Fall Wishlist

Happy Thursday! Only one more day til the weekend and I couldn't be happier about that! The temperatures have slowly been changing around here and it feels like fall has finally arrived. Change in season equals change in wardrobe, and fall just happens to be my favorite season, both clothes and temperature-wise! There's nothing like a crisp fall evening, the smell of bonfire, the sound of leaves crunching and the taste of a good glass of pinot noir. Here are the items on my fall wishlist this year:

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I've always loved these coats for fall and cooler winter days. I think the quilted look is so classic and love the pop of pattern/color on the lining.

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This monogram gold necklace has been on my wishlist for a while. I probably need to just bite the bullet and order it. I think it's the perfect size for an everyday gold necklace and love the monogrammed detail.

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I don't think these really need an explanation. :) I have had my black Revas for a year and a half and love them. The tan pair would be great for fall!

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Again, I've been eyeing LV bags for years and have always leaned toward the Damier Azur print, but lately, I'm thinking that the Monogram Canvas would show less wear (I have a tendency to be pretty hard on bags). I keep telling Michael that LV bags last for years (and years!), but he doesn't seem to believe me. Hm. Maybe it can be my push present??

Are there any items on your fall wish list? 

28 Week Update

*Please excuse the formatting of this post. I've redone it over and over and can't figure out the spacing/photo issues. Oh well!

How far along: 28 weeks 

Size of baby: Weighs about 2.25 pounds and is almost 15 inches long!



Movement: All the time. Even have felt a couple of cases of baby hiccups. Last night she was moving so much that it actually woke me up. So fun. :)

Photos:

Milestones: Officially in the 3rd trimester! What I'm looking forward to: Our couples shower on November 5. So excited to celebrate with friends and family. Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Sleeping on my back. Also, I wanted to brighten my smile  for our upcoming photo session by using some white strips, but apparently, that is not recommended during pregnancy. Oh well. I guess I'll save them for January!Total weight gain/loss: Lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and now have gained 7.5 of those pounds back. 

Sleep: Still sleeping great!  Getting up about 2 times per night to go to the restroom. 

Best moment of the week: Getting to see her via our 3D ultrasound last week. Absolutely incredible! Pic below. Everyone who has seen the photos says she has my nose and chin and Michael's lips. I can't wait to see what she looks like in person!

Menu Monday

This week, I actually made it to the grocery store on Sunday (a lot of times, this gets put off until Monday or Tuesday after work) and planned several good meals, so I thought I'd share. Here's what's in the lineup in our kitchen this week!

Sunday: Crockpot chili with cornbread. It was delicious (so delicious that I forgot to take a picture!) and well worth the heartburn it gave me!

Monday: Chicken tetrazzini with oven roasted broccoli. I am not the biggest fan of chicken (I know, I'm odd), but Michael loves chicken and pasta, so I try to throw in some chicken into the rotation every once in a while.

Tuesday: Amy's Organic Pizza with salad. Has anyone else tried these? They are delicious and we seem to eat one at least once per week. I usually sprinkle on a little extra goat cheese for good measure.

Wednesday: Dinner out.

Thursday: Crockpot Potato Soup with salad. I made this a couple of months ago and it was a big hit, so it's making a repeat appearance. This gal gave me the recipe. It's supposed to get chilly on Thursday so I thought it would be a good meal to warm us up. Here's the recipe:

Crockpot Potato Soup Ingredients: 1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hashbrowns 3 14oz. cans of chicken broth 1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium carrot, shredded 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. ground pepper 2 tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch mix 1 pkg. cream cheese Directions: Combine all ingredients except for the cream cheese in a crockpot, stir to combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours. One hour before you're ready to serve, cut the cream cheese into smaller squares (about 1 inch pieces), add to crockpot and crank the heat up to high for the last hour (until the cream cheese melts). Top with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, diced green onions or sour cream.

On that note, I'm off to clean up the kitchen and then relax with Michael. Good night!

Wonderful Weekend

Happy Sunday!  Between the great Sunday night TV (Dexter and The Amazing Race), cooking a nice meal and relaxing on the couch and just spending the day together, Sundays are quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the week.

We've had quite the relaxing weekend around here. We stayed in Friday night and ordered Chinese. Yesterday, we go up and headed downtown to the Majestic for brunch and then walked down to the South Main River Arts festival for a little while. We ran a couple of errands, and then I came home and finished (for now) our hallway gallery wall:

Today, we ran out to Collierville so that I could pick up a few things for Emmie at the Baby Gap sale. I got quite a few adorable items, including this little dress:

(available here)

Baby Gap's clothes are definitely my favorite that I've found thus far and today they were taking an extra 50% off all markdowns...score! Anyway, we ran to the grocery store and Target after that and now we are about to enjoy some chili and cornbread for dinner. Yum!

Have a great Sunday evening! 

Wednesday Loves

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. The temperatures have finally begun to feel like fall in Memphis and it's wonderful (well, at least I think so!). Here's what I'm loving this week!

1) This little gadget:

We finally broke down an bought a Keurig a couple of weeks ago and it has been a lifesaver. Since I'm (mostly) drinking decaf and the husband likes regular, I was just skipping my morning coffee at home and getting a decaf PSL from Starbucks most days. Now, we can each have our preference (and it's much easier on the wallet)!

2) Our weekend morning ritual. For the past couple of months, we have been taking the dogs to the dog park each Saturday & Sunday morning. They LOVE it and it's such a quiet, peaceful way to start the day. Here's a picture from this past weekend.

Our two boxers, Ella & Lola, like to play in the water while Oliver, our Boston, prefers running around and terrorizing the other dogs.

3) These Gap Maternity leggings:

Purchase them here.

I bought a pair in charcoal grey a while back and fell in love with them, so I also bought them in black. I wear these things all. the. time. at home and I'm sure that I'll be wearing them with boots/oversized sweaters this fall & winter, too!

4) This coat:

 Purchase it here.

As I mentioned, it has gotten a little chilly here in the past couple of days, so I picked this up to wear during this not quite peacoat, lightweight jacket weather. It's cute with jeans or work clothes and I love the fact that it's water resistant, too!

5) This gal! Her birthday was Monday, so go wish her a happy belated birthday! :)

What are you loving this week? Go play along!

26 Week Update

It's that time again...time for another pregnancy update! I'm 26 weeks (plus one day, if we want to get technical) along and still feeling great. Here's my update!

How far along: 26 weeks 

Size of baby: About the length of an English cucumber (14 inches)  and weighs about 1.75 pound! 

Total weight gain/loss: Lost 10 pounds in the first trimester and now have gained 6.5 of those pounds back. 

Sleep: Sleeping pretty well. Getting up 1-2 times per night to go to the restroom. 

Best moment of the week: As I was typing this post, the painting and rug were just delivered. So, clearly, I stopped what I was doing, unpackaged them and put them in her room. They look so great...I can't wait to post pictures! 

Movement: Lots and lots. Last week, while in a meeting, I could see her moving through my shirt. It was so neat! 

Food cravings: Still not having any really strong cravings, but smoothies, greek yogurt with pumpkin and honey and granola bars have been sounding good lately. 

Gender: Girl!

Labor signs: N/A

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: I would love to have a mimosa! 

What I'm looking forward to: Our 3D ultrasound next week. Unfortunately, along with that comes my gestational diabetes test. Let's hope it goes well!

Milestones: Less than 100 days to go (97 to be exact). Yes, we keep a countdown on the fridge. 


Please excuse the photo...this one was taken after work as opposed to before work. Apparently, I am a morning person, as those photos have been much more presentable. It looks like Oliver had to sneak in there, too. :)

Wednesday!

Somehow, it is Wednesday again! Each week feels like it's flying by. Anyway, let's get right to it. Here is what I am loving this beautiful Wednesday!

1) Shopping for baby clothes. My mom and I hit Baby Gap/Gap Maternity this weekend and I got a few things for Emerson. Not only are the clothes adorable, but it just feels so much more real when I'm buying things for her. Here are a few of the things I got her:

I coudn't resist the polka dots. I loved the brown and tan colors, too, so I bought it in a size I'm hoping will fit her next fall.

Adorable lace trimmed leggings to match!

I'm not normally a big animal print fan, but thought this little sweater was just too cute to pass up.

2) Crockpot cooking. I've been using my crockpot like crazy lately. I had forgotten how easy and convenient it is to add a few ingredients in the morning and come home to a ready meal. To me, crockpots just scream warm, fall food. 

3) This stuff:

I've been looking for a good daily moisturizer that will help with fine lines & spots and I think I've found my solution. I've been using it for a month or so now and can tell a big difference in my skin's texture and tone. It's super lightweight, so I can wear it under my makeup without it making me look oily. And you can't beat the price! Here is a link for more info/to purchase it.

4) This little guy:

That's Oliver, our 1 year old Boston Terrier. He is just about the sweetest thing ever and has been super cuddly lately, which I definitely love.

What are you loving this week? Go play along!