Thoughts on Easter

Well Easter is coming in just a couple weeks and I had prepared to do a little baking activity about how to teach your small children about Christ's resurrection. However, my "Resurrection Rolls" did not turn out too good and I did not feel they were worthy of your viewing. Instead I have decided to share something very personal with you and I pray you bear with me.

This Easter season has been very difficult for my family. I just waved goodbye to my husband and sweet kids as they head out for the weekend to say farewell to a beloved Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

This photo was taken just days before dear Joanne was taken from this world suddenly due to cancer.

Not even two weeks ago did I say kiss my family goodbye as I flew up north to say farewell to my sweet 19 year old cousin, who was unable to win his battle against drugs and was taken from this earth too soon due to drug related causes.

This photo was taken 2 1/2 years ago on Fourth of July

Death is very painful...It does not feel natural for a loved one to be taken from us....It should not feel natural!  Because we were not created for death. So we rage against it, I rage against it. And then I take comfort in the promises of God, that even though sin and death have entered this world Jesus has made a way for us by dying on the cross  in our place so that we may live as His child eternally in heaven... 

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 

John 16:33

And it is not enough that Jesus just died, but he also ROSE from the grave and conquered death! And this is why we celebrate EASTER!! Because even though there is pain and suffering, and even though my dearest loved ones died, both of them believed in what Christ did for them and both of them have found relief from their afflictions in the arms of Christ. DEATH HAS LOST IT'S STING!! 

This post has been difficult for me to write and feel there is so much I want to say but have no words to say them. As I sit here in tears (of sorrow and of joy) I think of these lyrics to one of my favorite Easter songs:

"Oh Death, where is your sting? Oh Hell, where is your victory? Oh Church come stand in the Light. The glory of God has defeated the night. Oh Death, where is your sting? Oh Hell, where is your victory? Oh Church come stand in the Light. Our God is not dead He's Alive, He's Alive!!"

I appreciate all you readers who I just bore a bit of my soul too. I want you to know that I would not have done so if I did not feel like you were all my friends. I love this community and I am grateful for all of you.

xo - Christie

 

Second Trimester Update and Weird Symptoms

O.K. I will admit it now. I....am....pregnant.....sigh (I just don't love being pregnant, don't hate). What brings me to this point all of a sudden you ask? Maybe its the fact that my stomach is finally popping, but I am actually excited for all the belly bump fashion looks I have in mind. Or maybe it's the fact that all my other weird pregnancy symptoms have finally kicked in....yes, I am sure that is it.

And just for fun, I am going to tell you about my pregnancy weirdness :) Enjoy

Weirdness #1- My Boobs Itch-  I am sure it is from the fact that I gain over 2 cup sizes by the end of my      pregnancies...weird nonetheless

Weirdness #2- I Break Things- No seriously! This is an actual proven symptom (something to do with loosening of the tendons) I am constantly dropping dishes, jars, picture frames, etc. My husband has gotten cleaning up glass down to a science. 

Weirdness #3- I Get Bloody Noses- I never ever get a bloody nose unless I am pregnant......

Weirdness #4- Insomnia :( This is the saddest one. It is not because I am uncomfortable and cannot sleep like many pregnant women experience. This is legitimate insomnia! And it happens every time.

Weirdness #5- Dairy makes me Constipated..... It has taken me 3 pregnancy to put two and two together on this one but boy am I glad I finally figured it out.

And Just to even the score I will share some pregnancy awesomeness as well

Awesomeness #1- My Boobs are bigger! Duh! 

Awesomeness #2- My Hair is Thicker

Awesomeness #3- My Husband Cleans the House- I have a sneaking suspicion this is a direct side effect of  #1, but I have never asked.....

Awesomeness #4- Love feeling the baby flutter and kick!- I don't love it so much once it becomes a battle between my lungs and the baby's personal space but for now it is awesome

Boy or Girl!? Next time I update I will know the answer!! Xoxo- Christie

WIW-Second Trimester Fashion

So I have been pretty excited to wear some of my "baby bump" outfits I have been cooking up. Problem is my baby bump is avoiding an appearance. We think this baby may be standing up and hanging on to my rib cage. 

Anyways, this little ensemble was pieced almost entirely together via the Goodwill. I feel as though I have been given a new lease on fashion now that I have opened up the thrift store door. I only wish I lived a little closer to Santa Monica or Santa Barbara and this would be a weekly shopping trip.

Blouse: Jones New York via Goodwill, Skirt: Goodwill (tag ripped out) Belt: Angl, Tights and booties: Target

Just a little secret- this skirt was about 13 sizes too big on me, but I felt like it gathered in just the right places under my belt. 

This is the perfect second trimester look! All you preggos out there, if you have a flowy skirt try pulling it up over your baby bump and adding a belt. Automatic cuteness!

Have a wonderful week! xoxo- Christie

What I Wore- Summer Dress in Winter

I know this is not true for everyone, but I love warm weather all year long. In Southern California we get a week of rain here and there or some very blustery wind. We always have 70-80 degree days thrown in sporadically throughout the winter and I am really ok with it. I know others of you may miss extreme weather but not this girl! I lived in Northern Indiana for 5 years so I think I can speak from the heart when I say I am ok with only the sporadic colorful trees in the fall, Christmas lights on Palm trees, swim days in February, and ridiculously hot days when it should be cozy and warm. Downside? (or upside however you look at it) I don't have a cold weather wardrobe. I have a hard time justifying the money for a nice coat or a trendy winter item.
Hear is how I solve this problem....I make my warm weather clothes work for cold weather. Here is one example of how I do this.

Pretty self explanatory, yes? Summer dress + tights + cardigan + scarf + boots= appropriate for winter. All I would need is an incredibly warm coat for when I am outside (if I lived in Indiana still) and this would totally work even in the bitter cold. 

Please excuse my ridiculous poses, I was at a 5 year old birthday party and I was feeling a little bit silly.

Dress and Scarf: Anthropologie, Cardigan: Macys, Tights: No idea, Boots: Steve Madden, Headband: H&M

So do you have any secrets for making your clothes work all year long? Do you love winter? Our differences are what make the world go 'round so share your thoughts! xoxo- Christie

 

Shopping for Spring Trends From My Own Closet

I don't know if you are aware, but it is March people! For some of us spring is already here, and for others it is just around the corner! So let's do it! Let's get our spring wardrobe ready.

There are a TON of trends hitting this streets this spring and since I am pregnant and hoping my body will not remain as is forever, I am not big on purchasing new trends for my current size and shape. This leads me to work on my skills of "shopping my closet" which is a fantastic exercise if you want to view your clothes in a different light and come up with new things.

Trend #1- Floral Prints

Red Floral dress (Elle brand @ Kohls) Blue Strapless Top (New York & Co.) Runway Photo (source)

I have had this dress and top for quite awhile and they fit right into this trend perfectly! They will also both grow with me through this pregnancy.....

Trend #2-Boxy Bags & Trend #3- Mint Green

Boxy Bag (source) Mint Green Pants (Kohl's) Mint Green Blouse (GoodWill) Black Boxy Bag (Urban Outfitters) Mint Green Runway (Source)

So MOST of this stuff I already had in my closet! A+! But I will admit that I found the mint green blouse  at our local GoodWill recently and could not pass it up :)

Trend #4- Metallic Shoes & Trend #5- Polka Dots

Polka Dot Skirt (GoodWill), Gold Rose Pump (Guess), Bronze Wedges (Naturalizer) Champagne Strappy Heels (ShoeDazzle) Polka Dot Runway (source) Metallic Shoes (Source)

Again I bought this skirt at the GoodWill. I had nothing that was polka dots and I don't feel guilty one bit for spending $3.50 on this spring trend! The shoes have been in my collection for ages (I have always been partial to metallic shoes!)

Trend #6- Neon Colors

Orange Blouse (Ella Moss@Anthropologie) Hot Pink T-shirt (Koh'ls) Runways (source)

YES! I love this trend. Though, I admit, I do not own much neon. I just love the excuse to rock these colors more often! 

Trend #7- Blue-Green Jewelry

I have had both these necklaces for so long I have no idea where I got them! Blue- Green Jewelry (source) 

Love this trend because it makes it easy to jazz up any outfit!

And finally, here are some other big trends for this spring that would be fairly easy to create from your own closet!

Color Blocking

(Source)

(Source)

Peplums

Ok this one may not be very easy to pull from your own closet :) If you dig it, just go buy it! 


So now you go and Shop Your Closet for some of these trends! Your budget will thank you :)

What I Wore Mint Green Pants

So I was feelin' a little "hipster" this past weekend and I threw this little outfit together. And you know what? As much as I hear people revolting about the mint green trend this spring, I have to admit I was loving it! I think this shade of green is very "wearable" considering that teal and red have also been hitting the streets (and btw I LOVE both those colors in pants). I know that not everyone feels like they  could rock colored jeans, so I think this nice pale shade is a great place to start.

That is my "hipster" face....I am really, really cool (HAHAHA). Seriously could I look more irritated?

I was really excited when I found this blazer at Kohl's for $15 and I was planning to wear it a lot. But then the weather turned to the 80s again and I am not into sweating for fashion :)

Outfit: Scarf- Express, Blazer-Kohls, Top- Kohls, Jeans- Kohls, Shoes- Kohls (seriously I had no idea I was wearing all Kohls items until just now as I was writing it out....)

And, hey, if you are digging my hair, go check out this post for the tutorial on how I curled it easily and quickly! Thanks for tuning in! xoxo- Christie

Loose Curls for Short Hair

Guys, I did my first hair tutorial. I will admit it, I feel like total dork talking to the camera. In fact. I need to emphasize that point again....... I feel like SUCH a DORK!!! First of all since this was my first tutorial I learned a few things: Like look at the camera....clean the mirror first......don't say the same thing over and over....etc. But even with all the stupid stuff that embarrasses me I LOVE this hair style on me right now, so I am going to still post the tutorial. My hair is at a totally strange place with length and there really is only so much I can do that feels fun and chic.

And just as a note: this method of curling/waving works on ALL length of hair so if you have long or medium length hair this will look amazing on you too! 

Ok here it is.......GAH!

Go easy on me! Xoxo- Christie

Avoiding Maternity Clothes

So my main clothing concern in the first trimester was being comfortable. I don't know why, but I can't stand anything heavy or tight when I am newly pregnant. I know it's weird since I was not showing yet so everything should feel the same, but it didn't. Tight clothes made me more nauseous :) The second clothing concern I had was coming up with  outfits from my "non maternity" closet. I will be honest, I feel much cuter while pregnant if I can rework my own closet instead of wearing maternity clothes. I do have a couple items that I love, (like my True Religion Maternity Jeans) but other than that I am pretty comfortable wearing my normal clothes.

So here I have a couple outfits that I wore in my first trimester (very early on) that I am confident I will be wearing again in my third trimester. I will make sure I get pics just to prove I am not full of crap!

I love this combination of an elastic waist skirt, long top (I will be switching out this particular top for a longer tank) and a cropped cardigan. This will transfer to the summer easily AND it will fit me no matter how large I get!

Cardigan- Anthropologie, Top- Kohls, Skirt- Ruche, Legging and Leg Warmers- Kohls, Boots- Steve Madden

I love me some long dresses! Nothing and I mean NOTHING is as easy to make work for maternity like a nice, long, stretchy dress! I also am LOVING cropped tops right now for layering. Best part? My stomach will not stretch the top out! 

Dress- Target, Cropped Top- Anthropologie, Sandals- Steve Madden, Necklace- Gift

What do you like to wear while pregnant? Or if you have never been pregnant, do you like the look of maternity clothes? Would love to hear your thoughts! XOXO Christie

Pregnancy Update and WIW End of First Trimester

OH.MY.GOSH......I am done with the first trimester!! Happy Dance...Hallelujah chorus..."ahhhhhhh" sigh of relief! Now that I have done the first trimester thing 3 times, I am pretty sure I can say it is my least favorite part of pregnancy! I will be doing more pregnancy updates now that I am through the first 12 weeks. Trust me, you would have been bored to death if I had been updating you thus far. It would have looked something like this: "Still feeling queazy, my boobs are a little bigger, I am bloated but not showing yet, wish I could sleep all day, etc etc etc."

I am currently 13 weeks

Here is a brief recap of my first trimester:

What I ate- Fruit, Panera Bread French Toast Bagels, Turkey Burgers, Snicker Bars and Pepsi

Fitness- Kickboxing, Corebar, StairMaster and Spin

What is different about this pregnancy so far?

1) With Elinor I was VERY sick, with Charley I only got Migraines and this time I have both but not as bad....boy or girl!??

2) I have been feeling the baby kick since 11 weeks (maybe even sooner but I can't be sure). Last night the baby kicked so hard I could see my tummy move! I didn't feel Elinor until 20 weeks  and Charley at 18.

3) I am MUCH less focused on being pregnant this time around, mainly due to my other two children and their high demand of my attention. (no worries, I am remembering to take my prenatal Vitamins and not drink wine)

4) I have not "popped" yet! I was definitely showing by now (and not in a little way) with my second pregnancy. So I am pretty excited to be holding that off for a little bit.

And to celebrate being done with my first trimester, I would like to draw special attention to my What I Wore outfit this week and and the fact that I am still in my normal jeans!! (Don't worry, I will explode here soon, and you cuties out there will all be laughing!)

Outfit: Jeans- Kohl's Elle Brand, Tank- Kohls, Shoes, Kohls, Sweater, TJ Maxx, Cowl- Avery's Loft

I know my I look angry in this picture but I posted it anyways because I am loving my hair right now!

I am STOKED about these shoes because they are stretchy in the back and I know they will continue to fit if my feet grow during pregnancy (yes a strange side effect of pregnancy is temporary foot growth!?)

Xoxo- Christie

Linking up at The Pleated Poppy and The Letter 4.

A Belated Valentines Day Post

Well,  I will be honest, we are still kind of in a fog after Charley's surgery. It seems the more he heals the more miserable he is getting! So I am sitting here still in my pajamas watching Disney's Enchanted (what can I say, my son likes musicals!) and writing this post. 

Seems like and eternity ago that Joe and I enjoyed our Valentine's dinner! 

Do you remember voting on these?:

Well, the winning look was: Ensemble #3 with Hair and Makeup from #2. So that is what I wore on our Romantic night out!

We went to The Melting Pot, which is a fondu restaurant and it is REALLY yummy! 

We didn't get any full body shots because I forgot, and quite frankly I looked way better in this dress in the earlier photos I took. I had to stuff my pregnant body in this little size 4 and my ta-ta's were screaming to be let out! 

See what I mean!? I was risking total humiliation every time I moved my arm....Joe didn't seem to mind.

I am looking at these pictures and I am jealous of myself! This food was so delicious! 

So let this post be proof that I followed through with my Valentine's day "get out of my funk" challenge! And I thank you for participating in it!