I’ve really been on an organization kick lately, maybe it’s the pregnant “nesting” so when I found a bucket bag where function meets fashion I couldn’t deny it!
I’ve really been on an organization kick lately, maybe it’s the pregnant “nesting.” When I found a bucket bag where function meets fashion I couldn’t deny it! While pregnant with George I truly had that strong “nesting” feeling. We spent hours and hours organizing his nursery. This time around I’m so busy chasing him around most of the time, I haven’t really prepped in the same way. That “nesting” feeling has still been prevalent though, so I’m trying to calm it in manageable ways. First, was the planner. Now, keeping my purse more organized.
The bucket bag has been on trend for awhile now, but I never found one that had everything I was looking for to pull the trigger. This leather bag was a great neutral color, but the functionality is what sold me. The inside has a removable key leash, ID slots, lipgloss/pen loops, phone pockets, and various other pockets to keep everything organized. As you may recall from previous post, I’m NOT organized by nature. I need all the help I can get. This makes finding things in my bag so easy.
These jeans are not maternity, but I’ve been wearing them this whole pregnancy thus far. They sit below the bump and have lots of strech. Gotta keep it comfy these days. I pretty much wear a graphic tee or one of these ($20) v-neck tees everyday. They are easy and comfortable.
P.S. I’ve never worn these rose applique studded booties and not gotten complimented on them. I love that they cut low so they are cooler for summer.
P.P.S. Makeup was done by Chels Rey Makeup She does such a great job if you are looking for someone in Nashville!
I’ve been on the search for the best father’s day gift ideas out there and have come up with some any dad would love!
I’ve been on the search for the best father’s day gift ideas out there and have come up with some any dad would love!
Technically last year was Trey’s first time year celebrating Father’s Day, but G was only a month old and we didn’t really understood the significance of being a parent yet. Now that he is 13 months, it seems more real that we are responsible for this tiny human. Seeing Trey interact with G just melts my heart. They have such a sweet bond. Georgie babbles “da da” all day long. Whenever he leaves for work, there’s always a small meltdown that follows. He will even sit at the back door and hold his shoes. Then when he walks back in the door after work, G will get the biggest smile on his face and go to him as fast as his chunky little thighs will allow.
I bet there was once a day that people would bet against Trey as ever being a father (he had his wild moments…) but he sure is killing the dad game! He looks up articles on what we should be doing with him at each stage, gets up and makes middle of the night bottles, gets on the floor and plays with him, and shows him love and patience. You can’t ask for more than that!
So…. I wanted to make this Father’s Day really special and get him a bunch of things I know he needs/wants. I hope these Father’s Day Gift ideas give you some inspiration on what to get the special father (or father figure) in your life!
5 Father’s Day Gifts Ideas:
1. Tecovas Boots – I have had a pair of these for a little over a year now, and was so impressed with the quality for the price. Tecovas has removed the “middle man” from the process, bringing the price down and keeping the quality high. He has been asking for a pair of these for awhile… so what better time than now!
2. Framebridge Custom Framed Pieces I recently talked about Framebridge in detail, because I got him some concert tickets framed. You can read all about that process HERE. He’s been wanting to frame some of his client’s show posters and photography from meaningful shows. I couldn’t be happier with how these turned out! I used the designers help option… it sure makes life easier!
If you want to make sure you get your custom piece in time here are the deadlines to do so. My pieces were both “mail-in” items.
Mail-in deadline: June 5th 12am PST (i.e. Sunday night)
Upload deadline: June 12th 12am PST (i.e. Sunday night)
Designer’s choice reminder/deadline: June 14th 12am PST
Trey has had to travel a lot of 1 and 2 day trips lately, and has been in need of a good carry on bag. I found this carryall and must admit I’m pretty obsessed with it. I might just have to borrow this one. It’s made from 100% neoprene so it’s versatile and durable. It comes with several interior pockets, a shoe bag, a key leash, removable mesh pocket, a laptop pocket, and an exterior phone/ID pocket. I was so impressed with it’s functionality. This is the size large in the dark moss color.
4. Craft + Foster Candle These come in several manly scents like “whiskey and cola and tonic and talc”. The packaging is also “manly”. I’ve lovingly nicknames these his “mandles.”
5. Comfy Tees/ Grahpic Shirts- Ya’ll probably know by now I have an infatuation with Chaser brand. Well… they have guys now too. You can find that reflected moto baseball shirt HERE. I’ve also linked some other of my favorite Chaser mens tees below. Did you know Revolve has men’s fashion too!? This has been one of my go to sites to shop for awhile now, and they also have great stuff for the guys.
I’ve also added father’s day gift guide ideas on the “Shop Nordstrom Sale”.
Traveling with a baby is no easy task, but with some organization and patience it’s well worth the trouble! We are a family on the go, and often get asked “how do you do it!?” Not going to lie, it’s hard. I really love making the memories, and introducing G to so many new places and things. For our family, it’s worth the trouble.
This past weekend we took a quick Memorial Day weekend road trip to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area.
First, we went to a concert for one of Trey’s artist. It’s always fun to see G clap and dance along to the music. It’s SOOOO important to put noise cancelling headphones on your babies ears! You can shop the ones we use HERE. (These make a great shower gift for music loving couples….) One of the tricks (and we don’t have this mastered just yet, but we are trying) is to keep the baby on as much of the same schedule as possible. So I left the concert early to go back to our hotel and get G in bed close to his normal bedtime.
The next day we headed over to Dollywood. If you are a Tennessee native, I recommend this park for the little ones! It’s a nice and clean family park that’s nestled in the Smoky Mountains. There are lots of trees for shade, and it’s extremely stroller friendly. They had a little baby splash pad and playground with soft foam that G just loved! Trey and I ate our way through the park. I’m talking corn dogs, potato twirls, funnel cake, root beer floats….no calories were spared here. It was a pregnant girls dream. We also had fun going to the fair section and playing the games. (Trey even won Georgie a little stuffed animal!) There were also a couple baby friendly rides that G could do.
Tips for traveling with a baby on a road trip:
* If you can schedule to leave the house right when they typically nap it is easiest. This way they can sleep as much of the car ride as possible, and stay as close to their daily schedule as possible.
*As tempting as it is to stay out late and just have them sleep in the stroller, do your best to head back to the hotel and let them sleep in a pack in play or something similar to their home schedule. A crabby baby doesn’t make for a fun trip….
*If they sleep with a sound machine, special blanket or anything else…bring it along! Keeping that home like feeling is key!
* Have lots of snacks, books, and toys on hand! If one of you can sit in the back during the car ride itself and read or play…bonus points.
* Stay calm. HA!
We are a t-shirt and jeans kinda family. I truly swear by Chaser brand because of the quality and how soft the fabric is. I just realized G can fit in their smallest size…and I couldn’t be more excited! Now we can all wear it.
I know I’ve mentioned the jeans G is wearing before, but they are the best out there. Trust me, I’ve tried A LOT. They are designer, but at a great price. They are made of a knit material and not a typical denim, so they are super soft and strechy. You can shop them HERE.
I’m still stuck on the white on white trend this summer. Pretty daring with a baby…
Daniel Wellington just launched the classic petite leather watch in white!!! IT goes perfectly with my white on white summer uniform. The one pictured is with the rose gold detailing. You can get 15% off by using promo code “BEAUANDARROW” when you shop the watch!!
The countdown to baby 2 is creeping up on us, and I’m so fortunate that some family and friends have asked if we are registered or what we need this go around. One of the good things about having two boys in 14 months, is that we have most of what we “need.” There were some things with Georgie that I wish I would have had and then some things that we need to adjust to two babies instead of one.
I registered at Gugu Guru this time around. It’s completely customizable, so you can add things from any site. When you first sign up you complete a quick survey that gets a good sense of your style and what type of parent you are. (They are images/mood board style so it’s extremely easy). They then match you to items that fit your lifestyle needs and aesthetic. You can pick from those items, and also add items from any website. I found things that truly fit my style perfectly!!
You can also choose to have a Gugu Guru team member review your product choices before publishing your registry. All of the items they have on their site have gone through safety testings and various other protocols to make the cut! If you are completely overwhelmed with all of the products on the market, you can use their concierge service. You tell them your lifestyle, budget, and personal style and they match you with a professional baby planner that will curate a registry just for you. (Wish I would have known about that for G!)
Being a Nashville, music traveling family we thought it would be fun to partner to bring ya’ll a themed registry guide with a Nashville themed baby goods! All of the products are produced here in Tennessee or the Nashville area or are centered around music.
Rowdy Sprout:
These vintage looking band tees and pajamas are the absolute cutest! This company keeps a mom and pop shop vibe, and sells in small batches. All fabric is made & cut in the USA. All products are printed in the USA. Each product is licensed which means we pay royalty to all your favorite bands. (As a music business family this is so important!)
Milkbarn Kids :
This is a Tennessse based company where the products are well made and not mass produced. I love the creative and fun fabrics. It’s a mother-daughter duo and the daughters designs appear on many of the prints! I just love their pajamas, rompers, hooded towels and even little baby robes.
Rockabye Baby! Music :
These are so fun! They are lullaby renditions of your favorite bands. In their words, “Rockabye Baby makes rock music baby-friendly and kids music adult-friendly.” How cool is that?! We played these over my belly when I was pregnant with Georgie, and I contribute this to his love for music now. It’s so fun to watch him react to music and dance along, or a ballad soothe him. We are playing these for baby #2 as well!
Little Bits Nashville :
I love their “love you always” memory box. It makes a great gift, but it makes it easier to write little notes about special memories and milestones that you can share one day with your little one. They also have cute little baby onesies, like this guitar one.
Shop Sugar Babies :
Ok, so this one breaks the Nashville theme, but this Modern Burlap “hello world” swaddle was just too cute not to include. We used swaddles like crazy with Georgie, and not only is it perfect to use to swaddle baby #2, but it will make such a cute background for pictures of him when he is a newborn. This is from the Shop Sugar Babies website, they have such cute brands and baby products!
Even if you aren’t a music city dweller, these Nashville themed baby goods make great gifts for any music lover in your life!
This pregnancy has truly flown by, but I wanted to take a moment to reflect and give a little 32 weeks pregnancy update!
With Georgie, I had some complications along the way so I was always thinking about being pregnant and I really noticed all of the little aches and pains along the way. This time around I’ve been so busy chasing G around, trying to keep up with the house, blog, travel, and everything else that happens on any given day, that I haven’t tuned in to my body. I wanted to take a minute and reflect.
At the beginning of this pregnancy I truly felt great! Other than the first trimester tiredness, I was feeling really “normal.” I felt like I could accomplish so much in a day during the second trimester. My energy levels were up, my aches and pains were minimal and that chronic sleepiness had worn off. BUT THEN….. the third trimester hit. Day after day I feel like I push myself to the complete limit, and then when my head hits the pillow at night all of the pregnancy pains hit like a ton of bricks. Sleeping is next to impossible, which is all I want to do!
So 32 weeks seems like an accomplishment! From here on out I’m pledging to be a little easier on my body and on myself in general. Some things will just have to wait. I’ve been getting asked a lot how I do it all, and I don’t want to fool anyone. I don’t! At the end of every day there are still things that haven’t been done on the to do list. I do believe that keeping active as long as you can really will help you feel your best during pregnancy!
When people ask me how I’m doing, I always respond “great!” One because I don’t think anyone truly wants to hear about how bad my back hurts, that I can’t sleep or that I’m constantly tired and two because I truly believe keeping a positive attitude is key! If I keep telling myself I’m doing just fine, maybe just maybe I’ll trick my body into believing it. Worth a shot!
I want to really embrace these last couple weeks, and prep for the arrival of baby #2! I’m so excited to meet him. We had an ultrasound done the other day and he was looking a lot like G. I’m curious to see if they will look alike, or if this one will favor Trey more.
As the timer till his arrival ticks away my main goal is to soak up my time with just G too!!
Anyone out there with babies very close in age? I need all the advice I can get!
Also, I’m really not into buying many maternity clothes. I look for things that will accommodate the bump and also work after. The lowest rise jeans are key for this! I live in graphic tees, as you have probably noticed. Starstruck vintage in Nashville is a gold mine!!! She hand distressed them and I’m completely obsessed! It’s a vintage shop and there are always amazing finds in there. If you aren’t local to Nashville you can find her HERE. You can thank me later… 😉
My weekend outfits can always be a little more dressy than weekdays. I still stick to graphic tees and white jeans, but add some heels and a different bag to spice it up!
Weekends have changed so much since little G has joined our family. Trey and I love our sleep, and we were “chronic weekend sleep iners.” It that’s a thing. I’m talking noon-ish. Needless to say Georgie does not share this love, and times have changed drastically! Now we spend our weekends running errands where both of us can help with him, taking him to do different activities, and waking up early. I’ve learned to really love feeling productive on the weekends too. (We use to do the complete opposite.)
This weekend we went and met a friend of ours new baby and had dinner. G was able to play with their puppy and 3 year old and LOVED it. We also home shopped, I did a collaboration deal, we both answered tons of emails, I squeezed in a shoot, we went to lunch with some other friends, looked at houses to buy, and now heading out to a Sunday wedding. I’m still determined to squeeze in painting my Mother’s Day present mirror in there as well.
When Trey is home on the weekends, it’s a little easier for me to get ready. Let’s just say my weekend appearance and weekend outfits are drastically different than weekdays. I’m loving this distressed eagle tee, but brightened it up with some white jeans for summer. I paired it with my favorite designer buy nude heels and Celine bag. I typically can’t carry this when it’s just G and I since it’s hard to get it over my shoulder. It’s fun to whip it out when Trey is around on weekends to help.
You can completely complete a look with the accessories. This Daniel Wellington watch is such a classic! It literally goes with everything and can be dressed up or down. You can use promo code “BEAUANDARROW” for 15% off yours!
I still can’t believe my baby is one, but we had a great time planning and throwing this woodland animal themed first birthday party!
I still can’t believe my baby is one, but we had a great time planning and throwing this woodland animal themed first birthday party!
G really loves animals, so the woodland animal theme seemed perfect and fit great with our venue. We had it at The Old School Nashville. If you are a Nashville resident or visiting you must check this place out. It’s a fully restored historic schoolhouse, that also has a barn space (where we had the party), a speakeasy style music venue space, and indoor and outdoor dining. The Old School gives back to the community and employs adults with intellectual disabilities. Everything is farm to table, and uses products from a 10 mile radius of the farm. It’s just a really special place.
We were able to find adorable woodland animal themed invites… you can see find them HERE. Minted has been my go to for all paper products lately. This was actually a baby shower invite, but they were able to tweak the design to make it for a birthday party. We got the matching thank you notes as well. They save your addresses and you can easily click the ones you want and add them on the envelopes for free! (This saves sooo much time!!)
The food for the event was provided by Milk and Honey Food Company. Alex, the owner, is a dear friend of mine. She is also charity driven, and with each order she provides meals to local families in need. Her food is (almost) as amazing as her sweet heart!
With the help of my friend Chelsea (check out Chelsea Rochelle Photography) on the florals, and my parents, all the decor was a labor of DIY love. (Besides the adorable highchair banner… that was provided by Pretty Little Clippie. Her designs are just adorable.
My dad built the frame for behind the food table. To make moss letter, I purchased each individual letter, sprayed adhesive on them and then covered them with bag moss. We used fishing line to hang the letters from the frame.
I was overwhelmed with all the love we felt for G on his birthday. We are SO thankful to have friends and family that love him so much. I’m a true believer that it takes a tribe to raise a child, and we have some of the best out there guiding us and pitching in.
While love from Mother’s Day and our Anniversary is on my mind, I had to show ya’ll this bomber jacket and some of my other favorite bomber jackets. How cute is this lightweight bomber ?! It’s on sale for $60, and is such a fun item to add to the closet. I paired it with these leather pants only because I was wearing it for a date night and dressing it up a bit. I think it would look adorable with some black denim cut offs and this stripe tee OR over an all white look (white t-shirt and white shorts) with some sneakers. Bomber jackets are still hot and it’s great to carry them into the spring/summer seasons!
Life has been completely hectic lately. It just hit me the other day that we do not have a single free weekend until baby #2 arrives! We have a lot of upcoming travel and A TON of weddings. With this baby I have been a lot more easy going as far as prep work. We have everything we need (mostly) from G. BUT I still think it’s important that we get him some of his own belongings and make sure to have everything for him out and ready. It’s more of a mental thing, but I want his arrival to be just as special as Georgie’s was!
Also, we finally have a name for the second babe. We decided to keep it a secret (even to our parents.) I think it’s fun for Trey and I, and will leave a little element of surprise for his arrival.
P.S. I’ve linked some of my favorite bomber jackets that are fitting for spring/summer! Most are under $100 and all are lightweight! You can also head to the “shop” tab under the home screen and see them all there as well.
I’m always looking for meaningful anniversary gift ideas and I think framing a special moment in time is the perfect one!
I’m always looking for meaningful anniversary gift ideas and I think framing a special moment in time is the perfect one! I’m so happy with how this shadowbox of these concert tickets turned out from Framebridge.
One of the best parts about Framebridge is that they have designers that can help you frame your project based on your design style. I knew I wanted to “float mount” these tickets to give a shadowbox effect. After letting them know that and my style, they helped me through the process and kept me involved the entire time. It truly couldn’t be easier!
Trey and I met at a concert. One of his bands was playing, and I was a concert “goer”. We truly have been inseparable since. I went to that concert with my best friend, and on my bachelorette party she gave me the tickets from that night. It was amazing that she still had them, and I treasure them so much. This was the perfect way to save that moment in time that has become one of my all time favorite nights. It has been one of my best anniversary gift ideas to date!
Since I have become a wife and mom I’ve become more sentimental. I love the idea of capturing a picture of a special place, tickets from an important event, invites, etc. Be sure to use promo “beauarrow15” and receive 15% off your first order!!!
It’s hard to believe it’s already been two years since we tied the knot. We (almost) have two babies in that time and every day I am thankful for our marriage. Nothing is more important to me. Trey is easy to love and life is just fun with him. I remember thinking on our wedding day that I couldn’t love anyone more, but somehow watching him with Georgie, I absolutely do! He has embraced being a husband and father whole heartedly and we sure love him something fierce.
Ok, enough sappy stuff, I’m off to our anniversary dinner! Hope everyone has a great week, make sure to let the ones you love know how much they mean to you, and not just on the “important days.”
It’s so hard balancing a healthy lifestyle in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but I’ve made it a priority to do so and have a few tips on how to make it manageable.
The other day I talked about how hard it is balancing the many hats we wear and maintaining your sanity doing so. One of the main points from that posts is finding what your priorities are and really just focusing on those. If that requires reaching out for help to cross them off the to-do list, then by all means, check the pride at the door and get the help!
Balancing a healthy lifestyle is one of the more important things to me. Don’t get me wrong, I fail at it frequently, but it is something that I try to put high on the priority list. With how busy the day to day craziness is, it’s one of the things I have had to allocate extra help with. There is a meal delivery service in Nashville called Eat Well Nashville, that prepares healthy, ready to eat, meals and delivers them to your door. No grocery shopping, no meal prep, no having to think of recipe ideas. It makes eating healthy so much more achievable. This week we tried the turkey meatloaf, and the no noodle, veggie lasagna. Both were SO good. It was so nice to be able to sit down with Trey when he got home from work at the table and eat a great meal, without all the time and hassle that would typically go into that. I HIGHLY recommend doing this for yourself!
Another part of that being healthy that I really want to be a priority, but I’m not afraid to admit I fail at regularly is working out. It’s not often I have someone to help watch G for me to go to they gym or a workout class. It really takes extra motivation, scheduling, etc. to make that happen. I’ve learned to take the do what you can, when you can approach. BUT, let’ be real having super cute workout clothes does give you that extra bit of motivation. Ellie fitness subscription box. It’s 5 items of workout clothes or gear for $49.95 delivered to your door in an adorable metallic box. For me, it gives me that extra little nudge I need to get myself together and make that a priority. It’s more realistic in my life, to take Georgie for a walk, and do some lunges with the stroller, some calf raises doing my hair, and some planks and a couple of arm weights before bed. I believe just that little bit is much better than nothing at all!
