Cape Cod Weekend Rewind

This past weekend can be best summed up in the following photos.  Peaceful, relaxing, serene, and full of laughs, great company, amazing food, and lots of wine (for everyone but me, of course!)

I literally never go away with out my husband and kids... really and truly, NEVER!  So a few months ago, when all of the women in my family began planning a weekend away together at my Aunt and Uncle's summer home in Cape Cod, I was both excited and hesitant.

Naturally, I was thrilled at the idea of spending time with all of the wonderful women in my family, and at the notion of a few days worth of "me time", but hesitant, because just the thought of leaving Max and Ella for a full 2 days and nights had me feeling immediately anxious.

Low and behold though, I put on my big girl pants, and hit the road for a few days with my family near the beach.

Cape Cod is insanely beautiful, and I had such a blast exploring, shopping, snacking, and just hanging around with my family.

It was a great trip, and a wonderful opportunity to spend time with my sister, cousins, and aunts.

It felt so amazing to be instantly bombarded by M&E yelling "MOMMY!!!" the moment I walked through the door.

I'm still not sure that I feel great about leaving them for solo trips often, but a few days away was just what this mama needed to feel a little refreshed and totally appreciated upon returning home!

I hope you're all having a great week!

I Have a Confession to Make...

I've seen a lot of my blogger friends posting these so-called "confession" blog posts, where they divulge a bunch of random truths about their day to day lives.  The posts are super entertaining, and I thoroughly enjoy reading them, so I thought I'd hop on the bandwagon and try my hand at a similar style post.

I generally like to keep things pretty lighthearted and somewhat edited around here, but sometimes I think it can be really refreshing to read the unedited version of people's lives.

So, here goes nothing...

1.  Kids with runny noses pretty much gross me out more than anything.  I can handle explosive diapers, cleaning up vomit, and most other yucky things, but seeing a kid walking around with their nose running into their mouth makes me want to hurl.  M&E have had colds the majority of this fall season, and you better believe that I have tissues on hand 100% of the time and that I am constantly chasing them around to wipe their noses.

2.  I recently took on a work-from-home position with my husband's company to help him out while he is working out of town here in NY, and I am seriously questioning if I have bit off more than I can chew.  Between blogging, running a small handmade company, being pregnant, and taking care of 2 kids, I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm in over my head... however, I know there are other women out there who do more, so I am sucking it up, adding more coffee to my daily regimen, and plugging through.

3.  I am off to Cape Cod this weekend, for a girl's weekend with a bunch of the ladies in my family.  I am totally looking forward to it, but this is the first time I have ever left my kids (who are 18 months and almost 3.5 years) overnight, other than when I had to leave Max to deliver Ella.  The time away is MUCH needed, but I have serious anxiety about it.  I know my husband will handle things just fine, but I absolutely hate being away from my babies. I'm that crazy mom.

4.  I wish so badly that I was one of those pregnant women who was "all belly", however, when I gain weight, I seem to gain all over.  At 19 weeks in, my hips are huge, my butt is huge, my face is huge... you get the point.  I wish that I craved fruits and veggies and other healthy foods while pregnant, but the truth is, I would much rather indulge on carbs and sweets, so I am seriously in fear of how much work I will have to do after I deliver this baby.

5.  I used to really enjoy styling my hair, putting on make up, and rocking a great outfit, but more often then not lately, I'm lucky if I get to put on bronzer and mascara, the "mom bun" has become my go-to hairstyle, and maternity leggings/yoga pants are my best friend.

6.  I have already started decorating for Christmas.  I realize that many of you will think this is insane, but the holidays are my most favorite time of year, and I am always so depressed about how short the season feels, so I decided this year, that I am an adult, and if I want to decorate early, I can.  Besides, the kids are absolutely thrilled, which makes my heart happy.

I think that about covers it for now.  Happy Thursday!

Maternity Must Haves | Part 2

maternity/nursing poncho | body oil | comfortable slippers

belly stickers | support tank | pregnancy pillow

Seeing as I'm getting closer, and closer, to the half way point in this pregnancy (19 weeks tomorrow!), I figured now would be a good time to share part 2 of what I refer to as my "Maternity Must Haves".

It goes without saying, that you could make it through nine plus months of pregnancy without owning these products, but I've found that during this current pregnancy, as well as with the prior 2, that many of these items make me really happy, and much more comfortable... and lets be honest, comfort is key when your growing a tiny human!

cover me ponchos-  a recent find, this product is seriously amazing, and I truly wish I had it for my other 2 pregnancies.  Not only can this poncho be worn as a stylish maternity top, but after baby arrives, it works as a nursing cover, and can also be used to drape over your baby carrier/car seat.  It's super comfortable and soft, and it's multi-functional, all of these points make it a must have in my opinion.

honest company organic body oil-  I love misting this stuff all over after a hot shower or bath.  My skin tends to get tight and dry, particularly over the winter months, and I love how lightweight this moisturizer feels.

comfortable slippers- pick whatever brand you like here... my Uggs have long been my favorites, but really the point is, comfy feet are so essential during pregnancy.  I have been fortunate in the past, and have not yet had the pleasure of dealing with swollen feet, but if your prone to them, you may want to go with an open back/slip on style... either way, your feet will thank you, and they're great to have when delivery time arrives!

belly stickers- okay, not exactly a necessity, but I think that these belly stickers are a super cute and fun way to document your growing bump!

support tank-  worth it's weight in gold.. seriously though, these are a bit on the pricier side, but once you slip one on, you will want to wear it every day, and you will certainly get your monies worth.

pregnancy pillow-  this item has recently become a definite must have for me.  I never owned one when I was pregnant with M&E, and decided to splurge this time around.  I'm a stomach/side sleeper, and now that I'm getting to the point that I can no longer sleep on my belly, I need to pull out all the stops to get in my Zzzzz's.  Some people say that you can purchase an inexpensive body pillow, but this gem is pretty much my new best friend.

There you have it expectant friends!

Swoon Worthy

If you know me personally, or have been following this blog for awhile now, you are probably well aware of the fact that I am Christmas obsessed.  If you didn't already know that fun fact, then consider yourselves warned.

It is literally taking every ounce of restraint that I have, not to tear down every last piece of fall decor, and start decking the halls, and I can't promise that I'll be able to hold out much longer.

You might find that these Swoon Worthy posts are about to include more and more holiday related links as the next several weeks roll by... I promise that I am trying to exercise some sense of control, attempting to embrace fall for a little bit longer, so consider this, me apologizing in advance, if you are not a holiday lover like myself.

Now... with all of that being said, here's what I'm swooning over this week, including a few great holiday finds...

1.  Always a supporter of handmade shops, this one is one of my new favorites.

2.  This duo can do no wrong, and their holiday collection is no exception!

3.  Can't. Stop. Listening... JT for the win, always!!!

4.  Is there anything better than an oversized, drapey, cardigan this time of year?  I think not.

5.  Another handmade shop that has been mentioned here on Kozy & Co. many times before, their new "red cup" shoes that drop this morning at 11:00 am PST are just too much! Swooning hard.

6.  Every time I am pregnant, I have an undeniable craving for toast, and avocado... this simple breakfast idea is perfection!

7.  See, I told you that I was embracing autumn... even if it is in the form of amazing adult beverages, that I don't even have the ability to consume!

8.  For my pregnant and nursing mama friends, I recently had the pleasure of working with this amazing company that makes trendy ponchos that serve as maternity tops, nursing covers, car seat covers, and more.  You know I adore a product that serves many purposes!

9.  Nail polish color obsession as of late.

10.  It's here... the infamous list of "favorite things", that many of us wait for with baited breath!!!

Enjoy your weekend, friends.  I'll be spending mine trying to hold myself back from breaking into Rubbermaid totes full of holiday fun!!!

Maternity Style with Pinkblush Maternity

It's no secret that I've been pregnant quite a bit over the last few years,  and while many of us know that being pregnant can be tough on a women's body, I'm pretty sure that a good majority of us can also agree that finding fashionable clothing, and still feeling on trend while growing a tiny human, can be difficult too.

In the past I have been asked by expectant friends where I go to find cute maternity clothes, and though I've always had a small handful of go-to stores when it came to maternity clothing, this time around, I felt like I needed to find something new... another option in terms of trendy maternity clothes.

{sweater c/o pinkblush maternity}

That's when I stumbled across Pinkblush Maternity.  Ladies, if you are pregnant and looking for cute maternity clothes, this company has you covered and then some... from maternity maxi dresses, to tunics, to sweaters, shawls, and pants, Pinkblush carries it all.

They have 100% become my new go-to for clothing while pregnant, however I have to note, that in regards to the styles I have already received from them, I will be wearing them even when I am not expecting!

{maxi dress c/o pinkblush maternity}

I am so thrilled to have found quality, stylish clothing to wear while I am pregnant that has more of a maternity boutique feel to it.

{tunic c/o pinkblush maternity}

Pinkblush maternity offers amazing style choices while still maintaining wallet friendly prices, which for our currently growing family is a big deal.  As much as I adore wearing my yoga pants on the daily, it's nice to know that when I feel like stepping up my game and want to attempt to look put together, I now have another option in terms of maternity style!

Halloween 2015 | A (mostly) Photo Recap

Another fun Halloween is in the books!

We're coming off a weekend full of sugar-induced excitement!

We kicked Halloween morning off with some festive donuts and spent the rest of the day preparing for the evening's festivities!

Then it was off to the neighbor's for a little party before we headed off to trick or treat!  Max had an absolute blast collecting candy, and ended up walking much farther than we expected... insisting that he carry his candy bucket the whole time, even though it was clear it was so heavy that he was practically dragging it.  He kept announcing how much he "loved Halloween", and "loved getting candy"

Ella walked on her own for a bit, but was a little all over the place, so for sanity's sake, she and our neighbor's youngest ended up getting wheeled up to people's doors via stroller, but she seemed to take in stride, still attempting to say "trick or treat" and "bye bye".

All in all, a successful night!

On Sunday, we noshed on candy, and dined on this soup... you know, to balance all of the sugar out with at least some veggies.

 Now it's back to knitting/crocheting my heart out... and thinking about all things Christmas from here on out!

Have a great week!

Swoon Worthy

Happy Hallo-weekend! We're gearing up for a crazy Saturday night around here, well about as crazy as we get these days.

Apparently our new neighborhood is the "it" place to trick or treat around these parts, so here's to hoping I bought enough candy!!!

Here's the random list of things that I am swooning over from this past week...

1.  I am a total sucker for seasonal scented cleaning products!

2.  I didn't think it was possible for me to love duck boots any more than I already do... and then these happened.

3.  Um yeah, so I discovered this new biscotti at Target this past week, and it's safe to say it has now become a routine part of my morning coffee ritual. (No link yet, but here is a photo... look for it in stores, you won't be disappointed!).  When you dip one of these into your hot coffee and the caramel melts a bit... it's AH-mazing!

4.  These videos are hilarious every year!  I can't wait to see the new clips after this weekend!

5.  So, seeing as I am 4.5 months pregnant, I obviously can't indulge in any adult beverages at the moment... but the pink starburst lover in me is dying for some of you to try this martini and let me know how it is!!!

6.  Budget friendly ballet flats are totally my jam right now.

7.  Do you guys follow this Facebook page yet?  I can't get enough of the recipes/videos.

8.  An old favorite when it comes to sweaters, in some great colors for fall.

9.  Definitely making this soup this weekend.

10.  Naturally, I had to share this, because as soon as Halloween is over, it's time to get  my Christmas game-face on (yes, I know we still have Thanksgiving to celebrate, but I prefer to stretch out the holiday season as long as possible!!!)

I hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween weekend.  Don't forget to set your clocks back!