Nursery Reveal

Today’s post is the last blog post I will publish before our baby boy is here (SO soon- his due date is Christmas day). I found it pretty fitting that my last post is his nursery reveal! This room has been a labor of love. Home decor is not always my strong suit, but my mom is great at it, so I have run countless ideas by her over the past few months.

I know what I like, but I don’t always know what will look good together. I knew I wanted white and gray furniture with pops of blues, yellows, and greens thrown in from the artwork and bedding. I think I accomplished just that. This room has become my favorite room in our house! It is such a bright, happy, and cozy space (with blackout curtains, so we can tone down the brightness and hope this baby sleeps well).

I love that Bailey and Rosie have already found their typical spots too. Rosie likes to sit on the righthand corner of the sofa on top of the pillows, and Bailey likes to sit right in the middle of the sofa between the pillows. One of my favorite things is catching Parker walking in there and just looking around. :) And I also love how Rosie sneaks in, takes a bunny off the glider, and brings it to the living room. I should definitely not reinforce this behavior, but it makes me laugh every time.

Also, this southern girl obviously had to have monogrammed items in her baby’s room. So I did remove some blankets and pillows with the baby’s name and monogram on them because we are not sharing his name on the blog/social media until he is here. But this is mostly how it will look!

Product Details:

Before I link everything, let me just say- Baby stuff is expensive, and obviously when you don’t have a baby yet, you have to start from scratch. I tried my best to find deals on just about everything in his room. For example, I waited until Target had a promotion before purchasing the crib, changing table, and glider. And the sofa pillows and lamp came from HomeGoods (so I can’t link them). All of the paintings were given to us as gifts from my mom. I am so thankful for them because I think they are the most beautiful colors and tie the whole room together!

Crib: Target | Crib Mattress: Target | Changing Table: Target | Glider: Target | Bedding (bumper & fitted sheet): Pottery Barn Kids | Crib Skirt: Target | Sheep Mobile: Target | Changing Pad: Amazon | Diaper Pail: Amazon | White Closet Organizer: Walmart | Gray Bins: Walmart | White Bunny: Amazon | Gray Bunny: Amazon | Rock n Play Sleeper: Amazon | Sofa: Ikea | Pillows: HomeGoods | Lamp: HomeGoods | Dresser: from my grandparents (it was my dad’s and then mine when we were babies) | Baby Blessing Beads: Blue Eyed Bead Shop | All Artwork: Sally Wilson Art

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Are you finished with your shopping, or do you still have a few last minute gifts/ stocking stuffers to buy? If you fall into that second category, I’ve got you covered! And if family members are still asking you for some ideas of things you would like, I’ve got some great ideas for you today too!

Christmas is going to look pretty different for us this year considering I am 39 weeks today, and we are not doing any traveling. Except to the hospital in Memphis when this baby boy decides to make his appearance. The gifts Parker has gotten me are currently sitting under the tree unwrapped. I started that trend though because the gift he asked for was too big and heavy for me to lift and wrap at this point, so it’s not wrapped either. I have no excuse for the cookbooks he’s getting, but they look cute on top of his bread maker. :)

My Gifts- Keurig | T3 Interchangeable Curling Wands

Parker’s Gifts- Bread Maker | Cookbooks: delish, Seriously Delish, Skinnytaste

But anyway, I have broken my picks down into 2 categories- Gifts for the Cozy Girl and Gifts for the Beauty Lover. I think a few of the gifts from each collage could be thrown together to make a really great gift. Or some of the smaller things would make fabulous stocking stuffers!

Gifts for the Cozy Girl

You can click on any of the photos in the collages below to shop them!

Below is my commentary about each item pictured in the collage!

This pajama set would be great to wear on Christmas or to give as a gift because it can definitely be worn after Christmas too!

Gifts for the Beauty Lover

Below is my commentary about each item pictured in the collage!

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have a wonderful day!

SHOP MY GIFT IDEAS:

A Christmas Gift You Can Add to Yearly

Hey Y’all! After enjoying a busy Thanksgiving & cyber week, catching a cold, and preparing for a baby, I needed to take a little break from blog posts. However, I’m so excited to be back this week! I’m sharing a fun Christmas gift idea today, and my 38 Week Bumpdate will go live on Thursday with all the updates! I’m actually 38 weeks today!

Onto today’s topic- a fun Christmas gift idea that you can add to every year. Or every holiday for that matter! I discovered Coton Colors shortly after college when I was teaching in Huntsville. However, I didn’t start my own collection until Parker and I got married and moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s safe to say that ever since then, I have adored it!

They make beautiful tabletop items, serveware, decor, ornaments, and items for all celebrations in life. My favorite things all happen to be in their Happy Everything collection, and that is what I’m focusing on in today’s post. Let me explain.

How It Works:

1. Choose a base.

2. Choose attachments.

3. Velcro the attachments onto the base.

4. Switch out attachments for every reason and season!

Bases:

There are a lot to choose from! And there are two sizes- big and mini. There are big platters and cookie jars. I have this big white dot platter, this big bright dot platter, and this big cookie jar (except mine has polka dots). There are also big bowls and big wreaths. And some mini bases include soap pumps (my mom’s favorite base), bowls, vases, cookie jars, frames, platters, and canisters.

Big Bases:

Mini Bases:

Attachments:

This is the fun part! Attachments stick onto bases with velcro. You can choose so many different attachments for all different celebrations and seasons. This is where the size is important. If you have a big base, then you want to order big attachments. And if you have a mini base, then you want to order mini attachments. I have some that are holiday and season specific and some that can be used any day. I wish I had ALL of them! :)

Big Attachments:

Mini Attachments:

Gift Examples:

For Christmas last year, Parker and I gave his mom a mini cookie jar and a few mini attachments. For Mother’s Day this year, Ebie and I gave my mom a large platter and a large attachment. Now, we are able to add to their collections and give them another attachment or 2 for Christmas or whatever holiday may arise!

I took the photo below at my baby shower, and you can see my mom’s mini cookie jar in the back right. She put one of my sonogram photos in a frame attachment- most adorable decoration! You can see a tiny glimpse of her polka dotted soap dispenser on the left. We love Coton Colors!

Below is a picture of a big platter, and I have a plate stand to display it. Our house in Southaven doesn’t have as much space as our house did in Fayetteville, so it is not currently being displayed. This picture was taken in Fayetteville. However, I wanted to show you a picture of what it looks like. Such a fun gift!

You can’t go wrong with a cookie jar, platter, soap dispenser, or any other base/attachment combo. They make such cute and fun gifts that last a lifetime! And it’s so easy to think of gifts for the future- everybody wants to add attachments to their collection! Thanks so much for reading! Have a wonderful day!

SHOP THE POST:

Big Bases:

Big Attachments:

Mini Bases:

Mini Attachments:

Baby Shower Fun

My sister and best friends threw a baby shower for me last weekend, and it was such a sweet and special party! When my sister called to brainstorm ideas for the shower, the words I kept using to describe how I wanted it to be were fun and laid back. And that’s exactly how it was!

I honestly cannot remember the last time I went to a baby shower. Only a handful of my friends have babies, and I haven’t been able to make it to any of their showers. So I’m not sure where my visual of a very formal tea party with finger foods and high heels came from, but that is the type of baby shower that I did not want. Some people love this idea, and if this is you- you go girl! I knew I wanted a less formal type setting. I wanted the focus to be on having fun quality time with my very favorite people who I get to see so rarely. And that is exactly what happened!

The shower was at my parents’ house and included my family and closest friends. We had Foosackly’s for dinner, which is one of my favorites! If you’re not from Mobile, you may not have heard of it. It is our local chicken finger place that is superb! So we had chicken fingers, salad, french fries, and toast from Foosackly’s for dinner. Plus Ebie brought a few dips that were delicious!

Oh, and the cutest part of the food area- the desserts! Pollman’s made the most perfect baby boy cookies and petit fours that everyone loved. Especially me- sweets have been my biggest craving lately! There was also a drink station with adult beverages for everyone who wanted to partake in the fun, as well as water and tea with Foosackly’s ice AKA the very best crunchy ice!

One of my best friends brought the most beautiful flowers. She had asked me what the theme of our nursery was recently, and I told her we didn’t really have one. I said we’re sticking with white and gray furniture with pale blues, greens, and yellows in the art and decor. She then used that info and brought flowers that were the prettiest blues, greens, and yellows! My mom’s sweet friend Kim also brought over some gorgeous arrangements! Beyond thoughtful of both of them!

There were also adorable decorations that I will share photos of next. My mom hung some silver pieces that we received when we were babies on the chandeliers with blue ribbon. I thought that was the cutest idea! Wait, although I did love that idea, there’s actually one decoration I loved even more. My mom painted individual canvases with the letters of our baby’s name and displayed them on her bookshelf (no picture of that because I’m not sharing the baby’s name on the blog until after he’s born). She helped so much with this shower too. Every detail was so thoughtful, and it made me extra thankful for my family and friends!

I’m so disappointed I forgot to take a picture of the beautifully wrapped gifts that everyone brought over or sent, as well as the 2 paintings my mom painted for our nursery. Baby stuff is just simply the cutest! Parker and I are so appreciative for all the things- the functional gifts that we (as first time parents) really needed, along with the precious clothes that I cannot wait to dress our baby boy in! I’ll share a photo of some of the precious baby clothes we were given since I didn’t get any photos of the cute wrapped gifts.

The thing that usually comes easiest to me was actually the most difficult- picking out a dress for myself! :) I typically have no problem with this, but have you tried looking for a baby blue outfit in the fall? I don’t think I had because after days of searching online I learned just how difficult it actually is. However, I ended up finding this dress that I adore! I actually have 2 others identical to it. It is nonmaternity, and the other 2 that I have are size medium. I just sized up to a large for pregnancy. It is selling out, so here are a few more options with more sizes in stock- graphite, ice blue, and snakeskin.

And my earrings were so fun too! Caitlin from Caitlin Elizabeth Collection sent them to me, specifically for my baby shower! So sweet! The white flowers are 100% handcrafted silk and the gold bars are 18 karat gold. You can click here to check them out. Or click here to check out all of the other options on her website. There are so many other gorgeous styles and colors.

The best part- she is giving my followers 15% off everything on her website with code ART15, so definitely take advantage of that if you are in the market for gorgeous earrings. They would make fabulous Christmas gifts for loved ones too! The discount code is good through Saturday, and they are already reasonably priced for the amazing quality.

I had the very best time getting to celebrate our baby boy with the sweetest friends and family. I am 32 weeks today! We are getting so close to meeting our baby, and we are much more prepared after this baby shower! Thanks so much to our friends and family for being so precious! And thanks to you for reading this long-winded post! :) Have a great day!

SHOP THE POST:

A Few More Pictures:

30 Week Bumpdate

There used to be times when people would (so kindly) say oh, I can’t even tell you’re pregnant! That is most definitely nowhere close to the case anymore. I hit 30 weeks on Tuesday, and I cannot believe that we now have less than 10 weeks to go! We are so grateful for this little baby and cannot wait to meet him in a couple of months!

26 Weeks- 30 Weeks

• Due Date: December 25, 2018

• Baby is the size of a: zucchini- 15.7 inches, 2.89 pounds (30 weeks), pineapple (29 weeks), eggplant (28 weeks), lettuce (27 weeks), kale (26 weeks)- all of this info came from The Bump app

• Total weight gain: 26 lbs since before baby. WHOA. Can I blame that on the fact that I can no longer wear lightweight Lilly dresses to appointments when I get weighed? The extra clothing I have on has to contribute to some of that weight, right? My doctor told me yesterday that the baby and I are both right on track. I’ll stick with that positive commentary instead of sharing my actual thoughts on this matter.

• The bump: It is without a doubt there now and shows even when I am wearing my loose fitting sweatshirts and t-shirts.

• Symptoms: No more nausea since week 20! My back has hurt badly, but a heating pad has definitely helped with that. Super vivid dreams. Wanting to organize/prepare like crazy for baby. Not being able to walk as quickly as I used to. Splotchiness on my face. Nothing too crazy overall. I am just so grateful for this gift of pregnancy!

• Food cravings: all the sweets & Taziki’s

• Food aversions: Most aversions are completely gone! The thought of eating grilled fish still grosses me out, but I had a couple bites of Parker’s seafood gumbo at Jason’s Deli, so I’m excited to be able to eat some seafood now!

• Sleep: Great until I wake up. Once I wake up, my mind has 4 million thoughts going on, and I can’t go back to sleep.

• What I miss: comfortably bending over to paint my toenails, putting my shoes on, and shaving my legs. These were the things I listed last month, and these are still the same things that I miss. I despise pedicures, but painting my toenails has become next to impossible, so I think I’m going to have to go to a nail salon soon.

• Movement: Lots of movement is happening! Until I tell Parker to look, and then the baby immediately stops any movement every. single. time.

• Maternity clothes: these Zella maternity leggings, these maternity jeans, and these maternity jeans. Those are the only maternity things I’ve bought so far. I have bought a few new dresses, tops, and sweaters, but they are all nonmaternity- I’ve just sized up to fit the bump.

• What we are most looking forward to: our baby shower and seeing my family and friends for the first time in forever!!!!!

• Apps I've used: Ovia Pregnancy & The Bump

• Products I've been loving: I just bought this cocoa butter lotion for stretch marks, and I LOVE it (I have never liked lotion, and I’ve only ever worn face moisturizer my whole life. This stuff has no smell and dries quickly. Best lotion ever, even for a non lotion lover.), my Snoogle pregnancy pillow (helps so much with my back when I’m trying to sleep), a heating pad (also for my back), comfy clothes, Nexium to prevent nausea, What to Expect When You're Expecting

• Purchases for baby: I have a page on my blog under Shop My Favorites called Favorite Baby Items, and that is where I’m sharing the things we have purchased and received so far for our baby! We purchased this Rock and Play, this Mamaroo swing, and this Pack and Play when they were on sale last month. I also got some baby hangers and picked up a little hooded towel at Home Goods! I got these bins for our 8 cube storage organizer that is in the baby’s closet. We also purchased the baby’s crib, changing table, glider, and mattress during this Target baby deal that is still going on! We’re finally starting to knock some things off the list! 

Weekly Fun

Week 26- All parts of my back started killing me this week. I’m typically fine when I’m up and moving around, but when I sit down for more than a few minutes or get in bed to go to sleep- ouch! I’ve been praising my Snoogle pregnancy pillow since the second I got it, but it wasn’t enough to fix this problem. Tylenol and an extra pillow under my back helped thankfully! We also received the sweetest gift- one of my friends sent a monogrammed blanket and Angel Dear bunny lovey with our baby’s name on it. It was the first time I had ever seen his actual name on anything, and it made me tear up. SO precious!

Nonmaternity Dress | Cardigan

Week 27- My back is feeling better, and my food aversions have finally gone away this week! I cooked chicken at home for the first time since being pregnant, and I had a couple bites of Parker’s spicy seafood gumbo at Jason’s Deli! My bites included shrimp- woohooo! Seafood has always been my fav. I did not enjoy being repulsed by it. Nesting has become a serious thing. I worked so hard and finally finished completely cleaning all of my stuff out of my office turned baby’s room! The closet in that room used to be my dress and bag closet. There are officially no more dresses or bags. And the precious baby clothes have been hung! And we started putting together some baby items!

SignatureSoft Top | Leggings

Week 28- We had our 3D/4D ultrasound this week! It was so neat to see a live view of our baby boy! The most amazing thing to me was being able to feel him move and see him move on the screen at the same time! The ultrasound tech kept trying to get him to move because his hands were in his face 90% of the time. Out of the 8 pictures we were given, his hands were covering his face in 6 of them. It was still such a neat experience to get to see his features more clearly than we ever had! My doctor suggested a heating pad for my back, and that has been life changing. We will now start going to the doctor every 2 weeks, so that made things seem pretty real.

I also had a scare at a blogger event I went to in Memphis. It’s a long story, and I shared all of the details in this blog post if you missed it. To sum things up- I hadn’t eaten enough, it was in the 90s, and I was on my feet for too long while carrying a baby around and almost fainted. But I made my way to the ground before actually fainting and was completely fine after about 10 minutes of being taken care of by some precious people! My doctor said it was most likely because of a dip in blood pressure, and my blood pressure is completely fine now!

My dress is from Anthropologie last year

Week 29- I finally bought some little bins to put the baby’s things in this week, and his closet looks so much more organized! I LOVE having designated places for all of his things. I know they will all be changed around as we get furniture for his room, but the organization process has brought me so much joy! I also did some less than fun tasks, like call the insurance company to see what types of breast pumps are covered, schedule our baby classes, and register at the hospital where our baby will be born. Parker and I also put together a couple more baby items, and I have thoroughly enjoyed doing this together. Some of the directions come with pictures only and no words. Parker’s college degree is in Building Science, but putting together baby items can actually be quite the challenge. And makes me laugh so hard. Rosie’s fear of these baby items is quite entertaining as well. I’m glad we already have them, so she can start getting used to the sounds and movements of some of these baby things!

My storage organizer is actually from Ikea, but this one from Walmart is exactly the same! And I got these storage bins to put in it!

Tunic | Leggings | Shoes

Week 30- Considering week 30 started Tuesday, I don’t have much to report. We got our crib and changing table, and I cannot wait much longer for the weekend to get here so “we” can put them together! I somehow did not think about bedding… if anybody has any bedding suggestions, please let me know! We went to the doctor yesterday, and we both adore our doctor. There’s not much to report from the visit, and I think that is good news. We did get to listen to the baby’s heartbeat, and that is always such a neat experience. I also got my flu shot while we were there. We’ll go back again for our next appointment in 2 weeks and take our baby classes at the hospital in November!

Sweater

Other Baby-Related Blog Posts:

25 Week Bumpdate

20 Week Bumpdate

1st Trimester Bumpdate

We're Having a Baby BOY!

Baby Goodman Coming Christmas 2018!

Thanks so much for reading!! Have a wonderful day!

SHOP THE POST:

A Blogger Event I Will Never Forget

Last Thursday I went to a fall blogger event in Memphis held by The Shops of Saddle Creek. It was fabulous in so many ways, and I’m so excited to share all the details with you today! I’m so grateful that I got invited! The majority of blogging takes place individually behind a phone or computer screen, so I’m thankful I got to spend time with other bloggers while following the most fun itinerary the Shops of Saddle Creek created for us!

As I start typing this post, I already know it’s going to be a long one because I have so many things to share- the good, the fun, and the scary! I’ll start by sharing our itinerary with you. And if you’re unfamiliar with the Shops of Saddle Creek, it is a shopping center in Memphis with the best places to shop, like Anthropologie, J.Crew, Loft, Madewell, Free People, Lululemon, Athleta, Sephora, etc.

Our Itinerary

• 6 pm- meet at J.Crew for drinks from vomFASS and bites from Rise Biscuits & Donuts

• 6:45 pm- walk to Pandora for nail art from Nail Bar & Co

• 7:30 pm- walk to Athleta for an optional light fitness session (we were dressed in our cute clothes, so we ended up chatting and shopping and not working out)

• 7:55 pm- walk to Brahmin for dessert from Rise Biscuits & Donuts

My friend Megan (megonomics101 on Instagram) and I planned to meet at J.Crew a little early to get some photos before the event started. Another friend Elizabeth from @lifestyleinfocus showed up right around the same time we did, so we all took pictures together. Lucky for us, Elizabeth is a photographer, so she gave us all the posing tips!

FYI- if you have not tried taking solo shots, it’s not as easy as it looks. There are so many things to think about- what do I do with my hands? My legs and feet? What is the most flattering angle? And this baby bump is throwing yet even more difficulty into the equation. But anyway, Elizabeth made taking photos fun and taught us all kinds of tricks, which is not always how it goes with Parker…

After our photo session, we walked into the event:

Stop 1: J.Crew with Rise Biscuits & Donuts

As soon as we walked into J.Crew, we were given an adorable Vera Bradley goody bag with all kinds of treats. They were also serving the most delicious biscuits from Rise. I was starving, so I grabbed a pimento cheese biscuit and some raspberry lemonade! Another girl grabbed a second biscuit, and I told her she had just scored the place of my BFF by doing this. I followed her lead and grabbed a second one, and this one was a chicken biscuit- even better!

Stop 2: Pandora with Nail Bar & Co.

We walked over to Pandora next, and they were serving fun drinks and providing nail art from Nail Bar & Co. I obviously couldn’t have a fun strawberry basil cocktail, but the bartender was so nice and went to the back to make me a mocktail version of what everyone else was drinking!

Then it was onto the nails- I had never gotten nail art before, and it was so much fun! They had really thought out this part of the event because not only did we get nail art, but then we got to try on some beautiful rings and bracelets from Pandora and model them with our cute new nails! I tried on this ring (I actually loved it and wanted it to wear in place of my engagement ring that no longer fits) and this bracelet that was just released in stores the day we were there!

Nail Bar is opening in Shops of Saddle Creek soon, and I will most definitely be going back for more fun nails. The people were beyond friendly, and they gave us some cuticle oil in a goody bag. I’ve never owned this stuff before. The rose scent smells SO good, and I’m so excited to add it into my nail routine!

Unplanned Stop 2a: Almost Fainting on the Floor

So this was clearly not a planned part of the event, and nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I had just finished trying on the pretty jewels after getting my nails done and was chatting with some of my friends. All of a sudden, my vision started getting blurry, and I started feeling really weak, like I was about to pass out.

We were in a jewelry store that was basically shaped like a rectangle with another rectangular case displaying jewelry in the middle. I say this because there was nowhere for me to inconspicuously recover. I made it as far as I could towards the door and then kinda slid down a wall to sit down. People started asking me if I was ok, and I honestly didn’t know what was happening. I said yes, I’ll be fine, but I could feel the color draining out of my face and my whole body starting to sweat.

Someone brought me a chair, and getting off the floor into that seemed to make things worse. There are sofas and hammocks in a courtyard directly beside Pandora and all I could think about was getting on a sofa, but there was no way I could make it out the door. So after a few minutes, I swallowed what was left of my pride and got back on the floor. This time all the way down. As in, on my side. In my dress.

My friend Megan brought me my Vera Bradley goody bag, and I put that behind me in an effort to not flash everyone. She started googling pregnancy + faint + what to do. She also offered to call Parker, but he was half an hour away, and I was hoping and praying this would go away soon, so I didn’t want to worry him. Heather from the Shops of Saddle Creek got the people to turn the air way down, and I think that helped a lot. But now let me tell you what all happened that led to me finally being able to get up off of the floor.

Remember the friendly bartender I mentioned who went out of his way to make me a mocktail? Well, he was actually an angel sent from God. First, he brought me some ice chips in a really cold cup. Next, he brought me some ice water. Then, he brought me a towel full of ice to put on my face. After that, he took his button-down shirt off his back (he had an undershirt underneath it), and he folded it up for me to use as a pillow. And then he proceeded to fan me. I started feeling much better and was able to sit up. Then, he brought me some sliced strawberries to eat.

Have you EVER heard of anyone treating a stranger like that? This kind man had no clue who I was, yet he treated me like a princess at a spa while I was hitting an all time low in life. I remember people asking him how he knew how to do all of these things, and he said he’s a bartender. He has to deal with drunk people passing out, but I was obviously not drunk and much nicer than the drunk people- his words, not mine. At least I had that going for me.

I still can’t get over his kindness. And the kindness of everyone who was there. This was obviously not an impression I would like to leave on my blogger friends who I so rarely get to see in real life, but I am beyond grateful for the bartender and sweetest girls who were so, so kind in such a strange situation.

I think it was caused by a combination of my weird eating that day (I know my 7 month pregnant body needs more than I had eaten that day), high temps (my car said 94 degrees every time I got in it), and being on my feet for too long while carrying around more weight than I’m used to. The whole thing probably lasted 10 minutes, but it certainly felt like an eternity. Once I got up, I was still slightly shaky, but almost completely better. I was able to go to the last two stops of the event!

My sister Ebie is a PA, and bless her heart- she needs to start charging me by the phone call. I called her when I left to make sure she thought the baby was fine, I was fine, and I didn’t need to go see a doctor. I was feeling fine at that point, so I headed on back to Southaven. I followed her orders and checked my blood pressure at Kroger the next day, and it was completely normal. So relieved that story ended happily! Now, back to the last 2 stops that I am so grateful I was able to participate in!

Stop 3: Athleta

Athleta just opened recently at the Shops of Saddle Creek, so it was my first time walking into the new store. The best part- the A/C was cranked up, and it felt SO good in there! I had already planned to shop instead of participate in the light fitness session they were offering, but that whole almost passing out thing solidified my decision. And then they canceled it anyway because we were all dressed up in our cute blogger clothes.

Athleta was generous enough to give us gift cards, so I went ahead and used mine and grabbed a couple things for my mom for her birthday! She had mentioned liking this shirt, so I grabbed a couple for her. She knows I got them for her, so I’m not ruining the surprise! She doesn’t know what colors I got though. :)

Stop 4: Brahmin with Rise Biscuits & Donuts

Our last stop was at Brahmin. They had some more cute drinks and delicious biscuits and cinnamon rolls. I had a blueberry biscuit for a little sweet treat, and it was AMAZING! Brahmin also very generously gifted us this Harley Melbourne bag in tinsel. Crossbody bags are my favorite, so I’m excited to take this one out next time I get all dressed up!

Do you see why I titled this post A Blogger Event I Will Never Forget? Between the amazing planned stops, the unplanned almost fainting spell, and the unimaginable kindness people showed me, this event will be a night I always remember.

Thank you so much to the Shops of Saddle Creek, J.Crew, vomFASS, Rise Biscuits & Donuts, Pandora, Nail Bar & Co., Athleta, and Brahmin for hosting the most fabulous blogger event! And thanks to you for reading this long post! Have a wonderful day!

Shop the Post:

(My dress is from last year, but I have linked a dress by the same designer that is available this year!)

All You Need to Know About the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale

The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale dates have bean announced, and I am ecstatic! This enormous sale happens twice a year, and these sales are always some of my favorite days of blogging. I LOVE chatting with y'all about what all you score and the amazing discounts that Lilly offers! Now, let's get into the details!

What is the sale?

Lilly Pulitzer rarely offers discounts, except for during their After Party Sale, which happens twice a year. During this sale, items are majorly discounted. Not just 20 or 30 or 40% off. Think bigger! Dresses can be scored for under $30! If you're familiar with Lilly prices, you know that is a steal!

When does it take place?

In store: September 8-9

Online: September 10-12

We have a Lilly store in Memphis, so I am going to try to get over there this weekend! That way I will have an idea of what is included in the sale, and I can share pictures of some of the best items included in the sale when my post goes live early Monday morning!

How can I prepare?

Create an account. By doing this, you will be ready to go when the sale goes live Monday morning! You can click here to create your account, or check to make sure all of your info is up to date if you already have an account. This is so important because items sell out SO fast during the sale. Items are not necessarily yours just because they are in your cart. You are not guaranteed an item until you check out. Having an account can save you time and beloved sale items when checking out!

Also, if you have Lilly items in your closet, check the sizes. Everything sold in the Lilly sale is final sale, so you obviously want to do your best to know what sizes to order!

What can I expect when the sale goes live?

Lilly Pulitzer uses a virtual line system. So come to my blog first thing Monday morning, click the direct link to be taken to the sale, and be prepared to wait in a virtual line. The earlier you click the link, the better. And the more devices you use, the better chances you have of getting in faster! I will be clicking the link from my phone and laptop. Last sale, I got in with my phone within a couple of minutes. However, I didn't get in with my laptop until over an hour after the sale had started.

The wait time can say crazy things. There are so many Lilly lovers trying to shop the sale at one time, so don't be alarmed if it says there are 47,932 people in line ahead of you and your wait time is 3 hours. It usually ends up going a lot faster than they predict! People probably get scared by the wait time and click out of the sale. Don't do this! Once you click into the sale, don't click out! When you click out, you will have to start your wait time completely over again. If you stay in there, your wait time will keep getting shorter and shorter until you make it in!

What will be included?

Last year, I had a friend say she had a couple of things in mind that she wanted to purchase from the sale. The things she wanted were newer items. Brand new Lilly items are typically not included in the sale. Lilly removes all of the items that will be included in the sale from their website a few days before the sale begins, so things that you see on their website now will most likely not be included in the sale.

However, there will be a huge variety of Lilly items included in the sale. I have personally purchased dresses, sweaters, tanks, Elsa tops, shirts, popovers, pajama pants, cardigans, shorts, skorts, beach coverups, beach bags, flip flops, and bathing suits. The deals are amazing!

What I'm Looking for:

Last year, I was on the lookout for nicer silk dresses because I had so many wedding festivities to attend. I purchased some beautiful ones. This year, I am looking for sweaters and comfortable dresses. Lilly Pulitzer dresses have been my number 1 favorite thing to wear while pregnant. They are stretchy, lightweight, and so comfortable. They are also a closet staple while not pregnant, so I know they will be a safe purchase to make!

What am I missing?! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I am SO excited about this sale and will be back first thing Monday morning before the sale goes live, so that you will have a direct link to click and get waiting in the virtual line! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day! And I will give you one more link to create your account because it is so beneficial! You can click here to create your account or update your info!

20 Week Bumpdate

I cannot believe that we hit the 20 week milestone yesterday! Time is flying and also somehow ticking by kinda slowly at the same time. We get to go to the doctor today! I've never looked forward to going to the doctor so much! Today is baby boy's anatomy scan, and we cannot wait to see him!

14 Weeks- 20 Weeks

• Due Date: December 25, 2018
• Baby is the size of a: banana (20 weeks), zesty zucchini (19 weeks), sweet potato (18 weeks), pomegranate (17 weeks), avocado (16 weeks), navel orange (15 weeks), peach (14 weeks)- all of this info came from The Bump app
• Total weight gain:  12 lbs since before baby (What to Expect When You're Expecting suggests gaining 2-4 lbs in the first trimester and 1-1.5 pounds per week in the second trimester.) I'm right on track, but whoa- that number was not pleasant to see on the scale. Guess I need to let that go since it's only going to continue to grow. 
• The bump: I was so excited when Parker's mom and our sister-in-law told me they saw a little bump! They also said that I am carrying low, which is common when expecting a boy. Once they said that to me, I finally actually saw it myself. I got Parker to take a picture in my bathing suit, and there was no more questioning it! Photo below under the 19 weeks section. :) I'm 20 weeks along- I'm ready to be out of the did she just have a big meal or is there a baby in there phase!
• Symptoms: I got sick for the first time. I know it is more common to get sick during the first trimester, but I never did. The nausea was real, but I never actually got sick until week 14. And one more time at week 16. I get extremely tired at night and start to feel sick if I try to stay up late, so I don't. I go to bed before the exhaustion/sick feeling kicks in. My sense of smell is still really strong, and the smell of seafood in the grocery store still makes me feel nauseous.
• Food cravings: fruit, Sour Patch Kids, plain Cape Cod chips, chicken salad, chocolate chip cookies, chips and salsa/queso/guac, peanut butter, Gatorade Zero
• Food aversions: grilled seafood, grilled chicken, vegetables with a slimy texture (like zucchini)
• Sleep: Great! The Unisom and Vitamin B combo makes me sleep very well.
• What I miss: beer/ fun drinks on vacay! I haven't ever missed it while at home, but when I was at the beach and the lake, I definitely wanted to crack open a beer or enjoy a bushwhacker like the rest of the fam.
• Movement: not feeling any yet. I'm hopeful it will happen soon!
• Maternity clothes: these Zella maternity leggings- they sold out during the Nordstrom sale, but they are back in a few sizes. I love them so much that I gave them 5 stars and wrote my first review on the Nordstrom site. I said- These leggings were my first maternity purchase. I LOVE all Zella leggings, and these did not disappoint! Medium is my usual size, but I didn’t really know what to get for maternity. I ordered medium and large, and I like the fit of the medium WAY better than the large. They both fit pretty similarly in the legs, but the large was way too roomy in the band part at the top. I’m keeping both just in case I need large closer to the end of pregnancy, but I suggest going with your true size. Medium is perfect for me!
• What we are most looking forward to: the anatomy scan and doctor's appointment today at 2:00!
• Apps I've used: Ovia Pregnancy, The Bump, and Glow Nurture
• Products I've been loving: Same answer as the first trimester- leggings (specifically these) and sweatshirts (specifically this one), pills for nausea, What to Expect When You're Expecting, I have heard lots of bloggers say they use oils and things to prevent stretch marks, so I need to look into that
• Purchases for baby: this fluffy bear jacket is all Parker and I have purchased so far, but my mom has stocked us up on some sale items from the N Sale and some baby boy clothes she has scored on sale! I shared some of them on Insta stories yesterday! Some of her finds include: this little puppy sweatshirt and sweatpants set, this DockATot, this Little Giraffe baby blanket, this Little Giraffe towel, this Mustella newborn arrival gift set, this Halo sleepsack swaddle, this Halo sleepsack wearable blanket!

Weekly Fun

Week 14- We went on vacation for the 4th of July! We went to visit my family in Orange Beach. Our trip included fun at the beach, pool, and lots of amazing restaurants! You can find my Orange Beach Travel Guide here. We also went to Florbama of course. I think it was the first time ever that I ordered a virgin daiquiri, and I'm here to tell you that it was delicious! On our drive back to Southaven, I got sick for the first time. And then Bailey (our dog) did. That ride back was not so fun.

Week 15-Nordstrom started their big anniversary sale for cardholders. I spent a lot less this year than I did last year! I haven't been doing a lot of shopping lately because I honestly don't know what to buy for myself. I have truly been living in leggings and pullovers. I did add to my comfy clothes collection because I know I will be able to continue wearing these things throughout pregnancy.

Outfit Details: pullover | leggings | running shoes

Week 16- We announced we were having a baby here! I am still so grateful for the outpouring of love we received! We went to the doctor thinking we would find out the gender of our baby, but we did not get to at this appointment. We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat with a doppler though! It said his heart rate was 145 beats per minute! And we got back a lot of blood work. The doctor said all of the tests came back great, and we have a healthy baby! However, I had it in my mind that we would find out our baby's gender, so I was so disappointed when we did not! Our nice doctor scheduled us to come back in exactly one week for the ultrasound lady to give us this info! I spent so much time on Pinterest this week looking at gender prediction charts. About 95% of them showed that we would be having a girl, but I had a gut feeling from the very beginning that we were having a boy!

Week 17- We found out we are having a baby BOY! Check out all the details in this blog post. 

Week 18- The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale went live to the public, and I did lots of N Sale blogging. Sharing a picture below with my favorite items because they have been restocked (now that the sale is over- insert eye roll emoji). I also craved chocolate chip cookie dough, as well as chips and salsa/guac/queso. I never got that egg-free cookie dough. However, I did get to eat chips and salsa/guac/queso at On the Border with Parker for our weekly lunch date!

Outfit Details: Pullover | Leggings | Running Shoes

Week 19- Parker finished Phase 1 of his job here in Southaven, so he actually had a real week off where he could enjoy a relaxing vacation! We went to his parents' lakehouse at Gap Lake and enjoyed a very relaxing week with his family! This was the first time I realized I actually had a bump! Warning- If bump pictures make you uncomfortable, close your eyes and scroll past the next picture! I didn't think I was going to be one of those girls that put their hands like this, but I learned quickly that when you do not, it is not a flattering look (or at least it wasn't for me anyway).

Outfit Details- swimsuit | similar Lilly Pulitzer sarong | sunglasses

Week 20- Yesterday was the day we hit 20 weeks, so I don't have much to report. Although we did go to the doctor today for an anatomy scan! The ultrasound was longer than usual because the lady thoroughly checked the baby’s heart, brain, spine, kidneys, arms, legs, facial features, etc. At one point, I said- so is he looking healthy? She said l can’t answer that. Only the doctor can tell you that. I immediately felt terrified. If she knew the baby was looking healthy, she could easily say yes, right?? From that point forward, Parker and I were both worried out of our minds. Although he did not tell me he was until after he got home from work. We were called back to the doctor’s office (ours was out, so we saw a different one), and we had to sit there for 40+ minutes wondering what was going on and dying to ask how our baby was. As soon as the doctor walked in, she said she had looked over all of the results, and everything she saw was good and showed that the baby was healthy. She confirmed that the ultrasound lady is not supposed to tell us how the baby is doing and only doctors can do that (at this office anyway). Immediate relief flooded over us. We asked quite a few questions, and we left feeling immense gratitude and relief that our baby boy is looking healthy. We will go back in 4 weeks, and I will be tested for gestational diabetes then. That’s it for now! 

Other Baby-Related Blog Posts:

1st Trimester Bumpdate

We're Having a Baby BOY!

Baby Goodman Coming Christmas 2018!

Thanks so much for reading!! Have a wonderful day!

We're Having a Baby BOY!!!

Parker and I found out yesterday that we are pregnant with a baby BOY! We are overjoyed and SO excited to finally know this precious info! We are 17 weeks pregnant, and baby boy Goodman is due Christmas day! The 150 day countdown is on (so thankful for the invention of apps that tell us fun info like that)! 

We looked at various old wives' tales and about 90% of our answers told us we were having a girl. However, I have had a feeling since the very beginning that it was a boy. At our first doctor's appointment, my doctor looked at me and said what are you having? I said is this a trick question? Do you already know what we're having? He said no, but you do. A mother's intuition is the most reliable gender predictor. All of those old wives' tales are bologna. He was 100% correct in our case. 

Like I mentioned in my pregnancy announcement blog post, we thought we were going to find out the gender at our doctor's appointment last week. However, that didn't happen, so our doctor scheduled us to come back for an ultrasound yesterday. 

As soon as we walked in, I asked the ultrasound lady if she could write down the gender and put it in an envelope, so that we could find out via cupcake filling a little later. She said of course and as soon as she found the baby, she said he was face down with his legs crossed. That made it difficult to find out the gender, so she let us just watch him for a few minutes.

She referred to the baby as she or her, before and after she found out the gender. Parker didn't notice, but of course I was thinking did she slip up? Is it a girl? Or is she tricking us, and is it a boy? She kept it consistent though, and said she or her the whole time! We got to see all 5 fingers on one hand, his face, his spine, and he gave us a thumbs up at one point (pictured below)! I couldn't believe how much bigger he looked than the last ultrasound when we went in at 11 weeks. He's taking up lots of space in there! He is currently the size of a pomegranate according to 2 of my apps- The Bump and Ovia Pregnancy (this is the first time they have both said the same thing).

After a few minutes, she turned the monitor off, so that we couldn't see anymore and determined whether it was a boy or girl. She put the pictures in an envelope and included "it's a boy" on a couple of them! It was pretty hard to not bust into that envelope early because it was just held together with one piece of tape.

I had called a few bakeries on the way to our appointment. I didn't realize how hard it was to order cupcakes filled with icing. One place said they would need 5 days, and another place said they didn't offer cupcake filling. However, I ended up finding the most precious bakery called Old Towne Bakery in Olive Branch, which is basically right next door to Southaven.

The man I talked to on the phone was SO friendly. He told me the lady who fills the cupcakes was there in the morning, so I needed to let them know what to fill the cupcakes with... obviously I did not know what to fill them with, so I ordered 2 vanilla cupcakes filled with pink icing and 2 vanilla cupcakes filled with blue icing- best idea on my part because they are SO good!

Before we went to the cupcake place, we went and enjoyed lunch at our favorite restaurant- Tazikis. It's in Memphis, so we don't get there as often as we would like. Thanks to Ebie and Patrick for my birthday gift card- lunch was on them! Then, we drove to Old Towne Bakery. We walked inside, and it was the cutest place and the owner was SO nice! We gave him the envelope, and he brought us the cupcakes. He told us the cupcakes in the container with the sticker were the ones that were filled with the color of our baby's gender. The other container didn't have a sticker.

I got him to take our picture, and he told us that we better get out of there before he spilled the beans and ruined the surprise for us. We walked right outside, and there was a precious little table and chairs set. Olive Branch is very small, and we were in the downtown area that is adorable! We sat right down, and I of course had to snap a photo of the unopened cupcakes. 

Then we opened the box, and Parker said he was full from lunch and didn't want one. So I pulled one out, and the white icing on top sort of slipped in my hand... and I was able to see the tiniest bit of blue poking through. Parker could immediately tell from my face that I saw it. I've never been one who could hide facial expressions, so I took a big bite in an effort to get far enough in there to show him the BLUE icing! Such an exciting and special moment!

I shared this exciting news with our family and a few close friends yesterday. Some people asked me if I was excited... I have always been a girly girl and only grew up with a sister, so I think some people might have assumed I wanted a girl. However, I could not possibly be more excited! I have honestly never prayed for a boy or girl specifically. I have only ever prayed for a healthy baby, and we are beyond thankful and excited that God blessed us with this baby boy! His plan is perfect and has been far better than we ever could have imagined!

I am also beyond thankful for your love and kind words! When I shared about our pregnancy last week, I was overwhelmed in the best way! Y'all made it the most fun day, and I cannot thank you enough! The timing of the big Nordstrom Sale couldn't have been better either because this baby boy has already been gifted this DockATot, this Little Giraffe baby blanket, this Little Giraffe towel, this Mustella newborn arrival gift set, this Halo sleepsack swaddle, this Halo sleepsack wearable blanket, as well as some precious baby boy clothing (that was just ordered yesterday)!

You can click here if you missed the blog post where I shared our pregnancy announcement. As always, thank you so much for reading! And I hope you have a great day!

Last thing- because all I want to look at now is precious teensy tinsy baby things, I'm linking some of the most adorable baby things included in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! 

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Starts Today!

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale started at 2 am this morning, and I have been up since around that time getting this blog post ready for you! I learned last year just how big of a deal this sale is, so I hope I can be the best resource for you this year!

Early Access starts today. What that means is Nordstrom cardholders can begin shopping the sale. If you do not have a Nordstrom credit card, then you can still check everything out, but you will not be able to purchase items at the sale prices until the sale goes live to the public on July 20.

I got a Nordstrom credit card last month for the sole purpose of this sale because the deals are outstanding, which means things sell out FAST! Nordstrom has free shipping and returns, so you can place as many orders as you want without having to worry about that. With that said, if you see something you like, purchase immediately! I missed out on quite a few of my favorite things last year, so I made sure to purchase quickly this morning! If you don't have a credit card and want to shop today, you still can get approved today! Click here to apply for your credit card! 

Last thing before I get into my sale picks- the things included in this sale are mostly brand new fall items. I know it's kinda hard to think about sweaters and boots when it is still so hot outside, but it is the best time to buy these items because some of them will never be restocked and some of them will never be put back on sale again. I know I'm excited to stock up my closet with brand new fall staples while they are on sale!

My Favorite Items in the Sale

In this section, I'm sharing the best basic pieces that I purchased last year and LOVED or have purchased today! This sale can be overwhelming, but I try my best to only purchase the best basic pieces that I know I will get a lot of use out of!

Thread & Supply Wubby Fleece Pullover (sale: $51.90, regular: $78)- This was the first thing I put in my cart! I saw so many bloggers with this soft fleece pullover last year, and I wanted it so badly! It sold out so many times, but I was finally able to order my own today! I got it in the color charcoal. Nordstrom suggests sizing down one size because it runs large. I like things like this to fit oversized (and I know I will be growing), so I sized up to a large.

Zella Leggings (sale: $35.90, regular: $54)- I got these last year, and they were my most worn item that I purchased from the sale BY FAR! The most comfortable and only leggings I want to wear! They can be worn for exercise or with regular everyday clothes. If you are just purchasing one thing from the sale this year, I suggest these! You can click here to check out the cropped pair (perfect for exercise) and here to check out the maternity pair that I ordered!

Spanx Faux Leather Leggings (sale: $72.90, regular: $110)- I also got these last year and love them! They are SO flattering! If you are in between sizes, I would size up. 

BP Moto Leggings (sale: $25.90, regular: $39)- I got these last year in olive! They are the most affordable pair of leggings that are also super soft and comfortable! Worn with this tee that is also part of the sale!

BP V-Neck Tee (sale: $11.90, regular: $19)- These sold out so fast last year that I never got my hands on one. I did get the long sleeve version in white, black, and olive though. I wore them on repeat all fall and winter. They are the best basics for such affordable prices and SO soft!

BP Long Sleeve Scoopneck Tee (sale: $18.90, Regular: $29)- This is the tee that I was just talking about! Perfect fall and winter basic that I got in white, black, and olive last year. These will sell out fast! I had to work hard to order my 3 last year during restocks! It is pictured above with the olive moto leggings!

AG Skinny Jeans (sale: $149.90, regular: $225)- AG makes my favorite designer jeans. If you are going to splurge on a pair of jeans, I highly suggest these! The fit is fabulous, and they are so comfortable too! The Farrah is another style that I love.

Plush Throw (sale: $25.90, regular: $39.50)- the softest and highest quality blanket you will ever find for this price! It comes in 17 colors! I have one, and I'm ordering more! My mom, sister, mother-in-law, and I all have it. And I have gotten several of them monogrammed and given them as Christmas gifts and baby gifts! I can't recommend it enough!

The Best Tops

This Free People tee (sale: $31.90, regular: $48) is such a fabulous long sleeve basic tee! The length and soft fabric are my 2 favorite parts. It comes in 7 colors, and it will sell out quickly! I am wearing it here with my favorite Zella leggings and Hunter boots that are both also included in the sale! 

The Best Sweaters

This Free People thermal (sale: $44.90, regular: $68) is adorable, comfy, and comes in 4 colors! 

The Best Cardis

The Best Outerwear

The Best Leggings

The Best Jeans

The Best Dresses

The Best Home Items

This plush throw (sale: $25.90, regular: $39.50) is the softest and highest quality blanket you will ever find for this price! It comes in 17 colors, and I'm ordering more! My mom, sister, mother-in-law, and I all have it. And I have gotten several of them monogrammed and given them as Christmas gifts and baby gifts! I can't recommend it enough!

The Best Shoes

The Best Boots and Booties

The Best Beauty Products

I shared my favorites, and I'd love to hear what your favorites are! Please let me know if you have any questions about anything! I'm always happy to help! I cannot wait for my purchases to come in! Thanks so much for reading! Have a great day!