Giraffes - Now and Then

It's no secret that I love giraffes and elephants, so when I saw this tank at H&M, I pretty much had to buy it.  In college, I had a long sleeve tee that was white with black giraffe silhouettes all over it.  It was pretty cool, but it was also fairly cropped, so eventually I had to admit it wasn't working for me anymore.  The 4 inches of tank top at the waist wasn't a great look.  Anyway, I'm glad to have a new giraffe shirt.

And in honor of Throwback Thursday, here's a picture of me feeding giraffes in Kenya in 2006, in a shirt that was also more cropped than it should have been!  (But man, how skinny was I??  I really shouldn't look at old pictures right now!)



Cardigan: JCF
Tank: H&M
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity
Flats: Target (top 10 remix item)

Budget Rewind - April 2013

April 2013 was also big shopping month, because I went to visit my friend in Arizona, and we hit the outlets pretty hard.  Or at least I did!

Good
Gap Polka Dot Skimmers: $15 (originally $35) - love these shoes and I am getting nervous they will fall apart soon.  But I've definitely worn them enough to say they were worth it!  
Gap Pink Shorts:  $28 (originally $40) -  I went back and forth on these, because $28 is more than I usually spend on anything, but at that point, I was really struggling to find shorts that I liked in a decent length, so I went for it (plus they bumped my total purchase up to the point where I got an extra percentage off, so it worked out).  I think it was the right decision.  I'm not sure if I've worn these 28 times, but I have worn them quite a lot, and I think I will continue to wear them if/when I am back to a normal size.  
Gap Navy Cardigan $13 (originally $40) - 16 blog appearances, and many many more times worn.  This cardigan has been a closet rockstar.  It's starting to look a little faded, so might be time to search for a replacement.  
H&M *Black Blazer:  $15 (originally $25) - as evidenced by the remix post I did, I've worn this blazer a lot!  
H&M *Lace Tee: $10 - I wore this top so much that it started to fall apart.  Granted, it wasn't the highest quality piece, but it was well-loved for almost 2 years, and then I found a replacement that will hopefully last a little longer.  
H&M *Leopard Scarf: $7 - a leopard scarf had been on my wishlist, and this one has been perfect.  I've worn it a lot and continue to wear it!  
H&M Floral Scarf: $7 - this was an impulse buy, because I just thought it was really pretty.  It was a good idea, because the colors play really well with the rest of my clothes and I've worn it a lot.  
Banana Republic Striped Dress: $25 (originally $100) - one of my favorite dresses of all time!  Stripes in ALL THE COLORS are just perfect.  
Old Navy Striped Skirt: $7 (originally $23) - blogged 18 times, and worn many more, this is a favorite skirt for sure!  

Medium
H&M *Cobalt Necklace: $12 - slightly silly, but I do really like this necklace.  I just don't wear it as much as some of my other necklaces.  
Banana Republic Green Dress: $13 (originally $100) - I really love this dress, but it's just not the most practical for my shape.  The slit in the neck means I need to wear a scarf to keep it G-rated, and the fitted shape of the dress isn't great for me when my weight fluctuates (and then I think I look pregnant when I am not).  I haven't gotten rid of it, because it's SO PRETTY, but it should probably make it's way to the donation pile soon.  
Old Navy Black/White Striped Tee: $7.50 (originally $15) - in theory, a good idea, but the fabric on this tee was just too flimsy/clingy.  I didn't like they way it looked on me, and would always pick a different striped tee.  
Old Navy Blue/White striped Tee: $7.50 (originally $15) - same problem as the black and white version.  


Ugly
Gap Mint Tank Top $7 (originally $23) - first of all, why did I think $7 was a good price for a basic cotton tank?  And then it was just really thin, but clingy enough that I couldn't wear anything underneath it without looking lumpy.  Just a bad decision.  
Old Navy Green tank: $6 (originally $18) - so wrinkly and staticky.  It's just more trouble than it is worth!  
9 good, 4 medium, 2 ugly.  I don't know exactly what to make of my numbers each month, but I am impressed by all the really good things I have bought in April the past 2 years!  

Budget Rewind - April 2014

April 2014 was a big shopping month because I went to Minnesota for my cousin's wedding, and then my sister and nieces came to visit and they love to shop!  And we found some pretty great sales, so it was hard for me to say no to things, because they were so cheap.  Anyway, this means I have a fair amount of not Good items to discuss.

Good
H&M Leopard Cardigan: $15 (originally $15) - blogged 7 times, and I'm sure I've worn it more, and it is still one of my favorites.  I'm sure I'll get it to $1 cost-per-wear, and probably even lower.  
Gibson & Latimer black pencil skirt: $20 (originally $60) - 13 blog appearances, and I was able to wear it through most of pregnancy!  
Gap Outlet Purple blouse : $3 (originally $40) - well, for $3, you can bet it was easy to get the cost per wear under $1.  
Gap Blue/Navy striped skirt: $5 (originally $45) - an impulse buy, but I've worn it 6 times, and I still like it (and it is stretchy to fit while pregnant!).  
Old Navy Blue/white floral shirt: $5 (originally $25) - worn 5 times already, and I think it will be a post-pregnancy favorite.  
Gap Outlet Green BF cardigan: $10 (originally $40) - this had been on my list for a long time, so I'm glad I found it for $10!  
Gap Outlet Gray rhinestone flats:  $5 (originally $35) - I bought these as a planned replacement for my gray captoe flats, which are kind of falling apart.  I don't like these as much, but they are still a good shoe to have.  And again, they were super cheap.  
Gray shorts: $15 (originally $23) - I have worn these shorts a lot, just not always blogged.  And then I bought the black pair and wore those a ton as well.  Hopefully they will fit again at some point this summer and I can continue to wear them!  
Gap Floral top: $6 (originally $55) - I really love this top, but found it was weird for me to style, so I built my late summer 30X30 around it, and ended up wearing it a lot.  It was getting a little tight around the middle when I first got pregnant, so depending on how my body acts this summer, it may or may not get to stay in my closet.  But either way, I got my $6 worth.  
Navy lace sweater: $9 (originally $45) - Another one I really love.  I'm sure I've worn it 9 times, and will continue to wear it until it falls apart!  
JCF Navy/White stripe tee:  $8 (originally $33) - not the most exciting item of clothing, but I've worn it a lot, and navy stripes are a good staple in my closet!  

Medium
JCF Plaid Popover: $15 (originally $65) - I thought this was a really smart purchase when I made it, because I loved my previous plaid popover so much and it was getting too small.  But I've only worn this one a few times.  I still have it and like it, so I'm hoping I can wear it some more
Floral flats: $25 (originally $98) - totally ridiculous purchase, but they are so cute!  The problem is that  I can only wear them in the spring and summer, when there is no risk of rain.  
Gap Outlet Mint Polka Dot Popover: $11 (originally $40) - another one I thought I would wear a lot, but haven't.  Blame this one on ironing.  I just don't get things ironed very quickly, so sometimes items end up in the ironing pile for quite a long time and then they aren't in the closet to get worn.  I do think this could be a favorite post-pregnancy
Gap Outlet Pink striped dress: $12 (originally 60) - medium might be generous for this one.  It just doesn't remix well, so I've worn it a few times, but there aren't many exciting ways to style it that I can find, which is kind of boring for me.  
Gap Outlet Navy/white stripe sweater: $6 (originally $45) -worn several more times than I've blogged, this is probably on the good side of medium, but if I had left it, I don't think I would miss it.  
Gap Outlet Black ankle strap wedges: $9 (originally $55) - I'm slightly torn on these.  I've worn them a fair amount, but they aren't very comfortable, and were starting to feel a little snug the last time I wore them.  Of course, when I bought them, I didn't know I'd be pregnant and my feet might swell or even grow, so I shouldn't penalize my past self.  But for black flats, I probably could have left them.  


Ugly
Green striped blouse: $11 (originally $33) - stupid to buy this, but I realized it had never been worn a couple months ago and I am trying to work it into the rotation.  Hopefully I can turn this into a Medium or Good soon!  
White sweater: $9 (originally $45) - I love the idea of this sweater, but I think the proportion is just off on me.  Maybe it's too short?  I don't know.  I should probably get rid of it, but I will likely try to wear it a couple more times and see if I can make it work.  
Lucky Plaid blouse tank: $4 (originally $50) - worn once on the blog, and at least one other time that I can remember.  I think it just isn't quite my style, but I was lured in by the $4 price tag.  

11 good, 6 medium, 3 ugly.  I just need to figure out how to not buy the stupid things and then I'll be great!

More Shorts

Well, here's another very casual outfit from a day that was warm enough for shorts.  I'm loving the warmer April we are having this year!  And I'm loving these Loft maternity shorts.

I don't really have much to say today.  Here, I'll just throw out some random thoughts:

• My hair has been pretty amazing during pregnancy, but for some reason was extra fluffy on this particular day.  I've heard rumors that your hair can change drastically after having a baby, so I'm kind of nervous about what might happen.
• This tank top is one of my Top 10 Remix items, but this is the first appearance in April.  I guess I didn't really need 10 items?
• People are still telling me I don't look very pregnant.  Really???  I think I should just wear this tank top all the time, and then they will know the truth.  Not to mention these pictures are 11 days old, so I'm even bigger now.  

Cardigan: Gap factory
Tank: Old Navy Maternity (top 10 remix item)
Shorts: Loft maternity
Shoes: Sperry (top 10 remix item)

39 Weeks

Well, I'm officially 39 weeks pregnant, and while I know most first time moms go past their due date, I really can't believe I'm at this point.  I was so paranoid about having this baby super early.  According to my super helpful produce comparison app, that means he is roughly the size of a Crenshaw Melon.  If you don't know what that is, it's a type of Musk Melon, which I am also not familiar with.  Either way, we're talking close to 7lbs.  Totally ready to be born, right?

Oh, so weekend stuff!  Friday was my half-birthday, and since it's my last half-birthday before becoming a mom, John took me out for a nicer dinner.  I mean, you only turn 30.5 once, right! Might as well get some steak!  On Saturday, we finished up some little projects in the baby's room, like hanging the art I had made, and I'm still organizing things.  Then Saturday evening, our friends had a party, which was lots of fun, and then kind of awkward as we were leaving, like "so... next time we see you, we will have a baby..."  Sunday, I felt like I had been hit by a bus (RA + Pregnancy = not awesome), so I skipped morning church and slept as long as possible.  12 hours of sleep helped, but I was still feeling pretty rough, so mostly took it easy in the afternoon and then went to evening church.  And maybe got Dairy Queen.  It's difficult to say for sure.

How was your weekend?

Jacket: JCF (top 10 remix item)
Dress; Gap
Shoes: Target

April Shopping

At the beginning of April, I was hoping not to shop much.  Then I realized that I had almost no tops that would fit over my growing belly.  So, I adjusted my plan a bit.  Since the 2 pairs of shoes that I ordered from Target in March didn't work out, I had that gift card again to use, so I picked up a few maternity tops with that money. And then my sister came to visit and we did a little shopping, where I was able to find a handful of "normal" tops that fit now, and should be very comfortable in the months after the baby arrives.

Target:
Maternity black blouse: gift
Maternity Mint Tee: gift card
Maternity purple tank:  gift card

Gap factory
Blue striped hoodie: $15
Striped tanks (Mint and Yellow): $6 each

J.Crew Factory:
Mint tee: $5
Egret Tee: $10

H&M:
Giraffe Tank: $10
Blue floral tank: $10

Total Spent: $62

I feel pretty good about this month.  I'm still in that kind of awkward spot where I don't know what my body will be like for the next several months (or ever), so I'm trying to pick up pieces that should work no matter what size/shape I settle into this summer.  Lots of knits!

Link up with Fran and the other Budgeting Bloggers to share your April shopping stories!

New Necklace and Half Birthday

Can you tell I'm wearing these white jeans a lot lately?  I kind of love them, so I have to wear them as much as possible.  I think I wore this to a doctor's appointment last week, but honestly, the days are starting to blur together.  I do know that I was excited to wear my new necklace that my sister sent me.  Of course, I didn't get a good picture of it, because I am a negligent blogger.  But it's a silver pendant that says "Due in May" and has a little green birthstone on it.  It's pretty sweet.  (Thanks, sister!!)

Oh, and today is my half-birthday!  I still think it would be cool if baby decides to show up today, but he probably won't.  So I might just have to go somewhere fun for dinner.  Unless I'm too tired, of course.

Jacket: Target
Sweater: Kohl'sMaternity
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity
Shoes: Target
Necklace: gift

Threefer Thursday

Normally, I wouldn't even bother with these 3 outfits, but in the interest of fully doing the Top 10 Remix Challenge, I wanted to make sure I was documenting everything I leave the house in, and make sure it includes one of my items.  So, here are 3 outfits that I wore on random days running errands.  

#1 - I wore this for a day of running around with my sister and nieces.  You can see the top part of the outfit above in a photo of our traditional Krispy Kreme outing.  After eating too many donuts, we did some shopping, met John for lunch, and saw the Cinderella movie.  It was a pretty great day!  

#2 - I wore this outfit on one of the days my mom was in town.  We did a big grocery store trip and then spent the rest of the day making freezer meals.  Believe it or not, this is a different mint t-shirt than the one in the first outfit.  

#3 - This outfit is from Monday, when I was running errands on my own, and then had lunch with John.  It was a little chilly, so I took advantage and wore my new hoodie.  The stripes make me look extra pregnant!


Outfit details:
#1
Cardigan: Gap factory
Tee: Target maternity
Jeans: Old Navy maternity
Shoes: Sperry (top 10 remix item)

#2
Jacket (top 10 remix item) and Tee: JCF
Shorts: Loft maternity
Shoes: Converse

#3
Sweatshirt: Gap factory
Jeans: Old Navy maternity
Shoes: Sperry (top 10 remix item)

Black and Tan Dress Remix

I think it's time for a little remix collage action featuring one of my oft-worn maternity dresses.  I added this dress as an afterthought to my order of this navy lace dress (worn here) and this blue printed dress (worn here).  They were both too short, and awkwardly proportioned on the top, so I only wore them a couple times.  But this other dress, that I was unsure about even ordering has turned into my favorite of the three.
*I'm getting slightly out of order on posts again.  These are from April 2nd.  So, a few weeks ago!

I'm sure I wore this more than 5 times, but here are the different ways I wore it and actually thought to take pictures.

1/2/3/4/5

I'm not sure, but I think this dress might work pretty well as a non-maternity item, as long as I don't feel weird wearing maternity clothes when I'm no longer pregnant.  I mean, no one would know unless I had a blog where I told everyone these things.

Jacket: JCF (remix item)
Dress: Younker's maternity
Necklace: Old Navy
Belt: Madden
Shoes; Payless

April Showers (and one in March, too)

I've been mentioning various baby showers over the past couple of weeks, so it's about time that I actually blogged about them!  I continued my trend of failing miserably at taking photos, but luckily, other people take pictures at such events, so I was able to steal their evidence.   (Thanks!!)

First up, here's the one that my friend Brooke threw for me.  This was friends/family (except most of my family lives far away, so they are saving their trips for later this summer to actually meet the baby.  This did not stop them from sending gifts!).   She did a safari animal theme, complete with zebra cakes and a "Match the baby animal" game.  There are some weird names for baby animals, of which I have already forgotten.        

Next, my church threw me a shower.  The theme was Peter Rabbit, even down to the food (carrot cupcakes, veggies, strawberries covered in orange chocolate to look like carrots)!  The timing worked out for my sister and nieces to be in town for this one, so the girls were the official gift carriers and brought me presents to open.  (Epic fail - I didn't get a picture with my sister!)

And last but not least (and chronologically first), my co-workers had a shower for me back in March, before I retired.  We had it at a local restaurant, so we ate dinner, played some games, and then the presents piled up, and of course, had some dessert.  One of my co-workers brought her one-month old baby, so I got to practice holding a pretty new little one.  She was super calm, but my kid was going wild punching and kicking me while I held the other baby.  I think he was feeling possessive or something.

Baby showers are so incredibly overwhelming.  I cannot even put into words how amazing it is to be surrounded by friends and family who care so much and are so generous.  Babies need a lot of stuff (or at least, we think they do), and so much of it has been given to us.  It's a huge blessing and I cannot thank everyone enough for planning and attending and showering us with gifts!

A note on the Top 10 Remix:  2 of these showers were in April, and I wore both of my remix dresses, as well as my pink cardigan.  So far, so good on the challenge!

Shorts Weather

Well, it's kind of chilly again today, but last week we had a few days where the temps were high enough for me to wear shorts!  And I was happy to do that, because I bought this maternity pair from Loft for about $5, and they are awesome.

So another Monday.  We are exactly 2 weeks out from my due date, so I am feeling like this kid could show up today, or in 3 weeks.   I'm hoping he's a little early, but not sure I'm ready just yet.  Maybe later this week would be good.  I think it would be fun if he's born on Friday, which is my half-birthday.  You hear that, baby?  Friday would be great!

Cardigan: JCF (Top 10 Remix item)
Top: Loft Maternity
Shorts: Loft Maternity
Shoes: Target

Substitution - Leopard Flats

Well, since I haven't been working for the last couple weeks, and I've had family in town, I pretty much have lost all track of what day it is anyway, so why not have a Saturday post?  Plus, I have all these Top 10 Remix outfits to deal with.

Since the striped flats from Target didn't work out, I needed to make a substitution.  I decided these leopard flats would be a good option.  I wore this outfit for an afternoon of shopping with my sister and nieces.  They accused me of not dressing like myself, because I normally wear colors.  I had to explain that maternity clothes aren't as easy to find in bright colors.

Jacket: Target
Top: Loft Maternity
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity
Shoes: Target (top 10 remix item)

Staying Home

So, I need to tell you guys something:  I quit my job.  Well, that sounds harsher than it ought to.  I retired?  At least for now.  I'm going to try the stay-at-home-mom thing (although, I prefer "leave-the-house-any-time-I-want-or-need-to-mom") and see how that works out for us.  And since I knew I wasn't going to be taking an actual maternity leave, I decided to be done a few weeks before my due date, to have some time to rest up and hopefully accomplish all the crazy little things that I want to get done.  And I'm glad I did, because I have had visitors for the last 2 weeks, and it has been awesome to not have to worry about work!

Warning- I might get a little ranty here...

It's really weird to explain the "stay-at-home-mom" plan to people.  I've learned that there are very strong opinions about this decision (as with every parent-related decision: it's insane!).  A handful of women go into rants about how it's the best decision ever, and they stayed home with their kids, and they just can't believe that everyone doesn't do it.  Another subset seems to think I have betrayed all women by abandoning my career for the menial task of taking care of a baby, and won't I be so bored?  And how will I pick back up if I want to start working again???  The good news is that most people seem okay with either option, and just say they are happy for me, and we go along on our ways.

To be 100% clear - I know plenty of amazing parents, some of them stay home, some of them work part-time, some of them work full-time.  They all love their kids and are doing what works best for their own families and their own situations.  (Apply this logic to pretty much every parenting decision anyone can make).

So for me, for my family, for right now, quitting my job is the right decision.  I'm super excited that I won't have an end date to staying home with my baby.  If 3 months go by (or 3 years), and I want or need to go back to work, maybe I will.  Or maybe I will never have a job again?  I really don't know.

And I might get in trouble for saying this, but I keep seeing posts on Facebook or wherever about how stay at home moms should get paid x-million dollars a year, because they are the daycare, and the laundromat, and the cook, maid, therapist, blah blah blah.  While I do think it's important to value parents who stay home, that kind of thing annoys me.  Moms and dads who work also do the laundry, right?  Also cook dinner?  Also care for their children the majority of the hours in the week?  I mean, I've been working for the last 8 years, and no one says I should get paid extra for vacuuming the living room on the weekends.  It's called being a person.  Sure, I could hire a personal chef to cook for me, and it would cost $13000 a year.  That doesn't mean I should get paid $13000 a year to feed myself.  Right?  Okay, don't hate me for saying that!

Oh, and I still get to like weekends because it means John isn't at work.  So Happy Friday!


*this is the outfit I wore on my last day of work, a couple weeks ago.  The blog is all out of order at the moment!

Cardigan: Gap factory
Scarf: JCF (top 10 remix item)
Tee: Target maternity
Skirt: Macy's

Third Thursday - White Pants

I have been absolutely the worst at reading blogs lately, which means I almost missed the Third Thursday Threads prompt.  Good thing I was perusing Twitter yesterday afternoon and saw Bri's tweet about it.  And double good thing that white pants are one of my current maternity staples!

I wore this outfit on Monday for a doctor's appointment and to run some errands with my mom.  She is headed home today, but we had a pretty great almost-week.  We go SO MUCH accomplished, and I can't imagine how much longer it would have taken me by myself.

This top was an Easter present from my MIL.  She has pretty good taste, right!  It was a no-brainer to pair it with my white jeans and a fun-colored cardigan.

I'm a fan of moms and moms-in-law.  Or at least, I am grateful that I have pretty amazing ones.

Cardigan: JCF
Top: Target Maternity
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity (top 10 remix item)
Shoes: Target

So Cliché

I'm pretty much a walking cliché right now.  You'll find me waddling around with swollen ankles, probably eating ice cream.  So why not be even more basic and stand by this sign?   Seriously though, I'm pretty grateful for the close parking right now!  More stores need to get on that (I'm looking at you, Target).  

Anyway, halfway through April and I'm still hanging on with the Top 10 Remix Challenge.  We will see how long I can last.  Go check out Sarah's blog to see how everyone else is doing! 

Cardigan: Gap outlet

Necklace:F21

Dress:Old Navy Maternity (top 10 remix item)

Belt: Madden

Shoes: Target

Do All The Projects

Well, I'm officially in "do all the projects" mode.  Yesterday, my mom and I went to buy some more fabric for a few more sewing projects, and I'm hoping we can get those done in the next couple days, as well as preparing some meals for the freezer.  It's fun to have a sidekick to runaround with and it makes the work a lot easier with 2 people!  Hooray for moms!

And here's an outfit from I don't remember when.  A couple weeks ago?  Anyway, I do love this camo jacket, even if it doesn't currently zip.  

Jacket: Old Navy
Shirt: Loft Maternity
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity (top 10 remix item)
Shoes; Target

Another Week, Another Visitor

So I mentioned that my sister and nieces were visiting last week.  The day after they left, my mom came out, so she and I are hanging out this week.  I've recruited her help with my long list of tasks to accomplish before baby arrives, so we will be doing some sewing projects and prepping some freezer meals.  I'm pretty excited that she was able to come out for a few days.

I'm also pretty excited that baby is 37 weeks now, which means he wouldn't be considered "premature" at this point, and might not even have to visit the NICU.  That makes me really happy.  And I think we have most of the necessary items for him now, too.  Carseat is installed, bassinet is put together, and I've got a drawer full of diapers and wipes.  So pretty much this kid can come whenever he's ready now.  Of course, I am aware he'll likely take the full 40 weeks or longer, but it's nice to get to a point where I wouldn't panic completely if I went into labor.

Cardigan: JCF
Necklace: F21
Belt: Chinese Laundry
Dress: Loft Maternity
Shoes: Old Navy

Crazy Week

.  

It has been a wild week around here!  I mentioned that my sister and nieces came to visit, so we spent the last few days cramming in as much fun as possible.  They love to shop - and I think we went to every Justice and Claire's within a 10 mile radius of my house.  Needless to say, we had a blast, and I am exhausted!

Somehow, the otherwise gorgeous spring we have been having disappeared while they were in town and it was all cold and rainy.  And then yesterday, as we were getting ready for my baby shower, the rain turned into snow!  Completely crazy.  And of course, they left this morning, and today is supposed to be in the 60s and sunny again.

Anyway, this is an outfit I wore last week to work.  It's probably not wise that I was still squeezing into this non-maternity skirt, but it's stretchy, and I wanted to wear this outfit.  I originally planned to wear my black flats, but then the shoes I ordered from Target arrived that morning, and I thought the pink shoes were a fun addition.  Unfortunately, the other 2 pairs of shoes that I ordered didn't work out, so I returned them.  

Scarf: H&M (top 10 remix item)
Tee: Gap
Skirt: Gibson&Latimer
Shoes: Target

Swiss Chard

That's how big my baby is at the moment, allegedly.  Or at least how long/tall he is?  I guess he weighs about 6 pounds, which doesn't sound like a lot until you are carrying it around in your belly.  Pregnancy is so weird, you guys!

Anyway, I have my last baby shower tonight, so that should be fun!  Plus my sister and nieces have been keeping me busy for the last couple of days, so I may just sleep for 48 hours straight when they leave.

Jacket: JCF (top 10 remix item)
Sweater: Old Navy Maternity
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity (top 10 remix item)
Shoes: Target

Easter

Easter Recap!  So, normally we spend Easter with John's family, but this year his parents were out of town and his sister was with her fiance and his family, so we were on our own.  It was actually really nice to have a super relaxing day (as our last holiday before baby arrives).

We went to church, and then came home and made ourselves a little Easter feast.  I think it turned out pretty good!  It was also a completely gorgeous day, so we sat out on the deck for a little bit and just enjoyed the afternoon.  For me, in my current state of hugeness and exhaustion, it was the perfect holiday!

And I wish I would have belted the dress, because I just really think that would have looked better.

Jacket: JCF (top 10 item)
Dress: Loft Maternity
Shoes: JCF
Necklace (not that you can see it): Limited

Tea Party Outfit

The best thing about this dress is that it was free.  The next best thing is that it was a little bit too big, so it still fits me when I am 8months pregnant!  I should probably have gotten it taken in a bit originally, but I'm glad I didn't, because I was very excited to wear it to the recent tea party that I attended.

Of course, I should be fired from blogging, since I didn't take any pictures at the tea party.  Just imagine a beautifully set table with pretty teacups at each place setting, and then imagine my friends all sitting around the table in pretty dresses, sipping tea and eating crumpets.  That's what it was like.

And then I went home and took pictures of my outfit next to the wall.

Jacket: Target
Scarf: JCF (top 10 item)
Dress: eShakti
Shoes: Target

The Final Countdown

Happy Monday!  So much happened this weekend, but I'll be writing separate posts for my baby shower on Saturday and Easter on Sunday, so I'll just keep this short and sweet.

John and I did go on a little date Friday night.  I think I'm in "we will not get to see a movie in theaters for a long time" mode, so I really wanted to see a movie.  Unfortunately, there's nothing super exciting out at the moment.  But I did want to see Insurgent, because I can't help myself when books become movies.  The good thing is that I don't really remember what exactly happened in the 2nd book vs. the 3rd book (or really at all), so I wasn't comparing much.  The bad thing is that the movie was kind of lame.  I actually liked the first movie quite a bit, so this one was a disappointment.  But hey, it was something to do that we won't get to do as easily in the near future.

Speaking of...  my baby registry tells me how many days there are until my due date, and it completely freaks me out.  28.  That's barely any days!  4 weeks sounds longer than 28 days, so I'm sticking with that.

And in other news, my sister and nieces are coming to visit this week for their spring break!  So who knows what kind of shenanigans we will get up to!

Cardigan: JCF (top 10 item)
Top: Kohl's Maternity
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: Target