Feeling Blue

sweater: Gap, blazer: thrifted, jeans: Liz Lange Maternity, shoes: TJMaxx,  necklace: NY&Co

 Sometimes feeling blue is perfectly OK. Staying at home in your PJs and drinking hot cocoa. Or simply hanging out in bed and watching all your favorite movies. 

On the other hand, when feeling blue and staying home isn't an option, why not wear your feelings on your sleeve? Literally.

I love the color of this jacket and how it goes with practically everything. Add to that a 100% wool material and you got yourself a favorite.

So is feeling blue in blue helps?  

You decide.

Thankful For... The Little Things

sweater, boots: TJMaxx, skirt: thrifted, scarf: H&M, glasses: Loft

We are so blessed to have many material things, all the things we need. More over, we have pretty much everything we want. 

I'm so thankful for...

having my own vehicle

my computer, phone and other technology gadgets that help to make my life easier

the heat and hot water I have in my house every day 

my favorite Kate Spade NY bag

the daily abundance of food on our table 

being able to afford entertainment and fun things to do 

definitely Pinterest (I cannot live without it anymore)

the smile I see on my hubby's face when he looks at my belly - he's such a proud daddy

my little niece and her adorable chubby cheeks - love her to pieces

maternity jeans - the best purchase so far

our cozy new house

being able to have ultrasound - I don't know how people wait nine months to find out gender

feeling my little one move constantly

pancake breakfast with the hubs

sunny fall day... perfect for running errands

Thank you for reading this blog and being a part of my life!
Have a great and joyousThanksgiving!

Thankful For... Family and Friends

turtle neck: French Connection, jacket: H&M, jeans: Liz Lange Maternity, bag: TJMaxx, shoes: Aldo

Life isn't complete without people you love. I'm blessed to have a great family and awesome friends. 

I'm thankful for..

mom and dad who raised me right, taught me about God and showed loved every day

my sister - it's amazing growing up with a sister. We did everything together, from getting in trouble to playing
our silly games

my husband's parents and their love

all the extended family of my in-laws... there's a lot of them

getting two more sisters when I married my hubby - it's a girl central over here

church family 

friends that we can just enjoy life with - from Friday night joined dinners to double dates

being able to share the best and worst moments of life with friends 

building a family of our own with the man I love

girls game nights in

the thoughtfulness and love I am being showered with during this very special time of my first pregnancy

Thankful For... Us

shirt: Evan Picone, sweater: Loft, skirt: NY&Co, shoes: BCBGirls, bag: Kate Spade NY 

I just want to take time to count all the blessings and give thanks to God for everything that I have. From the material to spiritual blessing and everything in between, I am truly blessed.

Some things that I am thankful for...

the best husband in the world - he truly is my rock, my best friend and love of my life. 

this precious gift of life that's growing inside of me... becoming a mother is truly life-changing... 

being able to satisfy my pregnancy cravings without being bound by financial constraints (most people in other countries can't splurge on scallops or sushi every week)

having fun and just enjoying life from simple things like staying in bed on Saturday morning to getting pampered at a local spa with a massage

being able to have fun together, enjoying each other's company

stealing a kiss in the middle of a crazy busy day

planning our future together and talking about our boy

getting a place we can call our own, our home

enjoying similar interests - from movies to political discussions

being able to talk about everything and anything

having the security and love in our relationship grow stronger with every day

simply being able to live with each other day in and day out, seeing those ugly sides and still falling in love with each other every single day

place in hearts that we call family - just the two of us (soon to be three of us)

Colorful Fall

dress, scarf, hat, boots; TJMaxx, blazer: Land's End, bag: Kate Spade NY

I love sunny fall days. They are so fun to dress for. The main idea is - layers, layers and more layers. Right now we have a mix of cold, brisk days with sunny afternoons - it's perfect fall. I love that you can still wear dresses and boots without hiding them under a puffy coat.

Today I'm at 28 weeks and honestly starting to worry a little bit (it all depends on your definition of little). I told the doctor that I'm scared of the unknown and he told me it's a piece of cake - giving birth. Dude, how would you know? Stepping on the scale the display is right in your face, I mean, who wants to see that number? Just hide it and tell me everything is going great and I'm perfectly healthy. But fitting into my pre-pregnancy dress made my day that much more colorful and bright. 

Happy Harvest

blouse: Merona/Traget, cardigan: Loft, skirt: J.Crew, necklace: J.Crew (via Ebay),
shoes: Aldo, bag: Kate Spade NY

We were celebrating Harvest Sunday at the church and the weather could not have been any more perfect. I'm so thankful that we live in the land of plenty and being able to have what we want, not only what we need. 

Honestly, too many times, we as Americans, complain about thing that aren't even necessities. Most of the world population struggles to make ends meet and I have family oversees that go through that on daily basis. They have tiny little apartments (think tiny and scale it down by like 10), get around on public transportation and eat fruit only during summer months when it's cheap. 

We need to appreciate things that we have, the plentiful, great harvest and the prosperity in this land. 

Royal Apple Cobbler {recipe}

There is nothing better then a warm apple cobbler on a cold fall night (with or without ice cream). I eat mine with hot tea. I love apple pies, but there is something to sophisticated and delicious about a cobbler. I've made different cobblers - from peach to mixed berry yet Pioneer Woman's recipe for blackberry cobbler is the best. I used her recipe but changed couple of things.

- First, I used apples with blackberries. Apples alone seem a little boring and a blackberry cobbler is way too expensive (this time of year). So I've used one pint of blackberries to add color and taste to the apples. Perfection!

- Next, I do not like shortening. Honestly, something about it makes me feel like my butt is expanding while I'm adding it to the recipe. I substituted it with canola oil which is the best for cooking.

- Lastly, I sprinkled the top with almonds. I love how the creamy inside mixed with the crunchy nuts makes for the best taste and texture.



Ingredients

• 1 pint of Blackberries
• 4 medium Tart Cooking Apples 
• 1/2 cup Plus 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 whole Zest Of Lemon
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 4-5 Tablesppoons Canola Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 3-4 Tablespoons Almonds
• 1 whole Egg
• 1/2 cup Milk

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine blackberries, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Stir and spread out in a buttered Pyrex dish.

In a separate bowl pour flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Add oil and butter and work mixture together with a pastry blender (or your fingers) until the mixture is coarse. Measure ½ cup milk, add an egg, and mix together. Pour into flour mixture, stirring as you go. Mixture should be smooth and not dry, but not over sticky.

Take clumps of dough and place them on top of the blackberries. Lightly flatten dough with your fingertips. Sprinkle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of almond and bake until golden for 30 minutes. Berry juice will be slightly thin, but don’t be afraid. It will gradually soak into the biscuit-like topping and make your life complete.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and hot tea.

Size of Rutabaga

Here we are starting our third trimester. The pregnancy  is going well and honestly it's the most incredible feeling in the world. Baby is constantly kicking and letting me know he's there, like he can't wait to get out. I'm enjoying the feeling of impending motherhood which sometimes scares me, but gives the most wonderful butterflies. 

How far along? 27 weeks

Total weight gain: 11 pounds

Maternity clothes? jeans and two dresses

Size of the baby: 17 oz (size of Rutabaga)

Morning sickness? Nope, none.

Sleep? It's a hit and miss. If I'm really tired, I sleep like a baby. Then there are nights when I can't seem to fall asleep at all. I keep waking up and wide awake, with growling stomach. So I get up and go get some food/snack.  

Best moment this week? Seeing my stomach move when the baby kicked. He's so strong and I can't wait to kiss those little toes of his. 

Miss Anything? Being able to fit into my non-maternity clothes. Everything seems to bunch up and never sit right anymore. 

Movement? He kicks very hard

Food cravings? Scallops 

Anything making you queasy? Not really

Symptoms? Hormones are going crazy. There are just too many emotions going through 

Wedding rings on or off? always on

Happy or Moody most of the time? It's up and down all the time. I feel good about myself and then out of nowhere, there is this cranky mood comes out of nowhere.

Looking forward to? Getting the nursery all set up and preparing for his arrival. I can't wait to meet our little boy

Is It Over Yet?

jeans: Liz Lange for Target Maternity, shirt: thrifted, t-shirt: Loft,
 blazer: Banana Republic, bag: Old Navy, shoes: BCBG

So let's talk comfy again. I can't get outta these jeans and that's all I'm going to say for myself. 

Today is technically the end of my week because I don't work on Fridays. But it's also the beginning of much packing as we move into our new home. Being pregnant, having a job and moving into a new house is a lot. 

Add to that holiday season and getting ready for a baby means I'm going to be buried in everything from boxes to Christmas tree ornaments. 

One box a day. One day a time.

Starting tomorrow that is. Why start something today, if can be put off until tomorrow? 

I say, no reason.

Enjoy your weekend!

Casual Wednesday

jeans: Liz Lange Maternity for Target, blouse: Gap, blazer: H&M, shoes: Guess,  bag: Kate Spade NY

Is there such thing as casual Wednesday? Well, there should be. Honestly, I am ready for this week to be over and it's only half way through. I am breaking out the maternity jeans and probably not going to take them off until February 7th (a.k.a. my due date).

The only thing that's wrong with them is that I'm not quiet big enough ready for them yet (I did get the smallest size). Every time I sit down, bend over or walk, they slide a little and I'm constantly pulling them up. It's truly a wonderful picture - pulling on my maternity jeans. When they slide, they create a small kangaroo-like pouch that probably can fit a tiny kangaroo baby. Then it just looks weird.
Add to that, me trying to keep them on and you get one big weirdo over here.

I know, complaining about maternity jeans, seriously? Well, now-a-days that's my life goal - try to fit into something. So thank you for listening (that is if you ever got to the end of this sad, what's-wrong-with-these-jeans post). Please enjoy your regular, non-maternity, without-a-kangaroo-pouch jeans and while you at it, say' Hi' to them for me. Tell them, I missed them, but I'm coming back. One day.

Pregnant Style

dress: Talbots, shoes: Payless, belt: J.Crew, bracelet, necklace: Macy's 

By no means am I an expert on this. This is my first pregnancy and trust me, I get a lot of skeptical looks and comments. "Ohhh it's your first? Just you wait, that baby will show you who runs the show" or " enjoy it now, because you won't have any life later" Of course, no matter how 'encouraging' that sounds, I am enjoying my pregnancy and take every comment and remark with a grain of salt.

One of the most important things for me right now is staying comfy. Between teaching for two hours a week and church services, I am always in front of people. Putting on make up, doing my hair and having nice outfit on makes me feel more like myself but comfort is a priority. 

Here are a couple of tips to staying comfortable without sacrificing style while pregnant. 

- Invest in a good pair of maternity jeans - you will wear them a lot. Especially the last trimester.
- Buy different colored cardigans and mix and match with all your shirts, t-shirts and tanks. You can also wear them on top of dress for a whole new look
- Accessories are your best friends - they can make any simple outfit look put-together in a heartbeat
- Wedges are comfortable but look stylish with anything from jeans to a dress
- Knits will serve you well, especially in skirts. They stretch when the belly grows and still look formal enough for work.
- During winter months it's important to stay warm. A few good cashmere/wool sweaters will keep you warm and look great, instead of ten thin ones for the same amount of money.
- Having make-up and hair done is half the outfit.
- Getting enough rest, drinking plenty of water  and eating well will make the face look better, which in return will make you feel better about yourself. No amount of money can buy you that.

Midnight Snack {recipe}

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese 

Pear

Apple

Wasa Crispbread

Substitute any fancy cheese for a more exquisite taste, or try apple instead of pear.

9g of Carbohydrates and 3g of Protein - midnight snack of champions.

It turns out a lot of things they tell you about pregnancy are actually true. Like having to go tinkle a gazillion times a day, or being hungry more times then not, and liking foods that you previously couldn't stand

Most of the time I do good with having smaller portions 3-4 hours apart but when dinner is at seven, by the time bed time rolls around - I'm starving. 

I've tried having fruit, cereal, yogurt and oatmeal because I don't want to have anything too heavy. Yet it's not filling enough. 

I've tried going without and then I can't sleep at all. 

In an effort to sleep well, be somewhat full, I went on a quest for a healthy and protein rich snack. Here is my recipe for a satisfied tummy and a good night's sleep. 

(Of course, there is always PBJ, if all else fail)

All Gone

sweater: Loft, skirt: TJMaxx, shoes: Guess, clutch: H&M

Whew! That hurricane sure did scare the heck out of everyone, but thankfully nothing major came up our way.We has some major wind gusts and that was pretty much about it.

Although, there were some blessings in disguise.

While the winds raged and we were snuggled up on out couch, the hurricane blew all the fallen leaves off our property. We were supposed to rake them last weekend but had lots going on. So thank you Sandy for doing us a favor. It was mighty nice of ya.

Have a great day! 

Contemplations On Impending Motherhood

I honestly have to say that I am scared of the future role as a mother. It is an enormous, gigantic and such an amazing responsibility for someone else's life. So in a way, I have been fighting it. 

I wanted to hold on to the old me where what I did only impacted myself and not this other 

tiny person inside of me.

I honestly am terrified of the thought of this great change and great responsibility, the birth process, the first bad word out of his mouth, the first tantrum and the thought of me forgetting my baby somewhere in the store. (It's the pregnancy hormones giving me weird dreams)

Also I have been mad at my body for doing what it's supposed to - growing my healthy boy inside me and I feel terrible for it. 

I just don't want my little guy to feel unloved. 

I think it took me a while to recognize the change that's happening and the fact that I didn't want to 

accept it - in everything from my body to our home dynamic. 

But there will be three of us and it's a wonderful thing.

I have to say, I am grateful that God entrusted me with this awesome responsibility and that I was worthy 

of His great blessing.

 I am happy to carry this little life. Every time I think of this little man inside me, my eyes tear up and I get a huge something stuck in my throat. I can't breath from the thought of it.

This is only going to happen once. I will be pregnant with our first child only once and it will be forever different, because life is amazing. No matter what God holds for us down the road.

P.S. Check out the Fall Remix Challenge  from lovely Jessica @ What I Wore. This is going to be funnnn! 

Embracing the Moment

top: Target, cardigan: Gap, skirt: Express, shoes: Nine West, necklace, bracelet: Charlotte Russe

Once upon a time, I vowed not to live life ungrateful  I didn't want to work all my life for that dream job, just to get there and realize I didn't want it after all. I didn't want to wait to live. I didn't want to think along the lines of "just let me finish college then..." or "when we buy a house of our own, then..." or " it's when we have kids of our own then..." 

But lately all I catch myself thinking is exactly that.

I have to admit, I haven't been embracing each and every moment.

I keep thinking forward to the end of my pregnancy and what I'm going to do then. How I'm going to exercise more, take my kid to the park and do other fun things.

I keep thinking that when we finally move into our new home, I will have all my cupboards organised and shelves without any dust. Ever.

That's what happens, when we forget to just live in the moment. Do the best we can to enjoy life right now.

Even if that means organizing all my cupboards right before we move.

But you don't wake up one day thinking, that from now on you will enjoy life and embrace the beauty of it.

It's a process. It's enjoying one day at a time.

This year has been the hardest of my entire life but it's also have been the most blessed. I am learning to live to the fullest because I don't know what tomorrow will bring and how it's going to change me forever.
Here is to enjoying the life right now.

Have a great day! 

For the Peoples

blazer: H&M, skirt: Banana Republic, shoes, tights: TJMaxx, scarf: old

Sometimes people disappoint. 

Sometime, people hurt.

Other times, it's great to just share with some people.

And sometimes you find people (if you at least find one, you are blessed) without whom your life would just be endlessly empty and cold. 

So I guess, there are many different people in out lives, and they are there for a very specific reason.

Some teach us hard, valuable lessons. Others just support and encourage us. 

When you put all those people together- it's called life.

So to learn some things, to get better at other things, to challenge us, to support us, to guide us and sometimes just to simply make us mad, we have been blessed with people in our lives with whom this life is infinitely full and satisfying.

Thank you everyone for being part of this blog and journey I'm on.
Each and everyone of you is greatly appreciated!

Something Special

My Outfit: sweater, jeans: Gap, blazer, heels: H&M 

  With the pregnancy progressing and having my bump at that perfect time when it's showing just enough but I don't look like a whale yet, we wanted to record this precious time. 

So I did a little shopping, packed a couple of outfits, made a cute baby banner, provided huge amount of inspiration by Pinterest, and headed downtown for some picture time.

 The weather was great but as we got there, then the wind picked up and I instantly turned into an icicle. 

But three outfits later and whole bunch of walking around in high heels, we had what we came for. 

Here is a sneak peek at the lovely couple with a bump...

P.S. All the pictures were taken by Eli from Elimaging Photography.

Still in Heels

skirt: TJMaxx, sweater: H&M, scarf: Gap, shoes: Kenneth Cole, clutch: NY&Co

I was standing in line to sign into the hospital security system which is a pain after 9pm, (my hubby works at a local hospital, where his on-call shifts last anywhere between two to eight hours and he can't leave the patient) bringing my beloved some food. 

The couple standing right in front of me was obviously headed to the ER. The guy had sniffles and was dressed in his pajamas, while the lady was holding his cold medicine, constantly looking back at me. 

Those sort of things just creep me out.

 I was getting inpatient, and really wanted the whole process to be over as soon as possible. Well, as I was wondering what's their problem and why they are staring at me, I finally realized - I have a baby bump sticking out AND I'm wearing one of my nicer outfit (not the one in the picture). 

I see many pregnant women just trotting around in their PJs or pair of jeans and a hoodie. People are shockingly asking me how can I still be wearing heels, and most certainly complement me on my choice of clothes. 

I'm not saying that I don't like my most wonderful, soft and plush fleece PJs, but dressing well makes me feel like a woman. Not just a pregnant mother-to-be. It sort of lets me keep my identity as a person and not just someone who will be something in about three more months. 

I know that people have complications and most uncomfortable pregnancies ever, but I have been blessed with smooth sailing. And maybe in four weeks I will give up my heels too. 

But until then, it's stylish all the way.

All Good Things

top: TJMAxx (???), skirt: J.Crew, shoes: Aldo, bag: Kate Spade NY, coat: Tahari (old)

I know I have been complaining quiet a bit lately. Well, if you haven't noticed, I have. Even my hubby has and I think it's time to make some changes

So instead of talking about all the things that are wrong with this world, I'm going to focus on the many good things I have in life. 

Although the crankiness and hormones have been getting the best of me lately, I am looking forward to the day I'm going to become mother. To the day my life will change forever.

And the day I'm going to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes (which I do realize won't happen for a little bit longer postpartum). 

Have a great weekend and thank you for reading!

Parenting in Overzealous World

top: TJMaxx, cardigan: Gap, pants: Loft, shoes: Aldo, bag: Kate Spade NY
I'm obviously in love with my polka dot burgundy pants (while they still fit:-) 

Preparing for arrival of our little man, my hubby and I got very responsible. Not that we aren't responsible college educated adults with jobs, but knowing that we are going to be responsible for another life... I mean, that's a whole another ball game. 

I have been reading parenting books and must say, nothing makes you feel like an inadequate adult than reading one of them. There are millions of different perspectives on whether to have a feeding schedule or just go with on-demand feedings. Different authors swear by their methods of getting an infant to sleep through the night by three months old. Then there are the gender differences between raising boys and girls. 

My head is spinning already. 

I love getting educated and being an expert on subject matter but the truth is, you cannot fully prepare for parenthood until it happens. You can read all the books in the world but until you hold that precious little baby in your hands, you don't know how you are going to feel, react and discipline that child. 

With that being said, I'm not against books - just think that sometimes, going with your gut and common sense is more important than what Dr. Whatever-His-Name said.

Here is what I'm reading now... 

Bringing Up a Bebe - one the of the best, funny and interesting books I've read. It's not a book of methods or how-tos, just a summary of life abroad. 

Strong Willed Child - Dr. Dobson is my favorite writer on family and children, I respect him immensely, so this book was a no-brainer

Parent Babble - have we had too much psychology and 'expert' advice? It seems that our grandparents did a fine job bringing up the most successful generation of adults in history of our country, why not do what they did? Just started it and love it already

Heads Up for J.Crew Sale offering extra 30% off... time to stock up on those sweaters...