Birthday Memories

Well, here we are, another month of the summer has flown by, and it's the beginning of August: one of my favorite months of the year! Not only is my birthday this month (18th), it is also DH's birthday (17th...yes, our birthdays are one day apart) AND our anniversary (30th)! After 5 years of marital bliss, I still haven't decided if this was good planning or a bad idea, but it does seem to result in some pretty fun/creative gifts. Last year we were blessed to be able to travel thanks to some generous gifting in August. I gave DH a hunting trip in Montana and we spent 5 thrilling days in mountain country. I rode a horse every day for at least 3 hours and my bum has never been so sore, but it was exhilerating! Our lodgings and hunting guide were at Broken Arrow Lodge & Outfitters.

Then, in November, we took an 11-day trip to Croatia. It was incredible. We had seen the country featured on one of our favorite travel TV shows (Anthony Bourdain) and immediately knew it was on our list of places to visit. We also knew we wanted to start trying for a baby in 2013 and this trip was sort of our "last hurrah" (our last big trip was our honeymoon in Ireland, also a wonderful place). We didn't really know what to expect from Croatia except that it looked beautiful and exotic on TV, the food sounded great and the culture varied. And this was all that we came to experience. Our tour with Gate1Travel included an itinerary from northern Croatia (Opatija) through several cities down to Dubrovnik on the southern coast, and up again to the capitol of Zagreb, then a couple days in Slovenia. We got to see just about every corner of the country who landscapes are vast and varied, from green, misty mountains to rocky beaches, wide plain lands and deep forests. It was right out of a Tolkien story (and yes, I was reading The Hobbit throughout out trip). It was a wonderful adventure for both of us, and we have memories from this trip that will last a life time.

I have tons photos that I still love sorting through from this time, and several that I would like to paint. I'll share just a few...







Even though it's just the beginning of August, Fall is already on my mind -- and these are my beautiful memories from around this time last year!

Nursery Design

I've been contemplating nursery ideas pretty much since I found out I was pregnant -- it's only natural, right? Decorating our home is a fun hobby (and I consider decorating on a budget as a special challenge), so I've been Pinterest-ing left and right for stylish nursery ideas. I didn't want to settle on anything, though, until we found out the sex of the baby. Now that we know it's a BOY (hooray!), I've got lots of ideas to work with! Here are two that seem to be the top-runners:

Blue & White Nautical Nursery

Navy Plaid Nursery

The biggest determining factors are really cost and color. The top mood board is primarily Pottery Barn furniture and decor (=pricey!); and the bottom board is all Target and World Market items (about half the price). I love the look and feel of both boards, and both cribs are convertible so the goal would be that they last many years! The other questions is color: do I want white wood or dark wood? White definitely feels very suited to a nursery, and I love the light, bright feel of it. But I also feel like it might show more wear and tear. The dark wood feels more "boy-friendly" to me (and I especially love that pop of color with the little red nightstand). Both have a somewhat nautical theme going on (ships, anchors, sealife, etc.), which is a nod to DH's love of deep-sea fishing, pirates and ocean life.

I'm also learning a lot about what's considered "safe" in the world of baby products. Low VOC paints, BPA-free products, all-natural fabrics -- we've come a long way from lead-based paint on cribs! But why don't we care so much about this stuff for adults? I mean, babies turn into adults too, right? Of course I know it can be more harmful to a developing little immune system, but it's certainly making me more aware of the harmful chemicals or products that could be lurking in my own home at this very second! Scary! Best book purchase on the subject so far has been Baby Bargains, plenty of reviews and straight-up advice about which products are best and which to skip!

So, I guess I'm taking votes at this point: which nursery style do you prefer?

What I Wore: Summer Maternity Style

Summer doesn't ever come slowly in Chicago. It always smacks you right in the face with a 99-degree day in the middle of July. It stays cold and rainy from March to June and then, one day, it just hits. Last week we had some of those 99-degree days: hot, humid, sticky, sweaty, gross. Boy am I glad I'm only 5 months pregnant! I can't image hoisting myself in and out of this heat any further along. Thankfully, the latter months of my pregnancy will be once the cool weather returns (really, the majority of weather in Chicago is on the cooler side except for about 2.5 months in the summer, so I shouldn't complain). I'm just grateful that the sun is shining and the sky is blue!

One of my fun tasks these days is figuring out how to dress my changing body with maternity-appropriate styles that are both flattering and comfortable. I don't want any Kim Kardashian-style wardrobe malfunctions going on. And I don't really want to splurge on a whole new set of clothing considering I have a pretty great wardrobe already and I really only have 5 months left of "the bump". I recognize I'll probably be sneaking in some "maternity" clothes post-partum as well, though, so I'm trying to purchase pieces that will transition through the next year or so. My weekend outfit seems to hit the nail on the head. I spent Saturday bouncing from one activity to the next (indoors and out) and this outfit served me well through the day. And not a single piece is labeled "maternity"! Although my bump is not really "out there" quite yet, I have definitely had to adjust the types of clothes I'm wearing, and I feel like this outfit offers the perfect balance of style, comfort, affordability and longevity. Love it!

Striped Foldover Maxi Skirt - Peacoat (Wet Seal) $19.90 

Mossimo® Women's Microrib Tank - Light Heather Oatmeal (Target) $9.00

Women's Denim Jacket - Dark Worn (Old Navy) $34.94 

Women's New Classic Flip Flops - Black (Old Navy) $3.00

Portia High Wedge Sling - Red (Payless) $15.00

I love this maxi skirt because it has a foldover waist that is so comfortable and easy to adjust for length -- it can be worn with flats or heels! The tank from Target I purchased in XL for a little extra length and width as the belly grows. So far it hasn't gotten too stretched out, and is the perfect length to work well with other maternity pieces (like the jeans with those annoying full-belly panel, ick). As for the denim jacket, I've never owned one in my life and I've always thought they were so cute. No need to go maternity in this piece because I really don't ever foresee trying to button it up -- that would just look weird, right? Although this was the most costly item in my outfit, I think it will work for many seasons to come. I paired it with black Old Navy flip flops (cheap & comfy!) for running around during the day, and popped on some cute red wedges for dinner out with friends. I didn't really wear much jewelry but if I had, it would have been something like this:

Chunky Red Necklace with Wood Clasp - Red (World Market) $19.99

 So basically, the entire outfit is non-maternity and on the less expensive side. Pieces that will last me through the next several months, and hopefully into next summer as well! I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with putting together a successful outfit, don't you?