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a slo life

a food, fashion, & lifestyle blog

Weekend Reads



September 8, 2018

Weekend Reads

Fall is definitely my favorite time of the year and is always the time I miss living in the US the most – no one does pumpkin season quite like Americans! I even went to Starbucks yesterday and ordered a pumpkin spice latte and remembered quickly that I don’t really even like them – they’re just way too sweet for me.

So today, I’m trying to channel fall through online shopping, spiced apple tea and some pumpkin oatmeal while I round up what I was reading/loving this week for you all:

Since I’m not working, I start many of my mornings with a little online browsing. This week, TJ Maxx’s online arrivials were on point for both me and baby – so wish I could shop in person! This off the shoulder top is fall transitional perfection and this velvet wrap dress would be perfect for holiday parties. If you’re looking to up your fall boot game, they have classic Frye riding boots on sale for less than $150 and the most gorgeous Franco Sarto block heels for less than $60! For babies, this set of thermal bodysuits looks so cozy and I love these quirky fruit onesies. They have lots of Aden and Anais brand on sale too, like these muslin wash cloths.

This article on what it’s like to live with an invisible disease brought back so many memories of my own journey with post concussive syndrome.

Loving this fall mantel inspiration from The Lettered Cottage.

Not surprisingly, Target also has a ton of new cute fall clothes. I’m dying to try on this denim jumpsuit and I’ve been looking for the perfect wedge booties for forever and these seem like they could be it! This apron dress looks like it would be great for fall layering too.

This rainbow bright outfit from Atlantic Pacific is so fun!

I’ve been having fun discovering lots of little handmade boutique baby shops and am completely obsessed with Mae + Mum who make lovey + blankey cubs. They only do a release of about 100 each month so I stayed up until midnight (the launch time here!) the past two times and was able to score one of each for baby girl!

I live in my fleece workout leggings in the winter but mine are getting pretty old and stretched out. These Athleta ones look like a great replacement!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

CATEGORIES | Weekend Reads

Family | Baby Coming Home Outfit



September 7, 2018

Baby Coming Home Outfit

Bodysuit / Hat / Pants / Pink Socks / Stork Socks

Happy Friday, friends! What are your plans for the weekend? We’re hoping on having a few low key days around here as we get some last minute things done before baby girl decides to make her appearance.

I’ve also spent the last few days getting my hospital bag packed and putting her coming home outfit together. I knew I wanted something super cozy and cute and found the perfect pieces at Gap and Marks and Spencer. I decided to purchase everything in newborn sizes since I really don’t think I’m going to have a huge baby but I do plan on bringing a back-up outfit and a few onesies in 0-3 sizes as well, just in case.

Shop each piece as well as some of my other favorites below:

 

CATEGORIES | Family

Travel | Day Trip to Stoneleigh Abbey



September 6, 2018

Stoneleigh Abbey

Before we left Coventry, I really wanted to take a quick day trip to Stoneleigh Abbey. It was a 10 minute drive from our house and I drove almost right by it on my way to work everyday but somehow, we hadn’t found time to make the trip. Even though I didn’t love the exact part of Coventry we lived in, the surrounding countryside was absolutely gorgeous and the drive to the estate totally feels like something out of a Jane Austen novel – perhaps because it was!

Stoneleigh Abbey

Stoneleigh Abbey

Stoneleigh Abbey

The abbey itself was built in the 1100s but not much remains of it besides the Gatehouse that we entered the property through. The estate was made a charitable trust awhile ago (must be pretty expensive to keep up!) but the grounds and the house itself were beyond breathtaking.

Stoneleigh Abbey

I dragged Jeff on the hour long Jane Austen tour and our guide was dressed in full on period costume as ‘Mr. Darcy’ despite the heat. We learned how Jane, her mother and her sister visited relatives at the estate for a few months and how her experiences there directly inspired Mansfield Park. It’s been awhile since I read it but it was super interesting to hear about all of the connections between the local history and her novels.

Stoneleigh Abbey

Seriously, I could have gotten used to living at a place like this!

Stoneleigh Abbey

Entry to the grounds cost £5 per person and an additional £6 per person for the tour, but we got a 10% discount for being English Heritage members.

CATEGORIES | Travel

Family | Second Trimester Recap and Essentials



September 5, 2018

Second Trimester Recap and Essentials

Well, we’ve made it to 37.5 weeks! As much as I’m getting ready for this pregnancy to be over, I am definitely happy and thankful that she’s taking the time to get as developed as possible before making her debut!

Hopefully I’ll be able to recap the third trimester for you next week at 38.5 weeks, but for today, I wanted to go back and spend some time discussing second trimester symptoms, cravings, workouts and some of the essentials that got me through (and if you missed the first trimester recap, read it here!)

Second Trimester Recap and Essentials

How I felt

My morning sickness started to dwindle the last week or so of the second trimester and it was so nice to feel like more of myself for at least the first half of the second trimester. I wouldn’t say I got a huge surge of energy like a lot of people talk about – I just felt more normal.

I’d also been able to feel the baby move since about 14 weeks, but only if I laid down and really concentrated. And then at 20 weeks, I was able to really feel her on the ‘outside’ as well, which of course, has only gotten stronger as she’s gotten bigger – it’s definitely my favorite part of being pregnant!

Second Trimester Recap and Essentials

Here were some of my main symptoms:

  • Continued round ligament pain. This let up a bit after the first trimester but if I walked too far or pushed too hard when I was working out, I usually got lower abdominal cramping and had to back off a bit.
  • Skin issues. I’ve never had perfect skin but my chest and back broke out like crazy at the beginning of the second trimester. It completely cleared up a few months later so was probably due to all of the hormonal changes going on. Plus, I started getting skin tags all over my body that I’ll probably need to get frozen off once the pregnancies over. Oh, and while I didn’t ever get a linea nigra (nor is my belly button going to pop out!), I did get a nice covering of fine hair all over my stomach that I’m hoping goes away with the rest of the postpartum shedding stage. So much fun!
  • Restless leg syndrome. It became almost impossible for me to sit on the couch and watch TV at night like we normally did. My legs could not handle being in the same position for long, so there was lots of squirming and then eventually just sitting on the floor…
  • Swelling. I really didn’t swell that much until it got hot and I started walking. I ended up taking my rings off about 26 weeks in case they got stuck!
  • Stuffy/bloody nose. I would wake up most mornings in the second trimester with a stuffy/bloody nose despite sleeping with the windows open and getting lots of airflow. I read that it’s pretty common in pregnancy (you have 40% more blood coursing through your body!) but still annoying.

Second Trimester Recap and Essentials

Cravings

Thankfully, my cravings really subsided during the second trimester. I still didn’t really want to eat greens and salads but I was able to force myself to without gagging at least! It was also hard to eat fried foods and meals that were too carb heavy since you digest things so much more slowly when you’re pregnant, I guess. I also craved a ton of dairy – cheese, yogurt, ice cream – and developed a pretty strong aversion to most meat. Fruit and smoothies continued to be the biggest craving!

Workouts

I really had to take my time to listen to my body this trimester and modify workouts accordingly. I began the trimester with my usual 60 minute Barre3 workouts and then slowly decreased this to 40 minutes over the next few months, which was more sustainable and didn’t leave me completely exhausted. I also started to incorporate more prenatal yoga into my routine each week and by the end of the trimester, had replaced two of my Barre3 workouts a week completely with yoga.

With the crazy hormonal shifts going on coupled the normal emotions brought on by being so far away from home, I also decided to commit to adding a daily meditation practice at the end of each workout, even if it was only for 5-10 minutes. It was (and still is) a time to connect with my mind, body, and the baby I was growing and set a more positive outlook for myself each day. I’ll share which videos I followed in my pregnancy workout post soon!

Second Trimester Recap and Essentials

Essentials

I didn’t need to rely on quite as many things this trimester, thankfully. The biggest essentials were:

  • A pregnancy pillow. At the suggestion of a coworker, I actually purchased a duvet instead and rolled it up. It became an absolute necessity to help minimize some of the pressure on my hips which could be intense at times.
  • Coconut water. This helped with the restless leg syndrome at night.
  • Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter. I purchased my first tub of this back in the US but thankfully, they sell it in the UK too because it helped ease the itchiness of my ever stretching skin. I thought I’d escaped stretch marks too but unfortunately, they showed up late in the third trimester.
  • Vegetable Wash. Jeff came to hate making salads because it’s super important to wash everything really well when you’re pregnant to help minimize your chances of getting things like listeria. I used this one.

 

CATEGORIES | Family

Outfit Ideas | The cutest affordable sleepwear



September 4, 2018

The cutest affordable sleepwear

1 / 2 / 3 /  4

The weather here took a turn for fall yesterday afternoon and we’re expected to get lows in the mid to low 40s by the end of the week. As much as I’m not at all prepared for this, fall always makes me want to become (even more of) a homebody and to me, that also means cozy pajamas and sleepwear.

I often buy scour the Anthro sale rack for cute finds but unsurprisingly, Target has been killing it lately in the cute, affordable sleepwear section these days too! These cropped PJ pants look very anthro-esque and I’m loving the cropped cozy graphic sweatshirts like this cute grey one and this always appropriate red one.

Shop all of my fav picks below:

Where’s your favorite place to shop for cute sleepwear?

CATEGORIES | Uncategorized

Fresh Recipes | Freezer Meals



September 3, 2018

Freezer Meals

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you’re enjoying your three day weekend! We had glorious summer like weather all weekend here so got out and about as much as possible before it’s supposed to turn more fall like later this week. I even found root beer for the first time since moving here at one of the local brew pubs! It was craft root beer from Colorado even and so worth the same price as an actual beer.

We also went and toured the hospital I’ll be giving birth at. We’d thought it would be the hospital that’s less than a mile away from our house but apparently, they put a cap on their numbers and since September is such a popular month to give birth in (we’ll try and remember that for next time!) and we moved up here so late in the pregnancy, we weren’t able to get in. However, the other hospital is only a few miles away and though a little older, still has a birthing center that you automatically get admitted to if you have a low-risk pregnancy, which I have so far.

This week, my goal is to get a few meals made and frozen for when the baby comes. Freezer space is pretty limited in the UK unfortunately and we don’t have a microwave so I’m choosing options can be easily heated quickly on the stove or in the oven.

Here’s what’s in the game plan:

Veggie Bean Chili. I love a good vegetarian chili and with the weather turning, I plan on freezing this in individual baggies to heat up portions of as we need.

Freezer Meals

Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Banana Bread. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find canned pumpkin where we live so this may turn into banana bread instead, but it’s perfect for saving individual slices for a quick snack.

Freezer Meals

Easy Energy Bites. This is another quick snack to grab as needed. Here’s a DIY version as well – I’m planning on adding oats, peanut butter, honey, chia and raisins.

Freezer Meals

Veggie Enchiladas. I made a batch of these last week and should have just doubled the recipe then!

Freezer Meals

Veggie Burgers. Veggie burger patties are such a versatile item to have in the freezer – I love adding them to salads or wraps for a quick lunch.

Freezer Meals

Healthy Banana Walnut Pancakes. I did make extra of these for Saturday morning brunch. I typically heat them up and then add a little peanut butter for a hearty snack!

Freezer Meals

What other meals/snacks do you recommend making or stocking up on for quick meals??

CATEGORIES | Fresh Recipes, Family

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Welcome! I'm a food, fashion, & lifestyle blogger sharing tips & inspiration for mostly healthy eating, outfit ideas, and affordable home decor/DIY projects. I'm so glad you stopped by!

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