What's Up Wednesday: January 2017 Edition

Hey remember that What's Up Wednesday thing I used to do. It happens at the end of every month and you link up on well, Wednesday. But around here ... when you're so excited for Demo Day you might pee your pants - you completely overlook Wednesday and forget to hit publish because you can't wait to hit publish on your Demo Day post! So, for fun - I'm sharing What's Up Wednesday on Friday ... and that's just how it's gotta be. K?! So as a refresher, on the last Wednesday (or Friday if you're me) we all link up and talk about these topics:

What We're Eating This Week: Uhm, out. Just eating out in general. We've moved into this little guest house of my parents and I don't have all of my things. I'm using pots and pans that aren't mine. A stove that I'm not used to cooking on. I've only halfway figured out our routine and grocery runs ... so I've lost my kitchen mojo. And therefore dinner often consists of handfuls of nuts and berries until one of us can't stand it and we order a pizza. Or we just go out. And way too often. Hopefully I'll get it together and stop doing that ... but I make no promises.

What I'm reminiscing about: The Bahamas.

My parents head down to their island home this time every year for a couple of months and we've been joining them during the month of February every year for about 3-4 years now. This year we took a year off, with the move, the health stuff and everything else it was just too much. They send us pictures constantly of all of our favorite places and the fun they're having and I'm thinking back on previous trips and wishing we were there too.

• 2013
• 2014
• 2015
• 2016 ( Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3)

What I'm loving: Lipstick! Ha, is that weird? A girlfriend of mine turned me onto this lip stuff and I'm kind of into it. And that's coming from a gal that hardly ever wears anything but Vaseline on her lips! I'm hoping to gather some pictures, more info and share with ya'll a full post of my new found love. And, they won't be as creepy as this terrifying selfie. Promise.

What we've been up to: Life. Ya'll I've been telling you we're settled and to be fair, we are. But it still feels new and still has me kind of all over the place. I just got a text last night from Caroline and she was like "uhm hi, we used to be friends do you remember me!?" Haha! Guilty. There are times I'm convinced our lives are being controlled by alien puppet strings because I feel so all over the place. I was looking through pictures on my cell phone the other day and I took a picture of this. Like what? Why did I need a picture of that? I mean it's kind of funny, but was that really worth taking a picture of? Clearly I had more important things to waste my cell phone batter on than this magnet that I can assure you I did not buy. At least I don't remember buying it? Some day, some time I'll get back to normal I swear!

What I'm dreading: February 6 -- it's been three months and that means we're back with the doctors. Womp.

What I'm working on: The new house! Obviously! All things house. House house house.

What I'm excited about: The house! DEMO DAY IS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY!!!!!!! (ahem, this post was written before Thursday obviously, but since I forgot to share - you can now read about that in the link).

What I'm watching/reading: Hubs and I just watched Inferno last night and I really liked it! It's filmed in Florence (be still my heart) so clearly it had me hook line and sinker from the beginning. I spent 6 months in Florence my sophomore year of college and hubs and I went back about four years ago and I can still smell the city if I close my eyes and think about it. But the movie was pretty good too, ha!

What I'm listening to: White Collar. I started this series right when we moved back to Louisville, and I've been watching it on my phone A LOT. Headphones in, show on. It's one of those series I don't have to be glued to the TV to know what's going on - so it's a good "on the go" show.

What I'm wearing: Heck I don't know. The weather goes from 60 degrees one day to 30 the next - so having a real "wardrobe" currently is a bit of a challenge. Jess and I were chatting yesterday about how sad we are we feel like we haven't been able to really bust out the sweaters this year. Mother Nature you're messing with my vibe. Get your act together.

What I'm doing this weekend: We've got a pretty busy weekend lined up. We've got a big party Friday, B's basketball game Saturday am, dinner plans Saturday night with some pals I can't wait to see and a little house/appliance/etc. shopping Sunday!

What I'm looking forward to next month: It's love month! A month where we get to be obnoxious with pink and red and fun arts and crafts with the littles. Extra treats and extra kisses. Sign us up! I realize Valentine's day is such a commercial holiday and totally silly (I completely agree) - but having kids and making it fun for them is really really fun. I've also got two people really close to me that are due with their littles next month (Hey MaK and Andrea!) and I'm so excited to meet them!

What else is new: I think that about covers it! Lipstick, house renos and baby snuggles! Whhoooop!

**Linking up with Shay, Shaeffer, and Mel

On the Move

This post could go one of two ways. I could tell you all about my sweet little Lainey gal and how much she is growing and moving. Or, I could tell you all about the big move back to Louisville and the updates that are to come! Since my sweet little Lainey will be one next week - I have a feeling this little bloggy is gonna be on Lainey overload soon, so I'll focus on the later subject and share what's to come.

Shane and I were married in 2011 ... and we've moved three times since that day.  This home will be our fourth move and it's probably the one I am most excited about from a house perspective. It's no secret around here that I LOVE a good renovation and keeping things fresh. Change is something I am addicted to, so this is right up my alley. For the most part, we've usually updated or renovated a few rooms in the houses we've owned and then simply done mostly cosmetic changes to the rest of the house. However, in our new home we are doing a FULL renovation and changing close to every single room. I'm talking putting our laundry room in a current dining room, making an office into a master closet, etc. so it has my creative brain on overdrive and I love it!

We spent a good portion of last week back in Louisville, and I had back to back to back meetings with architects, contractors, cabinet designers, flooring galleries, etc. and it was so fun! Shane had some management meetings about an hour and a half north of Louisville, coupled with a red carpet event we attended Friday night so the kids and I thought it would be a good time to head back as well and get some balls rolling. Of course GoGo joined us because what on earth would I do without her?Plus, she's been through this process probably more times than she cares to admit, so I always appreciated her opinion and guidance. And I'm happy to say the ball is rolling, and rolling fast!

With that ... I want to share a few "before" photos of the house so that I can keep you (and myself) updated during the renovation; and then look back at this once we are 100% complete and hopefully give myself a big ole pat on the back. The pictures below are the realtor photos from when we purchased the home. Before we start demolition I want to go in and get pictures of the vacant rooms, because I think you can get a better feel for the space without all of the bulky furniture in the way. The furniture has a way of making the space feel "as it should" where with an empty room I think you can do a much better job playing/designing and starting with a literal blank slate.

All of my homes have for the most part been decorated in a traditional meets rustic fashion and I am forcing myself this time to go a little outside my comfort zone. I want to stay true to what I love ... warm cozy, weathered etc. but I want to introduce a lot of farm house as well. Really focusing on lots of exposed reclaimed wood, barn doors on sliding tracks, all the goodies like that and I'm having so much fun!

So, without further adieu welcome to the new house (when it's finished I'll welcome you to our new HOME)! ~ Future plans are to paint the exterior a white/cream or something light with perhaps stonewashed bricks.

Entry/Foyer ... This space will obviously be de-wallpapered and expanded well into the the next room along with exposing the basement staircase. The right encasement to the current formal living room will be the new office and have large barn doors on sliders so your initial entry into the home will really set the tone. 

 Formal living that will soon by our home office! We're planning to include lots of built ins and making the fireplace a nice focal point with richer colors.

Formal Dining room that will soon become our laundry/hobby room.  This room will have tons of extra storage space, a craft table for all of my projects I get myself in to and tons of fun stuff for the kiddos to let the creative juices flow! Three cheers for large utility rooms!

Kitchen ... that will remain our kitchen ... but it will expand into the current great room. We will also be blowing out the eat in kitchen wall and adding on a great room addition to the back of the house. This was the appointment I was most excited about when I met with the cabinet designer. We played with some AWESOME ideas I can't wait to share with you! Mixing and matching will be the name of the game in the kitchen with some painted cabinets, some stained, reclaimed wood and funky fun farmhouse hardware. Whoop!

I am so sad to see this go, because I love it so. But with the new layout we'll be adding the grill space back in and re-purposing every ounce of material we can to save costs. But the current grill unit will become our great room and off the great room we will be adding a covered porch, so unfortunately the current doesn't get to stay.

Here's the view of the entire back yard and the photo that made me fall head over heels in love with the house. I stood in this very spot the first time we looked at the house and teared up. I couldn't help but get emotional thinking about so many things. Imagining my children and their friends growing up in that back yard sealed the deal for me.

The current landscaping you see will become grass and great room.

Current great room ... that will become our eat-in kitchen/dining room and a walk out to a new covered porch. To the right (not pictured) will be our coffee nook hostess cabinet and small wet bar - to which my husband is requesting a keg-orator. We do own a beer company after all, so I had to get craft when talking to the cabinet company about that one!

Current home office ... will be our master closet! Wahooo! We're scaling down the window and hopefully adding in a small island!

Master Bedroom ... to be updated! Aside from the entry way (not pictured) this part of the space isn't changing from a design stand point.

 Master bath ... this room will be blown out and reconfigured.

Bennett's bedroom! The downstairs great room addition may effect his window ... so we may be adding another window and a pocket door to his bathroom - which will also be updated.

Lainey's bedroom! Will have a window seat and adding a bathroom.

My favorite bedroom upstairs that will become Lainey's closet and bathroom.

Guest bedroom upstairs ... to be updated - along with the guest bath.

Bedroom upstairs that will become loft playroom.  And this hallway will be blasted and widened to accommodate the play area.

Basement ... it will get new furniture and new paint job ... but it's not really being touched.

Basement office -- will become Shane's room to do whatever he wants with. Office, workout, Louisville athletic decor (BOOOOOO), etc. I'm giving him free reign in this space ... I can't wait to see how he chooses to play with it!

Basement bath and guest bath along with guest bedroom ... will be updated. We may also add an egress window pending budget.

And so far, that's where we are! I should have final drawings, budgets and plans this week and I'll do another post to let you see the new layout, designs, etc. Looking forward to this process and can't wait to start knocking down walls!

Stitch Fix - Number 1

Happy Monday gang!! It's been a LONG weekend around here to say the least. I'll give you the full rundown on that once I finally have a few moments to myself. But for now, I'm simply gonna hit publish on this little diddy I wrote a few weeks ago.

Mama got me such a fun Valentine's Day gift this year! She signed us up for Stitch Fix and said it would be something fun we could do together every couple of months.  When I lived in Louisville we always found time to stop in a boutique or hit up a cute store every now and again. But, now that I'm in Nashville it's a little more challenging for us to pick up on a whim and get it done. So this is a fun way for us to "shop together" and giggle over fun, cute finds. Thanks mama for thinking of me even when I'm far away. 

For those of you that are unfamiliar, Stitch Fix works like this ... as written on their website:

Stitch Fix is the first fashion retailer to blend expert styling, proprietary technology and unique product to deliver a shopping experience that is truly personalized for you. Simply fill out the Stitch Fix Style Profile and our personal stylists will handpick a selection of five clothing items and accessories unique to your taste, budget and lifestyle. You can buy what you like and return the rest!

1. Fill out your Style Profile - Begin by filling out the Style Profile. This helps us understand your size, style, shape, budget and lifestyle. Completing your profile should only take about 10 minutes.

2. Pick the date you’d like to receive your shipment - We’ll send you a selection of five clothing items and accessories handpicked by personal stylists on the date you choose. At the time your stylist selects your items, you will be charged a $20 styling fee. That $20 will be applied as a credit toward anything you keep from your shipment.

3. Try everything on in the comfort of your home - We encourage you to try on everything our personal stylists have picked for you because you just never know what will look great on! Create new outfits by pairing what’s in your shipment with the items that are already in your closet.

4. Buy what you like and return the rest

• Take three days to decide what you’ll purchase and what you’d like to send back. You’re only charged for these items when you tell us what you’re keeping and returning.
• Check out by logging in to your account to pay for those items you want to keep. The $20 styling fee will be applied as credit towards any items you purchase. If you buy all five items, we’ll give you 25% off the entire purchase!
• Simply return the items you don't want in our pre-paid mailing bag and drop it at any USPS mailbox. Stitch Fix clients enjoy free shipping both ways as a benefit of using our service!

5. Tell us what you think! - Don't forget to give us specific feedback on each of the items you receive. Our personal stylists are able to send you better selections when we know what did and didn’t work for you, and why. Our blog offers a number of tips on the best ways to communicate with your personal stylist. If you choose to receive regularly scheduled shipments, we will automatically schedule the delivery date for your next shipment. You can always choose an alternative date that better suits your needs or opt out of regularly scheduled shipments entirely. Stitch Fix does not require a membership fee or a monthly subscription.

So, I was so excited when I got home from the Bahamas and my first one was waiting on my door step! EEEK!

Item #1: Bancroft, Leighton Metal Bauble Necklace (returned)

Item #2: Market & Spruce, Baka Henley Top

Item #3: Market & Spruce, Elmira Jacket (returned)

The designer did a good job with this one. It is super cute and totally up my alley. But, I literally own something almost identical and have several hunter green tops already, so it just didn't quite make the cut. Sowwy. 

Item #4: 41Hawthorne, Renesme Geo Cube Print Faux Wrap Dress (returned)

Item #5: Henry & Belle, Jaylie Skinny Jean (returned)

While these jeans were really cute, I have a jean addiction and own way too many pair. Ask any of my high school friends and they can attest this and sweat pant hoarding is a real problem for me. So, I committed to myself before even starting this process ... unless the jeans fit me PERFECT or are completely different (style, look, color) than something I already own ... I will not be keeping jeans. 

So, while my first Stitch Fix wasn't the most successful in regards to "kept pieces", I'm not closing the book just yet. It was still super fun and there's no membership fee or monthly subscription so why not participate?! Such a great concept and fun way for momma and I to continue our bad habits, even if we're miles away! Love you momma ... and new Baka top! Hehe. 

Watch Out!

Ya'll remember how I told you I LOOOOVE September? Well, this year September decided to start off with a bang and test my love for the month. And by bang I mean kidney stones + 7 months of pregnancy + preterm labor + hospital stays + moderate bed rest on Labor Day Weekend. Ayyyyyiiiiiyiiiiii!

Thank goodness for my sweet little visitor that came to keep me company and watch cartoons while baby moon was being monitored! (I had nearly this exact same thing happen to me when I was pregnant with Bennett - I was almost 32 weeks and it was Derby Day 2013. My babies and pregnancy sure like to keep it interesting!)

The good news is, I am discharged from the hospital. We believe whatever was causing the kidney pain has now subsided, the contractions are at bay and hopefully I am well on my way to getting better. The bad news ... bed rest leads to a lot of boredom and therefore, A LOT of online shopping.

And because September is packed with magical things like my anniversary and birthday, I've spent more time shopping for myself this past weekend than I care to admit! For today I thought I'd share the watches I've been eyeing.

I've never considered myself a watch type of girl. I feel like I have short forearms and watches tend to make them look even smaller, but when I found this one sometime last year it quickly became one of my staple pieces of jewelry and I've been on the lookout for another one ever since.

Because I purchased that above beauty in Rose Gold, I think if I were to buy something else, I would be looking for a silver or a silver gold mix. I would also be interested in a regular gold at some point too, but for now - I just need something to leverage my silver items with. So here's what I'm digging - all have the smaller/mini face - that is a MUST for me.

Tory Burch bracelet watch / MICHAEL Michael Kors watch / Tory burch jewelry / MICHAEL Michael Kors crystal jewelry / Burberry watch / Jewelry / MICHAEL Michael Kors crystal bracelet / Jewelry / Jewelry / Watch

Lucky for you I shopped for more than just watches and I'll be sure to share in the upcoming days :) but for now, back to bad TV and bed rest. Laters.

I Heart You

Ahhh Valentine's Day ... your hearts, your red and pink romantic decor, your endless amounts of love, your oversized teddy bears, your dozen long stemmed roses, you and all your smoochies and I love yous - for those of you in love with someone to share it with, you're such a happy day.

Truth be told, I've never been over the moon about Valentine's Day. I'm one of those "it's so overrated, such a Hallmark holiday, blah blah blah" people. But, I am also a girl ... and therefore expect SOME kind of special attention, even if I say differently (insert winky face emoji). Aside from our fourth (I think) Valentine's Day when Shane booked some super swanky preset dinner menu reservation, at some over priced restaurant downtown (which I enjoyed of course .. just thought it was worth mentioning .. ha), we've kept our Vday's pretty simple. A homemade heart shaped pizza has been our favorite one to date ... maybe we'll reenact that at some point and let our little man make his own too.  But I dunno, to me it's just more fun to make an ordinary day special .. and that's what we've always done.

This year however, I'm looking at Valentine's day in a whole new light ... as a parent!  It's making it really fun. I'm imagining my kid(s) a little older and putting together super cute Valentine packages for them to take to school. And giving them a special little Valentine gift from daddy and me. And maybe even splitting up and letting Daddy take his little princess to dinner (if we ever have a girl) and I'll get to take the boy on a dinner date. It makes me smile picturing it all.

Anyways, before I get ahead of myself, I'm also focusing on fun ways to make it special this year. And by special I simply mean making some fun treats for us to munch on next week. I made these little nuggets a couple of years ago and they were so fun!  I'm so excited to start building traditions with our wee one.  I'm going to let him help me in the kitchen this year, and plan to every year after that (until he has his own little lady to take out one day, sniff, tear, sigh).  But while I've got him all to myself that's just what we'll do. And giggle and make a might mess because, Valentine's Day and toddlers and love. Here are some of my favorite contenders for this year's Valentine treat.

How on earth will I ever decide? So many adorable sweet treats!  Maybe I'll just have to make them all ... I'm sure Bennett wouldn't mind having dessert for every meal next week. Ha!

Here are the links if you're interested in check them out yourself. Which one would ya'll pick?

• High Heels & Grills: Valentine's White Chocolate Dipped Krispy Treats
• Valentine's S'mores Cookies | Chelsea's Messy Apron
• Cookies n' Cream Strawberry Cheesecake Bars - Creme De La Crumb
• Brown Sugar Blondies | The Recipe Critic
• Sweetheart Buddies | The Recipe Critic
• Easy Valentine's Day Cookies - Family Fresh Meals

Happy love month to all. Smoochies.