Preggo Style: Stretching Your Wardrobe

A lovely lady commented on my last post and made me realize... this is what I should have said.

Moms, we all have HUGE, major, big deal jobs taking care of our kids. Raising them to the best of our abilities. Taking care of the little things like runny noses and scraped knees and taking care of the big things like surgeries and first days of school. 

Not only is our job as a mom a big deal. It can be tough.  It's hard to be sleep deprived, whether you stay home with the kids or not. It's hard being pleasant with whiny children, whether you stay home with them or come home to them after a day at work.  It's hard work, raising these children.

We're all doing our very best for our children, day in and day out.  And yes, it is incredibly rewarding to feel their little arms wrap around our necks. It's incredibly rewarding to hear them whisper, "I love you so much, momma." It's incredibly rewarding to feel so much love towards those little people that your heart feels like it could burst.

But it's tough. No matter what your job is, no matter what your title is.  It's a tough job being a mom. It's a busy job being a mom.  It's exhausting being a mom.  

And without a doubt, we all rock.

That's what I should have said.

Dress: Merona - Target

Boots: Shoedazzle

Blazer: maurices

And now I'll tell you how you can stretch your wardrobe to fit your growing bump. Basically, it's a simple formula. 

Stretchy dresses + blazers or cardigans = regular clothes that work on the preggo body.

26 weeks and 3 days... not that I'm counting.

I am loving my Jamberry nail wraps! They last on your fingers for at least two weeks, but I've been changing them out every 7 to 10 days because I want a new look. They're just so much fun! Have you heard of them?!?

Nail Wraps: Mint & Gold Stripe, Raspberry & Creme Dot & Vintage Chic

Necklace: Premier Designs Jewelry

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy, I Feel Pretty, What I Wore to Work and Passion for Fashion.

Pink Blush Maternity Review & Giveaway

Have you heard of the clothing company Pink Blush Maternity?  They are an online boutique that offers ladies like us trendy maternity clothes!  They recently sent me this maxi skirt to review.

 

I fell. I fell hard. I fell so in love.

25 Weeks, 3 Days (But who's counting?!?)

Tank: Target

Denim Jacket: Thrifted

Maxi Skirt: c/o Pink Blush Maternity

Wedges: Kohls

The fabric is incredibly soft and the fit is perfect. It has a nice stretchy waistband that can be worn below your growing belly (if you're tall enough) or above your belly, like I wore it (because I'm a shorty).

 

It's finally starting to warm up in Florida (don't hate me!) and I can see myself wearing this all spring and even throughout the summer, after Daisy arrives.

Today, I went nautical by pairing the bright coral stripes with a blue tank and denim jacket. Then I added these nautical nails with tiny orange anchors on them, which I'll tell you more about this week!

I can see myself wearing this skirt with so many different ways... With turquoise, with the Pantone color of the season, radiant orchid, and most definitely with some cute sandals and wedges as soon as it's warm enough!

How would you like to do a little shopping for maternity clothes yourself?? Pink Blush Maternity is offering one of you a $25 gift card to their site!!  Use the rafflecopter entry form below to enter. =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Any entrants who have won a giveaway from Pink Blush Maternity in the past 6 months, or have hosted a giveaway in the past 6 months, are not eligible to win a gift card again.**

I'm linking up today with Watch What I'm Wearing, Plane Pretty, Monday Mingle, Still Being Molly, The Pleated Poppy and Get Your Pretty On.

Preggo Style: That One Sunny Day

Well, we had one beautiful day sandwiched between the gray, gloomy cold days last week. I decided to make the most of it and wore a bright tee and a maxi skirt. All I was missing was a pretty pair of sandals and I'd have been ready for summer. However, my toes weren't even a little bit ready, so closed-toe flats were the way to go.

Now, if my Jamberry Nail Wraps had already arrived, I can promise you my toes would be in tip-top shape.

Tee-Shirt, Maxi Skirt & Necklace: Target (New)

Shoes: Target (Old)

The Rest of the Jewelry: Premier Designs Jewelry & Avon

24 Weeks

Have you heard of Jamberry Nails?  They are the cutest nail wraps ever. Seriously! There are over 300 different designs, so there's a wrap many wraps for every style! I'm currently giving away a free sheet of nail wraps over at Mix & Match Fashion. Make sure you head over there to enter to win!

I'm linking up today with Watch What I'm Wearing, Still Being Molly & Monday Mingle.

Have yourself a beautiful day!

Preggo Style: Belt It

Look who's back! (For the moment, at least…)

Sweater: Thrifted

Shirt: maurices (right now they have an extra 75% off sale!)

Skirt: Gift (Maternity)

Belt, Boots & Socks: Target

It's been a few weeks, I know. But I was busy with the holidays and traveling to Alabama and back to Florida and then to New Orleans. Then school started back up and I've been trying to continue training for a 15k in sub-freezing temperatures. That's probably been the toughest part of all of this!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I had big plans to run a 10k Saturday morning. Well, it was really windy and rainy. It wasn't incredibly cold, but it was cold enough with the rain to give a person a chill. I chose not to run (Ha! Anyone notice the slight Seinfeld reference there?) because I didn't want to risk wearing myself out in the rain and potentially catching something.  I've heard of so many heartbreaking scenarios where healthy people are catching this vicious flu and actually dying. I mean, young, healthy people! It's crazy and I'm terrified of getting it. Being a teacher, I'm in constant contact with all kinds of germy-ness. I'm hoping that a healthy diet (minus the almost daily occasional sugary treat), combined with exercise, my prenatals and an immune booster that I got from the health food store will keep me healthy until D-Day . . . which is exactly 20 weeks away, folks!

That's right, I'm halfway there!

Okay and now that I'm finished with my rambling, let's talk preggo style. I like to emphasize the growing bump with belts. I sometimes wear them under the bump, but more often than not, I wear skinny belts over the bump. I feel like it clarifies to the masses that I am, in fact, truly pregnant and not just growing in the abdominal region. I also like to wear skinny jeans/pants or leggings, as opposed to any other type of jean/pants. Here's why: I'm short. And even though my legs are not the skinny things they were this summer when I was getting ready for my itty bitty super sprint big triathlon, any other cut of jeans than skinny just makes me appear kind of squat. Especially when my belly is getting bigger by the moment and my boobs just won't stop growing.

So, the big question is, how do you dress your bump? Or you know, back in the day, how did you like to style your baby bump?

I'm linking up today with everyone because I probably won't get to post again until next weekend when I'm not teaching and I have a bit of brain power left over at the end of the day. You can find me and many, many others at Watch What I'm Wearing, Monday Mingle, Still Being Molly, The Pleated Poppy, I Feel Pretty, Mix & Match Fashion, Three-fer Thursday and Passion for Fashion.

Missy Missy Says So

Whenever this little miss is being bossy, I call her Missy Missy. Well, that's kind of a lot.  Missy Missy is going to be a great big sister. I mean, great in such a way that she is going to loooovvve bossing her little sister around someday.

Sweater & Jeans: Secondhand

Shirt & Purse: Target

Boots: Zulily

When we were playing school yesterday…
MM: Blah, blah, blah, blah (about teachery stuff)
Me: (browsing the internet on my phone): Uh-huh…
MM: (walks right up to me) I SAID put youse phone DOWN.
Me: (sets phone down in my lap.)
MM: Grabs phone out of my lap and sets it on the table and looks me in the eye) If you 'bey, I will give you a book to wead. But if you disobedient (It's weird how well she can pronounce that word), I not give you a book!"

Shirt: Old Navy Maternity

Vest, Jeans & Bracelet: Kohls

Boots: Sam & Libby for Target

Necklace: Premier Designs Jewelry

At the movies, the other day…
MM (very loudly): Momma, I hungwy.
Me: (whispering): Wait, just a few minutes.
MM (five minutes later, loudly): I sooooo hungwy, momma.
Me: (I rummage around in my purse and find a jackpot of m&ms.) Here, have a few m&ms.
MM: (five minutes later, even louder): I steel so hungwy, momma. Pease can I have popcorn?
(Now it was her first time at the movies. How does she know about popcorn?!?)
Daddy (leans over and takes Avi): C'mon, baby. Let's go get you some popcorn.

At Target, yesterday looking at baby clothes.
MM: Momma, we HAVE to get this blanket for baby Daisy. She weel love it.
Me: But Avi, it won't match her room. Her room is going to be yellow and blue.
MM: But momma, babies don't yike buh-lue.

While singing her a bedtime song…
MM: (finished singing Jesus Loves Me with me and utters a big huge sigh) I sing so fetty, momma.

Whenever she sees a baby anywhere.
MM: *squeal* Dat a baby, momma! A baby yike baby Daisy! When baby Daisy come out, momma, she gonna be so coot!

I'm linking up today with Watch What I'm Wearing, Still Being Molly & Monday Mingle.

Christmas Comes But Once A Year

Or three times a year, if you're part of our family.

We celebrated Christmas at our house on the 23rd. Then we made a quick little drive (that should have taken 3 hours, but took 4 1/2 because of an insane stop at Walmart to pick up the ingredients for s'mores) to Alabama. I mean, because you can't go the backwoods of Alabama when it's going to be cold without planning to make s'mores to go with your fire. But really, who in their right mind ventures into Walmart on Christmas Eve?? Apparently, everyone in the city of Selma.

That evening was filled with pizza making, Christmas candy eating and present opening… because that's how my husband's family does Christmas. One of the fun things about getting married (I mean, really, there are a lot) is that you get to experience the traditions of your spouse.  Today, has been incredibly laid back day. All of the gifts were opened last night, so today has been made up of playing board games, skipping rocks on the lake, and simply spending time together as a family.  A little while later, we'll all gather into the kitchen to make egg rolls because that's what his family eats on Christmas day.

So, that explains why I'm blogging on Christmas day. A day that should be jam packed full of family stuff. Well, it's quiet and relaxed and . . . I have time for this. So here I am.

But that only takes us to Christmas Number Two. In a few days, we'll venture over to the land of gumbo, crawfish and beignets. That's right. Our third Christmas takes place in New Orleans with my family.  I'm looking forward to walking through Christmas in the Oaks and going for beignets at Cafe du Monde. I think that is one of my favorite family Christmas traditions.

Okay, now on to a little Christmas fashion.

Here's what I wore on our first Christmas and second Christmas (with the addition of a snug puffy vest), and what I'll probably wear on our third Christmas too. =)

T-shirt & Red Jeans: Old Navy Maternity

Booties: JCPenney

Necklaces: Target & Maurices

Red fingernails: Opi

17 Weeks

I hope you all are enjoying your family today, whether you're kicking back and relaxing or running around from house to house.  Speaking of which, what do you do on Christmas?

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy, I Feel Pretty, Mix & Match Fashion and Three-fer Thursday with Perfectly Coutured and Everyday Fashion and Finance.

I Get Dressed

I do. Every. Single. Day.  I mean, I do have a job outside of the home otherwise I'd be sorely tempted to wear pajama pants and tank tops until I actually fit into maternity clothes. Currently, my real jeans and skirts aren't buttoning very well. I've had to go back up into the few bigger sizes that I have left in my closet.  Leggings are a growing girl's best friend! But you know the problem I have with leggings...  And don't get me started on dresses. I've always loved a good dress, whether it's a sundress or a pretty little dress I can wear with tights and boots. I love a dress. Well, when you're pregnant, dresses tend to hang over your blossoming belly and make everything from there down look just as big as your belly. It really doesn't help when you're well endowed in the upper body area. Yeah, so while getting dressed has been a challenge, I've embraced welcomed adjusted to it and I'm trying to continue to be my cute little ole self.

Here are a few of the ways I've gotten dressed over the past few weeks.

I tried my hand at mixing plaid and leopard print, in a very subtle way, to church a few weeks ago.

Shirt: Kohls

Skirt: Old Navy

Socks: Aldo

Booties: JCPenney

Necklaces: Target & Poshlocket

I also mixed stripes and leopard print, to work one day last week.

Tunic: Kohls

Leggings: Target

Socks & Belt: Aldo

Then I asked for your advice and didn't follow it last Sunday when I wore this little number.

Dress: Old Navy

Jacket: Thrifted

Belt: Kohls

And because you've got to see my almost 13-week (Yay, 2nd trimester!) belly.

Then the temps dropped and I needed to bundle up, so I did follow your advice the following day when I wore the exact same thing to work.

Scarf: Gift

See?

So, now, all I've done is proven to you that I've gotten dressed four times over the last two weeks and twice was for church. =)

That's better than not getting dressed (or documenting it) at all, right?

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy, Mix & Match Fashion, I Feel Pretty and Perfectly Coutured and Everyday Fashion & Finance for Three-fer Thursday.

While you're here, don't forget to visit Emeals (by clicking on the link in my sidebar) and use the code cyber for 30% off the most amazing meal planning service EVER! 

Teacher Style: Stripedy Stripes

We've begun preplanning this week, which means that not only do I get to meet my students at the end of the week, but I also get to start wearing real clothes and shed my "mom uniform" until the weekend. ;) Let me tell ya, I'm pretty excited that I get to dress up a bit more that I have in a while!

As school begins, I'll be getting busier and busier. I'm going to attempt a bit of a schedule and blog on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Sundays, you'll get a little bit of church style, along with an inspirational post if I'm feeling at all inspirational. I mean, I know I'm not all that eloquent, but if I'm feeling it, I'll post it.  On Wednesdays, we'll get a bit of teacher style and I'll share my teacher looks, along with any students stories I may have to share. Aaah, I can't wait for the student stories! I love those kids.  And then on Fridays, I'll share a weekend look with a story or two from my real kids... you know, the ones I gave birth too? Yeah, so that'll be the schedule for the next little bit.  And with that, let me give you my teachery looks for this week.

Monday

Dress & Belt: maurices

Necklace & Shoes: Target

Bracelets: Mostly Target

Bag: Aldo

Tuesday

Shirt & Skirt: Thrifted

Belt: Target

Sneakers: TJMaxx

Necklace: Rue 21

Bracelet & Rings: Kohls

So, there you have it, friends. This is my teacher style and I'm happy to be back at it. 

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy, Transatlantic Blonde, Rolled Up Pretty, Because Shanna Said So, Wardrobe Wednesday, I Feel Pretty, Three-fer Thursday with Perfectly Coutured and Everyday Fashion and Finance and Mix & Match Fashion. 

I'm back, baby!

Well, I'm back... for the moment, anyways. I literally have 22 messages waiting for me on my voicemail and a massive stack of files in my inbox, so I'll be brief. =)

Chambray Shirt: Gap, Thrifted ($4)

Turquoise Jeans: NY&Co ($30)

Purple Shoes: Shoedazzle ($20)



I had such fun teaching last week!  I can't wait to start interviewing, land a job and spend time with those cute kids every single day.  It's like my own little dream job. =)

All accessories: Target

What's your dream job?  If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?

I'm linking up today with the lovely ladies behind Monday Mingle!

Don't forget... you have until Thursday to enter my eShakti giveaway!!