Winter Carnival 2013

Winter Carnival at Michigan Tech 2013.

Dad is in front of a Green Bay helmet, Daniel is in front of a Lions helmet. No more explanation needed. haha

Star Wars!  These are things from mostly Empire Strikes Back.

So Daniel really likes to sabotage any picture that has him in it. What he doesn't realize is that I therefore force him to take another picture, a nice one. His plan backfires. 

Just making sure he was making a nice picture. 

Welcome!  Come join us for a couple hours out in the cold! Fun fun!

The brave pair that drove 9 hours to come to the UP. So glad they did!

Dad's only child still shorter than he is. =) 

Free hot cocoa! And with MARSHMALLOWS! 

Daniel's glove ripped, so he used duck tape. Thumbs up the yooper way!

Glad to be in the warm car on the way home.

Day Twenty One

This really was day 21. 

 I was so happy to be done with this series that I kind of forgot to post the last day. I took my picture and everything, and then wrote it off in my head.

And I think I can legitimately claim baby brain on this one too. 

And to prove it to you, I'll show you the picture. 

Over all, I think my plan worked. I have come back to a place of consciously choosing my clothes to look nice, or try to. 

My options are getting very limited, however. Baby C is getting bigger and bigger every day! 

As of today, there are about 57 days left until the estimated date of arrival for her.

I am so exited!  

Thanks for being part of this little activity of mine.

Happy Birthday Brother!

thanks, google

This is a special shout out to my big brother, Jeremy!

Happy Birthday! 

I hope it was an awesome day! 

Love you,

Staci

P.S. I ate some chocolate frosting in honor of your birthday. It was delicious.

Day Twenty

Tuesday, February 12th.

One More Day of these outfit posts. 

Thanks to all those who were willing to follow along. It's been fun. 

So, today is a sad story.

I burnt popcorn.

The worst part of the story is that it was at work. And now, unfortunately, I will have to smell it tomorrow morning when I get back there. I tried to clean out the microwave and everything, but that smell! It won't go away! So if any of you know how to rid an office of the burnt popcorn smell, please let me know. It's not pleasant. At all. And I feel really bad about smelling up the office.

But another part of the story is that this isn't the first time. 

In fact, it seems that I have only once successfully made a bag of popcorn at work. I don't know what it is, but it's like a ridiculous scheme to always ruin the popcorn that I look very much forward to as I hear it popping. I should simply ban myself from making popcorn at work so that I don't make the office stink. Every time I go through this process, and resolve that I won't make it anymore. And then, next time that I want popcorn, I think, "I won't burn it this time. No, this time will be different. I'll even put it in for a shorter time than I think is already too short".

Obviously it does not work. Hasn't so far. 

And I'm pretty sure my hair still smells like burnt popcorn.

The end.

Wardrobe Tip:

Well, today my tip has nothing to do with maternity wear.

But it's still a good one

*Pearls*

Always classy, always polished, always the finishing touch. 

You have to try really hard to make pearls look bad. 

Always steps it up a notch.

Day Nineteen

Monday, February 11th.

Today's schedule was complicated enough on its own, so my outfit didn't need to be difficult. 

So my outfit took a turn towards simple. 

I had a Dr.'s appointment today and it went really well.

Everybody's heart rate is in a happy place.

Size and position seem to be ideal.

My weight gain is a little scary, but so far we have a healthy mom and healthy baby.

No big concerns, and no scares. 

Thank you, Jesus, for a normal first pregnancy.

By the way, this is the "Please excuse my recent obsession with this polka-dot scarf " face.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Moderation*

During pregnancy,  there are only a few months requiring intense maternity clothes.

You don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe of maternity clothes for three months.

Make as many of your clothes as possible go as far as they can.

And then when it comes to pants, make the investment.

I have made it to this point with one pair of maternity pants. 

All the other pants I have worn are regular pre-pregnancy pants.

Well, I do believe that I have crossed the line, and I now need some real maternity pants.

So I went to Goodwill (one of my favorite stores!).

You see these pants I am wearing? It's hard to tell, thanks to the picture, 

but they are a dark brown dress pant.

They are super comfy and not too tight anywhere. 

They are also real maternity pants.

And I paid $.99 for them at Goodwill. 

Yes.

It's the little things that make you smile.

Day Eighteen

Sunday, February 10th.

Only 3 more days to go. 

Today I didn't have time to take a picture of my outfit. 

I was shopping all day after church with my mom! 

How fun!

We did really good.  As in we brought lots home and spent very little.

So today, I want to do things a little different 

and I want to show you a few pictures of some maternity fashion inspiration.

Enjoy!

Day Seventeen

Saturday, February 9th.

Today my parents, hubby, and I spent the day enjoying the Michigan Tech Winter Carnival.

(Pictures to come later)

The weather was very cooperative and pleasant. 

It was really nice with sunshine and warmth.

 And plenty of snow.

A very wonderful day.

Wardrobe Tip:

*Proper Fitting Undergarments*

This seems kinda silly, but you need to make sure that you buy proper fitting undergarments for your growing self during pregnancy. 

Because if you have an ill fitting foundation, your whole outfit will be a little off. 

I recently made sure I had this necessity, and things have been

just a little bit better since. So remember that you need a good foundation for any outfit.

Day Sixteen

Friday, February 8th.

Confession:

I never got dressed today.   

Today I was working in the house cleaning and getting things ready for my parents to come, 

and I honestly did not have time to get dressed. 

I gotta say though, I really enjoyed my sweatshirt and pj pants today.

But you do get a special treat:

Behold, my beautiful snowman. 

=)

Day Fifteen

Thursday, February 7th

I decided that I haven't worn a belt for a little while, so I wanted to wear one.

Thursdays are fun, because they are half days at work and then I get to run errands,

 go grocery shopping, and then go home.

Wardrobe Tip:

*Belts*

I am just going to mention the power of a belt again.

I really helps remind yourself that you do have a small waist, it's just hiding right now. 

It also helps avoid the marshmallow with chicken legs look. 

Day Fourteen

Wednesday, February 6th.

So, today's story goes like this:

These pants are officially getting put away until I don't have a giant basketball belly. 

I was so uncomfortable today! 

I also think today was a growth spurt day for little Baby C.

That might have had something to do with it.

The end. 

Wardrobe Tip:

*Comfort over Looks*

I did not take my own advice today, and I was not happy about it.

So, from now on, I will make comfort a higher priority than looks.

Day Thirteen

Tuesday, February 5th

I am starting to experience some interesting symptoms while in the third trimester.

#1 Heart burn

#2 Fatigue

I have never experienced heartburn before. But it's not pleasant. I do, however, like that a simple drink of milk will usually take away the discomfort. That seems pretty awesome. 

It certainly is interesting, if you want to call it that.

I remember the fatigue from the first trimester as my body shifted gears and started to make a little person. I also remember reading that it would return in the third trimester. However, during the second trimester where I only felt tired if I didn't sleep enough, I forgot that it would return. I was really feeling it today! It has returned, and with vengeance. I suppose I just have to sleep more now. Darn. 

So, apparently I just need to drink milk and sleep more.

No biggie, I can handle that. 

Wardrobe Tip:

*Out of the Box*

Sometimes the most fun I have with clothes is when I go outside of my comfort zone 

and think out of my box. 

Try putting some things together that you would never pair instinctively. Of course,

you need to recognize when your instincts were right and you shouldn't pair those items,

but it also might just get your creativity out of the box and open up some new outfits for you.

As you know by now, if you have been keeping up with me, I don't have the trendiest

wardrobe or the newest clothes. I am all about making the most of what I already have.

I change my clothes when I get sick of them, I don't get rid of them. 

For example,

the back of this shirt I am wearing here.

 I cut out part of the back and sewed a ribbon at the top 

to tie and make a pretty bow. Sorry that you can't see it, but it made it into a new top for me.

I try to wear one item as many ways as I can and I try to wear all of my clothes.

I know that sounds silly, but in reality, us women have so many clothes that we wear about twice a year.

I am at the point where I am getting rid of clothes I don't use. 

My closet is shrinking and that may 

seem unsettling, but I have plenty! And what I do have goes a long way. 

I really do plan on refreshing my closet once I am normal Staci-size again though! 

I will have a very different lifestyle once I get my body back, 

and I may need to change some things.

And I am really looking forward to it!!!!

Day Twelve

Monday, February 4th.

After my flowy-ness yesterday I wanted something that I didn't feel so large in.

Black is usually a nice color to make you look smaller. That was kind of the idea today.

But look at that basketball hiding under there! I am so exited to meet that 

little ball of energy in a couple months!

This is Week 30.

Only 10 weeks to go!

Wardrobe Tips:

*Black*

I may have too much black in my wardrobe, and every staple piece just might be black.

But it's a classic, slimming, flattering, timeless color. Hard to go wrong with black.

I have found that I prefer black and I am happy with it. 

So I will stick with what works for me.

Day Eleven

Sunday, February 3rd.

Superbowl Sunday. Today was filled with challenges (the good kind) and fellowship. We got to spend the day with friends from church and enjoy delicious food. 

I also officially learned how to cast on and bind off (knitting)! I am so exited now, because there are so many cute things you can knit for a little baby girl! This will be so much fun!

I was on the couch in front of the tv for most of the game, but I didn't really watch it.

I was having too much fun knitting.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Flowy Tops*

It is a good idea to have one feminine flowy top available during pregnancy.

The are not really flattering, but they feel pretty. It helps to have a structured jacket

or cropped cardigan over top to balance out the roundness. 

Things tend to get pretty round at this point. 

Day Ten

I have realized that the way I have been posting my outfits seems misleading.

That's not my intention. So I will make things more clear.

Saturday, February 2nd.

Our day to do taxes. And we finished them! 

What a blessing to have that off our chests!

Now we don't have to worry about it when we have a newborn.

I can't imagine dealing with that when all I want to do is cuddle

and watch in fascination as our little girl grows and develops

so much in each day.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Accessories*

Using cheap accessories is a great way to change up a plain t-shirt and sweater into something a little more interesting. It is much more affordable to replace necklaces and scarves rather than shirts. 

Save your big purchases for staple pieces like comfy jeans and basic tees. 

By keeping your accessories light on the wallet you make it 

possible to attain more variety.  It's easier to rotate your jewelry

and retire anything that you are sick of also. 

(I bought this scarf at a family dollar store and the necklace is from Goodwill.)

Yay for cheap jewelry!

Day Nine

This is a day of being human and being cozy.

I will allow myself to wear a tent-like thing when I am home all day. 

Because it is comfortable and it is basically like wearing a blanket around the house. 

Not bad for a winter day. 

Wardrobe Tips:

*Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself*

You're not perfect and neither is life. Allow yourself to break 

your own rules every now and then.

 Set aside a time when you are allowed to stay in your easy comfort zone.

*Leggings*

These are great when you do choose to wear blankets for tops. 

They are ultra comfy, flexible and easy.

Also, I believe you can purchase maternity leggings that 

cover your belly too for extra coverage and support. 

Enjoy your days when you get to stay home all day. 

I certainly do!

Day Eight

I pulled my hair back today!

I haven't pulled my hair back for almost a year. 

I really enjoyed my adventurous pixie cut, but I like to change my hair often, so now it is time to grow it out. I am really looking forward to long flowing waves and sock buns. 

I will now use the pixie cut as an option just as I would any other cut. 

I've added it to my hair wardrobe.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Cardigans, Cardigans, Cardigans*

They are such a go to piece during pregnancy. I could wear one every day and never get bored. 

*Play With Colors*

The only interesting part of this outfit is the color.

I paired royal blue and copper together and these colors are opposite from each other on the color wheel, which means they are complementary colors. 

Complementary colors seem to be most interesting and dynamic when paired.

(Thanks for the picture, google.)  

As you can see, blue and orange are opposite of each other, 

just like yellow and purple and red and green.

Knowing a little bit about how colors work together can be a fun tool 

when putting together outfits. 

Have fun with it!

Day Seven

Matchy-matchy today.

Teal necklace and dress.

Black and White everything else. 

I call this an uninspired outfit.

 But turns out I really enjoyed it throughout the day.

 I was very comfortable and the bright teal reminded me of summer.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Tops with Bottom Stretchy Hems*
As my belly grows, I find I like shirts with tight bottoms so that it doesn't feel like I'm wearing a tent. 
Empire waist is nice for this time also, but it hangs from the biggest point of your belly, so you look like a big tree trunk. 

*Build from and Inspirational Piece*
I try to find an inspiration piece, and build from that.
However.
Last night and this morning I was very uninspired. The best I got was wearing a headband.
Then I started building from the teal dress, and it pulled itself together.

Day Six

Today was a very long day. Away from the house for 12 plus hours is not really my ideal. 

But it has been very much worth it to go to birthing classes right after work for 4 nights.

Tonight was our last class and I feel much better about the upcoming events.

In approximately 78 days....

So today I needed long term comfort that worked for the office and for the class room. 

Being winter, I also wanted warmth and coziness. 

As far as my wants go for today's outfit, I was successful. 

Wearing a little sparkle always makes me feel pretty too, so that was a plus.

I also painted my nails. Which I never do, so I felt pretty fancy today. 

Even though I was basically wearing colored skinny jeans, a tunic and a cardigan. 

Nice.

Wardrobe Tips:

*Belly Band*

I'm not wearing one today, but I would have liked to.

They feel incredible! Extra support for your tummy. 

Even though it seems you wouldn't want anything tight around your belly, it's actually quite 

comfortable to have something that sort of holds you together. 

They also help keep your unbuttoned pants up, like a giant belt. 

They extend the life of your pre-pregnancy pants.

My favorite part is how secure they make an outfit feel. 

I always feel more pulled together and 

I feel like things will stay in place better with my belly band on.

*Little Sparkle Goes a Long Way*

Or whatever makes you feel pretty or fancy.

It's very comforting to not feel like an eye sore when you are constantly getting larger every day.

Adding little touches of glam will give you just enough extra to feel special.

The sparkly cardigan, nail polish and ring made me feel pretty cool today 

even when my main goal was comfort. 

Thanks for keeping up with me and my learning and sharing!