Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Summer essentials






Dress : Old Navy (thrifted) similar //  Jacket : CATO (thrifted)  //  Sandals : No Boundaries (thrifted)  //  Necklace : thrifted

Total Cost : $12.25

This is the first time I've been pregnant during the summer months. I think I've had it easy before because both of my babies were due late March/early April so I was the biggest during the months that call for the most clothing. But this time around has been a complete game changer. I've had to go through many trial and errors to find what works (and doesn't) to stay cool and comfortable. For me, that means light layers, short or very airy sleeves, and minimal accessories.

Some summer staples for me this pregnancy have been maxi skirts, stretchy dresses, sandals and lots of white. I can get away with a pair of comfy jeans if they're light colored. Or a long skirt if it's not too thick and clingy. One of my favorite maternity pieces is this ruched dress. It's short sleeve so I don't get overheated and the length is just perfect. It's black but that doesn't take anything away from the wear I've gotten out of it this spring/summer. Pairing it with a light summer scarf and some sandals or a bright blazer and heels, I can take it right from church to an afternoon with my family. It made a great addition to my vacation wardrobe this past June as I could layer a light button up or jacket over it or just add a nice statement necklace to keep my arms cool and uncovered.

This is one piece I know I won't be able to take with me after baby comes and I start weaning my closet of maternity wear. But, it works now. Sometimes, when you're pregnant and constantly growing, feeling comfortable and flattered in the now is all that matters.

What trends are you loving this summer? Any tips for surviving August with a 6-7 month baby bump?

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

#BumpDay




In honor of the first official #BumpDay, I thought I would give a little pregnancy update. We reached 27 weeks yesterday and , with that, graduated to the sixth month and third trimester. It seems as though time with this little guy is just going by so quickly. It's hard to remember what it was like before we learned we were expecting him but, at the same time, I cannot really imagine how much life will change once he arrives. I'm a little nervous about Blakeypoo. He's only known being the youngest and it worries me that, if he's anything like Sweet Lucas, he'll take his own time adjusting. I know we'll have lots of help and guidance from our family and friends and I am so thankful for that. Goodness, in less than three months we will be a family of six. SIX. 

The first trimester flew by. Mostly because we didn't tell anyone but immediate family we were expecting until the thirteenth week. We wanted to be sure everything checked out great with our little one before we announced our news and, turns out, I'm really glad we did because it made the second trimester fly by. I have had little to no morning sickness at all this time around, I've been carrying baby lower than his brothers ever were, my skin has been clear and my hair has actually been manageable. This pregnancy has been so opposite of my previous two that I was completely sure we were having a girl. At early appointments, our midwife could hear the placenta with her doppler very strongly on the left side (which studies have proven to be associated with girls over 92% of the time) and it wasn't until we got the results at our gender reveal party that I was convinced this little one would in fact not be a girl but another sweet boy.

And I am totally alright with that. I have grown to love being a boy mom these past 6 years and I probably would have absolutely no idea what to do with a baby girl. Oh, I'd adjust, believe me! But, it would be so different. Having boys has taught me so much about having fun in the moment. Enjoying every part of life and making the most of every situation. They are silly when you're trying to be serious, distracted when you need them to focus and so full of character that even quiet moments at home are nothing short of special. They always find ways to get to me. Whether that be good or bad. If they're being corrected for something, they always try to have the last word but, at the same time, if I'm feeling down and in a rut, they know exactly how to lift me up. They can be rambunctious, rowdy, adventurous, determined, stubborn and, dare I say, annoying. But, they can also be soft, sweet, loving, good listeners, great helpers and just what my momma heart needs at the end of a long, tiring day. They have the tightest hugs, the sloppiest kisses and the most intense love for those that mean the most to them. It is truly a great blessing to be a part of their craziness and to know that you are one of them. Always. I may be a girly girl, but it is no secret that I love my boys.

So, I know this was kind of a long post but, I want this to be a place where I can share my heart and my love for this life I've been blessed with. Enjoy your littles today and try to remember that even though the days may seem long now, the years go by oh so quickly. Something I'm trying to keep in mind lately. Blessings XO


Monday, July 20, 2015

Sunday Style






Dress : Lane's End (thrifted)  //  Belt : thrifted  //  Shoes : Chinese Laundry (thrifted) similar

Total Cost : $7.60

For my very first Sunday Style post, I thought I'd feature a nice neutral palette. I love this Land's End shirt dress I picked up at a thrift shop while on vacation in Georgia last June. The tan belt and sandals pair well with it and, just for fun, I added this cute little sun hat that would have been a great accessory had I not pulled my semi-dirty hair into a high pony for church. (I'll bet you didn't think I'd actually wear the hat huh G.G.! ) But, can we talk about these sandals for a minute? I love them. I know there's not a great feature picture (blame the photographer for being a little consumed with the bump lol). But, I found them for $5 practically new and they are just my size. They are the perfect color so they go well with literally everything and that heel? They give me that extra height boost I need all of the time, but especially now when everything is growing out and kinda makes me feel like i'm shrinking. Yikes. Plus, they are not nearly as uncomfortable as they look so even my prego feet don't grow weary in them after a morning at church.

I'd like to start posting the total cost I paid for my outfits after the photos. Just to give you a little inspiration to maybe start thrifting for yourself. It can be very cost effective when you just can't find the space in your budget to shop your heart out at department store prices but still want to keep up with the latest trends. So, look for that after the 'where everything's from' section in this post and in the same place in the future!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Sunday and that your week is equally as blessed!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Date Night Inspo

Date nights aren't really a regular occurrence around our house. Every once in a while we'll spontaneously decide to have a night on our own and we always have a great time. But, do we mark them on the calendar so many days apart and stick to that like clockwork? No. And, that's okay. We love just spending a night in after the boys go to bed, resting on the couch to a good movie or sitcom on Netflix, each of us with a snack. It works for us. But, when your hubby sends you a carefully typed out note with sweet words of encouragement and asks you to have dinner with him? That's the icing on the cake. I love getting dressed up (more than my daily pajamas or work out wear) and going out just the two, well right now three, of us.

And, here's just another reason I love Act Two. This is yet another entirely put together outfit from my favorite thrift shop and it is just so versatile. If I were to add up the cost of my outfit, including top, maternity jeans and heels, I would get a total of about $8. Add about $5 for the cami and necklace and $15 for the bag (a little souvenir from my sister's and my trip to Philadelphia a couple of years ago!) and I would say that's not too bad. All purchased at different times but they are all such staples that they fit together so well. I love these jeans! I can tell they are going to be a key piece in transitioning back to normal clothes after baby comes. Plus they'll get LOTS of wear before then too. This top is non-maternity but fits well over the bump without hugging me too tight. And these heels transition from church to a night out without any problems.

Yesterday was also our checkup with our wonderful midwife and all is looking great with Smith baby number 4!! I am so completely stumped when it comes to finding another boy name but, we've still got a few weeks so, hopefully we'll come up with something fitting.






Top is an oldie // Anne Taylor Loft (thrifted)
Jeans // 2.1 Denim (thrifted)
Shoes // CATO (thrifted)
Necklace // on sale from Walmart but this one is similar
Purse // Plum brand 

Friday, July 17, 2015

Birthday party recap


I love planning birthday parties for my boys. It's something that is really special to our family and I want to plant those great memories in their little heads for years to come. It's been a few months/weeks, but I realized I had never really shared any of the fun details from their parties this year! Well, I have to remedy that!

 For Lucas and Blake, we planned a joint party (they're only 8 days apart so it's kind of a given when they're small) again this year. They are both a bit indecisive when it comes to things they want/like (they LOVE everything!) so, I decided to surprise them with a fun airplane theme. Wouldn't you know it, they had a blast! And, because the light was gorgeous that day, I was able to get some really great shots to remember it.











For JD's birthday, he decided on a Ninja Turtle theme. I'll admit, I've never planned a character themed party before. I've always gone off of a general idea and it's made it super easy. But, a Ninja Turtle theme? I was pretty stumped for a while. After searching Pinterest, I quickly realized that every TMNT themed party was exactly the same. I knew I didn't want that to be the case here so, I took inspiration, made it really simple and ended up with a great party that went over really well. And, the birthday boy loved it so that was the important thing anyway!






We don't do big fancy parties at our house but we have those we love over to help us celebrate and always have a great time! How about you? Does your family have any special birthday traditions?

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

The Travel Bug

It seems as though our family has been bitten by the travel bug this summer. Looking back on our calendar, we didn't have a single day in June with nothing planned. At the beginning of the month, we took a trip to Georgia with Glen's grandparents. What fun that was! We got a great unit at a resort with an outdoor pool and spent part of every day in the water. The boys loved it. They cautiously began the week in their puddle jumpers but, by the last day, were jumping in off the side and diving to the bottom unassisted and without hesitation.





























We were able to visit some really gorgeous waterfalls, spend some family time in the Activity Center (the boys loved the arcade games!), and play a lot of the games they had available on the grounds of the resort. While we were there, Mister JD turned seven years old! So, we made brownies, got decorations and had a little party of our own down at the Activity Center where we got a scoop of ice cream to go with it!















Some really great memories were made. And, getting to spend that time with Grammie and Poppie was absolutely priceless! The boys were able to bond so much with them that week. They are still talking all about it!

Toward the end of June we took a trip with Glen's family (parents, siblings and their families) to Arkansas and that was just as rewarding. We love spending time with our families and vacation every year is just one thing we look forward to. Glen's sister and her husband have two littles (and the only girl of the grandchildren!) and our boys love them more than anything. They always have such a great time together and it makes my heart happy that they are all so close!

We took a day to visit the historical bath houses in downtown Hot Springs and, goodness was that amazing. If I shared every photo from that day I'd have way too many so, here's just a few.







The hubby also took a few shots of me and my sweet Blake so I couldn't not include those as well ; )

















We also had a chance to visit the Hot Springs Discovery Museum. They have two floors of things to explore, including an indoor cave, building areas and a dinosaur dig! The boys absolutely LOVED this part of the trip. So much so that they wanted to go back again the next day!




We had simply a fantastic time with all of these kiddos on our week away and we cannot wait to add another little guy to this picture next year!!


Between vacations, t-ball and coach pitch games, VBS at our church and a friends', and being just plain busy, our summer has flown by! We just got back from a weekend in St.Charles with some family and we have one more weekend getaway planned for later this month. After that, I think it will finally be time to settle in and get started with some schoolwork! And, just in time for the Lebanon Area Homeschooler Shared Learning semester to begin! Yipee! 

Has your summer been busy? Do you have any big plans before the school year begins?