Road Trip Boredom Busters

Last week we were on vacation, which was great. I'll fill you in more later this week. Once we are there, it's always great, it's the getting there that can be tough. Now that Grant doesn't take a nap each day that means more time in the car and more opportunities to get bored...then drive us crazy. We have a DVD player and Grant has in Ipad, but both of these entertain him for maybe an hour, and when we have seven hours in the car that leaves a lot of time. 

I decided to try to make it easier on everyone by creating some Boredom Buster activities to help keep Grant happy and entertained during the drive.

14 Week Bumpdate

First off, I want to apologize for not having any outfit posts this week, but in all honestly, last week Grant was at Vacation Bible School each day and I was wearing a lot of tees and shorts-nothing really too exciting. So, instead, I thought I'd share a Bumpdate post with you all today. I wasn't sure if I'd plan to do these or not, but my sister talked me into it. ;) So, here goes!

Weeks along: 14 weeks today

Size of the baby? The size of a lemon- about 1lb 2oz and 3 1/2 inches long

Must haves: Just like with Grant, I'm craving smoothies and Slushies, yum! I'm also drinking a lot of water and have been pretty much steering clear of pop. I'm also loving all carbs, like chips, which I wasn't a fan of beforehand.

Sleep: Not great, but better than at the beginning of my pregnancy. I'm generally a person who sleeps on their stomach, so sleeping on my side has been an adjustment. I've also learned a good pillow is a must! I'm also generally napping during Grant's rest time, which is nice too.

Baby Movement: When I place my hand on my stomach I feel like I felt a bit of movement, but nothing huge yet.

Gender: We won't find out until August, then I'll either have a lot of boys clothes to sell, or almost nothing to buy. Either way, I just want a healthy baby!

Weight Gain: Nothing yet. I actually lost a few pounds when I had a ton of morning sickness, then gained it back from week 8 to week 12. I have been very hungry, though, so I'm a bit anxious about weight gain. We belong to the YMCA, so working out in the morning is both good for me and the baby. : )

Challenges: I'm really feeling so much better than I did during the beginning, I really can't complain. I do have to make myself eat fruits and vegetables though, I really have not been wanting them at all!

 Best moment of the week: I've just been enjoying time with family and am thankful for summers off!

The Book of Unknown Americans

In my opinion, some books just need to be read, and I think The Book of Unknown Americans is one of them. Though this book is fiction, the author Cristina Henriquez, beautifully and at times tragically tells the story of a group of Latino people who all live in the same apartment complex.

Each person is from a different country in Central or South America. Each has a different past. Each has come to the United States for a different reason. I began listening to the audio version of this story, which I highly recommend if you have a commute each day or want something to listen to while working out, then ended up buying the book as well.  The chapters are told by the different characters, each with their own unique voice and perspective, and we see their lives intertwine.

Sometimes people tend to be afraid or apprehensive of those who are different from them, and the title of the book comes from that fear from those of us who were born here. The author shared through the voice of the character how many Latinos feel as though they are faceless and nameless, "We're the unknown Americans, the ones no one even wants to know, because they've been told they're supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realized that we're not that bad, maybe even that we're a lot like them."

If there is one book you put on your reading this this summer, I highly suggest The Book of Unknown Americans, both thought provoking and powerful, it is definitely a book that needs to be read.

Kindergarten Ready: Superhero Activities

Grant is starting kindergarten this fall, and is home with me all summer. He had a blast in preschool, and I wanted to keep the momentum going, so I've decided to do about a half hour of "school" each day with Grant. I scoured Pinterest and created this Superhero Theme Board. Most of what I pinned was free, with a few of the activities costing a few bucks. Today I'm just going to share the "free" stuff with you. We've been doing it before we go do any activities outside of the house and Grant has been having a blast!

Why I Stopped Getting Dressed for Instagram

I've been thinking about this post for awhile, so I decided it was time to get it written to share with you all. Social Media can be a wonderful thing that connects like-minded people, as well as allowing us to stay connected to dear friends who have moved, and to see the day to day lives of those who are still an important part of our lives. In my opinion, though, Social Media can also create jealously, unrealistic expectations, and a "staged" ideas of what peoples daily lives are like.

Now, I'm not saying we should all go out and air our dirty laundry on Social Media, but I think being authentic is important. I say this because, I don't think I was showing a very authentic version of myself on Social Media, specifically on Instagram, for the first year or so I took part in it. I'm not going to lie, I got obsessed with how many "likes" each post got and how many new followers I gained each day.

Now, I didn't take part in loop giveaways to gain followers, as I knew that just wasn't for me, but I wanted people to follow me, and I spent way too much time trying to create and take the perfect outfit photos, simply to get "likes" and follows. This was my issue. I was way too worried about what those on Instagram thought and not enough about my real life, you know, the one outside of my smart phone.

BUMPstyle Box

Now that I've hit my second trimester I'm starting to feel better, but I'm still at that awkward stage where my normal clothes no longer fit, but my bump isn't in full effect yet, although I'm sure it will be soon enough. When I begin looking for maternity clothes, I really tried to be sensible and stick to inexpensive pieces that would be mixable. I still stand firm that this is a good idea, but it hasn't left me with any pieces I really feel are "special" or that I really love. 

Enter BUMPstyle Box, they deliver designer maternity clothing, picked by a stylist just for you, and shipped free to your doorstep. The concept is similar to other box subscriptions, like Stitchfix, but I think that fact it's specifically for those expecting is genius. Where I live there is a very small selection of maternity clothes available, and we don't have chic maternity boutiques here either, so I was really excited to try this out.

Here's the scoop: Signing up is free. You fill out a style survey, share you due date, your favorite and least favorite parts of your body, what specifically you're looking for, the average price you spend for clothing, and when you want your box delivered.  There is a $30 styling fee, which is similar to other boxes out there, this was waived for me, and it waved for you too if you spend $150, which is nice.

After I went though this process, I got an email from my personal stylist, Hannah. She asked what I was looking for specifically, so as to make my box the best it could be. I told her I was interested in top that had special details, like lace, prints, etc. and dresses in prints.

Having never tried a service like this before, I didn't know what to expect, but I did stock the UPS guy  waiting for my box to arrive. Here's a peek at what I got:

First up is this dress from Lilac Clothing. The fabric is soft and stretchy and the length is great too. It has a bit of of sleeve, so I can wear it alone too, which is nice. It retails for $120, which is more than I generally spend on a piece of clothing, but I believe  BUMPstyle Box is about adding in a few special pieces you'd find at a boutique, not the big box store down the street.  The lovely people at BUMPstyle Box were nice enough to let me choose a piece to keep, in exchange for this review, and I didn't have a hard time choosing this dress. Due to it's shape, I think it's one I can easily wear after the baby is born, and I love that versatility.

Be Still

Now that I've hit my second trimester, I'm starting to feel more like myself again. I contribute it to prayers from friends, the fact I'm able to get about two hours more sleep each night, and not being so nauseous that I can actually enjoy a cup of coffee.

Sometimes in the midst of life's difficulties it can be so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It's like we have blinders on that keep us from seeing the whole picture. It's during those times we need to "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37:7)

Our way and our timing might not be what is best, and as much as I wanted the nausea of this pregnancy to pass, that was a sign of a healthy baby, and for that I am thankful. As I move into the second trimester and a summer with Grant I'm thankful for opportunities to be still. We have the luxury of time without a to-do list. Grant can hang out all morning in his jammies (and I can to). I can do my devotions while he plays or watches a cartoon, and I can be still.