THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

THANKFUL FOR: The more pregnant I become, the more grateful I am for random things like the half-tuck. And no, I'm not talking about gymnastics. I'm talking about leaving half of my shirt out with the other half tucked-in. A stint at J.Crew and years spent poring over their style guides will lead a girl to do silly things to achieve an effortlessly cool and less overdone look. I only ramble about this because I miss having the half-tuck as a styling tool. Button-down shirts are m' jam, and a growing bump doesn't really lend itself to this strategically laid-back look. Someone as structured and uptight as myself needs these options. Trust me.

EATING: If you're looking for a great marinade for steak fajitas, I suggest you try this recipe from Apples + Sparkle. Flyboy and I gave it a whirl last Sunday and we couldn't wait to devour the leftovers on Monday. That says a lot because I typically despise leftovers.

DRINKING: Citrus-flavored beverages make me pine for Hendrick's. It's kind of the best thing to mix with my spirit of choice. While I won't be whipping up any cocktails until October (le sigh), I recently discovered Simply Blueberry Lemonade and it's delish. Trust me on this one! After tossing a bottle into my cart impulsively, I rushed home to try it and I wasn't disappointed. I've found that just a few sips and stirs of my flamingo swizzle sticks are enough to almost convince me I'm sippin' on Gin and juice. Laid back...

WATCHING: Let's face it, the DVR looks rather dim during the summer months, and that's exactly why last night was such a big deal at our house. Drumroll please... Big Brother Season 16 premiered on Wednesday, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Each June I get to look forward to Julie Chen's smiling face, HOH competitions, and veto ceremonies. It always takes me awhile to get attached to the house guests, but that's the fun part. I can't even wait to see what this season has in store. Fellow BB fans, don't forget to tune-in to part two of the premiere tonight. You know how much I love discussing all the drama and juicy deetz with you.

FEELING: July is shaping up to be a rather busy month, and I'm elated! Next Thursday, my in-laws are slated to arrive in Swell Rio for the 4th of July holiday. Yay for visitors!! They'll be towing their boat along with them so Flyboy can use it for fishing at the local watering hole, Lake Amistad. Days after their departure, I'll be heading to Iowa to visit family. It's a trip that's long overdue. The opportunity to bust outta the Rio for eight days is like music to my ears. The best part?! My mom and sister will be joining me.

THINKING ABOUT: I'm terrible when it comes to secrets and surprises, so you can only imagine that I'm bursting at the seams regarding next Monday's post. Go on and twist my arm; I'll give you a BIG hint. On June 30th, I'll celebrate three years of blogging bliss, and I've got a giveaway planned that's guaranteed to knock your polka-dot socks off. The lovely loot will leave you smitten.

LISTENING TO: Oddly enough, I've been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac lately, specifically their Rumours album. "Never Going Back" and "Go Your Own Way" are on repeat. They're both so catchy, and I just can't stop. I believe my dad will read this and give it his nod of approval. My mom, on the other hand, is probably shaking her head in disgust.

READING: After yesterday's post, I took a moment to revisit the book, Where the Wild Things Are. For some reason, it just felt right. My mom sent me a copy as soon as we found out we were having a boy. I guess it was safe to assume the name Max was a done deal; she knows me all too well. Upon receiving the book, I stuffed it with the other gifts we've collected since we announced we're expecting. Throughout this pregnancy, I've been cautious—cautious to get too attached. I've spent the bulk of the last six months afraid, and I've harbored mixed feelings about all this change. The  doubt and anxiety made me feel less maternal and disappointed. I convinced myself I wasn't doing this pregnancy thing right. Thankfully as each week passes, I'm able to embrace the change a little more than the day before. Dusting off the book and reading it felt like a big deal. I realized that I was allowing myself to let the excitement outweigh my fear of the unknown. Hooray for little victories! Instead of preemptively worrying about all the things I'll do wrong as a parent (and I will), I found myself dreaming about the day Max and I would read this book together. Uttering these words never felt so good, "Let the wild rumpus start!" What a fitting motto for this next adventure.

LOVING: Since we moved in a few months ago, my primary focus was decorating the interior of the house. Getting it in tiptop shape has been priority numero uno. Now that things are coming together and we're anticipating visitors, Flyboy and I thought it might be nice to spruce up the patio area. There isn't much going on outdoors, aside from a few plants and our potting bench, so we ordered this umbrella in Peridot Stripe from West Elm along with several strands of party lights from Target. As for the sitting area, we ended up repurposing our old kitchen table by giving it a weathering treatment so it could be utilized outdoors. I'm pretty jazzed for the umbrella and twinkle lights to arrive so I can finally set it all up and sip on my Blueberry Lemonade al fresco.  

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!