Metallic

skirt: NY&Co (similar), tank: Pink Blush Matenity c/o, jacket: thrifted (similar here and here), pumps: Target, bag: Amazon

If you think about how many changes a woman's body goes through while she's pregnant, it's simply amazing. From the expanding abdomen that's capable of accommodating a baby of any size (or a few) to how her bones shift to give way for the baby. The baby is getting everything he or she needs through mother without mother's knowledge or help. It's so fascinating! Every time I feel the baby move I'm simply amazed at the fact that I'm carrying a life inside of me. A brand new life that was created and given to me to bring into this world. How amazing is that? It is truly a miracle and I cannot wait to see our little baby girl!

Current Sales

LOFT - extra 40% OFF sale items 

Ann Taylor - 40% OFF dresses and skirts 

J.Crew - 40% OFF all sale items

Nordstrom - up to 40% OFF handbags

Shopbop - up to 70% OFF designer sample sale

Neiman Marcus - spend $200 get $50 OFF, spend $400 get $100 OFF.

Piperlime - 50% OFF everything until 4/30 

Target - save 15% OFF $75 or more on all baby blankets, bedding and decor

up to 20% OFF carseats, strollers and travel systems

up to 25% OFF indoor and outdoor furniture 

Kate Spade NY - 50% OFF or more on select items

Link Ups: The Book of Leisure, The Pleated Poppy,
Thank you for stopping by and have a great day! 

Festive

dress: J.Crew (similar)
pumps: Liz Clairborne (similar)
necklace: NY&Co (similar)
 clutch: DIY (similar)
watch: Fossil

I bought this dress at the spur of the moment. To make sure it fits, I went with the size of my hips (my size is about 2 sizes smaller). It took me about 6 months to take it to the tailor (and an attempt to sell it on Ebay). Thank goodness it didn't sell and I have a pretty dress for any occasion. 

I hope your week is going well and you aren't overwhelmed with the amount of food that needs to be made (or eaten. whichever you're doing). I'm scaling down this year - no one eats 7 different sides. By making more of the same, I'm able to cut back on hustle and bustle, and just enjoy some time with my family. 

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by! 

Lady With A Hat

sweater: H&M, skirt: thrifted, booties: Ann Taylor, scarf: Old Navy, hat: NY&Co

I can't seem to get out of a closet rut with some of my favorites - skirts, comfy sweaters and even pajamas. It's not a bad thing, learning to creatively re-mix what I have but at the same time, it gets old. I mean for you guys, right? Again with this skirt. It's the delicate balance of wearing my own clothes and wearing something new every time, which means more shopping. Speaking of shopping, January has been brutal (on my budget, I mean) and awesome in other ways. Free of holiday bustle we are spending time with family and enjoying each other. I hope you are having a good day and thank you for stopping by.

It's a Heart Issue

top: Joe Fresh (sold out)
skirt: NY&Co (similar)
shoes: ALDO 
clutch: old

As a Christian woman, mother and a wife right kind of clothing is very important to me. How others see me, how I portray Christianity and how I feel about what I wear, are all parts of one issue - modesty. 

Growing up, I was forced by my parents to dress conservative and mom would never buy us anything she thought we should not wear (i.e. mini skirts, halter tops).

Then I went all the way off balance and wore only skirts and dresses for couple of years, thinking that I will win 'points' from God by doing so. (That's a blog post in itself)

When I got married, I rebelled a little, because my parents couldn't tell me what to wear. Not that I looked sleazy or anything, but some cuts were lower and hems were higher. I definitely wanted to show some skin.

Now I'm finally starting to find the delicate balance, while being comfortable with who I am as a woman and a Christian.

You see, I grew up with this preconceived ultra conservative notion that Christian people put a bag over their heads and read Bible all day long. Although, no one around ever did that, it was still wrong to put on make up, color your hair or wear jewelry (not even wedding band). 

Having a heart for God and looking good was impossible, because apparently all Godly people were ugly. Wrong.

There are many accounts in the Bible of women dressed in beautiful clothing, Godly men exchanging gold jewelry and God describing His Bride as a beautiful lady. Also, check out the book Songs of Solomon - that woman is smoking hot. Somehow they've missed that.

The most important thing in any Christian person's life is his/her heart. God doesn't care if we do something out of duty or because we were told we are supposed to. 

He wants us do it from the heart or rather not do it at all.

If I'm putting on a maxi skirt and a long sleeve turtle neck and hating it, God knows what's going on inside and really doesn't care for the outfit. But that does not mean I can put on a mini skirt and a halter top and claim that I'm a spiritual person either. 

There has to be a balance to life. Balance between looking groomed and attractive, and becoming vain and abscessed with labels and latest trend. 

Balance is hard to come by because that is a heart issue.

P.S. Happy birthday to my wonderful hubby! Love you! Muah.

Linking up with Molly for Monday Fun Day

Hard To Find

The same blouse works two ways

blouse: Target
skirt: NY&Co
heels, clutch: H&M
necklace: similar

Hello lovelies... 

Hope you had a great weekend!

Really, it seems like a man with a good character and solid moral values is hard to find nowadays.

I'm so happy I've been blessed with an amazing husband who treats me right, because settling is worse than being alone.  

So here is something for you gals on this bright Monday morning.

A good man is hard to find

You always get the other kind

Just when you think that he is your pal

You look for him and find him fooling 'round some other gal

Then you rave, you even crave

To see him laying in his grave

So, if your man is nice, take my advice and hug him in the morning, kiss him ev'ry night, 

Give him plenty lovin', treat him right

For a good man nowadays is hard to find, 

A good man nowadays is hard to find.

:-)

Have a great day! 

Thunderstorm

top: TJMaxx (similar), cardigan: Old Navy (similar), skirt: NY&Co (similar), heels: Guess(similar) , belt: Target, sunnies: DKNY

 We've been hit with some severe thunderstorms for the last couple of days and, of course, I had to be dumb enough to get stuck on the interstate in the middle of whole thing. Yep, only me. 

Tuesday we had sort of a spring cleaning day and and after we were done, I headed out to get groceries. The sky was looking dark and I knew we were supposed to get a storm in the afternoon, but that, THAT was not a storm. Lemme tell ya! 

I was checking out in Walmart, a gentlemen behind me in line said that we were supposed to be hit with some severe winds, rain, thunder, lightning and hail, (yep! hail) at approximately 7:45. I asked him to check the time for me and it was 7:42. I almost forgot half of my grocery bag and ran to my car. I barely, I mean b-a-r-e-l-y made it to the car and loaded my groceries. 

I started raining. 

I should have went home right away but no.

We needed diapers and they were on sale at Walgreen's across the town. I looked at the dark blue, like-in-the-movies-before-the-bad-guys-take-over-the-world sky and decided that it's probably not going to be that bad. And I headed straight into the eye of the storm. 

Two minutes later and I regretted that decision. Bitterly.

Two minutes later I couldn't see more then 10 feet in front of me. Traffic was barely moving and the cars were pulling off on the side of the road. 

Then the hail started to come down and my car started swaying from side to side like I was on the great wide open sea. I pulled over to the side of the road and started praying. 

I WAS SCARED and oh so glad I didn't have Jonathan with me. 

I called my husband. Then I called my mom and told her not to go anywhere. 

Ten minutes later and it was still bad out so I decided to slowly make my way to the store. There was so much water, I was literally swimming through the interstate. 

Thank God, I safely made it through barely moving traffic, knocked down tree branches and not working traffic lights. 

So next time you see dark as night sky what are you going to do? Turn around and head home. 

5Days5Ways: Day1

Being Creative: Day 1

top: Loft, skirt: J.Crew, shoes: Ann Taylor, necklace: NY&Co, bag: Kate Spade NY

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend.

I have been a little challenged in my closet with my postpartum body. It's hard to find clothes that fit with the little bit of belly I have left and little more of booty. I have a few pieces that fit right now but don't want to get a whole new wardrobe just for this transitional stage, because I am planning on loosing the extra poundage. 

I am very optimistic. 

But right now I still have to get dressed and be creative with the few clothes that fit my bum. 

So here is a challenge: take a piece of clothing and using other pieces from my wardrobe to create 5 outfits. That's five days taken care of! And although I don't like to have so few pieces to work with, it's challenging me to think creatively. Plus re-discovering clothes that I put away before my last trimester is like shopping all over again. And I don't spend a single cent. 

Here is to being creative with what you've got!

Day 1.