tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86207447514331914452024-03-12T19:13:46.714-04:00Samantha Rose SaysSpeaking from the heart. I'm a native Floridian, living in St. Pete. A big fan of the little moments, I blog about my life, personal moments, and the things I love with a story-telling flair. Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-65725045264489327082022-02-15T06:00:00.001-05:002022-02-15T06:00:00.208-05:00our first few weeks: mama's postpartum favorites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2TQPFQhd7-25ZKeXNrHk9kf8RSKzz1C0h7D4Osw6AdgjWBGPV6OlVI4gvs5sSIqVnOOQZ2aSplNvUArBsOFkwlYCNJWeSjjom74hqiMxeHP3D0SCQ_Hr0pSYvO6wPvBBAKuaKHTbWCE-3DQgQMxivLWd-a6yC_enAylRYTIng4xcPwpJ6_znavTZP=s2000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2TQPFQhd7-25ZKeXNrHk9kf8RSKzz1C0h7D4Osw6AdgjWBGPV6OlVI4gvs5sSIqVnOOQZ2aSplNvUArBsOFkwlYCNJWeSjjom74hqiMxeHP3D0SCQ_Hr0pSYvO6wPvBBAKuaKHTbWCE-3DQgQMxivLWd-a6yC_enAylRYTIng4xcPwpJ6_znavTZP=w640-h512" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>In my last baby-related post, I talked about our baby registry necessities for baby. After posting, I realized I didn't say much about what I needed as a brand new mom. For some reason, I didn't prepare much for postpartum. Leading up to birth, I watched <i>all </i>the YouTube videos and read <i>all </i>the articles about labor and delivery - from breathing strategies to packing my hospital bag, I felt good to go for labor. As it turns out, the postpartum period is a lot longer than labor and delivery (ha! who knew?), and while baby may not need a lot of stuff in those initial weeks, I felt like I did. Thank god for good friends, family, Amazon, and Target drive-up orders!<div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Here's what I used the most in those early weeks:</h3><div><a href="https://amzn.to/34uvhG5" target="_blank">Hakaa</a>, or some form of milk catcher - As my milk supply came in, I leaked so much. A friend sent me the Hakaa a few weeks before I went into labor, and I had no idea what it was at the time. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it was a game changer! While Claire was feeding from one breast, I'd catch a whole ounce of milk from the other breast after nearly every session. Definitely recommend to help build up a freezer stash.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3HnRcNY" target="_blank">High-waisted underwear</a> - I tried two different brands, and the one I linked is my absolute favorite. They are so soft and, oddly enough, wearing them with a nursing bra and a robe made me feeling a little more "put together" when walking around the house in a sleep-deprived haze. Maybe it's because they often matched my bras, or made me feel a little more compressed and secure. They were also great for pads!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/34sNwf6" target="_blank">Sitz bath spray</a> & <a href="https://www.target.com/p/dr-teal-39-s-pure-epsom-bath-salt-soaking-solution-64oz/-/A-76525869#lnk=sametab" target="_blank">Epsom bath salt</a>- oooooof, GET THESE. Recovery is no joke, and you want all the relief you can get. I know taking a bath might sound like a luxury with a newborn around, but try and sneak one in if you can. I preferred the bath spray to Tucks pads, as the pads sometimes got bunched up while walking around.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.target.com/p/women-s-nursing-seamless-bra---auden--8482--gesso-white-m/-/A-54173422" target="_blank">These nursing bras</a> - I tried a random brand on Amazon and hated them. The Auden line at Target is the best! I have four of these bras, plus their <a href="https://www.target.com/p/women-s-nursing-seamless-cami---auden--8482--black-m/-/A-53927523" target="_blank">nursing camis</a>. So soft and easy to clip and unclip with one hand. <a href="https://www.target.com/p/women-s-nursing-2pk-pull-over-seamless-sleep-bra-auden-153/-/A-54232432?preselect=54174588#lnk=sametab" target="_blank">These</a> were my favorite for overnights, too. Stock up on nursing bras...between leaking and spit up, you'll go through them reeeal quick.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3GgBWAZ" target="_blank">Breast therapy packs</a> - I put these in the freezer and then would put them in my bra whenever I got a chance to sleep for a bit of relief. Breastfeeding in the beginning is a big adjustment, and you want all the comfort you can get.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3ginwWx" target="_blank">Lactation cookies</a> - you may not need these in the initial weeks, as your milk supply is still regulating, but I was eating a pack of these daily when trying to up my supply. They're expensive, but so good, and I was simply not in a position to attempt making my own lactation cookies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other things that were really helpful...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Coffee pickups! </b>I had a friend (shout out to Carly!) who brought over coffee two mornings in a row when Claire was about 6 weeks old. Help in the first few days is great, but new parents are still struggling in those later weeks. It was great because 1) I'd get a little social interaction, 2) I could have her keep Claire occupied for a few minutes while I changed clothes or brushed my teeth (ha!), and 3) I'd be caffeinated. Win-win-win!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Meal deliveries and gift cards</b> - we had so many friends really come together and rally for us in those early weeks. From homecooked meals to takeout delivered to our door and Uber Eats gift cards, meal planning was not something we had to worry about, and it was such a relief.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Help with laundry and cleaning</b> - if someone offers to help with any of the above, let them do it! </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm only a few months into parenthood, but I already feel loads more capable and confident than I initially felt when we brought Claire home from the hospital. Do as I say and not as I do: be prepared ahead of time, but when in doubt, drive-up orders to the rescue!</div><div><br /></div></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-46759167823536472702022-02-14T10:31:00.002-05:002022-02-14T10:31:32.301-05:00happy valentine's day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis0mLp2xpD-Rw9nOa6TqWx5-BQbWCAatVRDh6mUkxHOvvvPyUyXhVuMmWXlp2M7lQZBUA8czjoM5Mj1-clsz9z7WKQiZz-onoJb2bKopjxQDDzlT5C6ouKpPoNbl1kLh-LiYFvzbOtC6TPaBPRDQfCate3nmz6ww0aV6dnQd6AwxV8czyCCvshqs-0=s3780" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis0mLp2xpD-Rw9nOa6TqWx5-BQbWCAatVRDh6mUkxHOvvvPyUyXhVuMmWXlp2M7lQZBUA8czjoM5Mj1-clsz9z7WKQiZz-onoJb2bKopjxQDDzlT5C6ouKpPoNbl1kLh-LiYFvzbOtC6TPaBPRDQfCate3nmz6ww0aV6dnQd6AwxV8czyCCvshqs-0=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Happy Valentine's Day! I did a little creeping on my old blog posts, and came across <a href="https://www.samantharosesays.com/2016/02/valentines-day-2016.html" target="_blank">this one</a> from our Valentine's Day back in 2016. What a lifetime ago! At the end of the first paragraph, I referred to my journey with Ryan as "just the beginning." I guess I was on to something.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.samantharosesays.com/2017/02/love-doesnt-always-look-like.html" target="_blank">This one was another favorite</a>, where I wrote about how love looks different for everyone. Around this time of year, my social media timelines and feeds are brimming with pictures of flowers and fancy gifts and dinners out. Those are all fun and wonderful things, but love in simpler forms like unexpected hugs, a completed chore, or a pooch snuggle feel just as warm in this season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today marks our first Valentine's Day with Claire, and despite the lack of sleep that came from the start of her 4-month sleep regression (or teething? or just gas?! who knows, truly), I am constantly overwhelmed by just how much I love that little bundle of chunk with each passing day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ryan, Claire, and I had an impromptu family outing on Saturday, which involved visiting a big, annual market featuring hundreds of local St. Pete vendors and going to a yummy new place for lunch. We didn't plan much for Valentine's Day this year, so we went ahead and called that our "date day." Maybe next year we'll plan something to do together as a couple, but I also like the idea of celebrating love as a family. My dad always bought me my own box of Godiva chocolates each year for Valentine's Day, and I hope that Ryan will continue something similar for Claire as the years pass.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just a reminder to love your loved ones and yourself a little extra today. Pick up a holiday treat on the way home, cook yourself a fancy dinner or give yourself a break and pickup takeout, make a mocktail or grab a glass of wine and watch something comforting (we watched a few episodes of Schitt's Creek this weekend, and the opening/closing credit melody always warms my heart, lol!). Enjoy the last of the winter holidays, as spring is just around the corner!</div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-70117097038370296282022-02-01T11:14:00.002-05:002022-02-01T11:14:59.836-05:00our first weeks: favorite baby registry items<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOYEbjcXWIYNQRMK2IfFV_pvdqnATXVrzLs8uybC8vbAspTLrSBPqJ3zC-My0TtWG_8pMJq7JcfoHoNyPI4PfbgW0Xzz_KqTu2E8Rt6xj9pPnvbpIDkh8ODY5IVx-52BFLsm7KfyJ9nrHXNu6HVq-RuJTe5Gup7JzUE8qi_atXSjbBdTNPs5cMPzef=s2000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOYEbjcXWIYNQRMK2IfFV_pvdqnATXVrzLs8uybC8vbAspTLrSBPqJ3zC-My0TtWG_8pMJq7JcfoHoNyPI4PfbgW0Xzz_KqTu2E8Rt6xj9pPnvbpIDkh8ODY5IVx-52BFLsm7KfyJ9nrHXNu6HVq-RuJTe5Gup7JzUE8qi_atXSjbBdTNPs5cMPzef=s16000" /></a></div></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first few weeks of parenthood will throw you for an absolute loop! We've all functioned on little to no sleep in our college days, but I think true sleep deprivation due to being a new parent is something else entirely. While newborns don't need nearly half of what you received from your registry, here's what got us through those first few weeks (and what I wish I had sooner...):</span></span></h3><div>(note: some of these are affiliate links, which means I might get a tiny commission if you choose to purchase through this post)</div><p><a href="https://theollieworld.com/products/the-ollie-swaddle-sky" target="_blank">the Ollie swaddle</a> - we were convinced that Claire didn't like to be swaddled because she was comforted by her hands. After watching all of about 20 minutes of the Taking Cara Babies program, we quickly learned that, as a newborn, she wasn't knowingly using her hands for comfort...they just so happened to be there as she was flailing around. We didn't get this swaddle right away, but I wish we had! It's a little pricy, but we still use it now even without her arms.</p><p><a href="https://rstyle.me/+Qha1olLNDrUCHDH798mMqw">Snuggle Me Organic lounger</a> - this product is not "safe for sleep," but it is literally the only thing Claire would sleep in (besides on us) for those first few weeks. Ryan and I would take overnight shifts, accompanied by lots of Netflix, so that we could supervise her sleep in this! She absolutely loved it. Now that she's 3 months old, we don't use it often for naps, but it's nice to be able to lay her down on it for a few minutes at a time while we do a quick task.</p><p><a href="https://rstyle.me/+Rzw60qAUVW4MBthpN8tMzQ" target="_blank">the Solly baby wrap</a> - I've gone through a lot of trial and error with baby wraps and carriers, but when they're really little, I think a lot of the structured ones are just too much. I ended up buying a Solly wrap from Facebook marketplace, but I would've definitely paid full price for it. And there are so many gorgeous colors! We still use this now and will likely continue until she's too big for it.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3HmtZvp" target="_blank">Hatch Rest+</a> - I know literally everyone recommends this, but there's a reason for it. We got the Hatch Rest+ because you can use it without being plugged in, which has been really convenient while she's still in the stage where she doesn't always nap in the same place (sometimes we try her crib, sometimes we have her in the bassinet in our bedroom, the bassinet in our living room, etc.).</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3GiOBUd" target="_blank">swaddle blankets</a> - I received so many swaddle blankets from my shower, and to be honest, I initially thought it was too much. How many blankets could we really need? A LOT. I feel like we've increased how often we do laundry, and I'm still looking around for the nearest blanket. We use them to wrap her up while carrying her around, over her legs during car rides, draped over the car seat for naps, bundled into the stroller bassinet during walks, cleaning up spit up, laying her down for impromptu tummy time...you name it, we've done it. The one I've linked is my absolute favorite one we have. It's SO soft!</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3Hm0gD5" target="_blank">diaper caddy</a> - this is something I almost took off our registry, but I'm so happy we had it. In the early days, we had zero desire to get up to go to the changing table for every single diaper change. We used this caddy to hold diapers, wipes, creams, rubber hair brushes (for cradle cap), an extra outfit, and hair ties. Even now, we keep this bedside in case we have an overnight diaper change, and we also brought it along for a weekend away at my in-laws' house. We have <a href="https://amzn.to/3gkwhiI" target="_blank">this changing pad</a> rolled up inside of it, and it's a game changer.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3s4D6ux" target="_blank">bedside bassinet</a> - I initially bought a beautiful Crate & Barrel bassinet on FB Marketplace, but it didn't work out for us. I realized pretty quickly that I wanted something that could open up right to the bed, like a version of co-sleeping. After lots of browsing, I found this bassinet and we've absolutely loved it! It's a great size and folds up well for transport, too.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/34tzQRj" target="_blank">lots of cozy zip-up sleepers</a> - baby clothes are SO CUTE, but some of them are simply impractical. I'm not sure if every baby is like this, but Claire hated getting dressed and having her diaper changed in the early days. Zip-up pajamas made things way easier. We have a lot from Old Navy and Carter's, but our Kyte one is so soft. I want to try Little Sleepies, too!</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Even though I spent countless hours looking over my baby registry, editing items, adding things, researching, etc. I still felt like I had zero clue what would actually work for us until Claire was actually here. An additional note: save your completion codes to use <i>after </i>you deliver! We definitely would have saved ourselves some $$$. I plan to have another list of items we've loved beyond the fourth trimester in the coming months!</h3><p><br /></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-3380997472862411732022-01-03T13:47:00.002-05:002022-01-03T13:47:28.430-05:00Claire's Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuwPOj1FaUHRtsOf2Q3-sOh2GEKc7m4nJEYUtUiH7JUn52TwLBRLSYpAS5AR29BWjilVRcsZROyGMPUe4GQEDb9ksYP5sDgom8Kqa_a0PADpCtEtFI4pgK_WAqrgjYKf9M4NwQSnydusLdKd0BYu5NMak88G4tU5ArgtDSZLL49QM1OnRN14yKVZFu=s1681" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuwPOj1FaUHRtsOf2Q3-sOh2GEKc7m4nJEYUtUiH7JUn52TwLBRLSYpAS5AR29BWjilVRcsZROyGMPUe4GQEDb9ksYP5sDgom8Kqa_a0PADpCtEtFI4pgK_WAqrgjYKf9M4NwQSnydusLdKd0BYu5NMak88G4tU5ArgtDSZLL49QM1OnRN14yKVZFu=s16000" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Claire Elisabeth Fredericks was born on Monday, October 25th, 2021 at 1:51 p.m., weighing 7 pounds and 4 ounces at 19 inches long.</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Signs of Labor</h3><p>On Sunday morning, around 4:30 a.m., I woke up for the fourth time that night before finally wondering, "okay, what is keeping me awake right now?" I assumed something was causing me pain, so I began tracking my contractions for about an hour. They were about 1-2 minutes long, and 8-10 minutes apart. For those who have never been pregnant, the rule of thumb varies when it comes to labor. From what I'd read, you wanted to be having contractions that were 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour. I knew I might be close, but wasn't worried yet.</p><p>I managed to fall back asleep, and continued having intermittent pain throughout the day after I woke up later that morning. My friend Leigh came over with sushi for lunch, and we sat on the couch and talked for a few hours before she went home. At that point, my contractions were still just every so often and not overly painful. Since I hardly moved that day, Ryan and I decided to take a walk around the block before dinner -- stuffed bell peppers from Costco. Thankfully, I'd opted for two instead of just one, because that was the last meal I had for awhile! We ate on the couch with our TV trays, watched the season finale of The Morning Show, and went about our usual Sunday evening routine of mourning the end of the weekend, even though it was supposed to be my last week anyway. </p><p>To wind down, I took an epsom salt bath in our future little girl's bathroom, rubbing my belly and wondering to myself, "soon?"</p><p>We went to get into bed a bit earlier than usual, around 9:30, when I started feeling contractions again. This time, they were consistently 6 minutes apart before slowing to 9 minutes apart. I texted my friend Brianna, who was just a few weeks behind me in her pregnancy, and she replied, "I think this might be it!" but I still felt in denial. No way. This early? I thought for certain we would have a November baby. My only premonition had been October 22nd, which had come and gone, so my guess was as good as anyone's. </p><p>Still, I called the hospital, and they said that based on how far along I was in the pregnancy to just come into triage and see what was going on. </p><p>Ryan later told me that he was certain we were going to be turned away. Ha!</p><p>In a semi-calm panic, we confused the hell out of the dogs by packing up the last of our hospital bags and leaving around 11:40 p.m. It was raining for the first time in weeks, and the roads were nearly empty. It was then that I realized I totally forgot to shower, eat, and "pre-labor" as much as I could within the comfort of our own home. Whoops. Who needs sleep anyway? Or food? Who wouldn't want to spend as much time in the hospital as possible...?</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hospital Time</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDwHTfmLW6Wh76JLpgH9WSPZwRATCo1PTdSqGBPVfjAns2KWtpx-QVwTTWds9lBn4P-FU3qfIETYzKVLdrFDD8-sVTFl2kaeE7HlErl2LVKa8w2Q0w3cm6Hk7b1FcfyRFLn84Bpze0ujnmVxmEflNcv4F-_hoXQmdAsnfhkwZPlJBPahPg2SNZ1N9Z=s2080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2080" data-original-width="1170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDwHTfmLW6Wh76JLpgH9WSPZwRATCo1PTdSqGBPVfjAns2KWtpx-QVwTTWds9lBn4P-FU3qfIETYzKVLdrFDD8-sVTFl2kaeE7HlErl2LVKa8w2Q0w3cm6Hk7b1FcfyRFLn84Bpze0ujnmVxmEflNcv4F-_hoXQmdAsnfhkwZPlJBPahPg2SNZ1N9Z=s16000" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimBVV1Ip3A6YO6CPzvCOfY9f2LuBeYxer6sam3Y4CWpUaldOpFZdIAsR5YdpAFQtxXmFFy27CwM6Xi02WhfaGwK7rSlv4pAVvX8FW66Fv2Mt2q304z20I1MCuu4CvrnhLv_h7TqGztb7GqNSBviyTbPh3iu9vFvk7VQy3D9mHHD5Abso7nXuMP8rHN=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimBVV1Ip3A6YO6CPzvCOfY9f2LuBeYxer6sam3Y4CWpUaldOpFZdIAsR5YdpAFQtxXmFFy27CwM6Xi02WhfaGwK7rSlv4pAVvX8FW66Fv2Mt2q304z20I1MCuu4CvrnhLv_h7TqGztb7GqNSBviyTbPh3iu9vFvk7VQy3D9mHHD5Abso7nXuMP8rHN=s16000" /></a></div><p>I checked into triage right at about midnight, and we had our first nurse of the week, Mariah. She did a cervical check right as we got there and I was just 3 cm dilated (for reference, they usual admit you to labor and delivery when you're 4 cm). She decided to wait for an hour to see how I would continue. The next nurse we encountered was not as sweet and accommodating...more like awkward and borderline rude. She attempted to place the IV in my right hand, then my left, before finally recruiting another nurse to do it. She also knocked over my water bottle (clearly not on purpose), which was the cherry on top of a weird experience.</p><p>By 1:30 a.m., I was 4 cm dilated and having body chills all over. We were officially admitted to the hospital with our next nurse - Rimma - a wonderful, older European woman who was such a calming force, especially as I went against my own birth plan and allowed a student to administer my epidural, which was definitely less "pressure" and more "pain." To be fair, I knew I didn't want a student to assist in delivery of the baby, but it never occurred to me that a student would be giving me my epidural. If you're pregnant and want some advice: don't be the guinea pig. They can learn on someone else!</p><p>In addition to feeling more pain than pressure, they also didn't give me a bolus, which allows you to give yourself more doses of the epidural with the push of a button every 10 minutes. Thus, the ease I did feel from the epidural was short-lived, but I was still able to rest a bit, as was Ryan. Rimma placed a birthing ball between my legs and turned me on my side with a heating pad, making sure I was as comfortable as I could be throughout the process. She really was one of the best nurses we had, and while we had a good experience with our next nurse, I wish she'd been the one to assist in delivery! A couple hours after the epidural, I still hadn't progressed beyond 4 cm, so they put me on Pitocin to induce active labor.</p><p>At shift change, we said goodbye to Rimma and Mariah, and hello to our next and final L&D nurse. We also found out that we'd be delivering with a different doctor (my OB/GYN office operates on a rotation of providers). I wasn't initially thrilled, but what choice did we have?</p><p>As it turns out, however, this doctor was delivering a baby via c-section at another hospital 20 minutes away. So they told me that they'd be taking me off of Pitocin at 9 cm dilated to "labor down" on my own for nearly three hours. Unamused, impatient, and frustrated is what I was feeling, but I tried to keep my shit together. Ryan stayed by my side, voicing his own frustration, and feeling helpless. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Finally, just after 1:00, 12 hours after being admitted, it was go-time! </h4><p style="text-align: left;">My nurse suggested I stop self-administering the epidural so I could feel my contractions and know when to push. My suggestion to any future laboring moms: yeah, don't do that. Ended up completely defeating the purpose of the epidural!</p><p>"Breathe in deep, hold for 8-10 seconds, and push like you're pooping. Short breath out, repeat."</p><p>Completely different breath work than I'd read about and watched on YouTube, but okay, let's do this.</p><p>After being 9 cm dilated for so long, I was certain that I wouldn't be pushing for a long time. Surely, just a few rounds and done, right? Imagine my surprise when, about 20 minutes in, I asked if we'd made progress. My doctor replied, "we have about three more hours to try [before c-section]."</p><p>"THREE HOURS?!" Absolutely not, I thought.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Delivery</h3><p>Pushing was literally the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Not even painful, but simply exhausting! I could feel myself falling asleep between pushes because I was just so damn tired. I started doing more pushes, four instead of three. I was desperate to meet our girl, and to be done with labor.</p><p>45 minutes later, I felt something close to the "ring of fire" (because remember, I was told to stop giving myself the medication...LOL, joke's on me!). I finally heard, </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">"Sam, are you ready to meet your baby?"</h4><div>I saw her beautiful face, all covered in blood and gunk, completely thrown by what had just happened, in awe that it was all finally over, and we had a daughter!</div><div><br /></div><div>They placed her on my stomach, and I instinctively pulled her to my chest for skin to skin...and that's when I felt it. The umbilical cord snapped, and blood went everywhere. Things went from joyous to scary, as the doctor went to clamp her cord far sooner than I'd planned. I wanted her to have an extra minute or two on her cord, isn't that what's supposed to happen? Insert opportunity for mom guilt, #1.</div><div><br /></div><div>She was taken from me, and we were told she had excessive fluid in her lungs. In a state of shock, I'm not even sure what I was feeling at the time. It never occurred to me that she would go to the NICU. Everything during pregnancy had been so uncomplicated, so why was it that birth had to be?</div><div><br /></div><div>While delivering the placenta and getting stitches, I watched the doctor look back and forth between me and baby on the warming table, surrounded by a team of nurses. She remained calm throughout the chaos, which made me feel a bit better. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just under an hour later, the nurses brought her to me in her little clear box, all clean and cozy. But instead of getting to hold her to my chest, I only got to hold her finger. I wouldn't hold her to my chest for nearly 24 hours longer. Insert opportunity for mom guilt, #2.</div><div><br /></div><div>"You're my mama," one of the nurses narrated for me as I held her little fingers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sure am, baby girl.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since the nurse had advised that I go off the boluses so I could feel my contractions, I also felt a whole lot of everything else, including some of the stitching and numbing. In a sense, I felt like I had a half natural birth, as I felt more pain than pressure during those final pushes. So not what I planned. Didn't plan on having a baby in the NICU, either. Wild how little of the things in your hospital bag are necessary when your little one has been taken away from you until further notice.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFnoVQs3-MpfDewSeX2S2l-xYbacmeWoy-lvk8GDiHJQy_HhB2_ZXo4CIFMim8qKCCiL-L-uuVmKXt4cI4OKd0W5Uxv03mHWlGbfxrxqdjhb08cQOa_MMz4paLk_M7PkIh5VM4NZKuXrEUUpdN99lqv6U1LsdhD68yygn06BaOHj0AqHrnhH6jS0cV=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFnoVQs3-MpfDewSeX2S2l-xYbacmeWoy-lvk8GDiHJQy_HhB2_ZXo4CIFMim8qKCCiL-L-uuVmKXt4cI4OKd0W5Uxv03mHWlGbfxrxqdjhb08cQOa_MMz4paLk_M7PkIh5VM4NZKuXrEUUpdN99lqv6U1LsdhD68yygn06BaOHj0AqHrnhH6jS0cV=s16000" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Our Hospital Stay </h3><div>The next few days felt like a blur. My parents brought us subs from Jersey Mikes. Ryan and I visited her separately in the NICU that first night. I had to use a peribottle to pee, add witch hazel pads to my disposable underwear. Everything hurt, and my whole body felt like I'd been hit by a bus, but somehow, time continued to pass. Looking back, I wonder if we could have visited her more often that first night, for longer, even overnight (insert opportunity for mom guilt, #3), but I think I was just trying to process everything. Even now, it's a strange concept to me that other people got to keep their babies in their hospital room with them. I start to tear up thinking about how we didn't get to have that special time with her, how I wasn't there for her every time she cried, how she didn't get to latch to me within those first few moments of her life. Instead, I had to ask a nurse to wheel me down several hallways and up an elevator to meet another nurse to escort me from NICU checkin to her room. Overall, our hospital stay was a blur of going back and forth to the NICU, ordering food, and for me, just feeling down. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXgx2SkmkCv_cqr--uGBxIgNs1H6sTq9zooFg6Qrf-aOlAnNos47EDCJkg2_9de_Kwq2vRz556sVw20sg-wakjuUEHEaVzs-RvxBQ46GAXEsL0KOQP_EN8FLbB0_5uC9v3QYAoqG9X3_RwtOoLkPG_x7_vQdVbt3HPCLdiM1q8VxkS5RM9muh8q4Bq=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXgx2SkmkCv_cqr--uGBxIgNs1H6sTq9zooFg6Qrf-aOlAnNos47EDCJkg2_9de_Kwq2vRz556sVw20sg-wakjuUEHEaVzs-RvxBQ46GAXEsL0KOQP_EN8FLbB0_5uC9v3QYAoqG9X3_RwtOoLkPG_x7_vQdVbt3HPCLdiM1q8VxkS5RM9muh8q4Bq=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>(The first picture we took of her in the NICU, a few hours after delivery)</div><h4 style="text-align: left;">NICU</h4><div>We had the best nurses at the NICU: Melody, Sarah, and Amanda. They made us feel like the most important family in the NICU, even though our little babe likely had the least complications out of majority of the babies there. We were discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, with Claire's pending departure for Thursday or Friday. They'd found an increase in her white blood cell count and had her on antibiotics, which meant they had to keep her for three days minimum. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ryan and I drove home Wednesday night, ordered dinner, and came home without our baby. Everyone told us, "at least you can enjoy one more night of rest!" In reality, it isn't easy to rest knowing that your two-day old baby isn't safe at home with you. Instead of waking to a crying, hungry baby, I set an alarm to wake myself up to pump...something I wasn't even planning on doing for at least another four weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday morning, we woke up excited! We got to the hospital around 8:30 a.m., feeling confident that she would be able to come home with us...until they told us she'd lost 10% of her body weight. Even though babies generally lose 7-10% of their body weight within those first few days, it was apparently reason enough for her to stay there one more night. We felt completely deflated. They offered us to "room in" at the NICU, which basically means to stay with her in a small suite overnight with a nurse on call to assist, if needed. I stayed at the hospital with her while Ryan went home to gather our things, round two. I spent all day with her, attempting to get her to latch (with the help of an amazing lactation consultant). Despite getting to finally spend time with our brand new daughter, being cooped up in a stuffy NICU room as opposed to our home was not the way I wanted to spend these first few days.</div><div><br /></div><div>Around 6:30 p.m. that night, we went to a room with the most uncomfortable pullout couch, linens, and pillows, and had the hardest night of our lives. It's one thing to be at home with your crying, fussy newborn, but it's a completely different can of worms to take care of a baby who is still a patient in the NICU. She was hooked up to so many wires, and every time she cried, her heart rate set off tons of anxiety-inducing beeps, which likely caused her even more frustration and fear, which then stressed us out even more. Changing her diapers amongst all of those wires was terrifying. We had the least personable nurse of our stay come in and check on us more frequently than we would have liked because Claire kept kicking off her oxygen monitor, causing the machines to beep even more ferociously. My poor baby, having such a harsh entry into the world. I didn't go into the hospital with a detailed birth plan, but this was absolutely not a part of our plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>I cried the whole night. Ryan and I had no idea what to do, and hardly knew how to help. We pieced together a whopping two hours of sleep, and by 6:45 the next morning, we were chomping at the bit to get out of that room and back to our regular NICU room with the friendly nurses. I watched Claire get yet another blood test (her right foot had 4+ tiny marks from getting poked and prodded). We received news later, after another near hiccup (the blood test revealed that her thyroid levels were potentially abnormal...?!), that we would be able to take her home that afternoon. Finally, after spending Monday-Friday in the hospital, away from her mama, scared and confused. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ4jM_7tcOLWGnfb50kUnAMxNiZE1U4K_IjFZvf05NokhEQz1RdMsS9ytetdvm8V2Kuf9N_02iry_Kl4Xehjy9HmEQ2VPR6Io2GmGmAqZ3Bo6gYcdrqKpWVAsFW3tgtanOT1J245ITGCgwjVlY-gSrGYDy2BgOsF13B6T6TwUL8t55zmbr7gaEnYQ_=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ4jM_7tcOLWGnfb50kUnAMxNiZE1U4K_IjFZvf05NokhEQz1RdMsS9ytetdvm8V2Kuf9N_02iry_Kl4Xehjy9HmEQ2VPR6Io2GmGmAqZ3Bo6gYcdrqKpWVAsFW3tgtanOT1J245ITGCgwjVlY-gSrGYDy2BgOsF13B6T6TwUL8t55zmbr7gaEnYQ_=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzPuG3WejphFBdYq0kT7ygjdsKm2NdJsdk2OTHDtV8ndWnxbRxTawJBM8jpu-9Cv_1PtI1g7o2h81EzfXNFH45NYRabXIOVR0T-3Kvsdk11bZGEpcxMTvUuwzfwwd-f6_VDvFyJ8FTC-cllgLI3_awYNKXlB3-MdwIAdzeUp-fciKH1dtyjpbN0HRi=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzPuG3WejphFBdYq0kT7ygjdsKm2NdJsdk2OTHDtV8ndWnxbRxTawJBM8jpu-9Cv_1PtI1g7o2h81EzfXNFH45NYRabXIOVR0T-3Kvsdk11bZGEpcxMTvUuwzfwwd-f6_VDvFyJ8FTC-cllgLI3_awYNKXlB3-MdwIAdzeUp-fciKH1dtyjpbN0HRi=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaD4EI_jE_mB9T59J-pBhPmPjzXesXNzrJBgSsthS9Ou5_7SVybxhRkcn7nekstW5ResqEOcU2ITLSK9ZVhX7aIG0fqIXef4zU52vBP65PkKW4r-zDJHpqkDJKAnFkohovJO1LKtntDIzL03tj2FSdMhdy0CCFLsdOMYci24YGSWRpX5RXrdVyG8mO=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaD4EI_jE_mB9T59J-pBhPmPjzXesXNzrJBgSsthS9Ou5_7SVybxhRkcn7nekstW5ResqEOcU2ITLSK9ZVhX7aIG0fqIXef4zU52vBP65PkKW4r-zDJHpqkDJKAnFkohovJO1LKtntDIzL03tj2FSdMhdy0CCFLsdOMYci24YGSWRpX5RXrdVyG8mO=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu2T-aUw2jL48KfCdb9LC_P6ttx3d1u9QQcj8znpdSG1B_Mwfvwa1JYVVZQb3BB1zdcDsG-NnXH64grW0YPphxcCPY9FOreeC5enxA9qiqvHDbBGlLf68msUH-VbEiCONDRisV7_3NGzBAryIdyPQcPbCpiFig9THkLu36tHS5VBdFu6Nyj-nsp6S2=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu2T-aUw2jL48KfCdb9LC_P6ttx3d1u9QQcj8znpdSG1B_Mwfvwa1JYVVZQb3BB1zdcDsG-NnXH64grW0YPphxcCPY9FOreeC5enxA9qiqvHDbBGlLf68msUH-VbEiCONDRisV7_3NGzBAryIdyPQcPbCpiFig9THkLu36tHS5VBdFu6Nyj-nsp6S2=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Final thoughts</h3><div>My heart still breaks for her and our family, but it breaks even harder for those families who have to endure it longer for more complicated circumstances. I know that, at the end of the day, we are extremely lucky that sweet baby Claire was overall very healthy, and five days in the NICU is nothing compared to what other families experience. That said, our feelings are still valid, as our experience is our own. I know it was just a few days, and not everyone has a dream birth experience, but it was simply not what we expected. While it was complicated and scary and totally not what we'd planned, our experience brought us our Claire, who is the healthiest little chunk now. We are so looking forward to watching her grow up, and feel so lucky that we get to be her parents.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjzEqDkJy_XWtitZA88W4A6JpYEn3idnswJg_g9Y3W_cj2TOT7Ol78Cr5qC7jqvifctQa2cqdkdbxd3v7PUgVKva7JV-cUwmTnNC6rnRkD72ssW2ZptzqTU4_YdSZvlcxTy7e_vfWfEj_PK-Uw1MlGrfmM6TTDYfyIjz6ECAxoqI5upE9xVwPUUlBt=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjzEqDkJy_XWtitZA88W4A6JpYEn3idnswJg_g9Y3W_cj2TOT7Ol78Cr5qC7jqvifctQa2cqdkdbxd3v7PUgVKva7JV-cUwmTnNC6rnRkD72ssW2ZptzqTU4_YdSZvlcxTy7e_vfWfEj_PK-Uw1MlGrfmM6TTDYfyIjz6ECAxoqI5upE9xVwPUUlBt=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-1826232962524487482021-12-25T09:17:00.004-05:002021-12-25T09:18:45.168-05:00christmas with claire<h1 style="text-align: left;">Merry Christmas, friends!</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR666t5o5oiVxgCc_U7YodKXFkh-_t2EJrCxHNmBWJ81BvURxdUtfrNTewH2U8dbjOcLPNU9vpgGt2QnlmsrbNyw8YBiuhyUe2oTKh2PCvo5or9VQGjobk3CxiqIrwuI3YFShX5Ta90mSuMtK2lgTq6lsmXfA6EtG0LJyfwYphvDUmGeAcOVt9dfg0=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR666t5o5oiVxgCc_U7YodKXFkh-_t2EJrCxHNmBWJ81BvURxdUtfrNTewH2U8dbjOcLPNU9vpgGt2QnlmsrbNyw8YBiuhyUe2oTKh2PCvo5or9VQGjobk3CxiqIrwuI3YFShX5Ta90mSuMtK2lgTq6lsmXfA6EtG0LJyfwYphvDUmGeAcOVt9dfg0=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I've been looking forward to this holiday season since I found out I was pregnant in February. Since my due date was early November, I knew I'd get to spend all the holidays with our brand new daughter without worrying about taking time off from work. <div><br /></div><div>What I didn't anticipate (naively) was that not working would be the least of my worries, and that the holidays would look a lot different for us, and not always in the romanticized way I'd initially imagined:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It took us almost three weeks to get the tree completely decorated, with large storage boxes full of unused ornaments and decor hovering around the living room for days, adding to the mental chaos that we were already feeling with our baby who was fighting her daytime naps.</li><li>As much as I wanted to make Christmas treats and cookies, it turns out that finding recipes, going to the grocery store, and actually making something was a project that I simply did not have the energy for after all.</li><li>Outside of a secret Santa amongst Ryan's family and buying a couple gifts, we really dropped the ball on Christmas gifts this year. By the end of each day, I hardly felt like looking for anything online, and we didn't have much time to shop in person.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX08Bt6fuLmFZX_vfd-0TL1ptBnemVvF6Fcb3JK9fzHTmtppMSoaT1W18kecJ0eBx7uyFSCICoS4b58shtx8lWtfKe5409kP_PYZ20keQqpqTGNIjEMO26eXs82Kn4j__ZZZ4FkoLWqF4IeGpWORkor8AVrf1Xxk4wt0eUTgEbwtr7Sh-L55BMU5aa=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX08Bt6fuLmFZX_vfd-0TL1ptBnemVvF6Fcb3JK9fzHTmtppMSoaT1W18kecJ0eBx7uyFSCICoS4b58shtx8lWtfKe5409kP_PYZ20keQqpqTGNIjEMO26eXs82Kn4j__ZZZ4FkoLWqF4IeGpWORkor8AVrf1Xxk4wt0eUTgEbwtr7Sh-L55BMU5aa=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>But even though things looked and felt a little different in ways I didn't expect this year, there was also so much joy to be had, like:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Saying goodnight to the Christmas tree with Claire every night. Calming Claire with the Christmas tree lights. Plopping Claire in a swing in front of the Christmas tree lights so I could throw back a cup of coffee or clean a bottle. Basically anything that involved Claire + our Christmas tree.</li><li>Walking Claire around downtown St. Pete, showing her (more!) Christmas lights on our walk back to the car after our first happy hour out with her.</li><li>Watching Christmas movies at all hours of the day, even on weekdays.</li><li>Finally finding my favorite holiday coffee creamer (Silk dark chocolate peppermint almond creamer), because mama neeeeeds her coffee. I'd rather have a nap, but coffee is a close second.</li><li>Getting to have a few hours out with work friends for a holiday themed Christmas happy hour.</li><li>Having a few weeks off with Ryan, as he took the rest of his parent leave + PTO this month. It's been wonderful having him here to fully co-parent with me vs. working from home!</li></ul></div><div>I get so excited (and borderline emotional? ...hormones!) when I think about all of the holiday seasons to come, the traditions we'll continue, the new traditions we'll start, the activities, the baking, the gifting, the magic. We can't wait to watch this little lady grow up, and I know that having her around during the holidays will make them even more special as the years go on.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP88Wt0UarkvhjXTqjiBFsnAkW6IJIVaA0AJnpZdyGq6t4zzu-R0aI4hjmuo7PWokyAdK7Zxjr7OOgneobJLNz0G8JXDrgpYOVWuqUX3UPT_6ONFd4hQu_XkYH6Wf9TSw8I0vWZz37xTTV7h8-DdPiiZFfJsepVv3DNEn-60p1I-YDXocqu9Igdy4u=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP88Wt0UarkvhjXTqjiBFsnAkW6IJIVaA0AJnpZdyGq6t4zzu-R0aI4hjmuo7PWokyAdK7Zxjr7OOgneobJLNz0G8JXDrgpYOVWuqUX3UPT_6ONFd4hQu_XkYH6Wf9TSw8I0vWZz37xTTV7h8-DdPiiZFfJsepVv3DNEn-60p1I-YDXocqu9Igdy4u=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">So again, Merry Christmas and happy holidays from my family to yours! </h2><div><br /></div></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-7622924972413903462021-09-02T11:51:00.001-04:002021-09-02T11:51:06.942-04:00second & third trimester "bumpdates"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrho3V0cIcOZvYU5Ke0sO9A2WC95gCEWqqg4iR9yXZv6BrtB1C2CYoLvn5-_lxY98hzikmComKdReSF7Oj7gMJ6VTWzRTrIwZD5-HM0rdngV5Cjt7bk9P_utdf9_Sb0tQVdoBOAT88t7c/s4032/IMG_1339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrho3V0cIcOZvYU5Ke0sO9A2WC95gCEWqqg4iR9yXZv6BrtB1C2CYoLvn5-_lxY98hzikmComKdReSF7Oj7gMJ6VTWzRTrIwZD5-HM0rdngV5Cjt7bk9P_utdf9_Sb0tQVdoBOAT88t7c/s16000/IMG_1339.jpg" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Hello, 31 weeks!</h2><p>What a time warp pregnancy has been thus far. September has begun, and pumpkins, fall fashion, and all things autumn related have made their way into stores (and right back out of them, into my home and my stomach). I've spent all of spring and summer being pregnant, looking toward fall as my "final destination," aka little one's due date, so to think that summer is nearly gone really puts things into perspective for me. Ryan and I are going to be <i>parents</i> in two months (give or take)!</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Second Trimester</h3><p>I'm officially up and out of the glorious second trimester and into my third. After easing out of my all-day nausea and sickness in the first few weeks of my second, I felt like I was living the pregnancy dream by about 18 weeks. I didn't have the "energy boost" that I was promised. The way people talk about energy in their second trimester, I was anticipating more of a transition from Gary the Snail to the Energizer bunny. As it turns out, I just started to feel like myself again. I started craving more than just macaroni and cheese, I began cooking dinner again, making plans, exercising, etc. The only thing that felt different was my growing belly, with the occasional bout of discomfort. </p><p>We went on a little baby moon down in Naples in the middle of June, which is about a two and a half hour road trip down I75. With a lot of expenses to come in the following months, we really wanted something short and sweet with minimal travel involved (though in retrospect, I would have been perfectly happy with just <i>one</i> extra day). We stayed at the Escalante Hotel right in the historic district of Naples, and spent the weekend eating out at cute restaurants, lounging by the pool and getting (complimentary!) cabana service at the beach. We even snuck in a little bit of family time, as a few of Ryan's cousins who live in Naples met us downtown for ice cream on our last night.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeiteLR3uWfx21te5_mmvlpKoc3kxidICcfWiF5qNZXRV9yCDemFLI_JiUaTf5ioluwbIE9qm0Y3uKGnt0QJ8FtcwtkJOWwOP6mWYkqLJC1pXaeCmLUTMdvqZKgPBTyiSp_pJ8_YegRc/s3088/IMG_9021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeiteLR3uWfx21te5_mmvlpKoc3kxidICcfWiF5qNZXRV9yCDemFLI_JiUaTf5ioluwbIE9qm0Y3uKGnt0QJ8FtcwtkJOWwOP6mWYkqLJC1pXaeCmLUTMdvqZKgPBTyiSp_pJ8_YegRc/s16000/IMG_9021.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gs-pG37Fgm6AVXcIjdcOVJ4f8-V_s8iskZmTLHVFrEG-srri8scs8wCujckcW8xzAcZSvQRQVmP2qVN3cAvCO3VIKyWHxx83JgaVQ1HfWwvqYyVgK1YlLZ-hwAvbuSkUc8YOg3ZECT4/s4032/IMG_9017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gs-pG37Fgm6AVXcIjdcOVJ4f8-V_s8iskZmTLHVFrEG-srri8scs8wCujckcW8xzAcZSvQRQVmP2qVN3cAvCO3VIKyWHxx83JgaVQ1HfWwvqYyVgK1YlLZ-hwAvbuSkUc8YOg3ZECT4/s16000/IMG_9017.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgM-7qhn-vAeTAbDn1NYxp6KGoT7AixKPTK2WQiQqWYN6KUdiwoqisxLHifJPCVSY2_O2MYQ_Dzv3IrM9T7Pv7O1FhD9DzPzB8TPBuOep5GWOqv9TGGaglXLsI_VpcmI1Zk1aVHjLH84/s4032/IMG_8995.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgM-7qhn-vAeTAbDn1NYxp6KGoT7AixKPTK2WQiQqWYN6KUdiwoqisxLHifJPCVSY2_O2MYQ_Dzv3IrM9T7Pv7O1FhD9DzPzB8TPBuOep5GWOqv9TGGaglXLsI_VpcmI1Zk1aVHjLH84/s16000/IMG_8995.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OuKPFD-jKY1H9hC5FAV1IteuCfBIyznPaG8IiJbhJaR1WLH9d6fwW86n6y1Rh-5bo0rQqm1A5GA7FeS4fh6YtivvBwHFUUbPgTJ-EZZ68llgcf1ESTDc8avUD-So4-hyawQ9FshdMNs/s4032/IMG_9057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OuKPFD-jKY1H9hC5FAV1IteuCfBIyznPaG8IiJbhJaR1WLH9d6fwW86n6y1Rh-5bo0rQqm1A5GA7FeS4fh6YtivvBwHFUUbPgTJ-EZZ68llgcf1ESTDc8avUD-So4-hyawQ9FshdMNs/s16000/IMG_9057.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqO5syeAla1zQBzm2TUO9SOLG9NDf-yehSow9aLylkoKrrFHOJZaTIPHStq_C6G8AWHNoxybeVmWC4-3K579rt3Zr4ArbkgBmhuT18dhHry2nrSg9ZPS3-7lvDS3F1F9KPxQFPWeXpAE/s4032/IMG_9062.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqO5syeAla1zQBzm2TUO9SOLG9NDf-yehSow9aLylkoKrrFHOJZaTIPHStq_C6G8AWHNoxybeVmWC4-3K579rt3Zr4ArbkgBmhuT18dhHry2nrSg9ZPS3-7lvDS3F1F9KPxQFPWeXpAE/s16000/IMG_9062.jpg" /></a></div><p>A few weeks later, we road tripped up to North Carolina to spend some time at a friend's family cabin with a couple girlfriends, and their husbands and kiddos! Both girlfriends are also pregnant, so it was nice to be in sober company...LOL. I'm so glad I still had plenty of energy on this trip (minus one random mid-day nap) because we filled it with hikes, exploring, and lake swims. It really was the perfect summer trip, and I was still feeling okay enough for two 11-12 hour car trips. Not ideal at 24 weeks pregnant, but it was certainly doable! Shoutout to my husband for driving about 90% of the time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpYN3QKxH11FUbywTS34tQ1VmrG4PHTi3NTIZONWSuk5Ex7BKv-kF0o-h8C1zxqEjYeFFhNXtzbqzqG1PAWZqAaWBhR1IcLARfHtnDfM4aZR57h_KtZVQ3a7UpGiUj_DNVwFaWHv20uw/s3000/IMG_1617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpYN3QKxH11FUbywTS34tQ1VmrG4PHTi3NTIZONWSuk5Ex7BKv-kF0o-h8C1zxqEjYeFFhNXtzbqzqG1PAWZqAaWBhR1IcLARfHtnDfM4aZR57h_KtZVQ3a7UpGiUj_DNVwFaWHv20uw/s16000/IMG_1617.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFt9ehWxq8j2KfcYHUaK2XTXcQ8yPBSOWxii4_uCSO9ah8cRt2O4V6LIm3hhmzYeXZ9I1mbryxdf0Rz42pMVro80rncI83tSQTUR_Xi_Y24v_lZPAJfblYoZL60uNc4PD84yKWcXVmc/s809/A736F758-5225-425E-A829-CA51EC268A4E.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="647" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFt9ehWxq8j2KfcYHUaK2XTXcQ8yPBSOWxii4_uCSO9ah8cRt2O4V6LIm3hhmzYeXZ9I1mbryxdf0Rz42pMVro80rncI83tSQTUR_Xi_Y24v_lZPAJfblYoZL60uNc4PD84yKWcXVmc/s16000/A736F758-5225-425E-A829-CA51EC268A4E.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrcYuOtW4Jk0BiAN3232MQXnShr9FGL6giHcOu4uUoXcRc1qIgWh_WwZgpRZTeG04Lnwgsol0ywH4d3zayA_xyEGjuZct7sJeVRxTQgArsqTvOURccx5RjNOkFfTanWlsxz4CRHqQmTI/s4032/IMG_9570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrcYuOtW4Jk0BiAN3232MQXnShr9FGL6giHcOu4uUoXcRc1qIgWh_WwZgpRZTeG04Lnwgsol0ywH4d3zayA_xyEGjuZct7sJeVRxTQgArsqTvOURccx5RjNOkFfTanWlsxz4CRHqQmTI/s16000/IMG_9570.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBZXL3zIBHWezLQxvT6Kmmw_wL7HhCpo48oYs09LEp9lD_k1tf-fvZWHBxrw1sIO8NzhxAmZwlG4hOe0S8iZZ3sXhFRkZxceK_cihJ34F1lxW5coNxJLyymV2FgjpMIbE1Rs4niKvb4/s809/779189A9-3970-4E7C-9CF6-3DF91E40C0CC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="647" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kBZXL3zIBHWezLQxvT6Kmmw_wL7HhCpo48oYs09LEp9lD_k1tf-fvZWHBxrw1sIO8NzhxAmZwlG4hOe0S8iZZ3sXhFRkZxceK_cihJ34F1lxW5coNxJLyymV2FgjpMIbE1Rs4niKvb4/s16000/779189A9-3970-4E7C-9CF6-3DF91E40C0CC.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Third Trimester</h3><div>The exact day I hit 27 weeks, it felt like my body did a 180 and I went from bopping along, happy as a clam, to feeling straight up uncomfortable. I'd spent so much of my time in the second trimester feeling good that I forgot it was likely going to get worse again.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since beginning the third trimester, I've been experiencing:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>wrist pain, similar to that of carpal tunnel, but it's in both wrists?</li><li>overall joint pain in my hands. </li><li>upper rib pain, almost like a big bruise that feels like someone is constantly digging their elbow (or foot!) into them. I should note this has been on the left side only (right side rib pain can be a sign of preeclampsia).</li><li>difficulty sleeping, due to everything above.</li></ul><div>Thankfully, some of these symptoms have been coming and going. Right now, I'm mostly having the pain in my wrists, which has been really fun when it comes to typing, using my phone, opening bags, existing, etc. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>On a brighter note, we are getting closer and closer to baby girl's due date. In fact, it's exactly two months from today! Because she's due November 2nd, she could even be an October baby. I'm hoping she stays snuggled in tightly, at least until after October 28th, as that is tentatively my last day of work. But she's in charge, right? I just keep rubbing my tummy and whispering to her "full term, full term, full term" and hoping she gets the hint.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4LqJLLeTClnW_9uZbwJN_CHNvMzOxks4wklE3RRU8W2Dqk547VVSN23bxBc5YHudS7Gcu9-WNwu_JkqoDFyn-YLEogLUYWbEAHAN2sXBompO9HKpYMI_mEuoDzDj6AZjux_VVnKEMPE/s4032/IMG_0264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4LqJLLeTClnW_9uZbwJN_CHNvMzOxks4wklE3RRU8W2Dqk547VVSN23bxBc5YHudS7Gcu9-WNwu_JkqoDFyn-YLEogLUYWbEAHAN2sXBompO9HKpYMI_mEuoDzDj6AZjux_VVnKEMPE/s16000/IMG_0264.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Most recent "bump" picture - 31 weeks, on the dot!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Names</h3><div>We have a running list of about 3-5 names at any given time. I still look at lists every so often, just to make sure I'm not "overlooking" anything that I could potentially love. I was listening to a podcast about naming your baby, and one of the pieces of advice that stuck with me was that hearing a baby name is kind of like listening to a new song. You might think it's just okay at first, but the more you hear it, the more you love it! We likely won't decide on a name until the day she's born and we actually see her, but that could change.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Next on our "to do" list:</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Get the nursery set up! Or at least, organize it, wash and wipe down everything we'll be using. We don't have the crib up and running yet, but we plan on using a bassinet for the first few months anyway. I know there are only so many things a newborn truly needs in those initial weeks, but I know our minds will likely be a chaotic mess once baby gets here, so I would prefer our home to be relatively clean and put together when she comes!</li><li>Finish our guest/baby bathroom renovation and get a fence installed in the backyard for easy pooch release once baby is here.</li><li>Attend a newborn preparation class (if possible...thanks COVID!) and watch some birthing classes online. I'm leaning toward Tinyhood, but if there is something else anyone recommends, please comment down below!</li></ul><h2 style="text-align: left;">The countdown is on, my friends!</h2></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-76140659284841299682021-07-07T15:25:00.003-04:002021-07-07T15:25:24.143-04:00gratitude for this season of life<p>Lately, I've been having sporadic moments of gratitude for this life.</p><p>I think I read somewhere in one of my baby apps that this is typical for the second trimester of pregnancy. For one, I'm exceedingly grateful that my daily nausea has finally subsided, as it's been about six weeks since I last got sick. Aside from my consistent lower back pain and intermittent growing pains, I'm actually feeling pretty good, and it's making this pregnancy a lot more enjoyable thus far. I'm still waiting on that burst of energy I've been promised, but overall, it's been a pleasant couple of months.</p><p>Anyway...gratitude.</p><p>Now that we have a little one on the way, we've kick started a lot of bigger house projects. Ryan (with the help of some friends and family) has been demolishing our guest-soon-to-be-kid's bathroom, and we'll likely be adding a fence and gate to our front and back yard in the next couple of months. We'd like to get started on our porch renovation, and I'm toying with the idea of adding a board and batten wall to our dining room situation and throwing in a few pops of wall paint color. On top of that, I'm starting to get a cohesive idea of what we want our little girl's nursery to look like, and getting the itch to begin "nesting."</p><p>While our list of house projects can be daunting, and it seems like we'll never have the time, money, or dedication to accomplish it all, I can't help but feel grateful for this home we get to build together (in the figurative sense). I feel it when I sit in specific corners of the house, like our living room couch facing the open shutters on a rainy day, or walk into our bedroom with the basket lights emitting a warm glow next to our fiddle fig tree. Our house is finally starting to feel cozy, like <i>ours</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2LV-L9s4bK5o5cVMIfiwLlAXsoGmJe1loFHlH2b0Jsbht-XfftQIYweoi1T3fW5tUMuiwEE6KE8oa4IDVKPf0SSfiVHYDJyZ-ihGG7xmlOJlLyf2VJPT_7p9GS-xcw75LFB3P4vAs6I/s2048/IMG_9305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2LV-L9s4bK5o5cVMIfiwLlAXsoGmJe1loFHlH2b0Jsbht-XfftQIYweoi1T3fW5tUMuiwEE6KE8oa4IDVKPf0SSfiVHYDJyZ-ihGG7xmlOJlLyf2VJPT_7p9GS-xcw75LFB3P4vAs6I/s16000/IMG_9305.JPG" /></a></div><p>I look at Ryan and feel so, so thankful that he is going to be a father to our daughter. Shortly after meeting him (almost eight years ago!), I just <i>knew </i>he'd be a wonderful dad. He's literally the kindest person I know; someone who continuously goes above and beyond. He's thoughtful, silly, active, adventurous, appreciative...all of the things I could want in a partner on this parenting journey. To say I feel lucky is an understatement.</p><p>I'm not blind to the difficult times to come. I know there will be long nights, sleep-deprived arguments, excessive diaper changes, tantrums, and even thankless days ahead. But with those moments, no matter how long they feel, there will also be laughter and baby cackles, neighborhood walks, new traditions, story time, and memories made in this house, as a [bigger] family. I'm ready for the milestones and the big moments, but I think I'm even more excited for those tiny moments of joy that truly create a beautiful life.</p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-22410990239127770272021-06-22T13:40:00.002-04:002021-06-22T13:40:11.335-04:00It's a GIRL!<h2 style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, I announced on Instagram that <i>we're having a girl! </i>We couldn't be more excited to add a little girl to our family this fall. </h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RRb0d23hCdh9v4UdaG6usAiBOShPfOMuXmYuJGIEKG7o_dv74sfBn6gbLeVvU5TY__kokebLCTN78O4-FXLoSS131dQiQFzG5-ask-lbaOSGqb2yKDhheq1kX-ZLMIjqb8wGCDvJi88/s4032/IMG_8552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RRb0d23hCdh9v4UdaG6usAiBOShPfOMuXmYuJGIEKG7o_dv74sfBn6gbLeVvU5TY__kokebLCTN78O4-FXLoSS131dQiQFzG5-ask-lbaOSGqb2yKDhheq1kX-ZLMIjqb8wGCDvJi88/s16000/IMG_8552.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">"Do you want a boy or a girl?!"</h3><div>If you'd asked us prior to my bloodwork, we would have told you that we'd be excited for a boy or a girl, which was completely true! Everyone just wants a healthy baby, and I think that's fair to say. Having said that, and now that we know the baby's sex for certain, I can tell you that we were both gunning for a girl from the get-go.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've always been fairly sure that I wanted to have children. Ryan and I talked about it before even getting married - we both wanted kids, but if for some reason we weren't able to, we would promised to each other that we would continue to find fulfillment in other ways (as there are so many ways to lead a full, happy life). In my mid-twenties, I had brief moments where I felt as though I could go either way - become a mom, or become the really fun "aunt Sam" to all of our friends' children. In any case, I knew I <i>definitely </i>didn't want us to start trying until after I turned 30...or, that's what I thought, anyway. It wasn't until around this time last year, just before turning 29, that my mindset began shifting. When I thought about waiting to get pregnant, I felt sad thinking about how long it would be until Ryan and I would become parents, and I realized that maybe I didn't want to stick to my self-created timeline after all.</div><div><br /></div><div>But even within my moments of uncertainty, I'd always pictured myself as a girl mom. I had far more girl friends than guy friends growing up, even into high school and college. I loved playing dress up, getting new clothes for my American Girl doll, playing with makeup (which boys can do, too, of course). Long story longer: I realized that, when I pictured myself as a mother, I always pictured myself with a daughter. And after seeing Ryan interact with his cousin's daughters over the past few years, I knew that he would be the very best "girl dad," too.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How We Found Out</h3><div>I know "gender reveals" are all the rage right now, but Ryan and I really wanted to find the news out together, just us. I took a non-invasive prenatal test (a blood draw) back in April, and after patiently(ish) waiting a week for the results, I reached out to my doctor's office to see if they'd heard anything from the third party company. I got a message back 20 minutes later:</div><div><br /></div><div>"We do have the results! How would you like to receive them?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Ummm, immediately, that's how!</div><div><br /></div><div>I quickly sent back a message saying that I'd be happy with an email or a phone call, and they didn't open it for <i>an hour.</i> Ryan had gone out to pick up some to-go lunch for us, but I couldn't eat. I was too anxious/excited. When the doctor's office finally did call, I ran outside to where Ryan was hitting golf balls in our practice net in the backyard.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Alright, guys. What are your bets?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Ryan quickly said girl, but I hesitated. Earlier in my pregnancy, I'd been so sure our baby was a girl. But then I began having doubts...was I projecting?! I knew I'd be happy with a sweet little mama's boy, especially a mini version of my husband. It wasn't what I'd initially pictured, but I knew that I would love being a mother to any little nugget we could call our own. I said, "I think it's a boy."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Alright, dad, go out and buy a lotto ticket. It's a girl!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: "IT'S A GIRL?!?!??!!!!"</div><div><br /></div><div>And just like that, we found out that we would have a daughter this fall. We are over the moon excited, and I haven't stopped looking at adorable dresses and boho onesies since. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Uyf2GfsPrUw2i1-yEYaEmnDyo5ot-pGTDAbnkY6yaCxx5BcZtub5yXYi1ukbv69JzFjisEF6wjKaJMZDbq0Sk1LBaBKWsYrthXt-OGeInudJi4h2sQMZttUI28_Wd_jqjku387i0NoI/s3780/27F0F871-8318-417B-8E54-CC84E703D23D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Uyf2GfsPrUw2i1-yEYaEmnDyo5ot-pGTDAbnkY6yaCxx5BcZtub5yXYi1ukbv69JzFjisEF6wjKaJMZDbq0Sk1LBaBKWsYrthXt-OGeInudJi4h2sQMZttUI28_Wd_jqjku387i0NoI/s16000/27F0F871-8318-417B-8E54-CC84E703D23D.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">"Do you have a name picked out?"</h3><div>I thought picking out a girl name would be a lot easier, but as it turns out, we have a handful of names that we can't seem to decide on. As of now, our plan is to have a list of three names and see what she looks like when she's born!</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Thank you to everyone who has reached out and congratulated us during this time in our lives. I love being able to document this journey.</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-30783534919174971242021-05-18T21:14:00.002-04:002021-05-18T21:15:15.457-04:00baby fredericks, coming november 2021!<h2 style="text-align: left;">Just call us mom and dad...we're expecting a little babe this November!</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ffyfLGVncK66SgqwkKab6hBRYuBz10Z9FGTIXgX_gKzpPbcdPaoRNhsKZXAMF7rvVCrXYkqxZjdt9Nf0YWb5vu3p3ec15JxjuU8fsi-ZPTRM87rsXE_VOdQXAc9Y3zSoP2lS6qmewQ/s3600/Facetune_23-04-2021-10-26-00.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ffyfLGVncK66SgqwkKab6hBRYuBz10Z9FGTIXgX_gKzpPbcdPaoRNhsKZXAMF7rvVCrXYkqxZjdt9Nf0YWb5vu3p3ec15JxjuU8fsi-ZPTRM87rsXE_VOdQXAc9Y3zSoP2lS6qmewQ/s16000/Facetune_23-04-2021-10-26-00.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What a journey it has been already. To those who claim to love being pregnant: so happy for you! but wowza that has not been the case for me...ha! I'm so happy to be on this journey and I'm getting more excited with every passing day, but the first trimester had me feeling like anything but myself. Apparently the second trimester is supposed to be when things start to look up, so here's hoping!</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">From the beginning</h3>I found out I was pregnant quite early on. Between getting the house together, going off birth control, and waiting to get the COVID vaccine, we never really gave ourselves the opportunity to "not try, not prevent." Once we were ready, I made an effort to track my cycle and before I knew it, I was staring at two pink lines. We'd been really careful until we decided not to be, and I realize that we are truly lucky to be able to say it happened quickly! <div><br /></div><div>On Friday, February 19th, I woke up after a great night's sleep and lounged around on the couch for awhile, sipping my coffee, and getting a slow start to the morning. About an hour later, I took the dogs for a short walk and felt totally winded. Knowing I'd slept well and done absolutely nothing that morning, I thought it was kind of weird. A couple hours later, I checked my Flo app to see when I was supposed to start my period, and saw it was five days away.</div><div><br /></div><div>I thought about all of the "5 days before your missed period" pregnancy test commercials I'd ever seen and decided to take a random cheapie test I had on hand, without much expectation. After a few minutes, I looked at it and did it a double take at the super faint second line. I knew I needed a second opinion (err, a second test), and thankfully I had two digital tests on hand...which I promptly ruined (if you've ever used a digital test, you know this is pretty easy to do...ha!).</div><div><br /></div><div>So there I am on a Friday morning - Ryan's working from home, I'm trying not to freak out alone, but I have nothing left besides the cheap tests that were already in question. I made an excuse to run to Target (like I need one) to "pick up a few home things," which was a borderline intention. Once I got there, I managed to distract myself in the home goods area for a bit (and scooped up a runner rug in the process) before dashing over to the family planning section and snagging both traditional pink dye tests and digital "pregnant/not pregnant" tests. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was shaking nearly the whole way home, trying to sing along to "Electric Love" (you know, "baby, you're like lightning in a bottle..." - what an appropriate song choice) and <i>breathe</i>. I immediately ripped open both types of tests and waited for a full three minutes. I looked out the window, closed my eyes, and opened them again to see that both tests were absolutely, no doubt about it, <i>positive</i>. I started shaking, laughing, crying, having an immediate "omg omg omg this is real, this is happening" moment, but managed to pull it together to call out to Ryan (in the middle of his work day...whoops) to help me open something in the bathroom. From the doorway, he looked at the tests, looks at me and says, "stop," before looking back down at the tests and pulling me in for a hug...not long before saying "holy shit!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Safe to say we were both very thankful, and also <i>very</i> surprised! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97pA_RWV8tztKbRidVLTctpm0B6VUCfscn84EoXpezdvUuo_B6AlXkh3jVV2YB2nfnWAik_o1H_NSjWgSWzPPTHopQbumM-Cexi7qAaekVaXSI6_wvy842GyxZPoCIbBkUZc4dZw9fvg/s3600/HT1A5708.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97pA_RWV8tztKbRidVLTctpm0B6VUCfscn84EoXpezdvUuo_B6AlXkh3jVV2YB2nfnWAik_o1H_NSjWgSWzPPTHopQbumM-Cexi7qAaekVaXSI6_wvy842GyxZPoCIbBkUZc4dZw9fvg/s16000/HT1A5708.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Cycle Stuff (if you're interested)</h3><div>Since coming off my birth control back in September/October 2020, I've been religious about entering in my cycle information on my Flo app so that I could anticipate when my period was coming. My cycle hovered between 28-35 days, with one whopping instance of a 47 day (!!!) cycle in January. We'd considered starting around the end of 2020, but then I was given the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine, and after consulting with my doctor, we decided to wait. Well, I can officially be one of the many individuals to debunk the "COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility!" statement, because it surely did not.</div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Symptoms between 1st & 2nd trimesters</h3><div>I was hoping to be one of the (seemingly many?!) people without any pregnancy symptoms, but by the end of week 5, I was feeling rough. I had difficulty going to the bathroom for about a week, and as soon as that subsided, the nausea swept in. Oh, the nausea. Just days before our nine hour road trip to Georgia (that hot tub I posted on IG? the glass of wine in hand? wishful thinking...ha! it was all an *~illusion~*). </div><div><br /></div><div>By week 7, I was getting sick several times a week, which in the grand scheme, isn't bad at all. But for me, being nauseous feels debilitating, so I was hardly myself. Nearly every night, I'd come home from working a ten hour day and retreat to the couch or the toilet, willing myself to get sick, just so I could finally feel better. It's only now, at 15 weeks, that I've started to feel more like myself again, with only intermittent nausea when I get really hungry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Nausea aside, I've been zonked. Some days, I felt like I could just fall asleep right at my desk, beyond the kind of sleepy I'd usually feel after just a long day at work. I had moments where I thought to myself, "surely I cannot make it through the rest of the day," but I managed to keep it together most days.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Cravings & aversions</h3><div>Cravings: anything cold! Give me alllll the [cooked] sushi. I miss raw tuna so much, but tempura shrimp and crab have sufficed in the meantime. Soda has been another random craving for me. In the last 10 years, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I've ordered a soda or picked one out of a cooler to drink. But dark soda (Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, etc.) has been a biiiiig favorite of mine. Ryan scoffs at me because he thinks soda is totally gross, but damn, nothing beats a cold Coke, you feel me?!</div><div><br /></div><div>Aversions: I haven't had coffee in over two months. I went from drinking a cup or two every morning to totally stopping cold turkey. I woke up one morning, went to make coffee, got a whiff of the beans and just thought, "nope." And I haven't touched it since. Also! Those Ritual prenatals everyone goes on about? Oooof. I can hardly talk about them, even to this day. While I don't think they <i>specifically</i> made me sick, I definitely got sick after taking a few doses, and they completely put me off lemons. Also, water sounded awful to me for quite a few weeks, so staying hydrated was overall a really fun experience for me.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBDnPLTJ02202ZDb6kEhS1jrHdq6siGqSbSlHGog8XIJr6AYv_TKKg4p6ZbmarKKQc-Kp987mq7pdfIKtfd3e2OQpXxHZI1058-9fAAEajBNNRdlnennAW3ANE-0v_JNEvnj5B3sE83U/s3600/HT1A5526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2880" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBDnPLTJ02202ZDb6kEhS1jrHdq6siGqSbSlHGog8XIJr6AYv_TKKg4p6ZbmarKKQc-Kp987mq7pdfIKtfd3e2OQpXxHZI1058-9fAAEajBNNRdlnennAW3ANE-0v_JNEvnj5B3sE83U/s16000/HT1A5526.jpg" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Wrap-up</h3><div>Because we found out so early, it already feels like I've been pregnant forever. Ha! But with such a massive life change inching closer and closer by the day, I think we're both taking it all in stride. I'm scooping up baby clothes left and right, imagining our nursery, scouring baby registry lists, and taking one day at a time. We are so excited for this next chapter in our lives!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-20600225963150083612021-04-08T15:12:00.004-04:002021-04-08T15:12:55.665-04:00a quick georgia getaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga88Pfyuen1e1B8KcbP32p2D_at-PQGQrieZmV8lHOqwGjOrn6nFfDt0_OpIA83dDdYP7JVXUyt_a5PV-y0E_w-VPKcTSs8CtojzDC02XVexcIikHDOH1zxmugYrCAyGcemv_fwg53Wvo/s2016/IMG_7600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga88Pfyuen1e1B8KcbP32p2D_at-PQGQrieZmV8lHOqwGjOrn6nFfDt0_OpIA83dDdYP7JVXUyt_a5PV-y0E_w-VPKcTSs8CtojzDC02XVexcIikHDOH1zxmugYrCAyGcemv_fwg53Wvo/s16000/IMG_7600.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A few weeks ago, Ryan and I drove about eight-ish hours up to northern Georgia for a cabin getaway. It was our first trip out of Florida since December 2019, just a few months before the pandemic and traveling became a complicated topic. <div><br /></div><div>We bought our first house at the start of everything, so travel felt far off our radar, anyway. We wanted to throw our money into creating a beautiful home, and with a lot of newfound free time on our hands, we worked on doing exactly that. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know that everyone has had different journeys over the past year. I've seen a few tone-deaf bloggers travel in the very early months of the pandemic, with seemingly zero concern. I've seen other bloggers, good friends, and even family safely travel by plane. Toward the end of last year, like many, I was itching to travel again. I scrolled through Instagram, and fell into the trap of, "well they're doing it, can't I do it, too?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Ryan felt it, too. We contemplated booking a trip for awhile. Neither of us felt very comfortable flying just yet, but we still wanted to get out of Florida. We wanted to go somewhere a little off grid, as we weren't planning on restaurant hopping and getting back to our usual travel routine. As selfish as it sounds, we needed something to look forward to; something to be excited about. </div><div><br /></div><div>Back in April last year, when companies were scrambling to figure out what was going to happen next, my job required us to take PTO, even into negative hours. I didn't start earning PTO again until September, so aside from a couple days near the holidays, I've taken next to no time off since last spring.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think I realized just how badly I <i>needed</i> dedicated time off; how badly we <i>all</i> need that time.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, we decided to book a cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia, where we spent four nights (Friday-Tuesday). It was one of the most relaxing trips we've had, because aside from an outdoor dinner reservation on our first night, we had absolutely nothing planned. We browsed downtown on a whim, grabbed lunch someplace on a whim, found a waterfall trail on a whim. We didn't have any "must-sees" or "can't do withouts," which was a welcomed break from our usual everyday schedules.</div><div><br /></div><div>I took the rest of the week off work, anyway. Because you know what? I <i>needed</i> it. It felt so good to completely check out and come back from vacation without a schedule or an immediate need to jump back into a routine! I think that, as adults, we forget what it's like to abandon our to-do lists and just let the days take us where they may. 10/10 recommend, even for a staycation, or a no-cation.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm already counting down the minutes until our next adventure (which we have yet to plan or schedule)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpaaR0xy_Zp2p6dxAHD7O3eTXaB9hutikYrtqS6Dug_P54X6-vR0gno9P7NO-QQkdzWI5Axxxi3TmlQb9IvdPSvfX5T1uoLyWA6FD97AcIx_54X3SwAlyIjJmA-t2mOeqdZSQBxVKQ40/s2016/IMG_7621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpaaR0xy_Zp2p6dxAHD7O3eTXaB9hutikYrtqS6Dug_P54X6-vR0gno9P7NO-QQkdzWI5Axxxi3TmlQb9IvdPSvfX5T1uoLyWA6FD97AcIx_54X3SwAlyIjJmA-t2mOeqdZSQBxVKQ40/s16000/IMG_7621.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-64474952752489151192021-03-07T18:13:00.003-05:002021-07-29T14:15:48.789-04:00making our house a home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIu25sAatvDwGNJX7RBrTZQZ3Q129_UGX6bRo_4-Z11a2DHNogudq996Yy9PiETyt0VspCGwIGLtI0OQEso4ikIdzTuqaWSU2klArAcXF_jdNCA-FDpdcvXRNxlGmrWSzE7w_G-dyHnc/s4032/IMG_7087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIu25sAatvDwGNJX7RBrTZQZ3Q129_UGX6bRo_4-Z11a2DHNogudq996Yy9PiETyt0VspCGwIGLtI0OQEso4ikIdzTuqaWSU2klArAcXF_jdNCA-FDpdcvXRNxlGmrWSzE7w_G-dyHnc/s16000/IMG_7087.jpg" /></a></div><p>I haven't sat down to write in a long time.</p><p>I attribute some of that to not having my own office space at home. Ryan has been working from home since the start of COVID last March (you know...a year ago. WILD.), so my previous grad school/blogging desk has been converted into a permanent WFH space with giant double monitors and clunky keyboards to replace my sleek and slim Macbook and an unorganized mass of thick black wires instead of twinkly fairy lights. </p><p>Talk about uninspiring!</p><p>We've been on a hunt for a standing desk for Ryan, to no avail. Much like everything else we bring into the house, it takes a few months for us to make any kind of furniture or home decor decision. But I've finally figured out that that's just part of our process. We limit our impulsive purchases, and spend so long making decisions, that we end up changing our minds altogether...or we end up going with our first choice that we picked out weeks ago. There is no in between!</p><p>But slowly, our house is coming together. If you're following along on Instagram, you know we recently purchased a Lovesac sectional couch. While it was a pricier buy, we absolutely love it! It's the perfect seat height for Ryan, and we have a combination of standard and deep seats. Plus, it seats up to seven people! A big upgrade from our chaise lounger that sat three, if we were lucky. Between the warranty, washable and interchangeable covers, and its versatility, we're hoping this baby lasts us a loooong time. Cheers to <i>never </i>couch hunting ever again!</p><p>Even though we take our sweet time making decisions, I'm ready for us to gear up and make this house feel as cozy and welcoming as possible. We kind of hit the ground running when we bought the house last year - from painting to flooring, then renovating our master bathroom - so we took a well deserved break from big projects, which our bank account has thanked us for. But now, we're itching to get the patio moving, and the guest bathroom isn't getting any prettier on its own.</p><p>In the meantime, I'm working on being grateful for what we have, and soaking in the moments of an unfinished home (though, I hear they're never quite finished). Speaking of the patio and guest bathroom - we have loose plans to get both of those going in the next few months! Keep up with me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/samantharosesays/">Instagram</a> for more frequent home updates!</p><p><br /></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-71942618585577605512020-11-17T15:54:00.001-05:002020-11-17T15:54:03.518-05:00small changes making a big impact<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tp6b-VfPf42yU0BQAn_k1t3cmIswO_wjfiiriUvtTt8a_f_QL7EL4UZyzPsZ2NMhT4O9jie1WAe8ak9aQixHXEJoMc8ifmcbJZmuRdXq8LYul5JzQI7Qj4sh_MsYiiAEiy_AlxbRw54/s1280/IMG_3323.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tp6b-VfPf42yU0BQAn_k1t3cmIswO_wjfiiriUvtTt8a_f_QL7EL4UZyzPsZ2NMhT4O9jie1WAe8ak9aQixHXEJoMc8ifmcbJZmuRdXq8LYul5JzQI7Qj4sh_MsYiiAEiy_AlxbRw54/s16000/IMG_3323.JPG" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You guys, it has been a year. </span></p><p>Right? We all know this. We're over it.</p><p>Living through a pandemic has impacted literally everybody. Even if we've been able to find a silver lining amidst the chaos, I think most of us could safely say that we would have been a whoooole lot happier without COVID-19 and its hoopla. </p><p>I digress.</p><p>Like many, I've learned a lot about myself since March. For example: I am actually far more of an anxious person than I ever gave myself credit for, and I've been trying to navigate that by finding ways to spark joy and reduce anxiety. Here's a short list of what's been working for me so far:</p><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b style="font-size: large;">Moving my body every single day</b></p><p>As of today, I've hopped on our Peloton for 13 days in a row. At the beginning of the month, I made a personal goal to use our Peloton every single day for 30 days. No minimum time - I just have to get <i>on </i>the bike, even for 10 minutes. Making exercise a definite part of my daily routine has already proven to be so motivating for me. As much as I love closing my rings on my Apple Watch, I realized that I'm not always in the mood to move my body for 30 minutes to "hit my exercise ring." Sometimes I just want to jump on a quick climb ride, or a 15 minute scenic route around Zion National Park with my AirPods and you know what? <i>That counts. </i>Giving myself a goal and actually sticking to it feels so good.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Reaching for a book instead of my phone</b></span></p><p>Again with the goals. I made myself a goal to read three books this month, which isn't much to some (especially my fellow bookworm friends!) but it's a start. I've been out of the groove with reading over the last couple of months, but I actually just joined Book of the Month, and I have a few holiday reads queued up in my library requests, so I'm excited to get into some new stories. I'm almost finished with Untamed by Glennon Doyle and I really like it!</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Deleting the Facebook app</b></span></p><p>No, I didn't delete Facebook altogether. I'm part of several groups, including a small book club (and #Spivey'sClub for book recommendations) and a few SLP groups. Plus, I love poking around on Facebook market place when I'm looking for something in particular (like when I scored a stand-up paddle board for $200 over the summer!). </p><p>Now that I don't have the application staring me right in the face every time I open my phone, I check for notifications/updates maybe once a day, or even once every 2-3 days. </p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Checking Instagram a whole lot less</span></b></p><p>Can you tell I'm trying to limit my social media consumption? Don't get me wrong - I love Instagram. I get a lot of home inspiration from Instagram, and it's how I keep up with a lot of my favorite bloggers (and friends, of course). I have a separate account for my speech Boom cards (@speechsy.daisy), too.</p><p>But over the past few months, I found myself playing the comparison game, getting lost in hashtag rabbit holes, and worrying about what I should post/what I shouldn't post/whether or not I should post my outrage/wondering whether so&so was offended by my outrage. During the election, I felt bombarded by the spread of false information, lengthy back-and-forth conversations, frustration, and name-calling, and I realized that the twists in my stomach and slew of obsessive thoughts and worrying were being triggered by the app. I know I'm not alone when I say that this election caused me a lot of anxiety, and it felt like checking it was doing more harm than good.</p><p>For awhile, I toyed with the idea of creating a separate Instagram account solely for home inspiration, book reviews, and writing. Something completely separate from my personal friends, family, and the content creating St. Pete/Tampa Bay bloggers I've grown with over the years (who are <i>killing it</i>, by the way). I think it's because I have felt like my desire for a creative outlet has changed since starting this blog in 2014; like I've been forcing myself to stay in this "Samantha Rose Says" box. I still want to blog, but I wouldn't consider myself to be an active "content creator." I just want to continue to connect with others through similar interests - you feel me?</p><p>Ultimately, I've decided to keep my account and blog as is (and maybe...eventually...change the name), and to simply set boundaries for myself. Like not bringing my phone with me while walking the halls at work, or leaving it in the bedroom while I go work out in the office, or leaving it in my purse while with friends and family (wow, life changing stuff, right?!). </p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Squeezing in a little stretching</span></b></p><p>So often, I find myself getting out of bed relatively last minute, eating a quick breakfast and pouring a coffee to-go before rushing off to work. A couple mornings a week, while waiting for my coffee to brew, I walk into our office, lay out my yoga mat, and do a few light stretches. Sometimes at work, I'll stand up and do a couple rounds of sun salutations (like lifting my arms up and overhead, bending forward, rocking my shoulders back and forth, lengthening my back...no downward dogs at work). Even just 30 seconds of stretching feels so good!</p><span></span><span><!--more--></span><p>While none of these things are exactly "groundbreaking" life changes, I think they've been making a positive impact, even after a short period.</p><p>Other changes I'm hoping to make: waking up 15 minutes earlier on weekdays, meditating, journaling in the morning, doing yoga more than once a week.</p><p>What's been keeping you sane during this [very, very] odd stage of life?</p><p><br /></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-79436947047643263042020-11-04T11:12:00.001-05:002020-11-04T11:12:03.768-05:00my first "currently" of 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv3HtNrb12CXMeI1f3fu4kW1PNQKzzUByvzprQQi_odzcNFPLnbY0yFNtm4kMMhB-C40HYoKAZEXqXSiXT6xU4C997EVPAyXyTcqzYpSOWf7CKgJX6Yu_hgYb6kmgKFXMk8TSq3Mg8Ok/s1280/3FE809A1-A180-4F8A-B1F6-64A1F60B52C7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv3HtNrb12CXMeI1f3fu4kW1PNQKzzUByvzprQQi_odzcNFPLnbY0yFNtm4kMMhB-C40HYoKAZEXqXSiXT6xU4C997EVPAyXyTcqzYpSOWf7CKgJX6Yu_hgYb6kmgKFXMk8TSq3Mg8Ok/s16000/3FE809A1-A180-4F8A-B1F6-64A1F60B52C7.JPG" /></a></div><p>It has been over a year since my last "currently" blog post. I could chalk that up to all the craziness in 2019 (planning a wedding, getting married), or I could blame it on 2020 (you just know). Alas, here we are. From new shows to new clothes, here's what's been going on in my little world lately:</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Watching</h3><div><i>The Haunting of Hill House</i> - As much as I love learning about hauntings and ghosts, I have become a nervous Nelly over the years (ha...show-related puns!). I was hesitant to watch this show, but I'm so glad I did. Absolutely loved it. It definitely has its jumpy parts, and I wouldn't watch it alone, but the story was just too good, and it was beautifully filmed. The twists! The turns! 10/10 recommend. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Haunting of Bly Manor </i>- Started watching just before Halloween, but we're only a few episodes in! Just as chilling, but not as "jumpy" so far.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Schitt's Creek </i>- Season 6 is finally out on Netflix. AHHHH. Surprisingly, Ryan and I haven't quite "binged" it yet, but I think it's because we're sad to have it all come to an end. We're not doing anything for Halloween, but I think I might dress up as Alexis and gallivant around the house doing her voice and mannerisms. Mmmmm, happy Halloween!</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Emily in Paris</i> - Mixed thoughts about this one. I love Lily Collins, but there isn't anything exactly novel about this show. Her neighbor in the show is nice to look at, so that's reason enough for me. I'll definitely finish the season, but I wouldn't say it's anything to write home about.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The election results</i> - I started drafting this post a few weeks back, but how could I not add this to my "watching" list? As of now, we're still awaiting final results and my anxiety levels are hiiiiiigh.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Reading</h3><div>I have been slow in the reading game this past month, and I think it's because the two books I've started are nonfiction, which takes me a bit to get through. I started reading <i>Untamed </i>by Glennon Doyle, but then put it down once October hit to read <i>I'll Be Gone in the Dark</i> by Michelle McNamara for a little spooky thrill. I haven't really sat down to read in awhile, so I haven't given myself the time to catch interest in either book. I'm hoping to give both of them a real shot over the next few weeks. </div><div><br /></div><div>Kinda feeling like I need to hop into another fiction read, though. Anyone else have a hard time with nonfiction? I rarely get that "I have to know what happens next!" feeling.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Making</h3><div>Lots and lots and lots of Boom cards! I'm so glad I got into making these for my patients this year. Not only does it save me a lot of prep time, but I'm happy I get to use my speech and language knowledge to create a passive income. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our house a home! I think both Ryan and I got a little winded from all the renovations and seemingly endless projects. Our doors still aren't painted, baseboards still need to be calked, and it's time we got started on that guest bathroom, but we're slowly getting things together again. We just had someone give us a quote for plantation shutters on ONE window ($1200!!! For ONE!), and we're in the process of figuring out what to do with our backyard/porch situation. In the last few weeks, I've taken on some smaller projects, like framing and hanging wedding photos. Our home feels more cozy with our special moments hanging on the walls.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FqTZwYkEg71mG1CqH75SmHkcsjKUM40vXsosZggL7zQq4e0Di0PKTqWK3_YdZaIBOPk5rYIkZzed4wWWttxcJKIhyphenhyphenOsHqNNHAQPPfz6O3fZgxCABq7G8_9qqC3Kc8gELGn6USy5678I/s2016/IMG_5190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FqTZwYkEg71mG1CqH75SmHkcsjKUM40vXsosZggL7zQq4e0Di0PKTqWK3_YdZaIBOPk5rYIkZzed4wWWttxcJKIhyphenhyphenOsHqNNHAQPPfz6O3fZgxCABq7G8_9qqC3Kc8gELGn6USy5678I/s16000/IMG_5190.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What are you up to lately?</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-34184677519528810302020-10-07T14:36:00.003-04:002021-07-29T14:20:59.635-04:00our home project lists: weekend, 6-month, long term<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the majority of you probably know, especially if you follow me on Instagram, my husband and I are new homeowners! We purchased our home right before COVID happened, and we've been super busy fixing it up ever since. I've heard from a few of you that you enjoy staying up to date on our home improvement whereabouts, so I thought I'd give you an idea of what we're working on, and what we have plans to do. Below each to-do list graphic, I go into a little more detail:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QAGc4icZWZP_vF7m9c8ZFb0b_pAzcmLP_-gwBcgRWtKZ5diTIcWp-RiuKjdX6NP_0EcA-y9pWe0IUU_82wstvm_xmU19MgcbrKqKanuv-rAslk29GJBrmdu8OVlZZ3_m170k_Fn5aQ4/s1500/1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QAGc4icZWZP_vF7m9c8ZFb0b_pAzcmLP_-gwBcgRWtKZ5diTIcWp-RiuKjdX6NP_0EcA-y9pWe0IUU_82wstvm_xmU19MgcbrKqKanuv-rAslk29GJBrmdu8OVlZZ3_m170k_Fn5aQ4/s16000/1.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since making these lists a couple of weeks ago, I've actually already stained and painted our bedroom dresser! I'll be writing a blog post about how we flipped our 6-drawer IKEA Tarva dresser within the next month. We love how it turned out! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Painting our doors feels like such a daunting task, but I know it will really elevate the look of our home once they're completed. Right now, they're only primed, and look exactly like what they are: unfinished. We're just happy to be rid of the old, shabby looking wooden doors that came with the house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not sure how Ryan manages to work from home out of our current office situation right now, because the closet situation is an absolute mess. Since we don't have any doors or shelving, nothing has a place, and we're not able to conceal it. AH. We truly need to sit down and plan out exactly how we want to build out both the office and guest room closets so we can get adequate use out of our storage space.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then we have the guest bathroom. YIKES. The walls (and ceiling!) are the worst, shiny brown color and the tiles are simply old, outdated, and a little rough looking. Aside from small updates in the kitchen, this bathroom is really the only "big" interior work we have left to work on. Ideally, we want to revamp the entirety of the guest bathroom - get rid of the current push-in situation, do a tile surround, replace the countertops, and maybe even the tile. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Ahhhh, caulking. A simple yet incredibly tedious job. I've been working on this on and off when I have a few hours open on the weekend. Crazy what a difference it makes, though! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd0_tY36T-I2hNmTk9J0quA6ujwfBi-hG93r24-nYD6opg2ndwxnzdV-r_sYwDGwrwKsaiNaVvV41Kk31HZSAlC-_gc_xU2Qcb2ouIPRw3-mRoVMH3-t27cAmV9GwgH4F1az1wu7hHqc/s1500/2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd0_tY36T-I2hNmTk9J0quA6ujwfBi-hG93r24-nYD6opg2ndwxnzdV-r_sYwDGwrwKsaiNaVvV41Kk31HZSAlC-_gc_xU2Qcb2ouIPRw3-mRoVMH3-t27cAmV9GwgH4F1az1wu7hHqc/s16000/2.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our primary concern in this moment: our back porch and patio. Our current patio situation is an unfinished attempt at additional indoor square footage. We're talking insulated ceiling foam tiles, random wooden posts, and laminate "wood" wall coverings. YIKES AGAIN. I've been out to our backyard less than 10 times since moving in back in March, because it's such an eyesore. Thankfully, Ryan makes his way out there to mow the lawn. I would love to get this project going so that we can enjoy some chillier temps out on the porch during the next couple of seasons. I already have plenty of ideas brewing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we've seen how much new baseboards elevated the bedrooms, we would love to get rid of our current (old) 3/4 inch quarter rounds we have throughout the house and install some new boards to spruce up our living and dining areas. It's crazy how something as small as baseboards can make such a huge aesthetic difference.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Speaking of elevating our space, I think plantation shutters over our primary (and only) front-facing window would add such a beautiful touch to our home. I need to schedule someone to come out and give us a quote ASAP.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQIZPpM6kbVmG_UNCaHXBpYc385iAo7YkzbxQGWLElqjcPH875WYCGhhPrX03aL6S_XylKBhMjeiApAKQnsQx3ZRdKKXfYQko-nuy6446d0ThCSTUOgDcRb4ONUvUfADFhLDmCzZk3bo/s1500/Teal+Triangle+Pattern+Birthday+Pinterest+Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQIZPpM6kbVmG_UNCaHXBpYc385iAo7YkzbxQGWLElqjcPH875WYCGhhPrX03aL6S_XylKBhMjeiApAKQnsQx3ZRdKKXfYQko-nuy6446d0ThCSTUOgDcRb4ONUvUfADFhLDmCzZk3bo/s16000/Teal+Triangle+Pattern+Birthday+Pinterest+Graphic.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ahhhh, the long term projects. AKA things that probably cost a lot of money, or require lots of time and research. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As far as the kitchen goes, we actually have very minimal concerns. I'd like to get rid of the blue Formica counters and go for something a little more neutral, but our cabinets are pretty much brand new. When we first moved in, we had ideas of knocking out a couple small walls and making our kitchen/dining/living space more of an open concept, but I'm not sure that's something we'll actually end up doing. I think it's worth living in the space as is a bit longer before making any big decisions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have the absolute perfect wall for a gorgeous, custom built entertainment center (think thick wooden open shelves, recess lighting, cabinets, etc.) buuuut per our contractor, it would be approximately $3k. Could we splurge and make it work right now? Maybe. But it's not something that's absolutely necessary in this moment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back to our primary concern mentioned above: our outdoor space. Once the patio is complete, it would likely be in our best interest to even out our terrain, as it slopes down to a mangrove-y type of area (there is water behind our house, but it's very far back...basically it looks like woods in our backyard!). And then once that happens...I want a spool! In other words, a spa pool...err, basically a small pool.<i> I would like a small pool.</i> I think I only have to mention it to Ryan approximately 38,000 more times before it happens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our garage is organized chaos right now, but that feels like too big of a fish to fry right now. It's functional. Ultimately, I would love to spruce up the laundry area a bit, give Ryan a proper area to store his tools, and make it feel like less of a dark, boring space. I can dream, right?</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To conclude: we have quite a bit on our plate. Sometimes, we make comments about how we wish we could have moved into something a little more "move in ready." But most of the time, we're pretty excited about making this space entirely our own.</h3><p></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-2717569243985441482020-10-01T15:10:00.001-04:002020-10-01T15:10:12.171-04:00happy fall!<p>Like many, I am so excited for fall! There are so many things I love about summer - optimal margarita weather, day trips to the beach, poolside shenanigans - I <i>live</i> for cooler weather, comfy sweaters, and cozy decor. In a perfect world, I'd live some place where I could witness a true seasonal change in a timely fashion. But if that were the case, I wouldn't live 25 minutes from the beach, so I guess the grass is always seemingly greener.</p><p>I know fall is going to look a little different for everyone this year. Fewer haunted houses, fewer Halloween parties, smaller holiday gatherings. I wonder if trick-or-treating is even going to be a thing this year. </p><p>A friend of mine told me that, after everything we've been through this year, she plans to lean into everything holiday related, and I plan to follow suit. I've been cranking out Halloween themed Boom Cards (check out my shop if you're a fellow SLP!) since September and buying fun fall decor to get into the spirit. Here's a little list of what I want to do so that I can be more intentional about how I spend this season:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R8JlJe9ctWQNl4vCGvO6frgJmqpiBPZCw9ZeEcvqr45c9KMpBMUsbviD0j8E23vaFk5MaeVFZDlxcPSZbCOO-iZd0oA5ILs5p8zuL54gINX_WIsT8DJT_JalR1py6luchTDs43ZD-I4/s2000/fall+to+do.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R8JlJe9ctWQNl4vCGvO6frgJmqpiBPZCw9ZeEcvqr45c9KMpBMUsbviD0j8E23vaFk5MaeVFZDlxcPSZbCOO-iZd0oA5ILs5p8zuL54gINX_WIsT8DJT_JalR1py6luchTDs43ZD-I4/s16000/fall+to+do.png" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What are you looking forward to about the new season?</h2><p><br /></p>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-6361797417945681682020-09-01T12:57:00.001-04:002020-09-01T12:57:09.568-04:00get to know me<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It's been awhile since I've shared a little "about me" post, and since I have some new readers, I thought I'd re-introduce myself! SO HEY. I'm Samantha (or Sam). Formerly Samantha Rose, now Samantha Fredericks. Well, not officially. Social security has been closed, and I need to [finally] mail in my documents. But long story longer - my married name is Samantha Fredericks. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdheQjrTtJTtbWlpBud6xR6IyZ5s60cdoznfXkTBXDtWOwPr5m460XP826aYe8dJk8qwr5FRsxwgcOUYL9ZklTToAmB2F9Qln4NzXeFVy2T4krncdKTzwYRJZ3yY08a1-feKtt1lSmw9Y/s1512/Facetune_17-10-2019-13-42-50.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdheQjrTtJTtbWlpBud6xR6IyZ5s60cdoznfXkTBXDtWOwPr5m460XP826aYe8dJk8qwr5FRsxwgcOUYL9ZklTToAmB2F9Qln4NzXeFVy2T4krncdKTzwYRJZ3yY08a1-feKtt1lSmw9Y/s640/Facetune_17-10-2019-13-42-50.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">I'm a Florida native, born & raised.</h3><div>I grew up on a Florida beach, but moved about 30 minutes inland when I was 11 years old so that my parents could keep horses on our property. I used to ride competitively on and off up until I was a teenager, and then my horse passed away a few years back. While my parents still keep several horses, I haven't ridden in years. I would love to change that by the end of this year (once the weather cools down a bit).</div><div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Speaking of weather, I <i>love </i>weather. </h3></div><div>There was a point in my early teenage years when I considered being a meteorologist, until I realized just how much math and science that degree requires. I check weather apps and radar every week so I know what type of weather to expect and stay on top of my hurricane apps during the season. I also love a solid weather disaster movie. I finally watched Twister for the first time a couple of months ago, but The Day After Tomorrow is one of my favorites.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">I met my husband at a bar.</h3>We met at a local Tampa bar almost seven years ago. I was semi-freshly out of a relationship, and while I was dating around a bit, I thought I wasn't ready for anything serious. But when I met him, I knew he was going to become my boyfriend. After six months, I had a feeling that I could spend the rest of my life with him. Four and a half years later, he proposed, and we got married on October 12th last year.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Speech-language pathology is my second "career."</h3>I got my bachelor's degree in mass communication and started working in sales right out of school, but ended up getting my master's degree in speech-language pathology a few years later. Growing up, I never pictured myself in a "helping" career. As a speech-pathology grad student, I never anticipated just how much I'd love working with children with autism. Now it's pretty much my "specialty" at work, and I love it!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Growing up, I wanted to be an actress.</h3><div>I took acting classes and participated in drama and productions in high school, but my parents were always very adamant about pursuing education first, and then I could "do whatever I want." Even though I've held a job since I was 16 years old, I was basically living on their dime throughout college, so I followed their guidance. I guess you could say that dream kind of fell to the wayside as years passed. While I enjoyed it, I'm not sure I was passionate enough about it to truly pursue it. Maybe I'll join an improv group or community theater down the line, though! </div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Poodles are my love language.</h3>(Don't tell our mixed breed, Einstein). I've had dogs for as long as I can remember - primarily poodles. I had two standard poodles until I was around 13, then we've had a family toy poodle since then. When I met Ryan, he sent me a Snapchat of his toy poodle, Benni, and I think <i>that's</i> when I knew we were meant to be. Poodle people for the win. Plus, I thought it was pretty cute that a 6'8 guy went to the animal shelter on a "study break" during his last college finals week and walked out with a toy poodle.<br /><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Other random bits and fun facts:</h4><div>- I can't stand the song "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.</div><div>- I'm naturally dirty blonde and get a "balayage" about 1-2 times a year...but I've been brunette twice. </div><div>- I'd opt for loungewear over regular clothing any day of the week.</div><div>- I turn 30 next summer! This blows my mind, but I'm actually pretty excited about it.</div><div>- I am a Taylor Swift fan, through and through. I don't own a single CD player, but I will continue to buy a physical copy of any album she puts out. I'm loving <i>folklore</i>, and my favorite songs are <i>august</i>, <i>exile</i>, and<i> my tears ricochet.</i></div><div>- I don't consider myself a picky eater (I'll try anything at least once!) but I don't like peanut butter or olives. Bleh.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Anything surprise you? Tell me something about you in the comments!</h2><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-65548722090213304522020-08-07T11:43:00.002-04:002020-08-07T11:43:27.132-04:00my (mostly) at-home workout routine<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6XV6AyyEQorWl24d2d4_Vgj_-5jeunTdN5VllbQBFQPYhqRbS2x9oQG5IA76lYjITDQRNx5le1Rjo0d0v4sSdB2NlJsczDOqXir2aXcUhv8ov5qC7di191WlP8GnmeIJltG59l3QUC4/s2048/swimming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6XV6AyyEQorWl24d2d4_Vgj_-5jeunTdN5VllbQBFQPYhqRbS2x9oQG5IA76lYjITDQRNx5le1Rjo0d0v4sSdB2NlJsczDOqXir2aXcUhv8ov5qC7di191WlP8GnmeIJltG59l3QUC4/w750-h1000/swimming.jpg" width="750" /></a></div><p>Prior to COVID-19, quarantine, and moving cities, Ryan and I went to the gym pretty frequently. Not in a "gym rat" kind of way - we just loved our local gym and had made it a part of our regular routine. Every morning before work, I packed a bag with workout clothes to head straight there after work most nights. Ryan went to classes almost every week day. On Sundays, we'd go to the 9 a.m. morning class outside in their "shed," then go to a smoothie place nearby for BOGO free smoothies, and occasionally Burger King to split an Impossible Whopper (LOL). Honestly, our gym was one of the reasons we wanted to stay in Tampa vs. buying a house in St. Pete. Crazy, right?</p><p>Obviously, it wasn't enough to hold us back. We bought a house in St. Pete, and we were in the midst of searching for new gyms in the area when COVID happened. Even though we started working out from home almost immediately, our workouts looked a lot different. I've gained 10 pounds since my wedding back in October. At first, I thought, "maybe I'm drinking more wine? maybe I'm not paying attention to what I'm eating?" even though I felt like not much had changed. What had changed? The intensity of my workouts. I went from burning 300-500 calories 3-5x/week to 150-300 calories 2-3x/week. Definitely a difference!</p><p>I'll be the first to say I am no fitness guru, nor do I have a desire to be. Throw it back 8-10 years, and I thought about every calorie I ate, what my next meal would be, how I could fit in another workout. No thanks, not for me. My body has changed over the years, and with that, so has my mindset. I don't need to be the fittest, or even the strongest person in the room. I just want to feel comfortable with myself. My biggest goal? To fit into the jeans I already own come the cooler months. Ha! I have too much to buy for this house to have to go out and buy new jeans, too. </p><p>While some are going back to the gym (and that's fine! you do you, guys), we haven't had a giant desire to start at a new gym, so I thought I'd share how I'm trying to stay in shape at home.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><u><b>Swimming</b></u></h3><p>Note: this is the only thing I'm not doing from home. The pool following CDC guidelines. While it's all outside, we do have to wear a mask upon entering. They have even and odd lates starting from different ends of the pool. You have to sign up for lanes way in advance to prevent crowding. Long story short: I feel super safe when I'm there.</p><p>I swam competitively from the time I was 9 years old until I graduated high school. Country club summer teams, year-round swim teams, high school teams, you name it. While I was always more of a fan of the community and the swim meets versus actual practice, there is no arguing that swimming is a great workout. I haven't swam laps in years, so a couple months ago I bought myself a new suit, a couple caps, a new pair of goggles, and a kick board, and signed myself up for a lap membership at a pool where I grew up swimming. I'm only able to swim about once a week because of my work schedule, but it's been a fun way to vary my workouts! A plus: I get a tan without the sweat. Sign me up.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Yoga</u></b></h3><div>I started doing yoga at home when I signed up for AloMoves, which I later swapped for Peloton, just out of personal preference (cheaper per month, music during workouts, community feel). I love the variety of classes - I primarily do flow yoga, but I'll do a "power" yoga when I'm feeling like I want a more intense workout without too much hopping around. I'll do yoga anywhere from 1-3x/week, depending on my mood (lately, it's been like 1). I have yet to do a class at home for longer than 30 minutes (I know most in person classes are 60-90 minutes) but that's all I have the attention span for while at home, if I'm being honest.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><u>HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)</u></h3><div>I've also been using the Peloton app for HIIT and strength classes, which vary anywhere from 5-45 minutes. I have to get myself motivated for these classes, because sometimes I have zero desire to do a burpee, alone, with one really "forcing" me to do it. However, I know my body, and I need a good amount of cardio to keep in shape! So incorporating a HIIT class 1-2x/week has been a necessity for me. I could probably do more, buuuuut...nah.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><u>Cycle</u></h3><div>This is what I am most excited about! Since we're no longer going to the gym, we took the plunge (amongst many others) and bought a Peloton. We ordered it right before my birthday in late June, and finally received it this past Wednesday (August 5th). I've only done one class on it so far, but it killed me. I love that you can sign up for live classes and watch the leaderboard to see how you rank with others all over the world (or not! you can hide it, too). I'm pumped to incorporate it into my regular workout routine. I know COVID will eventually pass, but we still thought of this purchase as a good investment. When we eventually have kids, it'll be helpful to have some kind of [motivating] exercise equipment in the house. </div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Now that we have our Peloton, I anticipate my weekly workout routine to look more like (example schedule): </h4><div>HIIT 1x/week (Tuesdays)</div><div>Cycling 2-3x/week (Mondays, Thursdays, and/or Saturdays)</div><div>Swimming 1x/week (Fridays)</div><div>Yoga 1-2x/week (Wednesdays and/or Sundays)</div><div><br /></div><div>I love having a variety in my workouts, and I just want to keep myself moving everyday, so I'm excited to see the results of a consistent routine, now that I finally have one nailed down.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What have you been doing to stay in shape this year?</h2><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-6431664043681416322020-08-04T05:30:00.002-04:002021-07-29T14:21:07.203-04:00our home buying process<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1imY1JCbmnuurlu-l2X0Pe_PwqVux9-uE24vnb2p3ZcOGJ4g7CRpiXwklOYDiAjOmiFiMWyGF9_8RRFTuV5LiqHw4U2PtQZ0mxjmVX4zu_YAOWlYfGNS2uNXG5CVNM_zYdKdUsdI8eDo/s2048/homebuying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1337" height="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1imY1JCbmnuurlu-l2X0Pe_PwqVux9-uE24vnb2p3ZcOGJ4g7CRpiXwklOYDiAjOmiFiMWyGF9_8RRFTuV5LiqHw4U2PtQZ0mxjmVX4zu_YAOWlYfGNS2uNXG5CVNM_zYdKdUsdI8eDo/w654-h1000/homebuying.jpg" width="654" /></a></div><div><br /></div>If you've been around here for awhile, you know I've been talking about us buying a house for a long time. It was actually one of my goals for 2019, per my personal journal. But with wedding expenses (and my new student loan payment), most of our money was going elsewhere. Additionally, our apartment lease was going to end less than 10 days after returning from our honeymoon in Hawaii. We didn't want to feel pressured to buy a house that we didn't love, so we decided to wait.<br />
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That's not to say we didn't begin our hunt before then. We started neighborhood hunting around Tampa in the early months of 2019. We'd hop in the car on a random Sunday afternoon and browse around "SOG" (south of Gandy - a semi-cheaper area of south Tampa, which is $$$) and different neighborhoods of Seminole Heights (Riverside Heights, Southeast Seminole Heights, Old Seminole Heights). We thought about looking around the St. Pete area, where I grew up, but it wasn't at the front of our minds. Even though I worked in St. Pete, we both felt confident that we wanted to continue our lives in Tampa. A lot of our friends live in Tampa, we loved our gym, we loved Bayshore Boulevard, we had our go-to restaurants and stores. Tampa was our home.<br />
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We perused open houses to get an idea of what we liked (master bedrooms that could fit a king size bed) vs. what we didn't like (narrow kitchens). We were heavily researching, but with the wedding in the works, we didn't feel comfortable making any big decisions.<br />
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We got married in October, and started to take our search a little more seriously a couple weeks later. We chose our real estate agent - a family friend who'd helped both my parents and my sister buy and sell their homes over the last 20 years - and went to our first official round of showings.<br />
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<u>Our initial requirements</u>:<br />
<ul>
<li>3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms</li>
<li>1,200 + square feet</li>
<li>Minimal work required</li>
</ul>
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We quickly realized that we had <i>a lot </i>more to consider. And we learned <i>a lot</i> in that initial showing.</div>
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For example...</div>
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<ul>
<li>Quick flips = chocolate covered cockroaches. Newly renovated doesn't mean carefully renovated. </li>
<li>Master bedrooms don't always coexist with an ensuite bathroom.</li>
<li>It doesn't matter how much you love the house if you don't like the street.</li>
</ul>
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Needless to say, we saw a lot of duds...but we remained hopeful!</div><div><br /></div><div>In January, we went for a longer house hunt in St. Pete. We visited about six homes in varying neighborhoods. The first one, a 3/2 with a two car garage, was in a beautiful neighborhood (secluded street, close to the water, less than 15 minutes from downtown), but needed a lot of work. Both bathrooms were looking rough, the porch was awful, the doors had seen better days, etc. Unfortunately, it was listed too high for us to consider, given all that needed to be done. Pass.</div><div>The next few houses were in okay neighborhoods, but featured awkward layouts, half bathrooms listed as the second bathroom, and cheap renovations. Pass pass pass. </div>
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We went to a few more showings with our realtor during the next month or so. Sometimes we saw six showings in one trip; other times we went to visit just one home. We continued to visit open houses on our own as a pre-screening before deciding if we wanted to consider it as a serious option. It was a fun weekend activity for us, until we actually started liking a house only to see it go to somebody else. We visited one we'd been eyeing for months in a cute historic neighborhood in Seminole Heights, just steps away from a few restaurants, breweries, and shops, only to find it was pending sale by the end of its first open house. <i>Ouch</i>.<br />
<br />
Zillow searching became the bane of my existence. Even though our budget was pretty generous for a first home, I began to fall into the trap of "if only we had X amount of $ instead, <i>then</i> we could find the perfect home." Not fun, nor fair, for us.</div><div>
<br />In early February, I went to an art show with my mom and sister in Gulfport, a cute little beach town in the St. Pete area. On a whim, I asked my mom if she wanted to drive around some of the neighborhoods we'd been looking at in St. Pete. I offered to take her past the initial house in St. Pete (3/2/2, awful porch). As we entered the neighborhood, my mom began cooing and singing its highest praises immediately.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Look at how well everyone keeps their yard! That's a great school nearby! Look, you're tucked away! Oh, a park! Oh, I love it! You need to reconsider this house." We drove past it 2-3 times in several circles around the neighborhood. It was the strangest feeling. It was in those few moments, after a quick conversation with my mom, that I thought to myself, "huh. yeah, this feels right." </div><div><br /></div><div>I went home to our apartment that night and discussed it with Ryan. We figured we should at least take a look at the house from a different perspective, and we arranged another showing with our realtor. Between our initial showing and our second, the seller had dropped the listing price by about $15k, which made the opportunity even more attractive.</div><div><br /></div><div>After our second showing, we wanted the house, no doubt about it. Naturally, so did another couple. Suddenly, a house that had been on the market for <i>months</i> was potentially slipping out of our grasp. WHAT IN THE FRESH HELL, AM I RIGHT? </div><div><br /></div><div>I believe the other couple placed an offer that felt too low to the seller, so she opted to see what we wanted to do. On Valentine's Day, we popped a bottle of wine as we officially submitted our offer. It was accepted a few days later, and we awaited inspection and the appraisal (albeit, impatiently). While the seller initially wanted a 45 day close, our realtor worked his magic and negotiated a 30-day close. As it turned out, the seller found a new home very quickly, and we were able to close <i>in less than 30 days. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>And if you're doing a timeline in your head, why yes - we closed on Friday, March 13th, just days before the entire country went into lockdown due to COVID-19. What a time to be alive, right? More like, what a time to have to go to home improvement stores every single day of your life.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TL;DR -</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We started looking for houses about a year in advance, but the actual house hunt took less than 6 months.</li><li>We opted for a house that needed a lot of work, but was in a desirable neighborhood.</li><li>We closed on our house in less than 30 days.</li></ul><div>It's been almost five months since we moved in, and it's true what "they" say: home improvement is a marathon, not a sprint. We've gotten so much done in such a short amount of time, but we still have a whole lot we want to do, a lot we want to buy, a lot we want to consider. Despite the work, it has been so worth it to watch it all come together!</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJGp-MOdBBGul0LNS0TTGqhyphenhyphenWlXJQNGYRYxBZO8csd-Kt5SIbMIayaW9_TXdH9xDJ6yY_f3WmB2zbOtWLuMpr3zUcxVbm_sTMlcf2aPxf-mjAvXyzxtuv-VVoNhUkFqSfjSmxV9a0mx8/s1845/homebuying2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1845" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJGp-MOdBBGul0LNS0TTGqhyphenhyphenWlXJQNGYRYxBZO8csd-Kt5SIbMIayaW9_TXdH9xDJ6yY_f3WmB2zbOtWLuMpr3zUcxVbm_sTMlcf2aPxf-mjAvXyzxtuv-VVoNhUkFqSfjSmxV9a0mx8/w800-h379/homebuying2.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-79695696856843974032020-07-10T09:43:00.000-04:002020-07-10T09:43:14.171-04:00Black Lives Matter.<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GWlzyDFoQEXsOY0ifNWbqqBdz94Oi1wOjcbvhw9sKhcuFvzoRU_vBaOfby7aaNiZR4iA8jHIhrCGGmJnd1E3Vbo8QCdV4Kjml7zR2ul5ZWJ8bFaGuLosOMeHUeA3vGWApetSXmRhkdk/s1600/chris-henry-E77SjOPCE5Y-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GWlzyDFoQEXsOY0ifNWbqqBdz94Oi1wOjcbvhw9sKhcuFvzoRU_vBaOfby7aaNiZR4iA8jHIhrCGGmJnd1E3Vbo8QCdV4Kjml7zR2ul5ZWJ8bFaGuLosOMeHUeA3vGWApetSXmRhkdk/s1600/chris-henry-E77SjOPCE5Y-unsplash.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
What an interesting couple of months it's been, right?</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
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<div style="font-family: inherit;">
Actually, "interesting" feels tame. Between COVID-19 outbreaks all over Florida and the Black Lives Matter protests, this year is continuing to throw us all for a loop.<br />
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I rarely post on my personal Facebook account, but when all of the protests began, I knew I had to speak up and make my stance known. Systemic isn't a political issue; it's a human rights issue. And while I've never considered myself to be racist, I can admit that I haven't been actively anti-racist either. Ryan and I have both made a commitment to change that.<br />
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<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<i>I, as a white person, am privileged</i>. I’m privileged simply because I was born to two white parents. I’m sure you’ve heard it by now, but to my fellow white friends and family who are concerned: no one is saying your life isn’t hard. But the color of your skin isn’t something that’s making it harder.<br />
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If you weren’t aware,<br />
<span class="q9uorilb tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me fgm26odu gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;"><img alt="▪️" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/tcd/2/16/25aa.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span>Black people are 2x more likely to be unemployed.<br />
<span class="q9uorilb tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me fgm26odu gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;"><img alt="▪️" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/tcd/2/16/25aa.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span>Black students are 3x more likely than white students to be suspended for the same infractions.<br />
<span class="q9uorilb tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me fgm26odu gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;"><img alt="▪️" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/tcd/2/16/25aa.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span>When Black people are convicted, they are about 20% more likely to be sentenced to jail time, and typically see sentences 20% longer than those for whites who were convicted of similar crimes.<br />
<span class="q9uorilb tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me fgm26odu gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;"><img alt="▪️" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/tcd/2/16/25aa.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span>Black drivers are 30% more likely to be pulled over.<br />
<span class="q9uorilb tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me fgm26odu gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;"><img alt="▪️" height="16" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/tcd/2/16/25aa.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span>Black women are 4x more likely to die from child birth.</div>
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I know a good majority of the world right now like to refer to facts they don't agree with as "fake news," but the racism in this country is real, even if it hasn't affected you or you haven't seen it personally.<br />
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I think it’s important to share this information because I want to make a clear message to any of my friends, family, and followers who might be harboring even the slightest racist inclination: you SHOULD be feeling uncomfortable. <i>There is no excuse.</i></div>
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It’s not “us” against “them.” It should be ALL of us against RACISM.<br />
There is so much more that could be said, but that’s what I’m putting into the universe for now. Words aside, let’s put our money where our mouths are. If you’d like to donate toward a cause, I’ve rounded up a few:<br />
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<a href="https://blacklivesmatter.com/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=491f019ae0371df61f64b7a389d5ff341c362f0e-1592571961-0-AcoIRpYf4PdRHfflCwnU4w5ZaG7lN4ejle9ZmxDurz_uRm0EFofLsx29HBFKkHdl3O-4J7koT7pilvKk1WM18mtUa5dSZD0--G1zgWtSXYQzw5SI60wb8roiwn0shJYkPdmXQebHXsLAZi9rkE5u54KrvajBW3kqYc-FzQKNqhDY4swDOVoP9VBBupvNupYGbIeGseVux-9nyKSwjGoM9-zk06cpCemR8Y3NXldwCVFgta6fg4zIaOJKDiM1fB1r1EHLGnb3Tf4_j9AA2FoWWlSKrZstSvr3HgQUA1H_Txsn-FL8I-9IrfG1_BHsyyFMwDPOIm1iPgB48xzx10Rgs58">Black Lives Matter</a><br />
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<a href="https://thelovelandfoundation.org/">The Loveland Foundation</a> - side note: I absolutely love this cause! </div>
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Minnesota Freedom Fund<br />
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<a href="https://www.joincampaignzero.org/">Campaign Zero</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/?fbclid=IwAR21xfuuK3GepPH8uWon47xZ7fRwYo1858uuZpIjY-ycZGH5ZxKj31fz-IA">NAACP Legal Defense Fund</a><br />
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I've also been loving the highlighting of Black-owned businesses, big and small. Ever since our wedding, I've been a big fan of browsing through goods on Etsy, so I thought I'd highlight a few Black-owned Etsy shops that I've come across this month:<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/HortikiPlants?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=693184774">HortikiPlants</a> - Eco-friendly container gardening kits.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheEverydayPrintCo?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=766850932">The Everyday Print Co</a> - Modern Afro wall art and prints.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PontieWax?ref=finds_s">Pontie Wax</a> - so busy they're closed to fulfill orders! 100% soy candles (my personal favorite). Linking for when they open back up!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnTheEdgeCreations?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=759514733">On the Edge Creations</a> - custom made portraits! These are my favorite kinds of prints. So cute for a fun wedding guestbook, and what dog lover wouldn't want a portrait of their pooch?<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/DecadentMini?ref=finds_s&page=1#items">Decadent Mini</a> - OKAY, THIS IS SO COOL. Handmade <i>scented</i> food jewelry? Color me intrigued. Check out these cute little <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/252625127/scented-cinnamon-roll-earrings-with?ref=shop_home_active_71&frs=1&crt=1">cinnamon roll earrings</a>! She has great seasonal stuff, too, for those of you who like to have fun jewelry for the holidays.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BreezyTee?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=739895731">Breezy Tee</a> - towel wraps, headbands, and scrunchies that help protect hair from damage. How beautiful is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/739895731/dusty-rose-boho-head-wrap-wide-headband?ref=shop_home_active_29&frs=1&crt=1">this head wrap</a>?<br />
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I know a post on social media can only do so much, but like many, I think that making your stance known is a better move than not saying anything at all. Again, this is a human rights issue, my friends. While it's disappointing that it's taken all of us so long to make big, consistent strides, I sincerely hope this is a trend that persists. I'm committing to learning (and un-learning, if need be), growing, and educating others. I hope you will be, too.</h4>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Black Lives Matter. </span></b><br />
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Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-60398254357288456582020-06-29T22:24:00.001-04:002020-06-29T22:24:30.739-04:00back to blogging!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLW-gGKp9N08r-Yj5kfLxYi0r_mPX-D-HQ7_dTMhjvmra4W0YOd5WaxMDqDxEz2reLYkcFnStlR9rh_fLMAlTYhn9-yXTvAIz1rqVHUu9g8RDT1qV015YECoSwZ9kHTa2IcvDT5EfAuw/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLW-gGKp9N08r-Yj5kfLxYi0r_mPX-D-HQ7_dTMhjvmra4W0YOd5WaxMDqDxEz2reLYkcFnStlR9rh_fLMAlTYhn9-yXTvAIz1rqVHUu9g8RDT1qV015YECoSwZ9kHTa2IcvDT5EfAuw/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" /></a></div>
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Oh, hey. It's been awhile.<br />
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I'm normally not one to comment on how long it's been since I've posted, but I feel I owe it to this space, and to my readers, however few and far between.<br />
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My goals for this blog have ebbed and flowed over the years. I've had periods of collaboration after collaboration, gifted opportunities, hosted meals, occasional pay. When I first started, I was in the midst of a sales job, on the brink of quitting to go to graduate school, and felt like the blogging world was my oyster. And sometimes, it still feels that way!<br />
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But over the years, my priorities have shifted. I made my way through grad school, and I'm working four 10-hour days each week. I got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, and we bought a house! I've had a lot going on - a lot worth documenting - but I just haven't felt the same urge to sit down and document it anymore. And that makes me sad to think about, because I love writing! I love sharing! I want to connect with others, and look back on my posts for years to come. Blogging used to be my own way of story telling, and I do miss it.<br />
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That being said, new life changes brought on new hobbies, like renovating and decorating our first home. I started making <a href="https://wow.boomlearning.com/store/authorId/qLhTBiygapbx3pxSR/?collection=Decks&sort=publishDate&order=-1">Boom cards</a> for work (think Teachers Pay Teachers, but like an app), which has been a fun way to earn a little extra cash. I've also started passing the time by doing puzzles, watching movies, and reading books. I dream up ideas for blog posts every week with the intention to write one on my days off, <i>and then I don't. </i><br />
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I've gotten down on myself about blogging in the last year or two. As other local bloggers started making better connections, landing more collaborations, and ultimately working harder than I do, my desire to share started to dwindle. Blogging just to tell my story began to feel silly, to be honest. I was constantly reading about needing to have a niche, needing to provide purpose to my readers, needing to produce more more more, and in truth, I just didn't make the time for that. I didn't <i>want</i> that.<br />
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Anddddd, you know what? <b>That's okay! </b>There is no "right way" to blog, especially as a hobby. There is no need to harp on my mindset shift. There might not even be a reason to be like "heeeeey, remember me? I stopped blogging because XYZ." But I do miss sharing my life. I want to post more about our wedding. I want to [finally] post a million pictures from our honeymoon in Hawaii. I want to dive into our home renovation plans, our house buying process, my favorite books, all the things...just not on a timeline. No apologies, no expectations. <b>All fun.</b><br />
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<br />Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-2617583002431061252020-05-25T10:15:00.004-04:002020-05-25T13:12:29.852-04:00memorial day weekend | what I bought (and what’s on sale!)'Tis the season for shopping! Right? Perhaps. When quarantine first hit, I had literally zero desire to shop for anything...even home stuff, despite the fact that we just bought our first house. But lately, I've been getting the itch! I have almost no interest in buying clothing fit for a brunch date with the girls or a date night with Ryan, because to be honest, I still don't feel like making big plans just yet. But loungewear, workout clothing, and swim suits...count me in!<br />
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I decided to round up some items I've purchased recently and loved. Most are on sale, so what better time to scoop them up? (if you're in the market for something...we're all in different financial situations given the current state of the world. remember - you don't <i>need</i> anything!).<br />
<h3>
Clothing:</h3>
<a href="https://rstyle.me/+6jsn_3K4PwYR2xa16Q_CGg">Aerie Play Real Me 7/8 High Waisted Leggings - $27.96</a> - (pictured below) I've talked about these before, and I will talk about them until the end of time. I LOVE THESE LEGGINGS. I got paint on my navy blue pair when we first moved into our house, so I scooped up a new pair while they were on sale for under $30. These are literal butter. Only downside - they do show sweat. I've been working out at home, so I don't care much about that right now. But these are my absolute favorite for taking out the dogs, running errands, or just hanging out around the house.<br />
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<img alt="Aerie Play Real Me High Waisted 7/8 Legging" src="https://s7d2.scene7.com/is/image/aeo/0491_4429_425_ob?$PDP-1910L$" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmexpd3rJgBlyirPkYrr2WbEM9q8-SRVjr0AUeCARZ82OoLTDFYcxPLsPIxCXNdITGtLRgrMS-5GRi6a4J3WgHbmZA7cp3CvRcWVZ7piZ1NQrMp7USUAbbiSW3YR__z7P5MYhJoKoM-M/s1600/IMG_2539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmexpd3rJgBlyirPkYrr2WbEM9q8-SRVjr0AUeCARZ82OoLTDFYcxPLsPIxCXNdITGtLRgrMS-5GRi6a4J3WgHbmZA7cp3CvRcWVZ7piZ1NQrMp7USUAbbiSW3YR__z7P5MYhJoKoM-M/s1600/IMG_2539.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://rstyle.me/+V5Yicw8y9-5tQY0LWSQyFw">lululemon Free to Be Sports Bra - $48</a> - (pictured above). Okay, this is the only one that's <i>not</i> on sale because most of lululemon is never on sale (sigh), but this is my new favorite sports bra. I'm typically a medium in sports bras because of my broad shoulders. I ordered an 8 in this bra and it fits perfectly! Definitely more of a splurge than I usually go for, but I always reach for it.<br />
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<img height="640" src="https://assets.adidas.com/images/h_2000,f_auto,q_auto:sensitive,fl_lossy/bb0c6918d4e2457e9826a82e0131af8f_9366/Cloudfoam_Pure_Shoes_White_DB0695_01_standard.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<a href="https://rstyle.me/+RPFc-8MNqpjR_gULt7R-FQ">Adidas Cloudfoam Pure Shoes - $49</a> - Hands down my favorite sneakers for walking and for work. Not a fan of them for running/working out, but they're a solid pair for athleisure. So light! Marked down from $70 to $49.<br />
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<a href="https://rstyle.me/+CDzm686Ot3Ib5VZZX639Jw">Nike Tempo Running Shorts - $22.97</a> - (pictured below) I've been on the hunt for a good pair of athletic shorts and I completely forgot about these bad boys! It's SO HOT in Florida already, and most times, I'd rather reach for shorts than leggings (and I haven't hopped on the bike shorts train). So easy to pull on and go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL09jMTr3Al7Ke3NSLLc_FXEf3Fp-bcbx4l3O6YDfBffZv2EJ57pYkCqBsd311zKb_H_E7H0skY7u7LPCLKNwLlNE8Dx5z-8w0cvNkl9BHaP4hMUR4WrJEV_r8CGmxGZj2hUNqruh7Fc/s1600/IMG_2797.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHL09jMTr3Al7Ke3NSLLc_FXEf3Fp-bcbx4l3O6YDfBffZv2EJ57pYkCqBsd311zKb_H_E7H0skY7u7LPCLKNwLlNE8Dx5z-8w0cvNkl9BHaP4hMUR4WrJEV_r8CGmxGZj2hUNqruh7Fc/s1600/IMG_2797.PNG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://rstyle.me/+ixnj_evAhuN99Q-Kjrobew">Aerie Jacquard Longline V Scoop Bikini Top - $34.95</a> (<a href="https://rstyle.me/+YS_BLMhHNPQ00HKJGcXIxA">with their high cut cheeky bottoms...free!</a>) - Purchased both in Fresh Bright. I love Aerie everything, but especially their swim suits. High cheeky bottoms are my favorite!<br />
Also, if you love this swim suit, it's a part of the sale, too! Bottoms <a href="https://rstyle.me/+uEU57GYJQM9wBXo5iCS1Ww">here</a>, similar top <a href="https://rstyle.me/+yHgY-Bd1d6_Q9cdE0VAePA">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7xCqTF0NitI6af6jAH-K3VhadX8v1QCwuPvyr80_YTyrIFInOqMM4rNDVCp0GJK83X4PNnghn0EYztqxYx13LceJ4VAW2WBz4t6VGyu5aq3LZ39nOpcc7XcgZAyCgZnNSLVZJ25vNOM/s1600/IMG_8596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7xCqTF0NitI6af6jAH-K3VhadX8v1QCwuPvyr80_YTyrIFInOqMM4rNDVCp0GJK83X4PNnghn0EYztqxYx13LceJ4VAW2WBz4t6VGyu5aq3LZ39nOpcc7XcgZAyCgZnNSLVZJ25vNOM/s1600/IMG_8596.JPG" /></a></div>
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Home:</h3>
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I've purchased quite a bit for our home lately, but next to none of it is on sale right now. If you're still interested in where I got what, you can follow me on <a href="https://www.liketoknow.it/samantharosesays">Like to Know It</a>, but I figured I'd just share what's on sale! When I posted our bedroom update on Instagram, I had a few people ask me where the rug was from. I went back and forth about buying this rug for weeks, and I am SO HAPPY I went for it. It's gorgeous in person!</div>
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<a href="https://rstyle.me/+BINQy5H3P2lC0AVqv3KCOA">Mistana Ovid Oriental Tangerine Rust Area Rug (7'10 x 11'2 - $259.99) </a></div>
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<h3>
Summer sales are my favorite! I'm holding out for a new couch, maybe around 4th of July or Labor Day. What's been your favorite sale to shop this weekend? </h3>
<br />Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-83604147935274711652020-04-21T11:48:00.002-04:002020-04-21T11:48:36.280-04:00what i've been up to, quarantine editionHere is a brief update of things I've been doing/working on during the quarantine. This is not to say that I am productive every day, or even 50% of every day.<i> I'm doing the best I can.</i> Like most, I'm being thrown for a loop right now. Some evenings, I look back on my day and think, "what did I even <i>do</i> today?" And I refuse to shame myself for that.<br />
<h3>
Now, on to the good stuff. In the last couple weeks, I have been...</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Making from-scratch meals at home. </b>We had several cook books on our wedding registry, and since moving into our house with a full-size kitchen to work with (and all this newfound time on my hands), I've been keen to experiment more in the kitchen. I made a couple recipes from <a href="https://amzn.to/2VIimsi">Cravings</a> - lemony arugula spaghetti caccio e peppe (with linguine, since that's all we had) and sriracha caesar salad (with added sardines...because I discovered that I like them?!). I even threw together a prosciutto and arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella tossed together with lemon juice and olive oil for lunch one day last week. Putting together meals that are a couple steps outside of my comfort zone has been a lot of fun for me - I think my husband has especially enjoyed this new hobby of mine, as well.<br />*Food photography to improve over the course of this quarantine, hopefully.</li>
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<li><b>Researching home decor + furniture until my fingertips bleed. </b>Dramatic, but seemingly accurate. I haven't spent time thinking about how to decorate in so long, and it feels overwhelming. I'm the queen of indecision (trying to work on it), and I'm also torn between wanting to invest our money in quality pieces and stretching our budget by spending money on cheaper alternatives. Style wise, I'm drawn to a combination of modern, bohemian, and farmhouse. Isn't that called "eclectic?" To be determined. </li>
<li><b>Reading. </b>I've already read two and a half books since the start of COVID-19 (half a book meaning I finished a book I'd been reading for about a month beforehand). I set my GoodReads goal a little lower this year (12 books instead of 25) so that I could alleviate my focus from <i>how many</i> books I'm reading to how much I am actually enjoying a book. I've been mostly sticking to contemporary romance novels this year. I'm planning on writing a post about the books I've read in the last year soon!</li>
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<li><b>Wondering why I've never attempted to make my blog a full-time job. </b>Ha! Just kidding, but really. In truth, I know I've never put forth a great effort to monetize this blog. It's always been fun for me to write about my life, and even though I talk about things I buy and enjoy, I hardly consider myself an "influencer." I love to write and share stories, and <i>that's</i> why I blog. I've (personally) always felt like it's kind of hard to capitalize on that. Unless, of course, I wrote a book. </li>
<li><b>Signing up for SkillShare. </b>My aforementioned point. I've always loved writing, ever since I was little. It's even been said that I'm a good writer (...you know, by my family and composition professors in early college). I used to have book ideas flittering about in my brain pretty frequently. In the last few years, my inspiration, motivation, and dedication to the craft fell by the wayside. I've been wanting to take a few creative writing and character development courses, just to see if I can spark an old flame. I may never write a book, but it'll certainly never write itself! </li>
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If you have a lot of new time on your hands right now, what have you been doing with it?</h3>
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Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-90185359948689676192020-04-16T15:06:00.001-04:002020-04-16T15:06:01.052-04:00officially joining the quarantine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings, from the strangest days we've all lived through thus far.<br />
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What a month it has been, right?<br />
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We bought our house on Friday, March 13th. It feels like a lifetime ago when it's been just 34 days. Groups of less than 250 were still able to gather in public places. Ryan and I didn't think twice before going out to lunch as a mini-celebration of our closing. We went to a wedding the next evening. We were on the brink of change, and like many, didn't realize just how quickly it was going to alter every aspect of our lives.<br />
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But even though it's been about 4-6 weeks since everything started unraveling, it didn't really hit me until about a week ago, when my work situation officially changed.<br />
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I work as a speech-language pathologist at a pediatric outpatient facility. In the last month, we went from seeing our full caseloads, to no patients, to medical-priority patients. More recently, I went from working my usual four days per week to one day per week. I have to take PTO (up to negative 80 hours) for the other three days until that runs out. Or that's the plan for now, anyway. What I've learned lately is that while <i>nothing</i> is certain, things could certainly be worse for me. All I can do is roll with the punches, and that's what I will continue to do.<br />
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Until this point, it's been difficult for me to relate to everyone "quarantining." Going to work each day (sans patients), seeing my co-workers, taking a lunch break all felt relatively normal. I watched TikTok's to "bored in the house and I'm in the house bored," and I thought to myself, "what's that like?"<br />
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Alas, now I know, because I'm among the people whose worlds have been totally flipped upside down. I might be late on the uptake, but I think it's finally time I let myself grieve the loss of normalcy. I know this is not forever. But it <i>is </i>right now, and it <i>is</i> for the foreseeable future. And while society is telling me to make the most of this time, I think it's okay to figure out what that is going to look like for me...and if that means I've spent the last day and a half on the couch with my head in a spin trying to figure out how to proceed, then that's what that means.<br />
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How have you been handling COVID-19? What does life look like for you right now?</h3>
<br />Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-37767022996463412132020-03-31T09:46:00.001-04:002021-07-29T14:21:17.321-04:00update: moving out of our apartment!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe I'm saying this, but our time in our tiny shoebox apartment has officially come to a close. We bought a house, and as of two nights ago, we are all moved in! I'll be following up with a post about our house-buying process and design updates, but for now, I wanted to dedicate a post to our little apartment.<br />
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We moved into a studio-converted-one-bedroom apartment in the heart of south Tampa back in November 2017. For non-locals, south Tampa is an area right in the middle of popular bars, restaurants, and shops, just steps away from the bay. Prior to moving, we'd lived in a suburb of Tampa where you had to take a toll road to get basically anywhere, and while we loved our apartment, I was so over living in what I felt like was the middle of nowhere. So when we moved into our apartment right in the middle of all things fun in Tampa, we made do with the cramped closet and lack of kitchen drawers. After all, our goal was to be out and about, meeting up with friends nearby, walking home from dinner, and enjoying the area.<br />
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Since moving in, we had to deal with more than just a lack of space. One of our building neighbors was a younger 20-something frat boy who still hasn't grown out of that lifestyle - e.g. playing awful music with excessive bass at 1:30 a.m. on a Saturday night <i>when he wasn't even home</i>, getting into loud, occasionally physical fights with his girlfriend(s), and playing video games at ridiculous volumes. In addition, our<i> next-door</i> neighbors liked to sit outside until 6 a.m. on weeknights drinking light beer and shooting the shit. Sigh. Yes, we know that with the area, we got what we signed up for, but our particular apartment is also unfortunately placed on top of a separate set of townhomes, and we hit the neighbor lottery with the guy downstairs.<br />
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<i>I digress.</i><br />
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Neighbors and storage difficulties aside, we made a lot of memories in this little space, and we loved it (when it was clean). And as much trash as I talk about it, I'll definitely miss it, and it will always hold a special place in our hearts.<br />
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<i>What I'll miss the most:</i><br />
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<li>Original hardwood floors that we don't have to take care of ourselves.</li>
<li>Charming crown moldings and our white french doors with crystal knobs.</li>
<li>The natural light that comes from our bazillion giant windows (and by that I mean twelve, nine of which aren't covered by an IKEA closet).</li>
<li>The giant palm trees that sit just behind our bedroom windows, which give a calming, jungle feel when the blinds are open.</li>
<li>The proximity to our favorite restaurant - bartaco! I will absolutely miss being able to walk to and from the restaurant. Drinking margaritas is a lot more fun when you know you don't have to leave your car to get a ride share home!</li>
<li>...and the proximity to everything else. Less than a half mile to two grocery stores, steps away from a ton of yummy restaurants, less than two miles to our favorite gym (that we will miss so dearly!). Nearly everything fun to do in Tampa is just a walk or short and cheap Uber/Lyft drive away!</li>
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<i>What I won't miss at all:</i></div>
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<li>The majority of our neighbors. Enough said above.</li>
<li>Our small kitchen with virtually no counter space or storage.</li>
<li>Keeping our food storage containers in a plastic container above the refrigerator.</li>
<li>The easy collection of dust. Our place was built in the 1920s, and I'm pretty sure the same dust bunnies have been hanging around ever since.</li>
<li>Our itsy bitsy bathroom with its painted bathtub and lack of a proper drain.</li>
<li>The drunk people wandering around aimlessly after hitting the bars at night.</li>
<li>Living between several "through" streets. </li>
<li>Parallel parking on the street with a bunch of groceries or work bags because I can't find a parking spot in our lot.</li>
<li>Not having a dining room table, or any table at all, because there is literally no space for one.</li>
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Now that we have moved into our house, I'm really looking forward to designing our space and truly making it our own. When we moved into our apartment, I was still in graduate school, and then I was saving money for our wedding. Suffice to say, I wasn't in the market to be spending money on new furniture or home decor. Now, I am ready to take this house on as a project! Keep up <a href="https://www.instagram.com/samantharosesays/">on Instagram</a> for more frequent updates.</div>
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If you've ever moved from an apartment to a house, what was your favorite part? What was the biggest change?</h3>
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Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620744751433191445.post-40015530097895718812020-02-15T11:23:00.002-05:002020-04-16T14:08:56.272-04:00our wedding day | the first look<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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During the beginning stages of wedding planning, I was torn between wanting to have a first look and waiting until I walk down the aisle to see Ryan's face for the first time. </div>
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I was chatting with a good friend who used to do wedding videography, and she told me about how the tradition behind seeing the bride for the first time during the ceremony is actually not romantic at all. It stems from arranged marriages, when the groom had no idea who was going to be underneath the veil, and at the risk of the bride being "ugly," the family didn't want the groom to run away. Ha! Long story short, not super romantic. Even though it's now used as a way to catch the groom's initial, immediate reaction, we wanted those moments all to ourselves.</div>
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Enter: the first look.</div>
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With a 6 o'clock ceremony time, our plan was to wrap up makeup by 2:30, take bridesmaids photos in our robes, and be at the venue for our first look by 3:30. By 2:45, one of the stylists was still touching up the bridesmaids' hair...and they didn't finish until 3:30. I don't think I initially realized just how behind we were, which was probably a good thing. </div>
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Skipping the minutiae, we still had plenty of time for our first look. I had more of a "first" first look than Ryan, because I pulled up in our party bus as he was walking down the stairs of our venue. I was so excited to see him, but I feel like I look nervous in the initial picture below...likely because I <i>was</i> nervous. And looking back on some of these, I think it looks a bit like I'm posing for them. Whoops. Guess I won't quit my day job and become a model, after all.</div>
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When he turned around to see me, he smiled in the way that makes all the skin around his eyes crinkle, which is my favorite of all his smiles. </div>
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For those who don't know him, Ryan is goofy, but he carries himself in a very stoic, serious fashion. Any time I get him to really laugh, I want to write down whatever joke or anecdote I said so I can save it for later use, just to get that smile. </div>
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Once we started to turn around for photos, I began reminding him to "smile like you like me, not your photo shoot smile where you look uncomfortable." While you might think to yourself, "yikes! calm down lady," this is actually me reminding him to relax, because I could tell he was feeling the nerves, too. </div>
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But in that moment, my "poses" fell to the wayside, and I let myself soak in this time together, and that's when we truly started to relax. If you could have listened to my internal monologue this day, I guarantee it would sound like a loop of "soak this in, look around, take it all in, remember this moment" intertwined with "I love this man" and "wow he's smokin' hot."</div>
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Because isn't he?!</div>
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<b>details:</b><br />
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photographer | <a href="https://www.emilymathewsonphotography.com/weddings">emily mathewson photography</a><br />
dress | <a href="https://www.justinalexander.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyp7yBRCwARIsABfQsnT8_pI7n-s6iVN-ieBG9DujzNry9GFRicExUfdM1l9oBq1mzSXSxUAaAtmyEALw_wcB">justin alexander</a><br />
hair & makeup | <a href="https://femmeakoi.com/">femme akoi</a><br />
venue | <a href="http://stationhousestpete.com/">station house st. pete</a><br />
flowers | <a href="https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/the-brides-bouquet-palm-harbor/2e381e61064b3b78.html">the bride's bouquet</a><br />
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Samantha @ Samantha Rose Sayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960909953515283458noreply@blogger.com0