Dressing Room Try-on Session

So I found myself back at the mall, much earlier than I had planned to be. But who is mad to go to the mall? Not I! My friend, Lauren, who is also 8 months pregnant (our babies due date is 10 days apart and I LOVE it) suggested we walk the mall today. Which we will probably be doing more often because it is hot and we are feeling even hotter. Plus having a decent bathroom near by on your walk is essential for two pregnant women. 

After our walk I went to try on some things from the sale to get a better idea of how they would fit. It is hard since by the time I can wear all of this my bump will be gone but I tried to just buy everything true to my pre baby size. I was even able to fit into some jeans (of course they did not button) that I will wear after baby. Can I just tell you how happy this pregnant girl was that my thighs fit into them. Like biggest celebration in the dressing room yet. Below are some of my favorites. To shop each item you can click on the links below the picture or shop all the items I tried on at the end of this post. 

Top: Hinge || Jeans: rag & bone || Shoes I would pair: Hinge

I loved this top from Hinge. It didn't quite fit the bump all that well but will be so cute after baby. These jeans from rag & bone are favorite of mine.

Top: B.P || Jeans: Already sold out :( Similar pair: BLANKNYC || Shoes to pair: TOMS

This top is $18. Nuff said. I'll be wearing this all fall long. 

Dress: Leith || Cardigan: B.P. || Shoes I would pair: Vince Camuto

Loved this dress. It looked adorable with the bump and will be cute after. It is tighter than I would normally wear so I will probably always pair it with some sort of cardigan. And this one is currently $31. 

Sweater: B.P. || Jeans: Articles of Society || Shoes I would pair: Hinge 

This sweater was $24. It comes in a couple colors and I can't wait to wear it when it gets colder. Did you see where I said $24?? 

Dress: Current/Elliott || Shoes I would pair: Vans

This dress is on the expensive side of $98. I honestly didn't buy it because it needs to be worn a little lower without the bump. However it is the most comfortable thing I put on and wanted to share it with you all! 

The power of words

I love wedding season. How can you not? You get to dress up, see friends, dance all night, have a glass (or two) of champagne, etc. This past weekend, Adam and I went to our first of four weddings for the month of APRIL.  Yes, you read that correctly. Four weddings in one month. I will love every second of it. Adam, on the other hand, will probably freeze the credit cards thinking that I am going to buy a new dress for each one (the answer to that question is, YES)! 

I found this little number at Nordstrom, and I couldn’t wait to wear it. It was super comfortable, and it fit perfectly. I’ve linked this dress here.

While I enjoy the picturesque settings and excellent musical entertainment typical of most weddings, my favorite part is always the exchange of vows. Cliché, I know, but I love it. The couple from the wedding we went to this past weekend wrote their own vows, and they were beautiful. I was thankful they wanted to share that part of their heart with family and friends. Even though I love to write, writing my own vows would have been a near impossible task.  It’s not because I don’t have enough to say about my love for Adam.  It just feels like words couldn’t do it justice. (Insert cheesy grin).  I imagine Tyler and Emily felt the same way.  So, props to them for making it happen. And causing me to tear up along the way!

Photo by Katie Norrid

Vows are a set of words in which two people outwardly commit themselves to one another for as long as they both shall live. How powerful is that?

We are fortunate as Christians to have the gift of the Bible, which contains another powerful set of words that helps guide us through life. It teaches us lessons, offers us comfort, and gives us encouragement. It is so much more than printed letters on a page.

Words are our oxygen. They can give us life. They can make your heart skip a beat. They can make promises. They can open doors. They can greet new friends. They can lift you up. They can make you feel unstoppable. They can tell stories. But, words can also bring you down. They can cause moments of defeat. They can break promises. They can break hearts. They can make you feel like you are not good enough.

God left us with the words of the Bible, which, among other things, reminds us of our worth. He tells us over and over again that he loves us. And because he loves us, we are able to love others… and, like Tyler and Emily, even profess this love in the form of marriage vows. 

Photo by Kay English

Words are a powerful tool that we have been given. How will you use this tool today? 

- Taylor Ann 

Happy Dance

There are moments in life that should be followed with a “happy dance.” Get off work early (especially on a Friday)… happy dance. No line at Starbucks… happy dance. Finding out the new shoes you wanted are on sale… happy dance. Making it through a work day with your students following every set of directions… happy… yeah, that never happens.

When it comes to clothing, finding a good romper usually causes me to break out a happy dance. And when I say, “good,” I mean that I don’t have to spend the whole night either pulling at the bottom OR the top of my outfit; there are not a million straps to maneuver through when putting the thing on; everything stays in place with no tape required; but, most importantly, a good romper doesn’t cost the same amount as my future first born child’s college tuition.  Because let’s be honest, you are only going to wear that romper for one Instagram picture.  So, why pay an arm and a leg for it?

This romper is a good romper. It is comfortable, easy to put on, decent length, and….wait for it….under $50. I strolled into Fab’rik boutique last week and was so impressed with their selection – particularly, the quality and price! It also helps that it is a super cute, Snapchat worthy setting for shopping. If you are in the Cool Springs area, I recommend a visit. 

Since all of my readers are not in the greatest city in the world (Nashville, of course), I have linked some of my other favorite rompers at the end of this post to be worn in your "just ok" cities.

In addition to having the opportunity to wear my good romper this weekend, I witnessed an event that caused me to jump into my “happy dance” and even shed some happy tears.

As I was sitting on the beach with my family, I looked up to see this… 

Two young men carrying a cross down the beach. I was amazed at the sight. My mother, being the detective that she is, walked up to them to ask questions. If you know my mom, you are not the least bit surprised by this. But, I was glad she did, and I even followed along to see what these guys were all about.

We found out that the two men are members of the LEAD Institute  in Lakeland, Florida. One was 18 and fresh out of high school, while the other was 27. Both were planning to go into some type of ministry and were completing the program to hopefully obtain answers about where their respective paths might take them. The way they described the program sounded intense. This is not surprising. Our church leaders often have more on their plates than we can even begin to imagine – much less appreciate.

I thought I got a lot of emails being a teacher. Think of the emails you get being a preacher.

I digress. They told us they started their journey in Daytona Beach and were walking as far as they could until Sunday. (Side note: we were in Cocoa Beach, which is at least a 1.5-hour drive from Daytona). They didn’t have any speeches to give and were not going to say anything to anyone unless approached. Their plan was simple: just carry this big heavy cross down the beach as a reminder, encouragement, and invitation to the peace only Christ can offer. “Spreading the word without saying a word.”

I don’t know how many people stopped to talk to them, or how many lives they touched along the way. They probably won’t even realize the effect they had on people that day. But they did it just the same.

You can do it too. You can spread the love of Christ to the people around you. You don’t have to carry a cross or even wear one around your neck. You can spread the love by being an example of love to those around you – reminding, encouraging, and inviting them to feel the L.O.V.E God offers. Hopefully, this will result in a happy dance in a good romper. 

- Taylor Ann

Ready to Romper?

Nordstorm || Lulu's || ASOS || Old Navy || Riff Raff