When Kate Calls...

It is absolutely, 100% impossible for me to ignore the sale call of Kate Spade, especially when they send out the emails announcing an additional 25% off of all sale items. And not only is it impossible to do, it's also no fun to even try.

So, I don't anymore.

(Those engravings read 'Sink or Swim' and 'In The Spotlight'. Both of those make me smile...and isn't that what jewelry is SUPPOSED to do?)

Overactive Imagination

I thought I was dying of some crazy, stomach-on-fire disease this weekend, but it seems as though I just have indigestion.
So...I've got that going for me.

How was your weekend?

(And, uh, week, too, I guess, since it's Wednesday now. Seriously, how is it Wednesday already?!?!)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity (from Brigid's time)

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: Mango Tree

Baby Bump: Milk Duds and Pizza

Friday Round-Up

I haven't done a Friday links post in forever, it seems, mostly because I haven't been reading any blogs to link to in forever. But, I'm working on that whole catch-up thing, again, so here are a few of my favorites from the last few weeks...

Elizabeth is a genius, and I want her to come and make my backyard pretty, too.

Jess is apparently in the process of creating her own photography website, and I want to buy all of the sunflowers when she does.

I don't usually post recipes, and let's be honest, this doesn't necessarily qualify as a recipe, but it DOES qualify as food that I'd like to eat. So there...

I think that ever since I've 'met' her, I've been trying to convince Cee to come to Atlanta and fix my closet for me, because she does this, this, and especially this, and I don't. One of these days, I might be able to break her down...

Do any of you watch the Bachelor? Or, even if you don't want it anymore, have you ever watched it? Because this Burning Love parody of that show is so, so, SO much better than the original, I would ABSOLUTELY watch it every week.

How cute are these bracelets?

And who wants to buy me the second Tory Burch dress on this list? Because I looooooove it.

I need to come up with additional storage space for my jewelry, because the corkboard I have been using just doesn't cut it for all of my super long necklaces anymore. I think I may have found my solution...


And...that's all I have for now. Have a super fantastic fabulous weekend, and (if your weather is shaping up to be anything close to what ours is going to be) try not to melt out there, ok?

Summer!

GUYS!! IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!!! WOO!!!!

Well.

That didn't work at all.

I'm trying to get myself really excited about this season, because really, I LOVE the summertime. But I mostly love the summer because it means outdoor beer festivals and jet skiing on the lake and not changing out of my bathing suit for days at a time.

But this year, there is no beer. And there is no jet skiing. And as I have yet to find a maternity bathing suit that I actually like, well...there's not much of that, either. At least, there won't be once the ruching gives out on my Land's End non-maternity swimsuit, anyway.

(Please join me in a silent prayer to the powers that be at Land's End: For the good of my sanity, just let that suit last me until my vacation is over in September. That's all I need. Please. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.)

And, you know, winter will be bringing a baby with it this year, so I'm kind of in a hurry to get to that part of things, too.

Only six more months to go!

(Haaaaa. ONLY six months. That's, like, forever in baby-waiting years...)

Dress: Motherhood Maternity (also a Brigid-era purchase)

Cardigan: Banana Republic (outlet)

Shoes: Nine West

Belt: Target

Is it Friday, yet?

Between last weekend at my parents' place in Indiana, and this weekend at my in-laws' place on the lake, I think I have built up a pretty sizable sleep deficit. In fact, I might need to go to sleep this coming Friday evening and not wake up until Sunday afternoon, just to make up for all of those lost hours.

Steve would totally buy into that idea, right?

Related: I am TIRED. Blergh.

It's a good thing that my too-sleepy-to-dress-myself uniform of a cardigan and dress translates well into maternity wear, eh?

 Dress: Motherhood Maternity (from the Brigid days)

Cardigan: Banana Republic (outlet)

Shoes: Nine West

Jewelry: Banana Republic (outlet)

High Expectations

Did you know H&M does maternity clothes? Because I didn't, until I was in there a few months ago looking at the children's clothing for Brigid, and I came across the maternity section right there in the corner of the children's floor. So, I told myself that when I got pregnant again, I would most definitely be hitting up that store to spice up my nine-month wardrobe as much as possible.

And then I got pregnant again.

And you know what? That maternity section, at least in my store, was a massive disappointment. I managed to find a $17 blouse that I liked, but nothing else. And I had such high hopes! Unfulfilled shopping expectations are such a bummer...

Blouse: H&M

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: Nine West

Bracelets: Mango Tree

June Birchbox

Do you want to know what is even better than finally getting home after a long day of traveling?

Getting home after a long day of traveling and finding that month's Birchbox delivery in your mailbox! I swear, I don't know how I got on the early end of the mailing list, but I am pretty much the happiest person ever that I did. I am not so great at the whole waiting thing, and I just don't think I'd be able to stand it if a bunch of people started to talk about what they received that month, and I still had nothing to show for it...

Instead, I'll just be that obnoxious person that talks about it while everyone else has to wait. Because I am sweet like that.

So...




Band-Aids. Sanitizing wipes. Stretch mark cream. SPF face cream. Lip and cheek stain. I swear...it's like they KNOW me or something.

Get out of my head, Birchbox!

I mean, I really needed Band-Aids, I can never have too many SPF lotions, and I don't leave home without sanitizing wipes, ever, so I am pretty much thrilled with all of those offerings. Beyond that, the stretch mark cream, which retails at something like $100 a tube for the full-size product, is probably what I'm most interested to try, just because I want to see if I notice any sort of difference after using it, or if it's true that the stretch marks are here to stay, whether I like it or not. I'm afraid this is going to be one of those products that I fall in love with, only to have to remind myself that I probably shouldn't be paying $100/tube for anything at this point in time.

Thank goodness they sent the lip and cheek stain to take some of the sting away. I am in love with the Benetint stain that I'm currently using, but it's almost $40 a jar, while this Stainiac product retails for less than $20 in the full-size product. So far, I think I'm a fan, so I may have just saved myself some money, and that's always nice.

Especially when I start to spend it on stretch mark creams.

Or not...

Say What?

I was back in Indiana this weekend, for my baby sister's high school graduation, and while it's always fun to spend time with my immediate family, my extended family can be exhausting at times. Especially when there is no beer or wine involved to help my patience.

Case in point: My grandmother looked at me at one point and said, 'You look like you're a little bigger this time around, huh?', to which my aunt added, 'Well, that's to be expected. Your stomach muscles never really recovered from the first time around, did they?'.

Family...you have to love them, right?

 

Dress: Motherhood Maternity

Cardigan: Gap (outlet)

Belt: Target

Shoes: Jessica Simpson (from DSW)

Two in a Row!

Well, thank you all for the indignation on my behalf, yesterday! Seriously, why can't people at least pretend to be surprised when you announce your pregnancy?!?! Why does everyone feel the need to tell you that they just KNEW it was happening?

Whatever.

Brigid told my I was wearing a pretty skirt today, so all is right in my world again.

(Except for that hair, I think. That hair is nowhere close to being right. Hoo, buddy, do I need a haircut!)

T-Shirt/Tank Top: Target

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: Kenneth Cole (outlet)

Hippy

I fully intend to do nothing but reverse mirror shots throughout this pregnancy, as that mirror makes me look much, much, MUCH more skinny than I actually am in real life. And what better time to flatter myself than right now, right?

Seriously, I had someone tell me today that she thought I might be pregnant because she thought she could see it in my hips. Not in my stomach, which currently looks like I am about 5 months pregnant, instead of the three months that I actually am (which I'm pretty sure I can thank Brigid for...and don't think I'm not adding that to my guilt stockpile for when she tries to out-brat me as a teenager...), but in my hips.

IN MY HIPS!#$!%*!

I knew this, of course, because I have a couple of stretchy skirts that I thought would get me through the earlier stages of my pregnancy, but which started to do a weird, pulling thing across my butt well before I was ready for it, but still...

Nobody wants to hear that, you know?

 

Blouse: Banana Republic (outlet, probably? It was a gift from my MiL when I was pregnant with Brigid)

Sweater: Gap

Skirt: Motherhood Maternity

Shoes: Nine West (from Macy's)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

As promised, the lucky winner of the item of her choice from the eShakti shop is....

Congratulations, lady! I'll forward your email address to the eShakti rep, and she'll be in touch with you soon regarding the prize details!

---------------------------

And, a few links to get you through your Friday afternoon, if you're so interested...

In 'that's great timing' news, Miss Giveaway Winner, herself, is hosting a flip flop swap this month. I participated last year, and it was a complete blast. I'd highly recommend getting in on the fun!

I want this outfit. And this one, for that matter. Oh! And a couple of these, thrown in for good measure.

(I am NEEDY today, aren't I?)

Free, printable art? I will definitely be after the tree picture, and maybe the moon picture, too.

I hate wearing messy sunscreen, even though I know it's necessary, particulary when it comes to my face. So, ditching the greasy, sand and dirt attracting lotions, in favor of a self contained powder/applicator sounds like it's right up my alley...

I kind of can't stop giggling at the 6th item on this list. Mostly because if Brigid ever did this, I'd have her calling every member of my immediate family, to tell them the same thing. And I'd record it all. Because I am going to be awesome at embarrassing the pants off of that kid some day...

Have a great weekend!!