Anyway, for today’s blog post, I thought I would switch gears a bit and share a throwback style blog post with you. Way back in 2013, I shared a Currently-themed blog post on PBF that highlighted some current things I’m enjoying, reading, wearing, doing, etc. It’s also a style of blog post I’ve seen Kristin share on her blog for years and I always look forward to reading about her current interests, recommendations, etc. I hope you enjoy this post as well! And, if you feel like playing along, I’d love to read about some of your current interests, reads, needs, wants and more in the comments section of this post!
Currently…
Currently Reading: Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
Years ago, I read Term Limits by Vince Flynn after both my mom and dad recommended it to me and thoroughly enjoyed the political thriller. During our stay at my parents’ place, we chatted a bit about the author’s other novels and since I was in the market for a thriller and both my mom and my dad have enjoyed some of the books from his Mitch Rapp series, I figured I’d give one a shot. I opted for Transfer of Power and it’s a page turner for sure though something about the writing/thought process of the main character irks me a bit.
Currently In the Market For: An SUV with a third row or a minivan. With only 7(ish) weeks to go before our little one arrives, we’re feeling a bit of pressure to make a decision regarding a larger vehicle for our family. While I realize they make slimmer car seats that allow three car seats to fit across a bench seat (our current car seats are too wide), even if we got new car seats and managed to get them into the back row of either of our vehicles, there is no place for Sadie to go during road trips with our family since we use ALL of our trunk space for luggage and kid stuff. Sooo we’re in the market for something with a third row that is a little bigger to accommodate our growing family. I’d love to hear about any third row SUVs or minivans you guys have out there that you love or, on the flip side, vehicles you’ve owned that you’d never purchase again. I drive my cars for-ev-errr (we’re talking 12+ years) so while we know this is a big purchase, we’re hoping it will be one that will be with us for the long haul.
Currently Drinking: Sparkling water with a splash of juice or coconut water — aka my go-to pregnancy mocktail!
Current Craving: Ben & Jerry’s Pint Slices (SO GOOD!) and watermelon. Gimme watermelon 24/7 right now!
Currently Wearing: All the comfy clothes… and a mask (I have this three pack)! I feel like my quarantine wardrobe consists entirely of athletic clothing, loungewear and bathing suits. I partly blame this on pregnancy (I’ve never been one to go out and buy a new wardrobe during pregnancy and try to keep my maternity wear budget-friendly and practical) but also on the fact that 99 percent of our plans these days take place outside in the sweltering heat or else they involve simply lounging at home (aka wrangling kiddos at home since not a lot of lounging seems to take place around here)!
Here are some of my current favorites that are not strictly maternity clothes:
- Athleta Run With It 3.5” Shorts: I ordered these a size up in neon a month ago when they were on super sale and they are a DREAM. They’re incredibly comfortable, don’t dig into my sides at all and the length is perfect.
- Perfectly Cozy Lounge Shorts: The softest fabric and comfiest fit. Target does it again! There’s a reason these get great reviews! (Note: The stripe patterns are currently on clearance!)
- Seamless Basic Bralette: I cannot even remember the last time I wore a real bra because this is the bralette I wear nearly every single day. It is the BEST and so comfy… not to mention incredibly inexpensive. I gave a two-pack to my sister as part of her birthday present and she’s already obsessed, too.
- Lululemon Cool Racerback Tank: My all-time favorite workout tank both pre-pregnancy and now! Tip: Check out thredUP for this one! I can often find my size in this tank secondhand as long as I’m flexible on color/pattern.
- $10 White Slides: Aka my summer sandal obsession.
- Lululemon Align Leggings: Worth every bit of the hype.
Currently Watching: It’s been months since I’ve been into a TV show and I’d love to find a good one to check out. Ryan and I almost always read at night before bed so TV time isn’t a big thing over here but I know Michael Jordan’s documentary series ‘The Last Dance’ just came out on Netflix yesterday and I’m looking forward to watching that one soon because we’ve heard great things about it. As someone who was a huge Bulls fan as a kid and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago (shout out to Palatine, IL!) during Michael’s glory days, I’m excited to check it out. The Bulls continue to be Ryan’s all-time favorite NBA team so he’s all in on this one as well and it will be nice to have a show to watch that we’re both into.
Currently Anticipating: Our baby’s arrival. With less than two months to go, it feels like we’re officially in the home stretch!
Currently Wishing For: A LOT of things related to getting back some semblance of normalcy during this pandemic but, on a much smaller level, I’d also like a haircut and a pedicure. Little things! And, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve also found myself increasingly interested in Botox. Is it just me or has Botox become way more popular these days? I love that people are so open about it (I thought it was just a movie star thing for years!) and I am envious of the natural-looking results so many women seem to achieve. (I’m not into frozen faces over here but I’d looove to see some wrinkles disappear.) Clearly it’s not something I’ll explore until I’m no longer pregnant and nursing (so at least for another 1.5 years assuming I nurse our little one for more than a year like I did with Ryder and Chase), but it’s on my radar. I definitely have research I want to do before taking the plunge, too. In the interim, do you guys have any pregnancy and nursing-safe recommendations for getting rid of wrinkles? And while we’re at it, age spots? I need help!
Currently Indulging In: Homemade ice cream. The ice cream maker Ryan gave me for my birthday is getting more use than I ever could’ve imagined. Love that thing! The below bowl of ice cream was out of this world and was a cinnamon ice cream base packed with lots of crushed Biscoff cookies. YUM.
Currently Feeling Blessed By: Time with family at my parents’ place at the beach earlier this month. I know we were incredibly lucky to be able to spend time with loved ones and I didn’t take one second of our time together for granted.
Currently Pondering: How and when to move Chase and Ryder into the same bedroom. Our grand plan is to eventually have the baby in Ryder’s room when he or she is no longer sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed but since that won’t be for 6(ish) months after our little one’s arrival, I haven’t felt any pressure to move forward with transitioning Ryder into Chase’s room. Well, a few days ago, I started to think about how much we used the boys’ bedrooms even before they were actually sleeping in there. Their gliders were key for rocking them to sleep/a comfy nursing spot, the changing table was clutch and I used their bedroom dresser for clothing, swaddle blankets and other baby gear. What to do… What to do!? And when to do it!?
(Note: I know cribs for babies should have nothing in them. The above photo was shared before Ryder was sleeping in his crib and we absolutely removed the blanket and stuffed animals from his crib before he slept in there!)
Currently Looking Forward To: Celebrating Chase’s birthday! He’ll be five years old on the 29th and while we don’t have a birthday party planned this year due to the pandemic, we’ll find a way to make it special. He’s already requested a vanilla cake with vanilla icing and lots of sprinkles so couple that with some decorations and a few fun surprises and I think he’ll be a happy birthday boy!
Questions of the Day
Choose a few “Currently” categories and play along! Need a starting point? Here are a few…
- Currently In the Market For…
- Currently Anticipating…
- Currently Craving…
- Currently Indulging In…
- Currently Feeling Blessed By…
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Don’t get trapped into buying a minivan! It may not seem like it now, but it’s usefulness wears off so quickly and then you are stuck with one. Once 1 and 2 can buckle themselves (mine learned by 3 years) you don’t need to be able to access them super easily. We had only 3.5 years between our oldest and youngest (3 kids) and rolled with the Jeep Grand Cherokee (fun. but highly unreliable) until it died and then moved to the Tahoe. We chose that for size (not too big but big enough) and to not have to suffer a minivan for years (tend to keep our cars awhile). Don’t cave! You’ll regret it!
Kia Telluride! We just got ours and are obsessed – did the bucket seat option so it seats 7 in total. The Back row is a split fold, so you can put down either 2 or 1 seats. Great car and very affordable for what is offers!
I will put in a plug for the VW Atlas. I bought mine in January 2018. It has a great warranty and I’ve put a ton of miles on it (90 minute one way work commute pre pandemic).
The seats are very roomy and I can easily sit between the two second row car seats (not slim styles) on longer road trips. The trunk storage is good even with the third row up. I often have only one seat of the third row seats up and give my dog her own floor bed or just use that space for a big trip of the dog isn’t there.
It’s got a great sound system and drives very smoothly. We have even considered trading in my husbands Wrangler to buy a second one (there’s now a slightly smaller, sporty version that appeals to him.
I love it … so Team VW Atlas.
I live in a city of 120,000 that’s very populated with stay/work at home moms. When I was looking for my larger car a few years ago, I test drove EVERYTHING. Luxury, inexpensive, SUV, minivan, etc. One of the most popular vehicles in my town is the Honda Odyssey. I LOVED it, but the only dealbreaker for me was that I couldn’t push my seat back all the way with a rear-facing car seat behind me. I’m 5’9” with long legs and my husband is 6’2”. We have to push our seats back further than most and at that point in our journey we would have two kids rear-facing.
I ended up with a Pathfinder because of the all-around camera, the overall drive, and the ventilated seats. It’s my understanding that the newer Pathfinders aren’t as great as the older model.
Two of the more popular vehicles in my area are the Buick Enclave and the Tahoe.
I test drove the Enclave and wasn’t happy with the dashboard. It seems picky, but I wanted to be happy with all of the controls and I just wasn’t. My parents own a Tahoe and the trunk is a deal breaker for me because the third row can’t be folded flat and takes up quite a bit of room. They’re getting ready to trade theirs in after 8 years because it hasn’t held up even with regular maintenance.
Personally, I’d go Honda Odyssey or the Hyundai Palisade. The Palisade is fully loaded for a great price.
And some good for thought — make sure whichever car you pick has A/C and heating vents in the ceiling! The ones in the middle of the console or on the side of the car aren’t great if you have a rear facing child not really effective in the third row!
I also want to add that I am glad I don’t have captain’s seats. So many items can get dropped in the middle and my friends’ primary complaints are trying to reach back and down while driving. It’s fairly easy for my kids or myself to reach back if the items are on the bench seat. As for third row access, I just open my trunk and keep the third row split. It’s pretty easy for my oldest to get into his seat and I just tighten his straps by leaning into the trunk.
All I’ll say is whatever you get make sure you get the captain seats in the middle row!!! it is such a pain w folding seats up and down and being able to reach the car seats easily and letting the bigger kids into the 3rd row etc etc etc. I have a Ford Explorer and I love it, but I wish I had gotten the explorer with Captain seats. It is on the smaller side for a 7 seater but for us it works. In hindsight I probably would’ve gone a little bigger with a chevy tahoe or gmc yukon etc.
in re wrinkles: Andalou Naturals has a ROBUST line of products that are ALL super CHEAP compared to almost anything on the market, are all natural/clean and WORK! like, really well. I have tried all of them and they’re all lovely. My combination skin makes it difficult for me to use the “wrinkle” creams and heavier stuff, but even their lighter stuff is great for sun spots. I’ve been LOVING the new hemp line. It smells like a forest and gives a glow that I haven’t gotten from even Sephora products.
If you go to their website (they are all over the web and even amazon, but their site has the coupons/deals) and sign up for their email, they are GENEROUS with coupons and sales. AND they have sample kits for all their lines. A few years back I got one of each and found AMAZING products from each line that I can’t live without now. The Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask is my FAVORITE! and the super food mask is a must have in the winter.
I recently got a Hyundai Palisade and love it! The second row has captains chairs, though they do have the option for a bench seat as well. It drives very nicely; I test drove a few other 3rd row SUVs, and they all felt “heavy” to me (especially the Chevy Traverse). I hope to drive this Palisade for many years to come.
I will note, two of my friends have Chrysler Pacificas. Each of them had one of their small kiddos (one 5 year old, one 3 year old) get their fingers smashed in the sliding door. There is a sensor on the door that is supposed to prevent this from happening, but in these cases, it did not work.
I have the Audi Q7 and I adore it. You can fit three across in the back and the 3rd row seat can accommodate larger kids. I can even sit back there, I am 5’4.
Honda Odyssey 2018 or earlier models. The seats slide front to back and side to side and it makes it the most functional thing ever. Vans might not be cool but they are the BEST for cargo/storage space, having 3 kids in car seats/boosters, ease of kids getting in and out, road trips etc. I just can’t speak highly enough about it. My oldest is 5 and I also have a 3 year old and 3 month old. We also used to do carpool (pre covid) for preschool and I was so glad I had the van. So much versatility!!!! I imagine as they’re older and doing sports and stuff it will still be great because all of the room in the trunk even with the third row up.
We also looked at minivan vs SUV and test drove every single one and found the third rows of the highlander and Telluride super cramped, and our big dog wouldn’t fit in the back either with the third row up. We loved the Subaru Ascent (roomy third row, dog and luggage could fit in the back) but went with the Honda Odyssey because of the magic seat and huge amount of space. We love it but I still dream about the Ascent!
I was all about the SUV until my husband talked me into driving a Honda Odyssey. I was sold by the sliding doors (no kids whipping the door open and giving door dings!! And no pinching fingers with auto slide doors!). My boys are 4 and 2 and they can both open the doors get in and climb into seats without me which has been amazing!! No more making 3 trips back into the house to get the kids, then my things then the kids things. And storage….holy moly that van can hold everything!! We went with a 2019 Elite and I haven’t looked back. I told my hubs if I was going to drive a van….I wanted all the bells and whistles 😀
Mom of 3 here (5 year old, 4 year old, and a 1 year old) and LOVE my suburban! We have captains chairs which feels like a must in my opinion. My oldest sits in the third row since she can buckle and unbuckle herself without assistance. My 4 year old is in a 5 point harness and still requires some help buckling/unbuckling, and he either sits in the third row and I can roll the captains chair forward for easy access or recently he’s been in a captains chair because him and sister were battling a bit too much in back together. Baby is in a captains chair. I wanted a slightly smaller SUV like the Nissan Armada or Tahoe, but ultimately our Suburban was a better fit. We frequently travel with our Labrador and dachshund, so like you said, between kids, dogs, luggage, and all the things we needed lots of space- both for seating and cargo. Another bonus: husband is 6’5” and loves the room our suburban offers.
I totally recommend the Subaru Ascent! Subaru’s last forever, have great saftey ratings, and there’s 19 cup holders inside. lol
Toyota Highlander or Subaru Ascent – both cars are known to retain their value and be low maintenance/last a long time.
I remember reading to make big transitions before the baby comes so that the older siblings don’t “blame” the new baby for new adjustments that they have had to make. I’m thinking of transitioning my 1.5 year old out of his room this fall before his new sibling comes this February! But who knows how that will go, haha of course, every family and situation is different, but that tidbit made sense to me, I didn’t want him thinking the new baby kicked him out of his room. Love reading your blog, best of luck to all of you!!
We also saved our car purchase for just a few weeks before the third was born! I really wanted to make our two row SUV work but I knew we’d never fit in it with all of our luggage whenever we traveled. We ended up with a Honda Pilot and absolutely love it!