Thoughts for Friday

*UPDATE: re-post...sorry! Blogger formatting was a little messy for a bit - now it's fixed! 

Happy Friday! I am so excited it's the weekend, how about you? I am ready for a low-key, relaxing weekend with no set plans (nice for a change)! Maybe I'll go to the pool, maybe I'll go to the beach, maybe I'll go shopping...or maybe I'll just relax! I am relishing in the fact that I can do whatever I feel - know what I mean? 

I'm loving this Essie polish, "Cute as a Button." I currently have gel nails (anyone else obsessed?), but am thinking I will give my nails a break next time and go for this fun, summer shade!

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How refreshing does watermelon and strawberry lemonade sound? I came across this recipe on Pinterest, and am hoping to try it out this weekend. 

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I have a love/hate relationship with chalkboard walls, doors, cabinets, etc...On one hand, I love the idea - I think it's a fun, unexpected way to spice up a dull space. On the other hand, some of them end up looking so messy, it takes away from the charm. Here are a few chalkboard spaces I am currently loving. What are your thoughts on the 'chalkboard wall?' Do you have one in your home? 

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Cheers to the weekend! What do you have planned?

4th of July Fashion

I love dressing up for holidays...do you? It's fun, and always gets me in the spirit! The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays to dress for and show my 'American Pride'! This year, I will be staying in CA for the 4th, but I am typically at my parent's home -  enjoying the holiday on the lake with friends and family. I have put together four 'Americana' looks to cover every occasion this Independence Day. I will most likely be going with a look similar to the 'Yacht Club' with my bump, but my favorite is the 'Backyard BBQ.'

scalloped tank - gold necklace -  striped shorts - wedges

chandelier earrings - red dress - clutch - nude pumps

maxi dress - coral necklace - t-strap sandals 

sunglasses - anchor earrings - bandeau top - bikini bottoms - beach bag - flip flops

Last year, I went for more of a 'rocker' look - a fringe t-shirt and cutoff shorts, but think I will step up the class this time around...not sure how cute this look would be 7 months pregnant! 

What will you be wearing this 4th of July? 

Love It & Leave It

Hello Blog friends!  I am Natalie from Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers! 

 I am a stay at home Mama to a two year old boy, still trying to figure out this crazy world of Motherhood!  I was so excited when Brooke asked me guest post about my favorite and least favorite baby items!  This is a post I would have loved to have read 2 years ago before I had my son Sterling!  It is such a genius idea for all us mothers to share what we love and don't love!

First off lets start with the good. 

{BUGABOO FROG STROLLER}

One of my favorite baby items that I still use daily is our Stroller.  I splurged a bit on this one item and I am so glad I did.   I debated long and hard about what stroller I wanted and in the end I went with the Bugaboo Frog.  I loved that it had a bassinet for when my son was little, a toddler seat for when he got older, and that you could strap your car seat into it as well.   It is easy to fold up and works great.  I still walk/run with my son in it so it has totally stood the test of time!  I can't say enough good things about it!  I got the bright orange color and adore it.

Now on to the bad.  A product I bought and never used was a sling.

{HOTSLINGS BABY SLING}

I tried several times to use this but it made me so uncomfortable that my son would fall out or get smothered.  It made me worry more than it was worth plus it felt awkward wearing it so I ditched it.  Next time I would never go the sling route and just use the Baby Bjorn instead.

I hope that helps all you Moms and Mom-to-be's!  I can't wait to read the other posts!  Thanks for having me Brooke!

xoxo

31 Weeks

Wow. I can't believe it...31 weeks! Where has the time gone? Only 9 weeks left of pregnancy and I still need to design the nursery, choose and ORDER a crib (how embarrassing), pack my hospital bag (suggestions, please!), a million other baby-related items, and to top it off...a MOVE and WORK! I have a feeling these next nine weeks are going to be cramazing...yes, crazy and amazing. I think this is just the way my life is supposed to be - never a dull moment (or downtime).


Speaking of the nursery...here's what I have so far. I've narrowed down my 'crib contenders' to two:

the ever-classic 'Jenny Lind' 

and

The 'Harper'

I have decided on a paint color (woohoo!) And the winner is...Valspar's 'Brushed Rose.' This color is exactly what I have been looking for! You may remember the color dilemma I was having a while ago -   I just couldn't decide between a calm, neutral nursery, or a bright,  happy space. I decided to go with a bright space, because I love the idea of mixing and matching textures and colors, and felt that a neutral nursery would leave me pulling my hair out wondering, 'Can this go in here? But it's not white? Well, what should I do with it then?'. I was determined to find a coraly-pink for the walls, but was having trouble finding the perfect shade until this...

I discovered this gorgy color by accident, really...I was searching for office inspiration, and came across Lauren Conrad's new office. She (along with a few other celebs) is teaming up with Valspar to benefit Habitat for Humanity - you can see the color on her walls here (so exciting): 

As you know, I have ordered my glider, and Babies R Us has been generous enough to hold it until we move (thank goodness - one less thing to worry about). SO, I still have a few many items to purchase, but I am not worried about it. You're looking at the world's best procrastinator... but, I always get the job done ;). 

I have been keeping track of these little 'weekly updates' on my own, but haven't posted any on my blog yet, and decided to share one with you all today.

How far along? 31 Weeks

Total weight gain: up 12 lbs

Maternity clothes? yes & no .... still mixing and matching, and wearing maxi dresses almost daily

Stretch marks? none yet (fingers crossed)

Sleep: sleeping soundly most nights (thankfully)

Best moment this week: watching & feeling the amazing movement of this babe...I think she's doing Zumba in there ;) Also, hearing from my doctor about my glucose test - in the clear! 

Miss Anything? Being able to wear certain outfits...it's definitely getting more difficult to assemble looks that feel 'new' and exciting 

Movement: lots of movement day & night 

Food cravings: more aversions (still) than cravings, it's hard for me to find things that sound good...but cravings include: fruit, italian ice, water (so thirsty all the time), or anything COLD

Anything making you queasy or sick: still meat...wondering if I will ever like meat again? 

Gender: sugar & spice & everything nice...GIRL! 

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: overall feeling pretty great, other than a stuffy nose and the occasional headache...can't forget my new friend ANEMIA...bummer 

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: so very happy! 

Looking forward to: designing the nursery & ordering all the essentials I have left to purchase! 

Have a fab Tuesday! 

My Weekend

Annnd we're back. It's Monday once again, and I can't say I'm too thrilled about that, how about you? We had a great weekend filled with food, friends, and relaxation.

Pacific Coast Hwy Sunset 

New mint earrings - scored at H&M for less than $6! 

 Once again, we went furniture shopping...and once again, I fell in love with everything including:

these chairs (pillows too, please!) 

and this amazingly comfortable (yet gorgeous) sectional...it's really more of a gray fabric (it looks a little green in the photo). I love the nailhead detail - it was the perfect balance of comfort and style!

See what I mean? It's the perfect 'compromise' (girly enough for the gals, but not too feminine for the guys)

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A trip to our favorite crepe place before church - they have the best lattes! 

And we ended the weekend with a delicious dinner with our newly engaged friends at Mastro's Ocean Club in NPB. Congratulations, guys! 

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How was your weekend? 

(Home) Office Space

Since I am fortunate enough to work from home, beautiful home offices quite often catch my eye. Working from home definitely has its pros and cons, but one of the BIGGEST pros is being able to design the space yourself. Having a pretty, inspiring place to work is important for productivity and mood. It's where I spend the majority of my week...and should be a place that makes me feel good, don't you think? 

My current home office is OK - not great, but it could be much worse. Luckily, my desk is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, making for a bright and cheery space (most days). I am hoping to re-design my work space when we move in a couple months, and have rounded up some of my favorites for inspiration. 

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My Dream Office

Art - Curtains - Desk - Bookcase - Sunburst Mirror - Desk Chair - Ceiling Light - Garden Stool - Wall Shelf - Aqua Urn - Desk Lamp - Pink Chairs

Do you have a pretty home office? I'd love to see! 

Love It & Leave It

Hi guys! I'm Andee from The Honeybee blog. I'm a wife, mommy, health nut and fashion junkie living life in beautiful Orange County. As a new mommy myself i'm super excited to be a part of Brooke's "Love it & Leave it" segment!

 There are so many baby products I love that it was hard to choose just one! It was a toss up between Little Tummies Gripe Water and WubbaNub's. Since we use the WubbaNub daily I decided that has to be my "Love it" item! It was really hard to find a soother my newborn liked and could keep in her mouth. We were beyond excited when we came across these with the little stuffed animal attached to it! They really do help to keep it anchored in. I can't tell you how many times this little guy has come in handy! Highly recommend!

 I have tried so many products in the last three months with my little girl and have definitely been the queen of returns! I agree with Hello Happiness on the wipe warmer. We have one but as soon as you take the wipe out of the warmer and bring it your babies tush...its not that warm anymore! So I'd skip that as well. The thing I could have done without was all the frilly newborn clothing. As cute as they were, half still have tags on them or were only worn once! My little girl lived in onesies for the first 6 weeks because they were just so practical. So, I would definitely invest in some super comfy onesies and save your cash for when they get a bit older. When people tell you they grow out of them quickly...it's so true!

Hope this was helpful for all the new mama's out there, and thank you to Brooke for letting me share my picks with you!

Xo Andee

Thursday

Happy Summer!

Today marks the first official day of summer...I love it! 

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In celebration of this day, I have rounded up a number of looks I would love to be rocking this summer (most of which I probably won't, due to my baby bump).

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What will you be wearing this summer?