It’s Friday!! This Friday feels extra fabulous because the weather is amazing, and we accomplished a huge to-do! The exterior of our house was finished being painted. This included the shutters, windows, replacing several gutters – the whole kit and caboodle. I knew when we bought this house I had a revamped vision for the exterior. However I never thought we would be able to make things happen so quickly! I really love that we’ll bring our baby boy home to this fresh house that really feels like our own.
And on that note, I wanted to make some cookies for the painters on their last day of working on the house because they’ve just been the nicest guys. When you move somewhere new that you’ve never lived before and you hire help for different projects, you just have to hope you have chosen the right people to come into your home. I have no doubt these guys were the best choice for us. They’ve been such a delight to work with.
SO, about those cookies. This is my favorite cookie recipe by a landslide. In my opinion, they’re the best chocolate chip cookies out there. I don’t want to admit how many times I’ve made them… but let’s just say I’m close to having the recipe memorized.
Christian’s parents are getting in town this afternoon! It will be not only their first time to see our home, but also their first visit to the area! I know he is excited to show them around, and they’ve kindly expressed their willingness to help with any home projects… so we might have a basement touch-up painting journey on our hands.
Thats about it on our end. UGA plays South Carolina in town this weekend so it should be a fun one! Thank you so much for reading and checking in – XO –
With wedding season upon us, I wanted to share some dress and accessory picks for those with a full calendar of fall weddings ahead!
I’ve shared a few seasonal posts surrounding what to wear to weddings (winter option one, winter option two, fall wedding option), but there are so many cute dresses out there right now that I wanted to round up some fresh pieces.
One thing I would recommend looking for when buying something new to wear to an upcoming wedding: versatility. Can you wear it with a blazer or moto jacket and booties to work? Would it also work for a baby shower or wedding shower? Could it be worn in spring? Dresses like this one, this one and this one totally fit that bill.
Let me know if this post is helpful to you guys. Next week I was thinking about rounding up some midi dress favorites for fall. And be sure to check out more dress picks in the rotating thumbnails below. Thank you so much for reading! XO –
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A year or two ago I was introduced to two Korean skincare and beauty brands I was unfamiliar with – Sulwhasoo and AmorePacific. Since then, I’ve been using both brands regularly and have been floored with how late to the party I was. You can see their reviews online are amazing!
There are a few products from each brand I particularly love, and all of these items are available at Bloomingdale’s. And, it’s worth mentioning that they are currently celebrating the launch of “Window into Seoul,” which is a rotating pop-up shop online and in select cities that promotes several South Korean brands at Bloomingdale’s. So many fun items like this classic trench and chic red bag!
Two of my favorite brands featured are AmorePacific and Sulwhasoo, so let’s dig into some of my top items –
AmorePacific
Color Illuminating Compact | I use this as a bronzer and it’s subtle with a little shimmer that adds a dewy glow.
Botanical Radiance Oil | I truly can’t live without a facial oil. I use one night and day. I will add a few drops to my moisturizer and gently press onto my face.
Essential Creme Fluid | I love this lightweight moisturizer in the mornings. Each bottle contains 150 baby green tea leaves, handpicked from AmorePacific’s garden… which is incredible!
Radiance Blusher | This is a really soft blush that is perfect daytime addition before running out the door. The brush it comes with is fab too (which isn’t usually the case with compact brushes)!
First Care Activating Serum | I apply a serum morning and night and this is a great one! If you read about this particular serum you’ll see the extreme process that went into creating this formula. No small feat!
Have you ever tried AmorePacific or Sulwhasoo? I’d love to hear any products of theirs you are a fan of!
Be sure to check out some of the brands highlighted in Bloomingdale’s “Window into Seoul” selection. There are some really cool items included. If you live in New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco there are events happening in your city. In SF there is an event with Minya Oh on 10/24 from 6-8PM to paint the Seoul skyline, how fun is that!?
A while back, I shared on Instagram that I made nachos on bell peppers – delish! I’ve been meaning to also share the recipe here because it’s so easy and still feels like a fun weeknight treat. Also – the colors! So pretty, right?
Ingredients:
6-8 bell peppers or 15-20 mini bell peppers
can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 onion, chopped
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Optional: diced jalapeños, avocado/guacamole, limes, Greek yogurt or sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, green onions…
Also optional: if you want meat you can also try adding seasoned ground beef, turkey or shredded chicken
Directions:
Rinse and cut bell peppers into “chip sized” pieces. Put in the oven at 400 on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to allow the peppers to start getting soft (about 5-7 minutes, then flip the peppers and bake 5-7 minutes).
Chop your veggies and sauté the beans and onions in a dash of olive oil. I added some chili powder and salt, you can also add taco seasoning. This would also be the time to cook any ground beef or turkey if you wanted to add that to your nachos!
Pull your peppers out of the oven, fill with the bean + onion mixture (and jalapenõs if you’re adding them) and top with cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes.
Top with any toppings of your choice – we went with green onions, Greek yogurt, guacamole, cilantro and hot sauce.
And there you have it – some healthy nachos! To be completely honest, we usually have some chips on the side OR you can do the same recipe, half on chips and half on bell peppers just to reduce the amount of carbs.
If you try this, I’d love to hear what you think! You can see all CBL food and drink recipes in the “food & drink” category of this site.
– the coolest pieces of snake jewelry from Miranda Frye –
– trying new skincare from Tata Harper for the first time –
– hanging a gallery wall in the (currently) incomplete living room –
Another week has breezed by and here we are. Thanks to my parents the house was a little more put together for Nikki, Jenn and Krystal who came to town for some girl time before baby Barnes arrives. We went a little pumpkin patch (had to buy kettle corn, obviously), strolled downtown, ate plenty of queso and had some late night chats, which is honestly what girl time is all about.
This weekend will hopefully be a productive one at home. We have lots of projects to work on that have been put off while we’ve been enjoying hosting. We also have some fun plans with new friends in town! I still don’t feel like I’ve had much time to “nest” before this little guy arrives, and at 32 weeks… he’ll be coming regardless. I think it comes down to everything just seems to take longer than you think it will. It’s hard for me to not want things to feel “in place” before the baby comes, but I keep telling myself that we will get there. Eventually!
I received the pieces I snagged in the Shopbop sale last week, and I’m shocked that I love everything and intend to keep all of it. An always-fun surprise! I ordered these pajamas for the hospital, this maternity underwear (am just now realizing I needed that) along with this pair in a few colors, some leopard sandals, blue light glasses and a maternity tee. I’d love to hear if you guys scored anything!
I’m off to my 32 week OB appointment today. We are now visiting every other week which feels like… things are happening! Hope you have a beautiful weekend planned, thank you so much for reading – XO –
Is it still 90 degrees here? Yes. Am I still going through all of my sweaters and organizing them for the upcoming season? Absolutely.
I’ve seen so many cute chunky sweaters online so I wanted to round up a few of my favorites. I tend to lean toward camel and cream sweaters but I love the occasional black, red or pink. And you can’t beat stripes!
Some of my favorite blog posts styling sweaters can be found here, here and here. The weather is looking like we still have one more week of heat and then the temperatures should drop by 10-15 degrees… which I’ll be crossing my fingers for. I haven’t brought myself to buy any pumpkins or mums yet just because when it’s this hot – I can’t wrap my mind around it!
Thanks so much for reading and here’s to AC and pumpkin spiced coffee. I’m loving these Nespresso pods! XO –
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shirt (wearing a 1) | denim (ordered my usual size)
I shared all about the first trimester in our baby announcement video here, but now that I’m 31 weeks I wanted to recap the second trimester (week 13-26) with how I felt, what I learned and so on!
How am I feeling?
I’ve felt really great for the majority of this pregnancy and I do not take that for granted. I didn’t suffer from morning sickness, I slept great until about 29 weeks (this pregnancy pillow and more frequent prenatal pilates has cured that!), and it wasn’t until about 30 weeks that I noticed myself feeling more tired and a little slower than usual. But overall I still feel pretty good!
How are the body changes?
This has been one of the most interesting parts for me. So many women love their pregnant bodies and don’t care about the weight gain. They can happily embrace the changes.
Me? I just don’t really feel like myself. Because I’m not! I’ve been within the same 10 lbs since high school. I’ve been the same height since I was in the 9th grade, so my body has never fluctuated that much and therefore this is my first experience looking in the mirror and thinking… “who dis?”
Getting dressed is not only usually one of my favorite things but also, it’s my job. So putting on something that fit two weeks ago and no longer does is bound to be a little frustrating.
BUT I know when I meet this little boy it will be worth everything, and I’ll thank him for being such an easy pregnancy!
Traveling in the Second Trimester
I get why people say to travel in your second trimester. I was lucky to feel pretty great in my first trimester, but not telling people you’re pregnant and having to come up with reasons you’re not drinking or asking the waiter 47 questions about the way things are cooked is annoying.
Second trimester you have a little bump but nothing too big that feels uncomfortable. You can openly share you’re pregnant and justify asking about pasteurized cheeses at restaurants, and the back pain hasn’t set in yet. I am so glad we traveled so much during the second trimester because Christian can’t get me to go anywhere now. Anytime he suggests going away for the weekend I’m like… no thanks!
Cravings
Honestly, I’ve been eating the same. I find that I’m starving in the mornings and I alternate between Greek yogurt, a banana with some peanut butter or a bowl of cereal. The bananas do seem to help with all the leg and foot cramps I’ve gotten throughout the past few months.
Weight Gain
I found this chart early on that has been really helpful to me. You type in your height and pre-pregnancy weight and it tells you week by week a range of weight you should be in if you want to gain 25-35 lbs. I’ve been using it from the beginning and as long as I’m in that window range for my week, I don’t stress!
Biggest Pregnancy Pet Peeve
Ok, I’m going to try to say this in the nicest way possible. But when someone is pregnant, please never, ever, EVER start a sentence with, “you just wait.” Because whatever comes after it, I probably don’t want to hear.
“You just wait, a little boy will be climbing those bookshelves in no time!”
“Enjoy that sleep now because you just wait – you’re not getting any once he’s here!”
“Maternity clothes is one thing but you just wait, nursing clothes are even more of a nightmare.”
You can accomplish the same thing in a more positive way by saying something like, “congratulations! Parenthood is such an adventure, I’m so excited for you guys to experience it.”
When someone has a big baby bump, showering them with “you just waits” about how much harder, exhausting and sleepless their future might be isn’t exactly the encouragement they probably need. Let’s focus on more of the positives!!
Any new journey is going to come with challenges, but it’s also going to bring great rewards. Most first-time parents are already a little terrified internally, so freaking them out with horror stories is the opposite of what they most likely need to hear.
We’re partnering with a dream brand of mine for baby Barnes’s nursery and piece are coming in bit by bit. I will do a full room reveal once we have it all set up and I cannot wait!
We have chosen a carseat, stroller, breast pump, baby monitor and bassinet and those will be shared soon as well.
Other than that, I’m trying to stock up on the practical items like changing pads, wipes, diapers, bibs, burb cloths, bottles and so on. I’m trying not to overdo it as I don’t know this little man or what he will or won’t like, so I’m sure there will be many Amazon Prime purchases once he’s here but I’d prefer not to go in too hard before he arrives and just stock up on the essentials.
Does he have a name?
We have been between two name this entire time and we will decide and then flip flop. I am still undecided but Christian is officially leaning toward one so that might be the deciding factor. I call him both names and love both!
I can’t think of anything else but I did want to post this little update and will do another one after the third trimester as well! If you have any questions that I didn’t answer please leave them in the comments below and I can update the post.
Thank you so much for reading and for all of your encouragement! XO –
– the sweetest baby boy surprises from 3 Marthas –
– having my parents come in town and my Dad check out our house for the first time! –
– the remote that goes to our new adjustable bed frame that I can’t wait to get into later… oh em gee –
– a few new pieces from Express’s collection with Negin MirsalehiI (sweater | blazer) –
It’s Friday! After such a wild college game weekend last weekend, I’m excited to have an off game weekend this weekend. And my parents are in town which is the cherry on top!
This baby is due around Thanksgiving, which is Christian’s favorite holiday. So we are planning to have not one but two “Fakesgivings” so that he can rest assured he’ll get his turkey lovin’ in. My parents are bringing a few dishes with them, and I’ll be making the rest this Friday for a September holiday spread. Christian’s family also will be coming in town late October for another Fakesgiving celebration as we won’t be making it back for holidays this year. So trust me, no complaints about missing turkey & dressing will be tolerated while I’m in labor. Christian – I hope you’re reading this!
Speaking of baby, I can’t get over the sweetest and most practical baby gifts from the fabulous ladies behind 3 Marthas. I think so many baby gifts are sweet and many are practical, but this company manages to tackle both. Burp cloths, bibs and sleeping gowns that are sweet without being over-the-top. A GREAT spot for gifts for family or friends who are expecting.
I also wanted to chat a little bit more about these chairs from The Citizenry. I plan to share more about them separately in another blog post, but these chairs were made by hand in Mexico. Each chair takes 7 days to complete, which I never forget when I look at them. There’s also a matching stool that is gorgeous. I just wanted to expand on the uniqueness of these pieces and why they’re so special. I’m in love!
Now I’m off to make some pies. We’re going with pecan and classic chocolate. I wanted to throw in a pumpkin or sweet potato but three pies for four people felt aggressive so surely two is enough.
On Monday I shared an office-friendly look for third trimester girls, but today we are taking that one step further. Chic, professional clothes that also travel well.
If you have ever had to travel for work, either by car or plane, you know that time is of the essence. Often times you’re in a meeting within an hour or two of when you arrive, so you need to look professional but still feel comfortable for the long day ahead.
This is where M.M. LaFleur shines! The entire concept behind this brand is to “take the work out of dressing for work.” They have an extensive collection of dresses, tops, suits, knitwear, shoes, jewelry… if you’re on the hunt for professional, polished and stylish workwear – this is the spot, head-to-toe.
They also have a packable suit line that is machine washable, which is amazing for the gals who need to travel with suits!
I think this cape is the perfect travel piece that can be thrown on with leggings or jeans to keep warm, extra snuggly in the cashmere version. Yes please!
Shopbop is having one of their seasonal MAJOR sales starting today, and you do not want to miss this! They’re offering 20% off orders under $500 and 25% off orders over $500 with the code STOCKUP19.
So what is on my wish list? Let’s get into it –
Classic bodysuits. I can’t have enough. Love the clean lines of this one and I have and love this turtleneck version.
You know I can’t go without my 8+ pairs of Levi’s. Loving this pair!
I have these booties in several colors and they are by far the most comfortable heel for long day wear.
Mid-calf boots are having a major moment right now and I’m loving this pair and this pair.
I’m sharing a few more of my picks below, but this is one of the best sales in my opinion because you’re getting a discount off of the in-season stuff you want. A huge selection!
Would love to hear what’s on your wish list. Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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If you have been reading this blog for a little while or follow CBL on Instagram, you might now I love pimento cheese. I shared my favorite recipe here and love seeing you guys make it!
I went to a restaurant recently in Georgia that served pimento cheese on dates with two little almonds on top. Such an interesting combination, I would have never thought of it! Obviously I had to order it and… ok YUM. Sweet, salty, savory – the trifecta of Southern appetizers.
Not to mention, SO easy to make at home. I put these together for a little tailgate game day watch party recently and they were a crowd pleaser, so I wanted to share them here as well!
Have you ever combined pimento cheese and dates? Or pimento cheese and anything else? I like celery, crackers and sandwiches, but dates are new for me. Here for it.
This week I’m excited to bring two different looks that I think would totally work for third trimester girls at the office.
I worked in a corporate office for over five years after school, so I hear you on trying to stay stylish and confident while abiding by a dress code. I always try to throw in some styled looks to inspire those of you in this boat! You can find some more office-friendly looks here, here and here.
I absolutely lovethis oversized shirt. I think it would look so fab dressed down with faux leather leggings and loafers or belted with a midi skirt and heels to the office. Topshop at Nordstrom has so many great, affordable pieces for fall that you can add to your closet without the guilt of splurging too hard. I’m sharing some of my favorite Topshop picks below!
I’d love to hear if pregnancy style or pregnancy office style is helpful to any of you or if this is not as relatable of a topic? I have managed to stay away from maternity clothes for 31 weeks of pregnancy other than a skirt, some jeans and leggings. I’ve loved being able to make regular pieces work that I can hopefully enjoy after pregnancy too!
