Life Lately: May

I’m feeling very excited today because we only have one more day until one of my favorite long weekends of the year, MDW. It’s the official unofficial start of summer and I couldn’t be more excited for the season. My last few summers were kind of a bummer: Last year I was in the throes of post-partum anxiety, the summer before I was pregnant for half of it and in a newborn fog for the other half, and the summer before that I was pretty depressed and out of it in the midst of our infertility.

But this year? This year is gonna be a good one. I can feel it. Slash, I am manifesting that sh*t. Amalia loves swimming, the beach, and ice cream, and watching her experience all of those things regularly is enough to make me a very happy mama. And with the nice weather lately, it’s been so nice to spend more time outside with her on her little pink scooter.

Here are a few things that have been going on this month…

Sustainable fashion. The last month has been a little strange personally and professionally as I navigate my way through a new way of looking at fashion. I was feeling terribly discouraged about the fashion industry and my role in it after watching The True Cost, but over the last week or two I’ve been discovering more and more brands that are doing things the right way. That gives me a lot more hope. I’m trying hard to support and share these brands as I discover them, including in the links below.

I’ve also felt sustainability become more important in other aspects of our lives. I used to eat organic food because it was better for my body, but when I am at the grocery store now I find myself thinking more about the environment than anything else. My eyes are open to the overuse of single-use plastics and my family and I are committed to cutting down in any way we can. It has been an interesting shift, and I will share more as I learn and grow in this area.

Winter came and went. On a very different note, the end of Game of Thrones was disappointing to say the very least. After investing nearly a decade of my life into this show, the many characters, and the twisting plot lines, to see it all wrapped up in a cute little bow in the season finale was not what I was hoping for. We all love GOT because of how dark and unexpected it is, and the ending didn’t feel true to the show. It was an underwhelming TV experience, but I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for this show because I went into labor during this episode. What did you think of the finale?

Old lady vibes. I have a weak lower back and I’ve historically thrown it out/had a back spasm two or three times a year for the last decade. Last Sunday I bent over to put away some of Amalia’s laundry and felt it snap for the first time in two years. I’ve been working hard to strengthen my back and loosen it with stretches every night before bed which has made a huge difference, but as Amalia gets heavier, it has become harder to hold her without pain in my shoulder and back. My mom keeps telling me this means I need to hold her less often but she’s still my baby and I don’t know how to do that!

My Bravo TV debut. Ok so technically I’m just in the background, but it was still exciting for this Bravoholic! Yesterday I was invited to watch the taping of the season finale of Project Runway, and the experience did not disappoint. I was seated right next to the judges (I could literally see what Karli Kloss was writing in her journal) and saw the finalists showcase their lines in the most fabulous fashion show held in an old bank in Brooklyn. The finale airs on June 15th so be sure to look for me sitting in the background. And here’s a photo of me with my new bestie.

First solo flight. Next month I’m taking Amalia to LA to visit my mom and grandma and we’ll be doing our first flight alone together. I’m pretty nervous, not gonna lie. Any tips are greatly appreciated. As a little practice run, tonight we’re going to be flying up to my dad’s house in New Hampshire together so we don’t have to sit in hours of holiday traffic tomorrow when Anel’s done with work. It’s only an hour flight so it won’t be too hard (I hope). I’ve been pumping her up for it all week and she’s excited about the whole thing and the trip in general. Wish us luck!

I hope you all have a great long weekend. I’ll be back on Tuesday with my next wellness challenge which is by far my favorite one yet!

Reformation bodysuit / Levi’s shorts / Wayuu Mochila bag / Steven sandals / Sunnies

Around the Web

Unsubscribe from unwanted catalogs. I don’t know about you but I get an inordinate amount of catalogs in my mailbox every week. I keep them in a pile and once a month I unsubscribe from them (for free!) at Catalog Choice. Based on what I see in my own mailbox, I can’t imagine how much paper is wasted every day on catalogs that people don’t sign up for or want. I urge you to commit to doing this with me! It only takes a minute or two per catalog and costs you nothing.

The Girlfriend Collective. I have been getting Instagram ads for Girlfriend, a sustainable, ethical, and size-inclusive athletic brand for weeks. After reading about how their leggings are made from recycled materials and their public pledge to being an ethical fashion brand here, I finally bought these leggings in Pansy blue and will report back on the quality/fit once I try them out.

Currently watching. I binge-watched Dead to Me on Netflix in a week and couldn’t get enough. Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini were awesome and the last minute of every episode had some sort of twist or shocker. I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven’t watched it already. What should we watch next?

Serena & Lily sale. My favorite home line is having a 20% off sale for Memorial Day. I always get asked about my kitchen chairs and counter stools which are both from there and part of the sale.

Summer reading list. Thank you, Bloomberg, for this list of 10 books that will help you escape reality this summer. You know I love me a good summer beach read!

Reformation bodysuit. This month I made my first ever purchase from Reformation, the perfect black bodysuit (shown above). I had always thought that their clothes were super cool but overpriced. After reading about the brand and their commitment to ethical production and sustainability, I decided to support them by buying a few pieces and sharing them. This bodysuit has a beautiful neckline and fits perfectly. I did a little Instagram story featuring 5 ways to wear it the other day because it’s so versatile. These photos don’t do it justice so I may just do a full blog post dedicated to it.

A walk-through of Notre Dame. My mom sent me this interactive walk-through of the fire in Notre Dame which is both fascinating and heartbreaking.

Current playlist. Victoria makes the best monthly playlists on Spotify and I’ve been listening to her April one nonstop while I work.

Wayuu Mochila bag. My friend Alex shot her company’s last campaign in Colombia where she met the people who make these incredible bags there and on Etsy. At a lunch she recently hosted, she picked out a custom bag for each attendee based on their favorite colors. Mine was obviously pink and blue and I’ve worn it every day since. It’s nice to have something totally unique and to support an artisan who handmakes such a beautiful piece.

Bickering vs. fighting. Any marriage has its share of bickering and its share of fighting. But what is the difference?

Sustainable towels. I have been wanting to replace our bath towels for a while now, and I picked these up at Target last week. They are OEKO-TEX certified which means that everything from the dyes to the fabrics are tested and verified as free from harmful levels of more than 300 toxic substances. They’re both affordable and sustainable!

How to take a compliment. How many times have you shrugged off a compliment? I can’t remember the last time I didn’t make an excuse when someone complimented me. Jess’s post made me think twice about that and gave a few tips for how to truly accept a compliment. I’m going to work on this. Will you join me?

Fleece tee. My girlfriends at Dudley Stephens dropped their summer line and it’s fantastic per usual. My favorite piece is a ribbed scoop neck tee that I like to wear like a bodysuit under jeans or a skirt. As always, their fleece is made from recycled plastic bottles.