Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A BLOGGIE BREAK

#TRUTHBOMB VIA DANIELLE LAPORTE

I'm overwhelmed by the kind and thoughtful responses to yesterday's post. Thank YOU so much! My family and I appreciate the outpouring of love and support we've received over the past few days. It means everything to us! As you might have guessed, Max and I are Iowa bound today to join the rest of my family as we celebrate my grandfather's life. I'm not entirely sure when regularly-scheduled posts will commence, but I truly appreciate your patience in the meantime.

Please do me a favor and go squeeze someone you love. I plan on doing A LOT of that this next week.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS


"THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES


If you asked me last week about today's post, I would have predicted the most emotionally draining thing I'd tell you about was dropping Max off at daycare last Friday—because he definitely cried and wouldn't let go of my leg. Instead, I come to you today with a heavy heart. In December, my grandfather's health took a turn for the worse. Just when we were hopeful that things were improving, they found cancer. Despite endless tests, medication, and physical therapy, we continued to get texts from my grandma and aunt that made us feel hopeful, even when things were actually really bleak and the status of his health fluctuated minute by minute. Feeling helpless and living thousands of miles away, it often seemed like there wasn't much more that we could do than remain positive and pray REALLY hard, so we did just that. On Saturday, we learned that his heart started to give up and my mom booked a flight back home to Iowa to be with her mother and sisters. Perhaps a part of me was hopelessly optimistic when she told me she was going home. I imagined the women of the family rallying and this would be just the encouragement my grandpa would need to keep fighting. I never wanted to believe this trip would result in us saying good-bye like we did on Sunday night. It didn't seem fair; it wasn't his time. But the truth is, my grandpa gave the last few months everything he had, and we have the chance to celebrate his life this weekend. He's at peace now and his memory lives on through those he left behind.

Because the past few days have been an emotional roller coaster, I didn't know if I wanted to post today. In the big scheme of things, does any of this really matter? But then it hit me that sometimes those ordinary moments that I may take for granted are actually pretty great. One week ago, I never would have envisioned writing anything like this, but now, while I pack my bags and prepare to join my family as we put my grandpa to rest, I can't help but be reminded that loss has a way of teaching us about the worth of things. Despite my best efforts to delight in the mundane as often as possible, it's easy to get caught up in saying "No!" for the hundredth time, cleaning ANOTHER mess, or our daily and slightly monotonous trips to the park. It's best when we live for little moments like receiving an unexpected and cheeky card from an old bestie or watching my favorite caped crusader run around the house in oversized wellies. And when life feels less than rosy as it has recently, it's best we let ourselves feel sad and scared as well. Sometimes painful moments like saying good-bye, which I've learned can be as simple as dropping your baby off at daycare for the first time or as heartbreaking as losing someone close to you, can actually result in unforgettable memories like four hours of child-free bliss and discovering old photographs of my grandparents dancing at our wedding. Tough times open your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before and grateful for people and moments you didn't even know you were missing.



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Friday, February 19, 2016

LURVE LOAVE LUFF


Let's get right to it, shall we?
Here's what made me feel all twitterpated, smile contagiously, giggle uncontrollably, etc.

  • David Shrigley's Artwork // How flipping fabulous are his illustrations and paintings? I'm just a little bit obsessed.
  • Too Faced 'Better Than Sex' Mascara // I've heard a-mazing things about this scantily named tube and since I was in the market for new mascara I figured it was worth a shot. I've been a faithful They're Real! user for the past three years, so it's going to take a lot for this to impress me. You can bet I'll be ready to share my thoughts in next Thursday's post.
  • 'Smile, You're Designed To' Print // While browsing Jenna Kutcher's work on Society6, I couldn't help but grin when I stumbled upon these words. It kind of sounds like something my mom would say to one of her students.
  • Thin Mint Macarons // Maybe it's that delicious Kelly Green color, or maybe it's the Whole30 desperation talking? Either way, I'm drooling over this colorful confection. I think I'll take a three-month subscription. Mkay, great. Thanks!
  • Ethel Side Chair // Orange my goodness is right! That powder coat finish in the happiest hue is EVERYTHING, m' dears.
  • Playground Squad Tee // It's rare that we don't make at least one trip to the playground a day. Clearly this tee's a MUST!
  • J.Crew Spring Rollout // From polka-dot skirts to striped Jackie Cardigans, there's so much to love about the new arrivals. These Colorblock Stacked Flats with Pom-Poms are squeal inducing. Could we get them in MORE colors?! Oh, and I'm digging the sunny shades of yellow and fiery oranges popping up in the jewelry. How fab are these Crystal Earrings?
  • Modular Demilune // I never knew I needed a demilune in my life until I laid eyes on this chartreuse showstopper. 
  • Neon Geo-Planter // Can't you imagine filling this adorable planter with a cute succulent or air plant? Swooooooon!
  • Pillowfort Collection // You could say I'm a teensy bit giddy about this adorable Target collection that launches Sunday.
  • Toiletry Case // The storage possibilities are endless when it comes to this precious pom-pom pouch. Come hither.
  • She's Magique // Have you seen this gorgeous line of note cards and art prints? This one is my favorite!

Cheers to a snazzy weekend, m' dears! Make it count. 

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Thursday, February 18, 2016

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

LETTERING VIA EASY, TIGER

THINKING ABOUT: This is going to sound absurd to many of you, but one thing I feared most about motherhood was the idea of attending playgroups. Do I have to?! Gulp. Sharing this publicly makes me want to cringe because I'm certain it will rub some of you the wrong way, but it's honestly this introvert's worst nightmare. While I'm willing to accept this as MY truth, I really don't want it to impact Max negatively. Recent outings and routine errands make it clear this kid could really benefit from more socialization and interaction with other people. He gets SO giddy when he sees other littles out and about. It's adorable, really! For the past few months, my parents and Flyboy have encouraged me to drop Max off at the local Child Development Center during their walk-in hours (a few hours maybe 2-3 times a month?!). They figured it would be a great opportunity for Max to play with kids his age and give me some relief. I'm not entirely sure why it's taken me so long to rip the band-aid and try it, but we're going to give it a shot this morning if there's space available. Trust me when I say I have NOTHING against daycare; I just don't know if I deserve the luxury of dropping him off and spending time apart. I mean, what could I possibly do in Swell Rio with this potential free time?! I have two more weeks until my next deadline is due and I've run every imaginable errand on my list. I suppose I should stop over thinking things, enjoy being alone, and have faith the time apart is best for both of us. Oh, and bonus points for not having to attend playgroup!

THANKFUL FOR: We stocked up on a bunch of pantry staples at Trader Joe's last week. I love preparing cauliflower rice with some of our meals, but grating the veggie can get messy and tedious. Thankfully, we stocked up on six bags of the frozen stuff when we were in San Antone and it's been a HUGE lifesaver. The convenience factor is making it hard for me to pace myself. It's SO good!

EATING: We're halfway through Whole30 and many aspects of this nutritional reset have not gotten any easier. Flyboy and I often find ourselves asking if we even WANT to finish the thirty-day challenge. From what I understand, programs like this are intended to help find ways to improve your eating habits and are meant to teach you that food doesn't have to rule your life. Oddly enough, it feels like food is ruling our life NOW more than ever. Don't get me wrong, there are a handful of positive aspects to Whole30 that we both can appreciate, but we can't help but wonder if it's really worth feeling snippy and lackluster for TWO more weeks. He He! Then again, I suppose this is the sort of thing you'd expect when a stubborn married couple that has watched one too many episodes of Naked and Afraid embarks on the Whole30 challenge. We keep waiting for the other person to be the one to call it quits and tap out. If I've learned anything in the past 17 days, it's that a life with this few cocktails is bound to lower my Primitive Survival Rating (PSR).

LISTENING TO: After Flyboy watches the morning news, I typically switch the channel to PBS in an effort to lure Max into a little low-key entertainment while I prepare breakfast. In an age where most parents are trying to limit screen time, we're trying to get our tot to sit still for five minutes per the recommendation of Max's doc. It's weird, I know, but it was the unofficial "homework" given to us at our last appointment. Ha Ha! So while I pretend Max is seated on the sofa engaged in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood—when in all actuality our Texas Tornado is barreling throughout the house in destructive mode—I've decided how much I hate the token tune they use every time Daniel Tiger learns a lesson. It's AWFUL! I seriously want to strangle that bratty tiger and can't help but wonder why I continue to listen to these syrupy jingles every damn day. I think it's time I pursue other options on Hulu or Netflix because clearly Danny Boy just doesn't do it for any of us in this house. When we show up at Max's next wellness check and they ask about our progress, I'm going to blame it all on the Land of Make Believe and Prince Wednesday. "It's Such a Good Feeling", my arse...

WATCHING: Because it's been far too long since we've dished on Bravo, let's discuss RHOBH, shall we?! I truly adore Yolanda, but this season's plot kind of feels like "Does Brooks have cancer?" part deux. Snoooooooooze. On the bright side, all of the catty gossip allows us to see everyone's true colors. Last season, I found Lisa Rinna to be a fun and quirky addition to the group. This year, I wish she'd just STOP stirring the pot. Last season, I found Eileen to be fairly dull, but this time around she appears to be the most genuine and reasonable gal in the bunch (even despite her AWFUL taste in bags...). Fun Fact: According to my mom, I was actually named after Eileen's character, Ashley Abbott, from The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful. Yuck it up, chuckles!

READING: Since my college roommate recently left Glamour magazine to assume his new role as managing editor at Fast Company (cough, boasting roomie, cough), you know I've been poring over every page of the publication with pride. While very little about me screams cutting edge or progressive in terms of business and technology, I've found that I'm enjoying my subscription way more than I ever thought AND I'm learning a lot in the process. For instance, Belle Beth Cooper's recent article, How I Became A Morning Person, Read More Books, And Learned A Language In A Year, was equal parts impressive and inspiring. Suddenly I'm assessing little habits that I'd like to see result in a big, long-term outcome, and I'm genuinely excited. Fellow goal-getters, this is a MUST read.

LOVING: Max can finally wear Crewcuts and NOT look as though he's swimming in his clothes. Hooray! The colorful chino options are endless, my friends. The future of dressing my dear babe looks bright. I see many coordinating ensembles ahead. Squeeeeeeeeee!


Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS


"THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES

Happy Wednesday, m' dears! It's always a good sign that fun is being had when the blog week starts a day later than usual. Oops! Just as we hoped, we split up the three-day weekend with a quick trip to San Antonio. Woop woop! Amid pit stops at Trader Joe's and J.Crew, we did something terribly wonderful. ATTENTION all Whole30 purists, please grab your earmuffs, because we definitely allowed ourselves to sneak in a little "flex" meal at Torchy's Tacos. Carpe YOLO, am I right?! Yes, it was worth it. And NO, we do NOT plan on starting the thirty-day reset all over again, so deal with it. Ha Ha! A lack of dairy and bread has the tendency to elevate one's sassy factor. I speak from experience. Now, let's get back to the fun stuff... After sniffing far too many candles at Anthropologie and stocking up on a few beauty essentials at Sephora, we made our way back to Swell Rio and finished off the weekend with some yard work. With this latest bout of 80-degree weather, we found ourselves eager to clean the plant beds and spruce up the front yard with a fresh batch of colorful plants. As far as weekends go, this one was a definite keeper! And since Max and I weren't ready to say good-bye to all of this fun, we spent most of yesterday at the park watching airplanes and tested out his snazzy set of crayons.

Phew, I think you're officially up-to-snuff on life in Swell Rio! 
Now that I'm done rambling, what sorts of delightful fun-tivities have YOU been up to?

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Friday, February 12, 2016

LURVE LOAVE LUFF


Let's get right to it, shall we?
Here's what made me feel all twitterpated, smile contagiously, giggle uncontrollably, etc.

  • Bobo Choses SS16 // I've had every intention to feature some of my favorite pieces from the latest Bobo Choses, entitled "Der Blaue Reiter"—a collection after my own heart! This season is inspired by some of my favorite artists including Matisse, Pollock, Hockney, and Picasso. I snagged this Vincent and Pablo tee for Max, but I'm eager to add a few more pieces to his wardrobe before they're gone. The collection is meant to inspire children to color their world and have FUN!
  • Jollypop // You can tell my sweet tooth is hard at work because I feel like I see convincing confections everywhere I turn. Oh, the horror! But can we just take a second to discuss these deliciously designed handmade lollipops?!
  • Copper Measuring Cups // I'm in the market for a new set of measuring cups. Aren't these some kind of wonderful??
  • Happy Mail // This Oh Happy Day post made me CRAZY giddy inside. What I wouldn't give to participate in this exchange.
  • Weekend J.Crew Fix // With this weekend's trip to San Antone just around the corner, I've got my eye on a few pieces. This Short-Sleeve Painter Tee, Pave Hinge Bracelet, Featherweight Classic V-Neck Sweater, and this Crossbody are on my wishlist. If I was a gambling man, I imagine I won't leave empty handed. There's certainly got to be something I NEED.
  • Slim Navy Chair // I'll gladly plop my derriere down on this darling chair. I'm starting to think chairs are a weakness.
  • Cranberry Margarita // There's a reason I didn't pick a gin cocktail to feature in today's post. It would be TOO tempting.
  • Tipsy Swizzle Stick // Because cupid's cocktail ought to be topped off with an adorable stirrer... Am I right?!
  • Every Day Beautiful Poster // After I put today's graphic together, the more I started to wonder if  I've featured Anthony Burrill's work in a previous Love List. After doing a bit of searching, would you believe it was almost EXACTLY a year ago that I included the same exact print in this post? I didn't have it in me to change it (not to mention, Max woke up from his nap), so I'm going with it. Who knows, maybe it was a sign that I needed the sunny reminder?!
  • Izon Flatware Set // Target does it again! This affordable set of flatware is similar to ones I've been eyeing from CB2.

Cheers to a snazzy weekend, m' dears! Make it count. 

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Thursday, February 11, 2016

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS


LETTERING VIA LETTERED LESSONS

THINKING ABOUT: On Tuesday, Max and I made our way to Walmart for a few odds and ends. As I was finishing up at the self-checkout, I noticed my dear tot made some new friends. There was a child about his age seated in a shopping cart in the company of his grandpa, mother, and big brother. As we struck up a conversation, I learned that the woman actually gave birth to her oldest son at the Swell Rio Wally World. What the what?! I thought that was the kind of thing that only happened in Natalie Portman movies. You guys, I was in a state of disbelief! In fact, the shocked and amused look on my face were enough for the kind lady to go on and share a few extra details about her delivery. LUCKY ME! For instance, the kind folks at Walmart brought her one of those kiddie plastic pools to have the baby in when she went into labor. Yikes! Oh, and she said the employees were so excited because they had access to mylar balloons and they brought them to her immediately after her baby boy arrived. Ha Ha! According to the grandpa, this little boy is a handful, so he said the mom brings him to the superstore's customer service desk every year on his birthday and asks about their return policy. The little boy (seven-ish years old?!) overheard us discussing his birth place and proceeded to ask the mom, "Are you seriously going to do that EVERY year?!" He he! As we parted ways and I headed to the car, I couldn't help but thank GOD that didn't happen to me. Could you even imagine?! That woman deserves a shiny medal or a life's supply of tequila.

THANKFUL FOR: We're San Antonio bound this weekend for a quick day trip. Hooray! While driving five hours (round-trip) isn't necessarily a blast, the idea of visiting some of my favorite shops (J.Crew, Madewell, Anthro, etc.) and stocking up on pantry staples (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Target) makes me want to break into a happy dance. Hello, civilization! We're coming for you...  

FEELINGI'm fairly certain George Strait would refer to the first week of Whole30 as the "I Hate Everything" phase. Parting with some of my favorite things like bread, dairy, and sweets certainly hasn't been easy, but Flyboy and I have found that we're feeling more energetic and satisfied as each day passes. Hallelujah! We both agreed there are aspects of Whole30 eating that we'd like to make part of our norm even after we're done. With that being said, how many more days until I can have some Mike and Ike again?!

EATING: Saturday night is typically our designated meal for eating out, but since the Whole30 options in Swell Rio are slim, we opted to fix Primally Inspired's Carne Asada instead. Because I do most of the cooking and was ready for a break, I passed the grilling off to Flyboy and focused on the Succotash (I opted to wing it and use veggies we had, but here's a similar recipe that's not compliant with Whole30) and Tomatillo Avocado Salsa. It was all so incredible! I can see us preparing this recipe regularly. Do me a favor and try it!

LISTENING TO: I guess Max has seen me chat on the phone a time or two because the imaginary calls he has are intense. Depending on his mood or what's available, he'll grab a puzzle piece, orange peel, his bottle, etc., and throw it up to his ear as though it's his cell. Forget the flip-phone or touch screen, this child is low-maintenance. The "conversations" appear to be filled with hilarious punchlines and banter. Occasionally he'll pause to listen to what the other person has to say, but he typically is the long-winded one. Hmm, I wonder where he sees that?! These little chatterbox episodes have been going on frequently over the past few weeks. I tried to explain them my to parents, but it was only when I got it on video this last weekend (watch here) that they could fully appreciate what I was describing. And sure, it sounds super cute when I describe it, but try disciplining the wily tot when he's on the horn. It's IMPOSSIBLE! It's nothing for him to give you a snotty "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" look and then proceed with his call.

WATCHING: When Flyboy set the DVR to record The People v. O.J. Simpson on FX, I turned my nose. We were in second grade when that all went down; I figured I wouldn't be interested and that I'd inevitably pass out ten minutes into the premiere. Lucky for me, I was sorely mistaken! The miniseries is pretty interesting and has me eager to watch upcoming episodes. Now if I could just get over John Travolta as Robert Shapiro and Connie Britton as "the morally corrupt" Faye Resnick. Bravo fans out there, do you feel me?!

READINGI have so many pages open on my phone browser with posts and quick reads I wanted to share with you. Here goes...

LOVING: My cousin is a stylist and sent me a bottle of Pravana Nevo Lived-In Powder Potion a few weeks ago. Whenever she introduces me to a new product, it always lives up to the hype. This has been a game changer. Sprinkle some of the powder into your palm and it morphs into a pomade adding texture and fullness to my fine head of hair. Yas queeeeeeeen, yaaaaaasssss!


Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!

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