sweeping declaration

obviously this post is kind of unnecessary, because it is basically just a post telling you that i'm not going to post for a couple more weeks. it's more for my conscience, and to let you know that this blog has not fallen off the face of the planet (ok, maybe it temporarily has). what started as a decrease in posts caused by constant morning sickness, has shifted into a complete lack of posts caused by finally feeling better and wanting to enjoy every moment of summer that i have. and that is exactly what i have been doing.

i could pretend i have been busy with really important things (work, finding an apartment, shopping for a little boy who might just be the cutest dresser ever)- but really those are just excuses for what i have really been spending my sweet time on. i pretty much live to be in the sun right now. if i'm not at the beach i'm laying out at the pool reading a good book. and that's really how summer should be right? somehow i'm 24 and pregnant and still summering exactly like i did when i was 16 (just add in some swelling feet and ankles and a few too many extra pounds to stuff in to my swim suits). so yes- my blog has gotten really lame lately and it's not for lack of inspiration or content (i have lots of things that i could post, and will post eventually), it's because i am partying too hard (or being too lazy- whichever way you want to see it). but i am giving myself a deadline. this has to come to an end at some point and i still do love blogging and want this site to continue to grow.

so. considering that i have family in town for the next two weeks and will be spending even more time at the beach, and that the next week we are packing up everything in temecula and moving in to our apartment in san diego, and the week after that will be full of unpacking and organizing, i'm going to give myself a generous 4 more weeks of vacation until i relaunch r&r. yes, i do like to spoil myself quite a bit. but, come august 25th plan on a complete 180 with posts 4-5 times a week (like i used to), and a total reboot of all my old columns.

yay! it feels so good to get this off my chest and to not have posts on my to do list that never get crosses off (i'm sure you're laughing at my having a to-do list considering what you just read- but sometimes i do pretend to be a little bit responsible.) in the meantime i will be prepping for my fresh start. and spending more time at the beach. 

oh, and yes, i am crazy enough to post a picture of myself pregnant in a bathing suit. i'm not sure if this is a moment of confidence or total insanity. see you next month!

ps. follow me on instagram to see my day-to-day activities- @realityandretrospect

closet essentials / the plain white tee

and we're back with another edition of the closet essential series! this week emma and i each styled a plain white t-shirt. not only is this something that all of you probably already have, it is something that can go with just about anything and still look glamorous. the white tee can give you the casually elegant and effortless look that i'm pretty sure everyone wants to achieve.

to get my look, i put on the last bottom in my wardrobe that fits (see below)- this magenta midi skirt (found at the rack for $20). typically, i would wear this skirt high waisted and i would tuck my shirt in, but in order to show off my belly, and because i couldn't pull it up any higher, i wore the skirt low with my shirt untucked. i strapped on those old sam edelman sandals that happen to be my favorite color in the world (citron/chartreuse), and added this purse in the same color (also from the rack). i threw on my simple gold bangles, forgot to take off my black rubber band (which drive me crazy, but not crazy enough to edit out), and put on my favorite summer headband that is perfect for covering up 3-day old hair. i topped the whole look off with my ray-ban aviators from nordstrom. 

the formula for making a white t-shirt look good (in my book) is: white tee + simple and cute accessories + any bottoms you have + legit sunglasses. the sunglasses are probably the most important part. anyone can pull this look off with ease and grace!

one thing that people don't tell you when you get pregnant is just how much your butt and thighs will grow, and how quickly they will do so! or maybe they do tell you that, but you just won't believe them until it happens. like the whole morning sickness thing- i never believed that it could happen to me. it seemed like something that you could overcome with just a bit of will power. well that doesn't work either. anyways, you assume when you get pregnant that the thing that will get in the way of your old clothes will be your belly. in the beginning, my little bloated belly was uncomfortable, but i could get away with wearing my pants unbuttoned and be fine with it. i could probably continue to do so, but now i can't even get my pants past my thighs, not to mention my butt! so, pretty much every bottom that i own is out of the question. pencil skirts, high waisted pants, jeans. done for. this skirt is about the last bottom that i have that works. so, i bought my first pair of maternity shorts (did you know they have a maternity section at ross??), and i pretty much wear dresses every day. i pretty much hated pants anyways!

to see how emma styled her white t-shirt head over to her blog inspireandinstyle.com!

interiors / kira's boho bedroom makeover (in under $600!)

for kira's bridal shower gift, we had our guests pitch in to create her dream master bedroom. it was so much fun shopping for her and picking out things that we knew she would love. our funds weren't unlimited so we had to shop on a budget (though, let's face it, when are we not shopping on a budget). we started with the duvet cover from anthro- it was to die for and it was one sale for $70! score! then we went to target and got those awesome end tables, the art, the lamp, and some of the accessories. next was marshall's for all of those cute pillows. see below for the full list of where everything is from, and how we managed to makeover a bedroom in under $600!

Duvet Cover- Anthropologie, $70 (no longer available)

Sheets- Target, $34

Blanket- Home Goods, $30

Pillows- Marshalls, $20-30 each

End Tables- Target, $73 each

Lamp- Target, $19

Small Canvas- Target, $15

Vases- Target, $5-$8

Books- Marshalls, $5-$10

Artwork- Target, $40

Curtains- Ikea, $15

Necklace Holder- Marshalls, $10

Globes- World Market, $4-$8

Pendant Light- West Elm, $2

Cord Kit- Ikea, $8

Box- Target, $8

History Books- Thrift Store, $6

Rug- Ross $20

Total $596

photo shoot / child's family pictures

i had the pleasure of taking the child's family pictures a couple of weeks ago. they are adorable and hilarious, and quite honestly easy to take pictures of because they are all so cute! the littlest boy, josh, just kills me with all of his smiles and smirks.