Maternity Shoot: Part 2

Hi loves,
Here it is; Part 2 of the Maternity Shoot! Majority of it is the family portion. It's usually really hard to convince my fiancè and my son to do photoshoots with me considering they're a lot more camera shy than I am, but this was a special kind of shoot that just had to be done. We'll definitely treasure these photos forever!

Maternity Photoshoot: Part 1

Hi loves,
Well, as I neared my due date, I had one of my crazy talented friends come over to shoot our maternity/family pictures. It took me a while to edit them as I had sooo many beautiful choices to choose from, and when you're pregnant, if you're like me, your indecisiveness can increase dramatically.
This is only part one, but I absolutely love it and if my friend hadn't convinced me to work up the confidence to do this bit of the shoot, I'm 100% sure I would have regretted it.
I never took photos when I was pregnant with Ethan, so I wanted to make sure this time around, I had some keepsake of what my body looked like with child.
So enjoy, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

My High Tea Baby Shower

Hi loves,
So here we are, in the final home stretch: the third trimester! Last weekend, I had my baby shower for our baby girl and it was the shower of my dreams seeing as it was a high tea theme. Leading up to it, I was so worried about the weather being horrible with it being the middle of Winter, but the sun decided to come out and make my day absolutely wonderful.

I had so many of my family and close friends come and just shower me with so much love, support and the most thoughtful gifts. I couldn't feel more lucky than I do these days to have all of these women around me supporting me through this incredible moment in my life. So to everyone who came (and even to those who couldn't make it, your love was felt from afar), thank you so much for absolutely everything!

With how picture perfect the entire event was (thanks to my beautiful best friend who planned and hosted it with me!), I wanted to come on here to share a few snaps from the magical day.
Hope you love!

Gender Reveal: It's A... Girl!

Hi loves,
As you know we are expecting baby number two in August, and we are so happy to finally announce that we are expecting a baby girl! We feel so blessed to have been given a beautiful baby boy almost 8 years ago, so for us to be expecting a sweet little girl this Winter brings us so much happiness as it'll feel like our family is complete.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your love for us on my social media accounts! We have so much love and appreciation for all of you.

With the excitement of these news, I just wanted to share a few snaps from our gender reveal party from a few weeks ago. Hope you love!

Announcing Our Pregnancy: We're Pregnant.. Again!

Hi loves,
Well, if you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you would know by now that my fiancé and I are expecting to welcome our second baby by the end of Winter 2017! We are so thrilled for this next chapter in our lives. To finally watch our only son Ethan become an awesome big brother is definitely one of my happiest moments in life.

When we had our first baby, we were young teenagers still on the verge of growing up, and now that we're older and more settled in our lives together, it feels so much better to announce a pregnancy, which is why we wanted to announce it to our family and friends in different and special ways.

So today, that's what I'm doing; sharing the special ways we announced our pregnancy, so let's get right on into it.

TELLING MY FIANCÈ

Of course the first announcement was to my incredible fiancé. I didn't do anything special because when it comes to sharing things with my partner, it takes a lot for me to keep something a secret from him, even if it is a wonderful surprise, since we quite literally share everything with each other.
Basically, I already had a bit of a hunch that I was pregnant seeing as my monthlies are the only constant regulars in my day-to-day norm, and for once I was abnormally late. I'd decided to take a pregnancy test, but it was about 8pm at night and usually that's when your hormones are at their lowest, so it didn't register properly. However, I saw a very very very faint second pink line, but I couldn't depend on it. So the next morning, I took a test with my very first urine of the day (according to the internet, that's your best bet on getting an accurate reading), and after 2 minutes, there it was - two very visible pink lines.
I was so shocked and excited, I rushed out of the bathroom and accidentally shoved the pee-infested stick in front of my partner's face. It was really early though so he was sort of half-asleep and replied blankly with an "oh, wow.." but my excitement was through the roof, it covered enough emotions for the both of us. When he came to, he was a little skeptical about it, so we went out and bought more tests and every one of them came back positive. He still didn't really believe it, not until we finally went to the doctors and had it confirmed through numerous tests.

October Favourites

Hi loves,
If I could describe what I've been up to lately in one word, I would say it's been very "busy." I feel like every time I talk to you guys, I'm raving on about how busy I've gotten, but it's a natural part of life and growing up. Time slips away but the list of things that need to be done just grows and grows; practically never-ending.
So because I don't want to ramble on about how busy I've been (and I'm sure you'll just roll your eyes the entire way through), let's just jump into this month's favourites.

*BEAUTY*

September Favourites

Hi loves,
September was a spectacular month for me. Realising what I want out of my career, and heading towards the right direction in my life, I felt unstoppable. I felt happy again. I lost my job of over two years in July and was on an instant downward spiral of uncertainty and sadness. I didn't know what I wanted, what I was doing and where I was going. But now, I feel so much more optimistic about my future and I can tell that the positivity is shining within what I'm doing everyday.
To top off a great month, my boyfriend of ten years and father of my only son finally proposed to me, asking me to marry him. Everyday I literally feel like I'm on a cloud because of how happy I am these days. I finally realised that happiness is a feeling, not a destination, and I'm okay with that. As Julian Baker in One Tree Hill said to Brooke Davis, "Happiness is not a destination. It is a mood, it is not permanent. It comes and goes and if people thought that way then maybe people would find happiness more often." And I can positively say I have found happiness so much more lately. In big things, in little things, in every aspect of my life.

So without further ado, here are a few things that made me happy throughout September.
I hope you all find inner peace and happiness someday.

*FASHION*

August Favourites

I'm the type of girl to rarely try anything new because she's so content with her all-time favourites. So you can imagine my surprise that I've lasted this long with finding new things to love every month. I've found myself finding the beauty in the smallest things, and I personally think that's the great thing in these types of posts. Not only do we share what we adore throughout the month, but you get a sense on why they've deserved a spot in our list of keepers.
Well, without further ado, let's stop the rambling and get into what I fancied this month..

July Favourites

So much has happened in the month of July, I almost completely forgot to create a Favourites post. But to be honest, creating these Monthly Favourites posts are what keeps me inspired when it comes to blogging. Thinking of different ways I can shoot items that I've coveted in the last month keeps my creative juices flowing and fresh.
Well, with that said, let's take a look into my favourites for the month.

June Favourites

I've got to be honest, June was the month I kind of got lost into my TV shows. I began and finished Awkward, I caught up on Suits, and I re-watched Teen Mom OG. There was just something about digesting my everything into these fictional characters and their stories. Well, whilst I was getting lost in a world that only exists in online fan-fictions, I still managed the time to curate a list of this month's favourites of various sorts.
Enough small talk, let's get right into it!

May Favourites

A totally jam-packed month, as expected considering it was mine and Ethan's birthday this month, I'm surprised I don't have a lot more favourites in this post. I've gotta say, it's getting more and more difficult to pick my favourites every month since I'm the type of girl to get into a routine and use the same things on a daily basis. These posts should really be called, "I recently remembered I owned these things." But I feel like May Favourites has a nicer ring to it...

Room Tour

Hi loves,
I don't think I've ever actually done a room tour on here before. Maybe because my room has never been up to par, but since we've moved houses, it's given me an opportunity to do a massive clean out of everything I own and now my room has never looked better. I'm actually so proud of it.
There are still a few things I want to tweak and add, so I may do an updated room tour after I've properly organised everything. But for now, I'm pretty happy with the turnout, so let's get started!

April Favourites

Hi loves,
I confess that I struggled to put together my favourites for April. I honestly believe that April didn't happen because it quite literally just flew by. Either I've had a lot going on, or it just didn't occur to me that we're already halfway through May. But don't worry, I managed to round up a few of my favourites from April. So, here we go!

*SKINCARE*

At 23: Birthday Haul

Hi loves,
Oh gosh, am I really 23 years old already? It's funny how life manages to get ahead without you even really realising. It felt like just another birthday for me but my family and friends had another thing in mind. Although I didn't have a proper celebration, what my boyfriend and son had planned was just what I needed. Head over to my Instagram and Twitter (@danicasarza) if you want to see what went on throughout the day!
Although today, as the title already clearly states, I'm bringing to you a birthday haul of all of the beautiful gifts I was lucky enough to receive from the people who I'm so grateful to have in my life.
So, let's finally get started!

*FROM MUM & DAD*

Mother's Day Gift Guide 2016

Hi loves,
As you know, Mother's Day in Australia is exactly a week away, so you have one week to find the perfect gift for ol' mama dear. Usually every year, I combine my own mum's mother's day gift with her birthday gift as they're only a few days away, but I still wanted to share a few gift ideas I know my mum, grandmother, mother-in-law and fellow mamas and mamas-to-be would love to receive on the special day. Lucky for me, my birthday is the day before mother's day, so that means I'm showered with even more love! So please, forgive the poor picture quality considering these images were taken using my iPhone 6S because my camera was low-battery and was refusing to charge and I did not want to lose good natural lighting.

March Favourites

Hi loves,

March; the month filled with pretty things. It's been a bit of an emotional whirlwind, I've got to admit, but nevertheless, it's an on-going lesson where I'm constantly learning about myself. March was the month where I shopped to hide my personal vendettas, but it turned out okay because I found items that I love and am now sharing with you all. More about my inner demons some other time when I feel like bringing you guys down with me (HA! Which is never :P)

*BEAUTY*

How-To: Get Through a Sick Day

Hi loves,
As the cold and flu season nears, and the seasons change abruptly, many people tend to get sick. With that said, I've been continuously sick for the past two weeks, and I guess I figured out some helpful tips on how to get through those dreadful days when you're bedridden and glued to Netflix.
Some of you may think these are generic tips that everyone already knows, but hear me out.
I hope if you're having a sick day/week, some of these tips help you in feeling better! It sure did it for me ☺

First thing's first, jump into your pyjamas and get comfortable - you'll be in them all day. You won't be going anywhere besides the kitchen and the bathroom, so you don't have to look cute for that. And trust me, don't bother trying to look cute, it doesn't help at all when you're feeling like absolute rubbish.

Stock up on those cough lollies, cold & flu tablets, and tissues; you're most definitely going to need them.
My favourite cough lollies are the Original VapoDrops which you can get at Woolies, Coles or Big W or Target! They work wonders for me, but just watch out, they tend to make you feel drowsy almost immediately.
The Vicks Inhaler is also magical if you have a blocked nose, and if you're tired of hearing your nose whistle every time you try to breathe. You just place this under your nose, breathe in, and your nose will instantly clear up... For a few minutes... So do it again... And again!
A tissue box is a basic necessity. I don't know how you're sick in bed, and not already halfway through your tissue box. I don't think I even have to go on... Come on guys...

February Favourites

Hi loves,

February was a good month. I can say that confidently. I was organised, and really getting myself prepared for the year to come. But it seems, one thing I wasn't entirely prepared for was February's favourites post. Woops! Hey, better late than never, right?

*BEAUTY*

January Favourites

Hi loves,
And with a blink of an eye, January has ended, and we're already mid-way through February. It's like 2015 all over again - just flashing by without a trace, whilst every other month creeps up on you from around the corner.
So, how do I sum up January in a few words or less? Let's see...
Crazy. Summer. Full. Of. Packing. And. Moving. Houses.
Of course, it was quite nice to spend majority of the month packing and moving houses because it's extraordinarily cleansing. I sure got rid of a lot of junk I had lying around. But at the same time, it's utterly stressing, for no reason, just in general.

Whilst January was focused on moving houses, I also made January the month I accepted a challenge from myself for myself. I called it The No-Spending Ban. It speaks for itself but if you want a brief description, it basically meant I couldn't spend a cent on myself, fashion and beauty-wise. It was a necessity for me to buy lunch during work because a person's gotta eat, but also I had to use my money on basic necessities of living; groceries, my son's school stuff, bills, etc. It only made sense for me to ban shopping for clothes or makeup because they were materialistic items which weren't totally necessary to my everyday living considering I have SO MANY already.
I can proudly say I successfully completed that challenge, and hope to do it again soon. But for now, hit me with those sales, stat!

Anyway, here it goes, my January Favourites...

*BEAUTY*

First up is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette. I got this in December, but it just seemed appropriate to include it in my January Favourites since I've been using it every. Single. Day. It's perfect in all it's natural being, and makes me look like a shining goddess. It's quite a wad of cash, but to be perfectly honest, for the quality and quantity of product you get, it's damn worth every cent.

Go on and get it. Let it highlight your soul. That's how good it is.

Welcome 2016

Hi loves,
So 2016 has started off quite nuts. Between the beginning of December till now, here at our residence, we have been in home-limbo. Mostly everything is in packed boxes, awaiting to be unpacked (no one's had time to do some grocery shopping, even though ironically enough, mum works at a supermarket) but right now we're living off of dry-toast and take-out = not good for our health.

But other than that, it's been a great Summer.
We'd done everything you could possibly imagine to keep entertained: outside and off the iPad/PlayStation! It was really important for my boyfriend and I to dedicate a lot of our time to Ethan while he was on school holidays, and I know I always seem to have a valid excuse for being absent for weeks at a time, but even though I'm a blogger, I'm a full-time mum and girlfriend too, and they will always come before my blogging life, #sorrynotsorry, but I'm sure most of you understand that.

Ethan's gone back to school and is already excelling at second grade (my six-year-old was told by his new teacher that if he wants, he can start reading year 3-4 books because he's done so well with the K-2 books {don't mind me as I sit here frozen because how is it possible that I've raised such a clever little boy?!}), it's not possible that I gave birth to such a smart kid. I'm so happy for him, and so so proud of all he's already achieved. Henry and I were certainly blessed!

But whilst I've been spending some quality time with my own little family, I've managed to begin feeling inspired and excited over what's to come on Heart, Style & Grace in 2016!!!

I've got so much new content planned, and some currently in the works, which is surprisingly calming me down and keeping me busily focused.

The beginning of the year usually feels like a clean slate, but for some reason, for me, it felt like last year's stress and struggles seemed to follow me right into the new year. I was feeling suffocated, and I felt like no one could help me out of this mess but me. But already, we're in February, and I've learnt that it's a-okay to ask for help sometimes. You're not alone and there's ALWAYS someone there to lend a helping hand, if you just ask for it.

See, 2016 is going to be a great year. No matter what obstacles you come across, you will overcome them. Happier and prouder of yourself.

Outfit Photography by: Pauline Nicole

Sunflower print tee by delia*s; Blue denim shorts with white crochet detailing by TEMT; White casual sneakers by Target; 'More Issues Than Vogue' watch by Lovisa; Ring by Icing Jewellry

~ Here are a few snapshots of random things* from our Summer ~

*mainly food

Filled with love,

Danica xo

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