HOW DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS IN A NEW CITY AFTER A BIG MOVE?

When Steve first got drafted, we hauled ass from Florida to Seattle, and then a few more places after that…so if you have recently just made a huge move, I get it girl. Moving can be intimidating, especially as a wife. You want to be supportive to you husband and encouraging to him if his new job caused the move, but your whole life is changing too. Getting settled takes a little while, but no matter how quickly you get your house all set up, a new city doesn’t feel quite like home until you find some girlfriends.

Neighbors have always been my first go to. Especially in the south, your neighbors will often make the first move and can become a great source of friendship, no matter if they are young or old!  I have also found that meeting people through my kids school is a great way to meet moms that are close to my age. When your kids start having playdates, stay and chat with the other moms for a while! I’ve also been lucky enough in the football world to have other football wives who are also in my same position. Moving from city to city and not knowing anyone and we all usually have small children. So the football wives kind of bonded that way.

But even with all those things, I guess I am just very outgoing because I can make friends in Walmart parking lot. Ha! I have met a lot of my friends through neighborhood gatherings by just introducing myself. You have to put yourself out there little bit, so if that’s not your personality, it might be a little harder. But trust me, it is worth it! We all need some supportive girlfriends in our lives. So if you are in a new city, or living in your same hometown since childhood, don’t be afraid to go meet some new people! And if you’re not married or don’t live in the neighborhood and you are starting a new job, asking some of your coworkers out for happy hour might be a good place to start! Now a days with social media and all these great apps like BUMBLE, it certainly makes it a little easier now. So put yourself out there! Strike up conversations and initiate plans! You never know if your new best friend is in that yoga class or living just a few doors down.

WHAT IS SPICEOLOGY?

Steve is a grill master and a research junkie, so it never surprises me when he finds something new that we just fall in love with. I have talked about Spiceology a few times on my Instagram stories, but since I still get questions about it, I wanted to share a little more about them! Spiceology is the fastest growing spice company in the US and it doesn’t take long to see why. They not only have all the main spices you could ever need, but they have spice combinations you have never heard of and make your mouth water in curiosity as soon as you see them. I mean, espresso chili, honey habanero, raspberry chipotle….you are not gonna find that on your regular grocery shelf.

It can be hard to find ways to mix up your regular meals. Proteins and veggies are a staple, but can get boring fast. But Spiceology has so many different spices and spice blends that it is easy to add new, unique flavors to so many different meals. They are chef owned and operated company, they grind everything fresh, pack it to order, and ship directly. Plus the labels are simple black and white, so you know I love it. You can buy the spices in bulk containers (which we did) or in smaller sizes. So if you have been looking for ways to spice up your life, I would recommend starting here! *Not an ad, just something we found and love….just like everything else I share with you. Enjoy!

HOW WOULD YOU DO A PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT IF YOU WERE PREGNANT NOW?

Gosh! This pregnancy word has come up quite a bit recently. Sorry if you have baby fever for me, but I’m happy to say my family is complete! But of course, if God blessed us in that, you know I’d be taking you all along for the ride. Funny enough, I’ve had followers ask me to get pregnant just so we can do it together! HA!. Not kidding! Just like this week, someone said, “I hope your funeral would be open to us, cause I’d be there” HA! You guys are too funny. But this mama is 40 (almost 41 in two weeks) and has NO PLANS for that. But when I was pregnant, I loved shopping for maternity clothes. Although some of the clothes you already have will work even when you are pregnant, I love how trendy maternity clothes are these days. A Pea in the Pod, Nordstrom and even Seraphine have the cutest clothes for expecting mamas. Scroll down to see some of my top maternity clothing picks!

Nevertheless, the pregnancy announcement trend is in full swing, and a lot of you mommy-to-be’s want to share the news in a fun way. I am pretty obsessed with balloons these days and Vroom Vroom Balloons in Nashville would definitely be the place I would use to spread my good news.  There’re so many clever photo ideas on Pinterest that would be easy to replicate. And cute stores like Paper Source have so many party supply options when you are in need! I guess because I’m not in that mindset currently I haven’t really given it much thought. But here are a few cute ideas I came across.

And check out my baby gift guide if you or someone you love is expecting!

ADORABLE ANNOUNCMENTS

MY MATERNITY STYLE