyone?

I love these gift ideas, both in the post itself and in the comments. I know what EVERYONE is getting from me FOREVER from now on!

I couldn't find this exact candy corn wine bottle pin on Pinterest, but I found something pretty similar to add to my Halloween board. I think maybe if I can keep the paint kind of thin, I can shove some batter powered lights in there, too, for a little extra something. (Did I mention I start decorating for Halloween over Labor Day weekend? Because I do...)

I intend to make this tomato sauce, if Steve and I ever get around to growing tomatoes again. Which we will. I think.

I ABSOLUTELY intend to pick up a pair of these bracelets, if we can ever get around to naming baby number two at any point in the near future. I already have a couple of Alex and Ani bracelets, and I love them!

I may or may not have hit up Ebay for the J Crew bubble necklace, the minute I saw this post go up.

I love this story, because it just goes to show that there really ARE good people in the world, even though that can be hard to remember sometimes.

And this one, because sometimes I need to remember it's not always what I get accomplished in a day that defines that day for me...

Have a wonderful weekend, everybody!

Wishful Thinking

I have reached the point in this pregnancy where I don't mind looking at myself from the front, but I have looooong since given up on trying to make myself look ok from the side. Especially when wearing a dress, my butt and my stomach kind of combine into one, large, round mass that more or less makes me look like I should be giving birth tomorrow instead of 4-ish months from now.

You know how there are some people who do the cute, belly-only pregnancy?

(Like the very, very skinny pregnant girl I was with in the elevator yesterday? The one who looked like I could eat her in one sitting?)

Yeah, I am not one of those people.

But the end result is worth it, so it is what it is. And in the meantime, I will make myself content with pinning adorable fall outfits on Pinterest that I won't be able to wear until next fall, since I won't be fitting into any of my cute sweaters this year.

It's a good thing I'm resourceful, y'all.

 

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Tank (which is actually mustard yellow, but looks nothing like that in my lovely iPhone pictures): Target

Shoes: Kenneth Cole (outlet)

Bracelet: Target

Necklace: Old Navy

July Birchbox

There was a little bit of Birchbox drama around these parts this month because I got my shipping notification at the beginning of the month, but it was showing that it would be two weeks before it was actually delivered. And that was annoying to me.

But THEN! After only a few days, my tracking information showed that the box was delivered in a much shorter time period than that two week estimated window, which was great...except for the fact that I still hadn't seen anything actually delivered to me. Because the mailman had, on one particular day, tried to give us the mail for our neighbors up the street, he figured that our mail had been left for our neighbors down the street.

You know, the ones who had just left for a week-long vacation.

Luckily, my dear, sweet husband is not as worried about mail-related felonies as I am, because he had no problem getting into their mailbox to rescue my Birchbox.

(And, really, they'd put a stop on their mail delivery while they were gone, so the only thing in their mailbox was our stuff, anyway.)

(AND and, they don't have a covered front porch, and we got a lot of rain while they were gone, so I rescued two packages that had been delivered for them, and stored those in my garage until they got back, to keep their stuff safe. So it all evens out, right?)




Anyway, the delivery...

GLOSS Moderne High Gloss Masque for hair: It definitely made my hair softer, but I don't know that I really noticed much of a difference in the shine when I used it. Of course, that could be more because I am about six months overdue for a hair cut and less because the product doesn't work quite as well as they say it does, but whatever...

Harvey Prince Hello: This officially qualifies as the first time I've liked a perfume scent they've sent me in my Birchbox. It's light and flowery and makes me want to spend all day outside in a garden. It's possibly my new favorite summer scent, I think.

Ada Cosmetics Bronzer: I needed a new bronzer, so excellent timing on this delivery! I like how it works, but I much prefer a compact bronzer to a loose powder, just because I ALWAYS make a mess with loose powder. I'm not so graceful with stuff like this...

Stila Lip Glaze: I don't think I've ever met a color of this stuff that I don't like. They are some of the most universally flattering lip glosses, ever.

And then if you throw in a Larabar and a pair of headphones? Well, you have the makings of a good box o' samples, right there. I think this is two or three in a row where I have been extremely happy with what I've received, and considering the first one or two weren't the best selections ever, I'm finally starting to think I'll be really sad when my subscription runs out. I LIKE new make-up, you know?

I'm glad Steve rescued this one for me from the neighbors, that's for sure.

He's just lucky I love him...

My husband's comment when he saw me getting dressed this morning?

You look like the 1980s. Or maybe early 90s. I swear, I had a windsuit with those colors in it. But I mean that in a good way!

And this is why my husband should stick to 'you look nice' in the mornings, and leave it at that.

 

Blouse: Motherhood Maternity (outlet)

Sweater: Express

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: Nine West

Belt: Came off of a different maternity dress