maternity wear basics

I remember the days when I longed to be pregnant, gleaming at every pregnant woman I saw and imagining myself in cute, stylish maternity clothes.  And then I became pregnant, and was stuck in this in-between stage for quite a while.  You look like you just ate a big burrito, your pants are starting to feel snug but they still zip, but wearing a fitted top didn't feel quite right.  Fortunately for me, this in-between stage was during the summer time where I lived in dresses, maxi skirts, and workout clothes.  I knew that I would have to break down and buy maternity clothes, especially with the beginning of the school year right around the corner.  

So, at 23 weeks I embarked on the maternity clothes journey....

We had a budget, and I had to plan on buying clothes within that budget that would carry me through fall and the beginning of winter when it was still 100 degrees out.  I was pretty saddened at everything I saw.  Lots of items seemed either over priced or not my style.  Then I walked into H&M and just started grabbing everything I liked and waltzed into the dressing room.  About half of the items I found worked, and I was very pleased with all of the prices.  

H&M Finds:  

sweater// jeans// leggings// top

Motherhood Maternity was the next stop and I was definitely pretty stingy.  This lace top is one of my favorites!  It has been perfect for this time of year when it is boiling hot outside still.  Paired with a pair of slacks and heels and I'm done!  Layer with cardigans and blazers when it starts cooling off!  And these henley tops are ridiculously comfortable!  

Motherhood Finds: 

solids// stripes// lace top// tunic

With the beginning of the school year I'm definitely tried to stretch many of my pre-pregnancy dresses.  Let me just say that empire waists are my saving grace!  I spotted this adorable blazer at Target for on sale for $30 and knew I had to get it!  It is definitely my go-to piece in my closet.  Layered with the Liz Lange tanks from Target (most amazing things ever) and I'm done!  

dress// maxi skirt// tank// blazer 

Now I know that you're seeing a pattern with all of these clothes...there's lots of gray and there's lots of black.  I didn't want to buy anything patterned so that I could mix and match more often, and my plan is to use pops of color in the form of scarves, shoes, and necklaces.  

Currently I'm on the lookout for a pair of red skinny jeans without breaking to bank, so any suggestions would be great!  

And just for fun here are some outfits as of late...

{virtual} coffee date

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If we were having coffee this morning I would tell you that I truly and deeply miss coffee.  There's just a way that warm mug fills my soul with warm fuzzies, and the tea lattes lately haven't been cutting it.  On the bright side, I have been in love with some half-caf lattes, but I just miss waking up to a steaming mug of rich coffee.  

If we were having coffee this morning I would be brutally honest and tell you that I've only worked out once this week.  Once!  Yikes, I'm pretty embarrassed to put that out there.  Hopefully that number will increase to three as long as I actually get my weekend workouts in.  Lately, the afternoons have been brutal on me and my motivation wears thin once I come home.  I'm really trying to give myself grace and not buy into the lies that fill my head, and celebrate each workout as a success not a number. 

If we were having coffee this morning I would tell you that I hate printers!  Being in escrow means having to print so many documents, and our printer all of a sudden has no explanation for not wanting to work.  It seems like every time we get one step closer to closing, there's one more thing to print and I just want to throw my hands up! 

If we were having coffee this morning I would tell you that this weekend we have no big plans, and I'm pretty ecstatic because all I want to do is clean my house.  And not because I enjoy it-because it is a mess and I just want some cleanliness up in this joint.  

If we were having coffee this morning I would tell you that God has been teaching us a big lesson.  This past Sunday our pastor reminded us how to treat those that hurt us, want harm against us, or just rub us the wrong way- we have to pray for blessings upon them.  That same day, one of Daniel's co-workers decided to use Facebook to vent their frustration about a work situation and used some pretty inexplicable words towards him.  Thankfully, they didn't say his name, but we knew exactly who it was pointed at.  And instead of getting angry we were reminded of God's calling to pray for blessings upon her, and that's what we did.  

If we were having coffee this morning I would tell you that I just scheduled my first chiropractor appointment ever...ever..and I'm pregnant.  I've been having some sciatica pain and my doctor is just so amazing.  She recommended her chiropractor that specializes in prenatal care, making me feel a bit better about going to one.  I'm really hoping that it helps this girl out! 

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful coffee date with you and hope you have the most splendid weekend! 

september favorites

I just love that October is right around the corner and little glimpses of fall are around every corner.  Now if only San Diego would get with the program and cool off a bit!  Tonight as we were driving to dinner with some couples from our bible study, the clouds were dark and gloomy and there was a little crisp in the air, and I loved every moment of it.  Sadly, this weekend is shorts weather again.  All I want to do is wear boots and scarves all day, curl up with a homemade tea latte and a blanket, and burn pumpkin candles.  

Here is what I was loving on this month: 

This book by Ann Voskamp is just challenging me in new ways-holy moly!  I love the raw voice in her book, the way that the words have to be read over and over for me to fully grasp every piece of what she is saying, and whenever I put the book down my view point has changed for the better.  This book has forced me to look at the blessings in my life, even the tiny minute ones- like steam rising from a kettle in the mornings.  Each of these beautiful little moments add up to an amazing life! 

Raven + Lily is an amazing company.  My mom's spirit for empowering other women has driven me to seek out companies that help with this cause as well.  They help employ women in Ethiopia, Cambodia, India and the United States.  I've been swooning over the scarf for the past week, just waiting for the right moment to finally but it.  

All I want to do is burn this candle all day long!  I've been dying for some good fall/winter candles from Bath & Body Works, but have also been waiting for them to go on sale.  When I finally broke down and was ready to pay full price, they were actually on sale!  It was meant to be.  Typically I don't like sweet candles, but this one is the perfect mixture of pumpkin, spice, and sweetness.  

Firmoo to the rescue for cute, new glasses!  I love the fact that your first pair is free and you only pay for shipping and handling.  I was super nervous that they weren't going to fit right or look funny, and I'm so glad my fears did not come true.  I'm smitten! 

Trader Joe's has done it again!  This tea is amazing!  I search high and low for Twining's Winter Spice tea this time of year, and am lucky to find two boxes anywhere.  It is so delicious.  When I saw this tea for only $1.99 I had to give it a try.  The first cup completely won me over, and the smell is just wonderful. 

I've never been a leggings person, and then I got pregnant.  Oh, mama.  These H&M leggings are all I want to come home to after work! 

You know when you just need that one new item to make you feel a little bit better?  For me it was a new curling iron, and this one was perfect for a low budget and good quality.  This is Jilbere brand and I picked it up at Sally's Beauty for $32! 

how to celebrate the first day of fall

Well, the only logical way to ring in this glorious season is to go apple picking, silly!  I know you must be thinking "that apple looks a lot like a pear".  It sure is a pear, and I never knew you could go pear picking!  We are privileged to live so close to Julian here in San Diego, home of "Apple Days" and beautiful apple orchards.  Two years ago, my sweet friend Co and I went on our very first apple picking adventure.  Sadly our timing wasn't great and we ended up having to find apples from the ground because we waited so long to finally get up there.  

This year we made it our goal to go to Julian early in the season, and we definitely hit the jackpot!  On our way up we looked up where to go and came across O'Dell's Orchard.  It had amazing reviews, and it was a pear orchard.  Who wouldn't want to go pick some delicious pears?  The couple that runs the orchard were just the sweetest bunch, I wanted to hug that dear old lady and take her home with me.  After we got our fill our pears, we strolled down the street to Volcan Valley Apple Farm. 

What shall I do with all of my pears and apples?  I'm planning on making this ginger spiced pear bread and this slow cooked apple butter!  Happy Fall! 

26 weeks

"Absolutely perfect"-direct quote from my midwife.  I love going to my appointments, seeing our little man grow and development just as he should, and have been thanking God everyday for how perfect this pregnancy has been! 

 I'm one day shy of 27 weeks, and can barely believe that I'm approaching into my third trimester.  There's moments that I forget I'm pregnant until I look down, and then a rush of emotions flood over me thinking about these sweet blessing of mine.  Our little guy is quite an active one.  We like to think that he will definitely be a soccer player one day with all of this kicking that is taking place.  And now I can feel more movements versus just kicks.  It's a bit crazy feeling him twisting around and we have spent many nights just watching my belly move.  

Some "26 weeks pregnant" things include:

-I'm esctatic I can still button my favorite pair of green jeans!  With that being said, they're the only pair of non-maternity pants I can wear.  And it has definitely been an adjustment wearing maternity clothes...more to come, trust me! 

-People in public finally ask me when I'm due!  I wanted to hug the woman who first asked me, but was pretty sure she would get just slightly weirded out.  

-Sciatica pain is a real thing.  For me, it's just on my right hand side and flares up when I've been on my feet all day long.  

-My wedding ring still fits, but my finger decided that it completely dislikes it, and I've acquired a lovely little rash on my ring finger. This means having to wear it less, which makes me feel so self conscious for some reason. 

-My energy is still up, which I'm so thankful for.  I'm assuming that it will start to decrease shortly, but I'm also really praying that it keeps up with my active schedule.  

-I'm still running!  Mind you, I have to pee the entire time, and I probably look quite ridiculous as I waddle down the road-but it's exercising! 

-Everything still tastes normal, and coffee still is my biggest turn off.  I've completely adopted tea lattes, and am thanking my lucky stars that pumpkin spice lattes taste quite lovely to me! 

-All of our doctor's appointments are scheduled through the end of the pregnancy, and this blows my mind.

-We're visiting the hospital where we'll deliver at next month and everything just keeps getting more and more real.  I can't wait! 

this soup is my hero

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Wednesday was a day.  

And that means it was a day that I'm glad is over and done with.  

I've been a bit more emotional this week (no clue why???), feeling overwhelmed, and then attended a meeting at work that just didn't go as I assumed they would've wanted. 

My better half, Daniel, was busy at home on his day off gathering paperwork to submit for escrow.  And suddenly a very important document was missing, and he searched the entire house for it with no luck.  Deciding to get out of the house for some fresh air, he realized that the closet doors we wanted for the nursery don't come in the size we need.  So he continued back home to find out that the HOA is making us get rid of our barbecue.  

Needless to say that by the time I got home, we were both fizzled out.  Frustrated.  Exhausted.  And running on fumes.  

So we got out of the house and ended up at Panera for dinner (my absolute favorite), where I tried out their autumn squash soup.  This.  Soup.  Will.  Save.  This creamy, savory, and delectable soup just melted all of our worries, it made me stop and slow down, take some deep breaths, and know that these worries that fill our mind will soon melt away.  I know I'm going pretty far by saying that this soup has magic powers, but for me, it felt magical.  It tasted like fall, and comfort, and home.  

And we ended the evening with a walk around our neighborhood, neither of us wanting to go home and return to the mess that we left behind.  

Now I'm dying to make this at home, and am hoping that this recipe will do the trick.

friday nights are therapeutic

Last year when I was dealing with some pretty bad anxiety problems I learned a lot about myself.  Along the way, and with the help of an amazing Christian therapist, I learned to love myself more and more and give myself grace.  It seems so simple to type this now, but when I think about what it really means to "give myself grace" my mind starts going to all the places in my life that I need to let go.  

One thing that I knew I needed to start doing more of but had a very challenging time doing was self-time.  Self-time is basically what it sounds like, taking time for your self and doing something that will fill you up.  This doesn't mean cleaning the house or running that errand so I can check it off my list.  It does mean finding something that I thoroughly enjoy that I can reasonably do.  As much as I'd like to list "pedicures" as my self-time, I just couldn't spend that money every week.  Along the way through the journey that I went to, I found things that I love to do, that make me feel good about myself, and that cost little to no money.  

And this Friday night I realized that I've been missing out on the easiest ever self-time.  You see, the Mr. works until at least 10pm every Friday night.  Usually that means I come home from work, throw on my stretchy pants, and lay on the couch for a solid three hours.  This is truly something that only happens on Friday nights.  I started feeling guilty about the fact that I was being "wasteful" with my Friday nights by spending them doing absolutely nothing.  So I resolved that Friday nights would be my laundry nights.  And two weeks ago, I set out to make that happen only to come home utterly exhausted.  Needless to say, laundry didn't happen.  

This Friday night was a bit different.  I planned on going to a yoga sculpt class, and then I decided I should make myself some dinner and not just eat leftovers.  So I preceded to do just that.  Yoga was cleansing, challenging, and left me oh so sweaty.  Just what I love!  After yoga, I ran to the store to grab last minute ingredients and then decided that tonight would be my "self-time" night.  So I swung by Redbox, grabbed a movie, and headed home.  

On the menu was Oh She Glow's falafel with a twist with tahini-lemon dressing.  Cooking is my release, and it brought me so much joy to cook just for myself.  

Afterwards I decided a sweet treat was necessary to enjoy with the movie so I opened THE FIRST can of pumpkin (because it needs to be documented) and made a two-minute pumpkin pie.  

Then I propped my feet up, grabbed a spoon, and watch the movie fully engaged.  There was no computer open, no emails to respond to, no Instagram.  And it was in that moment that I had cared for myself so much that night-emotionally and physically.   And that is how I intend to spend my Friday nights from now on!  I highly encourage you to find where you are treating yourself, taking care of yourself, and filling yourself up! 

{virtual} coffee date

If we were having coffee this morning (and it would either be a tea latte or some pumpkin goodness) I would tell you that I am exhausted.  And I'm usually pretty good at pushing through this exhaustion, but lately I have felt my body screaming to me to slow down.  This has been hard for a girl-on-the-go, who thrives on a busy schedule.  And saying no to workouts has also been pretty tough on my soul as well.  I'm trying with all my might to not feel guilty and focus on this beautiful gift growing inside of me. 

If we were having coffee this morning I would share that now that we have the furniture in the nursery, I feel completely overwhelmed with decorating it.  I'm just so thankful that the painting is over and done with!  Now we just need new closet doors and for this lady to get some motivation to get started.  

If we were having coffee this morning I would share that my dear husband is having a pretty stressful time at work.  My heart breaks when I see the anxiety inhibit his sleep, and I have been reminded how important it is to pray for your husband.  I've been praying like crazy for this love of mine, and trying to serve him better in his love language.  And can I admit that it is harder than one might imagine, and it made me realize how much time I spend on myself, or my work, or cleaning and cooking, and less on his heart and goodness.  

If we were having coffee this morning I would share that the yoga studio by my house called me up and offered me 6 more free classes!  This made my week!  

If we were having coffee this morning I would share that my best friend, Andrea, moved up to the bay area a month ago and it finally sank in this week.  All I want is to go on a run with her, make a latte, and paint our nails.  And while my heart is breaking, I'm so happy for her and her husband and am dying to take a road trip to visit her!  

If we were having coffee this morning I would share that I am pretty excited that we have a very laid back weekend planned.  This means lots of cleaning to put me at ease, followed by down time and soaking in some relaxation!  

fit & fabulous pregnancy: breakfast

Staying healthy and active is my priority during this pregnancy, and I've reaped so many benefits from it!  These endorphins are fabulous, plus my body has felt great through this pregnancy so far.  To read more about some ways I'm staying fit and active check out my post here.  

Today I wanted to share with you some ideas for my absolute favorite meal of the day: Breakfast!  

Just in case you were wondering here are three things you must know about me:

1. I have to eat a banana everyday. 

2. In the mornings I wake up with a growling tummy. 

3. I treasure the mornings, especially breakfast, and will wake up early in order to sit down and eat breakfast.  

Does anyone else wake up hungry?  And no, it's not pregnancy related.  Every morning I truly look forward to making my breakfast.  You can call it my thing.  It's my self-time, and fuels my soul.  So it is important that I fuel my body for a busy day!  

My quick go-to breakfast is a smoothie, always with spinach or kale.  My usual concoction includes 1 c. almond milk, a frozen banana, frozen mango, ground flaxseed, and either protein powder or greek yogurt.  Lately, I have been eating a slice of gluten free toast with my smoothie as well to help keep me full.  

I'm sure you're wondering what is underneath that egg!  This would be a bowl of leftover quinoa, spinach, an egg, and guacamole.  I definitely crave eggs, especially when they're a bit runny.  Yes please!  This is power packed with protein and delicious! 

Lately I've been consistently making toast with avocado, with two eggs on top, add some salt and pepper and I am ready to bring on the day!  This is quick, easy, and so delicious.  It also keeps me full for a good three hours.  

Oatmeal comes and goes.  It is a beautiful staple, especially when mixed with bananas and topped with a spoonful of almond butter!  Lately it has just been too hot to consider eating my oats.  

What is your go-to breakfast???

never forget

We all have a story.  And we will forever remember where we were when our story began. 

For me, I was driving to the bus stop with my neighbor.  It was tenth grade. And the teachers were told not to talk to us students about it.  My history teacher disregarded that, and we watched CNN for the entire period. 

I remember being so confused, I didn't understand what was going on, and I remember feeling like I should be crying but the tears just wouldn't come.  Saying that out loud is so hard to admit now.  Now when I have a deeper understanding about what is going on in our world, what 9/11 meant back in 2001 and what it still means today.  And I'm forever grateful that I'm finally educated myself on this world and country that we live in.  

Now my heart just breaks whenever the Star Spangled Banner comes on.  The tears rise up, and I don't let them stop.  And the person that I think of more often than not is my step-dad.  My parents married in 2008, the same year my husband and I were married.  And he couldn't be at our special day because he was taking the picture above.  He's the one holding the left hand side of the flag, in Afghanistan, and he was there through the Navy reserves-already holding a full time job.  He didn't see me walk down the isle because he is one of the most amazing men I know.  Humble doesn't even begin to describe him.  

So when I think about where my story began of 9/11, I'm so thankful that my story continually changes.  The meaning of this tragic event that has united our country taken on a more personal meaning as I'm surrounded by men and women protecting our country.  And as I am a soon to be parent, I want me son to know, to understand the country he lives in, so that he has a deep appreciation and is filled with gratitude every time he hears our national anthem.  

currently...

I'm writing this from our official nursery!  We finished all of the painting on Saturday, got the rest of the furniture moved out, and today the crib and changing table came to accompany our rocker.  (PS: Don't mind the "I desperately need a shower, it's crazy hot, and I'm cleaning the house" look)

                                           

I'm on cloud nine from our date night this weekend.  We had tickets to the Padres game and finally got to a game before the season ended.  I think they knew we needed a good night because they won, which-if you're from San Diego, know doesn't happen very often.  My highlight was seeing the sweetest boy with downs start jumping up and down when their closing pitcher came out, he was getting the whole crowd into his enthusiasm, and it made my cheeks hurt with how big I was smiling.  

I'm currently 6 months pregnant!!! We hit 24 weeks last Wednesday, and trust me-a pregnancy post is on its way.  All I can say is thank goodness I finally went maternity clothes shopping, but wish this heat would finally go away so I can wear everything! 

I'm swooning over this shirt for our little man...

Tiny Natives

I'm desperate for some pumpkin in my life.  It was all I could do to not buy a can of pumpkin when I went grocery shopping, but I refuse when it is still 100 degrees outside.  In the meantime, I will try to get in the apple spirit and dream of making these skinny minnie chocolate chip muffins. 

I'm watching Drop Dead Diva like it's going out of style.  We don't have cable so we use Netflix and Hulu Plus to entertain ourselves.  Since the fall season hasn't started for all of our shows I've been on the lookout for something to keep me occupied.  Can I just say that I love this show?!?  

 

I'm just overwhelmed with God's goodness through the latest She Reads Truth devotional on Daniel.  My heart is feeling all sorts of emotions, and I don't ever want this feeling to go away.  

My crafting itch is starting to creep up, and once I find time the first priority is to make a set of these

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I'm blown away by how amazing my class is.  Our first week was superb.  And rarely do you hear a teacher say that!  They are the cutest bunch, and I'm shocked at how I haven't feel as overwhelmed as I usually do at the beginning of the year.  I'm truly excited for this school year and love these little guys so much already!

our largest purchase yet

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Have you ever been in a season where you had no idea how on earth things would go?  This summer was a tumultuous season for us as we were thrown into house-hunting head first.  We weren't necessarily ready to buy a house, and so it made us scared, fearful, but we knew the only thing we could do was pray.  

My mom owns the quant condo we have lived in for the last four years.  It's perfect for us.  Two bedrooms, two baths...we've made it our own.  When my mom decided that she wanted to sell this summer we knew it would be coming, but we just weren't quite ready.  And let me tell you, houses in San Diego are ridiculous!  In our price range, the houses were tiny, old, and desperately in need of lots of love-which we knew just wasn't what we were ready to do.  

So we started looking in Temecula, a town about 45 minutes north of us.  And we decided we were ready to take the plunge, move farther away, and trust that God would provide us jobs, friends, and community up there.  The more we looked, the more we really thought we were going to buy a house.  And then things started crumbling.  Between houses being bought faster than you could blink, neighborhood disagreements, and the realization that our commute until we find jobs up there would be miserable.  Plus, we are having a baby in just a few months and are blessed to live so close to family.  Why would we move away from that?  

God opened a door, and we decided to purchase our current condo from my mom!  We wouldn't have to move.  We would be able to establish ourselves here, in this house, and invest in it.  We could build a community in our town, which we love with all of our heart.  And as soon as the thought came to our minds, and we started discussing all of the positive points, it was as if the black glooomy clouds that had been following us all summer long had lifted.  

What I struggled with was that we said we wanted to be open to where God wanted us, meaning God take us away, we're okay with that, and we will trust you in faith.  And now that we don't have to move, I feared that we weren't trusting God, going out on a limb for Him, living boldly.  And then I realized that sometimes God wants you right where you are.  He has other plans for us, and has blessed us abundantly with our family close by.  Plus, He also knows how much we can handle, and I'm pretty sure God saw me unraveling under the stress and anxiety of finding a house, moving right when work started back up, and be pregnant all the while.  

And so with that we began the crazy amount of paperwork that is involved, we started planning out what we will do to our lovely abode to fix it up a bit and make it ours, and we started melting into one another as we realized we are buying or first house.  It may not be a huge house, but I'm embracing living small and living simply.  And this condo is perfect for us right now.  

We are officially in escrow and would truly appreciate your prayers that everything continues to go smoothly! 

on the last day of summer

Yesterday was the first day of school and summer has officially ended for us.  And as much as I was dreading this day, I'm pretty glad that life is moving on and love the memories we made this summer.  On the last day of summer I was begging for some fun.  It just seemed like all weekend long we had work to do...house work, classroom projects, sewing projects, the list goes on.  So on Monday he could definitely tell that I needed to get out of the house. 

We started off the day with a walk to the Coffee Bean.  This has become a Saturday morning tradition for us, and since we didn't make it on Saturday we decided Monday was perfect.  I absolutely love this time!  While we were out and about we walked to the grocery store to pick up a last minute dinner item and swung by the hardware store.  Can I just say that I love the shopping center by our house, and the fact that we walked everywhere (and were sweating like mad the whole way home).  

Afterwards, my amazing husband labored on with the nursery.  He painted the ceiling while I cleaned the house top to bottom.  And then we power-showered and went to the movies to see We're The Millers.  (Side note: incredibly hilarious!)  At the movies we realized that we were amongst quite an older crowd, which made us feel slightly uncomfortable given the speech in the movie.  

That evening our sweet friends came over for dinner with their adorable little Sophia.  And my heart melted into a puddle all over the floor when I looked over and Daniel was making Sophia giggle and smile, and the smile on his face matched hers.  I don't know how I'll manage once our little guy is here, I'm sure I will continually fall in love with this man all over again.  

And at the end of the day, my heart was happy knowing that we were productive, that we spent quality time together, invested in our marriage, and spent time with wonderful friends.  I was able to seal off summer and dive head-first into my 5th year of teaching!