Links I love

Happy Friday everyone! This week felt pretty long even though it was a holiday week. I guess 3-day weekends are lost on me right now. While breastfeeding at all hours of the day, I have been spending a lot of time on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. I mean, what else is there to do at 3 am while everyone else is asleep? So since I haven’t done a Links I Love post in a while – jeez – here are some recipes, posts, and general awesomeness from around the world wide web lately.

I cannot wait to make these blueberry cream cheese pastries. 

Summer is fast approaching so here are some baby-safe sunscreens. 

And speaking of summer, doesn’t this red wine granita with vanilla ice cream look perfect and refreshing for a hot summer’s day {or any day really}?

As I start to fit back into my pre-pregnancy clothes, I need to do a closet overhaul to see what I actually want to keep and what I would still like to get. This guide for editing your closet will come in handy. 

I’m looking forward to the all-clear from my doc to start more rigorous exercise and this guide for 6 fun ways to get fit looks perfect. 

Here is a tasty looking infographic for homemade salad dressings! 

Did you catch Emma’s one month update Wednesday? She is quickly moving through her milestones! 

Have a great weekend everyone! We plan on having a mojito party tomorrow, yum!

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Be Inspired: Choose Happy

Happy Friday my friends! I am feeling particularly happy today. Maybe it is because of the three-day weekend {which means Paul has a day off from work}, or maybe the sleep deprivation has muddled my brain. Either way, I am choosing happy today for these reasons.

one My happy and healthy daughter.

two Our friends who love us {and bring us food}.

three Snuggles with my husband.

four Brunching with mimosas. 

five My rockstar sister who just graduated from college.

Here is a little inspiration to send you into the unofficial start of summer!

How are you choosing happy today?

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

At the moment

Yesterday, my amazing husband asked my good friend Grace to kidnap me for a girl’s evening out. I have been having some serious cabin fever now that Paul went back to work. All you stay-at-home mamas and papas know how difficult it is to take care of a newborn all day {especially when she refuses to be put down}.

So thankfully, I have these wonderful people in my life who love me and help me keep my sanity. We went to this adorable wine bar down the street from my place while our husbands stayed home with Emma, the game, and a six pack. Grace and I split two tasting flights and several tasty dishes and shared some great conversation. It really was an amazing way to regroup and have some much needed me time. 

Here is what I’m up to at the moment.

EATING // Whatever I can make with one hand while holding Emma in the other.

DRINKING // So much water. Breastfeeding makes me so thirsty.

READING // Beautiful Chaos - the third book of the Beautiful Creatures series. I am completely engrossed in this amazing series. Check it out, seriously.

TAKING // A zillion pictures of my adorable Emma. Hopefully my Instagram followers aren’t sick of all the baby cuteness {if they are, too bad hehe}.

WEARING // Mostly yoga pants and nursing tanks. But I love when I am able to put on normal people clothes that aren’t covered in breastmilk!

LOVING // My phone conversations with my mom. She has some amazing advice and anecdotes about new mommy-hood.

WATCHING // A whole lot of daytime TV.

NEEDING // More sleep and a personal assistant. 

APPRECIATING // My husband and all his help and dedication to fatherhood. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Be here, now

I will be taking the rest of the week to focus on my preparing my mind, body, and heart for baby. I have been impatient and agitated so instead, I just need to take some time to breathe, meditate, and reflect on the beautiful experience ahead of me.

I hope to be meeting my little girl any day now. Happy early weekend everyone.

Reflect on this: Manners vs. honesty

I was mulling over the concepts of manners and honesty the other day. I was trying to think about how I felt about the importance of manners verses being completely {and brutally} honest when interacting with others. When I say manners, I am not referring to elbows off the table or covering your mouth when you sneeze. I am referring to the half-truths we tell each other to be polite and cordial.

I’m still reflecting on this concept and I wanted to know what you all thought. Is it more important to be honest at all times, even if that means hurting someone’s feelings? Or is it more important to place manners above all else to ease people into the truth {even if it means lying}?

I consider the feelings of others to be a great factor in how I behave or interact with someone. However, the more I think about it, the more I believe that to truly have good manners, one must have an open and honest heart. To me, being honest with ourselves and our own feelings allows our behaviors to be kind, polite, gracious, and cordial towards others.

I firmly believe there is a time for brutal honesty. We must be honest in our relationships for them to flourish. For example, if someone hurts our feelings, we should be able to pull him or her aside to discuss them. Or if a loved one is making bad decisions, we must be able to approach them with love and honesty. However, I believe that brutal honesty should not be used as a way to humiliate someone when good manners should be used instead.

I am on the fence when it comes to making an either/or pronouncement. I think I lean more towards approaching each unique situation and then deciding.

What are your thoughts on manners and cordiality verses complete honesty?

BLOGLOVIN | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM