Oh, the Places We're Going!

Have you ever heard a baby giggle for the very first time? It's truly the best sound I've ever heard in my entire life. I was putting her in the car seat and telling her about the great adventure she was about to go on (we were going to base—oh, so exciting!), when out of nowhere a huge smile spread across her face and she burst into the cutest little laugh!

It was a full-on laugh, followed by another one and then a third. The three giggles I heard didn't just make me laugh right back at her, but it made me cry. Such a joyful noise! She's chuckled a few times since then, and her daddy finally got her to laugh one night (he totally thought I was making it up). Every day with her is so much fun!

We're about to embark on an actual adventure, because tomorrow we're going on our first family vacation. We're packing up the car with loads of diapers and onseies and heading out to cross some places off our bucket list. Specifically, we're venturing into Switzerland and France! Long ago I pinned a few places on my wanderlust board that looked like they were straight out of a fairytale and crossed my fingers that we'd get to visit some day. Well, that some day is this weekend. It's supposed to rain, but that isn't putting a damper on our mood. These are the two stops I'm most excited for:

Colmar, France

from pinterest

from pinterest

Annecy, France

from pinterest

Besides stuffing my face with flaky, buttery croissants, we're also hitting up Lake Como (hoping for a George Clooney and friends sighting since the Cannes Film Festival's going on just a hop, skip, and a jump a way!), Lucerne, Switzerland, a wine road, and Dijon, France. I haven't looked into it yet, but I really hope Dijon is the actual home of Dijon mustard. Pretty cool, right?

I really hope we can get some stamps in her passport when we cross the boarders. Two months old and she's already a world traveler; I can't believe it!

Follow me on Instagram (@jesstagirl) and Facebook for all the pictures I snap during the next several days, since I have no idea when I'll actually have time to blog about these trips—we're about to start a very busy several months over here (but that's a different post for another day).

Ciao, ciao!

The Poppies Have Popped!

I think May is easily my favorite month in Italy. It's not scorching hot yet, so I don't sweat when I'm outside, and it's still cool enough that all I need a light sweater. Not to mention, on a clear day it's just gorgeous here. Thanks to the sporadic rain showers we're still getting, everything outside is a great shade of green. Green is my least favorite color (right up there with orange), but it's breathtaking how pretty the different hues of green look against a bright blue sky.

Sprinkle in the delicious and vibrant red poppies that have popped up in the last few weeks and it's just a delightful place. I love driving around Italy and spotting a blanket of red in the midst of the green fields; it brings an immediate smile to my face. If you can ever make it out to Italy, I highly suggest coming out in May; you won't be sorry and you can thank me for that tip later!

Actually, as I type this, it's raining again outside. Go figure. If you're also enjoying a lazy Sunday, take a look at the blogs below. They're not only good reads (and interesting enough to keep me awake during the wee morning nursing hours), but they're wonderful women. Since I've been obsessed with the beautiful poppies around the area, I asked each of the girls below about their favorite flower and I loved hearing their response.

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I'm Sue. I write about everything I know. I'm a wife, a mama, and a doula. I'm also a photographer, a dancer, a writer, a thinker, and a dreamer. I'm an eternal optimist and I'm deeply passionate about life. I love yoga. I believe in happiness.

Favorite flower:
  Baby's Breath. A bouquet of baby's breath is just delightful!

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Hello, Jessica Lynn Writes readers! I'm Gayle, and I blog over at Grace for Gayle. :) I live in Dallas, TX with my four fur-kids, Monty & Twerp {the dogs}, and Brother & Sister {the cats}. It's a full house to say the least, but I love my little fur-balls and almost don't mind cleaning after them all of the time! When I'm not blogging or vacuuming, you can find me at the gym, at church, reading a book, hanging out with friends, going to the pool {hiiiiii summmer, I have missed you!}, watching Netflix, spending time with God, and eating chips and salsa. I'd love to have you come visit and read and/or take part in #PerfectlyImperfect with us! Don't know what it is? Well, come check it out. While you're there, be sure to map yourself and subscribe! Ciao for now 
Favorite flower:
My favorite flower is the yellow rose. In high school, my mom used to buy a dozen yellow roses for me, when I was feeling down or she wanted to encourage me. At the time, yellow was my favorite color, and my mom was one of the most thoughtful people I've ever known, so she would always go out of her way to choose little things to do for me that were special and meaningful. My mom passed away in May 2000, but to this day, while I love many other kinds of flowers, the yellow rose is definitely the one that is the most meaningful to me!  

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Hi friends! I'm Casey, an Air Force wife and transplanted Southern girl living a life of adventure abroad in beautiful Germany! I write over at We Took the Road Less Traveled...mostly about my life as an expat and our travels around Europe...but also about my affinity for good food & wine, beautiful spaces, inspiring words, and weenie dogs named Tuck. :) So, grab a cup of joe and follow along on our journey. I'd love to get to know you!

Favorite flower?

My most favorite type of flower are peonies. Not only are they happy, pretty flowers, but they smell AMAZING! I picked up a bouquet of pink ones at the farmer's market this past weekend and they're making my living room look and smell so fresh and springy! 

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I'm Natalie and I blog about food over at Oven Love. I love creating new and inspiring recipes that are accessible for everyone- even the novice cook. I'm all about flavorful, fresh, from-scratch recipes with nourishing ingredients. Come on over and see what's new!

Favorite flower:

 Tie between ranunculus and peonies. I just love the way they look. I guess I'm a sucker for round flowers with tons of petals!

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Really, this blog is place for me to explore the different dynamics that make up my life - my ongoing weight loss journey, a recipe here and there, married life and so on. It's so random that my name isn't even Sally. My name is Amanda and I'd love to meet you.

Favorite flower? 

My favorite flowers are pink roses and daisies. Daisies always seem like such a happy flower (cheesy, I know) and I just love the gorgeousness that comes from a fuchsia rose. It makes me happy.  

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Hi! I'm Kara and I blog at Ramblings of a Marine Wife. The name kinda gives it away, but I married to a Marine and a mom to two. We are currently stationed in Okinawa, so I tend to blog about our adventures in Japan and life in general.  
Favorite flower:
Is it weird that I don't really have a favorite flower? Let's go with orchids. We'll say they are my favorite just because they are so gorgeous and all over Okinawa, so I see them all the time, reminding me gorgeous they are! 

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Hi! I'm Chantal! I blog over at Scattered Seashells. I'm wife to Brandon, an Army helicopter pilot, and mom to Penny, an adorable toddler. My blog is about me, my family, parenting, living a healthy life, being a crunchy mom, and being an Army spouse.
Favorite flower:
My favorite flower is the daisy because they are just so bright and happy, they make me smile!!

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I'm a proud military Air Force wife. We love traveling all over the world with our 3 kids and our Westie, Macintosh. 
We have been stationed all over:
Alabama, Iceland, Japan, and are heading to Italy in Aug 2013! I'm a Certified Photographer, DONA Certified Labor Doula, DODDS substitute teacher, wife, mother, DIY'er, crafter, etc...just to list a few. I love crafting and making things, traveling to new locations, and meeting amazing friends along the way, and of course posting about all our adventures!

Favorite flower:
Truthfully my favorite flower is a fake one ;) I have quite the black thumb, LOL. If I had to choose a live one I guess I'd say that I love Japanese Cherry Blossoms.

Want to see your blog, website, or Etsy store on my side bar? Click on over here for all the details and to check out this month's current specials.

So tell me, what's your favorite flower and why?

Loving my Tiger Stripes

I started earning my "tiger stripes" around 11 weeks, when I was still down a pound from my pre-pregnancy weight. Tiny pink lines started playing peekaboo just below my belly button (back when I could still see my belly button), but then those lines grew and branched out until the whole front portion of my stomach was covered in wide, bright pink stripes.

I stopped putting creams and oils on them sometime in my second trimester and just let them grow wild. My husband told me over and over again that he didn't mind them and even found my new body sexy. As for me, I loved what they represented and felt beautiful in my own new skin. I loved pregnancy. Of course I had bad and sick days, but for the most part? I absolutely loved it. I felt beautiful; I felt like being pregnant and keeping my child safe while she grew is what I was created for,

During those nine months, one of the things that helped me cope with my stretch marks was coming across a particular quote (the quote's in the photo below). When I read it for the first time I felt more than okay about what my lines represented. It made me cry then and to be honest, it still makes me cry. The first time I came across that picture and quote was the moment I realized how much I needed a picture of my belly, stretch marks and all.

I'm not one for showing skin, especially in photos and especially when I felt as big as a whale, but I felt like I needed a picture of my marks in all their glory. So during our maternity session I had the photographer take a picture of the bump. Unbuttoning my shirt left me completely nervous and vulnerable of my body. But now, two months after giving birth, I really wish I took more bare belly shots, not only that, but I wish I didn't ask her to crop out my head. I wish I owned up to my body and was proud enough to show it off then instead of hiding behind a crop.

Two days before my scheduled induction I read this wonderful article while hot tears ran down my cheeks. Since my belly was stretched to its max, I could only imagine the squishy feeling and the future she described; I vividly imagined having that same conversation with my daughter as she pretended to put on makeup beside me. Now that my stomach has deflated and I'm left with permanent zig-zagging lines across my tummy, I'm clinging to her words, realizing what my new body truly represents. I pray, that no matter frustrating it is for me to get used to my new post-pregnancy look, that I'll be able to embrace how it and share how I got my tiger stripes with my daughter some day.

I'll always treasure this photo and I hope my daughter will realize that not everyone looks the way they do in magazines or on film and that she'll know I'm as real as it gets; I hope she'll love me just as I am—ugly lines, squishy belly, and everything else that comes with age and my new postpartum look. These are the lines of our story and there's nothing to be ashamed of.

*linking up with Story of my Life's #blogeverydayinmay challenge

Cruising in Europe: Bari, Italy

My parents came out to visit for three weeks! Catch up on our adventure:
Driving through Austria and a Meal in Mittenwald
Harvesting Grapes with the Parents
An Italian Market and Unexpected Detours 

Dachau Concentration Camp 
McDonald's in Munich 
The Sound of Music Tour in Austria 

Our Family Suite and Venice

So there we were, our first full day on the cruise, and I was getting breakfast from the fabulous buffet. They had basically anything and everything you wanted, so it was a great way to start your morning. I just finished getting my plate of food and was walking to our table when I slipped and fell. 

Taking a fall may seem like no big deal for a healthy 28 year old, but I was 16-weeks pregnant at the time. My first instinct was to protect my stomach, so as I went down I let my plate of food fly in every which way and grabbed my tummy, landing pretty hard on my "bad" knee. (I had surgery on it several years ago.)

While I was still on the floor, startled from falling, I looked around, assuming someone would be there to help me stand up. The place was jam packed, but not a single person offered me any help. I was baffled and in pain (my knee hurt a lot). I looked to the mess I made with my uneaten breakfast and saw a Royal Caribbean worker cleaning up my food just feet away from me...she didn't bother to even ask if I was okay. In fact, nobody did. My mom was on the other side of the huge room and heard me go down (pretty sure I yelped or screamed a little) and rushed over to help me. She also couldn't believe that nobody offered any help. After I got up we found a head employee and told him what happened. He was appalled that his employees practically walked over me instead of helping. 

At first I tried to tough out the pain in my knee, but he was concerned for the baby and insisted I head down to get checked out by their medical staff aboard the ship. I scarfed down a bagel and obliged, following him to the lowest level of the ship. 

I have big calves to begin with, but it was pretty swollen and you can kinda see right where I landed on it—there's a vertical red mark just above the scar line. I also took a picture of the X-Ray machine...because, why not?

The staff in the ships medical facility were all so helpful. They wanted to do X-rays just to make sure everything was fine with my knee (it was just horribly bruised and sore), and they had me do a pee test to make sure there wasn't any blood in the urine (meaning that the baby was in distress). The pee test came back clear, thank goodness; I was really, really sore for several days, but other than that I was good to go. I was definitely freaked out right after I fell, hoping I didn't just ruin our vacation.

Luckily, we didn't have much walking to do for our first excursion. My friend Monica went on the same cruise a couple months before us, so I picked her brain about what to do and what not to do. She said that the town of Bari looked just like any other Italian town, and since we've seen plenty of those, we decided to do go outside Bari.

We went on the "Leisurely Apulia" tour, which was basically a relaxing way to see the countryside around Bari. The tour included a stop at a local Trulli farmhouse and a "light snack." After my eventful morning, this is just what I needed. A "trullo," I learned, is a dry stone hut typically used as shelter for farmers, but also as homes. These nifty buildings are scattered all around the area in little clusters; I couldn't wait to see inside!  

Our little snack was tastier than it looks. The olives were fresh and perfectly salty, the cheese was so divine that I bought some right then and there—same with those ring-shaped cookies, and the sips of wine I tasted were refreshing on such a warm day.

Not pictured is some authentic Pugliese Focaccia I snagged just as we were leaving. It was made in a brick oven (above) and it practically melted in my mouth. It was simply delicious and I wish it was ready right when we got there so I could've enjoyed more. 

The day was beautiful. Very warm, but dark rain clouds teased us and brought a little bit of shade to cool things down here and there. I loved that Bari, with its white-washed buildings, bright blue sky, and colorful flowers, gave me a sneak peek into what I imagined Greece would look like.  

Our drive back to the ship was along the coastal road: the sea on one side and olive groves that were decades old on the other side. It was nice to have such a relaxing excursion and I only wish Royal Caribbean considered having Bari be the last stop instead of the first. We were in for an adventure with our next excursions! 

Back on the ship we enjoyed a delicious dinner and then I spent the evening relaxing on the balcony. This quickly became my favorite part of the day, and who can blame me?

Up next:

Corfu, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Buying a Rug in Turkey
Olympia, Greece
Our last day/night at sea
*linking up with Helene in Between 

Who I Am...and other things

Sell myself in ten words, you ask? Okay, I'm...

adaptable

boobilicious*

blessed

creative

devoted
expressive

globetrotter 

optimistic

strong-willed

sultry**

*so says the baby
**so says the husband

In other news...

After more than EIGHT years blogging here, I now have my own domain! This lovely space is all mine (insert happy dance)! I dropped the "blogspot," so it's now simply JessicaLynnWrites.com — hopefully you don't need to do anything to your feeds. I'm pretty stinkin' excited about this little update.

Also, in case you missed it, here are my posts from the past week:

• We wrote letters to our two-month-old daughter: {Julia Grace: month two}
• Settle in for a long (but I hope), good read: {Julia Grace: her birth story}

and because I promise I write about other things besides my awesome kid...

• I shared our fun European purchases {Getting Busy at the Bazaar}

And for other happenings around the interwebs...

• I'm participating in a group giveaway where the grand prize is an awesome phone! (If you're a fan of JLW on Facebook you already have your first entry, so go enter here! 
• I spend way too much time and money on Zulily. They suck me in with every. single. email. And the worst part is that I just heard they have an app. Talk about trouble!
• This cookbook rocks. We used to watch David Rocco's Cooking Channel show when we lived in America and really like his food. It's not in that collection, but I really want to make his drunken spaghetti.
• I need this kitchen for myself my daughter. (vintage pink kitchen)
• My husband sent me this link and I literally couldn't stop laughing out loud. 
• How awesome are these DIY barrettes? They make me want to get bangs just so I can grow them out and use them.   

Did I miss something cool? Add your favorite blog post from the week in the comments below...Or would you add a word up there to describe me? (only nice words, of course! It took everything in me {see strong-willed above} to not add the words messy, awkward, lazy, and procrastinator.)

*linking up with Story of my Life's #blogeverydayinmay challenge