Happy Friday, y'all! We made it! It was our first week back to school after spring break, and besides the kiddos being a little extra tired and crabby, the transition back wasn't too bad. In some ways it's always nice to get back to routine and add some structure to each day.

The kids and I have been taking our mornings very slowly this week, since mama's not moving too quickly at 34 weeks pregnant (though I feel and look further along than that). I'm soaking up my time with just the two of them, so we have been doing lots of snuggling, reading, puzzles, and going for walks together. I'm hoping to take Pippa out on a mother-daughter date before baby comes so I can shower her with attention and give her a really fun memory. I would take Teddy out by himself, but that would probably involve me going into labor from chasing him around while he runs away laughing. He's still only 20 months, and really has no idea what's going on anyway! Maybe he'll get his special day after baby comes...

So that's our week in a nutshell. Let's get to the good stuff, shall we?

Friday Favorites

1. Gazelle

As part of our decluttering spree, we found some old electronics stashed in my desk drawer. Up until that point, I had held onto them simply because I didn't know what else to do with them. When I texted my sisters about it, one of them suggested the company Gazelle. It's super simple to sell your old phones (or other devices). You simply fill out some information about the device you want to sell, and they give you an amount they will pay you for it. Within days we received a box in the mail where we could put our iPhones, and then we simply dropped them in the mail. It was a weight off my mind to finally make a decision about something I was no longer using, and a way to make some easy money!

2. Sally Hansen Quick Dry Topcoat

I never used to paint my nails, but lately I've been craving ways to feel more put together. It's probably because I'm feeling huge and tired in the last few weeks of my pregnancy, wearing the same boring clothes over and over. Anyway, painting my nails on a Saturday night has become sort of a routine for me. I never have the patience for the polish to dry before touching things, and end up ruining my already average manicure. I picked up this topcoat at Target for about $4, and it was the best decision of my life. It seriously dries your nails in seconds, no matter what nail polish you're using. Highly recommend it for busy mamas!

3. Wireless Headphones and Podcasts

So with this cleaning and decluttering binge has come the daily maintenance of doing chores. I've been borrowing my husband's wireless headphones and putting on a podcast while cleaning the kitchen at night, and it has been straight up delightful. Don't tell, but I think I found myself finding more to clean and taking longer than necessary to complete the task just so I could listen for a few more minutes. Bonus: he was giving the kids a bath while I was doing the kitchen, so it felt even more luxurious to be in my own head while the kids were still awake. (Although I did request to be removed from bath duty until after this baby is born, since I can no longer bend over the tub with my giant belly.)

Similar bluetooth headphones here and here.

4. Nook and Overdrive App

My husband got me a Nook as a Christmas present before we had kids, and it was one of my all time favorite gifts. For some reason, I sometimes forget that I have it, and don't make use of it as much as I could. However, I realized we have a baby coming soon, which means some downtime on the couch nursing the baby, which makes the perfect time to get caught up on some reading! While it's near impossible to read a physical book while nursing a baby, eBooks are perfect, since you don't need both hands! I decided to dive back into my Nook and check out what the library had to offer on the Overdrive app. If you're not already using the Overdrive app, get on it! It's not just for Nooks! You can use it on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle, or whatever device you happen to have. You just enter your library card information and you can borrow electronic books and audio books from your library.

5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

So you know how everyone has their go-to meal or dish they bring for potlucks, parties, and families that need meal trains when someone is sick or they've had a baby? Mine is chocolate chip cookie bars. Sorry I can't come up with an easy nutritious meal to bring your family in your time of need, but here is some delicious dessert! Anyway, I also make these every once and awhile for a special treat on the weekends, and they just so happened to be calling my name this week. During this stage of my pregnancy I oscillate multiple times per day between, "#fitpregnancy! Reaching that 10,000 step goal and drinking all the water! Nutrition!" and "What's the nearest chocolate thing I can eat?" So...the chocolate thing won out. Anyway, I use this recipe from Sweet Tooth Sweet Life, and it turns out perfectly every. single. time. Sometimes I make healthy substitutions like using half wheat flour or coconut oil instead of butter, but this time I just went all out. No health. Just deliciousness.

That's it for this Friday! What's got you smiling this week? Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Carolina Charm and Hello Happiness for Five on Friday, and Andrea from Momfessionals for Friday Favorites!

friday favorites #11