Just in time for the long weekend and Small Business Saturday, I've got a new blog post up with some tips on holiday shopping this year! ⠀ ⠀ Now more than ever, it's vital to support our locally owned businesses, and online small businesses too. Choose to shop local and sustainable for your holiday gifts and let's support our business owners!⠀ ⠀ Link to the blog post in my profile.⠀ ⠀ And over on my Stories, I'll be sharing a roundup of some of my favorite eco-friendly, locally owned and online small businesses! If you miss the Stories, they'll be saved to my Highlights. 
Over the summer, I shared a guide on my blog featuring local restaurants that use plant-based packaging rather than styrofoam. ⠀ ⠀ I've made a few additions to that guide, and you can check it out by going to the link in my profile. I'm excited to learn of some new food vendors and restaurants around Lafayette that are committed to a sustainable takeout option, especially as we go into this holiday season. ⠀ ⠀ My husband and I got takeout from @eatmidcitybbq this past weekend, and it was seriously amazing. I was even more excited to see that they use @ecoproducts containers, although I did forget to request no utensils when I placed the order online. 
Most of my maternity clothes from last time around were secondhand, and they're getting a lot of rewear over these few months! After pulling my container out of storage, I've added some items to my temporary wardrobe, but in a mostly sustainable way.⠀ ⠀ Over on the blog, I'm sharing some ways that you can put together a sustainable and budget-friendly maternity wardrobe. Let's face it, having a baby is expensive enough!⠀ ⠀ Link in profile to read. 🤰🏻 
I don't care what anyone says, I am SO on board with starting Christmas festivities extra early this year! We started putting up decorations at home two weekends ago, and we've kicked off Christmas movie nights, Christmas candles and Christmas music. And we took our Christmas card photos this past weekend! 🎄🎄🎄⠀ ⠀ It dawned on me last week that holiday things are bringing me the most joy right now. If you feel the same, you get yourself in the holiday spirit! It's a perfectly acceptable form of self-care, and it doesn't matter what anyone else says. 😊⠀ ⠀ Our little village is the first thing we put up, and I'm loving it. These were passed down from my in-laws and are buildings from my husband's hometown. I also grew up having a village as part of our decor, and I'm excited that we get to continue that tradition in our own home. ⠀ ⠀ 
Three years ago today, my brother-in-law retired from the Marine Corps, and we spent the week in Hawaii to attend his ceremony and celebrate Thanksgiving with his family.⠀ ⠀ This remains the last big trip we took, and boy, am I missing these views and adventures right about now. ⠀ ⠀ 
It's felt like the longest 25 weeks ever, and at the same time, holy crap, how am I already 25 weeks pregnant!?⠀ ⠀ It's definitely been a different journey this time, between the pandemic, working from home, big house projects, hurricanes and having a very active toddler. ⠀ ⠀ I need to be better about pausing and being more present, so on the blog today, I'm sharing a letter to this sweet baby about all the things I'm enjoying and looking forward to. Link in my profile!