Goodbye for Now

It is with a heavy heart that I am making a decision to step away from blogging for the time being. It has been a great experience over the last few years, but one that I just cannot sustain to the level that I would like to as I approach this new phase of motherhood. You can still look for me on Instagram and Twitter as I share things about lifestyle and pop culture, but for now, I am taking time to prepare for my little one who will be here shortly.

Blogging is a labor of love and one that I have enjoyed immensely, but I just don't think I have enough time for both my virtual baby and my soon to be actual baby, and sorry folks but she wins every time.

The Year of the Engagement

This post has been sponsored by Anjolee. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Headbands & Bagels possible.

Doesn't it always seem like all your friends get engaged in waves? 2014 was the first Year of Weddings for Dan and I, where we were flying all over the country for what seemed like at least once a month for a wedding of friends or family. Now with 2015 shaping up to be the Year of the Engagement Part Deux, we are looking at 2016 being the Year of the Wedding, Part Deux.

Since Christmas of 2014, we have had six friends get engaged and its only April. Two have even gotten engaged within one week of each other. With all this joyous news in our group of friends, every girl's first two questions after giving hugs out, are "How did it happen?" and "Can I see the ring?"

What I love about my group of friends is that every couple is so unique and true to themselves that no two rings have been alike yet. I love the individuality of each couple and I feel that each engagement ring has been a reflection of that.

From our own engagement story, I know that shopping for what your spouse deems will the perfect ring can be daunting and overwhelming. Especially since this is the first major jewelry purchase of most men's lives. And while those of us that are fortunate enough to live in major cities that have diamond or jewelry districts, have the opportunity to price out a number of styles, many people across the US and world unfortunately have limited to access to ring shopping venues outside of the traditional retail jeweler like a Kay.

While traditional retail jewelers have lovely pieces to choose from, sometimes you want to be able to customize your rings a bit more, and that is where online jewelers like Anjolee or Blue Nile can come into play.

What I love about service like Anjolee's is that you can truly customize everything about your ring style from the gold style, to adding in non-traditional stones and more. It is a way for everyone to have their own "guy" to come up with something perfect from engagement rings, to wedding bands to anniversary gifts and more.

Have any of you tried an online jewelry service? What is your experience like?

Color Therapy: Rose Gold

Color Therapy by preppy-lizzy featuring summer shoes

Adrianna Papell maxi dress / Miss Selfridge summer shoes / Neiman Marcus white tote / Rose jewelry / Ippolita bangle / Kate Spade tech accessory

Apologies for the crazy hiatus last week. I have been running around catching up after coming home from NY and celebrating my birthday. On my actual birthday I was so exhausted that we ended up just grabbing dinner at In-n-Out and snuggling on the couch watching The Amazing Race after Dan took me to Nordstrom to pick out a birthday present. We picked out the dusty rose Cedar Street Maise handbag from Kate Spade that I have been eyeing for months now.

Since Tuesday was a low key night we used Friday night as another celebration and we headed to downtown LA for Captured LA. You get locked into a room with up to 7 other people and have to solve the clues to get out before your hour is up. Dan and I were with a group of five teenagers and we weren't sure how it was going to go, but we ended up smoking it! We missed the record by one minute and were out with 23 minutes to spare. We were pretty stoked since the success rate has only been 8% so far.

After our puzzles we went out on the Art Walk downtown for dinner and then headed home. Saturday night we celebrated my birthday with Dan's family at dinner and then today we celebrated with our friends at a beach day. It was a pretty great weekend of events, hence my MIAness. 

I'm hoping to get back on a regular schedule this week and be on top of my posting game since I know I will have to be prepared in advance in the coming months when baby girl arrives!

Wednesday Wishes

Wednesday Wishes by preppy-lizzy featuring a shopping bag

Floral Silk Maternity Cocktail Dress / Short Sleeve Embellished Maternity Dress / Aqua Nursing Maternity Hosptial Gown Delivery Kaftan Perfect as... / Kate Spade gold shoes / Ted Baker shopping bag / Kate Spade tech accessory / Circo South of France 4pk Flannel Receiving Blankets / Johnson's baby bedtime Keepsake Gift Set / Storage / Jessica Simpson Spaghetti Strap Empire Waist Maternity Maxi Dress |...

This week's Wednesday Wishes is a mix of things for me and for baby. I am on the hunt for the perfect set for the hospital (robe and nursing pjs) cause I know I am going to want to be out of those hospital gowns as soon as humanly possible. 

My 20's Victory Lap

Happy Birthday to Me! by preppy-lizzy featuring Williams-Sonoma

Today is my birthday and the start of my final lap of my 20s. I wish I could take the day off from work but since I just got back from a week in NY, I'm back in the office spending time with friends, going to lunch with my friend Rori and hopefully doing something special with the hubby tonight. I got to celebrate my birthday with my family this past weekend and am looking forward to celebrating with my friends and Dan's family this coming weekend!

Beauty by You

This post was sponsored by Brandbacker and Apothecary Extracts. I was provided a sample for review only. All opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for sponsoring the brands that make Headbands & Bagels possible.

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When I was growing up tea tree oil shampoo was what we always reached for whenever there was a lice scare at school, we had an itchy scalp or we were getting dandruff from having our hair pulled back too tight from gymnastics. So when I had the opportunity to try out Apothecary Extract's Tea Tree Oil from Australia, I was really excited. I love that you get a huge bottle of the oil that you can then transform into lotions, shampoos, cleaning products and more. I will most likely use my entire bottle on shampoos and beauty applications, but I think it's great that there are so many uses for one oil.

The smell brings back memories of childhood for me and gives me a great, clean scalp feeling. It is definitely what I reach for when I want a really good shampoo. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can order the oil from Amazon here. Good news is that the order comes with a free ebook that gives you tons of recipes to make everything from shampoo to cleaning solutions.

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On The Hunt

Happy Easter by preppy-lizzy featuring spring home decor

Happy Easter everyone. I am enjoying some wonderful time with my family in New York this weekend and will shortly be taking part in our annual Easter Egg Hunt. With baby girl on the way I am sure I will be a tamer competitor than I have historically been. I hopefully have a few more years of hunts in me before I get sidelined when baby girl is finally able to compete. 

Dan's basket was on the roof last year.

Currently Craving

Currently Craving by preppy-lizzy featuring tech accessories

Kate Spade tech accessory / Tech accessory

Countdown to my birthday is on and I am the lucky recipient of a new iPhone 6. My mom and dad treated me to new phone as my birthday present this year so that I would have tons of room for pictures and videos of the new baby. That 128GB will come in handy I am sure when I want to capture each and every moment. 

Currently

Currently... by preppy-lizzy featuring ballerina flats

Tieks ballerina flat / Ergobaby Original Collection Baby Carrier in Sea Skipper / Yes Please / Amazon.com: The Following: Season 3: Kevin Bacon, Shawn Ashmore, Sam...

Reading: Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. I love Amy Poehler. I was so sad to see the end of Parks and Rec and I thought that diving into her book would help ease the pain. It has been really enjoyable thus far and a great read when traveling because it's easy to pick up and put down whenever you have time.

Eating: Chocolate cake. I have been noshing on leftover chocolate cake from my shower. Absolute perfection.

Listening: Disney tunes. I have been getting in mommy mode by singing along to disney tunes in the car. 

Watching: The Following on Hulu. I loved the first two seasons and was really curious where they would be able to go after the end of Season 2. I don't want to give anything away but I am anxiously wondering what will happen to Ryan Hardy and his team next.

Craving: These ballet pink Tieks. I hear these are the most comfortable flats and I keep wondering if I should take the plunge on a pair. Anyone have any personal experiences with them?

Dreaming: Of baby carrying. I cannot wait to wear my girl around town and explore with her!

What's On My Kindle? - March Edition

What's on my Kindle? - March 2015

What's On My Kindle? by preppy-lizzy on Polyvore

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Wow. Just wow. I purchased this book after my little sister said she wanted to read it and I am so glad I did. I raced through this book and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish the last few chapters because I had to know what happened. The Girl on the Train is told from the perspective of three female characters: Rachel, whose life is in shambles and who rides the commuter train day after day past the town she once lived in; Meghan, who currently lives in Rachel's old town, in a house down the street from Rachel's old house; and Anna, who currently resides in Rachel's old residence. The story centers around a murder and discovering who did it becomes so twisty that you are guessing up until the end.
5 big snaps for me!

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I've always been a huge fan of the movie and it has been on my reading bucket list to read the book. It was well worth it. I was so engrossed from the very start and found myself unable to put it down. It is a long epic novel of the South during the fall of the confederacy and the aftermath of the Civil War and Margaret Mitchell does a beautiful job of bringing southern culture to life. As it is often said, history is written by the victors, but Gone with the Wind is an exception to that rule as it shows their are two sides to every story.
5 snaps for me.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
I have had this book on my Kindle since it came out with all the best intentions to get to reading it as soon as possible. I finally got myself caught up and have to say I devoured this book. Heartbreaking, poignant and wonderfully written, this book kept me on my toes until the very end. The question of if it is always better to know the truth is tackled throughout this novel as well as the haunting questions we all ask ourselves, what could have been?
5 snaps for me!

Textastrophe by Matt Andrews (c/o St. Martin's Griffin)
I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks. Litterally all you need to know. Textastrophe is a collection of pranks via text that will make you laugh out loud. A perfect coffee table book or bathroom book, I found myself unable to put it down. Great gift in my opinion!
5 snaps for me!

Gotcha!

April Fools! by preppy-lizzy featuring table linens

Happy April Fool's Day everyone! Find a really good joke or gif and pass it along. Make those you love laugh today. It's good for them!!

Bumpdate: Week 28 Q&A

Bumpdate: Week 28

Baby's Size: An Eggplant

Gender: A girl. Her initials are KC!

How I'm Feeling: Pretty good overall, although the exhaustion of first trimester seems to be returning with full force now that I am into my third trimester. My mom also was sweet enough to buy me a belly bandit this week to help with the cramping I was experiencing when I walked too fast. My belly is really going through another growth spurt this week and I am looking forward to some relief!

Showing?: Oh yeah! With this most recent growth spurt I am really starting to feel bigger each day. My belly definitely leads the way these days.

Big Developments: My baby girl is a mover and a shaker. She moves non stop and I can really enjoy just watching what looks like waves go across my belly when she flips. It really looks like I have an alien in there.

Loving: Cake. My godmother made the most amazing chocolate cake for my shower and I have been eating a slice every night since. Oh so yummy.

Hating: Heartburn. Ugh heartburn has really become my worst nightmare. I am struggling with it daily.

Dreaming Of: Spending the summer with my little lady. I am realizing that I am really getting close to maternity leave and I am getting so excited. Can't wait to welcome my little nugget!

Favorite Wardrobe Pieces: I am totally obsessed with the dress I snagged for shower this past weekend. I got it at A Pea in the Pod after I couldn't get excited about anything I had to wear. I had wanted to try it on in the past but kept thinking it wouldn't fit. Well I was wrong! It had just the right amount of stretch, felt like a soft tshirt and could potentially be a great fit post baby as well!

Baby Finds: I had my first of two baby showers on Sunday and we were spoiled rotten! I got so many wonderful gifts for baby girl that I cannot wait to try out. I also packed up some clothes and books from my childhood to bring home for my little girl. My mom saved my vintage nike high tops. Can't wait for baby girl to rock them herself!

Instagram Round Up

March took me from Central California for a SWE conference, to the beach, to St. Patrick's Day fun, to girl's night when our guys were away, to softball games to NYC for my first baby shower. April looks to be just as crazy, but bring it on!

10 Under $100

10 Under $100 by preppy-lizzy featuring a j crew bracelet

J Crew graphic t shirt / J.Crew shorts / Pleated skirt / Pelle Moda high heel shoes / Topshop leather flat / J Crew j crew bracelet / Kenneth Jay Lane baroque jewelry / Madewell bangle bracelet / Floral empire-waist dresss | Gap / Sleeveless Back Interest Maternity Dress | Destination Maternity

This month's 10 Under $100 is a mix of things I can wear now and things I am hoping to be wearing post pregnancy!

Wednesday Wishes: Birthday Wish List

Wednesday Wishes by preppy-lizzy featuring pink ballet flats

J Crew breton top / J Crew calf length skirt / Kate Spade leather wedge shoes / Converse trainers / Tieks pink ballet flat / Kate Spade pink cross body purse / Coordinates Collection cuff bangle / Nordstrom Spring Confetti Gift Card / Kate Spade Love Cupcake Skirt

My birthday is coming up and I am starting to think about what I would be putting on my wish list. I usually have tons of outfits I am craving but being pregnant my mind is on shoes, purses and technology. Oh and maybe a cute bangle or two.

Tuesday #Shoesday: Pop of Color

Tuesday #Shoesday by preppy-lizzy featuring heels & pumps

Nine West pointy toe flat / Converse canvas shoes / Sergio Rossi heels & pumps / Office red stilettos shoes

Sometimes all you need to punch up an outfit is a great pop of color. I love wearing bright shoes. Some of my favorites are my hot pink pointy toe flats from Kate Spade last year and my bright red flats Kiki flats from J.Crew.

Girls Night

This post was sponsored by Brandbacker and Pure & Essential Minerals. Samples given in return for honest feedback and review. All opinions are my own. Thank you for sponsoring the brands that make Headbands & Bagels possible.

As I said yesterday, we had a little girls night get together this past Saturday night complete with Girl talk and face masks. Luckily I had just received this amazing clay mask from Pure & Essential Minerals in time for us all to try out.

I have to say I will be a regular user of this mask. It is light and easy to apply, smells like peppermint, has just the right amount of tingle and really helped to reduce redness in my face. A bunch of us were talking about how much we liked the mask Sunday morning at brunch and how it was such an improvement to the mud masks we used to use growing up.

Since I have been pregnant, I've noticed my more breakouts in my chin area and increased redness but after using this mask, the redness was almost gone! It really calmed down my skin and since it only takes 10 minutes from application to removal it's something so easy to institute into your routine.

If you want to try it out for yourself, you can grab your own jar at Amazon!

Style Inspo: SJP

Style Inspo by preppy-lizzy featuring a pink purse

Roksanda color block dress / Sportmax yellow skirt / Frame Denim boyfriend jeans / SJP strap sandals / SJP pumps / Rebecca Minkoff pink purse / Oliver Peoples vintage round sunglasses

Can we talk about how SJP is not only a style inspiration herself, but her most famous character, Carrie Bradshaw, is one in her own right as well? I also have to admit that Sarah Jessica's twin girls are quickly becoming style inspo's for my own baby girl. They are adorable.

Top 10 Playlist

Top 10 March Playlist by preppy-lizzy featuring earbud headphones

This month's playlist is all about 90's throwback hits. This past weekend I had an amazing girls weekend with some of my best friends since a few of our significant others were away in Vegas for the weekend. We celebrated with a Sushi night out on Saturday followed by a middle school slumber party themed get together at my place complete with face masks and girl talk. Then on Sunday we headed to brunch at Rockefeller. While hanging out on Saturday night we started playing some Spice Girls and on Sunday I got to rocking out to some 90s hits.

Brunch on Sunday with the Girls

Red Eye Survival Guide

Red Eye Survival Guide by preppy-lizzy featuring Lifefactory

Lifefactory kitchen dining/ Polka dot socks/ Handbag / American Eagle Outfitters plaid scarve / Urbanears tech accessory / Face moisturizer / Eos lip care / Branche Noir De Nuit Silk Eye Mask

The Red Eye is one of our go-to flights when traveling back East to see my family. Living on the West Coast means that a midday flight takes all day, rather than a red eye meaning that you will just wake up in the morning at your destination. I realize that our flying patterns may change with a new baby (everyone hates babies on the red eye), I am sure there will be times when the red eye is still our best option for our schedules and lives. But how to make the most of the red eye and not feel like you are dragging the next day? Here are a few tips I have picked up over the years.

Moisturize. Your skin gets dry on flights, moisturizing before, during and after the flight will keep your skin feeling refreshed. Pay attention to your face, hands and lips in particular.

Bring hydration on the flight. Yes you can get water on the flight, but since you will most likely be dozing off here and there, its so much easier to have your own water to sip at whenever you stir.

Eat before hand. Eat before your flight and pack a snack for when you wake up in the morning. You don't know how long it will be before you can eat breakfast.

Bring headphones, earplugs, an eye mask and a book. You don't want to overstimulate yourself when you are trying to grab some shut eye, but you do want to have stuff that will make sleeping easier. If you like listening to music to drown out the airplane noises, put on a classical playlist. If you prefer silence, grab some earplugs (because its not the baby's fault it's crying). If you need it to be darker, pack an eye mask. And always, always have a book. If you are having a hard time sleeping watching tv or playing on your ipad will just continue to stimulate. Read a book or count some sheep.

Comfy socks and a blanket scarf should be your best friend. I get it. It's a long flight and you want to take off your shoes, but if you are gonna do that, bring slippers or thick socks so that people don't need to smell your feet. Also always wear a blanket scarf no matter the season. It doubles as the perfect blanket for the flight since airlines will almost never have blankets.

What are your tips for a red eye?

Spring Weddings: What to Wear

Spring Weddings: What to Wear by preppy-lizzy featuring green patent leather pumps

Tadashi Shoji sleeveless flare dress / Tadashi Shoji evening dress / Finders Keepers dark blue dress / Issa black tie dress / Tory Burch wedges shoes / Buffalo green patent leather pumps / Carvela gold flat sandals / J/Slides gold ankle strap shoes / Rebecca minkoff handbag / H M beige purse / Diane Von Furstenberg brown leather handbag / MICHAEL Michael Kors chain handle handbag / J Crew 14k bracelet / Bracelet jewelry / J Crew cultured pearl necklace / Handcrafted earrings

The season for Spring weddings is upon us and with that some creative dress codes, like Garden Party. Embrace color during springtime weddings. Pick colors you see in your favorite flowers or sunsets.

What Shoe Goes with This?

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I few months ago WhoWhatWear had a great post on when to wear flats and when to wear heels. I think its a great little graphic that makes it super easy to grab your shoes in the morning. Since I've been pregnant I've reverted to flats almost exclusively, but there are days that I grab those heels. Here are a few of my favorite flats and heels for this spring!

Flats or Heels? by preppy-lizzy featuring white sneakers

Kate Spade sparkly flat / Pointy shoes / J Crew d orsay flat / Lucky Brand platform wedge sandals / Brown open toe shoes / Office high heels stiletto, $73 / River Island high heels stiletto, $73 / J.Crew mule heel shoes / Butter Shoes leather ballet flat / Converse white sneaker, $92 / K. Jacques pink leather sandals, $265 / Topshop shoes, $23 / Valentino flat / J/Slides gold ankle wrap sandals

Pinterest Hairstyle - Criss Cross Half Updo

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I love half-updos. I know people think they are so middle school, but I think they look elegant and are perfect for work. Being able to keep my hair out of my eyes without always needing a ponytail is a must for the office. This one is soooo easy and so beautiful when done. I feel a little like Princess Kate.