It's been a while since I've been able to sit down and type out something more creative than an invoice. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 2015 Blogher Food conference in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency with my dear cousin and veteran food blogger, Nicole Hood. 
I will do a much more in depth post soon but I really felt compelled to get back onto the proverbial horse of blogging. The amount of support and inspiration from being around these amazing women and men who were following their passions was palpable in every workshop, event and party within the conference. I challenge those who, like me, have given up something they love in the pursuit of getting through the drudgery of the day to go out and reignite their own passion or find a group of people to help you fall in love with something. To-do lists have their place but self care is worth a lot more than we give it credit.

​Lauren

And everything changed.
Ok that may be a tad on the dramatic side but this year has certainly felt like it has been made up of numerous changes. A new job which requires a new commute and in turn a new routine. A new puppy with all the trials and joys that come from adding a new member of the family. A new place for my child to meet friends, learn and grow that came unexpectedly.
Through all these changes there has been discovery and the building of personal strength and professional connections.

I have also discovered a new place to thrift and while Angel's Attic still has my heart I enjoy being able to take a break every once in a while and lose myself thirfting at Kevil Korner. A word of advice from one Thrift Maven to another, befriending employees at Thrift shops you plan to frequent can pay off in spades. They have insider knowledge about when sales will happen and what days the majority of donations are put out. Sometimes having that relationship can also help when it comes to item pricing.
As we take time to enjoy the Holiday season I wish you all well and look forward to seeing what 2015 has to offer!

A lovely virus took over our household this week but we are finally on the mend. 

Releasing my inner Yogi and reflecting on the wonderful experiences from the past weekend. Farmer's market finds and seeing friends and spending time on the lake with family. 

At seven a half months pregnant I felt sure that we had everything needed to bring home our Little Mister even if he came the next day (so of course he waited until nearly a week after his due date to make his appearance.) We had over 1000 diapers, clothing to keep him covered until six months of age, breastfeeding supplies and my oh-so expensive but so worth it Medela Pump. 
Staring at my diminished closet trying to find something that didn't make me feel like Violet Beauregard, it hit me... What was I going to wear to feed him?!?
A nursing bra makes it on the hospital packing lists of every Mommy Blogger but clothing that works to feed your little one without feeling like a shapeless being or spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a new wardrobe so that the baby to boob time ratio is as small as possible is a major challenge.
A test became necessary when looking at clothes. Before buying them I would check to see if the neckline was able to move down or to the side. Button downs were also an option (but honestly, who wants to deal with undoing buttons while holding a hungry, squirmy and possibly very loud newborn).  The first few weeks of breastfeeding I remember feeling like I needed a third and possibly fourth arm to make it work so the easier the better when i came to clothes.
Even though my favorite thrift store does have a dressing room, since I looked like I was hiding a pumpkin under my shirt most of what I purchased was bought based on sight alone. Some maternity clothes support the dual function of being breastfeeding friendly and since you won't (most likely) leave the hospital looking exactly the same as you did nine months ago they can be worth the investment. I found a couple tops with ruching along the sides that had a scoop neck line to be great for a couple of months post-baby.
I was fortunate to lose the weight I had gained in my pregnancy very quickly since my LO was using up so many calories feeding. After I had lost all my baby weight I felt the the maternity tops were no longer flattering but the style of shirt did work well for breastfeeding. 
The best tops and dresses I found met at least one of the following criteria:
Soft Stretchy material, A Lycra or Polyester Blend were the most forgiving, Cotton will work but is more likely to lose its shape in a short amount of time.
Faux Wrap, An actual wrap may become very revealing and are usually too tight in the chest to work well.
Deep V or Scoop Neckline, As long as the material "bounces" back this style can be utilized
Tank tops with built in bras, These only worked for me lounging around the house since i didn't feel like offered enough support to wear for long stretches. Some also use these instead of nursing tank tops to layer under T-shirts.
Cowl Neckline VERY easy to nurse in this style! I wore this style once a week or more.

Avoid: Heavy materials such as Wool, Satin, stiff tight fitting clothing, most rompers or jumpsuits, high necklines

What are/were your favorite clothes for nursing?

Ok no judging! I pretty much went my entire pregnancy (and his infant stage) without make-up. All of these tops worked for both pregnancy and nursing and all are still in my wardrobe.
Floral print cowl shirt, the Limited owned before I was pregnant 
Blue racerback dress from Banana Republic $10 and cream sweater Forever 21 thrift find 
Olive A-Symetrical top and skirt from Angel's Attic $2 Old Navy Shirt $3 Limited Skirt
Cousins and new little cousins Shirt from Angel's Attic $2 Old Navy 
Striped Skater Dress H&M from Angel's Attic 

Some warm and fuzzies on this beautiful Summer day!

feeling blessed by the rain today after a dry couple of weeks,

Let me start by saying, I love my husband. He is a wonderful Father and I have greatly enjoyed falling in love with him in a whole new way since Aiden was born. A few weeks ago my mister was at work finishing up a surgery (he's a surgical RN) when he had to act quickly to keep a patient who was still under anesthesia from falling off the bed. Unfortunately, in the process he caused a fairly traumatic back injury to his self and has been off work recuperating. 
Between, the physical therapy, muscle relaxers and weight limitations he has been going a little stir crazy and bringing the rest of us along for the ride.When my family mentioned that they were going to take a trip to the Nashville flea market I (begged profusely) asked politely to tag along for the ride. I had not been to the market in years and was excited to go for a visit and see what all we could find. 
There I was 7am with a sleepy little mister and stroller in tow ready to pile in and hit the road and what do I find? A Mom and Sister that haven't made it past their bedroom doors... an hour later we made it out the door. 
Around 9:30(ish) we made it to the fairgrounds and after conquering the steepest hill you would (n)ever want to see after sitting in a car for an extended period of time, we were greeted by sweet southern vendors hoping we would sample their produce and peruse their wares. I was more than happy to oblige. The people watching is worth the trip alone, seeing wedding planners dealing with guys you would expect to show up on an episode of American Pickers commiserate and hipsters strolling in at the crack of noon to discover the "next" cool thing before the rest of us.
The variety of items was astonishing yet it seemed like you would also see five booths back to back full of things from the same factory in china. It felt wonderful to be on the hunt even though I really didn't know what I was hunting for. in my mind this works similarly to a guided meditation, remaining open to finding something unique and filtering out the excess. My goal for my home is to make it a place comfortable for my family and for friends to be able to enjoy the space as much as we do. Despite the numerous items I walked away with only 1, not counting the fresh, roasted Pecans (soo good). A mint green folding bamboo chair! It has a great presence with a casual vibe. The perfect Summer find for our trip and it has been very handy for the BBQ's we've hosted in the past few weeks. 
A few quick tips for a day at the market:

• BYOW (bring your own water) No matter the time of year, you need to stay hydrated . To avoid paying a premium bring a bottle or two of water.
• A Rolling Cart is worth it's weight in gold! If you happen to have a utility cart with large wheels bring it to hold your treasures.
• Ask Questions. Striking up a conversation makes it easier to..
• Bargain and Haggle  Both are expected and accepted, so get that good deal!
• Be Kind. their are lots of people out and about so follow the golden rule.

If you have a free weekend go out for a walk at your own local flea market and enjoy! You never know what oddities or treasures you may uncover.

We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather than what we had this past weekend over the 4th. Just a small reminder to go enjoy it while it lasts!

Had such an amazing time yesterday with my family at the Nashville Flea Market (post to come!) that I felt like I could use a quick pick-me-up in the form of a Monday Mantra to get over my Mon-daze. 
Hope it gives you a little inspiration too!