The last few weeks have been busy busy busy with a lot going on in all areas of life. The most exciting news is that my sister had her baby, Maggie, and I got to be present for her birth. If you’ve never attended a birth, it’s a life-altering experience, that’s for sure. This is actually my second birth viewing (I was at Eva’s two years ago) and, while it is pretty awesome, I think I’ve hit my limit. Unless my sister has another kid then I will 100% do it again.
We all went down again this weekend to hang out with my sister and her fam and got in lots of snuggles with my cute little nieces. Amalia loves being the oldest cousin and had so much fun holding baby Maggie and playing with Helen, who is now 18 months. I can’t wait to watch all 4 cousins grow up together over the years. My sister and I always dreamed of our kids being close and to see it happen IRL is so beautiful.
On the home front, our siding project is moving along. I’m working on a blog post now with all the details of what we’re doing because there is a lot going into it. In the end, the house is going to look incredible. They framed the windows and garage last week and it already looks better.
I had some weird health stuff go down last month that I’ll share more about on IG but the short story is that I was having heart palpitations every night (scary!) and almost passed out a few times during the day. A quick blood test told me that I wasn’t, in fact, dying, but I’m anemic which is a pretty easy fix. More red meat, iron supplements, and regular bone broth for a week have completely eradicated my symptoms. It was a huge relief because I was feeling pretty icky.
The most exciting news in the Dzafic house, however, is that Lukey is now fully walking. I shared his first steps here but over the weekend he went from crawling as a preference to walking as a preference which feels like a huge shift for him and for us. Go Luca go!
Pictured above: Yellow Set (gifted) / Sneakers
WHAT I’M READING & WATCHING
Books – The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: I just finished this and it was unreal. I have never met an Ann Patchett book I didn’t like and this one might just be my new favorite. I mean Bel Canto 4 eva but also The Dutch House is up there. It’s an across-time tale about a brother and sister who go from a traumatic childhood through adulthood. I was so drawn into these characters that I dreamed about them almost every night. 10/10 recommend The Dutch House and every Patchett novel ever. Start with Bel Canto though if you haven’t read it yet. State of Wonder, Run, and Commonwealth are also all very good.
Next up? Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski. which is way different than my usual reads. I bought it after reading Carly’s review here.
TV Shows– Ozark S4 part 2 (Netflix): I am so sad that Ozark is over. The ending is absolutely bananas and I know a lot of people hated it but I actually liked it. If you haven’t watched Ozark yet, it is fantastic and Jason Bateman is the love of my life. Sorry, Anel (not sorry).
Hacks S2 (HBO): So far season 2 is not giving me the same vibes as S1 which I love love loved so much. But I’m invested and giving it some more time because I feel like they’re setting us up for something great. If you haven’t watched Hacks, it is a laugh-out-loud comedy starring Jean Smart who plays a washed-up stand-up comic who brings on a new writer (Hannah Einbinder) to freshen up her act. Their banter is next level. It’s smart, witty, and just overall fun to watch.
5 6 THINGS I’M LOVING
1. Shower Drain Hair Catchers: For real though how embarrassing is life that these drain catchers are my number one purchase of the month? My hair loss situation is not great and never has been. Anel has to snake the drain a few times/year and it’s absolutely horrifying what comes out of it. He bought these stickers to cover the drain that we change out every few weeks. They prevent hair from going down and clogging the drain but don’t change the aesthetic of your shower.
2. The Best Denim Romper: I’m so sad that there are only a few sizes left because this is the most comfortable thing I own right now. It looks like there are more sizes available here, however. I bought it during MDW sales and love it for chasing after a very busy baby (is he a toddler now?!). With a small child, you need something that covers the top and bottom because you’re bending down a lot and this does the trick.
3. Simple White Bodysuit: I’ve been wearing this on repeat lately with linen pants, denim shorts, and maxi skirts. An $18 well-spent if you ask me! You can see it at the beginning of this reel.
4. Honest Tinted Lip Balm: I’m really bad at wearing lipstick mostly because I hate the way it feels. The only one I’ve really ever been able to stick with in the last year is the Ilia Color Haze Pigment. But I recently got the Honest Tinted Lip Balm (in summer melon) and it glides on like a chapstick but gives the perfect subtle shade of color. This is the lip color for lipstick haters. And it’s under $10!
5. Marni Raffia Tote (on sale here!): I bought myself this tote as an early birthday gift a few weeks ago and have worn it every day since. The raffia, red, and yellow combo is just so happy, bright, and fun. It was definitely an investment but I’m glad I made it. It’s a perfect size and ligthens up every outfit.
6. Yellowbird Hot Sauces: I had to include a 6th random thing this month because I realized I hadn’t included Yellowbird on one of these lists yet and they truly give me life. I tried the Sriracha at a restaurant a few months back and ended up buying it on Amazon on the spot because it was so good. I’ve since purchased all three varieties (Habanero is now my favorite) and put them on everything we eat.
Photo by Julia Dags.
