Hi and Happy Friday to you! I hope you’re doing well this morning. Ever since I woke up, I’ve been feeling a bit nauseated but am hoping my upset stomach doesn’t stick around for too long because it’s Friday and I’m ready to have some fun! After Monday and Tuesday seemed to drag, the rest of this week flew by for me and I’m looking forward to a weekend that will include a Preparing to Parent a Baby class, a date night with Ryan and hopefully some time outside where I’ll surely sweat my face off since 95+ degree temperatures seem to be the norm in Charlotte these days.
And now it’s time for your usual Things I’m Loving Friday post since it wouldn’t be Friday on the blog without it! As always, feel free to play along and add a comment about what you’re loving most this week.
Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
Apparently Ice Chips were BOGO at Whole Foods this week and the sale inspired Brittany to pick up two packs! She gave one to me yesterday as a special treat since she knows I cannot get enough of anything fruit-flavored these days and I was shocked at just how tasty they were – a must try for anyone looking for a sweet, slightly cooling mint! (And just FYI because I found it interesting: The mints were previously featured on Shark Tank!)
- Sadie’s Continued Disregard For My Growing Belly
Baby bump? What baby bump? Sadie’s continued disregard for my growing belly provides a constant source of amusement in our household. She perches her little booty on my stomach whenever she gets the chance and is still showing absolutely no signs of knowing that I am pregnant. She’s in for a bit of a shocker soon, I think!
Earlier this week, I wrote a freelance piece about some of the stress I experienced in the beginning of my pregnancy related to craving a feeling of “connection” to the baby growing in my belly that took longer for me to experience than I anticipated. This made me doubt myself and increase some of the anxiety I was already feeling surrounding my pregnancy. If you’d like to read more, you may find the article here. Thank you to Haven Life for having me on their blog!
- Blonde and a Brit Blog
My BFF Laurel started a blog a few weeks ago and I am loving it! Her awesome sense of humor shines through in every post and it’s definitely worth a read if you’re looking for some lighthearted entertainment. Laurel and I were roommates throughout college and my mission to make all of my friends start blogs so I can follow them is slowly happening… Yes!
- Trunk Club (…Like Stitch Fix for Men!)
When I’ve posted about my love for Stitch Fix in the past, I’ve had a few of you ask if they offer their styling service for men. Unfortunately they don’t, but a few months ago, Ryan discovered Trunk Club (<—affiliate link!) after a coworker recommended it and it seems quite similar! Ryan has since ordered two trunks styled just for him based on his personal preferences and style profile. Both were huge successes! (He ended up keeping two nice pairs of pants, a pair of dark jeans, a couple of nice button-downs, three pairs of funky socks and two casual tees.)
Since Ryan absolutely hates shopping for clothes and rarely does it (I’m pretty sure I’ve bought him 99 percent of his clothes at this point…), he was pumped to try Trunk Club and have someone do all the legwork for him, while helping him try some new styles and provide him with some nicer clothes to wear outside of basketball shorts and t-shirts. I love the items he ended up keeping (the fit on the clothing is fantastic!), but think it’s something most guys would only do every so often. (Ryan said he thinks he’ll order a trunk twice a year – or possibly seasonally if he needs some new winter clothes or something.) I just wanted to put this on your radar in case a man in your life hates shopping for clothes but wants to improve his wardrobe a bit!
- Prenatal Massage
On Wednesday afternoon, I put a gift certificate from my friend Leah to use and headed to Jon Ric for a prenatal massage. It was heavenly! The massage therapist took extra time on my lower back and feet and I left feeling so much better. Fantastic!
- Around The Web
Celebrity Gossip: Academic Style (An entertaining page to follow on Facebook if you are a sucker for celebrity gossip, but crave some substance, too!)
15 Things You Stop Caring About In Your 30s (Yes!)
Busy Woman’s Workout (No equipment needed!)
- Friday Flashbacks
Upper Body + Cardio Workout (Surprisingly challenging and super sweaty!)
Strawberry Coconut Soft Serve (Healthy, easy to make and very refreshing. A tasty summertime treat!)
- Celestial Seasonings Chai Tea Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Shawna, the winner of the Celestial Seasonings Chai Tea Giveaway! Shawna was emailed first thing this morning. Thanks so much to all who entered!
Question of the Day
- Tell me about one thing you are loving this week!
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I just checked out your friend’s blog – it’s a great read! I’ve just added it to my Feedly.
Awesome!! Laurel is the best! 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Trunk Club!! What an awesome idea for men. My husband also hates shopping so this sounds like it might be right up our alley. Have a great weekend Julie!
Ryan loved it!! It’s not cheap, so it’s definitely not something he’s planning to order regularly, but the stuff they sent was super high quality and looked great!
My first massage ever was a prenatal massage a d it was the best day of my life. A slight exaggeration but you get what I mean!!
Heaven!!! I told my best friend insurance companies should really cover prenatal massages… It was wonderful! 🙂
One thing I’m loving this week: We are closing on our house today! I am filled with excitement and nervousness all at the same time! I am ready to put down some roots in our new town, Raleigh!
Have a great weekend!
WOOHOO!!! What a great feeling! Congratulations to you, Jenessa!
Oh poor Sadie!! She has no idea!!!!
Oh my gosh, Trunk Club! Scott has used this service a couple of times. He loves it, but has a hard time justifying a lot of the price points. His stylist, however, couldn’t have been sweeter. She always listened to his feedback and includes items he really does want to keep. If only we could buy #allthethings. 😉 Loved reading your piece on pregnancy! Enjoy the parenting class this weekend 🙂
Love your post on HavenLife….Just learned last week that we are expecting our first child…its seems so unreal, very hard to connect when Im not even 5 weeks yet, but I would do anything to keep it in my womb….best of luck xox
Thank you, Marieve. <3 And big congratulations to you!!! What an exciting time!
I hope you feel better soon! Sounds like you have a fun weekend planned! Okay, how did I not know about Stitch Fix?! What a great idea, definitely going to check it out!
Just discovered your blog! I never thought of adding shredded coconut on ice cream. Great idea! And I haven’t tried Stitch Fix yet, but that is totally my type of shopping. Delivered right to your door step. Have a great weekend!
So glad you found me! Enjoy your weekend, Ashley!
Oh, your friend Laurel has a similar style of writing as one of my friend’s blogs. Loving it!
Thanks for reading, Jenn. I’ll check out your blog today 🙂
Loving the article about things you stop worrying about in your 30s…I’m 27 and I’m already totally there on all of those points!
Also, great job on the freelance article!
Thanks!! And I loved that article, too. So true!
Definitely going to see if my husband wants to try Trunk Club!!! What a cool idea! Are the clothes good quality?
Yes! We were really impressed. The brands were more high-end and the quality was great. The price point is a bit high for constant deliveries though, but it’s awesome for guys who hate shopping and want to get a few really nice things. Ryan loved it and I really liked the styles they sent him!
I’m loving our plans to get the back patio furnished a little bit and maybe taking a paint brush to the vanity upstairs! Here’s to hoping I don’t make a mess!
I’ve been wanting to get Truck Club for my hubby. Thanks for the review and the strawberry coconut soft serve recipe. Happy Friday!!
Can’t wait to check out your friend’s blog! I always love finding new people to follow and if you recommend it, it’s got to be good. This weekend, there’s a huge outdoor exercise event in Pittsburgh called Open Streets. They shut down a few miles of roads downtown and host free classes- from barre to yoga. Can’t wait! Hope you have a great weekend.
Those mints look delish. Always on the lookout for a better alternative to aspartame-y gum and mints.
Def gonna give that upper body workout a try! My sister’s wedding is in November and I wanna have killer arms (and not the chicken arms I currently sport) in my dress 😀
That’s so fun that she started a blog – I want all my friends to also, it’s a good way to keep up with the ones who live scattered around the globe, but I think it’s a lost cause.
And Sadie is adorable, she might just be pretending not to care about the baby though – when I was born our dog at the time pretended I didn’t exist by day, when my mom was pregnant and when I was born, but slept outside the door of my nursery like a guard every night. I was beneath her obviously, but nobody else was getting to mess with me!
Totally following your friends blog!! Have a fabulous weekend!
ha! my bf and I were just talking about how he NEVER goes shopping! I don’t know if he’d ever do trunk club but it’s definitely an awesome idea for guys 🙂 this week I am loving the weather!! i’m currently sitting on my porch and it’s the perfect temp outside 🙂
Definitely had the same issue regarding a connection with baby. We lost our first baby at 17 weeks gestation and due to that i tried to be as disconnected as i could just in case. Around 32 weeks i realised id managed to grow a bond without noticing. I was in the kitchen and a song i love came on the radio and as i bopped gently about i was singing “a little baby boogie… baby baby boogie”. Sounds so dumb but the baby was kicking away and i just felt overwhelmed how much bonding goes on without realising. Im being induced monday (eeeek) and i know theres no baby until hes safely in my arms but the last nine months have been wonderful (including bloating, water retention, swollen ankles, achy joints…!) i’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
Those all look awesome!:)
That is really cute about Sadie’s disregard for your belly!
I am 32 weeks preggo with a dog who also has no clue. When he looks at my belly, I swear I can hear him telling me “Geez mom, you *really* gotta lay off the treats…”
I got a chuckle out of Trunk Club giving men 10 days to return clothes versus the 3 days Stitch Fix gives. They just know men are going to procrastinate huh? Just kidding!
Loving your freelance piece. I adore how vulnerable and open our blogging community can be with one another. It really brings us all together!
This week, I’m loving that I’m heading to Aspen with my fiancé and father to (finally) set a wedding date. EEK!!
xo, Jessica
Sadie makes me laugh! We are expecting our second boy (ours will be 15 months apart!) and my son now has no regard for the belly. Climbs on it, kicks it, smooches his face in it. I can’t wait to see how gentle he will be when the new baby arrives! Glad you enjoyed your prenatal massage – hopefully it helped with your sciatica.
I got a prenatal massage last night, it was amazing! I walked out realizing I was able to take full strides. I did not realize how much I was hobbling along!
I am loving this whole post and totally signing my husband up for the Trunk Club! Thank you! He is just the same as Ryan, HATES to shop!
What I am really loving this week is I am going home for the day after 10 days of straight working! 🙂
Ah my boyfriend would be so into trunk club! He wants to slowly build his wardrobe with some more staple pieces and it sounds perfect.
Soft serve is the best summer snack ever…breakfast, snack…the occasional dinner even 🙂
I had watermelon gazpacho for lunch and thought of you– you should give it a try!
Is Trunk Club expensive? It seems perfect for my brother
Ryan said he was able to tell his stylist a basic price point but in general it does seem a bit pricey, but worth it for the style/quality if you only order it every so often!
My hubs would LOVE Trunk Club, so thanks for the tip! After a bunch of travel last week for BlogFest, I’m ready to chill this weekend. I’m not teaching any classes or working at all. Just relaxing! Wine with gals tonight and a double-date tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend, Julie!
Julie, did you know Trunk Club is doing a test roll-out for women too? My husband has been getting trunks for about a year and a half (like Ryan, he hates shopping… the clothes are pricey but he usually keeps 2 items from each trunk; they are amazing quality). I’ve gotten 2 trunks for women, and I LOVE them. You could probably ask your husband’s consultant if you’re interested in getting trunks for yourself. I don’t like spending a fortune on work clothes (I’m a physician and I’m wearing a white coat over my clothes anyway), but I do like nicer casual things, so I loved what she sent me. BTW I’m 39 weeks pregnant (with my 2nd – a girl) and have had fun following your updates.
I didn’t realize they offered the service to women, too!!! That’s awesome. I loved the stuff Ryan received and would love to try it. Thanks for the info!
Josh loves Trunk Club too! Sadie is too funny!
One of my girlfriends actually works for trunk club and she told me they are starting to sell women’s clothes now too! I can’t wait to try it! Even though its definitely not cheap haha.
Two things: Astronaut Wives Club and Mary Kay’s oil-free eye makeup remover. I checked out the former after you mentioned it on a blog post. I had never heard of it, but was in need of a new laundry-folding/baby nap time show and it is marvelous. The latter I have been loving for months and can’t praise enough. I have never used any Mary Kay products before and rolled my eyes a bit when my mom doused a cotton ball and handed it to me to try while I was staying with her for a visit, one swipe had me hooked and I begged her to get me some from whomever she had gotten it from! Seriously the best, most gentle, eye makeup remover EVER. I barely touch my face with the stuff and all my mascara comes right off! No crazy raccoon eyes ever again. (Did I mention I love it? I really love it! lol)
I was told to send home a receiving blanket that you have used a little bit (with the new baby’s sweet smell on it) from the hospital with your hubby or parents in the first day or so. Then the dog can smell it and get used to it ( and hopefully the idea?) before you actually come home with the baby a few days later. My hubby laid it out in an obvious place and I was told that the dog smelled it a lot! We have never had any problems between the dog and our little boy who is now a toddler. Good Luck!!
Massages are the best! I need to get one after my long run yesterday. Have a good weekend!
I so wish that I had got a prenatal massage when I was pregnant! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it 🙂
The article about your 30’s? Brilliant. And maybe it makes me old, but a lot of that has applied to me in my 20’s too. 🙂
I love the article you shared about things you stop caring about in your 30s! So on point. I’m only 27 but I’m definitely there.
The women who created Ice chips live one town over from me, and they just put in a new Ice Chips headquarters in my town (Olympia, WA). I drive past it multiple times a week! What is your favorite flavor?