Happy August, friends!  I’m absolutely loving being at home and enjoying my usual routines with a healthy dose of summer sunshine.  It’s been very refreshing and rejuvenating after a busy few months of travel before we pick up again and head out to the family abode in Utah.  I’d like to share some tidbits from my life last week as well as an accompanying photo recap with selections from my Instagram feed with you.

I know I like to go on about the weather in these posts, but enjoying being outside is a big part of my week and daily experience.  I don’t know how I’d stay grounded if I were shut up indoors all day, which is why I make a point to spend at least a little time outside every day, year round, unless the weather really prohibits it.  I need fresh air like a fish needs water.  It is life-giving!  You can imagine, then, how much I enjoy the warmer months when I can spend even more time outside.

I relish my twice daily walks with my pup, Winnie.  Early morning and dusk are my absolute favorite times of day, because they tend to be the most quiet in our busy suburban neighborhood.  It’s a wonderful time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the natural world, even in a manicured environment like ours.  I can’t wait to spend time outside at our place in Utah, which is in a more rural, farm-oriented neighborhood and surrounded by mountains that Illinois obviously doesn’t have.  It’s nice to be able to experience and enjoy both kinds of places.

Speaking of the refreshing qualities of summer, there’s nothing quite like eating produce this time of year!  I love switching up my diet to incorporate more fresh fruits and raw veggies.  A crisp salad on a warm day is absolute heaven!  My favorite fruits are berries. which are at the peak of their season right now and so juicy and sweet.  Yum!  My daily food rotation is colorful and vibrant in the summer with all of this fresh goodness.  Just writing this is making me hungry! 😉

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One of the more noticeable things that changed for me last week was I switched out from sleeping with a regular pillow underneath by head and one between my knees (for hip alignment) to a Snoogle.  This curved body pillow is designed to be used in a number of ways to address different needs, one of which happens to be pregnancy, although it’s not necessarily a pregnancy-specific pillow.  I bought mine to help provide back support as a side-sleeper and I am absolutely hooked after just one week.  It’s amazing how much difference a pillow can make in the quality of one’s daily experience, but it really is noticeable!  I’ll talk more about it in tomorrow’s pregnancy update.

Another small thing that made a huge impact last week was having my baby’s heartbeat recorded and stuffed into a plush unicorn that I can play whenever my heart desires.  That little unicorn sits on my desk by day and on my bedside table by night and Don and I listen to it multiple times every day.  I have never heard a sweeter sound!  I spoke more about this in last week’s update if you’d like to hear more about it.

I’ve been on a big posting kick lately, upping my weekly production from three to five posts and videos, because I have so much extra I want to share right now during my pregnancy.   It’s been nice to have a bit of a break in our social schedule so I can dedicate more time to working on those things and also prep for our upcoming Utah stay.  Don and I have really enjoyed these past couple of quiet weekends at home.  As much as we love spending time with our loved ones and traveling, it’s important for both of us to balance that activity with some “pack” time.  We’ve been grilling out, making fires, cuddling our pup, and just simply hanging out.

We did finally get out of the house on Sunday evening to go see City of Angels at the Marriott Theatre with my parents, which was fun.  I love that we can have such a good time with our folks.  It’s so nice to be in a place in life where we can be friends, not just family.  There’s something really special about that kind of experience and I absolutely treasure it.

I vlogged on Sunday if you’re interested to see more about how I spent my day:

It’s been a relatively quiet couple of weeks for me which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.  Now I’m ready for full on family fun time out in Utah with everyone!
Wishing you all a happy start to the month 🙂

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