Simple Joys of the Week, April 1st Edition

Happy April Fool's Day, everyone!

While I love myself a holiday and a good joke, this holiday is not my favorite of the bunch. I just don't like being tricked that much, and I think I have a bit of scarring because my mom always got me (good) growing up. So, that means that you won't find any April Fool's jokes here on the blog today, just regular old SJOTW...sorry for those of you who were hoping for a prank ;) 

Quick programming note before we jump in: we're headed to Canada (my first time there!) tomorrow morning to go on a "ski trip" to Whistler. I put "ski trip" in quotes because, being pregnant, I cannot ski [or go in the hot tub or drink, for that matter!], but I'm still excited to be accompanying my family on this trip and can't wait to enjoy some much-needed R&R.

That being said, despite our promise that Starr Struck Radio would return the first week in April, we're pushing back the return date to Tuesday, April 12th. We'd hoped to get our act together and pre-record this week, but alas, life got in the way. I hope you understand!

Also, I'll be taking most of next week off of blogging. I may throw up a pic or two from the trip, but plan on trying to be as present as possible while away, which means shutting everything down for a few days...but not to fear, SJOTW will still go up next Friday once we've returned back home!

Okay, lets stop talking about next week and reflect on this past week. Here's what brought me joy over the past 7 days (warning: lots of baby-related stuff since this was a big week in baby-land)...

HEAR: Springtime birds chirping outside
Yesterday I was planning on taking a yoga class at a studio, but the day got away from me and I couldn't make it. So, rather than get down about it, I took my mat outside onto our back porch (with Sayde, of course), and did a home practice in the sunshine. It was a gorgeous spring day outside and I found myself reveling in the sounds around me: just my breath, the birds chirping, and the wind whistling through the trees. It was a beautiful experience and I was filled with gratitude that my day went the way it  did, so that I was able to enjoy an outdoor practice for the first time this spring. Words cannot express how lovely it was to lie on my back on my mat and look up at the clouds! Ahhhhh. I love this time of year. 

SEE: Baby [girl] clothes + hand-me-down baby gear
Now that we know we're having a girl, we're starting to get more little girl baby gifts, which of course, are all to die for. We also got our first bag of hand-me-downs from one of my wonderful students this week, and going through this bag and holding/looking at each little piece of clothing made me totally melt.

[It was also great fun watching Ben try to unsnap and then re-snap a rather complicated little onesie...the poor guy struggled quite a bit, but he persevered and in the end, got it back together! Hooray Ben, haha!]

TASTE: "Baby Oats Box" by Kayak Cookies
You guys know about my favorite cookies of all time, right? Kayak Cookies; they're sold in DC, which is where I originally fell in love with them, but they're actually made here on Cape Cod (which I didn't know until I moved here). Well, Ben's cousin's girlfriend now works there as a baker (!!!) and on Easter, she gave us a special box of "Baby Oats" in celebration of our baby. It was filled with an assortment of their various cookies--some even dipped in dark chocolate--and I was thrilled. So yummy! 

SMELL: Peanut Butter
Is this a weird thing to list as a favorite smell? Well, it's true. I've always been a peanut butter girl, but my love of peanut butter has only increased in my always-hungry, always-looking-for-a-snack pregnancy days. Honestly, there are only so many protein-packed snacks a lady can eat before she loses her mind and/or gets bored. So, peanut butter: thank you for always being there for me. 

TOUCH: My Snoogle
You guys, our bedtime/sleep game has really changed over the past couple weeks. Couple our new Casper mattress + new comforter + sheet set with my new pregnancy pillow, the Snoogle, and you have one happy camper...er, sleeper. I now get just as excited about crawling into bed every night as I would about getting a massage or going to a spa. It's that incredible. 

So, that's it for me! What brought you joy over the past week? Take some time to stop and reflect today, if you can...

Oh, and if you missed my April Newsletter yesterday,you can read it here. Sign up below to make sure it lands in your inbox next month:

Last thing before I go: want to stay in touch while I'm exploring Whistler (+ get an inside glimpse at how I fill my time while everyone else is skiing?)? Follow me on Instagram. 

Have a wonderful first weekend in April, bloggies!