Birthday thoughts {turning 30}

Is 50 the new 30 or 30 the new 20? Or was it 40 is the new 20? Honestly, I can’t keep up! In honor of my 30^th birthday I thought I would write down a few thoughts.

Lets start with why 50 can’t just be 50 and 30 just be 30?  It may be a cliché but lets all be honest with ourselves and keep the numbers the way they are.  If  you keep yourself feeling good, then it doesn't matter what the number is.  Now that’s coming from a 30yr old…. Maybe when I’m 50 I will disagree with myself.  So far I have not hit an age that I was “freaking” out about, I have some friends that were scared of 25! Some 30 and a random 32! I don’t think It is the number they were afraid of, but more than likely where they were in their life at that time.  I loved being 25, it wasn’t the number that made that year great but the experiences I had that year.  I was more hesitant to turn 26 because I had had such a fabulous 2009. The “older” I get the more I don’t want to give up the prior year, I think I do a good job on making each year count and creating new experiences.  I see a birthday as a time to reflect on the past year, set goals for the next year and maybe even complete the goals from the prior year, but none the less move forward.  I definitely don’t want to move backward. 

Turning 30 did not scare me one bit, I feel like that is the age I should be.  In fact I tell my husband “I get better with age." He laughed, then he saw some photos from my late teen years, blonde hair, short hair, round face, red hair…. I’m sure you get it.  I feel like at 30, I have become comfortable enough with myself to know where my weakness may lie, definitely where my strengths are and where I still need a little work.  I also know what make up to wear, hair styles that look good and what types of clothes fit my body best (although, I can still make poor clothing choices). 

I have always had the thought process of no worries, it will all work out.  To back that up my high school senior quote was “hakuna matata” meaning no worries.  I did not realize at the time that I would try and live by that quote.  I feel blessed to have a supportive husband that has given me the opportunity to figure out what my passions are, find myself and make new career moves.  Needless to say he finds himself on his toes quite frequently and if you were to ask him what words scare him the most, he would likely say, “So I was thinking….” Knowing that following shortly after could be some very colorful thoughts.

I am happy to put 29 behind me and am curious about 30, I do not believe it is as harsh or horrible as people say.  In fact I feel like I have just hit the ground running, I have already signed up for my first half marathon (in my 30’s) in January and just this past month started a new career teaching Pilates, which I LOVE!!!

Lets pop some bubbly! 

Xo

Suz

Pilates for runners (Fitness Friday)

I have been practicing Pilates for over 7 years, I got hooked after seeing toning results from mat classes and then in natural progression moved into reformer classes and never looked back.  Being a runner, I was looking for another work out that would compliment the pounding of the pavement.

I feel like this post is important following last Fridays Fitness Friday post, training for a half marathon.  I, like may others during the training months came down with a head and chest cold.  The last thing I want to do or should do is go out on a 5 mile run.   Now I am stuck at home sick but cannot afford to give up a training day, why not do some Pilates! 

What does Pilates do?  The moves incorporate proper spinal alignment, which helps us move more efficiently.  A well-rounded work out will touch on every muscle group including your legs, and lets be honest what runner out there can’t use some good lengthening of the hamstrings.  Many Pilate moves trigger abdominal strength, like planking on one leg and oblique twists.  A strong abdomen helps protect the spine and prevent back injuries while pounding that pavement. 

Check out the moves below for some at home Mat Pilates moves that you can do on your down day or even incorporate before your daily run.  Enjoy

Corkscrew- lie with legs straight out and arms at side, engage the abs and lift the legs up roll them over head rounding out the spine, engage abs and bring legs back down (10 REPS)
Leg Swings- Arms down at sides, legs up to 90 degrees, engage obliques and swing legs right then left, make sure rib cage stay on mat (10 REPS each side)
Mountain climbers- Hold plank, gaze at mat.  Lift left knee to right elbow, replace foot, lift right knee to left elbow (8 REPS each side)
Bridge with glute dips- Arms long at sides, feet flat on the floor knees bent.  Lift hips up, pressing evenly through feet.  Lower the hips down a little and lift back up (3x) lower down and repeat (8 REPS).  Engage glutes and hamstrings.
Push up- Lower down into a push up, elbow in at sides.  3 count down and up (10 REPS).
Swimming- Engage glutes and quads, lift right arm and left leg then switch, keep legs and arms long and straight.  preform for 10 sec. 3 REPS
Scissor kicks- flex upper body and lift right leg, hold for 2 count lower and lift other leg.  Stay flexed up, sink the belly down keep legs straight and slightly lifted off mat (10 REPS each leg)

(These are all great pilates moves and I pulled photos from the below sites)

Pilates for runners by modernlyfeblog on Polyvore

Calorie-Blasting Moves From The Big Book Of Pilates
prevention.com

Best Pilates Moves For Runners
fitsugar.com

Best Pilates Moves For Runners
fitsugar.com

Pilates Arm Workout you can do Anywhere & Anytime
kristinmcgee.com

Adrianne Pelt
mastertraineradriannepelt.com

Core Integrity with Cat: Essential Yoga Moves
catcore.blogspot.com

Adrianne Pelt
mastertraineradriannepelt.com

2nd Trimester - Done!

Again I say, where is the time going. Summer is going by in a flash and my second trimester went along without a hitch.  THANK GOD!  Glucose test - check!  Iron test - check! So here we are already in the last trimester, plump (up 16 lbs!) and healthy.  The belly has doubled in size, feet swelling is becoming a big giant reality (pun intended), and healthy eating has been slowly replaced by some serious "I only a couple more months left to eat whatever I want" cravings.  Its a real shame In-N-Out is on my way home every.single.day!

Aside from pregnancy health, the last couple months saw busy days of nursery prep - see my inspiration here -  and European Babymoon bliss....more on that fun stuff later!

Scroll down for the full outfit  and a {super late} 28 week baby bump update!

Dress: Tildon Nordstroms // Shoes: Vera Wang // Jacket: Old {similar here and here} // Sunglasses: Ray Ban 

How far along? 28 Weeks

Baby Size: Chinese cabbage!  He's about 15 inches long and weighs approximately 2  1/4 pound!! He's developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Total weight gain/loss: 14 pounds {I've gained a couple more since then!}

Maternity clothes? Jeans and a few tank tops

Stretch marks? Nope.  

Symptoms:  Nighttime leg cramps are the worse!

Sleep: Still getting a full night's sleep without interruption!

Best moment this week: Completing my second Tri!

Worst moment of the week: My feet starting to swell after long days at work.

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Eating salami and prosciutto 

Movement: YES, tons!  Sometimes it feels like he's gonna jump out of my belly.

Food cravings: Carbs!  white rice in particular.  So weird!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Have you started to show yet:  Definitely!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? Peeking of out for sure!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.  Only a few months to go!!

Looking forward to: Starting maternity leave at 36 weeks!!


xoxo,
Lydia

Nursery Inspiration

Our little nursery is coming along pretty well. I get excited to see the progress each week.  We - and by we I mean my amazing hubbs JW - have done a pretty good job!   While we continue to put the finishing touches in our nursery, I wanted to share the inspiration behind my theme and designs. You'll notice crisp whites, modern greys and clean gender neutral patterns are the key elements of Baby Webb's new space.

I'll definitely share completed photos in the next couple weeks {hopefully!}.

Obsessed with Moroccan style Poufs!

{All images from Pinterest}

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,

Lydia

Napkin bow ties {DIY}

I was going to keep this post a little secret until the total unveil of a up coming baby shower, but I just loved them so much I couldn't wait.   I only needed forks for a tea party style shower, but you could wrap whichever utensils you need.  These are cheap and easy to make, I love the blue bow tie for a baby shower, but it would also work well for a child's birthday so kids can grab and go.

What you will need:
Cute mini duck tape or satin ribbon tape like these found at Wal-mart or Michaels
Square paper napkins- color of choice
Utensils to wrap inside

Step one: Start by cutting a few pieces of the tape so you have them ready to go

Step two: Place the utensil in the middle of the napkin

Step three: Fold the napkin in half, by bringing the top to the middle, then bring the bottom up to meet the top halve and then fold in halve again (see 2nd photo).

Step four: Pinch the middle of the napkin (no need to twist) and wrap the tape around securing tightly.  Be sure not to wrap to tight or the napkin will tare.

 Step five: Gently flare out the sides to make a bow tie look a like.

display next to dessert plates 

Each one may be slightly different but so are bow ties.  Hope you love these as much as I do.  More DIY to come....

XoXo
ML

Summer Holiday

The hubbs and I have been married for 4 years now, and we have done a pretty good job of cramming as much travel in as we could during these years before baby, visiting over 22 countries together!  We traveled {internationally} at least twice a year, sprinkled with weekend getaways domestically - fully taking advantage of all vacation days and every holiday, guilt-free!!  We figured once the kids come, we'll be home bound for countless holidays, and we're blessed to have family nearby and get to see them as often as we'd like.  Obviously a blessing and a curse.  ha!  {Totally kidding, family :)}

Earlier this year, we planned a summer anniversary trip to Portugal.  And in God's perfect timing, it also worked out so perfectly that this trip will double as our BABYMOON!  

My criteria for traveling while pregnant are 3 things: 1) European destination {non developing or 3rd-world}, 2) timed during my second trimester {when the health risks are few, and I'm not yet big as a house} and 3) culture along the coast! Again, even though we planned this trip pre-pregnancy, it falls seamlessly on all 3 things.  So perfect!

So here we go - less than a week from today - we're off to Portugal, Croatia and Germany for 15 days.  It sounds like a lot but I think its just enough time.

Here are just a few places of the beautiful places on our itinerary:

Hvar Island, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia 

{We're definitely taking the Game of Thrones Tour!!!}

Munich, Germany

Algarve, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Porto, Portugal

{All images from Pinterest}

Now, the only problem is....WHAT TO PACK?!?!?  Check back next week; hopefully I will have figured it out by then. 

XOXO!

Burlap pots (DIY)

You wouldn't know by reading our blog at this time, but we have done quite of few DIY projects.  I feel like we (lydia and I) mainly do them during the summer or when one of us is planning a party and need some fun decor.
Summer is officially here so I wanted to kick it off with a simple DIY project.  I will be hosting a few baby showers this summer and clearly need some fun and cute decor.  This project literally took me about 30 min and I was able to make 5 pots.  Great idea for a potted gift of herbs or succulents, which is how I will be using them.  I have a quick break down of what you  need below:

Time: About 30 minutes
Materials: Terracotta pots, roll of burlap, ribbon and spray adhesive.
Quick tip *spray adhesive is key in many projects, all materials can be found at Michaels don't forget to get a coupon first here.

Gather your materials and head outside.

1. Cut burlap to fit width of pot (add a little length)

2. Spray adhesive all around pot

3. Wrap the burlap around the pot stretching it as you go, it may be a little uneven but that's OK.  Wrap on a slight angle to cover top to bottom. 

4. Cut ribbon to make a bow and tie around pot 

It was that fast! Pot them with flowers, herbs or easy the care for succulents.

Spread the love,
XoXo

Baby Bump: 18 Weeks

Dress: Express (non-Maternity); Shoes: Tory Burch

It's hard to believe I'm almost half way through this pregnancy.  It's the first week that this bump is making a real appearance, but I think it's deceptively smaller in person. 

Dressing in the morning has become extremely challenging.  I've gone from quite an expansive closet to only a small selection of comfortable pieces to choose from.  Only a few items that actually fit properly {sigh!}. 

I love this summer dress from Express.  It's non-maternity so I figure this will be the last time I will get to wear it this year.   And the shoes - I currently live in wedges...especially cute Tory Burch wedges.  The snake skin detail on the platform makes this pair dressy yet versatile. 

{scroll down for my week 18 Update}

How far along? 18 Weeks

Baby Size: A Sweet Potato!  He's about 5.6 inches long and weighs about 6.7 ounces.  He's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing. He's big enough now that I can feel him twisting, rolling, punching and kicking too!

Total weight gain/loss: 5 pounds

Maternity clothes? Not yet.  Although I did buy a couple pairs of maternity jeans this week...let's hope that fit well.

Stretch marks? Nope

Symptoms:  Not much

Sleep: Still OK. Trying to sleep on my side more which is proving to be more uncomfortable than I anticipated.

Best moment this week: Started feeling flutters and little kicks/jabs

Worst moment of the week: Every morning...when I spend a good 20 mins staring into my closet, finding absolutely nothing to wear!!!

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Going on a good long run.

Movement: YES. See best Moment of the Week

Food cravings: Kettle Brand potato chips.  Honey Dijon is my fave but Thai Spice is good too.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, thankfully!

Have you started to show yet:  Yes, officially popped this week.

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy...it was a 3 day weekend!

Looking forward to: Starting to plan the nursery and building a baby registry.

Bye for now!

XOXO,
Lydia

{Pregnancy Update} The 1st Trimester

My posts don't normally stray too far from weekend outfits and getaways, but I thought with all the changes in my life, it might be perfect timing to get more personal.  What I love so much about blogs are the quick glimpses into the lives of real people, who are open and honest enough to share the good along with the bad....the real stuff.

I hope to use this space to share my pregnancy/baby experiences with family and friends; But largely for myself as well.  To document a journey that I know will change my life...in every way.

 

I am a little behind on progress updates so I'll try to wrap up the entire first trimester here.  So far, I've been extremely blessed to have had an easy pregnancy.  Except for a few weeks of extreme fatigue, I've had no morning sickness, no nausea, no bleeding or cramping, no weird skin issues (to my knowledge) and no severe aversions to food.  All-in-all I feel pretty much like myself except for my pre-pregnancy pants are starting to hate me just a little bit - they are definitely being stretched to their limits. 

Even with such luck, the one pregnancy symptom I couldn't escape was...worry.  I'm not sure if there is another significant human experience that leaves one feeling so helpless....like you have absolutely zero control.  Yes, you can eat super healthy and take all your prenatals, but no matter how much you think you're doing everything right, you'll still wonder and worry about how that little creature growing inside is doing.  And it seems the doctors and everything you read just exacerbate the worries with general statements and statistics – 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage in the first few weeks, bleeding and cramping are signs of miscarriage, don't eat soft cheese or drink caffeine because it will cause miscarriage, high body temperature caused by exercise will cause miscarriage or birth defects......so on and so on.  If you weren't worried before, you might be now.

I've learned the true test of faith and trust in God is in this crazy, but miraculous, process of creating a human being. There is no reassurance that the little cluster of cells in your early weeks will develop into a fetus, surpassing the uncertain "miscarriage stage"; and there is no way of knowing your fetus will grow into a healthy human with 10 fingers and 10 toes.  Basically, no guarantees.  All you can do is pray that its God's will.  For me, trusting in that makes the everyday fears of pregnancy a lot more bearable.  If it’s meant to be, it will happen.

Now that I'm in my second trimester (officially in the "safe zone" and supposedly the easiest Tri), I will continue to trust in my faith and do my part so that this baby grows well and healthy...even if it means gaining weight via frequent trips to In-N-Out burger.  Sacrificing for your kids starts the moment of conception after all! :)

I saw this pregnancy list on various blogs and thought it was such a fun way to share weekly updates! Here's mine from my last week in the 1st Tri {which was a few weeks ago now}:

How far along? 13 Weeks

Baby Size: A peach!  He's about 2.9 inches long and weighs about .81 ounces.  He has vocal cords, teeth and even fingerprints (wow!).

Total weight gain/loss:  {Maybe} 2 pounds

Maternity clothes? Not yet.

Stretch marks? Nope

Symptoms:  Amazingly, I feel like I'm having the best hair days of my life and its growing like a weed.

Sleep: So far so good!  I've never had a problem with sleep {I'm out as soon as my head hits the pillow}, so I hope it continues.

Best moment this week: Finding out we're having a boy. Actually found out at 12 weeks.

Worst moment of the week: Being super busy at work when all I want to do is sleep.

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything? Being able to have a glass of wine with dinner.

Movement: Not yet

Food cravings: Candy to keep me going at work for lack of caffeine!!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, thankfully!

Have you started to show yet:  Nope, thankfully...since I haven't started telling people at work yet.  {Keep in mind this is from week 13 which was a few weeks ago.  I have since told EVERYONE.}

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Tired but happy.  My husband would probably say moody.  :)

Looking forward to: So many things!  Decorating the nursery, buying baby clothes, and MEETING this little creature who’s taken over my body!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO,

Lydia