Good morning to you and happy, happy Friday!
It’s almost time for me to head out to teach a barbell strength class, but the weekend is nearly here! Our plans to have a relaxing weekend at home in Charlotte sounds beyond perfect to me right now. I think all of the traveling I did last month is finally catching up to me and I’m craving a few days of sleeping in, casual meals and chill time with Ryan and Sadie. And if a few episodes from season 3 of House of Cards end up being watched this evening over pizza, you won’t find me complaining!
But before the weekend fun begins, it’s time for your usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post where we all come together to chat about what we’re loving most each week. Please feel free to tell me all about what’s making you smile in the comments section of this post.
Have a great weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Your Kindness and Excitement Surrounding Our Baby News
Keeping our big news a secret for 17 weeks was so hard and I feel like a weight was lifted off my chest this week when I announced my pregnancy on the blog. I actually had a lot of nervousness building up inside me the night before that post went live and felt surprisingly relived about everything when your sweet words and congratulations starting popping up through the comments section of the blog and through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
I know it was a bit baby crazy over here this week, but I was just so darn excited to share everything and I cannot say how much I’ve loved reading every single one of your comments and emails. Chatting with you guys over shared experiences is so much fun and I really, really appreciate all of the support and warm wishes you’ve sent our way. Thank you for joining us on this special journey! Ryan and I appreciate your kindness and excitement more than you know.
- Angie’s Frosted Sugar Cookie Kettle Corn
Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop holiday flavors own me. Every holiday season, they seem to come out with a new holiday flavor that looks simply irresistible and in the Easter candy/food aisle of Target, I stumbled upon this kettle corn while grocery shopping earlier this week. This may be a bold statement given how much I love their Halloween candy corn kettle corn, but I think this new flavor may be my all-time favorite. Angie’s doesn’t overdo it with the sugar cookie drizzle and it merely adds a lovely touch of sweetness to their slightly sweet, slightly salty kettle corn. Addicting!
My sweet friend Leah sent this to me this week after I spent a solid 45 minutes flipping through her memory journal on Monday morning during my visit to Chicago. Leah started recording one line a day in her journal during the month leading up to the birth of her baby boy and I devoured every single word (with her permission, of course).
It was so, so interesting to read what her life was like and what she was doing in the weeks leading up to the birth of her baby and the weeks after her little boy was born. I think she saw how much I loved her little journal, because a surprise journal showed up on my doorstep yesterday! I cannot wait to begin writing in mine soon and will likely start the month before my due date, just like Leah did! The fact that the journal only leaves enough room for a sentence or two makes it seem like something I’m much more likely to stick with, compared to a traditional diary.
- *Surprise* Pineapple Jelly Beans
File jelly beans under my list of pregnancy cravings right now. I picked up a random bag earlier this week and was SO happy when the yellows turned out to be pineapple instead of lemon! Oh happy day! It’s the little things my friends…
Occasionally I’ll receive tiny little samples of perfume in my monthly Birchbox and I love saving them for travel! During my trip to Chicago last weekend, I packed a sample of English Laundry perfume and loved the fresh, floral scent. The perfume smells bright and breezy with a lovely feminine flare! This perfect-size purse spray version may be in my future…
- ThredUp: Cash for Used Clothing
Back in January, one of the items on my organization calendar called for me to clean out my closet and dressers and get rid of unwanted clothing, shoes and accessories. I donated some stuff and also sent a bag of clothing and shoes to ThredUp, hoping to make some money. I ended up making almost $93. Score! I love this site and Like Twice for an easy way to make some money off old clothes that are in good condition!
- Sparkling Water
I’ve always loved sparkling water, but during pregnancy, my ridiculous thirst levels have caused me to drink tons of it. I love the bubbles and the way it makes guzzling lots of water a little less boring.
- CALIA Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Erin, the winner of yesterday’s CALIA by Carrie Underwood / DICK’S Sporting Goods gift card giveaway! Erin was emailed first thing this morning. Thanks so much to all who entered!
Question of the Day
- Tell me about one thing that is making you smile today!
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My hubby has the men’s English Laundry cologne. It’s really nice, but we always joke when he wears it that it must be what the basement of Downton Abby smiles like. 😉
Seeing all the snow outside. It’s doubly fun bc I like snow but I also know this is the last one before spring! !
I have that one-line-a-day book and have found it surprisingly easy to stick with! I am a sentimental sap and I write in it at the end of each day… I know I’ll love looking back on it when the time comes.
Ummm…those jellybeans just went on my cravings list. I will be stopping by the store today while I’m out to grab some of these babies!! 🙂 And I love that mommy book! I’ve been looking for something like that.
I’m looking forward to seeing my sister <3 tomorrow! She is engaged and we are going dress shopping 🙂
I’m currently 33 weeks pregnant. Pineapple and jelly beans (together or as one) are my everything. Have been for the last 4 months!
I heart La Croix as well! They have the best flavors. Love the journal – that’s going to be so wonderful to have as a keepsake. Enjoy your r&r this weekend!
I got suckered into a bag of the Angie’s flavored kettlecorn in the Easter aisle at Target, too! I got a bag of the lemon flavor (I LOVE lemon) and was a little disappointed. Good thing you stuck with the sugar cookie!
I really wish I had kept a journal during my pregnancy and for the first year. She will be a year old in a few weeks. I guess it’s not too late to start. Everything goes by so fast and you think you’ll remember everything but it’s hard. Great idea! 🙂 Enjoy every moment of it!
I have been following your blog for a couple years now and I literally screamed out loud when I found out you guys were pregnant lol! Very exciting!! My familyand I just found out my sister is pregnant and is exactly a month behind you….fun times ahead! :))
You just reminded me that I need to buy those La Croix cans! I love them but never buy them for myself.
Do you think you’ll do regular baby updates/posts?
I bought one of those journals for my sister this year. She just had my 2nd niece, and I figured it would not only be a good way to start tracking the first year of her life, but to also mark any milestones my older niece has! She loved the idea of it, and couldn’t wait to start using it! And I’m hopefully going to be utilizing ThreadUp and other sites like it! I can never sell my clothes at our Plato’s closet (because they are “not in season”) so I’m hoping this will be a way to get a little return!
I’m drinking that exact water right now! Grapefruit La Croix is the bomb dot com!
I’m smiling today because I’m having dinner with a friend tonight. Eat all the tacos!! 🙂
Happy Friday!
Is your barbell strength class a lot like Bodypump?
I love La Croix water, the pineapple strawberry flavor is really nice.
Having a journal is the key to being healthy. I write down all my feelings in that journal. I would reflect back when I have time to see how my progress has been over the weeks or months. I am still trying to find the best pig out food for friday.
I love sparkling water– especially La Croix! So delicious!
I keep a line-a-day journal and LOVE looking back at it! I made mine on index cards and store them in a recipe box- I’m on my third year and it is so fun to see what we were up to in our day-to-day life. I’m due two weeks ahead of you and know it will be fun to look back on pregnancy and baby milestones after our little one is here!
Today watching my baby girl roll all over the floor is definitely making me smile 🙂
Thred Up is awesome! I, too, made close to $95 on my last bag of items, which is a huge improvement over my typical payouts at other places like Buffalo Exchange (where I always seem to end up with like $12).
And my belated congratulations on your exciting news! Slowly but surely, all of my favorite blogs are transforming into active/healthy mom blogs, but as someone who is moving in that direction myself (not pregnant now, but in 2-3 years hopefully), I actually really enjoy reading all about it. Somehow I feel like it’s making me more prepared and informed for when my time comes! Congrats again, and have a relaxing weekend 🙂
Having the day off & spending the day with my little guy!!! 🙂 Ps. all this baby talk on your blog is making me smile too hehe
I recently found LaCroix Coconut…it was interesting. It wasn’t bad, but it was like sparkling water and a hint of coconut aftertaste.
I love love love Boom Chikka Pop! I tried the frosted sugar cookie and the lemon holiday ones. I have yet to find the Maple Sea Salt.
I’m loving the warmer weather lately! Spring finally feels like it’s coming. 🙂 that journal sounds precious, I’m sure it’s something your little one will love in a few years.
I haven’t caught up on pbfingers this week and I just got back on and you’re pregnant!!! Huge congratulations!!!!!! 🙂 how exciting! I now have to go stalk your previous posts about it 🙂
I love hearing people are pregnant so I am actually loving that right now! I get super excited for people. It is such an awesome time and the beginning of a beautiful chapter. I can’t have babies so I live vicariously through other people 🙂
Does the pink journal mean you’re having a girl…?! 🙂
Is the pink journal an early clue that you’re having a girl? 😉
Have a great weekend!
I have a 5 month old little girl so the pregnancy experience is still fresh in my mind. Seltzer water was my thing, too. I didn’t have any aversions and it was my only craving. It would drive my husband nuts because I would bring the cans to bed and crack them open at night. He said it sounded like I was opening a beer every time. Ha!
The thirst is crazy during pregnancy and it only becomes more intense if you choose to breastfeed.
Congratulations! Enjoy this time preparing for your little one.
Though all baby, all the time would not be for me – I have really enjoyed your pregnancy posts over the past couple of days. Your excitement shines through and it’s been lovely to read! Congratulations!
That memory book sounds like such a cool idea. It’ll be interesting to go back and read it.
I’ve found it harder and harder to get jellybeans here. Last Easter I looked for them everywhere (they’re my dad’s favorite), but I could only find one kind that wasn’t very good.
Great post!
I’m new blogger. Check out my blog! 🙂
http://ivanasonlinediary.blogspot.com
The Mom’s One Line a Day is an adorable idea. That’s my number one advice to newly pregnant women – WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN! I’m pregnant with #2 and I love love love (more than I could have ever imagined) looking back at what I wrote with #1 🙂
That popcorn though…now I need to go find some!
Watching my 18 month old try to be gentle and take care of his 2 week old brother is making me smile…The jealousy is finally starting to subside a little bit and he’s actually trying to play with him — I can’t wait until they’re old enough to really have fun together!
Love ThredUp! I bought maternity clothes through them with good results!
I started the “non mom” version of the line a day journal in January. I agree with previous comments that it is so easy to keep up with. I also love the size because it will be easy to bring along on vacations/work trips. I can’t wait to start being able to look back year after year. It is such a great idea and easy concept.
Ive been following your blog since November and was so thrilled to read about your baby news. Wishing you a happy healthy pregnancy. Xx
I got the regular One Line A Day memory book and love it. It’s like a diary that literally takes me a few seconds before bed.