Burning, Blinking, & Bedspreads

  It's raining, but hey at least we're halfway through the week! Before you know it the weekend is here....and then it's gone haha! That's pretty much sums up most of our lives, at least I think so. We wait and we hope for something that only stays for a short time, then we blink. Moral of the story, enjoy things while they are here.
   Speaking of blinking, I was 19 weeks yesterday, which makes Baby H the size of a Zucchini(who picks this stuff??!!) and should be able to suck his thumb! At his last ultrasound it looked like he was trying to put it in his mouth but hadn't quite figured it out.
  As far as symptoms go I've mostly been having muscle pain in my legs, joint pain in my hips, and indigestion strong enough to light a candle. My doctor told me I should try a Belly Band. I've heard of women using it to wear their pre-baby pants longer but haven't heard many talk about the pain relieve benefits. As for the indigestion I have been drinking tons of water, eating slowly, drinking milk, but it always comes back with a vengeance. I don't wanna try Tums since I've heard it actually can make it worse and pregnant women should avoid it. If anyone knows of some natural remedies for indigestion, or if you've used a Belly Band or something like it, I would greatly appreciate your advice!
  In other news I got a new bedding set for our bedroom! I had one that I bought the June before we got married at Target. It was on sale for $40, 3 pieces(comforter and 2 shams), and was gold. Well probably about a month ago I noticed some holes on the top near the foot of the bed on Dillon's side. They were noticeable but not huge. Then they got bigger, and bigger, and now it's one big hole. Like the size of a really big "zucchini". I have no idea why it would happen, it's never happened with any other comforters or quilts I've had.
   So I've been looking around for something new, preferably without gaping holes, and we found this....

   I love it!!! At first I was looking for something beige or cream, but I'm so glad I went with this one. It kinda reminds me of Blue Willow china. I found it at Wal-mart for $50. It's from the Better Homes and Gardens line, and it's called Indigo Scrollwork. It's a 5 piece set( comforter, 2 shams, and 2 throw pillows). You can't find it on the Wal-mart website, but they might have it on there now since I looked like a week ago.
   Now that we have our new bedding I really want to have a fresh color for the walls. As you can see the walls are a light green, which I love, but I feel like it looks a little dingy now. It went well with the gold bedding but it's time for a change. Something still on the lighter side maybe? If you have any suggestions of a paint color I'd love to hear them!!!
   This Saturday night I have our church's annual Fall Follies. It's basically a talent show, only sillier! We have all kinds of acts from skits to musical performances. I usually choreograph a dance to perform somewhere in the show. Sometimes it's lyrical, sometimes it's theater jazz. But I won't be putting on my dancing shoes this year. Although I do have something else in the works for Saturday night. Here's a video of what my husband and I did a couple years back. Excuse the technical difficulties, it was better in practice, but he wasn't wearing his cute suit!

7 Beauty Tips For Pregnancy And Beyond

   If you're like me pregnancy makes you super aware of everything you do. You have to think before you eat anything, and also before you use a lot of beauty products you're used to using. Here are just a few tips to keep looking and feeling your best! By the way, these tips are great for everyone, especially if this (see picture below) isn't your morning routine.

1.Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Fine Lines

The retinoids found in most anti-aging moisturizers and products are something you should be avoiding while pregnant. That doesn't mean you can't still be preventing wrinkles. EVOO is going to keep your skin hydrated leaving it supple and smooth. Simply dab it on any problems areas on your face at night and let it work while you sleep. If you'd prefer not to use it over night just leave it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with warm water. Keep in mind it is sticky! Also if you find it causes you to break out more only use it under your eyes.

2. Toothpaste For Acne

If you have acne odds are you use a face wash or some kind of treatment that has salicylic acid in it, which is yet another thing pregnant women should avoid.(Side-note: you're probably wondering why you need to avoid all of these products since you won't be using them orally. Anything you put on your face has the potential to seep into your body through your pores. So keep that in mind anytime you use something on your skin). Toothpaste is good for dealing with acne since it is very drying when you put it on skin. Just dab a little anywhere you see a blemish(or cluster of blemishes) and it should help them to downsize.

3. Shaving With Baby Oil

Now don't go running to throw out your shaving cream. It's perfectly fine. But if you're just looking to prolong the life of your razor, or you ran out of shaving cream and you happen to have baby oil on hand, it's an awesome substitute. It gives you a nice close shave, and you don't need to use a lot! Just slather it all over your leg and get shaving!

4. Drink Lots Of Water

I'm sure you've heard this a million times. I know I have! But it can't be said enough. Not only do you and baby need water to live but your skin needs it to look it's best. Plus if you've had any cramping water is a way to make yourself feel better.

5. Walking 

Now that you're carrying around an extra 20 or 30 pounds exercising is the last thing on your mind I bet. Walking is one of the best low impact ways to keep moving through those 9 months. It's good to keep the bloat away, enhances mental well being,and helps maintain blood sugar levels. Please consult your doctor first before starting any exercise routines.

6. Using Vanilla Extract As Perfume

Perfume is fine during pregnancy, but it might make you feel queasy to smell it. Vanilla extract is something you can swap your usual perfume out for.  Just dab a a little on your pressure points(behind the ears, your wrists, etc.) before you leave the house. Bonus: men love anything that smells like baking, so your significant other should love the scent as well!

7. Facial Exercise Or Massage

Say what??!! I know this one might sound silly, but if you think about it we exercise our bodies to look firmer and younger, why not our faces?  Some people claim these are alternatives to botox and surgeries. Here is just one of many facial exercise routines, but you can find more on YouTube just like any other exercise videos. As for facial massage, that can be great if you've been experiencing headaches and sinus pressure. An easy massage you can do would be to gently rub your temples in a circular motion for a few minutes. You'd be surprised at the amount of tension released!

Please let me know if any of these tips helped you, I'd love to hear your feedback!