Well it looks like holiday season is upon us. As it goes every year, Halloween ended and candy canes graced the aisles of the grocery store in about 0.3 seconds. How do they do it? I’m not quite ready for jingle bells and twinkles lights. Maybe because it was 70 degrees yesterday, or maybe because I’m already overwhelmed with producing holiday content and I haven’t even started yet.
Or maybe it’s because things don’t feel very holiday-ish with all of the ugliness in the world right now. This week’s attack in New York shook me to my core and made me nervous to take my baby out of the house. I don’t want to live in fear, but after something like that happening seemingly every week, it’s hard not to.
When we heard the news, we were at a Halloween party with a bunch of babies including Amalia dressed like a little lion. It was such a happy moment, tarnished by devastating phone updates.
On a more positive note, last weekend my friend Eva hosted a girlfriendsgiving luncheon to support No Kid Hungry, an amazing organization that makes real change by providing kids with healthy meals. I urge you to make a donation if you can. A little bit of money can go a long way to feed a hungry child.
Around the Web
How to have a happy marriage. I share a lot of articles on tips for happy marriages but this one really struck a cord and included some great advice. I’m writing a post that will go up next week about how my marriage has changed after having a baby so it’s been on my mind a lot lately.
Speaking of lions… Beyoncé is set to star as Nala in Disney’s 2019 remake of The Lion King. The whole cast is outstanding. I am officially counting down the days!
Holiday heels. I shared these heels on Instagram and just adore them. They’re the perfect plaid with just the right amount of sparkle… and they’re actually comfortable! I’ll be styling them up in a post soon.
Energetic detox. How to get rid of bad energy, according to Goop. I love smudge sticks and recently bought this sage smudge spray which seemed a little safer and easier.
Best holiday outfit ever? Jenn’s fuzzy sweater and sequin skirt combo is amazing. It’s so fun and whimsical!
Baby bows. I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about Amalia’s little hair bows. I bought a 20 pack on Amazon for $9 (literally) and we have been putting her in a different one each day. I think it might just be her signature look.
Southern charm. Grace’s photos and video from Charleston have me itching to go back! I was pregnant last time so couldn’t fully enjoy the food or drink there as much as I wanted to. I’m dying to bring Anel back there as well.
Going through a break up? Carly’s post about her breakup is poignant and thoughtful. I think it will help a lot of people with their own.
Spicy chicken ramen. Thanks for the recipe inspo, Jess! This ramen soup looks so delish.
Kids eating fancy chocolate. This video made me laugh so hard. These kids are not down with “adult” chocolate in any way shape or form!
Currently watching. I realize we’re about 10 years late in jumping on this bandwagon, but Anel and I finally started watching The Wire. We wanted a new “project” for fall/winter and everyone is so obsessed with it, that it was a no brainer. We haven’t quite been able to really get into the first few eps, but we’re giving it five to see how it goes.
Oprah’s favorite things. Her 2017 list is official!
This week on Lemon Stripes
Pop of Orange
Mom Talk: Mom Wrist
What’s in My Diaper Bag
Plaid Pocket
Personalized Holiday Gifts
Looking forward to your post on marriage changing after baby. After we had out second it took a solid year to be like oh yeah, we need to focus on our relationship too! 2 kids was no joke and our son didn’t sleep through the night until he was 1, so it was a total blur.
Date nights aren’t always possible (babysitters add up) so we’ve been more aware of having at home date nights and being more intentional about spending time together, versus zoning out on the couch. Also it helps that we can have an actual conversation sometimes now that our kids are older! (Sometimes. Also they have to be short, haha).
It takes a while to get into the Wire but once you are hooked it’s addicting. My husband and I watched it while we were dating and we use to rush home from work to resume watching. Another great show if you like a bit more action is 24, or not as many episodes as either of those two, but we also loved Narcos. It can be hard for us to find shows that we both like to watch
Yay! I’ve heard that from so many people. I love getting into a show like that. I watched 24 live back in the day with my dad. SO good. We need to try Narcos again, we started right before A was born and then totally forgot about it!
Love the article you shared regarding smudging – I’ve tried to do some research on smudging and that one is by far the best one I’ve read. I’m excited to try some of the new tips next time. Also added that smudging spray to my cart, I think that’ll be great to travel with.
Heads up: It also smells amazing! You’ll love it.
I’m watching the Wire now and I’m on the 4th season. Trust me it gets better. I couldn’t get into the first few episodes either, but it gets good! 🙂
That’s what everyone keeps saying! So far we’re 3 eps in and it’s already getting good. So excited to see what happens.
Loved the article on marriage and look forward to reading your post next week!
http://www.lilyparkeast.com
Thanks Lily!
Thank you so much for including me, Julia! I loved Carly’s breakup post too!
Thanks Julia! I am living for that Lion costume – totally adorable!
It is the cutest ever 🙂