It’s been a busy couple of months! Being pregnant {I’m 20 weeks! half way…} has me counting the days and weeks more consistently which makes time seem to go by a bit slower but then I look through my instagram and realize that I’ve been going, going, going. All good things and I always get questions about specific instagram that I don’t always have the opportunity to answer so let’s fix that now…

The weather has been so hot and cold {literally} in Chicago. Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind which is usually the case during any transitional season. We seem to skip the majority of spring and dive right into summer eventually. I’ve been taking advantage of sunny days as much as possible – as well as fresh flower season – popping into my favorite shops: A New Leaf and Green {I can always count on Whole Foods + Trader Joe’s too!}. Dave and I have been two passing ships in the night so with only a few days a week to the two of us we’ve been taking Webster on long walks and grabbing breakfast at our favorite coffee shop: City Grounds.

For Easter {it’s been awhile!} I picked up some pretty hydrangeas and ranunculus {my favorite!} for our table and made my favorite angel food cake with lemon whipped cream and sugared blueberries. Here is what you do…

Honestly, to save time, I recommend buying an angel food cake {I can always find one at Whole Foods} because they are super high maintenance to make, especially if you don’t have a standing mixer, but if you have the time this is my favorite recipe. For the whipped cream you use 3 cups of heavy cream, 2-4 tablespoons of sugar {start with 2, add more if you think it needs more!}, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Once it is almost complete {you’re looking for thick consistency with peaks!}, add lemon juice. Whip until it’s firm enough to use as frosting and fold in lemon zest {add more if you prefer a more lemon-y flavor!}. Using a rubber spatula, frost the entire angel food cake. Using fresh blueberries, roll a couple of dozen in a heavier sugar {I use Caster sugar}, top with blueberries and randomly sprinkle with mint. *Honestly, I always use random measurements depending on flavor so add more or less sugar and lemon depending on your taste preference.

Dave and I have doctor appointments every month and depending on whether or not they are in the morning or evening we always like to celebrate with a big meal {hearing our baby’s heartbeat deserves some indulgence! The best sound in the world}. The bump is slowly growing – some days it is bigger than others depending on what I eat – but I can’t wait for it to be 100% obvious. Right now it’s only clear when I wear more fitted pieces. We aren’t finding out the sex of the baby {did I tell you that yet?} and have been busy trying to find a new apartment for our growing family to live for the next few years. We finally found the perfect place and are so happy to be staying in Lincoln Park. It also helps me to finally visualize where our little baby will be living! That being said, I haven’t done ANY research in terms of what we need, what we don’t need, the best brands for safety, how to decorate a gender neutral bedroom {help!}, and honestly everything. Any suggestions are more than welcome! And thank you in advance.

A few items I’m wearing in the images above:

L’agence Chambray Shorts  //  Rebecca Taylor Tweed Jacket  //  Joie Lace Top {on sale!}  //  Chicwish Trench Coat  //  Mott 50 Striped Dress  //  Red Valentino Floral Dress  //  J.Crew Embellished Sandals {sold out, similar here}

April was busy with lots of travel! I flew to Dallas for the rewardStyle conference and stayed at my favorite hotel – The Joule – with my dear friend Chassity. This year I finally got to explore the city and had so much fun catching up with blog friends. If you’re visiting Dallas I can’t recommend The Joule enough, it has the cutest boutiques, prettiest decor, delicious restaurants, rooftop pool, the cutest coffee shop and is central to everything.

After I got home from Dallas I immediately left again for Charleston to celebrate my pregnancy with my mom and grandmother. My mom’s side of the family has a house closer to the water so we love visiting South Carolina and being able to have the best of both worlds with the ocean and the adorable city of Charleston. We grabbed coffee and lunch at the CUTEST St. Alban with Chassity and I wore my favorite Theory gingham dress, so comfortable and classic. We also spent our days riding bikes, eating, and laying in the sun. It was the perfect break from reality but I have to say I was so happy to be back with my boys.

This weekend is the first weekend that Dave and I will be together at home in 2 months! So we plan on enjoying the warmer temps by taking long walks, brunching at our favorite spots, visiting the farmers market, and being outside as much as possible. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! xo