Scenes From Our Weekend

We had such a productive weekend this weekend. It is a good feeling to get things accomplished. 

First and foremost big thank you to my Dad who painted the nursery for us.  He really is a master painter.  He is so tall he can trim with no ladder and no tape and he paints fast!  I went with Pratt and Lambert's Quartz Moon for our color but halved the strength of it.  It was my first instinct and my mom and sister both picked it in the blind test, so I had to trust my family.  The color went best with the rest of what I envision in the nursery.  I could not be more pleased it is the perfect purple gray.  Here is a peek this is the first coat.

Another big thank you to my in-laws who gave us a King size bed.  Our queen bed was always so cramped with the two of us and we both like our space sleeping.  This literally changed our lives this weekend, I will never go back to a Queen Bed again.  I still need a dust ruffle, duvet, and headboard but for now we are just happy we have a larger bed to accommodate our growing family.  Sterling is already smitten with it and wanted to nap in our room.

Lately I have been obsessed with Thai and Vietnamese food.  If you have any good recipes send them my way.  My mom is equally addicted and every time she is in town we always pick up Vietnamese Tacos from Ban Bah Mi.  If you have never been you must.  The best tacos ever.  Our favorites are the 5 spice pork and beef.

While mom was here we of course hit up an Estate Sale.  Mom is so good at scouring these sales for amazing finds.  

We have trained Sterling well at these sales, this is him patiently waiting to enter.  He was not so patient inside especially when he found the toy room:)

I scored this abstract signed painting for practically nothing.  I mean prices at Estate Sales are so good!  It is hard to see but it is a cream and white abstract and we hung it in our bathroom.

Saturday was a pool and boat day.  I may have fallen asleep on the boat, I have been so tired lately!

We did manage to see another amazing rainbow.  We have had the best luck with rainbows this summer!  As usual once the camera comes out Sterling does not cooperate.

I realized I have entirely too many book on my night table.  Sad thing is I am reading them all.

Sunday I took Sterling to see Smurfs 2 while Matt went fishing with a buddy.  I can not go to the movies and not order buttered popcorn and coke.  It is so many calories but so worth it.

Lastly, I am 6 months along- although I still have a little less than 4 months til my due date. I forget you are really pregnant for almost 10 months and not 9.

I have been obsessed with the brand Riller and Fount for both my pregnancies.  The dress I am wearing is by them and so comfortable.  All their clothes are made out of the softest tee shirt material.

They have the a similar version on Piperlime in Black or Gray. The side rouching is key pregnant or not it hides all lumps and bumps:)

{Riller and Fount Christinia Tunic}

I also own this Kimono Dress by RF and love it.  The black and gray are on sale right now at Piperlime too.  I own the black and live in it!

{Riller and Fount Kimono Dress}

I leave you with this, my child has turned into a picky eater wanting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for every meal.

xoxo

Blog Sale!

Happy Saturday Friends. I am cleaning out making room for baby. Email me at nataliemason24@yahoo.com. Shipping is $5 an item and I will combine shipping if you order more than one item! xoxo 

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG ORANGE SILK BLOUSE

Size= 4

$70
SOLD

GREYLIN HOT PINK SILK BLOUSE 

Size= Small

$45
SOLD

FOREVER 21 BLUE AND BLACK TRIMMED BLOUSE

SIZE=XS (loose fit, fits like a small)

$18

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG BLOUSE

SIZE= 4

$60

JOIE LEOPARD COTTON TANK

SIZE= SMALL

$40

TIBI GEOMETRIC PRINT SHIFT DRESS

Size= 4

$75
SOLD

TIBI SECRET GARDEN RED DRESS

Size= 4

$65

CYNTHIA STEFFE ROYAL BLUE COTTON TANK DRESS

Size=XS (very loose fit, more like a small)

$35

CYNTHIA STEFFE ROYAL BLUE SILK DRESS

Size=4

Dress also comes with a ribbon belt, so you can wear loose as shift dress or belted.

$50
SOLD

SPLENDID TULIP DRESS

NEW WITH TAGS

Size= Small

$115

LOT OF 2 FOREVER 21 SMOCKED MAXI DRESSES

Size= Small

$25

MAX STUDIO OLIVE GREEN MAXI DRESS

Size- XS

$30

GAP T-SHIRT MAXI DRESS

Size- XS (runs on the large side more like a small

$35
SOLD

EVERLY GREY MATERNITY DRESS

NEW WITHOUT TAGS

SIZE= XS

$45

Non-Maternity Maternity Style

I am officially six months into my pregnancy and besides my JBrand Maternity shorts (shop HERE), I have bought no maternity clothes.  This time around I vowed to buy no unnecessary maternity clothes.  There are so many options now for regular clothes that will fit us preggos.  I have nothing against maternity clothes, but they are expensive and I have a hard time justifying spending that on something I will wear less than a year.  Why not buy regular clothes that you can wear before and after the baby? 

The picture above is from last week, I am actually 24 weeks this week (yay)!  I wanted to show it because it is my standard pregnancy outfit.  A loose blouse + Jean Shorts.  I live in that outfit, switching up the tops but always my jean shorts!

 Matt used to always joke before I got pregnant that I dressed like a pregnant woman.  Truth is I love loose blouses, shift dresses, maxi dresses,  and tunics, that is just my style and it has served me well this pregnancy because most of my clothes still fit.  My go to brands that are great for pregnancy and after are Joie, Rebecca Taylor, Vince, DVF,  and Tibi.  They are timeless brands that yes, are bit a expensive but last forever and always look chic.  

I will say you probably do need to buy maternity bottoms.  You can't really get away with regular bottoms with a huge belly!  JBrand is my favorite.  I have these jeans from when I was pregnant with Sterling and then bought the cut-off shorts this time.   I love this JBrand Color for Fall and these White jeans for Summer.   You don't need many bottoms just wear the same ones.  I honestly wear my same jean shorts everyday.  I tried the Old Navy ones and no comparison the JBrand ones are so much better.  They fit better and are just more comfortable!  Better to buy one pair of nice shorts than 5 pairs of shorts you don't really love.  Leggings are also a good idea.  Otherwise you can just rock your maternity bottoms with cute loose blouses or wear loose maxi dresses.  I do also love a fitted dress as well- show off that bump!

I rounded up a few of my favorite non-maternity pieces that you can easily rock while pregnant and then still still wear them post baby!  Just scroll thru to view them all!
(I own the Rag and Bone Dress, JBrand Jeans,  Vince Top, and Vince Dress- recommend them all!)

Round Here.

Happy Thursday!  My parents are in town and we are operation get nursery started! I love having my parents visit. I hope Sterling and baby girl want to hang out with Matt and I when they are older like I do with my parents.  I love spending time with my parents.  

Thought I would share a few happenings around here.

Lamps.com was sweet enough to send me this lamp that I originally planned to use in the nursery.  That was until Sterling saw it and insisted it needed to go in his room.  How can I say no to him when baby girl keeps getting stuff, I wanted him to have something new too.  So we put it in his room and it looks awesome.  I love that it is so sleek and modern.  I never met a piece of Lucite I didn't like.  This is my new favorite lamp in our house.  Lamps.com has some really killer lamps.  If you see something you like they are offering my readers 10% anything!  Just use code DESIGNERBAGS at checkout.

{PABLO DESIGNS LAMP}

My favorite thing about this lamp is that it has a dimmer switch so you can make it as bright or not bright as you like.  It is perfect for Sterling because he insists on having a light on when he sleeps so I can leave it on the dimmer setting.

It comes in 8 different colors.  I loved the clear but I think the hot pink or green or bright blue would be so fun in a kids room!  Check out the whole selection at Lamps.com!

..............................................................................................................

Last week while I was home we went up to my grandfathers house to look at some of his stuff and see if we wanted anything.  Always a sad thing to do, but also special that we were able to pick out pieces with special meaning to each of us.  I got a piece of furniture I plan to use as the changing table in the nursery (pics later) and this horse picture, I always loved it.  I hung it our den and it makes me smile every time I see it because it reminds me of my grandparents.

.......................................................................................................

I narrowed the paint down to three colors for the nursery.  I am such an advocate of testing paint colors first, they look so different on the walls than in pictures.  Here are the three choices, my dad is painting this weekend so I will show pics next week and reveal which color we choose.

1 Pratt and Lambert Quartz Moon | 2 Benjamin Moore Misty Lilac | 3 Farrow and Ball Pink Ground

My friend Katie let me borrow her book, House Beautiful Colors For Your Home and I must say it was super helpful.  It has swatches of the paint and then decorators advice beside it.  It is categorized by room and color.  It lead me to colors #2 and #3 which are fore runners.  Plus the book is small you can throw it in your purse and just take it to the paint store.  They matched my paint right out of the book!

.........................................................................................

My sister is giving me this piece of artwork from her house that she is not using that I hope to use in the nursery,  depending if it will go with our paint color and other patterns.  My thought is to hang it horizontally over the crib.  It is even more awesome in person, this picture doesn't do it justice.  I love non-baby art for nurseries.

.................................................................................................................

I made the most amazing kale salad last night for dinner.  My mom recommended it and it was awesome.  It is the New York Times Tuscan Kale Salad.  I highly recommend it, it is so simple but delicious.   It is better the longer you let the dressing sit on it, I thought it was even better the second day after it sat for 24 hours.  Also I doubled the dressing recipe and used panko breadcrumbs instead of making my own (who has time for that)!

.............................................................................................

I continue to be obsessed with Rag and Bone, is there a line any more perfect than Rag and Bone?  Their clothes fit impeccably and their shoes are amazing.  Latest score this stripped dress- can you tell I am loving stripes this pregnancy?  This dress will be great post pregnancy as well.  I picture it in the Fall with a blazer and my Rag and Bone Booties.  It is on sale (40% percent off, which Rag and Bone rarely is)  snag it while you can - runs true to size, it does have stretch in it.  I got a small for those curious.

{Rag and Bone Giselle Stripped Dress}

Had to show a side view because I love the stripe down the side.

............................................................................................................

In continuing with my reading bonanza this Summer, I have been addicted to Mary Kay Andrews books.  I just devoured these two the last week.  Such easy, fun, chick reads.  Anyone read any of her other books?

.................................................................................................

Lastly, Rikshaw Designs is having their big Summer sale, almost everything is 50% off.  How adorable is this outfit for baby girl?   They have tunics for women too! Check out their sale HERE.

xoxo

Mexican Rice Bowls

I have said it before but I am a freak for Mexican Food. My favorite food genre by far, I could eat it everyday. We usually do taco night on Wednesday nights, but lately I have gotten the urge to switch things up- that and taco + tequila night is just not the same without the tequila. This week I decided to make Mexican Rice Bowls.  Matt and I both agreed they were incredible and we will be making them often.  If you pre-chop the toppings this takes no time to assemble and cook,  it is such an easy week night meal.   We used ground beef in ours but you could easily substitute chicken, turkey, shrimp or even just do all vegetarian.  Honestly I thought it was great with just the veggies! 

Enjoy!

:: M E X I C A N   R I C E   B O W L S ::

- 1 cup uncooked white rice (cook according to bag)

- 2 ears of corn

- 1 avocado diced

- 1 can black beans, rinsed

- 2 jalapenos diced

- 1 tomato diced

- 1/4 red onion diced

- 1 pound ground beef

- Taco seasoning

- Mexican Queso

- Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

- Salsa

- Sour Cream

- Tortillas for side

Cook rice according to box/bag instructions.  We found one cup was plenty for both of us with leftovers.  

Cook ground beef and season with taco seasoning (we make homemade seasoning, recipe HERE). 

 Peel ears of corn and wrap in foil.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.  Chop kernels off corn after it has slightly cooled.

Heat up Queso on stove or in microwave.  

Start layering bowls, start with rice, ground beef, queso, and then all other ingredients.  Heat Tortillas in oven or microwave, roll and place on side of bowl (totally optional but we liked it to dip in).  Top with salsa and sour cream and serve!