Five on Friday :: Books, Blardigans, Bargains & Bumps

We are back from Colorado and had a great time.  I plan to do a full recap complete with picture overload next week.  Until then, just as soon as we unpacked our bags from the mountains, we are packing back up for a long weekend in Matagorda - our 4th of July family tradition.  Although I'm super tired and would love to be lazy at home, it will be nice to be on the water and get some beach time in with Jack before he has a sibling in the mix!

ONE 

Speaking of being at the beach, I'm reading a great beach read right now - Jane Green's newest book Summer Secrets.  Love it!  I also just finished The Girl on the Train which I really liked too and can recommend.

Next up I'm considering reading Primates of Park Avenue, Family Pictures and Finding Audrey.

What are you currently reading?

TWO

Has everyone started gearing up for Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale?  I did some major damage last year purchasing a few of Sheaffer's "Must-Have's" like a Blardigan, Black Must-Have Shirt, leggings, and a few other tops.

This year I'm not as interested in the clothing sine I can't wear it for a while being pregnant and my sizes are all over the place but I'm VERY interested in grabbing another Blardigan since I have a feeling it will be my go-to piece this winter when I'm rocking a post-baby bod, nursing and on maternity leave.  I think that justifies grabbing another one, yes?  A new striped version is available this year!  For reference, normal blardigan price is $92, Anniversary Sale price is $60.90.  

If you are a Nordstrom cardholder, the early access sale is July 9-16!

THREE

While in Colorado, I discovered a new shampoo/conditioner that I love...and even better, it's super cheap!  Suave Professionals Almond + Shea Butter smells so good and so far has been giving me lots of good hair days even back in the Houston humidity. 


FOUR

Last Five on Friday I mentioned my search for a great maternity workout pant.  Not that I do that much "working out" these days.  We'll call them my "walking out" pants since walking is pretty much my preferred form of exercise.

Anyway, I ordered these from Nordstrom by Ingrid & Isabel out of desperation - so not wanting to spend $68. The longer "capri" version can be found here and is $78.

Thanks to a sweet blog commenter, I learned that Target sells a VERY similar product for a fraction of the cost called BeMaternity by Ingrid & Isabel.  Same brand, same style, similar material, much smaller price tag - currently on sale for $23.99 (or the knee length is $21.59!  Lucky for me, my Target had it in stock before my trip so I was able to grab a pair!

I ended up keeping both pair - the knee length Nordstrom version and the capri length Target version, both in black.  You can tell a difference in them just that the Nordstrom version material is a little thicker, but overall I'm 100% happy with the Target pair.  Both were comfortable, held me in, cool with the crossover panel in the back, and looked great even in my size L thighs! 

If you are in the market for a pair of maternity workout pants, I say go the Target route and use the extra money you saved on an entire outfit!  You can do the pants + this top + this top + a Starbucks treat for yourself for LESS than the price of just the Nordstrom pants!

Also note that the Nordstrom version only goes up to a Large.  No XL is available.  I'm a size 10/12 or standard Large these days, even at 22 weeks pregnant.  While the Large fits me great now, I probably would be more comfortable in my third trimester in the XL.  The material is very thick and compressive.  It's nice that Target comes in a variety of sizes from XS-XXL! 

FIVE

I'm loving my Bump Nest pillow!  So much so that it traveled with me to Colorado!  This pregnancy pillow is definitely NOT a bargain at $99 (currently on sale for $79 which irritates me since I spent $20 more a week ago), however I will say that it is worth the higher price tag than some of it's competition like the Boppy Total Body Pillow or Leachco Snoogle. The shape, stuffing and material make it different.  It's so silky, cool and soft while still being firm and supportive. 

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and happy and safe 4th of July! 

 --

Linking up:

I Just Want To Pee Alone

I want to share this hilarious book with you today called I Just Want To Pee Alone which is a collection of blogger essays about motherhood. 

Such a quick, easy read since they are all short essays.  These bloggers will leave you laughing out loud and hopefully feeling better about your own life.  I'm not a mom just yet, but I know this will help when sh*t hits the fan one day soon...I mean this literally and figuratively, by the way.  Don't miss this great read available through your eReaders and in paperwork on Amazon.com.  If you are in the Houston area, I know that the Blue Willow Bookshop is selling it. 

This would make a great Mother's Day gift!

Paperback available on Amazon.com for $9.99

I also have to mention that one of the bloggers featured in the book is my neighbor!  Check out her hilarious blog over at RachRiot.com.  Being published in a real book is something that I'm sure most bloggers, including myself, aspire to.  I will definitely be picking her brain at the next neighborhood get-together.  Way to go Rachael! 

Goodreads Book Challenge

Last year I challenged myself to read 25 books and I met it (barely) so for 2012 I have set a goal of 35 books!  You can follow me and read my reviews on Goodreads and set a goal for yourself too.  I only have 3 friends on Goodreads so if you join, friend me...how desperate do I sound?

If you aren't familiar with Goodreads, it's a social networking site for book lovers.  Once you join you can track what you have read, share your reviews and find new books to read based on your interests or past book loves. 

Next up for me is Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Weekend Recap

Jason and I had a very low-key weekend to say the least.  Jason is coming off of being sick and I seemed to have caught it so we majorly took it easy.  We didn't even decorate for fall like I wanted...boo!

Friday
We went to an early evening movie to see Straw Dogs.  Very violent, but good.  We like the theme of a family protecting their home.  Makes me never want to live in a small town though. 

Saturday

Sleep - Walk - Read - Nap - Eat - Sleep

That's pretty much how it went.  It was nice to be able to take it easy since I was puny.  I'm currently reading Sarah's Key, recommended (and bought) by my mom.  I'm not quite finished with it, but it's amazing and a must-read! 

On another note, Jason and I rented Bridesmaids. Can't believe we hadn't seen it yet, but it's really funny and definitely worth watching. Great to watch such a funny movie with a lead female cast.

 

Sunday

Pretty much a repeat of Saturday, but I added a trip to the grocery store, cleaning and laundry

Hopefully we will have a more exciting weekend coming up and that I feel better soon.  I'm even home sick from work today and about to go back to bed...

Summer Reading List

I love "Beach Reads" often referred to as Chick Lit.  I realize this type of reading isn't going to increase my intelligence, but sometimes it's just nice to read something mindless and fun.  Here are a few that I have enjoyed this summer:

The First Husband - Laura Dave
Typical chick-lit book.  Easy to read and entertaining.
5 out of 5 stars

The Other Woman - Jane Green

I love Jane Green!  This one did not disappoint.  It's about the relationship a woman has with her mother-in-law and how that can affect a marriage.  So glad I do not have a MIL like this one.  I felt so much for this character. 

4 out of 5 stars



French Lessons - Ellen Sussman

This book is almost like 3 stories.  You will enjoy it if you have been to Paris or want to go.  Although I liked it and read in just a few days, it left me wanting to know more about the characters.  Felt a little unfinished

2 out of 5 stars

A Bad Bride's Tale - Polly Williams

Another fun read with some shocking twists. 

4 out of 5 stars

Then Came You - Jennifer Weiner

This is my favorite out of my summer reading.  Even though it's chick lit, Weiner tackles some deeper issues like infertility, alcoholism, and homosexuality...just to name a few.  Very, very good. 

5 out of 5 stars

Borders Closing Sale: Proceed with Caution

Two weeks ago I received an email from Borders Bookstores about the store closing sale (sad day for them, happy day for me)!  The email advertised 40% off!  So off I went on a Saturday afternoon with a Starbucks in hand ready for some intense book browsing.  Imagine my extreme disappointment when I found out that ALL books were only a measly 10% off!  What a rip off - I can do better at Target, B&N or iBooks.  So I left immediately!

One week later, another email popped in my inbox saying prices have been slashed even more.  You can't fool me Borders...not going...no way...

Until today during my lunch break when I had an extra 30 minutes to kill and a Borders store was in the same shopping center calling my name.  I can't say it was a total waste, but I would proceed with caution.  Most books are 20% off now and they were slightly picked over.  The worst part was that the air conditioning was off (it's 100 degrees today) and so was the usual background music (making it seem eerie).  That mixed with the disheveled look of the store, the disgruntled employees and the long lines (of other suckers like me) made me feel depressed.  The only saving grace was that I found a book I've been wanting to read for $5.00. 

Weekend Recap

Friday

We were pooped from the week (a typical Friday feeling) so we just grabbed a bite down the street and headed home to chill. I had my head in a new book, The First Husband by Laura Dave, the rest of the evening.

Saturday

I had a haircut and added some beautiful blond highlights for the summer, while Jason did some stuff 'round the house. More reading Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening we had reservations at Post Oak Grill in Sugar Land. My parents gave us a gift certificate there for Christmas that we forgot we had! It was such a treat! Since we really never got around to properly celebrating our 2 Year Wedding Anniversary, Jason told them we were celebrating that when making reservations...

Way to go Jason! They gave us the best table, had rose pedals sprinkled on the table when we arrived and surprised us with one of our favorite desserts, Tres Leches. It was so much fun!

Sunday
I was so excited to spend the morning and early afternoon at home.  I didn't have anywhere to go so I was able to read, clean, do laundry and relax!  It was so nice.  I finished The First Husband and started the third and final book of The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay. 

We also had tickets for Houston's Free Press Summerfest, a two-day music festival at Eleanor Tinsley park.  We skipped out on Saturday's shows.  We weren't jazzed by any of the bands and it was HOT outside.  Sunday afternoon we headed out there, mostly to see Weezer at 8:30, but we got there around 5ish. 

Call us old, call us boring, call us lame, but we were so not prepared for what was Summerfest. 

It smelled HORRIBLE. 

Everyone there smelled because they were sweaty and gross from baking all day in the 100 degree heat, There was trash EVERYWHERE. 

We walked around, grabbed a cold beverage and found our spot on the hill, pretty typical.  But this was not your normal hill, it was so steep which made sitting very uncomfortable...

then the ants started...

then the thunder and lightning started...

then the rain started...

then the dread of the inevitable port-a-potty trips started...

And we still had hours until Weezer...

I'm ashamed to say it, but we left before seeing my beloved Weezer!

My judgement was clouded by the stink.  I'm feeling a little regretful today, but I've seen them plenty of times and promised myself next time they are in Houston, we will go.  

Summerfest...and yes, that's a huge butt crack.  Sorry- that was our view!

2 Tickets to Summerfest: $100.00

Parking at Summerfest:  $10.00

2 Beers at Summerfest:  $9.00

Not having to use a Summerfest Restroom:  Priceless

 

Weekend Recap

This weekend was very lazy and I loved it!  Friday night Jason went out for happy hour with a few coworkers so I rested, caught up on my DVR, and was asleep by 10:30. 

Saturday, I waitressed in the Junior League Houston Tea Room (part of my provisional year volunteer hours), came home and cleaned, and did more resting.  Jason and I went to dinner and ended up at Barnes & Noble for one of our favorite activities: coffee and book browsing.  While Jason was off looking for books on retirement planning (yawn) I grabbed a copy of The Hunger Games, found a comfy chair and started reading.  It feels like everyone in the blogosphere has read this series and raves about it, but to be honest, the trilogy could not have sounded less appealing- just not my kind of read.

Synopsis:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival.

By the beginning of chapter two, I was hooked.  Needless to say I purchased it and read for the rest of the evening. 

We had a typical Sunday doing normal Sunday tasks.  Lazy weekends are great, but make going back to work that much harder, especially on a day like today - cold and rainy!  All I want to do is curl up and finish Hunger Games.

I'm curious who else has read the book and series? 

The Happiness Project

I discovered The Happiness Project on another blog that I read and thought it would be fun to pickup, especially since it's the beginning of the year.  The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun, by Gretchen Rubin seems to be more about enhancing your life rather than simply going from sad to happy. 

I'm very content with my life, but am the first person to admit that nothing is perfect and there are always things we can do to make our days here better.  I certainly am the type of person that needs to learn to stop and smell and the roses more.  I constantly find myself worrying about tomorrow rather than appreciating today which is why this book seems so appealing. 

I just picked it up yesterday so I'm not too far in, but I plan on doing monthly posts about my progress.  The book takes one area each month to focus on:

January - Vitality: Boost Energy
February - Marriage: Remember Love
March - Work: Aim Higher
April - Parenthood: Lighten Up
May - Leisure: Be Serious About Play (Sidenote: this is perfect for my birthday month!)
June - Friendship: Make Time for Friends
July - Money: Buy Some Happiness
August - Eternity: Contemplate the Heavens
September - Books: Pursue a Passion
October - Mindfulness: Pay Attention
November - Attitude: Keep a Contented Heart
December - Happiness: Boot Camp Perfect

Has anyone else read this book or is currently reading it?