my maternity photoshoot.

At 36 weeks pregnant I asked Mr. Q to take some photos of me because I wanted to remember what I looked like super preggo. I love all the pretty maternity shoots on Pinterest and showed him a few of my favorites for inspiration. The downsides of pregnancy for me were constant heartburn and regular morning sickness beyond the first trimester, but one of the upsides was the clearest skin I've had since elementary school - how could I not want to document that? I was also reaping the benefits of prenatal vitamins with thicker hair and longer fingernails, and found myself Googling whether pregnancy could make freckles more prominent (it can). I felt great about my appearance, and that's not the normal state of affairs for me. I'm so glad that I did get some photos when we did - the next weekend we went on our last date night as a party of two, and the weekend after that I was in labor!

One of the benefits of living close to a college town is a freely available beautiful setting! We started our afternoon on the campus of Ferrum College. My dress is from Pink Blush (same style in new colors) and I got the kimono on sale from Motherhood Maternity (similar). Mr. Q insisted that I wear my glasses in a few photos because "your glasses are you."

From Ferrum, we headed to our friends' beautifully tended Zen garden. This is probably my favorite photo from the day.

Finally, we headed back to town. I was inspired by a friend's maternity shoot which included some shots in front of a vibrant mural. There's an art gallery in our town that has a beautiful Van Gogh inspired mural on the side. It was a great backdrop for a few more photos in the last of the evening light.

Linking Up With:

Threads for Thomas

Walking in Memphis in High Heels

Get Your Pretty On

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.

Happy Un-Boxing Day - My First Maternity Stitch Fix [December 2017]

Maternity fashion is complicated. During the first trimester, I was mainly trying to disguise my pregnancy with flowy tops and waterfall sweaters. We didn't tell people we were expecting until second trimester, and then came a point, around week 16, where I wouldn't have been able to conceal my bump even if I'd wanted to! Long tees and cardigans have been a staple, along with leggings and dresses. It was pants that were becoming an issue - I can't yet fit into the maternity pants my BFF loaned me, but I'm no longer comfortable in my pre-preganancy favorites. I found some great jeans at Motherhood Maternity, but still needed some work staples, so I reached out to Stitch Fix to try their maternity service.

This is not a sponsored post. I signed up for Stitch Fix and purchase the items I keep from each of my Fixes myself. I am a Stitch Fix Influencer, and my styling fee was waived for this Fix. My opinions on this blog are always 100% honest and authentic. This post does contain affiliate links - for each new sign-up I will receive a commission towards my next maternity Stitch Fix.

In my note to my stylist, I explained where I was in my pregnancy and requested a cozy Fix with work-appropriate pants and dresses that could be worn with leggings. I was pretty excited about my Christmas gift to myself.

If you're new to the concept of Stitch Fix, here's how it works: when you sign up, you pay a $20 personal styling fee and fill out a profile with your detailed size, style, and price preferences. I usually set my price preferences to "the cheaper, the better." Your stylist chooses five items just for you, which may include shoes, purses, or jewelry, and the $20 styling fee is applied toward the cost of any items you decide to keep from your shipment. There's also a 25% buy five discount if you love everything in your Fix! For a limited time, Stitch Fix is going to waive your styling fee when you sign up using my link - that's right, you can try Stitch Fix for free - if you don't like it, you can send everything back with no shipping costs. When my Fix arrived, I was excited to see the cute Holiday '17 packaging and the small box that meant I'd received an accessory as one of my five items!

Since Stitch Fix launched in 2011, they have become more and more diverse in their offerings - their services include petite, maternity, plus size, and even a men's line. While some of the items Stitch Fix offers can be found in stores, others are exclusive and can't be purchased anywhere else. For me, the maternity service is great because I live in a rural area and most of our local stores don't have a maternity section at all. Additionally, it's been a real challenge to find maternity pieces that are also petite - just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm not short anymore! I'm going to include the prices of my items in this review so you can see how maternity items compare to regular Stitch Fix pieces.

My favorite Stitch Fix stylists are Heather and Jan. The note in my Fix explained that Jan was on vacation so Heather styled for me again this time. Her note said,

"I packed this Fix with some maternity essentials to help you look effortlessly stylish in the coming moths. Try wearing the enclosed navy Skies are Blue Blouse with the navy Liverpool Pants, the taupe Dreamers/Debut Cardigan, the Nakamol Necklace, a tan purse, and navy flats for a polished work outfit. If the pants are too long, try cuffing them by rolling them up two to three times for a stylish twist. For a different business casual outfit, pair the cardigan and the necklace with the burgundy French Grey Dress, black leggings, a burgundy purse, and black flats."

I tried on the Skies are Blue Maternity Nidra Ruffle Neck Blouse ($58) with the Liverpool Reagan Maternity Skinny Pant ($78). As soon as I saw "if the pants are too long" in my stylist note, I was disappointed - my height is in my Stitch Fix profile and I request petite items whenever possible. The Liverpool pants are made of a nice stretchy material and have a full belly panel made of what felt like swimsuit material. Although the tag says they are a legging, they had real pockets, and I'm pretty sure they were black even though the stylist note said "navy pants." I didn't like having to cuff the pants for them to fit me length-wise, and they were more expensive than I'm really comfortable with for one pair of pants, so I returned them. I thought the Skies are Blue blouse was very pretty, especially the tulip sleeves and feminine neckline with buttons. It reminded me of the Papermoon blouse from my seventh Fix. However, it's December in Virginia, so short sleeves aren't very practical, and my best friend gave me several of her short sleeve maternity blouses. I was really hoping for some cozier tops in this Fix.

I paired the French Grey Maternity Ariell Knit Dress ($48) with the Dreamers/Debut Bartone Cable Trim Cocoon Cardigan ($58). The cardigan wasn't a keeper because it was very similar to a cardigan I received in my last Fix in color and shape - and this one didn't fit; the sleeves were much too long since it wasn't a petite item. The dress, though, was definitely a hit! This is my second French Grey dress - the first came in my November 2016 Fix. This one had a similar shape but was more flowy to accommodate a baby bump. I love the burgundy color and floral print, and the price was comparable to similar dresses from maternity retailers.

Please excuse the squinty face I'm making in this picture - I'll wear my glasses in the next post! The accessory I received in this Fix was the Nakamol Angelo Fresh Water Pearl Charm Necklace ($44), a three-strand piece with silver chain, neutral colored beads, and a silver pearl charm. The necklace was very pretty but not really my style - it was very "blingy" and I didn't think it would go with my bohemian-inspired wardrobe.

Even though the only "keeper" from this Fix was the French Grey dress, I'll definitely be trying Stitch Fix Maternity again - for me, it's a chance to feel stylish while my body is going through crazy changes!

Linking Up With:

Blended Blog Style at Foxy's Domestic Side

Weekend Wear at Threads for Thomas

I Feel Pretty at Get Your Pretty On

Trend Spin at Walking in Memphis in High Heels

On the Daily Express and Straight A Style

pinspiration: a stars and stripes hostess...

Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow American readers. I hope that whatever you're up to today, you have a lot of fun. Here are my best bets for the hostess - what to serve, what to wear, and the ultimate July 4th Americana playlist.

pinspiration [pride and pineapples]

Today's Pinspiration is dedicated to all the best things about June.

this week's clicks [treat love like you're jumping off a rope swing]

get your week off to a colorful start...

How are y'all doing? I'm still recovering from camp and took it slow all weekend (highlight: a trip to the Roanoke Valley's newest brewery). This week's clicks include flowers for days, dresses for all of your summer occasions, and the history of a Southern classic. Coming to the blog later this week, I've got a great new Pinspiration post and reviews of some recent entertainment faves. As always, shoot me an e-mail about what's new and awesome in your life - I'd love to chat!

LISTEN.

• Summer is always when I listen to country music the most, and I'm currently in love with the new track from local boys Old Dominion (two of the band's members are from Roanoke). Also, a country music video with video game references and bloopers? What a time to be alive.

SWOON.

Amy Arrington via Elizabeth Anne Designs

• A pretty Georgia garden wedding with a bright color palette.
• A builder-grade bathroom gets some rustic-industrial TLC.
• PureWow rounded up fifty summer wedding guest dresses...
• and from A Practical Wedding, classy bridal shower dresses.

SMILE.

• Dress up your tech: Kelly Sugar, May Designs, Roost.
• Le Tour de France begins July 1st - here's your primer.
• I want this bohemian edible flower salad from Brit + Co.
• Love Garden and Gun's oral history of Steel Magnolias:

"I had the voices of the women I grew up with. It takes your breath away how quick they are. It’s the kind of humor that would sear through treacle."

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: a visit to the art museum.
• 2015: gingham and aqua picks, camp Pinspiration, and favorite fictional wardrobes.
• 2014: weird faves, cute and easy washi tape home decor for Independence Day.
• 2013: patriotic fashion + entertaining, side dishes, the Color Run, and summer in IG.
• 2012: summer in the country, poolside essentials, and a special 4th birthday.  
• 2011: pre-wedding crunch time - dyed wedding shoes and Etsy garters, my veil and jewelry, and our menu, inspired by our favorite Southern comfort food.

pinspiration: summer's around the corner

With Wednesday being the last day of school for students, Friday being the last for teachers, and Memorial Day, the unofficial beginning of summer, kicking off next week, I'm channeling some serious summer vibes this week on my Pinterest boards. Also this week - the made-for-television remake of Dirty Dancing. Are you planning to watch? The original, filmed in Virginia at Mountain Lake, is one of my all-time favorite movies and I don't think it can ever be topped! Whatever your plans for this week, make it a bright and colorful one.

Here's what I'm listening to this week while packing up my classroom and thinking ahead to summer fun, rest, and relaxation:

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON.

Erin Wilson Photography via Southern Weddings

• A blue and peach Southern Wedding with an ice cream bar.
• An eclectic Houston rental tour from Apartment Therapy.
• An elegant French-inspired wedding from Style Me Pretty.
• In love with this retro bridal shower shoot in Palm Springs.

SMILE.

• Alamo Drafthouse's female-only Wonder Woman screenings.
• Verily's secrets for looking put-together - I've used them all!
• Long-weekend wardrobe inspiration in patriotic stripes.
• The Hollywood Reporter goes behind the scenes at SNL.

FLASHBACK.

• 2013: favorite pieces from Target and Instagrammers to follow.
• 2012: confetti-inspired wedding inspiration.  
• 2011: ideas for signature cocktails.

pinspiration: spicing it up...

This time of year is always busy and exciting. This weekend, for example, I'll be chaperoning a dance, seeing my favorite band in concert, and attending a wedding all in one 48-hour period! As much as I love the wild ride, I can't help but dream of an escape... Morocco, perhaps? The California coast? Just kidding... I'll happily take just a few hours of uninterrupted time with some white wine and friends on our patio.

My current playlist:

pinspiration: Easter in the garden

What are your plans for this weekend? I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday and getting inspired by floral maxi dresses and full-on garden party vibes. Hopefully it will be warm enough to fire up the grill after church and invite some friends over for brunch on the patio!

If there's one day of the year that a flower crown is acceptable in public outside of Coachella, let it be Easter Sunday.

Love this vintage-inspired garden sign from Ella Claire.

How pretty are these botanical painted eggs from The House that Lars built?

There's lots more Easter inspiration over on my Pinterest boards, and I'm working on a Spotify playlist to celebrate:

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Heard this song at the hair salon this morning and fell. in. love.

SWOON.

India Earl via Green Wedding Shoes

• A sweet rock climbing gym proposal via Green Wedding Shoes.
• A Fixer Upper classroom is a thing that exists, and I am jealous.
• From Kelsea Holder, a dreamy, slightly boho Arizona elopement.
• A Dutch castle, an art deco dress - this SMP wedding is amazing.

SMILE.

• April desktops: The Blog Market, Lynda Creates, Smashing, Flipsnack.
• Target's next designer collaboration is with Victoria Beckham...
• I bet she knows these secrets of women who never seem to get tired.
• Currently pinning lots of Easter inspiration (book page eggs 4ever).

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: serenity blue color inspiration, spring table number ideas
• 2015: my entertainment faves, Rachel Held Evans' Searching for Sunday,
• 2014: a classic Spring Break wardrobe and a spring and summer bucket list.
• 2013: all about Twitter, citrus prints, and the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure.
• 2012: Titanic dinner party.

my march favorites.

Here's what I've been loving this month...

1. American Shakespeare Center - Did you know that the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre, the Blackfriars' Playhouse, is in Staunton, Virginia? I went with friends to see a production of the parody The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) in college, but hadn't been since. My co-teacher's parents got tickets for our whole English team for Christmas, and we had a wonderful day driving up to see The Merchant of Venice and eat dinner at the Mill Street Grill.

2. The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima - Several of my male students had recommended this fantasy series to me, so I was surprised when I finally got around to checking out The Demon King from the library, with its super-masculine cover art, and finding out that one of the main characters is a feisty princess! The other MC is a streetlord who's basically a combination of Aladdin and Han Solo. These are definitely time-consuming books to read (each one weighs in at over 500 pages), but I really enjoyed getting lost in the unique fantasy world Chima has built, which includes a matrilineal society that feels medieval, an indigenous culture based on eastern Native American societies, and a magical college.

3. Old Navy Clover Necklace - I picked this dainty necklace up around St. Patrick's Day, but it's also perfect as a 4-H necklace for me :)

4. REN Evercalm Rescue Mask from Sephora - When I got back from my business trip to Indiana last month, my skin was a mess from staying in a hotel and air travel - I had acne on my cheeks, which is really unusual for me. I had a little sample bottle of this mask from Sephora, which is a little thicker than a normal day moisturizer. I used it morning (under makeup) and night (after washing my face) for about a week and it made a huge difference. The full-size version is a pricey product but I feel like it'll be worth it if used sparingly for skin emergencies!

5. Indoor Rock Climbing - The Bible study I've joined tries to have a fun activity in the community each month, and this month we visited a rock climbing gym in Roanoke. I hadn't done any climbing since I worked as a 4-H camp counselor in college and was surprised by how easy it was to pick back up. I didn't realize how much my upper body strength had improved since I've become a yoga junkie! It doesn't hurt the fun factor that the River Rock gym shares a building with Wasena Tap Room!

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.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Topshop via Refinery29

• Topshop's bridal collection is on point with the current 90's trend.
• A sweet casual Colorado ranch engagement session from Jamee.
• From Ruffled, the most romantic elopement in Santorini, Greece!
• A pretty, rustic Massachusetts wedding from Samantha Melanson.

SMILE.

• The Everygirl rounds up of this spring's new wardrobe staples.
• In adorable/political news, Cory Booker asked Mindy Kaling out!
• Currently pinning all the spring home decor/wardrobe inspiration.
• Planning Easter baskets for my team after seeing Joy's post.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: Literary Junkies, spring getaway pinspiration, book + concert reviews (Elton John!), and my March Stitch Fix
• 2015: I pretty much predicted the Colors of the Year for 2016.
• 2014: Sunday Socialabout ideals and accomplishments, my fave green and black and white picks, and my April favorites.
• 2013: rainy day fashions, white bridesmaid dress inspiration, explained how we save money on groceries, completed my second Liebster survey, and shared my love story with Mr. Q for the Love and Marriage series.
• 2012: I collected inspiration for an April Fool's wedding.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON.

Kay English Photography via Style Me Pretty

• From SMP, ethereal Irish wedding inspiration at the Cliffs of Moher.
• From Found Rentals, a peek at actor Steven Yeun's dreamy wedding.
• Lia Griffith's DIY for the sweetest little crepe paper clovers.
• You have to check out this modern home renovation in Dallas!

SMILE.

• Desktops: The Everygirl, Mel Armstrong, Amber Lotus, Cross Cards.
• This week's Spotify playlist is packed with Irish musicians.
• Currently pinning all the spring cleaning/organizing ideas.
• Definitely considering signing up for Audrey's style challenge.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: spring reading challenge recommendations, tattoos I'd love to have
• 2015: my March favorites (and OUAT obsession).
• 2014: inspiration for a sweet mint and baby's breath wedding.
• 2013: memories of Ireland and citron wardrobe inspiration.
• 2012: inspiration for a moody pastel country wedding.
• 2011: creative ideas for wedding card storage and thank you signs.

my february favorites.

my february favorites. by heatherbird featuring nars cosmetics

my january favorites.

my january favorites. by heatherbird on Polyvore