Tuesday Randoms

Greetings, friends of the interwebs. Hope everyone enjoyed a fun and relaxing weekend!

-Sorry I was MIA on Friday. We traveled to Central AR to visit my parents on Thursday night for the weekend. I had (I thought) arranged for the link-up post to publish on Friday morning, but it looks like that didn't happen - so sorry! Not going anywhere this Friday though, so Confessional Friday will definitely happen : )

-Stephen is in New York all week for work, so blogging may be a little sparse while I corral two little girls. Luckily, my mom came back with us yesterday to help out for a couple of days, so that will be a huge help. Honestly, I've never liked staying alone while he's gone. (I watch way too much Dateline.) Now that we have two littles, I really, really don't like it. Thankfully, we have a top-of-the-line security system and a 100 pound German Shepherd to put my mind at ease when the mister is traveling. However, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice to have some company (i.e. Nana).

-I'm trying my hardest to get caught up on email and am slowly making some headway. If you've sent me an email, please know I'll write you back, it just may be a bit. (Read: hopefully within the year.) Thank you so much for your patience!

-The Game of Thrones: Season Five trailer is out. If you have HBO and aren't watching this show, start NOW. If you're a fan of the show and this doesn't make you as giddy as it makes me, then you need to have your head examined. April 12, y'all.

Confessional Friday: {Link Up}

What's that?? Oh, it's Friday you say?

SPLENDID.

Let's confess!

1) I confess that I ended up buying both the Miracle Blanket and the Woombie swaddles for Ainsley. Both are supposed to arrive this afternoon, so I'll let y'all know the verdict. Cheers to sleeping babies!

2) I confess that it feels great to be back to blogging after taking some time off for the baby's arrival in December! I have missed you girls so much. {Awkward hugs all around!}

3) I confess that the reason this link up didn't get published until 9 a.m. was because I FORGOT that today was link up day. I guess you could say I'm out of practice - whoops.

4) I confess that I tried on a pair of my non-maternity jeans yesterday and it wasn't exactly comfortable, (or attractive). I could button them using the old "lay on the bed and suck in like there's no tomorrow" technique, but I thought I was going to have to call Stephen to extract me from them. And good Lord - they certainly did no favors for my, um, silhouette. Still three weeks away from being released for exercise, so I think I'll stick to leggings and maternity jeans for a bit longer ; ) Or maybe indefinitely. Who knows?

By the end of the whole fiasco, I was beet red and sweating. I've also decided that the oh-so-cumbersome button fly must be the work of the devil. Elastic is where it's at, folks.

5) I confess that, with this second baby, modesty has completely gone out the window when it comes to breastfeeding. Now, I'll probably always use some sort of cover when I feed out in public just because I'm personally more comfortable that way, but there's a strange sense of liberation that comes with the second baby.

6) I confess that we survived our first week without any help here, as Stephen went back to work. I'd say, given the fact that it has been 16 degrees outside and we haven't been able to get out much, things went pretty well. I laugh to myself though because I remember right after we had Caroline and I thought, "Wow, this mom stuff is hard!" (And it is. Even one baby is so challenging. Parenthood is stressful/tiring/amazing no matter how many kiddos there are.) But, I realize now that I didn't know the meaning of tired then. Oh no, folks. I'd like to have told my naive self to try it with a 14 month old and a newborn. Most days, I'm sure we'll be a hot mess trying to get out of the house, but I know we'll settle into a groove eventually.

7) I pulled through the Sonic drive-thru Wednesday to get a coke and when I rolled down my window to order, noticed something in my hair. Upon further inspection, it was a piece of Caroline's macaroni left over from lunch.

If any of you would like a hair tutorial on THAT hairstyle, just let me know. It's an easy and delicious way to tell the world, "I've got my shizz together."

And that's that. Your confessions! (Actually mine.) Now tell me yours. 



   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Wednesday Randoms

Hello, hello! It seems we've reached the middle of the week, which can only mean one thing...only two days 'til Friday - hooray and hoorah for that.

Grab some coffee, sit back and enjoy a few random thoughts this morning ; )

1. If you're in the market for a cute pair of over-the-knee boots that won't break the bank, might I suggest the Ivanka Trump Sarena boot? I found them for $111 online, (regular $170), the best deal I've seen on these all winter. I used some of my Christmas moolah on these and I'm pretty pumped to bust them out for a date night, soon.  Anywhoodle, I thought I'd share the deal I found, in case you want them, too.

2. Confessional Friday WILL RETURN this Friday, January 9th! Be here ready to link up and spill your innermost thoughts. 

3. I posted this photo on Insta yesterday and got several questions about the lip color I was wearing. It's my all-time favorite: Estee Lauder gloss in Pink Innocence. Get it - you won't regret it.

(Don't worry, Mom. We were parked in the Starbies lot, not actually driving down the road.)

Estee Lauder Pure Color Lip Gloss in Pink Innocence

4. Has anyone tried the Miracle Blanket for their baby? I'm considering getting one for Ainsley because baby girl loves to be swaddled tightly. I've heard that these are complete game-changers. Honest momma reviews would be much appreciated!

5. We got a sneak peek of Ainsley's newborn photos that our friend/photog Bethany McGhehey captured on New Year's Day. I know she's mine and I'm obviously biased, but I think she's a beauty. So excited to see the rest of the pics Bethany took!

5. What is it about taking Christmas decorations down that makes you want to re-decorate your entire house? (Or in our case, decorate, ha!) Deep thoughts...

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Y'all have yourselves a fantastic Wednesday. I'll see you back here tomorrow for January's "Buy This -- Not That", so if you've got Christmas gift cards or money that you're itching to spend, be back here in the morning. It's my personal favorite post to write each month because, let's face it, it gives me the chance to shop for myself - oops! ; )

Three Things

I have a to-do list about four miles long today, but Caroline is taking a nap, so I'm going to sit here, eat my lunch and type.

1) American Horror Story: Freakshow starts tonight, friends. If you're an AHS junkie like I am, then surely you're on pins and needles, too. What's funny is that I have to watch this show with all of our lamps and lights illuminated, the dog in my lap and my finger poised over the mute button for silencing jumpy sound effects during tense scenes. Why do I put myself through the anxiety that comes with watching this crazy show? Because Ryan Murphy is a genius. That's why.

2) So, this happened: Last Saturday morning, I took a ginormous Tervis Tumbler of coffee out the door with me, bound for Hobby Lobby to round up some party supplies. The FedEx man pulled up as I was getting into my car, so I sat my coffee on the top of my car and met him halfway up our driveway to retrieve a package.

I don't know if it was the excitement of a solo trip to HL or if I had temporary loss of short-term memory, but I hopped in my car and began driving down the street. There was a group of landscapers working on a new house in the subdivision and they were waving manically at me as I pulled up to the end of our street. I thought, "Wow, they're so friendly for this early on a Saturday morning!"

It never dawned on me that they were trying to tell me to get the freaking half gallon of coffee off the top of my car until I pulled out onto the highway and...wham-oh.

Milky coffee went everywhere. All over my windshield, my side windows and even somewhat on the car behind me.

Want to feel like a moron?

Now you know how.

3) I need these. That is all. (And they're less than $30. Score.)

Midweek Ramblings

Is it really only Wednesday? This week has dragged on longer than the line at the DMV. Because one can only handle so many themed and well-planned-for blog posts, I thought I’d go off the cuff today and just…talk.

• I’m over the moon for my glucose test tomorrow. Said no one ever. Including me. No, it’s not that bad. Yes, I’ve done it before and, clearly, lived to tell about it. There’s just something very un-fun about having to chug a bottle of pure sugar on an empty stomach and then have a needle jammed into your arm. (I would also assume that gestational diabetes would be a lot more un-fun, so I’ll just shut up and do the test.)

• Now, if they’d give me a Coke or pumpkin spice latte to drink instead of that Glucola mess, I’d down it faster than a frat guy with a Jäger-bomb.

• For those who saw and/or assisted in my Instagram poll pertaining to the Hunter boots on Sunday…I bought the plum. I know you’ve been sitting on the edges of your seats awaiting my answer, so I’m glad I could ease your minds with this news.

And a very sweet commenter on Instagram yesterday let me know that Bloomingdale's is running a 20% OFF sale right now. Use the code FRIENDS at checkout and get 'em for only $118! This is the best price I've found on them so far, if you're in the market for a pair.

• Does everything come in five million pieces when it comes to kids’ toys? We’ve ordered Caroline a few things for her birthday next month and HOLY INSTRUCTION MANUALS. Everything, and I mean everything, requires assembly. Hours of it. And I can’t even drink wine right now.

• I saw on a fashion magazine’s website this morning where they were asking readers to find the perfect flannel button-down for fall. I believe that I’ve already found it – last week, in fact. This one. Love it and it’s cheap.

Alright, girls. Until tomorrow - 

Monday Musings

Update on the house - WE'RE FINALLY MOVED...almost...

This week and most of next are going to be crazytown around our place, so bear with me as blogging may be a little scarce. We moved the majority of our stuff over to the garage of the new house this past weekend. My parents drove up from Heber Springs on Friday night and very generously spent all day Saturday helping move our stuff and watch Caroline. (When I say we couldn't have done it without them, I mean it.) Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, thank you again! 

We officially close on the new place next week, (we had to delay closing until next week because of Stephen's work travel schedule), and the movers will take our bigger stuff that day. So exciting! It's here and I'm more than ready.

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Fall will eventually show up. Of that much, we can be sure. Bath and Body Works says so.

Saw this ad for $3 hand soaps and ceramic owls and stuff on my browser this morning and nearly did a happy dance. Not necessarily because of the hand soap, (though I do appreciate good hygiene), but mainly because fall is around the corner. One more month of this summer nonsense and we'll be there. (Okay, maybe I'm just impatient because I'm ready for football and chili and trick-or-treating. And my third trimester.)

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I ordered Caroline's outfit for her one-year photos this weekend. I sort of can't stand how cute it is. And it may or may not include a gigantic party hat hair fascinator and turban. 

Epic. I believe that is the word I'm looking for.

My friend Katie, the genius designer/seamstress behind August Lou Designs, is re-creating the above number (a sample she put up on her page Sunday) for Caroline. (And no, I did not purchase Dior sunglasses for my 9-month-old baby. Even I have my limits.)

I also bought a matching #1 cake topper from Etsy (like the below) for her smash cake pics. Because, duh. (I will say, it came in the mail Saturday and I was a little bit surprised at how small it was. My fault, though. I should have read the product description more carefully.) I'm going to see if I can make one myself that's larger for her actual birthday cake.

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That'd be all she wrote today. I have a little brown-haired nugget of a baby pulling at my leg to come play. And I cannot pass that up.

Thursday Randoms

Lots of nonsense today, friends. My morning started at 5:30 and has been going 90-to-nothing since. Don't you just love those days when organization and planning take a flying leap into a black hole? That would be my day. So, randomness shall prevail.

Her profile is identical to Caroline's at the 20 week mark. Exact same bone structure, shape of nose, etc. So cool!

1) I was SO excited for little Ainsley Catherine's anatomy scan ultrasound yesterday! We headed to our high-risk OB yesterday morning to see our girl up close and personal. (High risk doc is a precaution due to medical history. Baby and I are great!) She is most definitely a SHE, as she showed us all of her, um, parts, (or lack-thereof, ha!) Most importantly, her heart, brain, spine, organs, all of it, looked perfect. She's 1,000% healthy and thriving away. Yay for being at the halfway point in this pregnancy!

2) It's strange having such a seamless pregnancy after the one I experienced with Caroline. (Don't get me wrong, we were very fortunate to have gotten such a healthy baby out of the whole thing, but girlfriend made me sicker than a dog.) Other than the 4 p.m. daily puke-fests, I feel peachy-keen. Large, but peachy-keen ; )

3) I swear this wasn't supposed to be a baby post. See? Here I go. Steering this train toward BuyBuyBaby, yet again. Sorry, y'all.

4) On to greener, less impregnated pastures...

5) I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the palazzo pant trend. They actually do look really cute on a few gals with some major height, but at 5'4",  I'm not one of them. Sorry, palazzo pants. I'll be sticking to trouser cuts and skinnies.

6) Has anyone out there watched Hemlock Grove? Caroline went to bed a little earlier one night, so Stephen and I got sucked into the first episode on Netflix. It's kinda hokey, but who doesn't love hokey? We've also just started watching HBO's new show called The Leftovers. Really, really depressing, but such an interesting concept to me.

Yup, that's all I've got. I'm off to finish packing up the last of our house. We will be moving our stuff over to it this weekend, then we officially move in and close on August 7th. I cannot believe the time has finally come - woohoo for more space!

Randoms(!!)

Some things before our Independence Day weekend. Annnnd they are...

1) Confessional Friday is canceled tomorrow. I know everyone will be out and about celebrating the Fourth, so I'll probably just put up a regular post in lieu of the link-up. But do tune in for some Independence Day fun on here if you're cruising the interwebs tomorrow!

2) My Scentsy Party is still going strong! Be sure to stock up on all your very favorite fragrances right now. (For a list of my favorites, check out this post.) Also, Scentsy does this really cool thing called Bring Back My Bar where retired Scentsy Bars are only $5. Yes, $5!!!

Shop my party here and comment below to let me know what'cha get!

3) I did a fishtail braid for work today using ye olden Lauren Conrad tutorial and it worked out pretty well. Long-haired gals: you can see the tutorial below (and replicate the braid for yourself!) Shorter-haired gals could definitely do a fun little fishtail side braid. See? Works for all.

4) Those of you who have sectional sofas, do you love 'em? Hate 'em? We're trying to figure out what type of furniture to get for the living room in the new house. Our current living room set is going to look a little dwarfed in the room, I'm afraid. And, let's be honest, after many years of use, it's time for some new furniture. 

Okay. That's it! Enjoy your Thursday and don't forget that the link-up won't happen tomorrow because of the holiday! 

See y'all later!

Things Lately (a.k.a. Let's Talk Like Girls Do)

Today has no topic or rhyme or reason. So basically, it's Tuesday.

Here are a few topics for discussion today:

1) Where can I get a whole mess of big cardboard boxes to pack up our house? I know you can purchase them, but I'm looking for a less costly solution (read: FREE). Will warehouses or big stores (i.e. Walmart, Sam's Club, etc.) give you those if you just ask?? I'm not above a dumpster dive.

2) We have to be out of the house by July 15. (Hear that? It's the sound of panic coursing through my veins.)

3) I'm obsessed with Orange is the New Black. If loving a show about a corrupt women's prison is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

4)  Stephen was in Minneapolis for work yesterday and so Caroline and I were solo last night. I never sleep that well when he's gone, so I was up pretty much every hour on the clock. Finally, I gave in to insomnia and watched the only thing that was live: QVC.

QVC is funny. You never think that you'd need a pair of light-up, terry cloth house slippers, (you know, for those late-night trips to the fridge), but then they spell out all the reasons why you're crazy if you DON'T order a pair. So, you find yourself Easy-Paying your way (a little Q lingo for ya) to a new pair of house shoes. (And for the record, I did not order anything. But I was tempted. Oh, was I ever tempted.)

5) There was a bat and her baby that took up residence in our garage sometime early in the morning on Monday. I discovered them around noon yesterday and proceeded to flip shiz. NO MA'AM. I don't care if they are harmless and "good for the ecosystem" and whatnot. They're creepy and gross and you won't change my mind. (If you really want to lose sleep, watch this. Then tell me how cute they are.)

I polled my Facebook friends who offered words of advice to get them to leave. I resorted to leaving our garage open last night (with our door locked, of course) in hopes they'd fly out.

And they did.

Thank the good Lord.

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Okay, now you tell me what's on your mind! See, it's just like we're two friends having coffee ; )

A New Favorite Recipe (Seriously Easy)

Hey, girls. So, I whipped up some barbecue lime grilled shrimp on Tuesday night after getting inspired by something similar I had seen in a cookbook earlier that day. (Yes, I still use actual, paper cookbooks. I'm old school.)

I put my own little twist on it with the barbecue and ginger and voila! It was finger licking good. (You really shouldn't wear white whilst devouring this meal. 'Tis messy, my friends.)

Barbecue Lime Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients
4-5 skewers (Tip: If you opt for bamboo skewers like we did, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to using on the grill to keep them from catching on fire.)
1 pound of shelled, deveined shrimp
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ginger

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and let marinate for 2 hours prior to grilling.
Thread shrimp onto skewers and place on grill over medium heat.
Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning every minute or so, until the shrimp begin to cook evenly

We served ours on top of Zatarain's Caribbean Rice (because I had a coupon) with sides of roasted new potatoes and grilled corn on the cob - YUM.

I also think this would be a great way to marinate and cook fish, scallops, you name it. If you give it a shot, let me know how it turns out!

This and That

It's Friday Eve! And, if that isn't reason enough to celebrate, I don't know what is.

1. I was finally reunited with the best cleanser ever yesterday, Obagi-C's C-Cleansing Gel. I found it on Amazon, naturally. One of my roomies in college worked for a dermatologist who sold the stuff and I was hooked. I had trouble finding it for a while, so I switched back to Mary Kay's Timewise Cleanser, which I still like a lot. But this stuff makes my face feel SO clean.

2. How would y'all feel about turning next week's Confessional Friday into an easy dinner recipe link-up? Like, maybe we each post two or three recipes that are staples in our homes, then link up to share? I'm stuck in the dreaded cooking rut, so I need some new culinary inspiration.

3. I've had a couple emails from folks wanting to know how to link up for Confessional Friday, so I thought I'd give the run-down for anyone else out there that's new to link-up participation!

-First, you'll just type up your Confessional Friday post. Just "confess" anything you'd like. The key is to have fun! (And keep it light.) I don't want to know if you've committed any felonies or have any weirdo fetishes. Let's just keep that to ourselves, m'kay?

-After your post is written, you'll come back here to my blog. At the bottom of my Confessional Friday post here, there will be a blue button that says (fittingly), "Add your link."

Next, click it, Barb!

(Screen shot of this section is above.)

-Next, you'll be directed to another page (the above) to enter your info. Just copy and paste the link to your blog post, then type in "Confessional Friday" in the Link Title box. Lastly, input your email address. Please note that no one will see your email address, it is simply to verify that you're a real person and not a robot or a spammer : ) (Or a terrorist. Or someone who doesn't like Velveeta. That's just un-American.)

-During the step above, you can also select a thumbnail image, if you wish to display one. You don't have to, though. But, by all means, we'd love to see your beautiful face!

-Then click "done!"

-That's it, gals. You're in like Flint.

The first rule of Confessional Friday is you do NOT talk about Confessional Friday. (Kidding. Fight Club reference. Shout out to Mr. Pitt.)

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Well, that's about as exciting as it gets, isn't it? I do hope you'll be able to compose yourselves and get on with your day after this enthralling blog post. 

Back here. Tomorrow. Same time. Same place. I'll bring the words, y'all bring the...anything. Anything you'd like to bring.

Professional Organizer Needed (But, Seriously)

Happy (almost) Friday! I had plans to put up an outfit post today with some Riff Raff pieces, but it started pouring yesterday about halfway through taking pics. So, looks like that will go up Monday!

I kind of took a little bit of a hiatus this week to unplug from the blogging world and do some much-needed spring cleaning. (How exciting am I?) No, but seriously...we'd really like to list our house this summer, so we've been double-timing it around la hacienda, trying to get it re-organized and spruced up.

Let me tell y'all something. You accumulate a TON of stuff as a single person, two thousand more TONS of stuff as a married person, and once you have a kid...oh man, forget it. Stuff galore.

Our house looks like the site of a Buy Buy Baby pop-up shop.

A few randoms since, apparently, I've completely thrown in the towel on organized blogging this week:

1. Baby Nella's Instagram auction starts TODAY! Get yourselves over to Instagram and follow @wonderfullymadeauction to bid on items from a whole bunch of amazing businesses, including Crown Beauty Bar, Honey Pie Accessories and many more. Let's raise some money for little Nella and her family!

2. Anyone out there read Divergent? I keep seeing the ads for the movie and I'm intrigued. Should I read the book first or just head straight to the theater?

3. Any suggestions for workout DVDs that won't take more than 20-30 minutes out of my day? I really want to tone up a little before summer, but with Caroline, my time is super limited in the evenings. And ain't no way this girl is getting up at some ungodly hour to do P90X.

Alrighty, same place/same time tomorrow. 

Oscar Favorites, Top Five

Happy Monday, oh loves of mine. (Happy Monday...that ought to be an oxymoron...)

Hope all of you are staying safe and warm, wherever you are. We've got a good few inches of solid ice and snow on the roads here, so looks like our little family will be staying put today. We're kind of selfishly excited to have Stephen here for the day, though ; )

Did any of you watch the Oscars last night? Although I hadn't really seen many of the nominated movies -- you know, since we had a baby and dates went by the wayside -- but I did get a kick out of all the pretty dresses, dapper gents and Ellen. I love me some Ellen.

Here were my Top Five moments of the evening:

#5 Lupita Nyong'o and her gorgeous blue stunner

Let's be honest; the woman could wear a bed sheet and look phenomenal. Her face, her body, her beautiful skin and delicate features...gaw. It was perfect. As was her positively mood-elevating acceptance speech for her supporting role in 12 Years a Slave. 

#4 Pharell Williams

I love that they kicked the musical numbers off with 'Happy', his upbeat original song for Despicable Me II. I love Frozen as much as the next guy, but if I have to hear 'Let It Go' another time, I may spontaneously combust into a million little icicle particles. (Unless, of course, it is my niece's version of the song. That one is amazing.)

#3 The Epic Selfie

Needs no explanation. And it broke Twitter. 

#2 Bette Midler

I'm a Bette diehard. The woman can do no wrong. The fact that she reprised one of her most famous songs for the memoriam portion of the show...well, it gave me chills. 'Wind Beneath My Wings', indeed.

#1 Matty Matt's Acceptance Speech

I thought it was one of the most eloquent I'd ever heard. He thanked God, his wife and kids, and was quite heartfelt about it all. And, the best part, he concluded it with his famed "Alright, alright, alright!" line. He wins. For the speech, for the suit and for the humble attitude that makes him one of the most approachable actors of our time. 

What were some of your favorite moments from last night's 86th Academy Awards?

And On Tuesday...

Today's post has no topic, which coincidentally is my favorite topic. It's sort of how this blog started, after all. No topic, no theme, no motive or direction...and now look at us - five years later and still talking about the same nonsense.

So with that in mind, I present Randomness. (Served fresh daily!)

-It's a snow day in Northwest Arkansas, so no driving in to the office or going to daycare for the little lass or me. We are going a teensy bit bananas, as this is the second day we've been stuck inside, but hopefully this ice starts melting off the roads by tomorrow morning. Also, Caroline has refused to nap today, which should make for a SUPER fun baby come 8 p.m. tonight. (Mommas, y'all know what I'm talking about, yes?)

I caught this pic for Instagram on Sunday. You can follow me at ablondeambition for more riveting photos like this one.

-With that said, I am LOVING my new part-time work schedule. It feels really weird to only go into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, especially on weeks when one of those days gets cancelled due to weather. But seriously, I adore getting to spend all this quality time with my baby girl. If you're a soon-to-be momma and a part-time schedule would be an option for you, I highly suggest it!  : )

-Last week was such a smashing success for the Confessional Friday link-up that I thought we'd do something similar this week again. Click HERE to read the "Getting to Know You More" questions for my Q&A style post this Friday. I'd love if everyone who participated last week would do this as a follow-up.

-I've decided that ankle boots with dresses make my legs look about five inches long. Not good for a chick who's only 5'4" anyway. I tried on some with a new dress I bought and it wasn't pretty. Or elongating.

-My Memaw (pictured above with Caroline and my Papaw) celebrated her birthday yesterday, so y'all be sure to wish her a happy day-late birthday on here, would ya kindly? (And can we talk about how fabulous she is with her spunky haircut and cute glasses?!)

Alright, I'm off to bake a blackberry cobbler because my hips and thighs are craving it.

'Twas the Week Before Baby

Yup. Still here. Still pregnant.

Barring anything unforeseen, it looks like we're on target to deliver Caroline on our pre-scheduled date of this coming Monday, October 14. Part of me really wishes she'd get here already, but part of me is content to wait it out until Monday.

Status update: We went to the doc yesterday and I've made more progress! I'll spare you the deets, but our OB said we'd decide on Friday morning if we want to go ahead and shoot for Monday or if we may see her sooner...eep!

1. We'll definitely be posting and sharing photos of our little gal once she arrives. (We are so excited to share our joy with y'all that have been following our pregnancy!) Since Instagram is the easiest way to post quick photos, you can follow us there for the latest, if you're interested. My username is ablondeambition

2. Caroline has received so, so many beautiful gifts from friends and family. Here are a few of the latest items that have been added to her closet. I'm so excited to have our own little "doll" to put these on in a few days ; )

3. I am so grateful for this blog and the amazing advice and countless well-wishes we've received from you girls! There is much to be said for a strong community of women. I truly believe this is the coolest part of blogging: the sisterhood that it forms between perfect-strangers-turned-friends.

I cannot tell y'all how many times I've gone back and read the hospital bag post for tips on what to take for delivery week. I've also had several girls reach out to answer questions about C-section births, breastfeeding and the crazy process of bringing a human into the world. You have all truly made me feel so much better about these first-time mom anxieties and questions. Thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart.

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On that sap-filled note, I'll let y'all get back to doing whatever it is you're doing ; ) Thanks for listening to my rambling, gals.

The "Go" Bag: Packing for Baby's Debut

At Monday's OB appointment, my doctor told me to get to packing "go" bags for Stephen, Caroline and me.

I've made quite a bit of "progress" already, especially for a first-time mom, and he thinks we may not make it to October 14! (In fact, we are going back to the doctor twice weekly right now for non-stress testing. It seems our girl is determined to get here a little quicker than we anticipated.)

I'm working from home (doctor's orders) in an attempt to keep Miss Priss cooking a bit longer, so between tackling emails and projects, I'm organizing our hospital bags.

So far, here's what's made my list. I actually referenced the Lucie's List suggestions for help:

For the mommas:

What was on your packing list? 

What were you SO glad to have taken and what could you have left at home?

Let's Just Talk.

Sometimes in blogland, it's nice to just write a few random thoughts down instead of having a carefully orchestrated post.

Today, friends, is one of those times.

Here's what's on my mind, mid-week:

• Would y'all want to do a dip recipe link-up in place of Confessional Friday this week? Just a thought. A thought that stemmed from seeing a Philadelphia Cream Cheese pop-up ad in my browser. This is how my mind works, you see. 

• I'm le tired. Baby Caroline enjoys practicing her Rockette-like kicks from around 10 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. or so. I'm pleased as punch that my tiny dancer is already working on proper form and technique, but I wake up every morning feeling (and looking) like a zombie from Walking Dead. I've heard other moms say they slept better after they had the baby. Is this true for any of you girls?

• I'm a bit afraid of having to wear shoes that require me to buckle them. Sometimes after I bend down, I wonder if that might be the time I'm not able to get up again. Asking a pregnant woman at 8 and a half months to gracefully bend over is like asking Miley Cyrus to teach an etiquette class. A very bad idea, indeed.

• College football begins tomorrow night! Hallelujah and amen. I can hear the angels singing now. Do you hear them, too? Their song sounds a bit like...

• My husband has been giddy all week because of college football starting back up and his energy is infectious. ESPN is on constant play in our living room and Razorback yard flags are being put up all over our subdivision. I had a dream last night that we went to the hospital to have the baby and my regular OB had been replaced by ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit. 

What's on your mind today?

5 Reasons to Get Excited for Fall (Plus, Outfit Week)

It's no secret that summer really isn't my season of choice. Humidity? No thank you. Scorching heat? I'll pass.

I'll take the season of crunchy leaves, apple cider and SEC football any day. (This obsession for fall also may or may not be the reason I wanted to get pregnant in early winter...I've always wanted a fall baby!)

Here are some reasons you should be excited for the upcoming autumnal months:

1. H&M
In case you live under a rock, I wanted to let you know that you can NOW SHOP ONLINE at H&M! After years and years of waiting for H&M to launch an online version of their mega-store, they finally have. And the fall merchandise couldn't be any more precious. I've already placed an order for a few post-baby bump items ; )

2. Bath & Body Works' Fall Scents
I ducked into B&BW yesterday after a doctor's appointment and picked up some of their fall handsoaps and candles. Let me tell you girls, these scents are so yummy! My early favorites are the Blackberry Spice, Scarlett Pumpkin and Honeycrisp Apple. To die for, I tell you.

3. The Annual Fall/Winter Scentsy Catalog
Word on the street is, Scentsy has some beautiful new warmers in store for us this fall. I saw a sneak peek of the new lampshade warmers via the Scentsy site's blog and was floored. They're so pretty! I'm excited for next month when the new catalog and items launch.

4. Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Does this really need an explanation? I think not. Yum. That is all.

5. Baby Caroline
Okay, okay...the excitement over this one really just pertains to Stephen and me, but we're pretty darn pumped to welcome Baby Girl in a couple months.

What are you most looking forward to this fall?

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Sidenote: The rest of this week is filled with outfit photos. Here are some fun ones that you might want to tune in to:

Wednesday: Two punchy little frocks for late summer from Riffraff

Thursday: A very special Bumpdate post, featuring a hot little citron number from Maude Boutique

Friday (in addition to Confessional Fri.): The CUTEST pair of Razorback shorts from denim powerhouse, OCJ Apparel...stay tuned, college football fans!

Rando' Pregnancy Thoughts

‘Ello, you fancy faces!

Everyone have a good weekend? Mine was a whirlwind, as we headed to Heber Springs on Saturday for my little brother’s wedding. It was absolutely beautiful and I’ll definitely share a few pics as soon as the bride and groom have a chance to do so first! (That was my biggest pet peeve when Stephen and I got married…peeps sharing photos all over creation before we had a chance to share them ourselves!)

Today is a mish mash of random pregnancy thoughts with a review of the Whitney English planner coming tomorrow, so stay tuned for that.

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• Let it be known that today is the day I shall order my first pair of maternity pants. After spending five minutes grunting and pulling and sweating while trying to get a pair of regular dress slacks on for work, I threw in the proverbial towel. (I mean, y’all, my eyes were watering, it was so painful trying to get those suckers on this morning.) I’ll be hitting up ASOS this afternoon to purchase a couple pair of pants to get me through this next nine or ten weeks.

At nearly 29 weeks, I think it’s about time. I’ve held on as long as I can. But the jig is up.

In case you’re wondering about this morning’s wardrobe debacle, I found one of my old standby pencil skirts from Savoir-Faire, rolled it down to hip level, threw a BeBand on top of it and it worked seamlessly. Crisis solved. 

• It’s funny, but I honestly feel so much better in this third trimester than I did in that horrific first and (mostly) second. I’ll take the puffiness and swollen ta-ta’s ANY DAY over those 22 weeks of nausea and puking. (I’ve heard this is common for lots of gals that had rough first trimesters.) 

• I have a feeling outfit posts are quickly coming to an end. I’m getting to that point where I feel not…um…cute. I have a couple outfits from Riffraff and one from Maude that I’m DYING to share with you girls, but after that, well…I think it’s time for a an outfit pic break : )

• I’m starting to get a little nervous about maternity leave. I know that sounds absurd, but I’m hoping I don’t get cabin fever being at home with Miss Priss all day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m SO excited to bond with the babe and just enjoy being a mom for a few months, but I think I’m going to miss seeing my work pals and tackling projects, too. Any other working moms feel like this before going on leave? 

• With that said, I’m stoked that we conceived when we did because this means I’ll have the best three holiday-filled months to be home! My SIL Sarah was also home from mid-October through early January with her youngest and LOVED it. She was able to really enjoy and savor every moment of planning and decorating and shopping with her newest addition. 

And that, folks, is all that this blogger wrote.

Tuesday TIdbits

-Yesterday was crazytown, so blogging didn't happen. I have a feeling with Baby Caroline heading our way in, oh, ten weeks or so, it's only going to get crazier. I've never been so excited to be busy beyond belief, though!

-I ordered my diaper bag last night! I went with the Marilyn II by timi & leslie, which I bought from Amazon with my super-amazing Prime account. Mamas, if y'all aren't on Amazon Prime or Amazon Mom, I would do so STAT. It's also how we'll be getting diapers delivered each month, saving us a bundle.

-Oh, and my Whitney English planner arrived yesterday! She's a real beauty and she really couldn't have come at a better time. I've already started filling in upcoming baby appointments, to-do lists, birthdays, etc.. As promised via my Instagram, I'll do a full review once I've given her a proper test drive.

-I can't wait to read all of your Confessional Friday posts coming this week for the fun Q & A topic. I'm really enjoying having an established "theme" for CF. If you want to play along, you can find the schedule for upcoming weeks here.

-The bump, it is a changin'. And by that, I mean growing by the nanosecond. I bought a dress last month for my brother's wedding this upcoming weekend, and when I went to try it on last week, it was too suffocating on the baby bump. Thanks to my friends at Maude though, I now have a new dress...she's citron-colored and amazing, and you'll see her in an outfit post this Thursday.

-I (thankfully) haven't had to deal with lots of pregnancy swelling yet, but my veins are constantly protruding out of my arms and hands, Incredible Hulk-style. Anyone else have that weird symptom during their third trimester?

See y'all tomorrow.