So, I know that not everyone is into the whole Valentine’s Day thing, but even when I was single (my first boyfriend wasn’t until Todd at 21—whoa! #picky) it’s always been one of my favorite days because it’s also my middle name! It’s actually my grandmother’s maiden name, so I wasn’t named after the holiday, but I never knew that growing up and I just thought it was kind of an extra day for me somehow. I also gave Lola the same middle name so it’s even more special this year. I guess Todd’s got a lot of work this month with two Valentines on his hands! Anyway, please excuse me if a few of my fave things are pink right now—I just can’t help it!!
1. Toooootally into this dress for a Valentine’s Day option! Bell sleeve tops forever, amiright?? Also, that pink top goes perfectly with this lip color—match made in heaven!
2. Trying to get myself psyched up to start doing some home workouts again. For some reason, I’m convinced a pair of adorable sneakers will help? Or maybe this pair … if any of you moms know any good postpartum workout videos online, let me know!
3. I love to play my favorite musical soundtracks around the house and while we haven’t quite had to figure out a “screen time” policy for 8-month-old Lola yet, I’m pretty sure she can watch all the old musicals she wants when she gets bigger! I have a pretty good collection of my favorites on DVD, but I should get some more boxsets of the best since they can still be hard to find on streaming services.
4. Daylight savings is creeping closer and closer (come on March 11!!) and I cannot wait until the sun stays out longer. Totally got that winter crabbiness on repeat, so hoping that will help!!
5. I love reading about zero waste ideas lately to make your home greener and more efficient. I’m not sure that I’ll ever be 100% there if I’m being totally honest, but it’s amazing how much you really can reduce waste in your home when you put in a little bit of effort! Super inspiring …
6. Just got a name necklace that says “Lola” for my Christmas present in the mail, so my transformation into full motherhood is complete now, right? I mean, I’m pretty sure wearing your baby’s name is the final step in that process!
7. It would be so fun to have a crazy wallpaper room in the house—this would be amazing!
8. I was thinking back through some of the past Valentine’s Days I’ve had with Todd (this will be our 12th one together—whoa!) and how every year I used to decorate the whole dining room of whatever apartment or house I was living in at the time with full-on streamers, hanging hand-cut paper hearts, or whatever I could find that was pink! I really put a lot of work into those dinners and it was so fun to see his face every year when I “revealed” the final result. I figure with a baby this year if we can shower and get out at some point that week for a few minutes alone, then I’ll consider that a victory, but those streamer-filled past V-Days will always be pretty special in my mind.
9. Would love to do a dining room update sometime this year and simple midcentury modern chairs like these would be perfect … maybe that would be a good space for the crazy wallpaper idea!
10. The top of my “to-do” list includes making this vegan pretzel bread. It looks SO good. I’ve never made bread that needed an alkaline bath before though, so hopefully it’s not too hard!
Hope you have a fun Valentine’s Day no matter what your plans may be! I say as long as there is candy or pizza at some point, it’s totally worth the commercialism and the hype … xo. Laura
22 Comments
Daylight Savings isn’t a thing here in Hong Kong, but same, I can’t wait for longer days! I hate going home from the desk job and it’s all dark already… 🙁
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
That sounds like the perfect Sunday. Your photos are so beautiful x
Awesome article! Making bread on Sunday is always a great way to finish the week. Let me know how it works out for you 🙂
Cool sneakers are for sure a perfect motiviation for starting workouts 🙂
With love from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Have you listened to The Greatest Showman soundtrack yet!? I’m addicted!!!
I haven’t yet! It’s hard to see new movies with a baby around these days..
Laura 🙂
Kelsey Wells has some great postpartum workouts. I haven’t used them but I follow her on Instagram and she seems amazing!
Post-partum workout I would recommend is BBG. There is a specific PP workout on the Sweat app that is a good introduction back into a routine. I started two weeks with PP and then moved into BBG 1.0!
Nice!!
Laura 🙂
I have those chairs and after 3 years, 1 kid, family, friends and pets I hate to say that they need to be replaced. They just get so dirty so fast, and the only way I can really clean them is to take them outside and spray them w the hose and soap. My kitchen is in a high traffic area so your mileage might vary but the cloth just attracts and sucks everything up. I will say that I have loved every minute of owning them.
Good to know!
Laura 🙂
I love that Lola shares your awesome middle name, and that it comes from your grandmother 🙂 I’m a big fan of Fit2b studio, and have had a year membership for a few years now (but you can do monthly!). It’s geared toward moms and helping them exercise in a way that’s safe for their abs and pelvic floor after having babies. A lot of moves aren’t ideal, so they help make you aware of your body and protecting your muscles, with exercises all the way from super gentle to all kinds of more intense routines. It’s a small business run by a few families but it’s a really uplifting atmosphere 🙂
Great idea, thanks!
Laura 🙂
I loved the Zero Waste article. I don’t think I could ever do ALL of its suggestions – but every little bit helps. And if all your readers (myself included) do a little bit more, it’ll help even more!
Yes, agreed!!
Laura
It’s great that you are exploring zero waste options 🙂 The first principle of reducing the amount you put into landfills, though, is actually buying less stuff!
Phew that pretzel bread omg. I love that wallpaper and that ASOS dress too, what a colour! Nothing like a good excuse for a new dress 😀
elese | elesedowden.com
Adorable sneakers made me start running, so anything is possible, really!
HA! I can’t wait for daylight savings to start!!! Here in Canada’s lovely capital (Ottawa), it’s currently a beautiful sunny, blue skyed day which means…..it’s friggin freezing out there! I am not a winter person (which is weird considering I was born and raised in Montréal……where winter lasts 6 months) so I can’t wait for summer (best 2 months of the year where we spend approximately all our free time outside……like we get home from work, have a beer or cider on the deck, start bbqing at 5:30, eat outside, spend the evening there until the skeeters come out). Also I am also convinced working out is a 100 times easier to get motivated for with a pair of cute running shoes (I’m partial to fluorescent yellow ones). As for Valentines day, neither me or the boyfriend are into going out in busy, people filled places and we want to go down south later this winter so we’re keeping it simple (I’m thinking splurging on pizza and wine and take the next day off (cuz week nights and wine make for a crappy day at work), no gifts (the trip will be gift enough).
UGH – I love #7. I just picked out the prettiest muted floral wallpaper for a client’s new salon and I can’t wait to see how it looks!
http://www.aglassofbovino.com
I have a 7-month old baby, so we’re planning a pretty low-key Valentine’s Day this year too. And I got an initial necklace with the baby’s initial for my birthday last week, so we’ve both completed the mom transformation 🙂
aw, i love that todd was your first boyfriend! that’s so sweet. i’m married to my high school sweetheart and consider him my first “real” boyfriend, as well. hope you all had a great valentine’s day!