One Fine Day: THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

THANKFUL FOR: If you feel the urge to shout something from the rooftops these days, you unabashedly share your excitement via every social media outlet possible. I exercised my right to do so this week when Starbucks opened in Swell Rio. After driving seven miles to sip on an Iced Grande Caramel Macchiato, I could hardly contain my excitement. Is this for real?! Cue the happy dance.

EATING: Is there anything better than a really great apple? I didn't think so. Unfortunately, I haven't had the best luck choosing them lately—that was until this past week's trip to HEB. Huzzah! I don't typically gravitate toward green apples, but I took a few home. I blame the round shape and lovely coloring for this haphazard decision. It turns out, they were incredibly delicious and I've been noshing on apple slices all week. I've got my fingers crossed I bring home another tasty batch when I return to the store on Friday.

WATCHING: Yesterday my day was made when I followed the Ice Queen through the hallowed halls of Condé Nast as she answered 73 questions. Oh, if only... Take a moment and see the repartee for yourself. Vogue's legendary editor-in-chief shares 73 things that make her Anna Wintour in this quick-fire Q&A. Eek! This rare peek into Wintour's brain is such a treat.

FEELING:

Last Sunday, Flyboy went for one of his weekend bike rides. He usually cycles anywhere from 30-40 miles and it takes him about two hours. I swear he comes back a different person. Any stress from the week is gone and he comes home pumped—you would think he just rode a stage from the Giro d'Italia. While he's away, I engage in a workout of my own: i.e. clean the house, send snail mail, or piddle around on Pinterest and Instagram. I'm certain we burn an equal amount of calories. Ha! Anywho, when he returned from his ride, he asked me the following question: "Do you think when the baby arrives I'll still have time for things like this?" I smiled and tried to fight back any hormonal tears. Throughout this pregnancy, Flyboy has been my rock, but a BIG part of me wants to know what worries and fears HE has. I feel kind of crazy because I vocalize my doubts on a regular basis. For the first time, it was clear that he, too, was anxious about how this baby would fit into our routine. How will things change? Will we have time to do the things we love—the things that make us feel whole? It certainly won't be as easy as it's been for the past six years to just pick up and go; however, it's clear that we will need to make time for the things that keep us centered. Perhaps that means Max and I will have to load up and meet FB halfway through his ride at the new Starbucks for a quick drink or snack?! Making adjustments to our routine is inevitable, but I'm certain that adding to our brood will make us feel whole in a way we've yet to experience.

THINKING ABOUT: My sister got me the most amazing carrier from Solly Baby. Up until a week ago, I had yet to take it out of its box. Oops! In my defense, who wants to mess with packaging perfection?! We're talking scalloped edges and polka dots, my friends. This thing is beautimous! But in the name of nesting, I finally got it out and started to play with this striped contraption. I initially had visions of wearing it as a scarf (obvi), but when I realized I was getting sidetracked by accessories (totally normal), I grabbed a stuffed animal and attempted to follow along with the online tutorial. Um, yikes! It looked nothing like what Elle created in her video. Babywearing, my butt! I tried it a few different times, but got different results with each attempt. In fact, the dogs just sat there looking up at me in judgment. I felt like Beesly's eyes said "You've got this ALL wrong!" For now, I'm going to blame it on my large belly and give it another shot this weekend with Flyboy as my model. Wish us luck! On the bright side, it can't get any worse...

LISTENING TO: When the doctor told us the baby could hear our voices at this point, I began to panic. Colorful language and snarky comments aside, what about the music I listen to throughout the day?! Have I already ruined this kid? The doc also mentioned the baby's movements might change in response to sounds, which I find creepy and cool all at once. On Tuesday, I was driving The Rig home from an appointment and Jason Derulo's Wiggle came on iTunes radio. Ever the sucker for a ridiculous earworm, I began to sing along and he started to kick like crazy. I initially smirked at the irony, but then I got all flustered thinking about raising a boy and the chauvinistic nature of the song. Oh. Em. Gee. Do you see what happens when I go to the dark side? I managed to suck the fun out of the moment in an attempt to get it all figured out. Lighten up, Ash! After giving it a little thought, I've decided the solution involves a pair of ear muffs. "Honey, throw these on so mommy can listen to her music for a few minutes..." I'm only kinda sorta kidding about that one. Hey, Sophia Grace knows when to edit the risqué lyrics from Nicki Minaj tunes and she's an utter delight!

READING: The post man stopped by the house on Monday with Domino Magazine's Fall 2014 Issue. Hello, new best friend! To all the skeptics out there, it's SO worth the $12 price tag. I can assure you there's plenty of NEW design content. I especially adored the feature with Emily Henderson (just another imaginary bestie) and my heart burst when I read the piece about Georgia O' Keeffe.

LOVING: If you glanced inside my closet, you'd roll your eyes if I told you I needed another striped Breton-style shirt. What can I say? It's a weakness. In this case, I knew J.Crew's Side-Zip Stripe Tee would be a winner the instant I laid eyes on it. For years I've tried to make the Saint James knits work for me, but they were always too big and too boxy. Bleh! This top reminds me of it, but BETTER. I love the loose fit and the zipper details on the sides are a preggo lady dream. Could I have one in each color?

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