DresseStylist, Bridesmaid Edition

DresseStylist is back for the last post on Dear Family,. It has been so fun looking at all of their beautiful bridesmaid and Wedding Dresses 2015 (can you believe this year is almost over?).

In case you missed my last post, my sister is now engaged to an awesome guy that lives in New Zealand. Which means my husband, baby and I will be taking a trip pretty soon! I am excited because I love traveling and New Zealand looks like an incredible place! Who can give me tips for traveling with a newborn? Are there any places we need to visit near Auckland? There is a place there called Sheep World that is very intriguing to me as my love for fiber, knitting and crafting have only increased as the years wear on. I am also hearing about incredible coffee shops, and shopping will certainly be on my list of to-dos. 

Now that I am officially the matron of honor and baby girl is one of the flower girls, it is time to start thinking about dresses. My sister has chosen for her bridesmaids to wear ivory and baby Dear will be wearing a white dress! My sister is planning on having floral headpieces made for the bridal party and I can't imagine anything cuter than our pretty baby with a crown of flowers on her head! 

It will be very interesting for me to purchase a bridesmaids dress now because I am six and a half months pregnant and our baby will be born one month before the wedding. I am sure I won't be back to my pre-baby weight by the time May rolls around so I am looking for options that offer a little more room in the stomach area without making me look pregnant. That should be easy right?!

Here are some of the beautiful options on DresseStylist that would be great options for my sister's special day! These dresses come in a variety of colors so I could easily choose one of these and select the ivory color that my sister wants.

This chiffon dress is so pretty and elegant. I think the sheer sleeves make this calf-length gown look sophisticated. 

 This pretty dress is perfect for dancing the night away after a fun and special wedding ceremony. I love the flowing skirt and fitted top.

 This dress is so lovely and elegant. It looks classic and simple but still young and fresh. I think it would look gorgeous with a pretty necklace and colorful shoes. 

Thanks again to DresseStylist for the opportunity to feature your dresses on my blog. I have enjoyed looking at all the different options you offer and the unique wedding dresses you sell. 

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

It feels impossible to describe how excited I am to carry my little girl. She is already changing so much in my life as I am looking to parent and care for her in the best way I know.

I begin my third trimester this week and I am gratefully holding on to these brief moments where she is growing inside my womb. I could never understand a bond that could occur in this way, but my daughter is already so loved by her father and I, I can't even imagine what it will be like when she is born. I have enjoyed feeling and watching her grow, her kicks and rolls get stronger everyday. I love the way she responds to Jamie's voice and playfully kicks his hand when he touches my stomach. 

Life has already changed since I found out I was pregnant. I decided to quit my job with CPS earlier than I expected because of the stress that was placed on my body and my mind. This was a very difficult choice for me because I thought I was on a good path for my career. I am often self-conscious about my lack of education and jobs that I have held because of that reason (I feel embarrassed every time I take a job as a nanny or have to work the dreaded retail position.)

I thought this job gave me validation and purpose, so now I am at home and my days spent seeking truth and worth about my season of life. 

I am so honored to carry this little life inside of my body and cannot wait to meet her!

Resolutions

Jamie and I have been inspired by Bridget, to chose a word to motivate us in this next year instead of listing resolutions. We chose the word pursue.

Pursue

: to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).

: to proceed in accordance with (a method, plan, etc.).

: to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).

: to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).

Our goal is to pursue Jesus, pursue each other, pursue relationships, pursue godly parenting, pursue health and pursue simplicity.

DresseStylist and an engagement story

DresseStylist is back with Dear Family, for another week and this is the perfect time to look at more wedding dresses because I have some exciting news! My sister just accepted a marriage proposal from her long-distance boyfriend from New Zealand. My sister flew to New Zealand a few weeks ago and he proposed a few days after she got there. 

It looks like my husband, baby and I will be taking a trip pretty soon! I am excited because I love traveling and New Zealand looks like an incredible place. Have you been to New Zealand before? Are you from there? I would love some travel tips!

Now to the exciting part - first I will give you a few details about the proposal and then we are going to look at some Wedding Dresses UK. 

My sister and her (now) fiancé started the morning at a cupcake place in Tauranga and ordered cupcakes and lattes. Rhys bought my sister flowers then drove her to the grocery store to purchase picnic supplies and they then drove to a really pretty waterfall park. They had a nice little picnic and then Rhys stood up to go "feel the temperature of the water" and asked my sister to come with him and when she turned around she saw a friend of Rhy's taking pictures and she said "ah who's this?" Then Rhys handed her a little note that said "will you marry me?" And he got down on one knee and she said yes!

How romantic?!

Now, of course, let's look at some gorgeous dresses! Maybe one of these will be the dress my sister chooses! 

They are considering an outdoor wedding and I think this dress would be stunning for a garden wedding. I love the sheer sleeves, scooping neckline and the short tulle skirt. 

This dress is strikingly beautiful and so different from any other wedding dress I have seen before. The asymmetrical neckline with the flowers and the ribbon are whimsical and romantic.

This dress is also one of my favorites! I love the simple classic lines with the sheer back. This dress is so classic and makes me want to get married again (to the same guy)!

 

I think planning a wedding is such a fun and special time. I know many people feel stressed about the deadlines and the amount of work that is put into making the bride and groom's day special but I can't help but enjoy the process. What do you think? Do/did you enjoy planning your wedding?

*This post is sponsored by DresseStylist but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.

SweetQuinceaneraDress

Today I have the exciting opportunity to introduce to you the wonderful company that is sponsoring Dear Family, for this post. SweetQuinceaneraDress is an online shopping boutique that offers beautiful, formal dresses for special occasions like a Quinceanera party! I will be highlighting a few of their lovely options as well as share an awkward story from a few days ago. I hope you get the chance to check out all the awesome Blue Quinceanera Dresses that are available in their online store. 

I have chosen a few dresses to feature today that I think would be beautiful for an upcoming party (of course they would be beautiful at any time). Winter parties can be so stunning with twinkly lights, fresh green garland and bright white flowers. It's also nice if the snow begins to fall as well. 

I did not ever have a Quinceanera thrown for me when I turned 15 but I imagine that it is a very special party for a girl of that age. Here are some of the dresses I would have chosen for my imaginary Quinceanera.

I love this skirt that almost looks like feathers! I am so into feathery dresses.

This dress is beautiful because of its sheer, changing colors! It reminds me of a prism I used to play with as a child and I think practically everyone would look beautiful in this dress!

 

Who doesn't love a sparkly dress! This dress doesn't even need jewelry it is so shiny and gorgeous.

 

I love the idea of a Quinceanera party because the entire night involves food, dancing and partying! Who wouldn't love that at any age?

Well, here's my story, I wish I could pretend that this happened years ago, perhaps at the age of 15?! Alas, just a few weeks ago I was peering into our neighbor's kitchen window (as I often do) while walking past to get to the car. We live in a very large house that was converted into apartments so each unit is different and I am always curious what the other units look like! Well, I must have been staring a little too long because our neighbor walked up to the window and stared back at me for a few minutes. I instantly ran down the steps but I must have made an impression because a few days later, he hung curtains to ensure that I would not be looking in his window again. 

Thanks again to SweetQuinceaneraDress for the opportunity to feature your dresses on my blog. I have enjoyed looking at all the different options you offer and the unique dresses you sell. 

*This post is sponsored by SweetQuinceaneraDress but the opinions and comments are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support my family.