– getting to know my new SodaStream, which is a pregnant lady’s dream –
Slowly but surely, things are finding their place in our new home! My mom was able to come in for almost a week which was incredibly helpful. She is such a worker bee, and with her help we were able to make such a dent in all the little things – patching up holes, touchup paint, painting furniture, hanging mirrors and art… the list is endless. I’m an “outer order/inner calm” kind of person, so having my surroundings looking at least neat is crucial to my sanity. Thank God for Karen!
So I originally I wanted to buy Christian an Eames chair as his graduation gift. We went to an Orange County furniture store that carried them and picked the leather and wood so when time came to make the splurge, we knew exactly what to get. But after he found a fancy watch he really loved in Paris, we decided to opt for a dupe chair and ottoman that I found with amazing reviews. It lives up to the hype! If you are into modern furniture or Herman Miller, we would give it two thumbs up so far. Time will tell how it holds up, but so far we are surprised at its quality. A+!
We are heading to an end-of-summer getaway with close college friends (more will be shared on Instagram!), but I wanted to share some of my favorite Labor Day sales so far. I’ll be keeping this post updated throughout the weekend so check back for new additions!
We plan to take advantage of sales in the home decor department as well as mens clothing to update Christian’s wardrobe as he’s starting work in facial plastics next week. I’m going to have to get used to him not being around, but I know it will be great for both of us to get back in the swing of things. My office is by no means ready (I still can’t seem to find a desk that fits what I’m looking for), but I miss my traditional workflow days!! Right now I’m running around like a spastic person everyday and it’s time to get back to my routine. I’m a type-A kind of person who thrives on a schedule.
KIDDING. But honestly, am I? I saw it listed at Nordstrom online and knew it looked so comfortable and twirly (a winning combination). Add a stretchy bodice, pockets and multiple colors? Done. I bought it twice!
I love wearing this dress during the week with flats and a low bun, and then elevating it for the weekend with some heels or heeled mules. Two totally different vibes from the same dress.
A very cool thing Nordstrom is doing right now is highlighting sustainable styles in different pieces and brands that manufacture in factories that meet higher standards, use sustainably sourced ingredients and support the environment. And that’s always cool.
Reformation is a brand that always falls into this category, and their pieces are darling. Loving this and this LBD!
I’ve shared our visit to Budapest and Vienna with you guys, and next up is… Geneva, Switzerland!
I have visited Geneva a few years ago and shared blog posts about the trip here and here, so I’ll share a few different things we did, as well as where we stayed and some of our favorite meals. I have so much love for Switzerland – the views, the people, the lifestyle… it is such a beautiful country.
WHERE WE STAYED
The Ritz-Carlton, Geneva | This hotel is on the lake and has the most amazing view of the city and landmark water jet, the Jet d’Eau. We absolutely loved Vienna and our hotel there, so the bar certainly felt high arriving in Switzerland. And boy was it met!
This hotel is so stunning and much more intimate, giving a more boutique experience (which Christian is always a big fan of). The lobby is drop dead gorgeous, showing balconies of each floor (photographed below), art and fresh flowers. The furniture alone in the lobby and restaurants is so interesting – it was a completely different vibe than our previous hotel but so stylish and unique!
The robes here must be mentioned. There were different robe fabrics at each hotel location and this hotel had maybe the softest robe I’ve ever worn in my life. I would put it on any chance I could – it felt like a giant baby blanket hug. So much so that I was emailing with the concierge after the fact trying to find the manufacturer… like, that’s how good.
When we walked into the room, there were flowers and babymoon signs, I was floored. You can see this on Instagram under the “Geneva” saved stories! It was the sweetest welcome to stunning Switzerland.
Living Room Bar & Kitchen | We definitely took more time to relax in Geneva than other cities along our stop because our sore feet had caught up with us… and the hotel was so cozy and comfortable! We went to Living Room for an early, long dinner and it was fabulous. Our best meal in Switzerland without question.
Fiskebar | My favorite mocktail from the entire trip to Europe and by far, the coolest bar we popped into (photographed above). Loved the art, the bar setup, comfortable velvet chairs – a great stop along the lake!
Les Armures Restaurant | So many of you recommended Cafe du Soleil and Les Armures for fondue, and this little spot is in Geneva’s Old Town, so it was so easy to pop into after a day of walking around! It was so good. So good that when it first came out I thought, “there’s no way we’ll eat all of this.” And of course… we did.
ACTIVITIES
Renting Electric Bikes | I rented an electric bike to bike through the countryside on my last visit to Geneva, so I knew it would be such a great opportunity to get off of our feet on this trip. The Ritz-Carlton concierge was super helpful in assisting us with finding some bikes, and we set off for the day in the neighborhood of Carouge. I would highly recommend this if you have the opportunity!
Watch Shopping | You can’t visit Geneva without doing a little watch shopping. I wanted to buy Christian a watch to celebrate the finale of his training, and I thought it would be special to pass down to our son one day knowing we purchased it on our babymoon when I was pregnant with him! We didn’t end up finding “the one” in this city… but stay tuned for more on that!
CERN | On our bike riding day, we rode out to CERN so Christian could geek out. C majored in physics, so this was essentially his mecca, but I loved watching him in his element, just as I was in my fluffy robe at the hotel drinking coffee on the balcony. Ha!
And that’s all she wrote for Geneva! I have one more post coming on our last stop in Paris, so stay tuned for that! Thanks so much for reading and you can see more travel guides and posts in the “travel” category of this site. Big hugs, XO –
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I recently shared a blog post about our days spent in Budapest here, and today I wanted to share more about our time spent in the next country on our big summer “babymoon” vacation… Vienna, Austria!
Truth be told, I didn’t know much about Vienna or Austria prior to this visit. Christian had visited Austria once before when he was young but not for very long. We both love visiting new places together, so it was exciting to anticipate what we might see.
Once we left Budapest, the tone changed for the trip because we were starting a little “babymoon” adventure. Christian starts his job in September, so there was no better time to extend our stay and visit some new places.
And babymoon bliss it most definitely was. After it’s all said and done, I must say… Vienna was our favorite part of the entire trip for numerous reasons. The weather was amazing, the staff at The Ritz-Carlton Vienna went above and beyond to ensure it was the most special and memorable time, and the history and beauty of the city and country left us with our jaws on the ground. We were not ready to leave when the day finally came to move onto Switzerland!
I knew there were palaces to be seen in Vienna, but I did not fully anticipate majestic and stunning they would be. Nothing was too crowded. There were amazing audio guides taking us through each experience, and Christian’s peak of the trip was the House of Music (mentioned below). One of my favorite parts of the trip was walking through the Vienna cobblestone streets at night and then returning to the Ritz-Carlton room to take a big bath in their huge soaking tub (photographed above) and elevating my feet.
I realize that sounds ridiculous. But we walked 7-9 miles every day. Thankfully I was back in my packed and prepared clothing and shoes, but I still felt like my calves and feet belonged to someone else. The swelling and calf muscle situation of pregnancy has been one of the bizarre surprises of pregnancy but that’s neither here nor there.
I’ll be doing a separate post with tips for Europe travel and will include some pregnant gal tips separately in that post!
WHERE WE STAYED
The Ritz-Carlton Vienna | This hotel completely blew us away. It’s huge, and you can smell the intoxicating fragrance of the lobby before you even enter the hotel! Upon arrival we visited the spa, which was the dreamiest way to kickstart our last big adventure before baby.
Our room had these incredibly tall ceilings with huge windows showing a view of the city, and the bathroom alone was a showstopper, and it had the most stunning tub of anywhere we stayed – the only one I made sure to take advantage of! We have a master bathroom remodel ahead of us, and I literally was inspecting the tub with Christian. We agreed it was the perfect tub. I’m so glad I photographed it!
If we ever have the privilege of returning to Vienna, I wouldn’t look anywhere else. The location was perfect for touring the city and all of the palaces. There were plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance, and I can’t imagine staying at more fabulous hotel. It set the tone for 10 more days of travel European travel and babymoon fun.
The Ritz-Carlton is where we shared with our families that we were having this baby, it’s where we celebrated our last big trip before the baby, and I know it is where we will continue to celebrate time together with and without our kids in the future. It’s a major perk that there’s a fabulous Ritz-Carlton in both Atlanta and Lake Oconee that are next door to us at home!
DINING
DSTRKT Steakhouse | This was one of our top meals of the entire babymoon. Christian loves a great steak and DSTRKT is one voted of the top steakhouses in Europe. The sommelier picked out a non-alcoholic Prosecco for us to enjoy (so thoughtful!), we shared a steak, truffle fries and creamed spinach. While too full for dessert, we returned another night just for coffee and their iconic cheesecake. That was insane. I didn’t eat cheesecake for the rest of the trip because I knew nothing would top it.
This was also the restaurant where we ate breakfast every morning and it was the best way to start the day. We would tuck into a little table by the patio and drink cappuccinos and eat croissants and chia pudding while planning our activities for the day. Loved it.
Plachutta | This restaurant was a recommendation from the hotel for one of their favorite spots for a traditional Austrian meal. Both the hotel and our helpful server recommended the boiled beef (an Austrian favorite), so Christian and I shared it on their big patio outside. I loved all the vegetables in the bone broth, and the creamed spinach and roasted potato sides were absolutely delicious. Would definitely recommend!
Demel | Christian found this chocolate shop online, and we popped in for an afternoon treat. Turns out, Christian the tour guide strikes again – it’s famous amongst both tourists and locals!
Da Capo Pizzeria | We were so hungry and had pasta on the brain, so we saw this highly rated restaurant and took a stroll. Our server had a pregnant wife so we just asked him to pick his favorite pasta, pizza and salad that had all cooked ingredients and he did a fantastic job! Mocktail included. Favorite Italian meal of the trip.
Schonbrunn Palace | Ok… where do I even start?! This was the “summer home” of Sisi and the royal Austrian family and it’s beyond. BEYOND. The tour left me speechless, the gardens are massive and we spent an entire afternoon here. Worth it on every level.
Imperial Treasury | This exhibit took me by surprise. It was so much fun to see all of the capes and robes of royalty, down to the royal crib! A small exhibit but absolutely worth a stop.
The Hofburg | A must when you visit Vienna! We spent a large part of one of our days exploring Hofburg, and it was absolutely breathtaking. This included Sisi’s apartments and the royal silver collection. It was so fascinating to learn about the woman that so much Austrian history is centered around.
House of Music | Christian’s peak of our entire Europe visit – the House of Music. As the son of a piano teacher, a college physics major and an ear specialist… it was his Mecca. The museum is divided into several floors that take deep dives into word renowned Austrian composers (Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss). It also shares what sound and music sound like in the womb to the breakdown of the physics of sound. I’ve never been to a museum like it!
St. Stephen’s Cathedral | One of the most well-known landmarks of Vienna, you must see the magnificence of St. Stephen’s. Afterward we walked by Mozart’s apartment on our way back to the hotel which was also very cool!
St. Peter’s Catholic Church | We were passing by this church on our way back to our hotel so we decided to stop in. It was stunning and Christian thought it was even more beautiful than St. Peter’s.
If you follow me on Instagram, you can also find video captures of this trip saved in the “Vienna” saved stories which will give you more of an idea of each place!
Thanks so much for reading, and stay tuned for Geneva and Paris recaps! XO –
We spent a little less than three days in Budapest, but the feedback I got from you guys is that it would be helpful to have each country broken down into individual posts. So I’m going to aim to go with that!
The Formula One race with Ritz-Carlton is what brought Christian and me to Hungary, and it was the most unique experience! As many of you might already know, racing in Europe is much different than the States. It’s an elevated and elegant sport with some of the most well-known drivers in the world in some of the most luxurious cars in existence.
Ritz-Carlton and Mercedes AMG Petronas have a partnership which means that they not only partnered in Budapest but in cities all over world at different races in Germany, Singapore, Russia – you name it.
After arriving Thursday evening, I attended the practice run at the track all day Friday. I had the privilege of seeing some of the Mercedes race cars up close and personal. One of the most interesting elements of the entire process to me was how the engineers and mechanics behind each team are superstars too. They work around the clock to ensure the best chances at winning for the team. There are so many more hands in the pot than I realized!
During this experience, so many of you recommended the Netflix series about Formula One racing. Which now I most definitely must watch! I know this series further elaborates on the relationships and roles behind-the-scenes, which I would love to learn more about. There is so much more that goes into it than just the stars behind the wheel. And the Mercedes team will be participating in the second season. I hear it should be a juicy episode so I’ll most definitely be tuning in.
We did spend most of our time with the Ritz-Carlton team, learning about Formula One and the stars behind the Mercedes-AMG Petronas racing team, but did squeeze in some sights during our stay.
WHERE WE STAYED
Ritz-Carlton Budapest | The location of this hotel is prime. A short walk to tons of restaurants and a beautiful, intimate hotel – it offers all the European charm that you look for when finding a hotel for your vacation. We chose to take advantage of the incredibly quick laundering services at the hotel several times, which was amazing. This hotel had quite a bit of luxury toiletries in the bathrooms which I found so nice after such a long travel journey. I’m a sucker for fab toiletries!
One of the most unique parts of this hotel to me was the amazing spa pool (pictured below). It had sky lights with sun pouring in and looked like the dreamiest place to take an afternoon off. I also loved the Kupola Lounge where breakfast was held each morning. It was the most beautiful room with art all over the walls and a stained glass cupola ceiling – really something to see. We always went there for breakfast but they have an afternoon tea that looks like so much fun!
DINING
Zeya Restaurant | This was our first meal upon arrival with the Mercedes AMG engineers, and it was wonderful! A great dinner spot and where I first realized that racing was seriously more complex than I ever could have imagined.
Deak St. Kitchen | This was our last dinner of the trip, and it was so special! Christian enjoyed an incredible wine pairing with his meal (hello, #jealous – but I had a delicious mint mocktail!) and my favorite part was the dessert, a DIY snickers. So fun! The dining room at Deak is so beautiful, it really was such a special ambiance to wrap up Budapest with.
Other Recommendations: Mazel Tov and New York Café were both heavily recommended to us, but we weren’t able to swing by on this visit. However, if you can swing it, I’ve heard both are exceptional! I was told to ask for the main dining room at Mazel Tov and that New York Café isn’t the best foodie spot but is fabulous for a glass of champagne, afternoon tea or coffee.
Buda Castle | The massive Buda Castle is home to the National Gallery and Budapest History Museum. The courtyards and the grounds are free to roam around anytime, but you enter you’ll need to purchase a ticket.
Fisherman’s Bastion | Christian saw this on the day I was at the race track. From this vantage point, you’ll get a great view of the Danube River and the Hungarian Parliament building. Fisherman’s Bastions is one of the most visited spots in Budapest, so know that you won’t be alone! The streets nearby have plenty of cute café’s for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon stop.
Matthias Church | This beautiful church is right next to Fisherman’s Bastion.
Chain Bridge | You can’t miss this huge bridge and Budapest landmark. Be sure to also stop by the Shoes on the Danube memorial.
Hungarian Parliament Building + St. Stephen’s Basilica | We walked by both of these but didn’t go in. I don’t believe you can go into the Parliament Building, but for a small donation you can enter the church/bell tower.
Ruin Bars& Thermal Baths | We walked through some ruin bars, but the smell reminded me of daytime on Bourbon Street… so we didn’t stay long. But still very cool to see! Visiting the thermal baths is a very popular tourist spot, but we were still without our luggage which meant we had no swimsuits. My personal doctor on this trip, Dr. Barnes, also didn’t think a pregnant lady should be in the baths. I don’t think my actual OB would have approved it either so we opted to skip. But, I know people really love them!
If you follow CBL on Instagram, you’ll see videos of these experiences saved in the “Budapest” saved stories. Stay tuned for a Vienna, Austria recap coming next… some of our favorite parts of the whole trip!
Thanks so much for reading and for all of your advice and recommendations along the way. You guys are the best. XO –
Christian and I found out the gender of this little baby, and we were holding onto the information until we could tell our family and close friends. SO, I’ve just been waiting to take some photos to share with you guys, and we just snapped these the other day so I could finally spill the beans!
I had a hunch around 11 weeks what the gender might be from an ultrasound in San Francisco… and I’m certainly not a sonogram expert but I actually turned out to be right!
We are having a precious little boy! I have some videos I’ve taken and saved along the way talking about our little fellow that I’ll be sharing today on Instagram. I think it will be really special for our oldest to be our son, hopefully being a protective big brother of his future sibling(s).
We have narrowed it down to two names and still can’t commit to one, but I’m hoping we will soon! I have big plans for his nursery and bought him his first few pieces of clothing (other than all the hand-me-downs from his many cousins) in Paris. Something about actually choosing and purchasing knit cardigans and pants for this little boy made it just feel all the more real.
He’s moving around every day and thankfully I’m still feeling great around the corner from the third trimester. Most days I forget I’m even pregnant which is kind of a problem because I need to kick it into gear to prepare for his November arrival!
Thank you so much for sharing in this joy with us. You can check out our first baby announcement here and my results to old wives tales relating to gender here. Thank you for reading and for being a part of this incredibly special journey. I always learn so much from you guys and am so appreciative that you choose to connect with me here on this site! Big hugs and lots of love – XO –
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One of the most commonly asked questions I get from you guys is, “what lipstick color are you wearing?” The not-so-fun answer to that question is… a combination of four things. Usually a lip liner, a lipstick, a chapstick and then maybe touched up with another color I find in the bottom of my purse. I shared that in the FAQ of this site, but I still get the question often enough that I thought it would be helpful to round up my favorite colors!
I hope this email will be helpful to some of you looking for the perfect neutral color combination! I play with different combos until I find something that works with my skin tone. So I do think a lot of it is finding what’s going to compliment your complexion, eye color, hair color, etc.
If you have a favorite nude or neutral lip, I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
PS – I wrote this post last night without electricity, tethering from Christian’s cell phone and using a flashlight… so I hope there are not many link errors! I have missed having regular posts up so I really, really want to get things back on track. Thank you for your grace! Big hugs –
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I’ll be honest, it wasn’t until I became pregnant that I really paid attention to the ingredients in skincare. I put a lot of thought and intention behind the produce and groceries I purchase. However when it comes to beauty and skincare products, it’s not always top of mind.
Once I discovered I was pregnant, I began reading the ingredients of every single product in my medicine cabinet. The process was really interesting and educated me in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Because of this, I was extra excited that Mary Kay revealed its first-ever natural certified skincare line today, I love Mary Kay’s TimeWise products, but I couldn’t wait to see what this new collection was all about.
There are four products included in the Mary Kay Naturally collection, and each one is free of parabens, phthalates, SLS/SLES and synthetic fragrance. There’s a Purifying Cleanser, Moisturizing Stick, Exfoliating Powder and Nourishing Oil. Christian is really sensitive to fragrant in products. Therefore I know finding great skincare without synthetic fragrance is a major win for so many people!
I was able to try each product a little early, so I took the Moisturizing Stick and Nourishing Oil to the beach with me last month. The Moisturizing Stick also came to Europe with us! After spending so much time in the sun, I’ve definitely experienced some peeling. For that I’ve found the Moisturizing Stick and Nourishing Oil to be so helpful! Just apply on the go on the spots that need a little something extra. The Exfoliating Powder stays in my shower so I can mix it in with the Purifying Cleanser to freshen up my face and neck.
Would love to hear what you look for in skincare and if ingredients are important to you! Let me know in the comments and thanks so much for reading – XO –
I thought it would be fun to share my results of some of these gender predictions! These things can be so fun when you’re waiting to find out… although I had a feeling what I was having pretty early on and it turned out to be correct.
Dry or Soft Hands?
Dry (boy).
Breakouts?
Yes – it’s awful (girl).
Carrying high or low?
Low (boy).
Major nausea?
Nope – feel lucky there (boy)!
Ring test over stomach?
Circles (girl).
Chinese calendar?
Boy.
Y or U shaped vein in one of your eyes?
Left eye (girl).
Heartbeat rate?
Always fast (girl).
Mood changes?
Thankfully not so much (boy).
Mixing baking soda with urine (I know… so gross)?
No bubbles (girl).
I also did this inexpensive guesstimate Amazon test and it said girl.
SO… that leaves us at 6 to 5 girl to boy. But none of these are 100% accurate so… what’s your guess? I shared in last week’s Q&A that we already know and will be revealing soon! We just told our families in July and have some friends to fill in first.
Thanks so much for reading and tell me if you did any of these tests with your pregnancy and if it was accurate for you! XO –
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I am trying to get back in the swing of things on the blog because I really do miss it so much when I have to take a step back for personal crazy life reasons. It’s been way too long since I shared a Friday’s Five! We aren’t anywhere near settled in, in fact we haven’t even finished painting, but we do have a few rooms that are starting to feel more complete which is motivating!
Because Christian does have two months off before starting his job in September, I wanted to make sure we had a fun a trip planned other than a few road trips we’re taking. I think I thought we would be further along by now than we are, but we still left this week for a little journey through Northern Europe. I’ll be posting more on the blog and sharing my tips for where we’ll be visiting, but I’m hoping we can relax a little and not be too wrapped up in work or house responsibilities while we’re there.
In less exciting news, Christian is still on the hunt to select a car. We have been a one car family for a little over a year because it takes him a month of research and an excruciating amount of time to make a decision for a big purchase. If he doesn’t find a car so this carpool situation can end before he starts work, I will lose it. I appreciate his attention to detail and it’s what makes him so good at his career, but sometimes I’m like… can we not!? Just choose something!!! Is anyone else’s significant other this way?
A friendly reminder that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale wraps up this Sunday 8/4, so this weekend is the finale to snag any markdowns! You can find all of my picks and the pieces I bought in the posts underneath the #NSale page at the top of this site.
I’ll be posting throughout our trip so I do have some fun things in store for next week! Thank y’all so much for reading and being patient during the past few weeks. I feel like a chicken with my head cut off, but it’s all still so fun and exciting that I’m so grateful. If settling into our new state and home brings this much chaos, I’ll still take it any day over life on Struggle Street (my longtime girls know what I mean when I talk about Struggle Street!). Have a beautiful weekend! XO –
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends this Sunday 8/4, so the next few days are your final few to snag anything you’ve had your eye on! You can see all of my recommendations for this year’s sale under the #NSale page linked at the top of this site, but above are some of my favorites that are still in stock.
Denim | I think a great pair of black culottes will go with everything, and I also have these (I sized up one size) in two colors and love them. Love these too.
Handbag |This is my favorite bag in the sale. So chic!
Booties | I have this pair and the leather is so soft- they are luxe!
Faux Leather Leggings | One of my favorite pairs is on major markdown. You can see them styled here, here and here.
Additional can picks can be found here! I’m still waiting on one shipment to arrive with some of the pieces I discussed purchasing in this post. I’d love to hear what you scored! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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Seeing Christian in this person. I think to see the love of your life in a tiny person your body created… it’s just indescribable I’m sure.
Favorite part of pregnancy?
Feeling the baby move every night – it reminds me that there really is a little person growing every day in there. It’s crazy.
Are you finding out gender?
Yes we found out! We recently told our families and have some close friends to tell before announcing it to the world… and I have to think of how to do it!
Do you have names picked out?
Almost! We are between two names for the first name but haven’t settled on a middle name.
Will you be rounding up your best pregnancy-safe products?
Not exactly. And here’s why – everything is relative. When I found out I was pregnant, I went through my entire medicine cabinet and read the ingredients on every single skincare product I was using. Almost half I couldn’t use anymore based on the google research I did.
I am nervous to share what I am or am not using because pregnancy can be such a delicate/opinionated topic and even my SF and GA OBGYN’s have felt differently about some ingredients. Therefore I really recommend you read on what you’re comfortable with and consult your doctor to find what’s right for you.
What are you most excited about and most nervous about becoming a mom?
Excited: I am deeply invested in the happiness and comfort of our 12+ yr old pets. I think about them all the time, helicopter any sitters we have for them and ask the vet more questions than I ever ask my own doctor. I am genuinely concerned I might love our baby too much. Is that normal? Probably not.
Nervous: That my interests or hobbies will change. We want to have children to add richness to our life but not completely change our life… you know? It’s important to me we have other joys and things to talk about other than our kid(s).
Biggest cravings/food aversions?
Honestly, none. There was one Peruvian restaurant in SF that I swore smelled like a dirty dishwasher and I nearly had to leave… but other than that the only time I’ve been nauseas is in Prius Ubers. Thankfully I haven’t had to take any lately! This pregnancy has been pretty breezy… that or I’ve been too busy to notice that many changes. Who knows!
TTC (trying to conceive) journey?
I mentioned in our announcement post that this baby was not a surprise and was something we wanted in 2019. I had no idea if it would take one month or a year, and we were surprised that it didn’t take very long. Therefore I didn’t get too deep into apps or products as I was going to give myself a six month grace period before getting too technical… but who knows what the next time will be like.
How many kids do you want?
We both came from families of 5 and joke that we are going to see how much we like the first two before deciding if we want a bigger family. Ha! We both love working, so having three kids along with careers we are deeply invested in feels like a lot. However, people do it all the time, so it really just comes down to what we personally think we can handle while still feeling fulfilled professionally.
Are you going to transition your blog to mommy things?
I hope not… and I hope that doesn’t sound bad! I share my life – fashion, travel, home, food, marriage, all of it. Motherhood moments of course will be shared but fashion, home and travel will always the main focus of this blog.
What are you renovating in your new home?
Besides painting and doing some exterior work, we only want to revamp the bathrooms and then we we will be done! The previous owners thankfully had fantastic taste and we love all the updates they made.
I want to purchase my first luxury handbag. Tips in what brand is worth investing in?
Absolutely! The below blog posts are a great starting point –
How or did you deal with feeling that you weren’t at the right point in your life as others?
LOVE this question. I absolutely have dealt with this and addressed how I stop the comparison game in this blog post.
How come Barnez is around more lately? He was working so much in SF!
Christian has now passed both his ENT and Facial Plastics board exams (four exams total – so proud of him) to become double board certified and is waiting to get his Georgia medical license. We took July + August to move, get settled and travel before he starts work in September.
Did Barnez go straight from undergrad to med school or take time off/work in between?
Smarty pants Dr. Barnes was on full scholarship for both college and medical school and went straight from school to school without breaks. He’s 32 and just now finished with school and training, getting his big boy job. God bless.
Thoughts on when to start a family while on the medical training journey?
Many people start families while in training, and it absolutely can be done. Personally, I feel it really depends on the speciality and where you live/how far you are from support. My brother and brother-in-law are in radiation oncology and pediatrics. Both have more manageable training schedules and they both had multiple kids in training and were able to make it work.
Christian was in head & neck surgery and then facial plastics. His schedule was truly insane. If we had chosen to start a family in training, living across the country from both of our families, it would have led to a significant increase in stress and struggle, which is why we knew we had to wait. It’s completely personal to your life and what you think you can handle!
Will Christian’s schedule be more stable now that you are in Georgia?
YES. Which is one of the biggest pulls that brought us to Georgia – the day-to-day quality of life.
What other cities were in the running before you moved?
It was Georgia or two different positions in Orange County.
What advice would you or your husband give for someone just starting med school?
Kat: Buckle up. It is a long road filled with a lot of sacrifice for not only you but also your partner. More tips here!
Christian: Do your best to try to enjoy each phase of it and take one year at a time because if you’re just holding your breath until you’re done… it can be overwhelming.
What is the best 5 year jewelry gift to request for an anniversary?
Diamond stud earrings (on salehere!), Cartier Love bracelet, Michele watch or anything Monica Vinader.
Where did you get your pet bowls?
Love this question. I love our pet bowls and they’re both from MacKenzie-Childs!
What are some of your favorite Athens discoveries so far?
I am embarrassed to say that we have been in town for about a total of three weeks, most of that time being spent working on unpacking and settling in. So we definitely are very behind in exploring the area, but I know we have plenty of time to do that ahead of us and we are definitely excited about it.
Do you have any Georgia triggers? You seem so happy!
Girlfriend… we are so happy. I don’t recall having many Orange County triggers either – we were also very happy there. If you have followed CBL here or on Instagram, I was open about our year in San Francisco and tried to share comically without being completely disrespectful to those who live there and love it. It was a difficult year financially, emotionally, physically, mentally… BUT it did make me over-the-top grateful for every single thing once we left.
Things like easily taking out the trash, easily letting the dog out, having a guaranteed parking spot, being able to go to a restaurant without a reservation, no one breaking into my car for an iPhone charger, not hearing my neighbors stomping around above me or waking up to someone ELSE’s alarm clock, easy outdoor access, more space, having ice that isn’t in trays, having my own w/d… while paying significantly less for all of those things.
I could literally list 100 basic things that have increased our quality of life significantly. It’s just a completely different life. We’ve been up to our ears in settling in and investing in our new home, but it’s still easier than our life this time last year.
How do you handle criticism? You seem to have an easy confidence about you.
Thank you so much for this! I competed in Miss Teen USA when I was a teenager and experienced criticism, both surface-level and constructive, from an early age. I’d try out for cheerleader and all-star cheerleader all throughout jr. high and high school, played sports as well as ran for class office every year – so I was forced to become comfortable with criticism at an early age.
My thought has always been this – consider all of the people you admire. People you know, celebrities, entrepreneurs – there’s no way they could have gotten to where they are without criticism and “haters.” Everyone I admire receives way more shade than I do, so if I can’t handle a little bit than I need to find a new career!
Do you have any tips for feeling close to family or friends when you live far away?
Phone and text is honestly how I’ve felt most connected throughout the past six years. My mom and brother live in Mississippi and California and they have a scheduled Sunday FaceTime. My brother is a doctor and they don’t really talk during the week between his schedule and the time difference, but they’ll save up things to share on their Sunday chats.
What’s your take on getting a yellow lab puppy and living in an apartment?
Personally – I couldn’t do it. They are great dogs but shed like crazy and have TONS of energy… which means a backyard for an energetic puppy is crucial… or at least it was for Bailey.
Do you get lip fillers?
I have never gotten filler, only Botox (shared here), always administered by Christian. There was a kid in my elementary school class who called me “big lips” once, and I complained to my mom. She said, “honey, people pay a lot of money for full lips, you’ll see.” Per usual, Karen was right. But I have no judgement on lip filler, if I wasn’t happy with mine, I would have no problem pursuing it!
I need Lula’s story. Is it somewhere I can read?
Love those of you who want more info on Lu! I wrote about her story more in the beginning of CBL days, but I’d be happy to share again.
In 2011 I grabbed dinner and margaritas with my roommate. We saw this little black cat in the parking lot on our way out and she came right up to me because she thought I might have food. She let me pick her up, and then I didn’t feel like I could leave her.
I took her to our apartment, called the restaurant and asked if she was their restaurant cat or something. The manager said, “no ma’am, but there’s an employee who feeds her sometimes but she doesn’t work everyday. You’re welcome to try to come capture her.” I said, uh… there was no capturing, she hopped in my car.
She was already fixed and just had a really bad ear infection that took two months to fix. I told all of the local shelters I’d found this cat and if anyone called about her to call me. No one did. Christian wanted me to find her a home and I did… but at that point I’d fallen in love with her and couldn’t let her go!
In 2013 we felt a tumor on her leg in California. I took her to the vet and they told me they’d have to amputate her front left leg to see if the tumor was cancerous or not. Devastated but wanting to give this sweet cat a chance, we opted for the surgery. The tumor was in fact cancer and they estimated she would have around six months. Six months passed and she was doing great. A year passed and she was great. We have done two rounds of follow-up x-rays since 2013 and the cancer is not growing. Lula is on her 9th life!
That’s it for this month’s Q&A!! Thank you SO much to everyone who submitted these fabulous questions. Other Q&A’s can be found here – March, April, May.
I love hearing from you! Have a fabulous week – XO –
I love our pet bowls and they’re both from 
