Piko Love

Right now, I'm LOVING these tops. And no, they are not maternity tops. I specifically bought these because I can wear them now and after the baby. I think they are so cute dressed up with a scarf and some cute earrings! I really wish I had bought one in a hot pink color.

 
I also have these in a teal and a mocha color. Unlike the models, I don't go pantless. LOL. I bought them from pikoshirts.com which is a US seller. You can't beat the prices!These are SO comfortable, and I guess I'm late to this trend, but as the saying goes...Better late than never! 

Top 5 Oscar Favorites

Here are my Oscar Faves from last night.

1. J-Lo in Elie Saab.
Girl can't go in public without some sort of her goods out, but still I think this color, cut, and look looked fabulous on her!

2. Reese in Tom Ford.
Reese is MY girl! She's probably my top girl crush, and I just love her:) I think this is so classic and clean, and I think going sans necklace was perfect. It put all the attention on her dress. Loves it!

3. Emma Stone in Elie Saab
Not a lot of people can pull off this color. However, I think she looked smashing. The dresses flows nicely to enhance her silhouette, and I think her hair and makeup were done well as in not to compete with her dress.

4. Chrissy Teigen in Zuhair Murad
Homegirl is just HOTTTTTTT! I think this color really suited her skin tone! I think it was sexy without being skanky. The soft waves in her hair almost brought an old Hollywood feel to me. I really liked this!

 5. Jamie Chung in Yanina Couture
This is another WOW. When I think of the Oscars, I think of wow dresses. I just think this is so fun and beautiful. I would love to wear something like this myself!

Bumpdate: 24-26 Weeks

Yikes, I haven't updated in like 3 weeks! I have made a pact with myself that I'm going to update/post here regularly. I'm sure lots of teachers can relate, but I feel like not only do I work a full time job during the day, but I'm constantly working on work at home too! I have a life, I need to take time for myself, I don't get paid overtime, it doesn't hurt to just say you know what I'm going to go home today and have some me time, some family time. So, that's what I've decided I'm going to do starting TONIGHT!

how far along: 26 weeks; tomorrow I'll be 27

size of baby: at 24- canteloupe; at 25- cauliflower; at 26-size of a head of lettuce

gender: female

belly button in/out: well, folks it's neither. my belly button was not an innie or an outie to begin with. it was like a mix inbetween, and now it just looks plain weird. ha!

weight gain: the past 3 weeks, I've stayed between the 11-12 lbs. 

maternity clothes: yes, but i'm still wearing some of my non-maternity shirts granted they don't fit the same, but they're working for me. ha!

stretch marks: none so far ^fingers crossed it stays that way*

rings: on :)

nursery: finally picked out bedding. 

movement: wow, the farther along i've gotten the more i feel her move. it's a weird but surreal feeling that there is a tiny human inside me. 

symptoms: heartburn:/

sleep: yikes! i wake up multiple times throughout the night to go to the bathroom which makes me so tired in the morning and leaves me feeling like i didn't get any sleep

best moment last week: when i could see my tummy moving!

cravings: orange juice, sour candy, ice cream [trying to keep these on lock down in moderation!], oranges

aversions: pb&j, bananas, apples, applesauce

what I miss: coloring my hair it's looking a hot mess, eating soft cheeses, the ease of getting in/out of cars, etc. 

looking forward to: my first baby shower next month!

And just in case you're wondering about my less than remarkable pregnancy fashion attire here ya go: 

Week 24

top: white tee [banana republic outlet; old; non-maternity]; grey open faced cardigan [NY&Co.; non-maternity; old]

pants: 7 for all mankind [original bootcut; maternity]

shoes: gap city flats [old]

accessories: Papers of Peace necklace-Be Free Revolution; sunglasses- NY&Co. [old]

Week 25

pajamas-Nick and Nora macaron pajamas from Target. They are sold out online, but I just saw a pair on clearance at my Target the other day for like around 9 bucks. These are seriously my new FAVE pjs, and I'm still wearing my normal size...well, with a little belly sticking out:)

Week 26

top: striped boyfriend tee [gap; old; non-maternity]; layering tank [target; liz lange maternity line]

pants: 7 for all manking original bootcut see week 24 for link

shoes: Sperry Topsider boat shoes

accessories: multi-glitter earrings [Kate Spade; sold out check ebay]; scarf-murfee in dress rehearsal print [Lilly Pulitzer; old]

After Party Sale!

Lilly Pulitzer just had their After Party Sale. This year I really refrained from purchasing a lot of stuff. A)we're saving for a baby and B) I have no idea what my body is going to be like after said baby. 
I only bought 3 things. I had been wanting this dress all season, but I figured it'd be in the sale so I waited. This can work for maternity because it has an empire waist. 

Lilly Pulitzer Beckett dress in black

Lilly Pulitzer Southside Clutch

Baby Lilly Shift in Lounge Lilly [ Baby Girl's FIRST Lilly---super excited:) ]
All in all I only spent $100 even. Not bad. Not bad. 

22 Weeks Bumpdate:)

**before work. my husband HATES taking my blog pics so i was lucky to get him to do this. lol! i didn't dare ask for a retake for this bad pic**

how far along: 22 weeks

size of baby: size of a papaya

gender: female

belly button in/out: in

weight gain: 8 lbs.

maternity clothes: yes, had to go shopping this past weekend

stretch marks: no

rings: on :)

nursery: haven't started yet, but bedding has arrived. 

movement: feeling kicks but mostly only in the morning and at night and a few times throughout the day. 

symptoms: still a little tired, get irritated easily [chalking up to hormones!]

sleep: still getting up a couple of times to go to the bathroom; woke up several times last night due to being uncomfortable. oy vey. 

best moment last week: actually having enough energy to stay up til midnight on NYE!

cravings: chips, sour candy

aversions: still pb&j --- not sure i'll ever be able to eat it again in my life. ha!

what I miss: having highlighted hair, when brushing teeth didn't make me sick, eating goat cheese!

looking forward to: the rest of the months flying by so we can meet our baby girl!

This is what I actually looked like when I went to work. Right now, I'm just putting weight on in my stomach, and I hope it stays that way.

OOTD: Teacher Style
top: cardigan-NY&Co.; top-INC
pants:Motherhood Maternity
shoes: gap city flats [not pictured]
jewelry: pearl earrings-from market; necklace-Verona Accessories

20 Week Update

This is my first "belly" pic. I didn't take them before this point. If you've read my blog for awhile or if you're new, it's been a long road to get this baby. I felt scared to say I was pregnant out loud, to post it on social media, etc. I thought if I did that, it made it real that it could all just go away. But the doctor assured me the risk of losing this baby is low since we are this far along, and he reassured me that it's okay to announce it. So, from now on, you'll get the cliche posts that every soon-to-be-mom blogs about! I am eternally grateful to the good Lord above that I am able to even type this post:)

size of baby:  baby's the size of the banana

gender: girl

belly button in/out: in

weight gain: around 7 lbs.

maternity clothes: not yet, but i did get some on black friday for when i'll need them

stretch marks: no

rings: on :)

nursery: looking for inspiration pics such as pinterest, blogs, etc. 

movement: kicks

symptoms: first trimester is over so feeling pretty good. no more morning sickness, more energy, etc. 

sleep: i wake up a couple of times a night to go to the bathroom, i'm a stomach sleeper so sleeping on my side has been an adjustment. 

best moment last week: feeling my baby kick. i have been waiting for the "flutters" to come as most people and sites describe them, but i haven't gotten them. instead, mine are little pokes from the inside. feels like a finger is just poking my stomach from the inside. 

cravings: pickles, clementines [halos], chick-fil-a chicken sanwiches, bacon

aversions: sugary cereal, pb&j sandwiches 

what I miss: soft cheeses like goat cheese and gorgonzola, having my steaks cooked medium, etc.

looking forward to: picking out furniture for the nursery and getting that done, deciding on a name, getting to meet her:)

OOTD: 20 Weeks

top: Vineyard Vines 

scarf: Lilly Pulitzer Riley infinity loop in amuse bouche

jeans: SFAM original bootcut

shoes: Sperry Topsiders

jewelry: Kate Spade multi glitter earrings

OOTN: Dinner with Family

This past weekend my BIL came into town. We went to a local restaurant in my small, little town.

OOTN: Dinner with Family

top: Gap A-Line muscle tank

pants: 7 for all Mankind jeans

shoes: Guess [old]

accessories: scarf-Gap/watch-Prep Obsessed/bracelet- c/o American Pretty/ earrings- Bellevue Collection

I got the top and scarf when Gap was having an extra 50% off clearance. I think both pieces came to a little less than 12 bucks. Here's a stock pic of the scarf. Wanted to show an up close  just because I think it's so summery and light!

And here's an upclose of my accessories and an out take just for fun:)

OOTN: Junior League Meeting

Monday, I had my first Junior League meeting of the year. This year, I am not going to be a provisional advisor. It was fun for 2 years, but the time commitment was just too much for me, and I am glad to have a more low-key placement. I will miss it though!

OOTN: Junior League meeting at Alchemy [local restaurant]

top: Gap faded v-neck

jeans: 7 for all mankind

shoes: Gap thin flip flops in tannery

accessories: Stella & Dot-swallow studs earrings[retired]/ Stella & Dot infinity charm necklace [retired]/ bracelets-DY [old]/ watch-Prep Obsessed

I love this watch from Prep Obsessed so much that I had to show y'all an upclose of it. It's so cute and fun, and I wear it all the time now!

NY&Co. Work Clothes Steal--Last Day!

I am enjoying these last few days before I start back to work Friday. I went to visit my great aunt and uncle today, and afterwards, I popped into the mall.

 Today is the last day to use coupon in store or online. The whole store is buy 1 get 1/2 off [excludes redlines]. And you get to use your coupon ON TOP of that. Normally, you can't use coupons when the store is doing this promo. Today, this is what I got for $62 including tax.

Madison Popover shirt in black dot

seriously so cute in person! 

Lexington Soft Shirt- sporty blue stripe

had to zoom in so you could see the stripe

fyi, that bow this is removable; it has a little loop it goes through under collar. 

it's a blousy fit, so i plan on wearing mine untucked sans bow. 

Mercer Soft Shirt in polka dot

the top i bought today was in baby blue with darker blue dots. i can't find a pic of that exact colorway on the website, but you can get it in other colors. 

Body Shaper cami in black

sadly, i can't find these on the website. these are awesome! i wish NY&Co. would go back to making these in more colors than just black and white instead of those cotton camis they have now. 

The Body Shaper wasn't included in the Buy 1 get 1 half off promo. However, I needed to spend $100 in order to use my coupon. I needed another one of these, so that brought me to a little over $100 pre-tax. 

Promo Codes: 

100 off of 200---code is 5607

50 off 100--- code is 5609

25 off 50---code is 5606

Happy Shopping:)

Amazing $25 credit to Rue La La!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Y'all I LOVE LOVE LOVE shopping Rue La La. I tend to pick up gifts, clothes I missed out on at stores, home decor, and so much more. I just received an email just now that if you are not a member and sign up by 8/6 you can get a $25 credit. I haven't seen a credit this big in awhile or ever to be honest. I remember $20, but not 25. Anyway, if you're not a member, I highly suggest you sign up, you won't regret it! You can do this by using my referral link below. Happy Shopping! :)

https://www.ruelala.com/invite/southernbelle

Today's Finds:)

Today, I took a little trip to the mall. My second job [only work there on fridays] changed the dress code to 3/4 length black tops hence the trip. It was not easy finding them I'll tell you. I found one top for like 8 bucks at Coldwater Creek [they're going out of business] and another one for like $13 on clearance at Express. My second job is at a restaurant, I don't like to spend a lot of money on work clothes since they end up smelling like "restaurant." All you former/current restaurant peeps know what I'm talking about!!!
And while there I just couldn't pass this blouse I'd been wanting for awhile...
 NY&Co. Ruffle-Front Blouse

I just couldn't justify spending 50 bucks on ANYTHING at ny&co. My local store didn't have many of these over the summer. It was sheer joy when I saw the red slash through the bar code. REDLINES = SALE! I took it up to the register and much to my surprise it was like 13 bucks. So with my 15% teacher discount and after taxes, I believe I hit at like $12 something. Yay! :) 

Women's Long Sleeve Pattern Supima No-Iron Shirt

I also purchased this blouse at Land's End. I'm thinking I'll wear it on the first day of school with some white pants. 

Destin, Florida Recap

We went on vacation about two weeks ago which I think is the first time we've gone on one since our honeymoon two years ago.

My only outfit post for the whole time in Florida. I just didn't think about it because I was having so much fun! I'm such a beach/water person:)

OOTD: Shopping on a Rainy Florida Day

top: Lilly Pulitzer polo

shorts: Lilly Pulitzer Callahan in You Gotta Regatta

shoes: Old Navy tortoiseshell flip flops

accessories: Lilly Pulitzer sunglasses in Hotty Pink First Impression/ bracelets: David Yurman

handbag: Longchamp

We stayed at Silver Shells Beach Resort & Spa. I highly recommend if you're looking for somewhere in Destin, FL and looking for convenience. It's beachfront with pools, hot tubs, workout facility, spa, The Sandbar- hut on the beach that serves food and drinks [servers will walk down the beach and take orders but the hut has a bar where you can sit at], and there's a Ruth's Chris Steak house in the parking lot. Not to mention, it's right in the middle of Destin. The Walmart is basically across the street, it's a few lights down from Destin Commons, and literally 5 minutes or less to the outlet mall. Such a great place to stay!

All we really did was just hang out on the beach and eat. lol.
Places we ate:

Not Just Bagels

This place is seriously so good. We went for lunch, and I had a club. It was so so so good. We also went one morning for breakfast. I had the French Toast bagel with a combination of strawberry and cheesecake cream cheeses, and it was delish!

Camille's at Crystal Beach

The night we went they had $2 off sushi rolls. It was REALLY good:) I'm not a huge seafood eater, so when it comes to rolls, I'm kind of limited. I ordered the Steak roll thinking it would probably be nothing special. And it was SO freaking good. Actually, all my sushi was good. If you're looking for sushi while you're down there here ya go...

Cafe Thirty-A

Cafe Thirty-A is on 30A [you know if you're in the South, you've seen the 30A stickers on people's cars]. It's located in Seagrove Beach which was about 30 minutes from where we were staying. I had the crab cakes, and they were seriously the BEST crab cakes I've ever had! I forgot to take a picture, but here's one I found on google image. My dish looked exactly like this pic. 

Tommy Bahama

We had lunch at Tommy Bahama one afternoon. Our friends talked about how good it was, and they wanted us all to go there. I ordered the cuban sandwich, and needless to say, if I didn't have to take some medicine that must be taken with food, I would have asked my server to take it off my bill. It was pretty bland, and it had pulled pork on it with a texture I didn't like. My sweet potato fries and strawberry lemonade were very good though!

Pompano Joe's

Our last night in town, we headed to Pompano Joe's. I like PJ's in the fact it's pretty reasonable, and the food's pretty good for the price. It's not Cafe Thirty-A by any means, but I like it. I had the Crab Cake sandwich with a twice baked potato.  A few years ago, I went with friends to FL, and we rented a house in a community across the street from this part of the beach. We'd walk across with all our beach gear and spend the day playing games and laying out. For lunch and/or drinks, we'd just walk up to Pompano Joe's.

The next time we're in Florida, I'd like to try out Whiskey Bravo!

As far as the outlet malls go, they have tons of stores. I spent $100 between Gap and Banana Republic. That was what I budgeted before I went down and remained loyal to that figure!

Gap: 

two 3/4 length striped boatneck tees 1 clearance embroidered summery type sleeveless top 1 pair of leather flip flops 1 clearance cardigan 
Banana Republic: 3 crew neck tees [seriously the best and only sold at factory stores] 1 ombre tank top 1 pink/white striped oversize blousy type shirt
And honestly, I can't remember what else, but I know there's more. It was quite a bit of stuff for just $100. Also, if you go, make sure you google factory coupons. BR and Gap both had 15% off purchase coupons:)
One night, the boys cooked for us which was alfredo with scallops and shrimp and a wonderful fruit salad. For lunch, I ate packaged fruits & cheeses I picked up at Walmart. And for nights we didn't go out to eat, we grilled hamburgers. 
FYI, don't forget to enter to win a Southern Living cookbook here. All you have to do is to leave a comment with a link to your favorite recipe on the post. :)
All pics with the exception of my OOTD were taken from google image. i was too busy having fun to take actual pics of the places i went to.