Floral Loving

Winter may be upon us, but a good floral print is still one of my favorite go to pieces. Mix and match with solids, stripes, polka dots. In my eyes, it's basically another solid. You just have to find the right piece to balance it out.

This past weekend, we had a lot more time with just our little family than normal. We're usually cramming one event in after another. So, we took time to explore our neighborhood. We live extremely close to a river, and after almost 4 months of living here, we had still not seen it. So, after I got home from a photoshoot, we set off on our walk. It didn't even take us long. Maybe 10 minutes. It's a place we'll definitely be going back to time and time again. But, it just made me think...you don't even really know what might be in your backyard! There's so much beauty just waiting to be explored and found.

How could we have missed this for so long? The perfect little pathway. The river is right on the other side of me. And don't worry...I wore other shoes to walk down here!

After I put Hallen on my belly to try and make her kiss me (she really isn't a fan of kisses and hugs, which I totally get, because my love language is definitely not touch), she noticed my bright lip gloss from Bare Minerals. Immediately she started saying, " I want yippies!" The girl is obsessed. She points lipstick colored lips out on every doll she has, and when ever I apply it, she has to have her "yippies!" So, I happily obliged. I gave her my little tube and let her feel pretty. 

My outfit details: 

Choker: BB Styled

Earrings: Brickyard Buffalo

Bracelets: Templeton Silver (use discount code HALLEN for 25% off) 

& Sweet Peas Stamping

Tunic: Pink Blush Maternity

Leggings: Lularoe

Shoes: Urban Heels

THIRD TRIMESTER: WHAT I'M WEARING

So, apparently your third trimester starts at 26 weeks. I could have sworn it started at 28! And that's where I'm at now. I don't remember feeling so achey this early on with Hallen. I guess I'm already a little more stretched out everywhere, and my joints are a little more wobbly...aka I'm old! This little girl is growing growing more and more each day, as are my thighs. I'm totally fine with that. It all just happened so suddenly. One day, it was comfortable to wear jeans and the next was terrible! I couldn't get them off fast enough. So, I'm basically living in leggings and leggings. I used to be a yoga and barre instructor, so I'm totally cool with going back to my uniform.

Some of my favorite pieces are super versatile, can can be worn during pregnancy and after birth.

Cute, comfortable sweatshirts for my growing bump, and stretchy jeans and leggings. Although, like I said, it's mainly leggings. I can still fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans, but I only wear maternity jeans when I do have to wear jeans.

These are mommy and me matching hoodies from Brooklyn and Grey. Super soft material, and easy to throw on with your favorite jeans or leggings for the winter. I'm also wearing my beloved Blanqi leggings. They feel SO good for my belly in my third trimester. I got them in my second trimester (pictured), and liked them then, but now that I really need support, I can feel a big difference when I'm wearing them and when I'm not.

Hallen's outfit: Bow- Sassy Bow Shop // Pants - Mila Chic Boutique // Loafers - Lili Collection

This sweatshirt. It's like an adorable cloud that you get to wear all day and still look put together! I ordered it one size larger than I normally wear from Posh Little Peanut. It's already slouch, so it's off the shoulder for me. I paired it with my Blanqi support tank, which is just as amazing as their leggings. Sometimes, I don't even wear a bra under it, because let's be honest, bras just aren't comfortable when you're pregnant (or maybe ever)! Jeans are from Pink Blush Maternity (linked in this post ), and the only jeans I'll wear right now. They have great stretch to them, and I honestly like the fit of them better than some of my pre pregnancy jeans. They're the perfect skinnies. Boots are from Zoo Shoo a couple months ago (also in previous link). 

THIS OUTFIT is my favorite outfit right now. I feel put together and still super comfortable. Again, I'm wearing my Blanqi leggings. They go with everything...that's why you have to invest in a pair. I juts got my postpartum pair from their Black Friday sale! Jacket and boots are two recent finds on Amazon. Both are really affordable, comfortable, and well made. My tunic is from Pink Blush. It's maternity and women's wear, so you'll get a lot of wear out of it. The jewelry that's in all the photos is from Sweet Peas Stamping. I have several personalized pieces form her that I'm excited to put on every morning when I wake up. It's almost like I'm missing a someone if I forget a piece! 

Hallen's outfit: Bow - Gracefully Made Co// Romper- Sofia and Belle// Boots - Gracious May

One other brand I wear A LOT right now is Lularoe. No, I'm not a consultant. Yes, I'd love to be. But, I'd probably keep it all for myself! I'll do a whole other post on their clothes. I know a lot of consultants do that too, but I just love their clothes too much to keep you out of the know! They really do work for every shop and size, and their leggings....goodness gracious! They're perfect for pregnancy! 

Baby Girl's Nursery

As soon as we moved into our new home this past August, we went ahead and set the crib and baby furniture up since we knew we'd eventually have to. We also put all of our miscellaneous items and boxes in that room and just shut the door! Well, the past two weekends, we've been doing a little decorating in the new baby's room. It's definitely far from finished, but I'm already in love with the scheme. It's bright. It's fun. It's totally out of my comfort zone. I like neutrals and pastels, but I was inspired by a few pieces and up for a new challenge! So far, I'm loving the bright color challenge!

My two inspirations. Red poppy sheets from Birch Rose Lane and a bright colored blanket from Little and Luxe. These two pieces are so bright and happy, and that's exactly what I wanted for this new baby girl's nursery. 

Birch Rose Lane is a small shop made up of a mom and daughter team. They love to make anything you could imagine, exactly the way you want it. They're always up for customs. When I saw the poppy sheets she chose for me after I told her my vision, I knew they were a special duo. As the months go on before this little one is born, I'll probably have a few more things made!

I fell in love with Little and Luxe when I saw so many decorated nurseries with amazing blankets and sheets in them. They're modern, colorful, artistic, and just different than what you see in the stores. Little and Luxe is another small shop from Canada. It was created in 2013 by Lindsay Wilson, who is such a sweetheart! She wanted some fun pieces for her new daughter's nursery, so her imagination for her daughter led to other amazing nurseries. She just released new winter designs that you'll have to see as well! 

And lastly (for now), these two pieces need to be tied in together since red wasn't exactly in the blanket. Wall Flowers Co was just the place to go! I showed her pictures of just these two pieces, and that I wanted a big center piece to make it look like a theme. The owner was really easy to work with. I could tell that she liked new projects and ideas to work on. It only took a couple of days for her to come back to me with sample colors and then the finished product. I was astounded! Even more so when they were up on the wall. The 3D visual is so pretty, and will make any room feel special and put together. 

We aren't done with the nursery yet. It's a slow process since we have time and a budget to keep in line with! This weekend we're actually changing the crib color, so I'll have to give you an updated look!

Essential Oils

So many of my friends have used essential oils for years  now. I've used coconut and jojoba oil on my face, but nothing beyond that really. I don't know if it was out of fear or paying for something I didn't know if I would like or not, but I finally tried some oils from Healing expedition, who sells Doterra Oils. It's one of the bigger names in the essential oil business. I had no idea that there were so many ways to use one oil! I received the peppermint, lavender, and lemon oils.

When I first opened them, I immediately contacted my advocate for help! I had no idea what to do, and I figured I'd start with her as a source of information instead of Google! She gave me a few ideas in the right direction of how I would want to use them after telling her why I was interested in essential oils. For me, it's mainly skin care and household wellness. I want to use more natural products on me as well as in my home. 

However, the first thing I did wasn't something for health really! She told me I could make peppermint brownies!! How exciting is that?! It's Christmas season, and I'm always ready to eat some chocolate. I took the easy way out when making the brownies, because I just bought a package from Trader Joe's. I always consider everything I buy there somewhat healthy, so I didn't feel too bad about making brownies after all.

Being health conscious, I did substitute applesauce instead of oil (always a win for me)! As for the peppermint, I added 5 drops for an 8x8 pan. If you were to make a 9x13, just double that with 10 drops. While they were baking, you could smell the Christmas aroma of fresh peppermint. And as soon as they came out of the oven, I had to dig right in. They didn't disappoint. It was the perfect amount of peppermint to chocolate ratio. They were even husband approved! He's been taking them to work with him all week.

A few other uses for peppermint oil include: 

• sinus relief
• scalp massage
• anti itch
• natural bug repellent
• calms skin inflammation
• reduces acne
• help grow your hair
• improves bloating and indigestion

My next stop was my skin care. I've been looking for something to use on my skin for a while now to start an anti-aging routine. I want to go as all natural as possible, and avoid harsh chemicals. While I don't mind a few chemicals here and there, I want 99% to be natural. This is where lavender oil came in! I had already started using coconut oil to help with my skin, so I just mixed a few drops with some coconut oil for a nice skin booster. Lavender oil contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti aging, and anti-fungal properties in it, so it's the perfect oil to combat those fine lines and sun spots starting to pop up and help rejuvenate your skin. 

Other uses for lavender oil:

• sleep aid
• calming
• bug bite
• cuts
• nausea
• chapped lips
• eczema 
• headaches

I also used Correct-X, which is an essential oil ointment from Doterra that helps relieve and soothe skin. It's made up of so many good for you oils that help improve the texture and look of skin. You can use it on bumps, blemishes, and cuts. I used it on a few rough patches on my face (still am...I only started 2 nights ago, and they are slowly returning to smooth skin).

And last, is the lemon oil. There are so many different uses for lemon oil, but right now I'm using it mainly for cleaning in my house. You can mix it with water in a spray bottle, and voila! You have a solution to wipe down your countertops that is safe for your kids to lick if they choose to! Not to mention, it has an amazing fresh scent to it that'll act as a natural air freshener. 

Other uses for lemon oil:

• nourishes skin
• improves digestion
• laundry 
• face wash
• disinfectant 
• wood polisher
• "De-goo"  - all that sticky stuff left over from stickers and such!

So far, I'm loving my experience with these oils. If you want to try them out, just contact Healing Expedition, and she'd love to help you out with your specific needs. 

Lula Obsessed

I told myself I didn't need another "thing." I didn't need to fall in love with another brand, another line, another designer.... I held off on going to parties for the longest time, because...well...money, and I fall in love with clothes so easily! The way certain textures feel, the nostalgia a certain piece has, the colors that make me feel sexier and younger. I just love clothes. There.

But, I finally went to a Lularoe party a couple weeks ago with my friend. We both said we were going to just hang out, chat, and have fun. Yeah right. I can't do that when there are racks of beautiful, buttery clothes in front of me! I started to try some things on. Look at myself with only one eye open, trying to make myself look weird in the clothes. It didn't work. It was love. Everyone else that has been telling me how great these clothes were, were right! I hate admitting when I'm wrong, and I hate being late to the party (no pun intended). I scooped up my first piece that night, which happens to be perfect for my growing bump. The Julia dress.

Hat, scarf, boots: all in my closet from last year. Diaper Bag: Fawn Design Bracelet: Sweet Peas Stamping

That's a pretty cute dress, right?! You can also inch it up to be a tunic/top, but I won't show you that without pants on! I styled it a few different ways as a dress. Maybe next week, I'll style the same dress as a top

This next outfit is so fun with the faux fur vest. This was a last year's pick from Target, but I've seen new ones for this year. I really wanted to show you how to make one new piece in your wardrobe last with other pieces you already love from your closet.

Boots, vest: closet picks. 

Also chose to wear another favorite necklace from Sweet Peas Stamping.

And last, a simple cardigan from Mila Chic Boutique. A favorite of mine to throw on with everything. Simple, sweet, out on the town look

Boots, earrings: Closet picks Necklace: Belle and Blush (my daughter's, but I stole it!)

I had such a great time at my party, I decided to have one. It was so great to have a "girls' night out." No kids or husband (love them both dearly, I swear). There was seriously zero pressure to buy anything. It really was just about going to see friends and meet new ones. There was no sales pitch, no marketing plan that they took us through....nothing. Just shopping, eating, and drinking (obviously water for me). You can find my great consultant here. Her name is Nicole, and she's a blast! If you happen to be in the Charlotte area on November 9th, you're invited to my house ;-) You can try on some of these buttery clothes...or not.