1. This week has been a challenging one – both mentally and physically. On Wednesday, we laid my grandma to rest, and while it was a beautiful ceremony, it was certainly not easy. I’ve been feeling a bit drained ever since, due in part to the emotions of the week, but I’m also just feeling physically pooped.
Baby Tooth has also not been making things any easier, leaving me rather uncomfortable most days (punches and kicks to the ribs, bladder, and cervix…thanks, buddy). Whenever it starts to get really rough, I just remind myself that’s he’s active and healthy…and there’s only about 6 weeks left to go(!).
2.Did you guys know today is National Donut Day? Did you also know you can get a free donut from Dunkin Donuts with the purchase of a beverage?
Oh, you KNOW I celebrated Coffee Friday today with my free donut…blueberry cake, to be exact. Sooo delicious.
3. Can someone please tell me what the secret is to buying curtains without feeling totally overwhelmed? I am terrible when it comes to that stuff. Terrible. All I want is to find some window treatments (that aren’t going to cost me $200?!?) for the nursery. I need help.
4. Last night was the first night I made dinner all week. On the menu was our favorite Tilapia Tacos, but we also had a last minute side dish to add to the meal…baked onion rings.
I wound up seeing this recipe yesterday, and after sharing it with Jay, he became convinced that we needed them last night. We had all of the ingredients on hand, so I told him if he wanted them, he had to make them. Well, he made them…and they were yummy.
5. Thanks to everyone for entering the FitnessGlo giveaway! The winner of the 90-day membership is entry #80: Taylor Hughes!
Congrats, Taylor! Email me at sweettoothcourtney[@]gmail[.]com so we can get you hooked up with your new membership.
6. Tomorrow is our second baby shower and I am sooo excited! The only downfall is that it’s technically a “backyard bbq,” and the weather has been looking iffy. My mom and I have have been watching the forecast all week like hawks…it’s been killing us because one station will say it’s going to rain all day, then another will say it’s going to clear up in the morning.
Gahhh, c’mon Mother Nature…give us clear skies for Saturdayyyy!
7. Tonight is gonna be a rowdy one, my friends! In case you need to find us, we’ll be cleaning out underneath the bathroom sink after our sink piping had to be replaced earlier in the week, putting away baby items, washing baby clothes, me most likely curling up under a blanket, eating homemade mac and cheese for dinner, and probably going to bed before 10pm.
And I am soooooo looking forward to it! :)
Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you have a great weekend!
Christine says
Curtains are SO expensive. I always make my own. I bought a cheapo Brother sewing machine for this purpose, but it’s super easy to use iron on hem tape to hem up the ends. If you can fold and iron, you can make curtains. Then you just have to buy ring clips and hang them up!
Courtney says
Oh boy…I would be scared to see how they turned out!
Lisa says
I’m sorry about the challenging week. I know how hard it’s to be both mentally and physically drained and I’m just sending some positive vibes, thoughts, and prayers your way.
Can’t believe it’s national donut day. I swear there’s so many random holidays I just have no idea about. I think I’ll treat myself with Starbucks to celebrate…even though there’s no donuts there, but coffee seems to go hand in hand with donuts so that’s my excuse today.
Oh that Dinner looks great!
Love the colors in the taco.
Hopefully the weather clears up for the baby shower!
Happy Friday!
Courtney says
Thanks Lisa! :)
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
Losing a loved one is never easy (I recently lost my dog) but time does help heal things. You have a great attitude towards your pregnancy too, just hang in there! Your Friday night sounds productive and I’m all for an early bed time! Have a great weekend! :)
Courtney says
I’m sorry to hear about your dog :(
kristin says
have you tried like Ross, Burlington, TJ Max, Marshalls clearance section in bed, bath and beyond (dont forget about there coupons).
I got my daughters curtains from Ross for 5 dollars and then got another set in the clearance sec. in BBB for 9.99 so i double both pairs up in her window for an abstract effect.
Courtney says
We don’t have a Ross(?) but I can’t believe I never thought about BBB! Of course I have their coupons!!
kristin says
Ross is kindda like a cheaper tj max and marshalls – but BBB is also great. exp. when they let you use 2 coupons :) Good luck!
Kaelin says
I am sorry to hear you had a hard week :( Losing a family member is always tough.
Good call on the blueberry cake donut, my personal FAVORITE! I haven’t had one in months… that is a problem! I did have my usual cup o’ joe this morning, its a must have :)
Have a great weekend, fingers crossed for sunshine tomorrow!
Jessica says
I got some nice blackout curtains (keeps the light out of the babies room) from babies r us — they didn’t cost a fortune at all — and are a really nice material!!!
Ashley @ Life and Fitness says
I can relate to what you’re going through this week with your grandma. My uncle passed away last week and it really just leaves you feeling drained. I had to take the rest of the week off from workouts because I just didn’t feel up to it. It sounds like you have a great day to look forward to tomorrow, which will hopefully cheer you up :)
Emily H says
Check out the Target Threshhold collection for curtains! While they aren’t “baby themed” the patterns and colors are really fresh and trendy, and you could probably find some that would work with your nursery. I’ve been really impressed with the quality and design of the Threshhold collection for the price!
Courtney says
Hmmm, I’ll have to check online for them maybe? I’ve looked in the store a few times (I just want some solid colors, nothing baby themed) but couldn’t find anything. Maybe they have a better selection on the internet? Thanks!
Brooke @ Running In Heels says
Your tilapia tacos look amazing!! And we’ve had great luck finding cheap curtains on Amazon! You can always return them if they don’t work out :)
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says
Sorry to hear you’re having a tough week! I’ve been have one of those tough weeks myself (for different reasons of course) and am SO glad that today is Friday! Your Friday night sounds pretty similar to how I will be spending my Friday night…doing some cleaning then relaxing on the couch. I can’t wait!
Crossing my fingers for good weather for your 2nd baby shower!
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
Did you know that it’s not National Donut Day up here in Canada? :( Our main chain, Tim Horton’s, isn’t celebrating. How come you guys are always one upping us? :P
Sorry to hear about the week being a little rough on you, girl. Hopefully you’re able to recharge this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed that the weather doesn’t get in the way of your shower!
Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog says
Sounds like a rockin’ Friday night! Minus the cleaning, it’s my idea of a perfect Friday :-) (I’d add wine with the mac n’ cheese, but know you can’t do that at the moment…soon though!). I’ll be hopin’ the rain clears up for your baby shower!
I just celebrated National Donut Day with 6 munchkins and an Apple Crumb Donut from DD. Best.Day.Ever.
Courtney says
I like the way you celebrate, girl! ;)
Jessie says
Depending on what your color scheme is, West Elm has really cute curtains and they’re not too unreasonable (they also have sales frequently)! Great quality and I love the soft grey hues. Worth looking into for sure :)
Kristi says
I wish Dunkin Donuts wasn’t 30 minutes away from me, because if it wasn’t I would totally be celebrating national donut day.
Katie @ KatieEnPursuit says
Sorry to hear about your grandmother & the tough week. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing she’s at rest. We’ve had some older folks family issues lately as well & it is a struggle! On a more positive note, I have to admit I’m not a huge donut fan, so sue me! I do love pretty much any other pastry though. Happy Friday Courtney!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Sounds like the perfect Friday night to me! Hope you get some great relaxation time in this weekend. As for the curtains, I would highly recommend blackout curtains! Totally worth it!
Cait says
I’m sorry about your tough week :( it’s never easy laying someone to rest. and im sure being pregnant didn’t help the emotions<3
I hope that your week turns around & tomorrow is SUNNNY SKIES for you and baby tooth :)
PS. I just got my chocolate glazed from dunkin!
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
I’m home on my lunch break now, and I definitely plan on swinging by DD on my way back into work for a coffee and my free donut! :-)
Homemade mac ‘n’ cheese on a rainy Friday night sounds like perfection!
sarah @makingitmyhome.blogspot.com says
so sorry to hear about your loss.
I had THE HARDEST time finding curtains I liked. I went to Lowes, home depot, bed bath and beyond, target, tjmaxx and marshalls (all multiple times) before finding everything (including the rods) at ann and hope, which are very reasonably priced as well. I posted about how annoying it was: http://makingitmyhome.blogspot.com/2013/05/update-on-house-stuff.html
good luck finding curtains, post pictures when you get them!
(someone once told me to try fabric shower curtains…they cost less!)
Stacey M. says
I totally hear you on the curtain issue! After buying my first home in the fall of 2011, it took me about a year to get curtains on our windows – I just couldn’t figure out which style and color I wanted, and don’t even get me started on the prices! I mean, why are they so costly?! Anyway, I’ve had luck purchasing curtains from stores like JCPenney, Bed Bath & Beyond, and even LOWE’s (I actually found some really nice sheer white drapes from there with circle patterns in them). At some point, you’ll just give in and buy something because you’ll be tired of looking at a bare window frame like I was! I’m not really sure why we let curtains stress us out so much in the first place … I wondered that myself last year. Happy curtain hunting – I hope you find something you love soon!
FitBritt@MyOwnBalance says
I like your Friday plans! Haha! We are hopeless, we just sit on the couch with a bottle of wine and takeout and watch tv!
Xai says
I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so exciting to hear about babytooth and everything you’ve been experiencing throughout your pregnancy. When my mom was pregnant with my little brother she mostly complained about having the WORST heartburn. Especially the last couple of months!
Cassie @RedLetterDaye says
I’ve been a bit absent, so I’m a bit late in saying I’m so sorry for your loss. My father passed about a month ago and I know how hard it is.
I feel like we are on the same wavelength. I made tacos last night too (crockpot salsa chicken–so good, so easy!).
And I’ve attempted to shop for curtains lately, too. Bleh. I suggest either Marshall’s/Target/Home Goods (there’s one in Latham, although I thinks sometimes the Marshall’s/Homegoods in Clifton Park is sometimes better). Not sure what you’re looking for, but they have a nice, quality and affordable selection of curtains, in a lot of neutral tones- but probably not baby specific. Also, One King’s Lane and Joss and Main websites (you have to regsiter your e-mail) have designer bargains on all home stuff. I check them daily.
And the weather lately in these parts is rough. Make up your mind, Mother Nature!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
We had the EXACT same issue with curtains for Addie’s room. I spent days and weeks trying to find ones online that were cute but not too expensive. Finally, I gave up. Then after she was born and about 3 weeks old, I told Brandon to just go to Lowe’s and buy some basic black-out curtains. He ended up buying some chocolate brown ones for like $30 and I am completely fine with them! I just couldn’t wrap my head around spending over $200 for curtains!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says
National donut day? I may need some Tim Hortons Timbits (equivalent to DD Muchkins, I believe) on the way home today…
and definitely just pinned that onion ring recipe! In the land of salty, greasy side dishes, onion rings are my absolute fave.
Andrea @ pencils and pancakes says
I was in the same situation last weekend with my bridal shower…. So annoying and frustrating.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Those baked onion rings sound SO good!! Thank you for sharing the link :).
I hope you have a great weekend and a fantastic Baby Shower! Hopefully the weather will cooperate :).
sara @ Fitcupcaker says
I think talapia tacos will be on the menu next week, talapia is my favorite fish :)
Andrea @ Andrea out loud! says
holy cow those tacos look AMAZING!
i am pretty bad with interior decorating type stuff… like just because i am indecisive in a way and have a hard time matching stuff together. it always turns out ok in the end but i get overwhelmed also!
Claire @ Health Nut Claire says
Sorry about your rough week. I hope your weekend makes up for it if that dinner didn’t already. Looks SO good! Must try the onion ring recipe!
Kellie says
make your own curtains! so easy and you don’t even need a sewing machine! Just get the hem tape at a craft store, fold over the edges of the cut fabric and iron!
Christy says
I feel the same way about curtains. I recently ordered from The Lakeside Collection online and was pleasantly surprised with the quality considering the low prices. Also I like the Christmas Tree Shoppe.
Amanda, RD- The Nutritionist Reviews says
I definitely got my free Dunkin Donut donut also. My boss joked to me that he can’t believe I would eat anything but carrots and celery since I am a dietitian lol
Ellie@Fit for the soul says
Courtney, I don’t know if this will help as I’m not sure what kind of curtains you’re looking for~something more “thin and airy”, or perhaps actually thick curtains to block off all the light? Just wanted to tell you that we got some REALLY cute thin curtains in lavender from Lowe’s! :) Lowe’s seems to have at least a few on hand for baby rooms, and they’re a lot cheaper than other places in my opinion. I think it was all under $100 for 2 windows. Or perhaps IKEA might have something for you? And hang in there! You will for sure have easier days, and whenever I start to feel drained (aka now that I’m 7 days away) I remember that it’s a blessing that she’s moving and not worrying me about something happening to her. :D
Danica @ It's Progression says
You deserve one amazing weekend, girl! Enjoy every minute of it – even if that baby shower has to be indoors :)
Shel@PeachyPalate says
Hopefully tomorrows baby shower will be just the pick me up you need this week! Fingers and toes crossed for good weather for you! Tacos look AMAZING! Looks like super ripe creamy avocado in the mix!
Natalie @ Free Range Human says
I hate buying curtains! Even the “cheap” ones are expensive, and I never can find what I want! I hope you have a relaxing weekend!
Lindsay says
Blueberry cake donut? That sounds amazinggg.
Olivia @ Liv Lives Life says
Fingers crossed that you will have great weather tomorrow! It’s beautiful here today (in Michigan) so hopefully we’re sending it your way!
Julia says
I’m not sure if you have an Ikea by you, but I would definitely check out their curtains. I recently moved into an apartment and was so surprised how expensive curtains are! But I found Ikea to have TONS and they are sold in pairs, unlike everywhere else I looked. I mean, really, who decided that you only sell one curtain panel, not two?! That’s like buying single shoes. But anyway, Ikea has them from like $19+. I got the cheapest pair but I love them! They are simple and cute.
Mary says
Fingers crossed for a sunny weekend for you! I would like a little sun too as I’ll be heading out for an outdoor wedding.
erica says
So sorry about your tough week I lost my mother a few months ago unexpectedly while I was pregnant, so I can imagine the tough time especially with pregnancy emotions already all over the place. Though the pain never really goes away, time does teach you how to be stronger and you do find better ways to get through those tough moments. Sending you my heartfelt sympathy.
Meghan @ After the Ivy League says
Hahaha I love your rockin’ rowdy Friday night! I’m not married, pregnant, or a homeowner, yet I still plan to curl up with a blanket eating comfort food and just relaxing. Friday nights to myself are one of my favorite parts of the week. Hope the little boy stops beating you up! Haha, but like you said, good to know that he’s active in there.
Lauren @ LaMaLu Boutique says
I’ve had good luck with curtains on TJ MAXX and Homegoods actually.
Deanna says
Sorry to hear about your grandma ❤
As for blinds we just moved into a new house and needed them on every window which could have cost us a fortune. We ended ordering them from Steve’s blinds and wallpaper and had them shipped to Canada from the US and we love them. They were a quarter of the price when we compared them to stores here. Keep in mind they are blinds that screw into the window frame not curtains that hang in a rod. We got blackout ones for the bedrooms.
If your looking for curtains and rods try Ikea!
Lauren says
Target has cute and cheap curtains!
Ashley @ Sweat for Sweets says
Hahah sounds like an epic Friday night in! Sometimes those are the best, though. I honestly can’t think of anything better than the feeling of waking up refreshed on a Saturday morning with the whole weekend ahead of you! :)