Maternity Leggings FIND

I've decided that this third pregnancy is the "era of the maternity legging." I have the jeans, I have the dresses, but throwing on leggings and a tee is easy peasy and that's what I'm going for.

I was wearing some Liz Lange maternity leggings from two years ago that I found at Target and wanted to go back to see about scooping up a second pair. I ended up grabbing a different brand that I'm actually loving even more!

These Isabel Maternity leggings are legit! Super-dee-duper wonderful and comfortable! They have 13% Spandex for lots of stretch and are really thick without being hot at all. Just thick enough to conceal what you're wearing underneath. 

Right at twenty bucks and they fit true to size. I'm in an XS but I'm also 5'2" so needed a shorter length. Machine wash and dry for ease. Just love everything about them. 

I'm also a big maternity leggings wearer after baby is here. The full panel is nice and forgiving and helps to suck in some of that extra skin that you have going on for a while. So yay for getting postpartum wear out of these as well!

Two big thumbs up if you're in the market for some quality leggings! You can find them HERE. 

Five On Friday. And Camo Leggings Vote?!

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Happy, happy weekend! We have a fun weekend ahead with family and we're expecting warm weather. I mean ... happy dance. Ian's feeling like we didn't get enough winter (and this is a guy who has been snow skiing twice and lives for the cold) and I'm like buhhhh-bye cold! I'm ready to play on the playground or backyard playset with the kids every single day, I'm ready for driveway bike rides and cul-de-sac happy hours.

PLUS, Camille only wants to wear twirly dresses with short sleeves these days (eye roll emoji) and it's been a daily battle about making her wear a cardigan/leggings/turtleneck with said "party dress" to make it appropriate for the weather. So, come on spring weather!

T W O
I'm rounding the corner on the 24th week of this pregnancy! I'm carrying him very similarly to how I carried both girls. The belly is def large and in charge, and after wearing this Old Navy swing top (NON-maternity!) yesterday, I added two more to my cart! One in a lighter heather gray and one a mustard yellow color. Both available HERE and they are on special TODAY for $8.50-$10 so I'd say jump jump jump on this deal!

I'm wearing the XS
Clickable photo!

T H R E E

Heads up, Lilly lovers! I'm adding these to The Tipsy Bunny on Instagram today! My mom has also been hard at work on some adorable bonnets, and my aunt has put together some adorable felt Easter basket bunnies. Stay tuned and follow us here!

F O U R
I need your vote. Maternity camo leggings. My practical side is saying "nah" but that little impulsive devil on my shoulder is saying #treatyoself

Should I pull the trigger? They are expensive but currently $25 off. Plus I can buy online and pickup in store, so ... score.

camo leggings

F I V E

Sending you a hug as we roll into this weekend! Happy, happy Friday. 

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That's it for today! Hope you have a lovely weekend -- thanks for linking up with us below!

Lunchbox Love

The school lunch post!

Both Camille and Charlotte are in preschool/"mother's morning out" a few days a week now. Both schools (yes, they're currently at separate schools) have pick-up after lunch, meaning that I send the girlies in the morning with little lunchboxes and hope that they come back empty. Or at least mostly empty.

I am going to warn you that I am not a Pinterest-lunchbox-mama who is making organic hemp chia almond broccoli muffins each night for the girls. Would be a lot cooler if I wassss, but. Yeah.

My main goal is to throw in some slam-dunk items that they will love along with fresh and/or healthy items that I know will keep them fueled. Trying to not get too many side-eyes from the teachers. 

Last note, our lunchbox of choice is YUMBOX and just make sure to use the top rack of your dishwasher for it! #lessonlearned 

Yumboxes run around $30 but is truly leak-proof and on Amazon HERE. Each day the girls take these Munchkin 360 Cups (also on Amazon) filled with fresh water. We have the Hello Kitty style cups. 

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So here are some of the lunches that I've packed. Again, nothing out of the ordinary or terribly creative, but just real life!

mandarin segments, dried cranberries, honey baked ham, string cheese, veggie straws

meat stick, fruit pouch, cheese and crackers, blueberries, 

frozen peas, banana chips and a whopper :) 

frozen peas, yogurt pouch, apple chips, blackberries, PB+J (sun butter)

fruit pouch, frozen peaches and fresh blueberries, honey baked ham, banana chips, 

frozen peas, juice box (whoops - the munchkin cup was in the dishwasher!)

pretzel chips, fruit pouch, pasta salad, frozen mango, yogurt bites

fruit pouch, frozen mango, veggie puffs, string cheese and turkey pepperoni, 

frozen green beans and celery, a few sweet treats

PB+J (sun butter), fruit pouch, dried bananas from trader joes, veggies in ranch, fig newtons

tuna salad sandwiches, kiwi, goldfish, frozen peas

dr. praegers sunbutter PB+J, cheese stick, berries and pineapple, heart marshmallow

So, there you have it! I don't mind sending Camille with a few sweet treats here and there but try to limit it and balance it out. Veggies are a weak point for us, but she will chow down on some frozen peas. We do two veggies at dinnertime so that I can be there eagle-eyeing her to make sure she eats them (or at least tries). Sending frozen fruit is so easy and it thaws out nicely before lunchtime. 

I'd love to open up the comments to lunchbox staples in your family! Have any veggie ideas for us?

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Pottery Barn Kids Beach Wrap for $8?! Free Shipping Today!

I'm in a group text with some sweet girlfriends who all jumped over this adorable PBK towel deal today! I mean, how cute?! And Pottery Barn Kids quality for $8, WITH free shipping today ... can't beat it! Is this price a mistake?!

You can find the towel HERE! Comment below if you snag it.

I am going to put them in the girls' Easter baskets ... Sunday, April 1!

How cute to grab a few for upcoming birthday parties or baby showers, too, right?!

Five On Friday: A New Book, Yummy Flatbread, Weekend Stuff

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
I was recently invited to participate in an Usborne party -- they make some really adorable kids books at different price ranges.

I'll be honest, when I hopped on the website I was pretty overwhelmed because they had SO many selections. But my good friend Ellen said that the book All Better was a favorite in her home, so I purchased that as well as That's Not My Puppy for our new baby boy (we already own That's Not My Lamb and it's currently one that Charlotte loves).

All Better is ... oh my goodness, SO cute, and both girls love it. I know navigating these Facebook parties can be a little tough, but you can't go wrong with this book. It isn't super long and it has removeable/reusable/repositionable plastic bandages that go on these sweet little animals who get boo-boos. A good lesson in what we do when we get a scrape or bump, and what we do to make things all better.

If you're looking for a rep to buy from, I bought from this sweet gal Becca. 

If you are also an Usborne rep, please feel free to leave a link to your website in the comments below! 

T W O
This weekend we have two birthday parties to attend -- so excited for each of them! Both are girls and both are getting some monogrammed Tipsy Bunny hairbows :)

I also recently found a local mama who makes these ADORABLE gift tags for porch pickup. Any local Charlotte moms that want her info, message me on Instagram (@smidgeofthis)! I had one set done in bubblegum pink and one set done in Carolina blue. Whether these go on the top of a wrapped gift or on the neck of a champagne bottle to celebrate a new baby or fun occasion, I just saw so many great uses! They are on thick cardstock and I paid $7 each set.

T H R E E

Sale alert for fellow lovers of pink and ruffles! This neon tee from Nordstrom was already a steal at $29 but it's now 40% off for just $17.40! I'm wearing a medium here for a baggier fit and to cover my stomach, but I'd normally wear the small. I'm an XS usually but I like to size up in the juniors department at Nordstrom. 

NEON TEE here

All 40% off winter sale items here

and ... yay! MATERNITY 40% winter sale items here

F O U R
Ian met a buddy out for wings last night so I settled in for an episode of Summer House (on demand on Bravo -- my girlfriend Margot got me hooked on it!) and fixed an easy appetizer-based dinner. I ate half of this garlic cheese flatbread which is actually an Aldi find!

Fellow Aldi lovers, DO pick this flatbread up on your next visit, and DO heed their warnings of placing a baking sheet under the flatbread to catch some of the butter that runs off of it. I actually followed instructions this time and was super happy because there was quite a bit of butter runoff.

F I V E

These kiddos are getting so big! We had a fun Valentines day playdate on Wednesday at sweet Emmerson's house -- the kids decorated cookies and played and left with an adorable heart-shaped crayon. Photo opps, not the easiest, especially compared to a few years ago!

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That's it for today! Hope you have a lovely weekend -- thanks for linking up with us below!

Valentines Day Love!

Happy day of L-O-V-E, my friends!

We keep Valentines Day pretty simple around these parts. For sure we dress the part (and I have special new little V-day hairbows for the girls) and we have fun little snacks and meals. And, per my own family's tradition, we are visited later by the Valentines Man! He arrives in a red Spandex suit, sprinting lightening fast, running to and from our front door and ringing the doorbell to leave a special little treat. Nothing extravagant, just a little sweet treat! Sadly, Ian always misses his visit. He always seems to have just left the house to run a trashbag outside or go water some flowers. ;)

Our best gift this year was preschool artwork for the fridge!

The girls came downstairs this morning to a "fancy" breakfast -- heart waffles and fresh berries with a special treat of whipped cream and a cherry!

This morning we have two different playdates (naptime should be a good one today) and then later this evening, Ian and I will cook together and listen to some love music courtesy of Alexa. She's already knocking it out of the park this morning with my "Alexa, play Valentines music" request -- she knows what's up). 

On our menu: filet mignon (this recipe), crab cakes, haricots verts, green salads, and a no-bake cheesecake with cherry topping (this recipe). A teeny glass of red wine too :) 

We vowed no cards, no gifts. We will probably be uber-romantic and eat our supper alongside a murder show. HA!

Last night I celebrated Galentines Day with some girlfriends. We had lots of fun with my LipSense testers!

And for any of you looking to place an order, I have lots of fun freebies to send with you today! Your choice. See details on my Instastories (here) or on my Facebook page (here).

Happy Valentines Day to all of you lovely folks! MUAH!

3, 2, 1 ... Contacts! Tried It And Liked It

I've been wearing glasses since the 3rd grade. I was allowed to get contacts in the 6th or 7th grade -- probably something I should remember but it was definitely in that early middle school phase.

I wear contacts every. single. day. and yes I know that Lasik has been around forever, but by the time I could afford it and was ready to pull the trigger, I was either pregnant or nursing! Eyes can change during that time, so maybe I'll get it when I'm, you know, forty seven or something. ;)

As much as I get a kick out of watching my finances, I'm admittedly lazy when it comes to being smart about purchasing my contacts. I buy them straight from my eye doctor every 3 months and I spend a small fortune. A smallllll fortune.

After seeing a commercial recently for Hubble, I decided to give the 15-pair free trial a go! You pay $3 for shipping and they arrive at your doorstep. Um, that's easy. 

I should mention this is a completely non-sponsored, unpaid, just gal-to-gal opinion post. They don't know who I am. :) 

A little googling after I paid my $3 shipping and I saw some kinda unpleasant reviews online, mostly about comfort and quality. And some said that stopping the delivery had to be done via phone only and was difficult. 

BUT - I turned to Instagram and had several people say that they were so happy with Hubble! And I'm on day 3 now of wearing the daily contacts and they've been super easy to adapt to! My prescription is pretty strong ... -7.0 and -7.5.

I did have one commenter who's an optometrist ... she said that they don't call your eye doctor to verify your prescription. I found that pretty interesting, not sure what to think of it. 

So I'd say give them a shot. It's $30/month after your trial box, which is way less than what I've been paying for my Acuvues. 

So far -- so good! Have you used these contacts? 

A Little Florida Getaway

On Thursday afternoon, Ian and I caught a quick flight to Orlando! He had a work conference to attend, and I said “Florida? Sunshine? Warm weather? No kiddos? Paid hotel at the Ritz? I’M BUYING A PLANE TICKET TOO.”

It was a quick getaway but an amazing one!

I was up early each morning since Ian’s breakfasts started at 6:30, but my mornings were lazy. I had quiet breakfasts and was even able to do some work of my own from my phone. 

Friday morning, I treated myself to a facial at the Ritz Carlton spa! It was positively luxurious. I highly recommend Kari there. So relaxing. 

Later, I hit the pool where Ian joined me after his morning work session. We stayed there for a few hours and chatted with some of the great people he works with. 

Saturday night was an awards banquet for the company, but they ended up inviting me to join as well which was so fantastic! I was the only spouse in attendance so I thought it was very generous of the hosts to invite me. I definitely was not expecting to spend my evening with them, so luckily had already dressed and showered! And I was excited to watch Ian go up on stage and accept an unexpected award which was fantastic. Proud wifey moment. 

Florida, thanks for your rays of sunshine! Much needed!

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

I'm out for this week enjoying a little R+R, but please do link up with us and have a GREAT weekend!

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That's it for today! Hope you have a lovely weekend -- thanks for linking up with us below!

Hey, Sunshine!

This week has been rainy and cold but we are escaping to a little much-needed sunshine! Only for a short time, but enough to soak in some rays.

Florida -- see you shortly!

Moving Online?!

Yesterday I had 90 kid-free minutes so I racked my brain for things I don't necessarily love doing with my girls.

I'd already been to the grocery store the day prior, so I thought ... DRESSING ROOM. I need to take advantage of a kid-free dressing room. No more legging knees covered in dust-bunnies or me fretting over the possibility of a stray straight pin poking someone. No more checkout line meltdowns or pleas to buy anything (and I mean anything) with a princess or sparkles on it.

My maternity wear leaves a little to be desired, but yesterday I wore some non-maternity leggings and a piko top that I've owned for a few years from The Palm Tree Boutique. Just did a quick search and see that they now carry a v-neck version and I love THIS one in olive green. And of course, my Ja-Vie flats and Laura Cox Designs necklace.

After wandering around and trying to scout the maternity section, I asked an employee who told me that the line was being phased out of stores! BUMMER! I know I can always order online, but I'm a "try-on" kinda gal (because let's be honest, I'm horrible with actually making returns). And small orders don't get free shipping so that's a double bummer. Although I do have the BR credit card so maybe it's waived?

I was lucky, though, with some other finds. They had these NON-maternity high-neck swing tanks and I picked up two. I'm sorry, but I couldn't scout out my sale prices online. I tried!! I bought this dark gray with golden flecks one for $8.49 and a teal one (hanging in the background) for $1.99! 

If you do shop online, use code SWEET today for 20% off. That certainly helps!

wearing the XS

Okay, this tankini bathing suit top is still showing as $25 online, BUT my store randomly had this for $0.47?! Of course I bought it!

NOW, if you do like the shape of it but want a steal, then they have this palm leaf one for $4.97 (only available currently in XS and S) and use that code SWEET for 20% off.

I had $10 in rewards from my Banana Republic credit card, so I paid less than $2 for three items!

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For the actual maternity wear they still carry online, I'm thinking of treating myself to this dress. 

 

The flutter-sleeve dress (HERE) is so ME and so cute. But what's your vote, gingham or baby blue?

Alright, so what are your thoughts on their maternity line moving to online only? Are we sad, or no love lost?

Don't forget to vote gingham or baby blue, too!

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