Sunday, June 30, 2013

Pregnancy: Week 12

I'm really excited that I'm almost over that first trimester hump.  The first trimester is filled with exhaustion, nausea, bloating, food aversions, and in my case, eczema.  Apparently these are supposed to be going away.  Some women have these symptoms throughout their pregnancy.  Thankfully, most of these have already subsided.  The second trimester is known for being the most comfortable of the three so I'm really looking forward to that!

Baby12weeks

I feel like my body has already made so many changes in the last 4 weeks.  If you can't tell, my bump has totally made an appearance!  It kind of arrived overnight and it's still a little hard to get used to.  While I know that I'm getting bigger because of my baby, it's still confusing and a little frustrating when I'm trying to get dressed.  I think I'll be happier when I actually look pregnant and not like I've had one too many beers.

I still have a little bit of a battle with eating certain foods so I haven't had any weird cravings yet.  I have noticed that I'm eating a lot more eggs (especially in salads) and meat.  I guess I'm craving protein?  But for the most part my diet has stayed exactly the same.  My doctor has recommended a weight gain of 15-25 pounds so I'll be doing my best to keep within that limit.  I'm still at a total gain of 4 pounds but I'm sure that's going to start picking up soon!

The baby so far is doing great.  My next appointment is in a few weeks and we are hoping to find out the sex (fingers crossed!) but it's more likely we will have to wait until 20 weeks.  I just want to know so bad!  Our nursery is still completely empty and I'm itching to get started on the decorating process.

Okay, I think that's all for now!  I'll be updating you next month at 16 weeks.  I feel like a lot will be changing between now and then :)

xoxo

Ashley

P.S. Make sure to check out an interview I did for Chocolate Fashion Coffee HERE!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Proud of You

lilacdress3

Oh, this dress.  We have such a love/hate relationship.  I had it made years ago for a wedding and I ended up losing too much weight during the process.  I loved it too much to give it away so it's been hidden in my closet ever since.  I figured since I've gained about four pounds now it would probably look better.  While it does look better, it still looks off.  I think I'm just going to wait until I gain a little more and try again.  I refuse to give up on this dress!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Inspiration: Summer Outfits

For the most part, I love summer.  But unfortunately my style suffers a little bit in the crazy heat.  When all you do is slap on a dress, it's easy to forget that cute summer outfits are possible too!  I've been really inspired by these five ladies below and I'd love to show you their perfect summer ensembles.

SweetsandHearts

Erica looks so cute in this outfit!  While I do own a pair or two of shorts, they don't look very flattering on my body.  I love how the addition of a fedora and a feminine printed top really dresses up her denim shorts.



Whitney of See.Shop.Eat.Do
SeeShopEatDo

 I love how Whitney takes a cute white dress and puts her own country spin on it.  Sometimes it's one accessory that can change the feel of the entire outfit!



Franziska of Frannish
Frannish

 The gingham print of these shorts are too cute for words!  Franziska has a wonderful way of putting outfits together and I love the little hints of color in her belt and sandals.



Kat of Love & Ace
LoveandAce

How perfect is this beach look?  Kat really knows how to make a tee look super chic!  Her style is always right on point and I love this beachy outfit.



Jessica of Midwest Muse
MidwestMuse

When living in Ohio, summer isn't nearly as long as it is here on the west coast.  I'm always excited to see Jessica's warmer weather outfits and this dress is truly the epitome of her style.  I'm seriously in love with every little detail here :)


What's your summer staple?  I'm going to try and think outside the box this year, but no promises!  I think I'll always be a dress girl...

xoxo

Ashley




Sunday, June 23, 2013

Fault lines should be worn with pride...

blackstripe6

Well, I'm not going to fool you.  These pictures are a few weeks old.  But hey, I wanted to show off this ridiculously cute dress I got awhile ago.  So look past the old location and the old hair color to check out this new(ish) dress.  I love anything with a great back detail and you can actually wear a bra with it!  My body has been going through some weird changes, but the bigger "girls" has been one of the good ones.  But let me tell you, a bra must be worn at all times now!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Dreams Realized

I have been waiting about two months to let this cat out of the bag and I'm so happy that today is the day!  While my online absence has been partly because of our big move, it was only half the reason.  I'm overjoyed to tell you that I'm going to be a momma in January of 2014!

Blog photos 038

At the moment I'm three months along and Kevin and I couldn't be happier.  While I haven't shared much of my experience with trying to get pregnant, it was a little bit harder than we had thought.  Thankfully, it just took time and patience (and charting!) and our dream of being parents had come true.

Blog photos 028

As for my pregnancy, it's been a little exhausting but nothing to complain about.  I'm one of the lucky 25% of women who don't have morning sickness.  My main issue is exhaustion, by the end (and sometimes the middle) of the workday I'm ready for a nap.  I guess you can imagine how hard it is to keep up with my favorite blogs and take outfit photos when I'm always napping.

Baby 001

As for the baby, he/she is doing great!  I actually got to see it move it's arms and legs two days ago.  It was simply one of the most amazing moments in my life.  We have already painted the nursery a nice light green and a mystery person already purchased our baby furniture.  How lucky am I?

baby8weeks

Of course, I'll be updating you with baby bump pictures whenever I can.  I already have a little one!  This picture was from last month and I'm happy I can finally share it with you.  I'll have another one next week :)

I was conflicted whether or not I wanted to share this experience with you on my blog.  In the end I realize that I'm more than ecstatic about my decision to be a mother and I hope you'll enjoy reading about it.  Plus, I think you'd probably figure it out in a few months!  It's going to be a challenge to style my ever changing body and I love me a good challenge!

To those who already knew, I want to thank you for your support (and for keeping a secret!).  And for those who find this as a surprise, I hope you enjoy a different yet style centered direction my blog is taking.  Outfit posts will always be a focus, but I think crop tops will take a back seat this summer :)

xoxo

Ashley


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

What's on my Radar: Current Loves

Here's another edition of Current Loves, which this month is focused on home goods.  I can say that we are about 90% unpacked (with the exception with some paperwork) and ready to start decorating!  I've had my eye on a few things and I'm excited to show you how I'd like to decorate a few bare rooms.

Urban Outfitters Charlotte Sofa
urban couch

This is the exact kind of sofa I want for our living room.  At the moment it's being occupied by our old apartment couch, but we're getting rid of it for a new, colorful one.  Since we have dark hardwood floors, I really want to add a lot of color to this room.  And what does that better than a statement sofa?


Ruche Loyal Bull Dog Bookends
bookends

Before Kevin and I adopted our chihuahuas, all he ever wanted was a bulldog.  And while they are cute, I was not ready for a 70 pound dog in an apartment!  Thankfully, I have the best husband ever and he let me adopt whatever dog I wanted.  I guess the least I can do is get him some bulldog bookends.  Literally, it's probably the least I can do :)


Urban Outfitters Waterfall Ruffle Duvet Cover
urban duvet

I've wanted this duvet for years!  Unfortunately, Kevin tends to think this might be too girly.  When it comes to our bedroom he definitely has the most opinions about our bedding.  I'm guessing this will be on my wish list for a long time!


Target Lucy Upholstered Chair
targetchair

Okay, this technically isn't on my wishlist because it's already mine.  A very good friend of mine purchased this for me as a late Christmas/birthday/wedding/housewarming gift.  I have yet to get it in the mail though, but I'm absolutely looking forward to it.  I'm going to put this in one of our spare bedrooms, which is being completely decorated by me :)


Urban Home Jeweled Amber Mirror
mirror

I definitely have a thing for vintage inspired pieces.  My home is filled with vintage light fixtures (which I refuse to change out) and I think this mirror would compliment the theme.  This could really go in any room, but I would love to have this in my den.  It's where we spend the most time after all.



Where do you like to shop for home decor?  I'd love some suggestions if you have them!

xoxo

Ashley

Sunday, June 16, 2013

In With the New

yellowskirt5

So I wanted to wait until all my older photos were used up before I showed you my new photo location (the backyard of my new house), but I was just couldn't wait!  This is the current state of my backyard which is quite dusty and rocky.  We're planning on overhauling the whole thing but we will probably wait until after summer.  It's way too hot to be doing yard work right now!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Flock Together: Minty Dreams

Guess what?  I'm blogging over at Flock Together today!  Make sure to check out how I styled Jessi's gorgeous mint colored dress.  I wore this to a wedding and completely fell in love ♥  Check out the post (and the outfit details) HERE!

mintdress4

mintdress7

jessidress

xoxo

Ashley


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Inspiration: Stylish Men

So I think it's time I talk about the other side of personal style: the stylish man.  In all honesty, I wish there were more men's blogs.  While I have much more fun finding inspiration from you ladies, I also enjoy finding style inspiration for my husband :).  So here are my top picks!  I think these men really understand their own personal style.

This Fellow
thisfellow

Bobby, the other half of the lovely Keiko Lynn, really owns his style.  I love his perfectly fitted button down shirts with suspenders.  It reminds me of the past when men really dressed like... well... men.



Reyal Fashion
reyalfashion

Reinaldo of Reyal Fashion has such a wide spectrum when it comes to his personal style.  It's always exciting to visit his blog because you can get anything from preppy, grungy, or even a classic suit.  He's not afraid to experiment and he always pulls his outfits off perfectly.



Stay Classic
stayclassic

Out of all the men I'm featuring today, Tim's blog is the one I visit most.  While his outfits are always great, it's the finishing touches that always get me.  Plus, he really likes to mix prints and that always makes me smile :)



Average Man's Fitness and Style
averageman

This blog is so wonderful!  Not only does it have great personal style posts, but it can also educate your man on how to get fit, great skincare regimens, music, and yes, even women.  It's always interesting to see the perspective of the average man and this blog gives you a pretty good idea!



plaidandposies

This blog is owned and posted by a man and a woman, but I think the style all around is pretty wonderful.  They also do "What We Wore" posts which is totally cute.  As someone who has a pretty camera shy husband, I wish I could get a few male style posts on my blog.!



Do you have any favorite male style bloggers?  Did I miss any really good ones?  Let me know in the comments below!


xoxo

Ashley

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Last Chance

lacedress4

 Well, this is the last weekend I'll be spending at my apartment.  Like I've mentioned before, it's kind of a bittersweet goodbye but I'm excited for the next step in my life.  Owning a home is something Kevin and I have been talking about for years and it's kind of crazy that it's actually happened!  So to honor the place I've called home for the last three years, I've made sure my last few outfit photos were taken in my favorite location: the alley on the side of my building :)

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Summer Sea

squaredress5

So who's ready for summer?  While I may have said I was, I'm now regretting that decision.  I seem to forget how incredibly hot and uncomfortable our summers are.  My new home is also closer to the desert so it's easily ten degrees hotter over there.  Thankfully, my house never seems to get half as hot as my apartment did.  It makes absolutely no sense but I'm glad I'm getting a little relief from the triple digit weather.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Inspiration: The Blogging Mommy

For those who know me, I work a full time job and blog what I consider full time as well.  Sometimes I feel like I rarely have time for myself!  I seriously can't complain though, considering there are some amazing bloggers out there who also have another important job: being great moms!  I decided to dedicate this edition of inspiration to those wonderful ladies who really know how to do it all.  Check out my favorites below:


butterfly4

Marisa has been one of my favorite reads for a very long time.  She's super stylish and has the cutest little boy (and another one almost here)!  I adore her love for a great statement hairbow and her pictures are always so beautiful.


Lisa of Raddest Mom

BIRTHDAYGIRL21

Lisa is probably one of the most wonderful mothers I know.  Her blog has everything from makeup and fashion tips to what products she recommends for babies and toddlers.  She's also into organics and natural remedies which is something I happen to be passionate about as well.  Oh, and her daughter is pretty much the cutest little thing I've ever seen ♥


Liz of Tiny Bits of Nonsense

6 mo

I have been following Tiny Bits of Nonsense for what seems like forever!  She went from newlywed to pregnant to new mommy all before my blog reel feed.  I loved reading her fashion tips when it came to dressing up her ever growing belly.  And to all you shorter ladies, she also has wonderful petite styling tips.


Victoria of Justice Pirate

mothers-day-16_thumb

Victoria is both a wonderful writer and mother to two boys.  She always has an interesting topic, a great story, or a gorgeous outfit in each post.  She's always so sincere and very open and honest when she writes.  I truly love reading her blog!


I know I could name so many more ladies but it would be hard to post them all!  Is there a particular blogging mommy who inspires you?  I'd love to hear about them :)

xoxo

Ashley


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Instant Crush

horsedress2

It's been awhile since I've featured this dress on my blog but it's surely one of my favorites.  If you've never purchased a Luck Be A Lady dress from Modcloth I'd highly recommend it.  They come in tons of colors and prints and they truly fit perfectly.  Of course, I picked this dress in a horse print because anything animal print makes me happy.  If only this dress was made in a chihuahua print...

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