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