Happy weekend everyone!!

What a week! I have some pretty exciting news – we found a wedding venue!!! I am over the moon excited to start officially planning my wedding now that we know where it’s going to be held. I originally wanted to have my wedding in Charleston, but gosh everything is so expensive there! I’m super happy with where we ended up, and I’ll be sharing more in an entire blog post so stay tuned! I’ve been in the works with a wedding planner too to help the special day come to life.

In other news, I went to the Beltline for the first time this past weekend with a few friends! It was so much fun – there is so much to do! We had lunch at Superica and then walked the Beltline from there. We discovered a secret speakeasy, we stopped for a drink at Lady Bird (such a lively spot), and walked along the Beltline & enjoyed the beautiful sunny day.

This past week had some highs and lows. Starting with the lows, I’ve been having GI problems for about two months now. I’ve been to the GI doctor twice, one being this past Monday, and feel like they just keep shoving medicine my way instead of listening to me. They diagnosed me with IBS and haven’t given me many helpful tips at all. I’d love to know if anyone has had a similar experience, or any GI doctor recommendations in the Atlanta area.

On a higher note, I got to have a moms night out on Tuesday night with my mops friends. We went to dinner at The Chastain in Chastain Park and it was such a fun night. Check out my favorite #5 to see what I ordered for dinner at The Chastain… SO GOOD!

When I’m with these amazing ladies it’s always a great reminder just how important it is to build a community of good people around you. It’s not always easy putting yourself out there in the beginning, but creating genuine connections is always worth it.

Another high is that Blakely had her 15 month pediatrician check up and she looked great. Everytime we go into the pediatrician it’s almost as if Blakely remembers it because she would immediately cry anytime a nurse or doctor or literally anyone came into the room. Luckily, she didn’t have to have any shots this time so it was a quick and easy visit.

That’s about all the updates I have for this week! Let’s jump into this week’s favorites where I talk books, baby clothing stores, dinner ideas, great podcast episodes, and as always, a weekly photo dump.

1) CURRENTLY

Reading: The Da Vinci Code. Casey’s mom let me borrow this book and I can’t wait to read it! It’s obviously a very well known and widely read book so I’m excited to see what it’s all about.

Watching: Bad Vegan on Netflix. This is an interesting documentary Casey and I just finished. It was super intriguing and kept us wanting to know more about what happened. It’s more about fame and fraud rather than veganism though.

Listening to: 5 Proven Biblical Money Principles (Dave Ramsey) by Elevation Church. This sermon was POWERFUL. When I was younger I dreaded when the Sunday sermon was about finance, and now I look forward to it. Dave Ramsey is not only hilarious, but he so vulnerably shares his story and 5 incredibly tips and money practices that will help you go far.

Buying: White Jeans from Abercrombie. Everyone needs a nice pair of white jeans, especially for the transition from winter to spring. Jeans are so hit or miss for me with sizing, but usually Abercrombie jeans works for me!

Eating: Blender Bombs. Bring on the smoothies now that it’s starting to warm up! Blender Bombs are an ESSENTIAL when it comes to morning smoothies. It’s plant based, filled with nutrients, and made with all real ingredients. The original flavor and the goji, coconut and acai flavor are my favorite.

Following: Bre Sheppard. She is one of my favorite lifestyle and fashion influencers and bloggers. She even has a little girl named Taya who is just 4 days older than Blakely so I love seeing all the baby content! She posts amazing mom tips and hacks too.

Listening to: Lauryn & Michael’s specific health, wellness, sleep, and fitness routines in detail. Yes, another The Skinny Confidential podcast recommendation. This episode is packed with amazing tips and micro details to help you on your health and wellness journey.

Loving: Urban Stems flower delivery. I saw influencer Brooke Miccio post about this company on her story and they have the most beautiful flowers. I love the spring collection they have out right now.

Wanting to try: Ilia Beauty Foundation. I’ve had my eye on this foundation for a while and hope to get this for upcoming warmer months. This clean product not only has 40 spf, but it doubles as make up and skincare… genius!! It gives off the dewy glow look that we all love.

2) PHOTOS FROM THE WEEK

3) FAVORITE CLOTHING STORES FOR BLAKELY

Let’s see how many times I can say cute when describing these stores! Haha!

• Zara Kids… warning: hide your wallet before going on this site mamas.
• Born Baby… this shop is AMAZING for all things baby clothes. They have basics, cute dresses and rompers, unique patterns and prints, and other fun toys and books and more. They have an in person store in Buckhead so I find myself here often hehe.
• Target… more affordable & cute options here.
• Janie and Jack… fashionable swimwear & clothing for littles. We got Blakely’s Fourth of July suit from here last year and I hope they resell it this year in her size. I’m obsessed.
• Little Buckhead Blue… I think this store is only local to Atlanta, but it is seriously the most adorable baby and children’s clothes with a little southern charm.
• Angel Dear… great pajamas here! The cutest seasonal prints and also soft and easy to zip.

4) 6 BOOKS ON MY WANT TO READ LIST

Have you read any of these? I’ve heard good things about all of them so I can’t wait to read them. Stay tuned on my Instagram for my book reviews.

1. The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand… an upcoming release from the queen of beach reads. It’s coming out June, 2022- just in time for summer vacations.
2. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover… if you didn’t know I just finished Verity and it shook me to the core. I want to stay on the Hoover train and keep reading more of her amazing books!
3. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley… I didn’t love Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, but this book is a new release and I have heard good things so I want to give it a try.
4. Home Front by Kristin Hannah… I’d love to eventually read all of Hannah’s books. This one came out in 2013, but I’ve seen people read it recently on booktok lol.
5. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen… another new release that caught my eye. It has 4 stars on Goodreads from 21,000 ratings so that must mean its good!
6. The Mind Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer… with all my gut issues going on right now I need this book in my life!

5) DINNERS THIS WEEK

MONDAY: baked ziti with salad and ciabatta bread

Monday’s are for making a big dinner that will make an abundance of leftovers for lunches.

TUESDAY: trout, asparagus and potatoes

Like I said in my introduction to this post, my mom friends and I had a wonderful moms night out at The Chastain in Chastain Park. I went into the dinner craving salmon because I saw it on their online menu, but they only had trout and halibut that evening. I had never had either of those fish before and went with the trout based on a friend’s recommendation. It was SOOOO good. They had it layed in this creamy dill sauce that was to die for. Highly recommend if you’re in the area! Oh, and try the Spicy Blood Orange Daisy cocktail.

WEDNESDAY: white chicken chili

Another crowd pleaser and staple in our house. I know I won’t be able to make this delicious recipe for much longer since it’s getting hotter outside, so we are soaking up all the warm cozy meals in this house.

THURSDAY: baked balsamic chicken, rice & air fried broccoli and carrots

I actually found this chicken recipe on TikTok and it looked SO good… and tasted good too!! Super easy to make and it paired well with the rice and veggies.

Stay Well,

Courtney