Unplug

dress: Lord & Taylor
shoes: Aldo
clutch: H&M

I'm about to simplify my life.

Lately it has been (very) busy.Yes, I know you hear that all the time but it's true.

 Saturday morning hubby was home and we were all sleeping in (trying to at least). When Mr. Baby woke up we took him with us to bed and he was rolling and cooing all over. But both hubby and I kept reaching for the phone and checking whatever it is we are constantly checking. Then it hit me - this is ridiculous! We can't even play with our child without checking the phone all the time. 

This has got to stop!

We live in information overload age. If you not sure of something, all you have to do is Google it and bam, here is your answer. Constantly having multiple apps, email and blogs available on the phone is making this life a lot more stressful and complicated.

Comparing your life with someone else' Instagram account is driving us crazy because we are never satisfied with ours, constantly on the run and always distracted from 'real' life. 

I decided to change that.

From now on I will only be checking Facebook, email, Instagram and my blog once a day! To keep my sanity in tact, make sure I spend enough time with my family and focus on the important things in life (like having everyday devotionals), I  am going to set a time once a day where I check all the media outlets and pay all the online bills (if necessary). That way I don' have to feel  guilty about time spent online knowing that everything else taken care, that I'm not being idle wasting my time. 

I'm sure it's going to be hard at first because it's a habit and I do need to turn off all the notifications and stop constantly checking for comments on the blog. 

Enough said.

Let's make life simple again.

Have a great day!

Glimmerglass Queens (and a Prince)

Last weekend my sister, mom and NkI headed out for a gals (and kids) day out. We took a boat ride and strolled through the streets of one of the prettiest towns in Upstate New York. It was a gorgeous day for being outside and exploring, having some delicious bakery and watching the kids' reaction to water. Here is our day in recap.

Jonathan slept through half the boat ride, then attracted every grandma on the boat with his adorable smile.
Must be nice.

My mom, niece, sister, Jonathan and I (love his look)

We barely made it to our first ever boat ride. It was pretty awesome.

All hands on deck. Or in the mouth.

My niece rocking the rich and snobby look.

Must pose for outfit picture.

Must pose for outfit picture #2

Cool old fashioned theater turned into a store. Fo' shame.

There is something behind the closed gate.

Apparently this guy is famous. 

The architecture in the old town is always very romantic.

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Style Elixir, Her And Nicole

In Between

tee: Loft
skirt: J.Crew
clutch: H&M
heels: Rampage

My body has been kind of in between lately. You know the stage where you don't have the big belly anymore but not quite back to the pre-pregnancy weight yet? Yep that one.

Until yesterday that is...

I fit into my favorite pair of denim shorts, (not just zipped the fly while not breathing) and I could actually comfortably move in them. It was a long awaited victory.

For some of you ladies, post baby weight loss may come easily and you spring back into shape the moment you pop that baby out, but others (mere mortals like myself) have to work for it. 

You become a mom, have new responsibilities, have another human being fully dependent on you and yet, have to look slim and sexy day two postpartum. Well, give yourselves a break! 

We do a lot and have the hardest job in the world, so if the baby weight isn't off yet, it's OK. 

Since when being a mom became a sexy role anyway? 

I've been really hard on myself. Beating myself up for gaining too much weight during pregnancy, not loosing it fast enough, for not getting everything in the house organized, for not taking Jonathan outside more, for not spending more time with hubby and more. The point is, the list never ends and I still feel overwhelmed no matter how much I got done.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves and our families by trying to be everything for everyone. The most important thing though, is being happy from within. Your family and you will benefit from it more then from seeing skinny, hungry mom running around and having carrot sticks, while miserable.

Put those carrot sticks to good use- make yourself a carrot cake dear. Have a slice. 

Don't you feel better already?

Now go get on that treadmill and work them calories off.
Haha.

Jonathan //6 months//

Daddy's teaching you to stand strong and tall

Celebrating your cousin's birthday. All pink and not sure it all. Poor guy.

Handsome little dude. #toomuchcutenessinoneface

I honestly didn't see this day coming so soon. It's your half birthday! Should we get a half of cake? Since you can't have any, we will enjoy something delicious on your behalf dear. 

So 6 months...Where did the time go!?

I remember trying to teach you how to latch on and now I'm stuffing that face with green beans, which you still aren't huge fan of.

Dear boy, you are growing way too fast and yet not soon enough.

You are such a happy baby, I can't believe how many fears I had about having a child but you have proved a lot of them wrong. 

You sleep like a champ, eat like a hungry monkey and enjoy playing by yourself. Now that I know you more and what ever cry, wine and smirk means - life is becoming easier. I don't worry that you will be screaming your lungs out in Walmart or that you won't take the bottle and I will have to nurse you right there in cereal isle. It's like we have our own rhythm and get along very well.

Of course, you have your days and I have my moments but over all, you are one easy-going baby. 

You are rolling all over the floor and sitting up a little too. You love your cereal and don't mind the bottle. But most of all, you still love to nurse and actually will get kind of cranky if you don't get a nursing session in any given 5 hours. And there I thought you will be weaned by 6 months. Yeah, so that didn't happen.

You have the most adorable and contagious laugh I have ever heard and yet most of the time, you are one serious fella. Every grandma loves you but you get very shy around strangers and turn away with a cute smile. Such a heartbreaker already!

You are ever so curious and love looking around, going for long walks and exploring new surfaces and places. You are also a lot more sociable and don't cling to me all the time, which is good when I have to leave you in the nursery during church services. You are fascinated with all the kids there and I'm pretty sure soon it will be your favorite place.

We had a small struggle with getting you used to falling asleep in your crib during the day. You have such a stubborn personality already and a very strong will but finally you got used to it. Now if I see you getting tired and rubbing your eyes, all I have to do is give you a bottle and put you in the crib where you fall asleep all on your own. Such a smart kid. 

It's such a fun time watching you take everything in and explore this new and exciting world. 

Daddy and I love you very much.

We pray for you to grow big and strong, to know God and love others.

Happy half a birthday son!

Don't Give Me Excuses. Give Me Results.

top: Target
skirt: Dorothy Perkins (dress)
heels: Guess
glasses: DNKY

Welcome back! 

How was your weekend? Mine was busy.
#pleasestoptime

I've been meaning to wear this dress couple of times but every time it was a little too... hmm how should I say it? Too much booty.

Well, with me loosing weight and all, it's finally fitting just right. I love the feel and color, but it's still a bit too dressy for simple Sunday outfit. It was a bit chilly in the morning, so I dressed it down with a blouse.

Apparently, the diet has been working. Can I get a woohoo? 

Woooohooo!

I did one week with no carbs and no dairy, and then another week were I ate a little bit of bread and rice here and there (I did splurge on French Toast once). It's been amazing to see results! 

Now I'm back to eating pretty much everything but still limiting sweets, ice cream and carbs, while focusing on veggies and whole grains. 

Also, I take walks as much as I can. Jonathan loves taking naps and I get my exercise - it's a team effort.

I am on the roll and loving it.

Are you currently dieting? Trying to loose that last belly fat? 

Do share your secrets people!
And have a great day!

Funk

tee, flats: Target
jacket: Gap
skirt: J.Crew
glasses: DKNY

I feel like I'm so behind with the fashion this summer. It's already August and I'm just getting to wear my summer whites. How lame is that? Pretty lame for a fashion blogger, I must say.

Well, better late than never right? Right. 

It's not that I don't have enough clothes, I just don't have the inspiration to put new combos together. I find a shirt that works and stick with it instead of trying new things.

 So you could say that I'm kind of in a closet funk and feel like I don't have very versatile pieces. That's what happens when you spend one  month's budget on two dresses that can only worn for special occasions. Don't get me wrong, I love the dresses but need more special occasions to wear them to. Date night it is.(hoping hubby is reading this;-)

Have a great weekend and thank you for reading!

10 Inexpensive Date Ideas

source

Every year as I get older, the longer I'm married to my man, the more I realize, that I know very little. I thought, every year you were supposed to get better at this thing called life, no?

I don't know much, but I do know that couples that intend to stay together in the 'happily ever after' need to work at the happy part to make sure the ever after actually happens. And when I'm saying 'stay to together' I don't mean to survive the torturous coexistence next to each other. No. What I mean is to have a friend and a lovable companion at the end of your life to enjoy the golden years. For that my friends, we need to invest in the relationship now.

Well, having a mortgage, car payment, bills, couple of kids and maybe even school loans does not allow for fancy restaurants, horse carriages and weekend getaways. But being romantic and affectionate does not require a lot of money - just a little imagination. And probably some food. 

Here are some affordable ideas for you to sweep the love your life of her/his feet (without braking the bank).

1. Instead of having a boring lunch at home, grab a picnic basket, pack the food and head to a local park. Find a gorgeous view, spread the blanket and have some lunch. Talk, read a book together or simply take a nap. 

2. Head out to the local library. Browse book stands, find something you are both interested in then retrieve to a secluded, quiet spot and read the book together. I bet you won't even remember what was that book about;-)

3. Want to go to a fancy shmancy restaurant? Sign up for deals at such website as Groupon, join the restaurant's e-mail list to stay informed of their promotions or go there for lunch. Expensive restaurants tend to be more affordable in A.M.

4.Dinner and a movie. Make simple dinner and look on hulu.com for free re-runs of your favorite shows. You can even have fun with finding the dumb, funny, cheesy, longest running or stupid shows.
Have fun with it!

5. Transform your bedroom into a getaway retreat by setting it up as a hotel room, complete with number on the door, mints on a freshly made bed (use crisp white cotton sheets), a huge stack of towels and a few fizzy bath tablets in the bathroom (for an instant Jacuzzi), nice stationery and a pen (for writing each other love notes), a bottle of something chilling in an ice bucket, and room service. (source) 

6. Have a game night. Pull out all of your board games for a friendly night of competition. Be sure to have some treats for the occasion, like homemade salsa and chocolate covered strawberries.

7. Go to a thrift store. Each person gets $10 to spend! See who ends up with the best item(s)!

8. Have a restaurant hop by ordering only appetizers at couple different restaurants you have never been to and don't want to risk paying for a full meal. That way you can try something new and not spend a lot of  money on a dinner you may not like anyway.

9. Go to a farmers market and explore what your local vendors have to offer. You can find a lot of free samples and cheap foods, interesting entertainment and fresh air.

10. Head to the bookstore when very few people are going to be there (like Monday), grab a cup of joe and walk through the aisles together, showing each other your favorite books, bonding over the books you both hated, and flipping through a Kama Sutra book for ideas for later ;-)

Hope these ideas will motivate you to have fun and schedule a date with your spouse. Have a great day!

Winding Down

top: Talbots
skirt: Thrifted
heels: Ann Taylor
clutch: DIY
necklace: Forever 21

According to the calendar, it's almost the end of summer and New York haven't even had real summer yet. We had non-stop rain the entire month of June, then it warmed up a little. But all the rain made the humidity get out of control, so that the only possible way of survival was inside, under an air conditioner. 

By the way, a blessing I am extremely thankful for is the central air conditioning system.

 It's absolutely amazing. I'm giving props to all the people who don't have A/C. I don't know how ya'll live.

We started having gorgeous weather last few weeks and now the days are warm and nights are cool. It's really beautiful out and yesterday was one of those days. We enjoyed it mostly by going to church, staying inside and (not) taking a nap because a certain someone with cutest chubby cheeks and beautiful grin decided that he will wake up every half an hour just to keep us on our toes.

Summer is winding down, so enjoy the beautiful weather by going to the park or having a picnic under a tree, take a bike ride or a trip to the beach. I know that I'm going to take advantage of this gorgeousness. 

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a great day!

New Do

top: Target
pants: Gap
shoes: Kate Spade
bag: Target
glasses: DKNY

Ever since I had baby Jonathan, my hair started showing signs of a nursing mother. It has been falling out at a crazy rate, and, frankly, I'm surprised I still have some of it. Seriously! 

Giving birth to another human being takes a toll on your body in so many ways, but I did not expect shedding to start. My hair grew to be very long and heavy, so there would be long brown packs in every corner of the house. It was even in Jonathan's diaper. Poor little guy.

I liked the ombre very much and was sad to let it go but I needed a change. 

To make sure that all the ends are evenly colored, I decided to chop them off and now feel so much better. A gorgeous day, new haircut, fresh pedicure and a stroll in a park marked it to be one of the better days.

How are you gals liking the new do?

July {Budgeting Series}

Another month, another budget. Blown out of the water. 

Partly because we were on vacation, so there was more time and opportunity to shop. So we did.

Then, our anniversary where we got a little pampered for a day, and hubby indulged my shopaholic tendencies. Here's to keeping my materialism in check. 

Dress (x2) - I found two pretty dresses at Lord and Taylor for $95.67. Partly it's hubby's fault, no wait, it's all his fault. He found cutest stuff and showed them to me, then I'm drooling. He was going to pick out a dress I would wear for out anniversary dinner and couldn't decide between the two. So with coupons and clearance it was a great buy. Worn one of them here and looking for another occasion to wear the other.

Kate Spade Wedges (similar)- these wedges ($63.74) have already been proven to be one of the versatile pieces in my closet. And they are super comfy. Win win!

Joe Fresh Blouse - got this cute top ($11.50) on clearance last in my size. Love the black and white contrast and florals.

Gap Sandals - I was pleasantly surprised to find a pare of comfortable, leather low-heel sandals at Gap for only $9.49. I've walked in them all day and my feet didn't hurt one bit.

Target Top - this item was not part of the plan. But it was only $5.89 and out of all the cute stuff I've tried on at Target, nothing fit me as well as this blouse. Go figure! Btw, I need to stop going there, it's a mine field of shopping waiting to happen.

Running Short ($12.00) - TJMaxx always has good quality gear for low price. Love that place!

TOTAL: $198.49
BUDGET: $100.00
OVER: $98.49 (double!)

Determined

top, necklace: Forever21
skirt: Loft
shoes: Bandolino
glasses: DKNY

I'm determined to loose the last bit of the baby weight. 

Seriously, it's time.

I wanted to be back in my pre-baby shape by the time Jonathan turns 6 months old and with only three more weeks I have ten(!) pounds to loose. Mostly, you mamas would know, it's the belly that's driving me nuts.

I've picked up running and finally decided to get on a diet. I didn't want to risk loosing my milk supply any earlier, that's why I had to eat moderate amounts of everything.

Now it's time to buckle up and and get cracking. Well, more like get dieting.

I'm cutting out all carbs (gasp! no more French toast oh my!) and dairy (has anyone seen sour cream?) for one week. We shall see what it does to me, my energy levels and my milk supply. Then I will decide if I want to keep going or find another method.
So far I felt just fine, except I need to drink plenty of water which I sometimes forget, then, of course, get a headache.

My game plan is to loose it all by the time I return to work at the end of August. 

Who's with me? 

What are your tricks to loosing the pesky baby weight? 

Do share, ladies!

On The Lake

We went to one of out favorite spots last weekend - it's a state park with two lakes that you can walk around. It's a quiet and remote place with mostly runners and very few people. It's so peaceful and the lakes are beautiful green color that you just can't capture in a picture. 

It was a perfect day and reminded me of our good ole' days when we used to sneak out and just drive up to the lake and walk. We would walk and talk for hours.
Now we just tell each other what to do. Haha. Just kidding. I tell him what to do and he doesn't listen. 

Anywho, we had a lovely time.

Hope you guys have a great weekend! 

Enjoy the summer and get out to do something fun.