​I never knew breastfeeding would be a full-time job. Honestly, I remember seeing moms nurse their babies in random places like restaurants or shopping malls when I was younger and thinking, "Wow, that looks so easy. You just lay them on your lap and they know what to do." Oh how naive I was :)

I decided I wanted to breastfeed when I was pregnant with our firstborn, Graham, a little over 4 years ago. Chris randomly asked me a couple weeks ago what made me so passionate about that decision, and I honestly didn't have a concrete, well thought out answer. I just said, "I'm not really sure. I just know that a mother's milk is the only food/nutrition on the planet that our bodies create, and when you think about the incredible benefits it has, why wouldn't I give it a good try?"
​

​​Once Graham was born, they placed him on my breast for his first feeding and it was definitely a struggle. He couldn't quite figure out how to latch, I didn't have "ideal breastfeeding nipples" (something every woman loves to hear, lol), and I ended up having to use a nipple shield anytime he nursed going forward. He was healthy, but slightly behind in the weight gain department. 

After 5 months of a combination of Graham nursing and pumping milk to put into a bottle for him, he decided he was done nursing altogether and we transitioned to bottle feeding only. This meant I had to pump every 3 hours around the clock (including overnight). 

Let me tell you: IT'S A GRIND. In fact, there were numerous mornings where Chris woke up and walked out into our living room to find me slouched over on the couch asleep with my boobs out and pump on. What a sight to behold...

​But, let's throw a wrench in there, shall we? Not only did Graham stop nursing at 5 months, my electric Medela InStyle pump also stopped working. It wasn't necessarily malfunctioning (although I do remember having some issues with the tubing), but my body stopped responding to it. I would maybe get an ounce per side when I pumped, and that was just not enough. So, out of frustration, Chris ran to the store one night to buy me a $40 hand pump to try. PROBLEM SOLVED.

For whatever reason, from the moment I used the hand pump I started getting several ounces per side per pumping session, which was a major game changer (side note: there were several days/nights when we had no milk in the freezer and were down to our last bottle of milk in the fridge. It was extremely stressful and I was constantly just "getting by"). There's a reason they call it "liquid gold."

So, I exclusively used this hand pump for the following eight months. I used a manual hand pump every 3-4 hours (each pumping session ranging between 45 to 90 minutes), 7 days a week, for 8 months. Am I crazy? Probably. Was I committed? Absolutely.

I pumped in my car...
I pumped behind an outdoor public restroom in the middle of a Florida Georgia Line concert (shout out to my BFF Nicki who held a jacket up in front of me while yelling at a concert staff member "she's pumping her breast!")... 
I even pumped while walking around decorating my mother's backyard for Graham's first birthday party--breast pump in use in one hand, balloons in the other. Her neighbor's got a real show that day...

This was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

​My arms (forearms, specifically) were exhausted. I was sleep deprived from having to wake several times a night to pump simply to keep my milk supply up. I was stressed more than ever before because we only had enough breast milk in the fridge for *maybe* the next feeding or two. It was a constant struggle to keep up.

I had people telling me constantly to "just give him formula" or saying to me "why are you still doing this? It would be so much easier to switch to formula. You'll get to sleep through the night, too."

But here's how I looked at it: it's one year. Only one. In the grand scheme of my life, sacrificing convenience and sleep for one year in order to give my child the best nutrition on the planet is worth it to me. 

So, from month 5 until Graham was 13 months old, I exclusively pumped around the clock and was able to successfully feed Graham nothing but breast milk for his first year of life. I'm pretty sure Chris and I went out and had a celebratory dinner after my final pump...
​

It's funny--I remember feeling guilty for not talking to Olive as much while I was pregnant with her as I did with Graham's pregnancy. In an effort to protect our hearts, Chris and I hesitated to get attached to this pregnancy too quickly because we were afraid we'd lose her. Because of this, I remember thinking, "I wonder if she's going to like me...What if she has no interest in me, or what if we're not close when she grows up?" Fast forward to present day and I can tell you one thing for certain: Olive is addicted to mama. 

I don't say that with any arrogance--I say it because she has refused a bottle her entire little life. Olive came out of the womb nursing like a pro. You'd swear she'd been practicing in utero somehow. From the moment she was placed on my breast, she knew exactly what to do. 

Olive was also a colicky baby. The most challenging weeks we've had in the newborn stage. Chris and I were sleep deprived as it was as newborn parents, but add colic to the mix, and it becomes a level of sleep deprivation only the "parents of colicky babies club" knows. She would work herself up for no reason and be absolutely hysterical, and the one and only thing that could calm her down was nursing. 

Olive is now 6 months old and still nurses every 2-3 hours (closer to the 2 hour mark), still refuses a bottle, and still gets hysterical if her hunger strikes and I'm not in sight. I have been tethered to this little chunk for the last 6 months, only sneaking away from her long enough to take a Pure Barre class or run to a meeting for work. 

Is it exhausting? YES. Is it worth it? Absolutely. As tough as it is having a baby who refuses to eat any other way except from you, it's the most incredible and special bonding experience I've ever had with someone. 

It's SO hard to explain.

The way Olive looks up at me while she's nursing is a form of communication that's hard to describe. Breastfeeding forms a bond that only a mother and child can have. Every time she opens her eyes and looks at me, or places her tiny hand on my face, or uses all her fingers to grip onto one of mine, I know she's expressing how much she loves that special time with me.

I would have never thought in a million years that after the experience I had with Graham, that I would then have a baby who would be such a great nurser. Despite the two completely different experiences I've had with breastfeeding, they've both proven to be very hard. Breastfeeding is a huge commitment and sacrifice. Here are a few tips and things I've learned along the way if you're choosing to breastfeed...
​ ​

• Buy a Haakaa. I was told about this $13 miracle in the hospital by the lactation nurse and I've used it for the last 6 months instead of my electric pump (in fact, my electric pump is still wrapped up and in the box--that's how awesome the Haakaa is and how well it works). You place it on one boob while you nurse from the other. It catches all the milk from your let down that would normally be wasted in the nursing pad inside your bra, but now, you can save it from the Haakaa and build up a milk stash in your freezer quickly and easily!

• Always have a swaddle blanket on hand. I use a plain old swaddle blanket as a nursing cover up when I'm nursing in public (nothing fancy) and also to catch spit up once baby is done nursing. 

• Drink loads of water. Keeping your milk supply up can be quite difficult (especially with your first baby), so make sure to drink more water than you even think you need to. I have a large, Yeti-type tumbler and metal straw that I keep full of ice and water with me at all times. I probably drink 8-10 of these a day. 

• If you learn how to focus while nursing, you can "force" a let down to happen. During Olive's colicky stage, there were times when I had nursed her in the last hour, but she was hysterical and we needed to calm her down again and nursing was the only way to do that. My breasts were essentially empty, but I focused on Olive, her crying, and focused on my let down (hopefully that makes sense) and thats when another let down would happen. Our bodies are INCREDIBLE. 

​

• And if you're having trouble with your letdown in general, try looking at your baby. If you're away from them and trying to pump, look at a picture of them, or better yet, a video of them. It's been proven that looking at your baby will help initiate your let down. I have found this to be 100% true. (Fun fact: Even the sound of another baby crying can initiate your let down. This happened to be in the aisles of Target when a complete stranger's baby began to cry, lol.)

• Breastfeeding can be extremely isolating. Often times I find myself in a separate room at a family function nursing Olive while everyone else is visiting with one another, or having to skip out on a fun night out with friends because Olive can't have me away from her for that long without eating. While the support for breastfeeding mamas is growing, there are still so many times when it makes you feel alone, isolated, and detached from the world. Try to remind yourself that you're doing something wonderful for your baby and focus on the close bond and relationship you're building by doing so. 

• Breastfeeding can do wonders for keeping your baby healthy. Olive was born in the end of January and in the middle of a nasty flu season. She was never sick. Not once. I'm no expert, so do your own Googling if you'd like, but from what I've read your breastmilk can change and adjust it's antibodies to whatever your baby is needing at that moment.  In fact, my husband was talking to a physician on a work trip recently who told him that there are studies and testing happening with breastmilk because they think it could help kill cancer. Once again, our bodies are absolutely incredible!

Lastly, I just want to say I'm here to encourage you if you're struggling with breastfeeding or are currently breastfeeding and thinking about giving up. I know the struggles and the isolation and the inconvenience that breastfeeding a baby can bring, and sometimes all you need is having someone whose been there to cheer you on and offer a little encouragement. Just think of me as the cheerleader for your boobs :)

If you read this whole thing, THANK YOU. It really means the world to me that anyone would be interested in reading what I have to say, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Let's make this short and sweet: I LOVE WINE. 

I would go into all the reasons why I love wine, but let's be honest--if you're reading this, then chances are we share that love, so, (1) explanation I need not give and (2) you and I just became besties. 

When I shop for wine, I always stay under the $20 price point, and usually try to find great wines for $10 or under. Since I'm currently pregnant, I can't indulge, which means you have to do it for me. Take one for the team, sister!

So, I rounded up some of my Trader Joe's favorites to make your shopping list a little easier (and boozier). Enjoy!
​

​And there you have it--my favorite Trader Joe's wines all for under $20!

Cheers!

XOXO,
Courtney

We are officially 18 weeks today, which means baby girl is the size of a sweet potato, but I wouldn't have this sweet potato to be thankful for if it weren't for the help of our incredible fertility specialist.

We were first introduced to P.A.R.I.N.T.S. by my OBGYN. Once we had tried several rounds of Clomid with him and failed to conceive a healthy pregnancy for over a year, he decided it was time for us to see a specialist. 

We love, love, LOVE our OBGYN, so we trusted his opinion on who to go to from day one. He cried with us through our miscarriages and took the time and patience to hear our fears and concerns as we struggled to carry a pregnancy to term, so we knew he would put us into good hands.

We first met with Becky at P.A.R.I.N.T.S. just before Christmas '17. She was warm, inviting, personable, motherly, all of the things you'd hope for in someone you're investing your entire hopes and dreams into. 

Upon sitting down at her dining table (that's right--not a sterile, doctor's office, but an actual dining table, which sits beside a cozy living room), I noticed she brought a box of Kleenex to the table.

​She knew.

She knew how hard the struggle to get pregnant is for the couples she sees in her office, knew the pain and disappointment we feel with every negative pregnancy test, and knew that our first meeting would involve me providing our history, which is obviously emotional. 

Becky immediately came up with a plan for us, and more than anything from that meeting, I remember her looking us in the eyes and saying, "We're going to do everything in our power to figure out what's going on, and we're going to do our best to get you pregnant." 

Just hearing that someone else was making it their #1 priority to get to the bottom of our issues and get us to where we were sooo hoping we could be was huge. It felt like I had an army on our side. 

Becky's team were in constant communication with us.

Send them an email? They respond within 24 hours--always.
Get blood work drawn? They'll have the results to you first thing the next morning. 
Having a mental breakdown? Call them and they'll not only answer, but talk you off your ledge. 

I never once felt like 'just another patient' among a laundry list of people. They always made me feel like I was their most important patient. 

Something else to note about P.A.R.I.N.T.S. and what makes them different: it's a nurse-run practice. Becky, the owner, spent her career in labor and delivery, but felt that patients didn't get enough personalized care, which inspired her to start P.A.R.I.N.T.S. 

Nurses are unsung heroes. They spend the quality time with patients, take the time to listen, and don't rush you out the door like some physicians often do. 

When my doctor told me it's a nurse-run practice, I immediately knew I'd love it. I knew these women would take the time to hear me, that they'd understand what I was feeling, and that is huge when it comes to infertility. Being understood. Being listened to during this process.

It's huge. 

I simply can't say enough wonderful things about Becky and her team. 

Thanks to Becky, her team, and the good Lord, we're expecting our second child.

To give you a better idea of how much I appreciate and love Becky and her team, the second after I showed Chris the pregnant test, the first person I wanted to call was Becky--and I did!

She was ecstatic and immediately jumped into action: "Go to the lab and get your blood drawn...continue taking this med, start taking this one, etc.". She continued to do everything in her power to make sure we carried this pregnancy to term. 

If you're struggling with getting pregnant, I encourage you to give Becky a call. She's like a second mother to us now, and we know she'll always be a part of our lives. 

Becky and her team understand your struggles, know how you feel, and want to do everything in their power to fulfill the dreams you have for your family. 

Don't push it off. Don't hesitate. Don't be afraid to ask for help. God placed the desire of children in your heart for a reason. He wants to fulfill that desire for you. Sometimes we just need a little help getting there. 

To visit Becky's website, click here: P.A.R.I.N.T.S. 

For testimonials about Becky and her amazing staff, click here: Testimonials

If you're currently going through the pain of a miscarriage, I wrote a blog post about our experience here: After A Miscarriage

And finally, I hope something in this post was helpful to you and gave you encouragement to never give up hope. 

XOXO, Courtney

We can finally say it: Our rainbow baby is arriving in January 2019! 

It's still kind of shocking to be able to say those words. Some days I still think, "Wow, am I really pregnant? It's actually happening!" When you try for something for so long, and it continues to not come to fruition, it makes it that much harder to believe when it actually does happen. Does that make sense?

We posted our news yesterday on Facebook and Instagram and were immediately blown away by the response we received from our friends and family. We knew we had the power of prayer behind us from so many people during this journey, but hearing everyone's joy from our news really made it sink in. 

Talking about our struggle with secondary infertility was quite difficult, and often times I decided I just couldn't do it, but the times I had the courage to share, I was always met with acceptance from other women (near and far) who were thankful that someone was talking openly about the struggle to conceive, miscarrying, and the emotions that come with it all. 

And that is why I did it.

​I knew that there were likely so many women out there suffering from the same exact heartache that we were suffering from, and if my words could help even just one person, they would be worth writing. 

But I'm not done talking about it. We may finally have our rainbow baby on the way, but I want everyone who's still trying to conceive to know that it can happen--despite what any blood draw or test says. 

Chris and I tried several months of the fertility drug Clomid, and after about 6 months of that not working, we started seeing a fertility specialist. We first met with our specialist, P.A.R.I.N.T.S., in December of 2017. 

Month after month we did tons of blood work (I swear I might as well have lived at LabCorp--Nicole, the phlebotomist, and I were practically besties). Each month my numbers would be on the up-and-up (which was good), but every single month they would eventually crash (which wasn't good). 

This crash in my estradiol level would indicate that I had stopped developing that month, meaning my follicles weren't going to get to a place where they could eventually release an egg. 

So, we'd try again the next month.

This happened every single month from December through May. For those of you going through this same struggle, you know the heartache of hearing that news month after month.

You get your hopes up, pump your body full of drugs, do "the baby dance" every chance you can, get poked by needles weekly, only to find out that once again, all of that was for nothing. And that realization slowly begins to chip away at your hope.

For me personally, it started to chip away at my spirit. ​I noticed a change in my attitude (and not a good one), a drastic plunge in my confidence, and a deep sadness. I was sad because I didn't know if I'd ever conceive again--if I'd ever get the opportunity to carry another child, to give birth again, to feel the kicks and punches in my belly one more time. 

But when I'd start to think these thoughts, I'd quickly realize that there are women out there who are going through my same struggle, but who have never had the opportunity to carry a child through pregnancy. 

That was a sobering moment every single time. 

So, I wanted to write this to give hope to others going through what I've been going through--whether you're trying for baby number one or baby number two, three, four, etc. 

As I was saying, my lab work showed that my levels tanked month after month. 

So, we'd then wait for my period to eventually come so that we could start the process all over again. However, in May we were in the midst of waiting for my period to come (after finding out my levels had gone down again) when I just kept thinking, "But what if they went back up? What if they went back up and we just don't know it?" Come to find out, that simply just doesn't happen when it comes to your estradiol level.

But I just kept having that feeling...

So, I took an at-home pregnancy test on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend (ironic, no?) and it was positive. 

IT WAS POSITIVE. 

To say I was shocked to my core would be a gross understatement. I immediately started crying and ran so fast out of the bathroom with the stick in my hands that I'm pretty sure I hadn't even pulled my pants up yet. 

"How could this happen? My levels crashed again, so what on earth happened? Am I really pregnant? Is this a false positive?"

These were all the thoughts running through my head. 

Simply put, the science stated that I wasn't going to get pregnant, but guess what: God is big enough. God is big enough to overcome any blood test or circumstance that may be causing you to not conceive. God is big enough. 

This was my mantra for the last 6 months of our TTC journey: God is big enough. 

There were countless times when I would stand in my shower crying, and in that moment I'd remind myself that God is big enough. If this is meant to happen, God will make it happen despite what any test says. 

And He did. 

The moment I saw that positive pregnancy test, it sent chills through my body because I knew exactly how it happened: God. 

This is what I want you to walk away with...

Don't give up hope.
Don't give up faith.
And don't ever believe that God won't fulfill the desires of your heart. 

Allow Chris and I to be living proof of this. 

I still have so much more to share about our journey to get here--including a post about our incredible fertility specialist--but please know that I'm here to answer any questions you may have, to talk about what we tried, what worked and didn't work for us, or to simply just be a sounding board if you're having a particularly tough day and need to talk. 

Never give up hope. 

​XOXO, Courtney

When I saw that famed interior designer Emily Henderson wrote a blog a few weeks ago introducing Modern Victorian style, my jaw dropped. "That's my style! That's my style!," I kept shouting in my head.

(Look through Emily's article to get the full grasp of what Modern Victorian style is--she explains it WAY better than I ever could). 

Rewind to last year when we decided to purchase our current home, I immediately began designing the rooms on my computer. One of the first rooms I worked on was our hearth room. I began by pairing a victorian sofa with two modern, blue velvet arm chairs, and started building it out from there. ​

Some people online told me I was crazy for such a pairing, but I had a vision. (I even told them the style was called Modern Victorian, not knowing that it would be introduced the following year as an emerging style!). ​

Our house is a three-story Queen Anne Free Classic style home built in 1900 (it was recently added to the National Historic Registry, which pretty much means it's now protected for life). It has the original front door with initials in the glass from the original owners, a wrap-around porch with two original stained glass windows, and restored Doric columns. 

The interior has the original pocket doors, restored original Douglas Fir wood floors, marble fireplace with original woodwork, and the original gold wallpaper in the two-story foyer. It screams history. 

In other words, I had to do this house justice. ​

​So, how do you achieve the Modern Victorian style? Here's how I implemented it...

In this room, the walls are covered with this ornate, original gold wallpaper and is lit by the original light fixture. 

So, I added this blush pink 1926 arm chair and paired it with a simple navy blue chaise lounge. Who doesn't love a good chaise?

Also, if you haven't already noticed, velvet is an integral part of the Modern Victorian style. The beautiful thing about velvet is you can find plenty of antique velvet upholstered pieces at various antique stores, and you can also find thousands of modern options through sites like All Modern and CB2. 

Modern Victorian style is about being bold and risky. You cannot be afraid of color. Love two era's? Bring them together. Be adventurous. Have fun. Because the truth is: There are no rules when it comes to interior design.

Your home should be a direct reflection of your personality, the things you love, the places you've been, the stories you have, etc. 

If something is beautiful to you, display it proudly! If you love purple and want to make a room in your house consisting of nothing but purple, do it! Tone-on-tone is part of the Modern Victorian style anyway ;)

So, do you like this style? Let me know what you think in the comments!

​XOXO, Courtney

You have 48 hours to take a quick trip: where do you go? Our choice was easy--Nashville. I actually surprised Chris back in September with this trip as a gift for our 3 year wedding anniversary. Ironically, at the same time he surprised me with a trip to Chicago. 

Graham had already been to Chicago, and Chris and I had talked about going back to Nashville for years, so we decided to go with music city :)

Where to Stay in Nashville

Neither one of us had ever stayed at an Air BnB, so I decided to go for it. I knew we'd need a place to nap Graham in the afternoons, so I rented an adorable house in East Nashville from a really awesome couple (we're already planning our next trip back to this gorgeous 1940's home).

Graham clearly felt right at home ;)

​It was so nice having a bedroom to nap Graham in, meanwhile Chris and I could use the rest of the house to hang out in and continue our Suits binge watching without waking G. 

Nashville Murals

Nashville has tons of awesome murals throughout the city for great Insta-worthy shots ;) Here are the ones we love and recommend...

Live Music in Nashville

Chris is a fan of old school country, so he did a little research prior to our trip and decided to take us to Robert's Western World. If it sounds old, that's because it is. We were the youngest people in the crowd by about 40 years, but Graham loved EVERY MINUTE. 

(Side note: Apparently this is one of Brett Eldredge's favorite places to hang out and grab lunch when he's in town.)

Rachel Hester was the artist performing while we were there. She noticed Graham was locked in to what she was doing on stage.

​When she wrapped one of her songs, she said, "How old is he?" We told her he was 2, and she said, "He's going to be a musician. He has the same look in his eyes that I had when I first saw live music when I was 6. You've gotta get him a guitar."

Needless to say, we're not surprised. Graham asks to see guitars, play guitars, points at guitars in his books, and now asks me every day to play the video of Rachel from Nashville.

​EVERY. DAY.

Case in point...
​

Where to Eat in Nashville

Keep in mind, we were only in Nashville for just under 48 hours, so we had to make good use of our time. That being said, you know a place is good when we revisit it within a 48-hour time frame. 

Five Daughters Bakery is a must in Nashville. They make these 100-layer cronuts that are out of this world. Trust me. Once you eat one of these, you'll break up with regular donuts. 

Lucky for us, our favorite coffee spot in Nashville, Ugly Mugs, was about 100 ft. from Five Daughter's. So clearly we went to both of these places Saturday AND Sunday morning before we did anything else :)

When you go to Ugly Muggs, get "the hoodie." It's a vanilla latte with honey and cinnamon. Need I say more?

A couple of our favorites restaurants we hit were...

The Pharmacy in East Nashville: Amazing burgers, beautiful patio, and boozy shakes. We went here on our first trip to Nashville. From there on out, we decided this is a must-stop for every time we visit. 

Bartaco in 12 South: A fresh spin on Mexican, killer margaritas (which they use their house-made tequila for), and the nicest manager in all of the land. He bought us dessert--twice. If you go, you MUST order the pork belly taco and baja fish taco. I'm still dreaming of the pork belly.

And a few places we didn't have time for but would love to check out are Mas Tacos, City House, and Cafe Roze. 

I've always said if I had to raise a family in any other city other than St. Louis, it would be Nashville. Be sure to check these places out next time you're in town!

​We'll be back soon :)

P.S. Here is a little flashback from when I interviewed several country artists at the ACM Awards in Las Vegas...
​

Antique shopping is my love language. I just can't stop. It feeds my soul. (I lean dramatic).

​I realize it's not for everyone, but for me it's pretty much the most fun thing I've ever done (besides getting married and going to Greece and birthing a child and such). 

Alright birthing a child wasn't fun, actually, but nevertheless...

So, when we recently moved into a house with a little more space, that meant more reasons to dig through antique stores, naturally. After posting some pics of my finds on Instagram, I've decided to share my top 4 tips with you for finding the hidden gems buried in antique stores:
​

1. Hunt for the good stuff. Don't look at the obvious things on display. Dig through the racks. Look at the walls. Touch everything. Mirrors (like the one above) are usually hanging on the walls in antique store booths, which is exactly how people overlook them. Your brain is used to shopping the things on shelves and tables like you would in a regular store, so the mirrors hanging on the walls often go overlooked as store decor. 

See a rack full of what you think are old, ugly clothes? Don't skip it. Look at and touch every single piece. I've found that many of the people selling in these antique stores are elderly (or close to it) and don't think twice before selling an old designer piece they have for cheap, presumably because they have no use for it anymore. Digging through racks is exactly how I found this real fur jacket (pictured below) for $35. 

2. Hit antique stores in less-trafficked areas. There are so, so many amazing antique stores/malls in St. Louis and St. Charles. A few of my favorites are Warson Woods Antiques Gallery, Treasure Aisles Antique Mall, St. Charles Antique Mall, and The White Rabbit. With that being said, the best luck I've had was at antique stores that were less frequently visited/shopped.

For example, antique malls in the more pricier parts of town have decent inventory, but fairly high prices, while antique stores in more rural areas may only have 2 or 3 gems in the whole store, but are amazingly priced. For me, it's worth hunting through a bunch of so-so items to find that one priceless piece. 
​

3. Research labels/brands. After shopping antique stores for several years, I feel like I have a pretty good gauge of telling whether or not something is a quality piece, but I'd be lying if I told you Google wasn't my friend. So, do some quick research!

For example, I found this insanely beautiful lamp (pictured above). I knew I wanted it, but wasn't totally sure where it would go in our house. When I walked back by to look at it for the 11th time, I saw the label on it and decided to Google it. Turns out, 1978 Westwood Industries lamps are hard to find, and they usually go for a few thousand dollars. Deal done. I bought the lamp and it's now my husband's favorite find of all my antique shopping. 

Two weeks after purchasing the lamp, I was back at an antique store (yes, my husband is aware of my addiction) with some time to kill and noticed a rack of clothes that hadn't been there at the time of my last visit. As I was sorting through them, I found this beautiful, calve-length coat in perfect condition (pictured below). 

"Look", I told myself, "St. Louis winters are brutal. Every girl needs a long coat. It's just practical." Again, my husband is aware. 

I tried it on and I could tell it was a quality piece. Out of curiosity, I looked inside the neck to see who made the coat: Christian Dior. CHRISTIAN DIOR. I think I gasped audibly in the middle of the store. I then proceeded to march my happy self to the front of the store, clutching onto my new, prized designer coat with a tighter death-grip than a working mom on her glass of wine. 

Moral of the story: check the labels. Did I mention I got the Christian Dior coat for $36?

4. Be creative. You may find something--an awesome lamp, for example--but hate the shade. If you can tell it's a quality lamp and you love the base, then buy it and swap out the shade for something more modern. Find an awesome mirror, but the glass is in poor condition? Get it and swap out the glass. 

My husband and I found this beautiful, vintage bed frame at the Vintage Market Days in Chesterfield last year--perfect size for Graham to grow into--but it was missing the slats. We bought it anyway. Why? Look at the wood.

It's burl wood. Burl wood is very hard to come by and increases the value of a piece.  (Burl wood comes from those odd growths you see sometimes on the side of trees. It can only be caused by mother nature, and when the growth is removed from the tree, the tree does not survive. Therefore, acquiring burl wood is difficult and costly.) After purchasing the bed, Chris simply built slats for it himself. The cost of the bed frame? Only $125!

Personally, I love keeping vintage items exactly the way they were made, but if you're not opposed to modernizing them, then antique stores are the best places to find that missing statement piece for your home that you've been searching for. The best part? You're pretty much guaranteed not to find it in anyone else's home. Pretty special. 

I hope you found these tips helpful! If you have any questions, leave a comment below or comment/message me on Instagram (I'm always posting pics of our home and antique finds there). Happy shopping! 

​XOXO, Courtney

Floral wrap top // Maroon tassel earrings // Joe's jeans

I'm currently trying to figure out how to become a millionaire so that I can jet down to Florida whenever I want to take in this incredible sunset on the beach. This trip has been so relaxing. 
Before we left, we wanted to snap a few pictures on the beach during sunset, plus I wanted an excuse to wear this beautiful top :)

Bonus: Vici ALWAYS offers 20% off coupon codes (just check their Insta story), so you never have to pay full price. 

My maroon tassel earrings are from Shine Boutique in Clayton, MO, but I've linked similar ones above. If you haven't checked out Shine Boutique, it's one of my favorite boutiques for accessories.

A recap of our favorite spots to hit in Pensacola Beach will be up on the blog this week! Enjoy your weekend!

XOXO, Courtney
​

The day has come to where our floors are covered with an endless trail of toys, paper towel back-up stashes, and laundry basket upon laundry basket ("is this clean or dirty?"), which means one thing: we need more S P A C E. 

I love our house more than I can even explain. Chris and I built our life together in this house. One of our first dates was Chris cooking me dinner in this house. (I still remember parking out front, walking up the creaky steps and in the front door, and smelling rosemary trailing from the kitchen). 

We came home to this house the night we got engaged and couldn't stop smiling and saying, "We're engaged!" (Here is our proposal video for all you love birds).

We brought Graham home to this house after he was born and instantly the house was filled with even more love than when we left it. ​

Graham learned to walk (and sprint) in the upstairs room, which was once a dusty, unfinished attic...then our master bedroom...and finally converted to Graham's nursery "suite." Lucky kid. ​

I'm so sad to leave this beautiful home that has shaped the last 4.5 years of my life, but just as this house has served as the dwelling place for my family and other families dating back to 1920, I take joy in knowing that it will continue to be a home filled with memories for all the future families that will live here. ​