8.28.2014

Life With My Guy



Today is our FOUR year anniversary!

I think back to that day when I walked down the aisle to marry the man of my dreams and on the past ten years I've spent with Billy and know that it's, hands down, the best decision that I've ever made. I thought I loved him then (and our friends will tell you-I was crazy about him...and I mean borderline cah-razy), but the past 6 months has opened my eyes to a whole new kind of love. 

Starting this new journey together as soon to be parents has brought us closer together than ever before. Not a day has gone by that he has failed to take care of me, support me, and make me feel loved. He works so hard for us every single day (and at night in the nursery for the past 3 weeks!),  gives me more massages than he probably cares to admit even when he is tired after a long day, and tells me nearly everyday how pretty I am before he leaves for work. Because of all this and much much more, I have NO doubt in my mind that he is going to be the best daddy to our son (and other future kiddos..yep..went there!) Camden is going to, without a doubt, have the best role model as a father.

I love that I know Billy better than anyone. I love that he shows a side of himself to me that he doesn't show to anyone else. I love that even when we argue, I never have to question his love for me. He always has my best interest in heart. I love how silly we are when it's just the two of us, and how every night when I fall asleep I know that I have my best friend by my side and that he loves me unconditionally.

I'm so lucky that he chooses to do life with little ole me, and I couldn't be more excited for our new chapter to begin together as parents. I just love him. A lot. A lot. A LOT. and I don't care who knows it. :)

Happy anniversary, Billy! Thank you for loving me.

*special thanks to pregnancy hormones for making me sob before 10am even hits... 

8.27.2014

Maternity Clothes & Essentials

Happy hump day!

Let's chat maternity clothes today. Oh, the joys! I never expected to have a problem shopping for maternity clothes, of all things, considering my track record with shopping during the last...oh...20 years of my life. Finding things that fit me in this stage and are affordable? Eh, not so easy!

That's why it's my duty to share the best shops (including my essentials that I think every pregnant gal needs to invest in) with you so you can go into it a little more prepared than myself.

Check these places first and save yourself a couple weeks of uncomfortable fitting pants and nothing to wear! (For those of you aren't pregnant, I do have a post in the works with my favorite fall items for you guys-I know posting a lot of pregnancy things isn't ideal for you, sorry! thank you for hanging in there with me!)

Maternity Clothes: Essentials
sweater (obsessed with this plaid dress for fall!) // nursing tank // the best maxi dresses // comfortable tank tops (buy in every color!) // tunic // jeans // nursing sweatshirt (comes in pink too!) // chic top // leggings (full panel for later on in your pregnancy, low panel for earlier on) // striped tee


Gap: Great maternity clothes that are cute and practical, but I've found the best selection is online. Our Gap's in store maternity section was tiny (in my opinion) and they are always out of sizes. Highly recommend buying online (and during a sale) with them. Specifically I love their sweaters, jeans, and plain tops.

Destination Maternity: Known to be one of the more expensive maternity stores, but they have good quality items and an amazing sale section. Everything I've bought from them have been on major sale...this tunic is only $15 and I know I'll wear it all the time with leggings. 

Old Navy: Looking for pants for work? This is your place for black pants (I've heard Gap has some as well) because they fit cute and are inexpensive. I love the pair I just bought and plan to buy a couple more. Old Navy also has great maxi dresses and chic tops that won't break the bank, but again, I prefer their online section because they don't have the majority of the cute items in store (I'm noticing this trend more and more and think this needs to change, yes?!)

Pink Blush: The cutest dress options out there whether it be for a wedding, fancy nights out, or just casual ones to wear on the weekend. SO very comfortable!

Target: Target never fails me and this includes their maternity section. As you know, I swore by their belly band for the first half of my pregnancy and now I love their tank tops (these are so soft and best fitting ones I've found so far), nursing tank tops (I've heard they're the best!), and their leggings (thick and comfortable).

ASOS: While the other stores I just listed have a lot of good everyday essentials, ASOS has a wider selection of maternity clothes that are more stylish. Free shipping and free returns!

Marshalls/TJ Maxx: They don't have maternity sections per say, but I've hit the jackpot by just buying up a size or two in their tops. They have a huge selection of stretchy, cute tops that can be worn to work and I found just sizing up works out great for these. I'd recommend buying your everyday white and black tee's from here as they are inexpensive and they have a lot of brands to choose from! Not to mention, they don't have the ugly maternity ruching on the sides (not a fan) so they fit better.

Here's a list of must haves I'd recommend starting with and you can build outfits around these. Chances are you can make some of your cardigans and jackets work by just wearing them open for a while and of course, maxi skirts and dresses are pretty forgiving so I wouldn't rush to the store and buy those until you really need them (2nd trimester and beyond)...

Essentials:
-Black pants and capris (for work)
-A good pair of jeans
-Shorts with elastic waistbands or ties
-Pair of leggings (full panel for farther along in your pregnancy/low panel for earlier on)
-Seamless tank tops
-Plain tee's (white, black, gray, maybe a colorful one)
-A tunic
-Nursing tank tops or long sleeve tee/sweatshirt (depending on the season)

What are your maternity essentials? Share your favorites with me!

**The winner of the Freshly Picked giveaway is MaKayla Meredith! (also displayed on the giveaway widget!) I will be emailing you soon, MaKayla! Thank you SO much to those who entered, I wish I could pick all of you to win! I have another pretty awesome giveaway in the works in a week or so, so there's always next time! :) 


8.26.2014

Planning Your Future: The Timeline Project

 {planner-Target (last year) // notepad}

When I think about what life will be like next year with a little one, I can't help but daydream a bit about all the new things I want to do, and traditions I want to start as a family of three (ahem-four including Rocky!).

The other day when Billy and I were driving, we were talking about how far we've come (personally and as a couple) since we met 10 years ago. It's crazy to think about - the ups and downs! Our journey has taken us to new cities after college (for Billy), to getting a puppy, to living together and buying our first home, to a wedding, and now soon...a baby!

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little intimidated or scared about how a baby will change the dynamic of things since it is such a big change, but to me, one thing that helps and keeps me on track is having a place where I can write down my goals/things I want to accomplish for the future. Maybe you have a journal at home with ideas... a note in your phone (you should see my notes section-it's pretty out of control)... something stored on your computer. Whatever it is, if you're anything like me it helps you feel more organized.


My newest favorite option, though, that you might not know about yet is The Timeline Project.

Wondering what I'm talking about? The Timeline Project is an online tool that's part journal, part mood board, and an info-rich resource. It’s all about making your dreams actually happen, by helping you focus on your goals. I love having something online that I can turn to for this, especially when you can make it as detailed as you'd like. It helps you take control and prioritize what's important to you! The project was actually developed by Bayer HealthCare, a leader in women’s health for over five decades, and proud supporters of women everywhere.

You can create your own Timeline to keep track of your goals and dreams here. It's not just limited to relationship goals either... if you're looking for a place to track weight loss goals, for example, you can do that here, as well. There are so many different life categories to pick from!

Now, to help with your future a bit, visit The Timeline Project and share with me a life planning step that you plan to work towards via the comments below.

PS: The winner of the Freshly Picked giveaway will be notified and announced tomorrow!

8.25.2014

A Day Trip To Cincy

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend?

This weekend we woke up early Saturday morning, got our coffee's, and drove to Cincinnati to go to IKEA! It was actually both me and Billy's first time there, and it was completely different than we both expected (not in a bad way, just different.) We got there right when it opened and were out of there within two hours, and that my friends is what I like to call a huge SUCCESS! 

We had both heard it could be overwhelming, especially when crowded, so our plan was to get what we needed and get out of the there. It wasn't crowded at all, actually, so we even had time to just browse everything else for a while too! Of course I had to pick up a few things not on our list as well. While we liked the store and got exactly what we went for, we weren't crazy about it and probably won't go back unless we find something we have to have. 

Afterwards, we met up with our friends from college Kelly and Tim (he played hockey with Billy in college and I met Kelly that way!) who live close by and they took us to an area in Cincy called Over The Rhine for lunch. 


We ate at Taste of Belgium and I was so excited because I have heard such good things about this place. Their food was delicious...and since I was missing my chicken and waffles from Poogan's Porch in Charleston, I had to give Taste of Belgium's a try!


...and somehow, I have no idea how, this s'mores pop tart also ended up in front of me. It was just as good as it looks, if you're wondering.

Once we got back to Columbus, Billy worked on assembling our new goodies we picked up (holy parts!) and I took our new BOB Revolution Pro stroller for a little test drive! This stroller is like a dream-it rides so smooth (full review and why we picked it coming soon!) and I'm pretty sure Rocky thinks it's for him...


Sunday consisted of errands and getting things done at the house...organizing, grocery shopping, gym, all the fun stuff. I did make this salad that I first saw on Julia's instagram and it was pretty much the most DELICIOUS salad I've ever had. You guys have to try it...can't go wrong with peaches, tomatoes, and avocado.


And last night we rented Divergent (loved it) and had a little froyo date.

Successful and productive weekend I'd say. I can't believe Labor Day is right around the corner!

How was your weekend? Are you a fan of IKEA?

top // bottoms-sold out in this color but other colors available here

8.22.2014

Things That Make Me Do A Vicki "Woo-Hoo!"


+I can't think of a better way to start another edition of my Friday favorites than with this picture of Steph and her beautiful baby girl who was born yesterday. Paisley is here, Paisley is here!! I can't believe it either.

It was funny because we were actually texting the night prior right when she started getting contractions and as it turns out, we were able to talk to each other here and there almost right up until she delivered...true.story! I was so shocked and give her major props because I have a feeling when my time comes I will be freaking out a little (OK, a lot) more and will be completely ignoring my phone! Her mom was so sweet and also kept me in the loop by texting me her progress and sending me pictures. It definitely makes up (a tiny tiny bit) for not physically being there! Not to mention, it completely put my mind more at ease about labor and delivery just listening to what she was experiencing and how it went for her (obviously all labors are different, I'm just generally speaking here.) 

Steph was such a trooper during the whole thing, from what I know, and is doing great. To say we are are so happy for her and Beau is a big understatement! She's going to be an amazing mama!

PS: Last night I received a huge flood of friend requests on my personal Facebook page. I'm talking over 30 in a couple hours. If any of you are reading who sent me one, please don't take it personally but I have decided the past few months to keep my Facebook page just for personal friends and family. I assure you that you aren't missing anything, and hope you don't take it personally! I also have my blog's Facebook page here.

+I also wanted to share about one of my favorite Facebook shops (you can find her on instagram as well, here) that has the most adorable personalized baby items because I've had so many people ask about this picture I posted on my instagram.

I'm in love...I'm in love.

All of them are from Simply Made with Love

Leah, the owner, has a bunch of designs you can pick from for bibs, burp cloths, and outfits. We are actually thinking about doing a giveaway next month with some items, if some of you would be interested.

+Right after hating on maternity clothes the other day, of course I found some really great essentials the other day from a bunch of different places. I plan to do a post in the near future with all the things that I've found and love!

+It's been a long week so I don't have much else to share, but I am pretty excited to get this weekend started (who isn't?) because we are hanging out with some of our friends tonight and then making a day trip to Cincinnati tomorrow to hit up IKEA and meet some friends afterwards! So excited! 

Happy weekend, all! 


8.20.2014

Week 20 Bumpdate


How Far Along? 20 Weeks...HALFWAY! (Well, from what I hear this technically might not be until next week but hey, close enough)

Size of Baby: A banana - he's about 11 ounces now

Weight Gain: Up 10-11 pounds, right on track (so says my doc!)


Maternity Clothes: Goodness, I NOW know what others mean when they say maternity shopping is seriously rough and the selection is slim. I can count on one hand the things that I've found that I actually like, and the fit of most is way off. I do have an order from ASOS coming in soon and am REALLY hoping some of it works because my current clothes just aren't working anymore! I did buy this dress recently (worn in the pic above) and this sweater from Gap and plan to wear them with leggings and jackets when it gets into fall. Speaking of fall, I think the options will be much easier when getting into cooler weather, mainly because of my love for leggings. :)



Anyone know of the best place for thick black leggings? I'm on the hunt!

Stretch marks: None yet (hoping it stays that way!)

Symptoms: Happy to report my headaches are a thing of the past! Therefore, I'm feeling pretty dang wonderful lately. I have been getting really achy feet the past few days (mainly just my heels-they've even got swollen a couple times) and I've noticed it's getting harder to bend down....dun dun dun. It begins! ;) 

Cravings: Aside from eating through the city of Charleston (literally), I've noticed I don't have much of an appetite anymore. During the week, I have to literally remind myself to eat and to make sure I'm getting enough calories throughout the day. This is definitely not the norm for me! Pineapple and waffles are still rounding out at the top of my favorites list, with veggies coming in last.

Gender: Baby Camden

Mood: Happy and excited a lot, but I do get those times where I doubt myself. Will I be a good Mom? How will I remember all that is needed to know? Will I live up to be a Mom that my Mom was for me? There's so much to know and think about, and that can be slightly overwhelming! 

Nursery: Board and batten: check (could not have turned out better-husband rocked it! you get a little sneak peek in the collage above), new paint: check (almost there-one more coat left), crib: being ordered this week, dresser: picking up this weekend....equals one happy Katie! There's not much that excites me more than making a big, fat dent in our to-do list. Especially when being pregnant...I mean...really though. Who's with me?!

Movement: There were a few days last week that Cam was more quiet than normal at night (usually I can feel him when I relax before bed), and it freaked me out but shortly after that changed and ever since his movements are much more noticeable and happening more often! It's like he already knows his mama is paranoid and wanted to help me out, haha. I mentioned this the other day, but this week also marks actually being able to SEE his kicks on the outside now! I will literally sit with my shirt pulled up and just wait to see his little movements. Keep 'em coming, Cam!

Sleep: Still sleeping great and am wondering why I never have to get up in the middle of the night to go when so many others do? I know I'm getting my water intake, so not sure, but hey I'm not complaining!

Workouts: Spin class + 2-3 runs per week (plus some lunges/squats/and arm exercises thrown in there!) is pretty much my routine now. I had two great runs this past week that put me in excellent moods!

What I Miss: When we were on vacation in Charleston I missed being able to have a glass of wine or two with dinner! I broke down and had one O'Douls when we were there after a hot afternoon and Billy made fun of me because I drank it so quickly-it literally tasted like the best {nonalcoholic} beer I've ever had in my LIFE! haha!

Belly Button in or out?
In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nada!

Best Moment This Week: Feeling his movements more often, for sure. I also have to say getting cute packages in the mail for him makes my day! And of course, I loved getting away for a mini vacation last week with just Billy (and Rocky). I really love traveling with him and cherish the time we get just us two!

Labor Signs: No

Looking Forward To: A trip to IKEA this weekend (I'm sure we will come out with more than planned..isn't that always how it goes with that place?), the talks of baby showers, and seeing the nursery come together more!

Well, that's all I've got for this special pregnancy edition, thanks for all your kind comments so far and for following along and happy hump day! Loving all of the entries on my Freshly Picked giveaway yesterday...seems like you guys like baby moccs just as much as me and that makes me smile. 

*Week 18 Bumpdate

8.19.2014

Baby Moccasins {Freshly Picked Giveaway-CLOSED}


Happy Tuesday friends! 

Baby moccasins are just about the cutest things ever, no? So tiny. So cute. Too hard to resist!

Long before I found out I was pregnant, I kept seeing mama's post pictures of their babies in these Freshly Picked moccasins all over social media, and I secretly couldn't wait for the day to get some for our baby! Fast forward some time and the first pair of shoes I picked out for Cam was a pair of these limited edition butterscotch ones! (also really wanting to get him this color...ok...most of the colors is more like it!)   

  

Freshly Picked moccasins are made from 100% genuine leather and they have an elastic feature at the opening which makes them easy to put on, take off, and (the BIG one) to actually stay on your child's foot! I don't know about you, but after hearing many things about most baby shoes not staying on and being a serious pain in the butt, these fit the bill when it comes to saving my time and having your child look all kinds of adorable.

I've also heard from other mama's that these moccasins last a very long time.

If you've been wanting a pair of moccs for your child (they can be worn by both infants and toddlers), or maybe you have a mom friend who you want to gift these to, today is your lucky day! Freshly Picked is offering you a chance to win a pair! Any color your heart desires...any size...your complete pick! I'm officially jealous of all of you. You better hurry and get to entering below...

Note: the winner can not have won any other Freshly Picked moccasins giveaway within the last 60 days.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

8.18.2014

Weekend Happenings // Favorite Things Right Now


1// Can I sing my husbands praises for a moment? He absolutely went above and beyond this weekend getting things done left and right. I can take absolutely zero credit. He finished the board and batten in the nursery (which turned out SO good-I keep going in there to look at it and can't wait to share!), started painting above it on the walls, cleaned out both our cars inside and out, worked in the yard, and set up our new patio furniture. Beyond thankful for his hard work! AND somehow we managed to fit in some fun pictured above, too...

2// Loving how the new set looks on our deck! Now I'm on the hunt for an affordable rug to go under it all...any ideas?

3// Went to the grand opening weekend for a new organic grocery store called Fresh Thyme to come to our area (think Whole Foods but cheaper.) We really liked it! I came home with a big bag of licorice, a juice drink, lentil chips, and a watermelon. If that doesn't scream pregnant I don't know what does...#random

4// Columbus also had their annual Food Truck Festival this past weekend. It's a two day event that features over 40 of the best Food Trucks in Ohio. We went Saturday afternoon for lunch since it was beautiful out and I got these amazing soba noodles and Billy got BBQ. No surprise there-the man loves his BBQ!

5// Friday I set out to do a big maternity shopping trip that ended up being everything but. I bought this sweater (will be perfect for the fall/winter with leggings), a pair of skinny jeans, and a pair of black pants for work but that's it. I had high hopes to find all kinds of essentials that I could wear for the next few months and as it turned out I couldn't find hardly anything in my size or things that I even liked. Why are maternity sections so small and why are good things so hard to come by?! Let's just say I can't wait until the weather cools down and I can wear leggings a lot...excited about that!

6// Kristin sent me the sweetest gift in the mail and included a monthly box from Baby Bump Bundle. It's the same concept as the other monthly subscription boxes, but for moms-to-be and even new mothers! I loved all of my items in the box and have already used them! My favorite being this Glowing Mama scrub.

7// Two words: grilled peaches. The best. Just cut them in half...brush with olive oil...sprinkle cinnamon on top...place on grill. Then of course top with vanilla ice cream. YUM!

8// Really lusting after this adorable sweater for fall (love this color too), but not sure if it'll work with this bump of mine. Obsessed.


9// I can see Camden kicking from the outside now! I've only seen it twice so far and the movements are still pretty quick and fast, but it's so exciting and cool. I've been noticing more and more movements this past week and can't wait for more little baby kicks and jabs to come.

10// Speaking of our little boy, his crib is being ordered this week and we are hoping to pick up the dresser this weekend! Yay for progress!

11// If you like baby moccs or have a pregnant friend/mommy friend who does...come back tomorrow for a big giveaway that I'm really excited to share with you all!! 

Lastly, thank you everyone who has been entering the past few giveaways I've been doing. I try my best to only post giveaways for things that I would truly buy myself. That being said, the winner of the Dr. Brown's giveaway is Jen! (winner also displayed on the Rafflecopter)

How was your weekend? See you tomorrow!

8.15.2014

Charleston Part 2: Eat

If you happened to miss Part 1 {Stay and Do}, you can read it here.

We've made it to the really good part of the trip! Or I could call this the part where I make you all really hungry for some good ole Southern comfort food...whichever. Sorry in advance.

Charleston isn't one of those places you should try to stay in and not go out to eat. You.must.go.out.to.eat. and OFTEN! Too many great restaurants to try and chicken and waffles to be enjoyed (my personal favorite, so says the girl that was a vegetarian for years before becoming pregnant...)

HERE WE GO!

EAT

Before leaving for any vacation, I almost always turn to you guys for tips on what to do and most importantly, where to eat. Trust me when I say I don't just ask to ask, we actually go to them! We have had some of our yummiest meals thanks to you guys-I trust your opinions! It's pretty awesome to have "friends" all around the world to steer us in the right direction. Anyway..my point with this is that it would've taken me literally two weeks to eat at all of the places that were recommend to us. We tried our best to get a good mix of different types of restaurants, and we most definitely ate our way through the city.

Brunch:

+Our favorite restaurant by far was....drumroll....Poogan's Porch. In hindsight, I could've ate there for brunch every single morning of our trip (they serve lunch as well). It was exactly what I wanted when looking for a good Southern meal. Order the chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes, and bisquits and gravy....HEAVENLY, I tell you! All three items were our favorites here, even when trying at the other restaurants.

Note: Earlier you get there the better! It gets crowded. And if the humidity level is tolerable, request to sit on the porch! We sat inside (ahem humidity) and thought it was just about one of the cutest and most charming restaurants we've ever ate in. So either way, you can't go wrong! 

 

+Another brunch favorite of ours was Toast. We got the corned beef hash (Billy), biscuits and gravy (to split), and the Jumbo Breakfast Sandwich (me). If you like Shrimp and Grits, I heard theirs are the best (I'm not a big fan otherwise I would've). They also have some pretty awesome mimosa options that I was dying to try, so if mimosa's are your kind of thing you will love the bar and options here!


Other favorites....
+Hominy Grill (get the Big Nasty)

For Fresh Juices or Smoothies:

There were two places right by our inn, so I was pretty happy that I could get one in the mornings. They made me feel a little better about eating not so healthy the rest of the time, ha.

+We loved Whisk! The juices and smoothies were both delicious and they have some bakery items as well. Plus, the decor inside was on point! They even let Rocky sit inside at a seating area they had...he "read" the paper with Billy, can't you tell? ;)


+Freshii (on Kings St, they also had great healthy lunch options as well)

Lunch:

Most of the time, we were too stuffed from brunch that lunch often got skipped. Sorry lunch.

+When visiting Folly Beach, we loved Lost Dog Cafe! A cute little place with great food and fast service. They also serve breakfast all day (I am a HUGE fan of this concept and think more restaurants should follow along...)

the best international eggs benedict
the southern BLT (with fried green tomatoes and pimento cheese on it!)

+In Mt. Pleasant, we had a great lunch on the marina at Red's Ice House. Casual atmosphere, outside bar, live music, pet friendly, and right on the water so you can see all the boats pull up. We got lucky and saw a ton of dolphins up close!


Other favorites....
+Nick's BBQ

Dinner:

+Now, this might be hard for some of you to read so please don't hate me. I have to be honest and say we weren't that impressed with the really popular recommendation, Husk. Maybe it was just our experience, but we had better meals on our trip elsewhere. The portions were really small, we both didn't love our entrees, and it was just so-so for what you are paying. The bar, though? AWESOME! We loved that part and would definitely recommend grabbing drinks there. It was also extremely gorgeous here...there's no denying that!

 

+82 Queen (Southern food)
+California Dreaming (A little bit of everything-good salads and seafood options...pretty views!)


+Magnolia's (get the fried chicken entree! read below under dessert section)

+Fleet Landing was a great place to eat on our last night. We watched the sunset on the water here and they had a big outdoor bar area while waiting for our table. They have a pretty big menu, too. Downside? It was really crowded (with a lot of tourists like us it seemed) so be prepared to go early and wait!

Dessert:

+Kaminsky's for their pies! SO good!
+Charleston's Candy Kitchen (shown on my post yesterday)
+Magnolia's...get their Southern Pecan Pie-DELICIOUS.

 

And just like that I'm really wishing I could have some chicken and waffles or bisquits and gravy delivered to me all the way from Charleston... 

What was your favorite meal you've had in Charleston? Have you been to any of these? I hope this list will be useful for any of you planning to travel here in the future!

Happy weekend!!

8.14.2014

Charleston Part 1: Stay and Do


When we were in Charleston we were told left and right that it's known as the Holy City (fact of the day for those of you who didn't know that-you can sleep better at night now...) I, however, would like to rename it to Holy Humidity City. I have never experienced humidity quite like it in my life...it was SOMETHING ELSE!

Have no fear, the humidity didn't really stop us from doing anything and you could catch a good breeze/shade in some areas, it just sort of destroyed any chance I had with having a good hair day. Those days were definitely non-existent, which is why you see many pictures of Billy and not a lot of pictures of myself. He's better looking anyways.

Let's get into the specifics...where we stayed...what we did...where we ate (more like where DIDN'T we eat). You know, all the good stuff that make up travel posts. Let's all just mentally take a trip to Charleston for the next 5 minutes or so during my post and pretend we're there..

STAY

In the heart of downtown, at Kings Courtyard Inn. You know what they say...location, location, location. Kings Courtyard is a historic bed and breakfast in the center of everything downtown. It's literally on Kings Street (all the shopping you'd ever want), next to all the great restaurants (Husk, 82 Queen, Poogan's Porch, Toast...to name a few) and City Market, and has beautiful rooms and amenities.

We absolutely loved staying here (Rocky included-it's pet friendly!) as we could literally walk anywhere in a short amount of time.

*Kings Courtyard also offers a complimentary breakfast and a wine/cheese tasting everyday from 5-6! Double bonus.

 so charming, isn't it?
 I wonder how many times I'll use that word in this recap...
our beautiful room
dress from here
#rockyapproved

We would go back to stay here in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to all of you!

THINGS TO DO

There's a large number of things to do in Charleston...the options are literally endless! We stayed for 4.5 days (3 full days with no traveling) and felt the 3 days was a good amount of time to see everything the city had to offer. Of course you could extend your stay and find plenty to do, but if you are looking for a long weekend type of trip like we were, this amount of time was perfect!

This list could get lengthy so I'm just going to list our favorites and most importantly, share all the gorgeous pictures!

+Take a carriage ride 
.....$20/person. A guide will give you the history of the city and it's a great way to get out of the heat for a bit or take a break from walking)


+Walk to see Rainbow Row and The Battery
....you know, where all those charming million dollar estates are that you can drool over. We loved getting up in the mornings and taking a long walk in this area. It's on the harbor and is so pretty! You can also tour some of the estates (for a fee) so look into that if you're interested.


+Explore Charleston's City Market 
....where vendors set up and sell different goods! There are shops and restaurants on both sides of the market to see as well. We spent a lot of time in this area because it was right around the corner from our inn, so it was just a short walk away.


+Relax and get some sun at Folly Beach or Isle of the Palms! (Also visit Sullivan's Island while you're at it!)

....we actually liked the Isle of the Palms beach much more than Folly Beach. IOP had a bigger area to walk around and some really gorgeous homes on the water and to drive by. Folly Beach we weren't that impressed with, but I mean it's a beach so it's better than most things. :) 

his "what is this wave going to do me" face...
 
{one of the only pics I took at Folly Beach}

+Take a ghost tour!
 ....$20/person, but if you check Groupon they have deals! I got ours for half price. We took one on our first night there and it was actually really cool! They have tours during the day but we didn't think they would be as good, so I'd definitely recommend the night ones.


+Eat many pounds of salt water taffy from Charleston's Candy Kitchen almost every night
(oh wait, that was just me but this place was candy heaven...so says the pregnant chick)


+Walk around downtown and explore! 
...you don't need a set plan, just start walking around and you'll find plenty to do from breweries, touring the Old Exchange and Dungeon (pictured below with Billy standing in front of it), looking at all the charming (second time now) homes, go sit by the water, and of course go stand on George Washington's carriage stoop in front of the house where he once lived!

Note: East Bay St was one of our favorite streets to walk on and explore.

the neapolitan houses (cute, right?)


+Visit Boone Plantation! 
....about a 15-20 min drive from downtown Charleston, highly recommend doing this if you like history and you know, want to see where some of The Notebook was filmed ;) the grounds are stunning and you could easily spend half a day here (I recommend going when they open in the morning for less of a crowd!)


+Shop on King St!
...from high end stores to boutiques they've got you pretty much covered.


+Go to the rooftop of the Market Pavillion Hotel for drinks and great views of the city!
...They have an awesome bar up here and since I'm on the topic, this trip was really the first time this entire pregnancy that I've missed being able to have a drink. I was really wanting to have a nice glass of wine or a cold beer on some of the days and just seeing Billy being able to was a little torturous (just being honest...)


If you want to get out of downtown, Mt. Pleasant is a great area to spend a day (or half a day) at. Lots of restaurants in a marina area and you can kayak, paddle board, etc!

I'm sure I'm missing many things to do, but these are just what we did and really enjoyed.

I bet you're wondering WHERE in the world are all the food pictures and restaurant info?! Charleston's food scene deserves a post on it's own, so come back tomorrow for that goodness. Literally. You'll want to. :)