And just like that, another weekend is here! This week passed by in a blur of appointments, commitments and to-dos and now it’s FRIDAY. Woop!
Thank you all for your sweet words about Sadie on Wednesday’s blog post. She’s handling her little bootie like a champ and we should be able to get it off today.
Here’s hoping her limp is gone soon and that she’ll be cleared for plenty of walks in the beautiful spring sunshine!
Now let’s dive right into our usual Friday shenanigans, shall we? Below you will find a short roundup of a few things that are making me smile this week. As always, I’d love for you guys to join in and tell me about something you’re loving right now in the comments section.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Toddler Haircuts
Chase has his preschool class pictures on Monday so we headed off to Snip-Its to get his haircut yesterday morning. I’m not sure what it is about toddler haircuts but whenever a toddler gets their haircut, I think it’s just the cutest thing. They look so grown up and fancy! Maybe it’s because Chase is often running around like crazy and his hair is usually a disheveled mess, but when I look at his perfectly trimmed and combed hair after a haircut my mama heart melts. I swear he always leaves Snip-Its looking so grown up and at least a full year older.
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Alice Network was easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. It hops back and forth between 1915 and 1947 and follows the lives of Eve Gardinier, a bright but unassuming woman recruited to be a spy during World War 1, and Charlie St. Clair, a pregnant college student holding onto hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared from Nazi-occupied France during World War II, might still be alive. The writing is fantastic and the story moves along quickly with plenty of intrigue, as the lives of Charlie and Eve collide and troubled pasts and secrets are revealed. While this novel is historical fiction, The Alice Network was very real and I was fascinated to learn more about the lives of women spies and their incredible bravery during World War I.
- Hydro Flask Tumbler + Water Bottle
Now that I’ve discovered cups and water bottles that keep my liquids cold (or hot!) for a long period of time, there’s no turning back. The PR team behind Hydro Flask recently reached out to me about their insulated water bottles and tumblers and since I feel like I cannot go to Burn Boot Camp these day without seeing the Hydro Flask logo on at least four or five different water bottles, I had a feeling I was going to become an instant fan. I have nothing but great things to say about the 22-ounce tumbler (I use this one on an almost-daily basis with the tumbler straw and lid) and the 32-ounce wide-mouth water bottle which is ideal for use on days when I know I’m not going to have the chance to refill my water bottle for several hours. Since I’m on a bit of a coffee hiatus at the moment, I’ve only used the tumbler and water bottle for water, but love the way they both keep my water cold for hours and hours. Plus, I’m a sucker for anything olive, so I’m a little partial to the army green color of my water bottle, too!
- High Road Cinnamon Crumble Ice Cream
I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for cinnamon ice cream ever since I discovered the now-retired Ben & Jerry’s flavor Oatmeal Cookie Chunk. (Still bitter about that “retirement,” by the way.) When I saw this High Road Cinnamon Crumble ice cream at Publix over the weekend, I knew I had to give it a try. The base is a creamy cinnamon ice cream laced with a maple brown sugar swirl and pieces of cinnamon streusel. It’s rich and creamy and a cinnamon ice cream lovers dream. They knocked the flavor of this one out of the park and now I am on a mission to try more High Road ice cream flavors. A pregnant woman must have goals, right!?
- Coffee and Kettlebells Podcast
On Wednesday morning, I headed off to the Burn Boot Camp headquarters to chat with Burn Boot Camp Co-Founder Morgan Kline on her brand new podcast, Coffee and Kettlebells! We had a lot of fun discussing everything from finding time for fitness, balancing a healthy lifestyle with motherhood and more. If you’d like to check it out, you can see a recording of the Facebook Live video on Burn Boot Camp’s Facebook page! (I’ll also be sure to share a link to the podcast when it’s available to listen to on iTunes, Spotify, etc.) Morgan was such a great podcast host and I swear you’d never know this was her first podcast episode. Thanks so much for having me, Morgan!
Last week I stumbled upon a blog post written by my friend Heather, the author of the blog Just A Colorado Gal. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Heather a few times through the blog world and always found her to be incredibly genuine and open. Her vulnerability and honesty come across perfectly in the way she details her feelings about her body changes during pregnancy and the feelings she’s currently experiencing related to her postpartum body. Her blog post is worth a read, whether you struggle with postpartum body image or just want to read a truthful take on what it’s like for some women who don’t find body changes, pregnancy weight gain and postpartum weight loss to be a total breeze.
I didn’t lose the weight I gained after I gave birth to Chase until he was over nine months old and I remember feeling insecure at times when I’d see other postpartum moms posting pictures of themselves with abs and toned arms so soon after delivery. It wasn’t my reality (nor was it my focus) and sometimes I think social media can make us feel inadequate when we don’t “bounce back” 2.5 seconds after we have a baby even though that’s just not realistic for most women.
- Friday Flashbacks
Do Anywhere Workout (I did this workout earlier this week and absolutely love it! To complete the workout, begin by completing 16 repetitions of each exercise before beginning at the top and completing 14 reps, 12 reps, 10 reps … decreasing the reps by two until you reach your final round of 2 reps per exercise.)
Greek Yogurt Whole Wheat Muffins (A healthy toddler-approved recipe)
Question of the Day
What is one thing you are loving this week?
Sara says
I hope you have a great weekend, Julie! Did you end up getting your hair fixed?!
I’m almost done reading The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. Have you heard about that book? I was like #96 on the list at the library so I know it’s a popular one. It honestly took me a long time to get into it, but I decided to keep reading. The second half is definitely exciting with lots of twists.
Sara says
I’m watching the podcast now and your hair looks beautiful! So blonde and shiny!! 🙂
Julie says
I read that book and really liked it!!
And yes, I got my hair fixed but honestly I’m still not crazy about it. :/ I’m just kind of over getting it “fixed” and am planning to just deal with it for a bit rather than go back again (it’s just SO time consuming!) but will definitely be going to a different place to have my hair done in the future. Thank you for the kind words about it though!!!
M says
Your hair looks fantastic! Honestly. I think the color looks great on you, it’s nice and bright but in a good way. The styling of it is really nice too.
But your whole situation with not liking it is exactly why I’m scared to get mine done. I’m getting a couple of greys and have never dyed my hair. I’m paranoid of dyeing it bc I dont want to lose my natural coloring that I love. Darn that aging process.
Sara says
Lol, I probably requested the book because of your blog! I call this my “mom brain” problem (it got worse once I had two!) I so understand how annoying messed up hair can be! My hair was completely orange once after an appointment and then after it was “fixed” it was better, but still rough. We are always our own worst critic though, and yours really did look beautiful in the podcast!! Switching salons is a great idea though…I definitely did that after my orange hair fiasco!
Erinn says
I’m so glad Sadie’s making a speedy recovery! The weather is UNREAL right now, it’s finally feeling like spring!
I love that article on Body After Baby – every woman’s pregnancy is so different and it’s such a great reminder to be happy in your own skin and do whatever is right for you and your body.
Enjoy your weekend!
Anneline Smal says
Hi Julie
I noticed you often don’t post on Thursdays. Is that your new schedule? I keep checking in for you to post!
Julie says
Hi Anneline! This isn’t intentionally a new schedule! Last week I actually had a sponsored post set for Thursday but the company delayed the posting schedule so I didn’t have anything planned for that day. And then this week my blog was actually down multiple times (it was also down off and on this morning — grrrr!), so most of my work time yesterday was spent trying to get to the bottom of server issues. I guess I write all of this to say that for the most part I do still intend to post on Thursdays but sometimes life gets in the way and I miss posts on weekdays! <3
Hilary says
Thank you for the be link to Just A Colorado Gal. I am currently in that same boat as I go to bi-weekly appointments and watch the number on the scale go up daily. It can be so hard to see constant articles about belly only pregnancies, staying fit while pregnant, etc and feel that you have somehow failed. On the bright side I also get ultra sounds twice a week, so I get to see the baby I am creating and remind my self that she is the only thing that matters.
Sara says
Julie, thank you so, so much for sharing that blog post. I am currently 4 months postpartum and within the last few weeks I’ve come to the realization that, as long as I’m breastfeeding, weight loss just isn’t in the cards for me. I’ve tried and any time I cut calories, my supply tanks (I pump at work so any decrease is very noticeable). When I look at my beautiful baby girl and pinch those sweet leg rolls I’m overcome with pride that those leg rolls are because of me, and in those moments, the extra pounds feel totally worth it. But, as I’m sure you’ve experienced, those moments can be fleeting. Especially as summer nears and I just feel so uncomfortable in my own skin. This blog post was a good reminder that I’m not alone in this. And I know, once we are done nursing and my body is truly my own again, I can tackle those extra pounds!
Julie says
Absolutely. <3 And you truly are doing such a wonderful thing for your baby girl!
Shana says
I yearn for a world where we FULLY embrace postpartum bodies in all their new rolls, wrinkles and pockets of fat (that LITERALLY keep a human alive). I hope we eventually discourage women from structured exercise and acknowledge the physical and emotional impact of being a parent to a newborn, toddler, or young child. Movement should feel joyful and not mandatory. Plus, have you carried a car seat for any distance? That IS exercise. So is diapering. Everything is movement. Everything is exercise. Let’s encourage new Moms to sleep and take care of the mental stuff before we worry about hitting the gym! Some day,…….
Julie says
LOL! YES to the car seat carrying. PHEW.
Kayla says
Awww Chase’s little haircut is so cute!! I always think that they look so much more grown up when they get hair cuts, especially little boys! I am keeping that body after baby blog post handy for whenever we do have children. I am so nervous about my body changing (and other things), but that won’t stop me, it just makes me nervous and anxious though. I hope you have a great weekend, Julie! Xoxo
Sarah @ Sweet Miles says
We’ve been big fans of Hydro Flasks for a couple years now – LOVE them! We have a few different sizes and love that they do actually keep ice for hours and hours! We have a small one we used to keep milk in for Adeline when we’d travel! 🙂 And body after baby…whew! Such a hot topic it seems like. I hate that there’s this pressure for women to bounce back so quickly when in reality that’s just not possible! I’m going to try to remember that it took 9 months (10!) for my body to grow a baby and change and adapt to fully support it, and I should at the bare minimum give myself grace for 9-10 months postpartum! Especially with breastfeeding! Happy Friday!
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona says
Glad to hear Sadie is doing better
I have The Alice Network on hold at my library. I’m even more excited to get it now that you’ve said you liked it. I think we have a very similar taste in books.
Julie says
You’ll love that book! One of my favorites I’ve read in a long time.
Katie says
Omg I meant to tell you!!! I saw ben and jerrys has a flavor called “oat of this world” – brown sugar ice cream, fudge chunks and oatmeal cookie chunks. I can’t add a pic into the comment here and I know it isn’t the same but I was at the grocery store and noticed it so I had to tell you!
Julie says
I’ve tried that one and think it’s super tasty but I still really miss the cinnamon ice cream base of the one they retired. It just cannot be beat!! Buuuut that flavor IS very delicious!
Jody Hickmott says
I just finished the Alice Network last night and I ended up really loving that book. It’s always a bonus when you have great writing, an intriguing story and get to learn something along the way. I think this could make a fantastic movie. I plan on reading her other books now too.
Julie says
Totally agree! I think it would be a fantastic movie!
Rachel @ Never Enough Novels says
That ice cream looks phenomenal!! Hopefully I can hunt it down in PA. Also thanks for sharing Heather’s post. I have a friend going through that right now, so I’ll pass this on to her!
Emily says
High Road Cinnamon Crumble Ice Cream sounds so good. Since you liked Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, have you tried Halo Top’s Oatmeal Cookie ice cream? That one is pretty tasty.
And thanks for the book recommendation! Once I actually get through these two books I have already started, I may need to read that one.
Julie says
I haven’t tried that one yet but I’ll keep my eye out! I’ve liked Halo Top’s flavors in the past!
Eva says
I have an awesome ice cream recommendation for you— I can’t rmbr the exact name but it’s the stop&shop brand limited edition cinnamon apple pie ice cream and it is PHENOMENAL. seriously it is my new favorite flavor and I really hope it doesn’t go away anytime soon or I need to stock up on like 10 cartons at once. I’m not sure if you have stop n shop near you but if so you NEED this ice cream in your life!!!!
Julie says
I wish we had one close to us! I’m not sure if they’re in the area but I’ve never seen a Stop n Shop in NC!
Alexis deZayas says
Going to hop over to your podcast episode now! And I think I would like that book! I’m reading Lilac Girls now and am really enjoying it!
katie says
Once you go Hydro Flask… you don’t go back! HA! Love mine! 🙂 Also, where are Chase’s shorts from?! love them!
Lauren says
Ben and Jerry’s has Oat of this Swirled and it sounds somewhat similar! I ate almost the whole pint in one sitting! I love those haircuts too. My almost 3 year old looks way older than 3 with a fresh trim!
Bethany @ Accidental Intentions says
I LOVE my Hydro Flask! I’ve been using the same one since the fall of 2014, and it’s amazing! The insulation is still great after all this time, and I’ve been so impressed by it from day one. I don’t think I’ll ever use another water bottle brand.
chelsea says
Just finished the book last night, it had me hooked from the start and I really enjoyed it.
Jen says
I just finished the Alice network..so amazing! Have you read the nighti…or The Lilac Girls? I read these 3 books in a row..super intense but easily 2 of the best books I’ve ever read!!
Melissa says
I live in Metro Atlanta and I remember when High Road first started here locally! They would open the manufacture sight on Saturdays and do tastings! They don’t do it but every once and awhile and you can go and stock up in random/yummy flavors that are not in stores. My personal favorite is a toasted marshmallow they did for a restaurant. My husband loves the cinnamon crumble!
Heather says
I’m a fan of cinnamon ice cream too. My absolute fave these days is Cinnamon Buns by Ben and Jerry’s.
Kim from MN says
Awww, poor Sadie. I hope she’s able to be her goofy, athletic little self again soon! Love that her bandage is pink, though. Somehow that just makes her extra cute. (And also – I agree with you about little kid haircuts. It makes them look adorable, like they’re playing little mini-adults! You could almost pair that haircut with a teeny tiny suit and tie, that’s how mini-adult they look!)
I always found it really refreshing the way you handled your fitness and health after you had Chase. My personal thoughts are that we’re all lovelier than we know or give ourselves credit for, and the outside world can try to push in and change your mind about that, but those outside pressures are wrong!
Hope you’re having a great weekend. 🙂
Meredith says
Ahhh, the toddler haircuts get me too! Although I cut my son’s myself and he is SO difficult, the cuteness after the cut is always worth it, haha. I wonder if he would be better if I took him somewhere to get it cut…
Angie says
Hi Julie!
Where do you get the lid and straw for the 22 oz Hydro Flask tumbler? I have the tumbler but I don’t see that lid and straw anywhere on the website and I love it! Thank you!
Angie