Category: friday i’m in love

Welcome back Friday! Can you believe how fast this week went? And just 9 days until Christmas!

But since shortly after Christmas Baby Foot is due, I thought I would do a special Mama-to-Be Round Up for this week’s post. Here are some things that would be great for any expecting mamas, and I may or may not need want some all of the following:

{one} Dwell and Slumber dress.

{via Dwell and Slumber}

As is true with more and more “maternity” clothing lines, Dwell and Slumber is a company that sells dresses you can wear before, during, and after pregnancy. When I first started hearing about this, I thought it was crazy. Even the lady at a maternity store told me that was the goal (as she was trying to sell me full-panel maternity jeans!) and generally I am not a fan. Pretty much anything that will accommodate my growing bump will not fit me post-partum. But, there are a few pieces that I think could, and I think these dresses from Dwell and Slumber are one of them (the other being a few pieces from the Hatch Collection, though I think some of the pieces from this line are just too baggy!). I love the drape of these dresses and the dolman sleeves, they are nursing friendly with the Henley-like button-up front, and they would look cute belted to help rein in some of that extra fabric! I have my eye on that olive one, plus basically all of the grey ones…

{two} Plum Pretty Sugar Robe.

{via Plum Pretty Sugar}

When I had Eloise I brought my own hospital gown to change into once we headed into the post-partum/recovery room and while I will do that again I do also plan on bringing my own robe. Robes are awesome for growing bumps but also for nursing. And I am loving these beautiful robes from Plum Pretty Sugar, especially this soft grey one (it’s called Lovebug!). Something nice to wear at the end of your pregnancy and also equally nice to have those first pictures taken in at the hospital!

{three} Logan and Lenora wet bags.

{via Logan and Lenora}

I was first introduced to the idea of wet bags because we went the cloth diapering route with Eloise (and we will continue to do with Baby Foot!) but I am convinced that every mama-to-be needs at least a few wet bags in her stash. They are amazing for anything and everything – wet swimsuits, blowouts, extra storage. I still use a small one in my purse to carry a change of clothes for Eloise in case she has an accident.

But I am loving these fun wet bags from Logan and Lenora which is a recent find via Instagram. I am planning on streamlining my “diaper bag” this time around and having a pouch for me, one for Eloise, and one for Baby Foot to carry essentials, and I think these pouches/clutches might be perfect!

If you are interested, here is the list of my pregnancy essentials from my last pregnancy (with the exception of gummy pre-natal vitamins this time around!). Any current mamas have anything to add to the list?

And be sure to check out what Kendra is loving this week! What about you?

M

This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome back Friday!

{one} Aveda Candrima Body Lotion.

{via Aveda}

When I saw my hairdresser a few weeks ago, he handed me an Aveda “care package” on my way out, and it included this body lotion. Normally I am anti-fragrance since I have really sensitive skin and especially when I am pregnant, but this lotion’s fragrance is amazing! It’s like Aveda but Christmas-y!

{two} Farmgirl Flowers Holiday Bouquet.

{via Farmgirl Flowers}

Fresh flowers have become such a treat these days! Plus, learning floral arrangement is high on my list for things I want to learn next. I follow the Farmgirl Flowers feeds on Instagram and Facebook just to see the beautiful arrangements! This holiday one is definitely inspiring my Christmas table this year!

{three} Free Shipping at The Petite Flag Shop.

A little self-promotion, but I am offering free shipping on all orders between now and Christmas at The Petite Flag Shop! There is a small Christmas collection available, including all of the above-pictured flags, plus the full range of flags available and custom orders! Use the code MERRYSHIP.

And be sure to check out what Kendra is loving this week! What about you?

M

Welcome back Friday and Happy December!

{one} Pinhole Press Family Puzzle.

{via Pinhole Press}

I love the idea of personalized photograph things for Eloise since we live so far away from most of our family. I did one of these board books for Aaron (from Eloise) for Father’s Day this year and really want to do one of all of our immediate family soon! This puzzle game is super cute and I wish I would have seen it before I did all of my Christmas shopping for her. It’s definitely on her future gift list though!

{two} Stripey Crewneck.

{via Nordstrom}

While I picked up a few specific maternity pieces last month, I have been limiting myself to buying only things that will work during and after pregnancy. Since I have so little time left, it seems like such a waste to buy maternity clothes that will only get a few months’ use. I had been hearing rave reviews from this BP Striped Crewneck shirt all over the interwebs and after having it and wearing it a few times, I am sold! It is stripes (and black & white at that) so that pretty much did me in, but it works well with my bump without stretching. And, it will be a good tunic length on me post-pregnancy. It isn’t available in black & white anymore, but is in navy & red!

{three} Holiday Honeycrisp Salad.

{via Five Heart Home blog}

When we met up with some of my best girlfriends last week, I offered to bring a salad to dinner since I wasn’t feeling super inspired to cook. But, I didn’t want to show up with a box of lettuce and a bottle of salad dressing, so I got to digging on Pinterest. I found this super simple salad that uses all of my favorite things: nuts, dried cranberries, and honeycrisp apples. Seriously, the honeycrisp apples we have had all season have been amazing! And, I loved the idea that this salad recipe came with a recipe for the dressing. I don’t do it much at home (though I should!) but it is super simple to make salad dressing: add ingredients to jar, put lid on jar, shake and serve. This did not disappoint and I know it will be on our regular salad rotation!

And be sure to check out what Kendra is loving this week! What about you?

M

This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome back Friday!

{one} Going from One Kid to Two.

{via Cup of Jo}

As we are getting closer and closer to my due date (three-and-a-half months!) I have been thinking a lot about the transition we will make from one kid to two. Some days I am so ready for it and I can’t wait to have two littles in my arms (like when Eloise tells me she wants to teach Baby Foot how to walk and read stories – seriously the sweetest!), but then there are days where I think we are crazy for adding one more kid to the mix (like when Eloise will only have Mama do cuddles at bedtime – sweet, but seriously? I am with her all. day. long.). All that to say, I really liked this Cup of Jo article about the transition.

{two} Joe Biden Memes.

One week in, the reality is still hard to bear, but it feels like I have found some relief from it all as things are normalizing and the news cycles are kicking up new stories. Plus, the holidays are right around the corner, right? (Seriously, how is Thanksgiving next week?) Any-hoo, I have found a lot of comfort in these Joe Biden Memes that are popping up all over the place! Man, I will miss our current administration.

{three} Emily Henderson’s latest living room reveal.

{via Style by Emily Henderson blog}

I am seriously swooning over here at Emily Henderson’s latest room reveal. It helps that we have really similar aesthetic taste, but it is perfect! I love her use of color and (seemingly) simple styling that is really welcoming. I think the biggest trick about decorating is to make it look effortless and livable, and Emily does that perfectly! If you haven’t seen it already, go check out this awesome living room!

And be sure to check out what Kendra is loving this week! What about you?

M

P.S. With next week being Thanksgiving, I may not post on Friday, but I will be back to re-cap our holiday weekend! Plus, be sure to keep an eye out on The Petite Flag Shop’s Facebook and Instagram for Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday sale info!

Welcome back Friday! Phew, what a week…

{one} Dresses for the Bump.

{image via}

As this little baby bump is getting bigger, I have been finding myself grabbing dresses out of my closet each morning. Our weather is still pretty warm for fall and I am loving dresses paired with booties or sneakers – a perfect combination! Some of my favorites are Sonnet James (Quincy, Kate, and Stella – all non-maternity but fit beautifully!), this new one I picked up from the Gap, and this chambray one from Madewell (similar and both are non-maternity).

{two} Starbucks Holiday Cups.

{image via}

I know it’s awful and I know it’s before Thanksgiving, but the release of the red holiday Starbucks cups has me giddy. Maybe it’s because I need a big pick-me-up this week, or maybe it’s because having kids makes Christmas so much more magical, or maybe it’s just because I LOVE Christmas. Even though I won’t decorate the house until after Thanksgiving, I will be sipping out of a red holiday cup stat!

{three} Election Aftermath.

{via Cup of Jo}

This week was a hard one. For a lot of us. And for (probably) many different reasons. I had a really rough day on Wednesday – there were so many tears and so much sadness. But by Thursday, I found some comfort in the small things and really focused on what was making me happy. But, I also found some solace in what others were posting and saying about the election and it’s aftermath. I thought I would share some of my favorites in case you need a pick-me-up too!

George Takei: Heartfelt Advice.

Ellen DeGeneres: What Makes America Great.

Cup of Jo: Things to Do Now.

Be sure to check out what Kendra is loving this week! What about you?

M

This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome back Friday!

{one} CUBS WIN!

{throwback to this summer when we saw the Cubs at Wrigley Field!}

So unless you have been living under a rock for the past day, you know that the Cubs finally (finally) won the World Series last night! It was such a great series and, in my opinion, the best way for the series to go: the Cubs were down three games and came back to force not only a seventh game, but extra innings!! Now that is history. And I admit that Aaron and I have become fair-weather fans since it seems so hard to keep up with all of the games thru-out the season (plus, the Mariners… it can be hard to watch), but we both had a soft-spot for the Cubs from the start. Congrats Cubs!!

{two} Fall Floral Arrangement How-to.

{via West Elm’s blog Front + Main}

One skill that I would really love to hone (or have, really) is floral arranging. My sister is a champ floral designer and can make even a grocery store bouquet look amazing. So jealous! I saw this tutorial for a fall floral arrangement in my Instagram feed and I am sort of dying over those dahlias! I don’t think I will actually be doing any arrangement this extensive for some time (although I think it’s easier than I think!) but if, on the off-chance I do, I will be sure to share! Any floral arrangers out there?

{three} The Petite Flag Shop Flash Sale!

And since it’s a big event that is coming up on Monday (the 7th), I thought I would give you all the head’s up: The Petite Flag Shop will be having a big flash sale!

I have talked about Brickyard Buffalo before (and have picked up a few goodies over the past few months) as a site that does flash sales for (mostly) small businesses like mine. There are some really amazing deals and such cute stuff, so even if you aren’t in the market for a flag (but really, I think you are!) you should head over and see what’s trending.

Anyways, flags will be discounted and you can get two flags that aren’t available on the Shop site yet: one for a nursery and a Christmas one!

And be sure to check out what Kendra’s loving this week! How about you?

M

Welcome back Friday! And the last Friday of October, can you believe it?

{one} Girlfriend Collective.

{via Girlfriend Collective}

Have you guys heard of Girlfriend Collective? Honestly, I saw it as a Facebook ad and was intrigued, so I clicked on the sponsored link (which I never do!). And I was pleasantly surprised. This is a start-up company out of Seattle who is hoping to change the athleisure industry, starting with work-out leggings. These leggings are supposed to be comparable to lululemon, but are made with recycled plastic/fabric and fair trade. They are compression and slightly high-waisted which are must-haves in my book! Plus, during the initial launch they are giving away a free pair of leggings (you just pay the cost of shipping which for me was $21). Go redeem your pair here!

{two} Lou Lou and Company.

{via Lou Lou and Company}

I found another great baby item that I couldn’t resist for Baby Foot. I have been following Lou Lou and Company on Instagram for a few months and scooped up this soft grey swaddle blanket during the last product launch. Since we are waiting to find out the gender (and we live in Seattle, hello grey!), I knew this grey would be perfect. But I am also really loving this Maxwell striped one and sort of kicking myself for not getting it too…

{three} What to do with your leftover Halloween candy.

{via Food 52}

At our house, a certain somebody (ahem, rhymes with Karen) doesn’t open all of the bags of candy until they are needed and then makes me return the unopened ones to the store! Yes, seriously. I mean, I sort of get his point since I don’t really want tons of extra candy around either, especially since we never know how many trick-or-treaters we will get each year (sometimes it’s five and sometimes it’s 100!) but seriously…

But, if you live in a house where you don’t return your extra candy or maybe have some stashed away from your kids, here are some ideas for what to do with the leftovers! I also saw something on Instagram about using candy in s’mores… genius and I may need to set aside a few pieces just for that purpose!

And be sure to check out what Kendra’s loving this week!

What about you? And a Happy Halloween weekend!

M

Welcome back Friday!

{one} Blogging Anniversary.

Last Tuesday, October 11th, was a big day. Not only was it my big brother’s birthday {Happy Birthday Jason!} but it was also my blogging anniversary: 5 years! Wow. I can’t even believe it. So much has happened since I was a newlywed and freshly out of law school: one house, one dog, one-and-a half babies, and 757 blog posts!

{two} YHL’s Kitchen Remodel Reveal.

{via Young House Love}

I still have mad respect for John and Sherry of Young House Love, even though I miss their full-time blogging every day. They gave/give me so much confidence to tackle DIY projects (big and small) and their new kitchen reveal did not disappoint! I love (LOVE) a white kitchen and I am swooning at all of the details. Plus, I need Sherry to come over and teach me how to style shelves – she is the best! Seeing these pictures makes me want to re-do our kitchen so badly (we have big plans!) but I also know it means I want to wait and be able to do everything that we want to. So I will keep saving my pennies until then and admiring this new kitchen. Be sure to check out the entire reveal here!

{three} West Elm Pop-Up Shop.

Tomorrow afternoon I will be at West Elm Seattle hosting a Pop-Up Shop and I’d love you to join me if you are in town. This is my first big event and first time I will be meeting and seeing customers face-to-face, and I am pretty excited (and nervous) about it! It will be at the West Elm in South Lake Union from noon to 3pm. I will be offering five different flags, taking full custom orders, offering free shipping for not-in-stock flags, and there will be a discount if you buy more than one flag! And if you can’t attend but want to join in on the fun, be sure to check either the Shop’s Facebook or Instagram on Saturday morning for a discount to use on the Shop’s site!

What are you loving this week?

M

Welcome back Friday!

{one} Gap No-Show Socks.

{via Gap}

So this is definitely not seasonally correct, but I finally found a good pair of no-show socks for sneakers, and have been wearing them with my booties too, at the Gap. I have always had trouble with socks being too big (since I have really tiny feet) but these ones have worked well! Plus, Gap is always having a sale, so they are pretty inexpensive too.

{two} Covered Goods Multi-Use Nursing Cover.

{via Covered Goods}

I haven’t started nesting (yet) but I have been keeping an eye out (and making a list) of things we will need for this next baby. Mostly we are trying not to buy a lot of stuff (which was true with Eloise too) but especially this time around since we can re-use so much of what we have around. But, one thing that I always hated was my nursing cover. I had the one that just had a strap that went around your neck and it was problematic from the start. I felt like I was attracting more attention to myself in public when I was trying to use it, and a few months in Eloise learned to throw her arms and legs around, and it was done-zo with that nursing cover! I spent most of my time nursing Eloise without one.

Enter: Covered Goods. I had seen these around on car seats a few places in town, but my friend Lauren has one for her new baby, and they are awesome! They are stretchy jersey that act as a car seat cover (like above), a nursing cover, and a shopping cart cover. And, it comes in stripes – swoon! This is definitely on my list of things for Baby Foot!

{three} Mini Boden + Roald Dahl Collection.

{via Mini Boden}

Roald Dahl is probably one of my favorite authors ever. I remember devouring all of his books as a kid. Such a magical storyteller. I can’t wait for Eloise & Baby Foot to start reading!

Anyways, Mini Boden has just launched an impossibly cute collection inspired by Roald Dahl stories and it is awesome! Mini Boden runs on the high end of what would I buy for Eloise, but I am wanting to buy some of these pieces in bigger sizes (so she won’t grow out of them so quickly) and hoard them! I have my eye on this Matilda dress (the inside is so cute!), this T-shirt, this royal dress, this cape (which is sold out!), and this alphabet dress.

Be sure to check out what Kendra’s loving this week! What about you?

M

 

This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome back Friday!

{one} Luke’s Diner.

{via NPR}

This past Wednesday coffee shops all across the country changed into Luke’s Diner from my beloved The Gilmore Girls as an early celebration of it’s Netflix renewal next month. While there were a handful of coffee shops in Seattle which made the conversion for the morning and Eloise happened to be in preschool too, I didn’t want to face the endless crowds (which apparently spanned city blocks) to wait for a Luke’s coffee. Had Lorelai or Rory been in town, I would have been there in a second. And while I am a bit sad to have missed all of the fun, after hearing that a friend waited more than two hours in line with toddler in tow for a coffee, I am glad I stayed home!

{two} The Imitation Game.

{via IMDB}

So we are a little late to the party since it came out in 2014, but we finally watched The Imitation Game and it was so, so good! Like so many others (including Hollywood producers apparently) I don’t easily tire from WWII movies and this one is no different. It tells the amazing story of how Alan Turing and a small group of mathematicians and cryptographers broke the Enigma Code to help defeat the Nazis during the War. It is definitely sad so grab some Kleenex, but worth it!

{three} Pumpkin Season at TJ’s!

October brings fall and all things pumpkin & I can’t get enough. I know a lot if it isn’t even real pumpkin, but I still can’t help but get excited! Eloise and I hit up TJ’s this week and bought all of the pumpkin things. I think it’s Baby Foot’s fault…

Be sure to check out what Kendra’s loving this week! What about you?

M