Tuesday, January 28, 2014

BEAUTY: TOP EIGHT RED LIPSTICK PICKS

Wearing a beautiful, bold red lip is my very favorite go-to look when wearing make-up. Since I have red hair, it's a little tricky deviating from a red without it looking a little funky so I tend to stick with red as my top color choice. Wearing a red lip can seem a little intimidating but the great things is that most skin types and hair colors beautifully pull off a classic red lip. --- Not to mention, wearing a red lip is totally acceptable year-round. It goes beautifully with every season. :) Check out my latest video for my top eight, go-to red lip picks!





PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Kate Moss 111 in Kiss of Life - Rimmel
* Stay all Day in Beso - Stila
* Brat Pack - Poppy King (similar) 
* Velvetines in Red Velvet - Limecrime 
* Color Elixir in Signature Scarlet - Maybelline 
* Shame - Urban Decay 
* Liquid Lip Balm in Apple-A-Day - Almay 
* Matte Balm in Standout - Revlon

Quick Baby Update: Soren is still cozy in there!! Feelings lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and 3cm, we're hoping to see him soon! :) -- Also it's snowing in Atlanta so prayers for safe travels to the hospital if he decides to come soon would be great! 

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, DIY, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Friday, January 24, 2014

A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT THE "LAST DAYS"

I'm just sitting here, as pregnant as can be! Let's be real, at this point in the game I'm so done...haha. I've loved this experience so much but now that it's at that "at any moment" phase of the game, I'm so anxious to just meet him. Having the flu a week ago kinda put me off my feet and drained that "nesting energy" I had going on. Now I'm just uncomfortable constantly and at the same time having that Christmas morning feeling, except this time Christmas isn't on a specified day or time. All of this is really very surreal. I "know" I'm pregnant...I "know" there's a baby in there...but it's just not a reality for me yet and I just can't imagine that moment.


I've pushed the pause button on outfit posts and getting ready in general and I've been taking full advantage of some down time before "go time"! At first I felt bad about it, but now I'm realizing it's totally ok and good for me.

I never imagined that this part of the pregnancy would be this emotional or difficult. I tend to consider myself a very patient person, but waiting has been so hard! Especially since his nursery is ready, our bags are packed and we're 100% ready for this baby to make an appearance! I'm trying to keep myself busy, but honestly I just want to watch a marathon of Parenthood, eat Valentine's day candy, wear my husbands PJs and veg out, so that's what I'm doing. ;)

We are 10 days away from due date and I had my doctor's appointment this morning. Things are moving along smoothly and we're all crossing our fingers for an appearance within the next 5 days. -- If not, one of Jon's co-workers told him about an Italian restaurant in Atlanta that serves a mean eggplant parmesan, promised to make a woman go into labor within 48 hours. They even have an eggplant baby wall! Maybe that will be our next date night if he isn't here by Wednesday! ;) -- All joking aside, I want him to come when he's ready and be healthy, I'm just SOOO excited to meet him.

On a side note, I've got some great guest posts lined up from some awesome mommas while I'm away. I'm planning to continue blogging once he arrives, I'll just be blogging a little less for a little while. -- If you'd like the latest baby news and updates be sure to follow me on Instagram, I'll probably be posting a lot there first before blogging about it and sharing an obnoxious amount of baby photos...you can find me at @savannahmaiedae. :)

OH! One last thing, my business partner and beautiful best friend just added some amazing prints to her calligraphy shop! You need some of these prints, they are stunning!

Love you all lots!!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

CURRENTLY READING

This year I've added a pretty "cliche" goal to my list: READ MORE! I absolutely love reading informational books that are focused on development, creativity, or practical information. Matter of fact, I tend to collect them and totally forget to actually READ them. Not awesome. So with the extra time I've had resting, being sick, and doing my best to take it easy before baby arrives, I haven't had an excuse not to get started on a few books that have been on my reading list for awhile. I'm also hoping the hours and hours of nursing in my near future will also result in some reading time. :)

Here are the books I'm currently reading and pouring over. So far I'm loving all of them a gigantic amount. Since I haven't finished them quite yet I won't do a review, but so far, I highly recommend picking up any one of these books:


BOOKS FEATURED
* The Happiest Baby on the Block - Ways to calm a crying baby & help your newborn sleep better.
* A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book - Inspirational & fun for anyone wanting to amp up their photos!
* Brining Up Bebe - A mommy shares her experience with French parenting.
* Jesus Calling - Daily devotional. SO GOOD!
* Happier at Home - Enjoying everyday life and loving your home.

What is on your reading list? Any "must-read" suggestions for me? I'm always on the hunt!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

PROJECT HOME: NURSERY REVEAL!

I'm SO excited to finally be revealing Soren's nursery! If you've been following along, we shared our nursery inspiration board here, a fun dresser DIY and before photos here, and our beautiful star feature wall here! Just to give you a quick recap, we decided to go with a "Star Wars" themed nursery, however, we wanted to make it more subtle and bright. It was a lot of fun finding unique artwork and pieces to create the theme but also work towards making it feel not over-done. We LOVE how everything turned out and now all we need is a baby!! 13 days away from due date! 

Jon already had the Star Wars lego collection, that he had been working on for a couple years, so we decided to display some of the best ones in the nursery. We also added in a couple of stuffed animals and pieces from our childhood to include in Soren's space. It's amazing how different this room looks from when we first started. It feels so bright and cheery now, it's probably my favorite room in the house. :)




THE DETAILS
* Crib - Babyletto Hudson
* Rocking Chair - Nursery Works
* Boba Fett & Episodes IV - VI Artwork - Conceptions Studios
* mamaRoo - c/o 4moms
* Crib Sheet & Changing Pad Cover - Land of Nod
* Flag Banner - c/o Ordinary Mommy
* Silver Star Decals - c/o Walls Need Love
* Side Table - West Elm
* Rug, Ottoman, Lantern, Curtains, Shelves, Square Bookcase, Cart, Hamper - IKEA
* Side Table Lamp - Target
* Name Poster - Jenny Highsmith Lettering
* Return of the Jedi Print - Handz

Thanks so much for taking a look at our nursery!!

Saturday, January 18, 2014

BEAUTY: EYELINER PICKS FOR THE PURRFECT CAT-EYE

Put together a quick video sharing some of my all-time favorite products for getting a beautiful cat-eye look! Please excuse the slightly "smokey" voice, we've almost recovered from the flu over here and the good ol' vocal cords had a rough time last week. ;) In any case, a good cat-eye is one of my favorite go-to looks. It's classy with the right amount of edge, it also translates beautiful as a daytime or nighttime look! Check it out!



PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner - Revlon // http://bit.ly/1fKcfLR
* The Blackbuster - L'Oreal // http://tinyurl.com/kvke4g3
* Stay All Day Liner - Stila // http://bit.ly/Jn551L
* Clay Eyeliner - Tarte // http://bit.ly/19MGEjG

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, DIY, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Friday, January 17, 2014

PROJECT HOME: DINING ROOM PROGRESS

I mentioned quite a few weeks ago that we made some fun layout decisions for our main floor. Instead of keeping two sitting rooms and a formal dining room, we decided to turn our "den" into the main and only sitting room, turn our formal dining room into my studio and turn our living room into our dining room! Sound confusing enough? Check out this post for a quick visual of what I mean. :)

Two weekends ago, Jon and I got a burst of energy and decided to finally paint over the beige walls in the new studio and dining room and start the steps to bringing these spaces to life. One of the most helpful strategies we've done in our home is that whenever we decide to paint a room, we also replace all outlets, switches, cover plates, vents and doorknobs in order to give the space a completely fresh look. We love saying goodbye to mix-matched plates, brass vent covers and doorknobs from the 70's that don't work anymore! -- Each time we do this it completely transforms the space and takes out the "grunge" feeling from living in an older home and really brings out the charm! You can see from the photos below how dark and grungy this space felt before. The first photo is from the original house listing when we bought it and the remaining are from right before we got to prepping and painting. :)


For the dining space, we decided we wanted to really create a beautiful central entertainment room that would be suitable for hosting a large dinner and friends. We also decided that since most of our vision for the main floor includes a lot of neutrals that we should go ahead and take the plunge at embracing color and really make this room a statement! -- That we did! I brought home a huge stack of paint samples from Lowe's, we taped them on the wall, and took about 2-3 days to decide what color was best. Even then, last minute we changed our minds and went with this super striking Emerald color from Pantone. Emerald was 2013's color of the year, by the way! This color is surprising and refreshing. I was super nervous about it beforehand but after seeing it on the walls during the day and during the night, I fell in love. It's gorgeous and is SO fun. I can't wait to really get my hands on this room and get it furnished!


My vision is to have a massive bright white table, metal chairs, some funky faux hide rugs, a beautiful gallery wall AND as a project for down the road, we want to do a huge built in bar area complete with a fridge, glassware display and all the fixings for cocktails, mocktails, coffee, soda, and cocoa. Jon and I have definitely spent a fair share of time in this room imagining the space and we can't wait to see some of these projects begin! But first, we're just focusing on the tables!!

Also, just as a fun and quick side note, as you may notice in these pictures we've strung bulb lights from the ceiling. These were actually left-over lights from our wedding in 2010, originally purchased at Target. There currently isn't any electrical wiring done in this room so to add some pizazz and light, we went with an "outdoor restaurant" look by swaging the lights. It makes the room look so beautiful at night! -- It's also SUPER easy! We used screw in hooks to hold the lights in place and just made sure to make them tight so no one would bump their head on them or get strangled! Twinkle lights do wonders!

LEFT TO DO IN THE DINING ROOM
* Paint walls
* Replace all outlets, plates, switches and vent covers
* Touch up the white trim
* Buy tables and chairs
* Rugs!
* Add in curtains
* Run electricity and add in lighting above the tables
* Work on the "bar" project
* Put together a gallery wall
* Get creative and add something surprising to this room

Thursday, January 16, 2014

OH BABY: DIARIES FROM THE THIRD TRIMESTER NO.02

I've posted a lot of little baby updated here and there since getting back from the holidays but I wanted to make sure I did at least one more diaries post while this little one is still inside me. :) After little Soren arrives, I'm planning to continue a "mommy diaries" type of post series to take place of this one. Just a place to share stories and candid thoughts with you about being a new mommy. :)


The above photo was taken at 35weeks, I totally need to squeeze in a 38week bump-date soon! 

We are just a few days away from week 38, and I'm sitting here in unbelief that I could be meeting our sweet baby boy at any point now. It's been such an exciting adventure since finding out in May and it's finally gotten to this place where I can start to imagine Jon and I cuddling him, smelling the top of his head, finally seeing what he looks like, and letting him hold our fingers with his tiny grasp. Not to mention being able to share him with the people we love. Soren will never know what it's like not to be loved. He already has amazing grandparents, aunts, uncles, adopted family members, AND a little best friend on the way (we can't wait to meet Rowan in May!!!). I completely adore my family and have been so blessed to see it grow over the years after marrying Jon. I never really grew up with grandparents or close aunts and uncles so the idea of being able to give my child that type of family and legacy has been something that has held so much meaning to me.

I know it will be hard to share him at first. I'm having a hard time imagining him out of my arms or Jon's arms in the beginning, but I can't wait for him to share life with so many incredible people and family members. I can't wait to see who he will become and what he will learn. :)

Now let's get onto thoughts about labor and delivery! A hot topic in my mind lately. ;) Last time I went to the doctor she was pleased with the status of my cervix and said that I was already 2cm dilated, baby's head was low, things were thinning out and moving forward, which is awesome! That was about 2 weeks ago and I have another appointment scheduled for tomorrow, so we'll see if anymore progress has been made or if things are looking the same.

I have a lot of suspicions about my labor...first of all, I'm feeling very calm. Jon and I took a very in-depth child-birthing class at our hospital and if anything, walked away feeling very informed about the hospital experience, intervention possibilities, and a wide variety of things to potentially expect. I think all of that information made me feel good and have an "I can do this!" attitude. Being surprised, having no idea what's going on and being uniformed makes me more nervous, so that was definitely a great thing for us. Jon also left those classes feeling confident in being a good coach and understanding what he can help me with during that time. SO, back to my suspicions...while my plan is to go in and be adaptable, the history of the mamas in my family show a lot of quick "let's get this show on the road" labors. Part of me is trying to prepare myself for a longer labor and another part of me is trying to prepare myself for a quick labor...I think that's probably the scariest part of going into this process, is having absolutely NO IDEA what to expect! BUT I do truly believe that the discomfort that comes along with the 3rd trimester and the excitement of wanting to meet your little one makes it less scary. While the whole hospital/labor/giving birth makes me a little wide-eyed and sweaty...knowing how purposeful and temporary it is, and the amazing "prize" at the end, really takes almost 100% of my fears away.

SO, speaking of the good ol' third trimester...I would have to say that it's been the most uncomfortable/exciting trimester of them all. Sleep is hard, emotions are still up and down, my back KILLS, it's almost pointless for me to be comfortable, bending over is not happening. ;) Jon helps me get dressed a lot which is too sweet! My tummy is BIG, Soren is running out of room and I'm wondering how big this little guy is going to end up being. Jon was a 10 pound baby (and he was early!) and I was a healthy 8 pounder...The Wallace's and Jones's aren't known for producing wee little babes...so I'm crossing my fingers he isn't a giant! ;)

One of my favorite things about this trimester has been  the "nesting instinct" as they call it...and boy, oh boy have I gotten it bad! This has been awesome for me since the first two trimesters were really difficult on my energy and motivation levels. Believe me when I tell you I've been taking full advantage of any burst of energy I get! I'm currently wishing I could bottle these energy spurts and use them for the rest of my life...all my home projects would be done in no time!

To wrap things up, I have no idea what I'm going to do on this blog right after Soren comes. I'd like to think I'll be posting updates and popping in here and there and that's currently my plan! I might get a few people to help with guest posts, too, but haven't quiet decided what type of posts I'd like while I'm away...anywhoo...once baby is born, the best way to get the latest "news" and see his squishy face would be via my Instagram account - savannahmaiedae, be sure to follow me there to stay updated!!

Love you all lots. Please send prayers, air hugs and best wishes my way for the upcoming weeks!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

OH BABY: 4MOMS ROCKAROO + GIVEAWAY!

One of the most exciting/daunting and fun things about becoming a new mom is learning about baby gear! I've had so much fun researching what moms are loving, what works for different families, registering for our favorites and getting little Soren's nursery together. We are just a mere 2.5 weeks away from due date and doing our best to prep our hospital bags and put the final touches on his space. :)

Through a lot of my findings and obsessive Pinterest pinning for baby, I kept coming across the company 4moms. I immediately fell in love with their products upon taking a browse around their site with my mom. What made me fall for them initially was their innovative and slightly "geeky-tech" products, and we love us some good geeky-tech products over here at the Wallace household! I definitely watched all of their videos on each product and was such a fan-girl when they announced their new releases for 2014! So you can only imagine that when they reached out to me about working together I had a pinch-myself, freakout moment!! And let me tell you, seeing their products in person does not disappoint! We can't wait for Soren to try them out. As Jon and I were putting together this chair we kept wondering when 4moms was planning on coming out with an adult size of this product. I could sleep in something like this for days! Also as a huge plus, I love that their pieces have a simple aesthetic and aren't over the top in the looks department. No insane looking zoo animals and crazy colors over here!

So! Let's get to some of the reasons why I'm digging the rockaRoo:


1// Mobile - This sweet little Mobile is such a great detail. I love that one side is black and white and the other is a bright colorful pattern. Perfect for little one's developing eyes. I also love that they are removable and great for playing and nomming on! 

2// Plush Seat - The rockaRoo currently comes in three different colors and the fabric they use is SO soft and plush. The cover is easily removable and washable so if baby spits up or has an accident, it's easy to clean, which is always important with little ones! I also love that is has a way to strap-in the baby so you can know he/she is safe and cozy. ;)

3// Great Recline - I love that the position of the seat is perfect for baby to sleep in and play in. I can already see this being a great piece to keep in my studio when Soren is really little. 

4// Five Speed Setting - One of Jon's and my favorite things about this product is the quiet motor. The rocking motion is perfect and the 5-speed setting is great, but we especially love that it's quiet! And just to touch on the rocking motion, it's such a smooth and nice motion. Again, wishing they made an adult size!

5// MP3 Plug-In - I also love the detail of including a plug-in and speakers. You can easily plug in your phone and soothe baby with his/her favorite playlist or nature sounds. :)


Overall, we are big fans of 4mom's over here and we can't wait to have Soren try their products out for himself! :) AND to celebrate the launch of the new rockaRoo, 4mom's is offering one of my readers the chance to win one of their own!!! Check out the giveaway details below. :)

GIVEAWAY TIME
4mom's is offering one reader the chance to win a rockaRoo of their own! Giveaway will run through Rafflecopter. Open to US resident only. One winner will be selected at random and chosen within the week. Best wishes!!! 

DISCLAIMER
The 4mom's rockaRoo is courtesy of 4mom's. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. I only feature and support products that I truly love and am totally stoked about. Thanks so much for reading and entering!! 

MORE ROCKAROO!
4mom's is doing an awesome rockaRoo promo this entire month and is giving away a rockaRoo everyday on their Facebook page, so be sure to check out that page too! Also, more mommies will be/have been featured on the rockaRoo blog tour so be sure to keep an eye out for more reviews and giveaways via the 4mom's Facebook page! -- I seriously can't wait until their new stroller and car seat come out later this year! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

THE WEEKLY

Alrightly! I'm just a few days over 37 weeks and definitely starting to have signs of pre-labor! Things are moving along and we couldn't be more thrilled to meet Soren within the next 3 weeks!! On a kinda poopy note, I tested positive for the flu yesterday and have been stuck in bed sick for the past couple days. What do you do when you're 37 weeks pregnant and have the flu? Cry. Haha, it hasn't been too bad. I've been trying to take a lot of time to rest, eat good, healthy food, and my OB approved some meds that have been really helpful in my recovery. Jon has the flu too, so we are working hard over here to get back into good health before baby comes. I don't love the idea of going into labor while having the flu...not fun!

Other than that, before getting sick we spent a lot of time over here checking off to-do's and prepping for baby. We are in a good place, bags are 90% packed for the hospital, we've collected all the baby necessities we think we'll *need*, we've gotten some home projects done, and now it's just a waiting game!

Snapshots of the Week: 1// A little something for Soren's nursery. 2// Spent a lot of time painting last week! Loving this Emerald color by Pantone. Can't wait to show you what we did with it! 3// Yes please! 4// Obligatory sick-day photo. ;) -- You can follow all my snapshots on Instagram!


Favorite Posts/Pins/Articles:
* I can always use some home styling tips! Love this coffee table decor guide!
* I've always wanted to improve on my meal planning skills.
* Thanks Moorea for putting together this Nate Berkus collection board, now I need everything! ;)
* Lots of yummy smoothie recipes here!
* Love this article on being your own photographer (tripod photography).

Inspiring Me this Week:
Feeling very inspired to get back into shape and eat all of my favorite healthy foods. Had a difficult time saying no to my sweet-tooth during pregnancy and really want to get back to it after Soren arrives.  Really want to experiment with juicing too!!

Weekly Question! (please give your answer below!!)
* What show are you currently loving right now! Need some good ideas for maternity leave. :)

Saturday, January 11, 2014

BEAUTY: 2013 FAVORITES

2013 was a fun year of experimenting with different make-up brands and trying new things. I discovered a lot of amazing products and had so much fun! I've been a huge fan of beauty products since college and have really loved spending the extra time this past year sharing this passion with you! Today I'm sharing my top favorite beauty picks from 2013, these are the items I will continue to purchase and use on an almost daily basis. :) Enjoy!


PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Waterproof Clay Eyeliner - Tarte
* Flawless Definition Mascara - BareMinerals
* Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation - Covergirl
* Eden Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Urban Decay
* In the Light Eyeshadow Palette - Stila 
* Parfumerie Scented Nail Polish - Revlon 
* Velvetines Red Velvet - Limecrime 

What were some of your all-time favorite products from 2013??

Proudly a partner of the Pushpin TV Network. Like their Facebook page here for more videos on fashion, beauty, DIY, and cooking! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here! 

Thursday, January 09, 2014

WEAR: THE ONLY THING I'M WEARING

At this point in the pregnancy I've resorted to mainly PJs, and since I DO still have outings planned and errands to run, I decided to pick out one outfit and just wear it over and over again. :) It's taken the get creative with what you're wearing pressure off my day and I can just plan to look cool in the same outfit. ;) It's been a pretty good plan so far! And since it can be dressed up or down depending on my shoes or jewelry, I'm considering this idea pretty flawless and successful. :)

Since I want to make sure to record the last part of my pregnancy I'm hoping to pull something different together and take some maternity photos with Jon within the next week or so. We are 3.5 weeks away from the big due date, people! -- Also about this weather...so thankful this babe is keeping me warm! It's been incredibly cold in Georgia.

You *might* see another outfit post from me before baby comes, but I'm not making any promises. ;)

Wearing: 1// Head Scarf - Thrifted 2// Black Chiffon Tank - Forever21 3// Geo Cardigan - Forever21 4// Necklace & Ring - Forever21

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

THOUGHTS ON THE NEW YEAR

So here we are! It's a new year, as I'm sure you've been informed over and over again by every social network you visit. ;) I haven't spent much time catching everyone up on life and happenings. It's been a busy holiday season and Jon and I made sure to take time off to really soak up the holidays and special time with our families.

We celebrated Christmas as a couple, we also celebrated with each of our families, and then wrapped up everything with a quick trip up to Fort Mill to see Jon's extended family for a Christmas celebration. Let me tell you, being 35 weeks pregnant and traveling 4+ hours in a car isn't the best idea. But it was so worth it seeing everyone before the baby comes. Also, while we were up there, Jon and I realized it had been 5 years since he proposed to me. He proposed to me during Christmastime, on a bench in Fort Mill, right outside his grandparents' house. It was so special and perfect. The image above was our little tribute to our engagement 5 years ago. I'll never forget that feeling when he proposed. I felt hot and cold, shaky, "floaty", and filled with emotions. It was one of the best days of my life. The only other time I've ever felt that same overwhelming emotion was the day I found out we were pregnant with Soren. 

Speaking of Soren, we are officially sitting at 36 weeks and a few days. Everything is feeling more and more "real". I'm getting past the just wrapping my head around the idea of being pregnant and starting to realize a little life will come into the world soon that we'll be responsible for raising, protecting, and loving. I've found myself over and over again having images of seeing him for the first time, feeling his little body on my chest, hearing his cries for the first time, and it brings me to tears of joy. Something that's been pressed to my heart lately is the fear of losing him. I've seen so many wonderful mommies grieve the loss of their newborn or go down a hard journey of watching them fight for their lives. I have no idea how long God has planned for Soren to be on this earth. That's something I can't know and can't control. But what I do know is that no matter how long his life is I want to truly do my best to be a good steward of it and love him as much as possible. I think handing Soren over to God will become a daily prayer and action for me. From here on out I'll always be a mom, Jon will always be a dad, and Soren will always be part of our hearts. I am honored to be his mommy and I can hardly wait to meet him. I've never been so in love with someone I haven't met before. It's such a weird feeling. 

I went to my appointment a couple days ago and the doctor said I was already 2cm dilated and that my body was doing what it needed to in order to begin preparing for birth. It's getting closer and we are over here getting anxious, nervous, and excited about the fact that he could be here anytime within the next few weeks!

I've been nesting like crazy!! And I think it's contagious because Jon has been right there alongside me getting lots of things checked off our to-do list. I keep joking with him that I've gotten more done in the past 3-4 days then I've gotten done in a whole month. This has been such a tiring and un-cozy trimester so I'm more than happy to fully take advantage of these bursts of nesting energy. We've been doing some basic projects like finishing up his nursery and doing lots of little things to get ready for his arrival and we've also accomplished a few home projects! We painted the dining room and my studio this past weekend and have been doing lots of cleaning and some decorating. I've also been working to get all of my ducks in a row for Maiedae to prepare for my leave. Again, lots of nesting energy over here...it's making me wonder if he's planning on arriving sooner that his due date. He's also SO low that I can literally feel him squishing my bladder and head-butting my cervix. He's in launching position for sure! 

Also, this is completely random but I recently took a little trip to Sam's Club and totally forgot how freaking awesome it is. I haven't been since I was a lot younger so going back with "adult eyes" was the coolest. I think it's my new favorite store. I'm planning to make a trip soon to buy in bulk and store up on things we go through quickly. Nerd alert! 

So, about this new year. Last year was filled with so many things...big changes for Maiedae, quitting my 9-5 job, lots of trips, getting pregnant, buying a home, finding out about my mom's cancer, finding out that my mom is cancer-free...lots of ups and downs and big emotions. This year is already bound to be a life-changer with the arrival of Soren. I'm also so excited that my mom is on the other end of her chemo treatments and will start to feel all better soon! I'm really looking forward to seeing what will happen this year and what it will teach me. 

I'm usually all about setting goals, but this year I wanted to simplify things a little and focus on accomplishing simple things. I decided to identify areas of my life that are important to me (wife, mommy, family/friends, Maiedae, personal development etc.) and work on one small task or goal within each. Something that could be adaptable and realistic but encouraging and challenging. I'm honestly still working through each of these but I'm looking forward to focusing on these in 2014. :)

Well, that's about all I have to catch up on! Seriously, thank you all for being such amazing readers and for supporting Maiedae like you do. It means so much and is such an honor to be part of. I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and that this year grows you in so many good ways. Lots of love!!

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

FAVORITE INSTAGRAMS FROM 2013

Instagram is definitely one of my top 3 favorite social networks. I love being able to see beautiful, creative photos by so many people I admire, catch up on their life, and see mini peeks into their memories. It's such a special way to share life with others. In a lot of ways I've noticed Instagram becoming more of a "mini blog" for a lot of people. In 2013 I was able to get excited about pregnancy announcements, births, weddings, and engagements. I was able to pray for those experiencing loss, sickness, and various trials. I was able to be hyper-inspired by a single image or completely obsessed with something someone created.

Anything can be used in a negative way, but it's so awesome to see and focus on how something can be used in such a positive way. I'm looking forward to the ways we can celebrate life together in 2014!

Here are a few of my personal favorite snapshots from my account in 2013:


Follow along as I share my life in 2014, @savannahmaiedae!

Monday, January 06, 2014

A YEAR IN OUTFIT PHOTOS

I had a lot of fun experimenting and getting into the swing of shooting more outfit photos in 2013. It was a great way to keep myself accountable to taking time on myself, exploring my style, and working on being creative with locations. It was also SO helpful and wonderful to have naturally gifted people like Jenny and my husband Jon shoot most of these for me!! I'm so thankful!

To be honest, I'm currently sitting in my bed, 36 weeks pregnant and wondering if I'll be able to pull myself together for anymore outfit photos before baby comes. I'm feeling like big, cozy clothing and PJs from here on out. ;) I've also been defaulting to one "going out" outfit at this point since my tummy has been breaking loose from most of the tops I own. ;) We'll see what happens this month! In any case, I'll be sure to get back into the swing of posting outfit photos a little after Soren is born. :)

Enjoy some of my favorite outfits of 2013! 


1// Pinkblush maternity 2// Fall is in full swing. 3// My fall colors. 4// Peaches. 5// Hello Austin. 6// Minnetonka summer lookbook. 7// Maiedae Mixer. 8// Polka Dots. 9// Loft light. 10// Near the Riverwalk. 11// Favorite maxi shirt. 12// In Greenville

Thursday, January 02, 2014

FAVORITE BLOG HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2013

One of my favorite things about blogging is being able to look back on the year and see all of the wonderful memories captured. 2013 was such a special, challenging, and emotional year. I'm so thankful for every part of it, including the valleys and difficult times. Take a look at some of the highlights!!

1// Jenny and I took a trip to California to attend Blogshop Video, visit our best friend, Anica, and stop by Disney! We had so much fun touring LA and enjoying a wonderful trip to kick off 2013.

2// The Makers Summit was one of our favorite conferences of the year. We love every chance we get to make a weekend trip to Greenville, SC.

3// Made an exciting announcement on this day and decided to quit my 9-5 job and work full-time with Maiedae! It was such a blessing when Jenny was able to join just a few months later. Maiedae grew SO  much in 2013!

4// I always enjoyed writing for my Living Well series. This was one of my favorite posts about emotions and how to express them in a healthy way.

5// One of my first YouTube videos! I loved developing my YouTube Channel in 2013 and I can't wait to see how it grows in 2014!

6// A fun post about 5 things you might not know about me.

7// Another video featuring some of my favorite products from one of my favorite companies, Lush!

8// In order to get ourselves ready for both being full-time with Maiedae, we took a retreat to Savannah, GA for some serious planning time and LOTS of photos.

9// Jon and I love taking mini vacations, check out some of our tips for vacationing on a budget!

10// Celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary with some dear friends in Tennessee. Had such a relaxing time and ate lots of yummy food!

11// 2013 was the year we hosted the first annual Maiedae Mixer! The event was so successful and such an amazing experience! We can't wait to do the second one this year!!!

12// A little video about what's in my beauty travel bag.

13// Last year was the year of conferences! We loved attending Alt Summit in NYC, despite being in my first trimester and a little woozy!

14// The most exciting announcement of 2013! Jon I and found out we were pregnant and got to share our good news. It was one of my favorite moments of the year being able to share the news with Jon, family, friends and you.

15// Loved working with Minnetonka on this summer lookbook feature!

16// Hands down our favorite conference of the year! Made so many new friends and got to connect with tons of bloggers we met through blogging. SO much fun!

17// Along with the news of getting pregnant, Jon and I also became first-time homeowners! It's been such a great adventure and we've loved our home so much.

18// Shared with all of you a big trial and the diagnoses of my mom's cancer. However, I also got to share around Thanksgiving of 2013 that she was officially cancer-free and in remission! Despite the difficultly of going through this journey, God did SO MUCH good through all of it. Currently celebrating my mom's recent LAST chemo treatment. She is now focusing on recovering in order to be a first-time grand-mommy. :)

19// A few peeks at our new home shortly after moving in.

20// A reflection on slowing down time, being thankful and choosing joy.

21// Got to reveal our babies gender and name! So much fun! We can't wait to meet Soren in a few weeks! He's bound to make our 2014 the best year yet.

22// Master bedroom decorating progress! It felt so great to make a little headway with this room.

23// Had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Jon and I loved being able to host it at our new home with our family. It was such a special time and so wonderful to celebrate my mom's remission.

24// And finally, a simple post on a last minute, get-out-of-town trip with Jon. It was very much needed and so wonderful. I love living life with this man.

Bring it on 2014!!!

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

BEAUTY: CHRISTMAS HAUL

I've mentioned this before but I LOVE gifts. It's one of my top love languages and it always means so much to me when someone gives me something thoughtful. I also LOVE giving gifts, wrapping them, watching people open them. I get so giddy and it's my favorite part of any birthday celebration and one of my favorite things about Christmas. I find myself getting so addicted to some of my favorite beauty gurus on YouTube and their "Christmas Loot" videos that I thought it would be fun to feature a few favorites that I received during Christmastime! Also, I'm super excited to be featuring a couple of great companies that make top-notch goodies! 

Of course Christmas isn't all about gifts, but having a spirit of giving, and loving on those close to you through giving, whether that be a heartfelt letter or pair of earrings from their wish-list is so fun! :) 


PRODUCTS MENTIONED
* Western Cutout Boots - Forever 21 // http://bit.ly/1g1ROWR
* Filtered Water Bottle - Black + Blume // http://tinyurl.com/782r8br 
* Gold Sugar Perfume - Pink Sugar // http://bit.ly/1eWBIBc
* Royal Jelly Body Butter - Savannah Bee // http://tinyurl.com/kx7r3vs
* Travel America Calendar - Rifle Paper Co. // http://tinyurl.com/pwqzbyj
* Charlie Diaper Bag - Timi & Leslie // http://tinyurl.com/m6kthuo
* Master Class Palette II - Smashbox // http://bit.ly/1hVObCT 

What was one of your most favorite, treasured or thoughtful gifts you gave or received for Christmas?

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