Can you believe that it’s already mid-April? How can that even be possible? I feel like I blinked and March was gone. We had a great weekend – I tried some new recipes, watched great golf, got some shopping in, and enjoyed a couple of slow afternoons. Dane’s finally not sick anymore, and back to his happy self. He’s starting to repeat words we say, and jibber jabbering constantly – it’s hilarious. He is completely obsessed with being outside and the neighbor dogs. We caught him on multiple occasions staring out the window and “barking” at the dogs next door. What a relief it was to be able to open up all of the windows in the house and let the wind blow through (without feeling chilly!)
Sunday morning my sister and I spent some time with our dad, and it felt good to talk about the big picture and our goals for the future. I’ve been focusing a lot on trying to find some inspiration in the face of hard times, and our conversation sparked a lot of new perspective and optimism. It was also a good reminder that there are just some things in life that we cannot control – but that we can control how we react to them.
We were able to squeeze in a little outlet mall shopping on our way home – and the sales were awesome! Slowly but surely I’ve been working on refreshing my closet with some staple pieces (lots of comfy t-shirts & jeans). I am also having a big dilemma because my feet grew during pregnancy, and I’ll tell you what, I’m in straight up denial. Some of my shoes are still fitting because they’re stretched out – but others do NOT fit and I need to just let go of them. Seriously, wahhhhh. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite items I picked up.
- A couple new pairs of TOMS. These are my go-to shoes, and I wear them ouuuutttt. To the point of holes. I recently tossed a couple of pairs because my goodness they stunk (thanks to my Jacobs smelly, sweaty feet curse.) I always like to treat myself to a new pair and this time I went a bit outside of the box with these adorable slip ons that remind me a little of Keds.
- Banana Republic Girlfriend Jeans – If you want to feel good about yourself, head over to BR and scoop these up. They run big so not only did I have to size down TWO sizes, but they’re super comfy and on sale!!
- Banana Republic knot t-shirt. Bought this in two colors (I wanted every color, but that was a little overkill). I wore it to work today and got compliments immediately upon walking in.
- Burn out tops (these are by Cable + Gauge) – these are perfect because they’re flowy, SOFT and are perfect for springtime layering.
- Mossimo (from Target) peplum shirt. So flattering, so soft (do you sense a theme here?)
- Paige Jeans – Another section of my closet that I’m denial about is my jeans issue. I have so many pairs of jeans that no longer fit right because even though I’m technically the right size again – everything has shifted. My favorite pre-baby brands (Gap, Express) no longer do the job, so I’ve been avoiding jeans all together and wearing a few pairs that are actually way too big for me (purchased when I still had 15 lbs of baby weight to lose). When I find a pair that fits well, I’m all over them. I found these at Marshall’s, and even bought the jean short version as well!
- Swimsuit – okay, I have a drawer filled with bikinis that honestly probably all need to be tossed. I need a little more support (ehem, thanks a lot hormones), and also want to feel comfortable. I found this Neon Tide suit at TJ Maxx, fell in love and instantly tried to find more versions of this brand. Unfortunately the company is based in Australia, and I didn’t have much luck.
Upon arriving at home on Sunday afternoon, I promptly awarded Casey with hubby of the year for not only getting Dane to take a great nap, but he dominated my honey-do list (before I even asked him to!) We walked into a clean house, an organized garage, a power washed patio, and all of our patio furniture set up! It made for a very relaxing afternoon of watching the Masters, letting the sun hit our faces and soaking in the fresh air.
I also realized that we’re only just over a week out from our very first vacation away from Dane. We’re heading south of the border for a relaxing long weekend filled with sunshine, lots of food and probably too much tequila. I have mixed feelings about it – mostly because we’ve never been away from D for more than two nights in row, and I’m not sure how I’ll react. I do know that I am going to miss him like crazy, but I also know that Case and I both need a break – mentally, physically and emotionally. I can’t wait to spend endless hours in the lazy river with a drink in my hand. I’m going to put together a packing list later this week, which I’ll share here. We’re attempting to take and share just one suitcase… I know we’re probably crazy, but the fees to fly luggage are insane and we’re only going for 4 nights.
We have a busy week ahead, and it seems that no matter how much we wish it would slow down, it just keeps flying forward. I hope you all make the best of the warm weather and take some time to enjoy each day.
-Martha
Staying Martha 