My First Trimester Essentials

This week, I'm officially in my third trimester of pregnancy. Today I'm headed to my OB/GYN office for a sonogram (hope baby will show his face this time!) and blood glucose test (wish me luck!). The last six months have flown by, so I wanted to take the time today to share some of the items that were lifesavers for me when I was a newly expectant mother!

In my medicine cabinet:

• Prenatal vitamin + DHA - I started taking prenatal vitamins as soon as we decided to have a baby. Depending on the type you buy, you might have to take DHA separately. A lot of women have trouble swallowing their vitamins in the first trimester due to morning sickness - I found that taking mine at night helped.

• Vitamin B6 - My OB/GYN recommends this vitamin along with half a Unisom for nausea in the first trimester. I stuck with only the vitamin because I was worried about what a sleeping pill might do to me at work!

• Tums - A first through third trimester essential for me! Heartburn has been a constant for me during pregnancy - it's caused by higher levels of estrogen and other hormones which relax the esophagus. Later in pregnancy, it can indicate that baby will have a lot of hair, which makes sense since he has my genetics!

• Preggie Pop Drops - These sour candies are great for nausea, and since they look like lozenges they were something I could use at work before I'd announced my pregnancy.

Keeping track of baby:

• What to Expect When You're Expecting - The most classic pregnancy book there is, and the first one I read. Some women don't like it because they think the tone is patronizing or it gives them anxiety about what could go wrong, but I treated it more as a general guide than a Bible and liked knowing the medical reasons why I was experiencing certain symptoms.

• Ovia app - There are a lot of pregnancy apps out there, and I chose Ovia because it had a lot of positive reviews. If you know a pregnant woman who tells you what size fruit or vegetable her little one compares to each week, chances are she uses Ovia. One of my favorite features are the weekly videos featuring a pregnant Ovia staffer.

In my closet:

• Pull-on jeans - One of my first maternity clothes purchases, I found these Jessica Simpson jeans on sale at Motherhood Maternity and liked the under-belly style for early pregnancy - they look just like my favorite skinny jeans.

• Waterfall cardigans - First trimester camouflage! I lived in flowy cardigans before letting people know I was pregnant. I get most of mine from discount sites like GroopDealz and Pick Your Plum.

• Ingrid + Isabel Bellaband - There's a certain phase of pregnancy where the hair tie trick no longer works and maternity trousers are still a little too roomy, and that's where a belly band comes to the rescue - I used it to wear my pre-pregnancy pants unbuttoned and unzipped, then to keep the maternity pants my friend handed down to me feeling snug until my bump had grown to fill them.

On my vanity:

• Burt's Bees blemish stick - During my first trimester, I still had some cystic acne from time to time, and not being able to use topical acne treatments because of the chemicals had me really bummed - I usually swear by benzoyl peroxide. I was skeptical of an herbal acne medication, but this stuff dries up pimples fast, and I probably won't go back to chemical formulas!

• Attitude Blooming Belly foaming cleanser - Knowing that whatever went on my skin could also go through my skin and into baby's body made me very conscious about my daily beauty regimen. I still use Fresh's soy face cleanser in the morning shower with my Clarisonic, and replaced my nighttime cleaner with this formula specifically for expectant mamas.

pinspiration: niagara blue

So far 2017 is shaping up to be such an exciting year in my life, and I keep feeling like so many of my little steps along the way have led me to precisely this season. In November, I was hired as the instructional coach and coordinator for a new school-within-a-school, the seeds of which were planted long ago. I would not have taken the chance to even apply for the job if not for the confidence I've gained from working with the most amazing team of all-new-to-8th-grade-English teachers this year. All the best things I've done in life have come from choices I've made when I had nothing to lose.

Two weeks ago, my forward momentum came to a grinding halt and balancing two jobs at once became too much for me to bear. Teaching has never been an 8:30-3:30 job for me - it's not just my job but my calling and passion and I am a self-identified workaholic. I love what I do. But adding a lot of research, paperwork, and tasks that delved into the PR and HR fields on top of planning three differentiated lessons a day for 70+ hormonal tweens, scoring 70+ essays on a regular basis, and dealing with all of the IEP progress reports, RTI forms, gradebook deadlines - oh, and being the 8th grade English department chair - my body finally said "nope." What I thought was just a good cry after a stressful conference call and one dropped ball on my part was actually the first sign that I was sick.

I woke up at 3 a.m. the next morning with terrible pains in my stomach. A few hours later, it became abundantly clear that I had norovirus - fever, chills, and all. I had to miss two days of work and lived on saltine crackers and Pedialyte for a week. Through it all, my team - the 5 beautiful ladies I've been mentoring this year - were there for me, helping make sure that my substitutes had the right plans and materials, that my students were behaving and on track, and, once I returned to work, that I really had talked to the powers that be about my workload.

These girls - our group Snapchat name is "Teacherladies" - aren't just my coworkers. They've become some of my dearest friends. I was so heartbroken about my old English team breaking up, but I don't think I've ever connected with a new group of people so quickly. One of the greatest gifts this group of women has brought me has been the invitation to a Bible study consisting of a handful of English teachers, several young pastors, and a handful of other folks in their late 20's and early 30's from a variety of denominations. Oh man, has this group been a blessing for Mr. Q and I. Sitting in a friend's living room last night, arms still sore from an indoor rock climbing adventure we shared this weekend, talking about Jesus and taking communion and cuddling with dogs, I was just so thankful that the Lord restores my soul - even if it takes getting knocked down by my immune system to know that restoration needs to happen.

2016 moodboard.

Images, L-R: 1, 2, 3 | 4, 5, 6

This month, the theme for The Circle link-up at In Its Time was to create a moodboard for 2016. As I created my moodboard, I thought about how I want to 2016 to feel and what I want each day to look like. Here are some areas of my life I want to prioritize this year.

calm mornings

I've always been something of a night owl, but lately I've really been looking into how my sleep affects my overall health. My mornings are typically very rushed, and it doesn't help me start the day in a very nice mood. I'd like to be able to wake up earlier and spend some quiet time eating a "real" breakfast and actually enjoying my coffee, reading, doing a devotional, practicing yoga, writing in my journal, or setting goals for the day before I have to greet 30 teenagers!

nurturing my passions

• Teaching - I love, love, love my job. I definitely want to be involved with teaching and/or working with young people for the rest of my life. However, I've gotten a little complacent lately - I've gone from being the new teacher who was constantly reading professional development books, taking classes, and attending conferences to being the veteran who recycles lesson plans and goes home to watch Netflix. To try to rekindle that flame, I've applied to several programs for this spring and summer that should help get me back on track. I really want to be a teacher who is always innovating and trying new things.
• Writing - If someone had told me ten years ago that I wouldn't have published anything significant by the age of thirty, I probably would have gotten very depressed. My writing is another thing I think I've gotten complacent about - I use the busy-ness of my teaching job and personal writing, like blogging and Tumblr, to avoid writing for a purpose. Just like with exercise, if I don't make time to write creatively, it's not going to happen. What am I hiding from?

welcoming change

Change is scary to me, but my One Word for 2016 is horizon and when I look at the image of the girl facing the horizon, I see that she's facing the ocean and its ever-changing waves - one of my favorite places to be and one that I find incredibly calming. Change is a constant in life - in relationships, at work, and with our personal interests. I had to reevaluate some friendships in 2015, and gained a stronger sense of self (a little more about that here). Buying a house and being able to turn it into a place to welcome friends and family any time we want will be a big change. Moving to a new school for a semester will be a big change. I need to face the horizon rather than trying to run from it.

health and wellness

• I'm not exaggerating when I say that yoga has changed my life - I'm calmer, more patient, and more centered, and as a nice side effect my body is leaner. I want to keep practicing yoga regularly (at home in addition to the class I attend) and challenge myself to try more difficult poses.
• I've been working to improve my health and diet for almost four years now, since receiving my PCOS diagnosis, but nothing has been as helpful to me so far as the app that came with my Jawbone UP2 band (read more of my thoughts about the UP2 here) - the combination of tracking sleep, workouts, and food and positive reinforcement really seems to be working. I've tried various boot camps, diets, and cleanses, but none of them have really "stuck." Hopefully I'm on to something now!
• One of the things I'm most looking forward to when we do move out of our current townhouse is being able to have a garden and grow our own vegetables. I grew up in a rural area and sometimes I just need a little dirt therapy.

community

The time has come for me to break through my social anxiety and find a place to pray and worship (I wrote a little more about this here). Ever since reading Rachel Held Evans' book Searching for Sunday last year (my review is here), I've been yearning for the kind of transformative experience she writes about. I don't want to be yet another millennial who left the church and never returned - unlike some people I know who thrive on solitary spiritual paths, I am just no good at staying in the Word on my own. I have been making excuses for far too long, and this needs to be the year I find a church home, even if that means going alone. I miss the sense of belonging and understanding that I had in college with my fellowship, small group, and close-knit church. As I've said before, I know that there's no "perfect" church, but there must be one out there (hopefully not too far away) that I can help make wonderful.

My Wellness Wish List

Last week I shared the geeky side of my Christmas wish list, but a lot of the items on my list this year are actually quite practical. Getting healthier is a constant journey for me, and while I was making my Christmas list I thought about items that could improve different aspects of my everyday routine to help me become happier and healthier in 2016! Though these items are useful, they're also luxuries I wouldn't ordinarily buy for myself.

1. Lifefactory glass water bottle - I'm trying to use fewer plastic containers whenever possible, and water just tastes better from a glass container (I tried a stainless steel bottle and wasn't a fan). The silicone cover makes this bottle practical for toting to the classroom, gym, and yoga studio without worrying about breakage! I love the teal color, but they come in a whole rainbow of shades a variety of sizes.

2. Phillips wake-up light - Every single piece of wisdom about happiness and health seems to include  a push to get more, better-quality sleep. I am a night owl, procrastinate going to bed, and therefore am not a happy camper most mornings. This wake-up light is supposedly a total game-changer because it provides a gentle, sunrise-like glow instead of a hash alarm - I think it would be awesome for these winter days when I have to get up before the actual sunrise.

3. Withings fitness tracker watch - Deciding which fitness tracker to invest in is so confusing! While I'm also drooling over the new Jawbone, my friend Sarah has the unique Withings Activite watch and adores it - I like that the watch's inset face provides a very clear visual on how close the wearer is to reaching the daily goal, and that it's a nice enough looking watch to wear to work.

4. Kitchen scale - Since I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years ago, I've been on a low glycemic index diet. A kitchen scale would help me make sure I'm following recipes and help with portion control.

5. Yoga socks - I don't think I need to explain why these would be awesome to have, but isn't the tribal print cute? I'm a firm believer that having attractive exercise gear makes me more likely to work out.

Have you tried any of these items? Do you have any 

wellness items on your Christmas list this year?

my spring in instagram.

So, I haven't posted an Instagram round-up since November. Lifestyle blogger fail. Just believe me when I say winter wasn't so bad this year, and spring has been pretty awesome.

School snaps: my kids have a sense of humor, but they can

also be deep thinkers when it's poetry analysis time.

 

New fitness routine: I have started a walking club that is a

spin-off of Mr. Q's cycling club - purple shoes and beautiful

countryside paths help me stay motivated.

More teaching life - a neon wall of homophone posters in 

my classroom and my sweet girls on our D.C. field trip.

Day trip to Raleigh - we picked up B's new bike and visited

the Flying Saucer's downtown location.

Easter at Elevation Roanoke with my sweet sister-in-law,

then picking up some new flowers for my container garden.

My sister-in-law's new ink and Paint Nite with my BFF, Breeze.

Mr. Q's relay team won the Smith Mountian Lake Triathlon

this year! It's a lot of fun to watch the swimmers, bikers,

and runners while hanging out at the State Park all day.

Breeze and I had a much-needed bestie weekend that included

seeing Ashley Monroe from the Pistol Annies perform in

a brand-new venue and a tasting at a local winery.

What are you up to this spring? Follow me on Instagram here.

My February {Fab} Favorites

I usually try to have my favorites up at the beginning of the month, but this month I'm going to go with better late than never. Blame work, blame the snowstorm, blame my laziness... anyway, here are the new things that I'm loving this month.  Disclaimer: Amazon product links include an affiliate code. Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

1. C9 Champion scoop tee from Target - Last time Target had a cute workout top with a cutout detail in the back, I missed out on my size, so this time I didn't wait around. I've been looking for exercise clothes with what Athleta catalogue calls a "CYA" fit (aka long in the back) for yoga and the moisture wicking material is great for the gym.

2. Pave circle earrings - Mr. Q really surprised me with some beautiful diamond pave circle earrings for Valentine's Day - honestly, I think the man is a mind reader. Or he looks at my Pinterest. Amazon has a Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia version that won't break the bank, and LOFT's gold toned version is currently on sale for less than $5!

3. Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion - My winter addiction. This stuff smells amazing and works great. I even use it as a facial moisturizer on extra cold, dry mornings.

4. Spin Class - I have a love/hate relationship with spin class. Mr. Q is a cyclist and decided to start going to spin class at the Y to stay in shape during the winter months. I decided to check it out and go at least once a week even though sometimes I feel like the instructor is trying to kill us. On the upside, the music she plays is always on point (Pitch Perfect soundtrack! Katy Perry!) Mrs. Q's best friend, his sister, and her husband have all started coming, too - I guess the tribe that sticks together works out together, too. 

5. Love Lust or Run (TLC, Fridays 9/8c) - At the end of a long, hard work week I love some mindless television, and that's where this new Friday night fave comes in. Remember Stacy London from What Not to Wear? Now, instead of just schlumpy, her fashion victims are truly... um... unique (goth chick, "Jerseylicious," aging punk rocker), so she goes out to the streets to ask people what they think - would you love this person, lust after them, or run away? Stacy strips the wackadoodles down to real people, takes them shopping to find ways to incorporate their uniqueness into styles that are appropriate for the real world, and then takes it to the street again.

6. Stitch Fix - I got my second fix this month and I am officially in love with this service. You can sign up to have a personal stylist select five items just for you for a $20 fee that can be used toward any items you purchase (here's my affiliate link). No more fighting crowds at the mall or finding something you love that's not in your size. Since I live in a rural area and can't always find trendy pieces, it's fun to see what my stylists choose for me based on my requests and interests.

Linking Up:

clicks of note: only you...

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

• DIY ear cuffs from Britt + Co. are Oscar-party perfect.
• A soft, lovely wedding moodboard from Grown-Up-Shoes.
• From NPR, a super sweet and very Catholic love story.
• At SMP, a photographer's tribute to her grandparents.

SIMPLIFY.

• Nicole's helpful advice on starting anchor habits.
• A 30-day minimalism challenge from Into Mind.
• Raluca's tips on creating the ideal Sunday home.
• Share how you're getting organized this month.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year my Olympic fever continued as I got a little obsessed with the bobsled song and rounded up some Sochi and Team USA inspired wardrobe picks
• Two years ago I shared Cinderella-inspired blue and pink wedding ideas, rounded up Oscar Party tips from around the web, and shared my February blog loves.
• Three years ago I shared a very pink Sunday Simplicity and some snapshots from my weekend.
• Four years ago I shared inspiration for our wedding in textures, recapped our Valentine's Day as an engaged couple, practiced my flower arranging skills, and shared some of my favorite contemporary instrumental music for weddings.

My November Essentials

What I'm loving this month...  (Disclaimer:  Amazon items contain an affiliate code)

Milky Way Caramel Apple Minis

Mr.Q and I sometimes joke about creating a "seasonal food blog" for all the weird treats that pop up around various holidays.  When I spotted these Caramel Apple miniature Milky Ways (my favorite candy bar), I knew we had to try it.  These things are delicious and not overly sweet or apple-y.

Emergen-C

When I was coming down with a sinus infection earlier this fall, my chiropractor (who is my go-to guy for all things medical) recommended that I get a cool mist humidier and some Emergen-C.  I didn't get sick, regained my energy, and didn't have to miss a single day of work!

Sarah Hearts calendar wallpaper
As a very forgetful person I need all the help I can get even just to remember what day it is, so I keep a calendar wallpaper on my work and home laptops.  I love this month's calendar wallpaper from Sarah Hearts - the navy and orange is autumnal and preppy.

Lia Sophia "Diary" earrings
Drop earrings are really on trend right now, and I love the filigree pattern and matte silver finish of these - they go with everything and are perfect for everyday or with dressier outfits.

Zoya "Odette" nail polish
I originally purchased this muted lilac polish for spring, but I love it for fall - it looks awesome with other jewel tones and with gold jewelry.

Payless "Copper" mocassins
Minnetonka moccasins are adorable but out of my budget right now, so when I saw these while shopping Payless for shoes to wear to a wedding, I had to try them on - and didn't want to take them off. These flats are so comfortable, and they were BOGO when I picked them up so I got my wedding shoes as well :)

Linking Up:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir
The Circle at In Its Time

My August Favorites

1. Popsicles - I love frozen treats and ice cream in the summer, but I'm also trying to stay healthy, so my solution this year has been to make my own.  One day, I had made a green smoothie and the recipe made 2 servings.  I put one in my glass and poured the rest into my ice pop mold - it worked great!  

2. Flamingos - At my college roommate's Alice in Wonderland themed bridal shower, these cute flamingos were hanging out around the fireplace and I thought they were so cute.  Last month the hot print was pineapples, but I've moved on to these guys.

3. "Word Crimes" - If you've been living under a rock, you may not have seen Weird Al's parody of "Blurred Lines," and you need to remedy that situation immediately.  As an English teacher, I love this so, so very much.



4. OPI nail polish in "Keeping Suzi at Bay" - My mother in law and I got pedicures together on vacation, and I think this is the longest time I've kept the same color on!  I love this navy shade -  it's a little out of my comfort zone for summer, but I've gotten tons of compliments.

5. Getting letters in the mail - Thanks to my friend Z for making my day recently - I'd almost forgotten how much I love snail mail.

6. Google Smarty Pins Game - I love whatever developer at Google got the bright idea to turn Google Maps into a geography trivia game.  In this game, the goal is to drop a pin in the most precise location possible to answer a trivia question.  You lose miles based on how far away incorrect answers are, and the game ends when you run out of miles.

7. My kettlebell - I've been doing yoga and dance and wanted to add some strength-building activities to my routine, so I dusted off my old kettlebell.  There are tons of kettlebell workouts online and I feel like I get more out of swinging the kettlebell than lifting individual barbells.

8. Chia seed pudding - I decided to see what the chia seed fuss was all about when I saw this recipe on the FitSugar flat-belly challenge.  I love breakfasts that can be prepped the night before, and it was cool to see what was a weird soup the night before become a solid pudding.  I used coconut-almond milk and topped my pudding with diced peaches and slivered almonds, and the recipe above made two servings.

9. Lemon water - Another Internet tip I've been trying is drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning.  In theory, it balances the body's pH level and helps flush toxins.  I'm not sure if it's actually having an effect but it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for myself.  I also made a pitcher of detox water with cucumber, lemon, and mint and having a little flavor helps me drink more H2O during the day.  I've almost broken my soda habit!

my fitness style

I'm sure you've heard the common idea that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.  The truth is, it depends on the habit!  For me, summer presents a time to re-focus on my health, hobbies and well-being.  I've been making some gradual lifestyle changes, like cutting down on soda and processed foods and adding some strength training to my routine.   It might sound silly, but brightly-colored workout gear is part of my arsenal and sometimes I sleep in a gym outfit because that gives me one less way to procrastinate in the morning.  I want to get down to a healthy BMI and keep my blood sugar regulated so that I can drop the "pre-diabetic" label next time I get a checkup!  Here are some pieces that would definitely make great rewards for meeting my fitness, health and weight loss goals.

1. Old Navy tank top  2. Essie polish in "Serial Shopper" + "Too Taboo"

3. Printable wall art from The Lion and the Lark on Etsy

4. Athleta capri pants  5. Carpe Diem pillow from Bright July on Etsy  6. Nike "Roshe Run" sneakers  7. Lifefactory water bottle from Athleta

Linking Up:

Manic Monday at More Pieces of Me and The Daily Express

Passion 4 Fashion at Rachel the Hat

Style Sessions at Style Elixir
Style to Inspire with Rhea Et Cetera

Stylish Tuesday with Life's a Party, Dress Like It and Audrey Salutes

My July Favorites

Disclaimer:  Amazon links contain an affiliate code.  Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

Here's what I'm loving this month...

1. J. Crew Factory Collector Tee - After collecting all of my tropical style inspiration in one place before vacation, I got to that gotta have it place regarding a pineapple top.  I felt like I was seeing girls in pineapple shirts wherever I went.  Williamsburg Premium Outlets to the rescue!  I love the gold pineapple print and can't wait to style it!  My pineapple mania is not quite cured, but I feel much calmer :)

2. J. Crew Factory statement necklace - Unfortunately, this necklace no longer seems to be available online.  I almost didn't buy it, but Mr. Q reminded me that outlet shopping is a YOLO situation, and the color scheme went perfectly with a lot of the things I bought that day.  The coral, mint, and navy makes me really happy.

3. Oana Befort desktop wallpaper - I installed this bright fruit illustration as the background on both my laptop and phone and it cheers me up every time I look at it.  An added benefit is that it reminds me to eat healthy food!

4. FitSugar's 21-Day Flat-Belly Challenge - I totally overindulged on vacation to the point that I am actually afraid to weigh myself this week.  Instead, I am trying to detox with lots of fruit, veggies, and lean meats along with drinking lots of water.  FitSugar's breakfast and exercise recommendations came along right on time!

5. Biotin - I started taking the supplement after reading another blogger's "secrets for great hair and skin" type post.  After taking it for a couple of months I'm starting to notice a difference in how healthy my hair, skin, and nails are.

6. Veggie chips - Now I can satisfy my chip craving in a way that makes me feel less guilty.  Yum yum.

Linking Up With:

Friday's Fab Favorites at Style Elixir
Little Friday Link-Up at The Grits Blog
Social Media Mixer at A Peek Into My Paradise

Sunday Funday with The Foley Fam

my april + may in instagrams

My monogram - "purple" for #fmsphotoaday.  I just don't know

if non-Southerners appreciate a good momogram as much as we do.

The theme for the second photo was "shapes" and this envelope

from the University of Virginia was the best I could do.  I have a similar

 stylized rotunda engraved inside my class ring - it was in our class flag.

After my second Color Run - this year's wasn't quite as much

fun as last year - Mr. Q was out of town, it was a chilly day,

the course was a more challenging walk, and several of the

stations ran out of color because it was so windy.

Some snaps from around the house.

Getting ready to watch Mr. Q's team compete in their 

first relay triathlon at Smith Mountain Lake.  He is doing

another one today in Roanoke -  I think he's hooked!

May 4th (Star Wars Day) and cheering on my students

in their softball game - they dominated!

Honey purchased at the local creamery (I find that my allergies aren't

as bad when I eat local honey daily) and yummy shrimp scampi

(I used this recipe from A Beautiful Mess and fresh basil from my garden).

The first strawberries of the season- a sure sign of summer's

imminent arrival.

Weekend snaps - summer-izing the living room with a new

blanket from West Elm and putting in final grades for the semester.

My sister-in-law's worship band performing

at Festival in the Park in Roanoke.

I had to be out of my classroom by 2:00 on the first teacher 

workday so that the maintenance staff could get to work.  At

my school, EVERYTHING except desks has to be off the floor

and everything must come off the walls.  All of my furniture has

to be moved in the hallways so my floor can be stripped and

 waxed.  Here's what happens after the kids leave!

My best friend at work made me the most decadent

cake for my 29th bithday - the cake is chocolate with

chocolate chips, the frosting is peanut butter with Reese's

Pieces!  I don't know what I did to deserve having

such an amazing friend in my life.  Absolutely love her.