HUMP DAY HAPPY HOUR

Last week, we managed to get to 80 degrees one afternoon and it kind of felt like summer. I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that just yet, but if it means I get to sip on cocktails like this and don sparkly sandals bedecked in jewels, then maybe it could be alright. 

BLUEBERRY BASIL SMASH

Recipe from Stir and Strain

(Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 Basil Leaves

A Handful of Blueberries

1/2 oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 oz Simple Syrup

3 oz Gin

Crushed Ice

Garnish: 3 Blueberries, 2 Basil Leaves, Lemon Zest

DIRECTIONS:

1. Muddle basil, blueberries, lemon juice, and simple syrup in the bottom of a double rocks glass.
2. Add approximately an inch of crushed ice. Stir and add gin.
3. Fill glass with more crushed ice.
4. On top of ice, zest lemon and garnish with blueberries and basil leaves.

Note: I crushed ice in my blender prior to making the cocktail. I think I got a bit overzealous with the whole blending process because my ice chunks were on the small side causing them to melt quickly. Oops! Next time, I might save myself the hassle and just buy some crushed ice from Sonic or something. The original cocktail looks more like a snow cone and mine resembles a slushy. Ha Ha! 

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Tuesday, m' dears! The in-laws arrive tomorrow and we're ONE week away from our departure East. Huzzah! Needless to say, things are pretty busy around Swell Rio as I attempt to prep for guests, maintain the ol' blog, and pack for our upcoming trip—all while tending to Sir Maxalot's every need. Hmm, this could get interesting... How about we jump straight to the details?   

A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE FEATURED DETAILS:

• The warmer Texas temps mean it's time I finally unpack my colorful chinos and incorporate them into the daily mom-semble (stripes and snazzy flats—you know the drill). It's a nice change from the denim I wore most days this winter.

• In last's week's Thursday's Thoughts post, I told you about my risky move to order perfume online having never actually smelled the scent. Oops! Weeks later, I'm still incredibly smitten with the Wild Bluebell Cologne. As hokey as it sounds, it manages to make me feel a teensy bit special, even when my days are spent dodging spit-up and diaper blowouts.

• Max's Freshly Picked Moccasins arrived last Wednesday, and I'm officially hooked! Hooray for shoes that actually stay on your baby's feet!! Who knew such a thing existed AND they can be aesthetically pleasing?? I still can't believe it.

• Our Walmart carries confetti-filled Easter eggs, so naturally I felt the need to pick up a few cartons to take to my mom. I imagine she'll be able to share them with her school kids. Also, do you really need an excuse to buy confetti-filled eggs?

• Sometimes I wonder how I'm going to pull everything off this week. If all else fails, we've got Tulips on the kitchen table and there's Mrs. Meyer's in the soap dispensers, so I'd say we're already winning!

• Last Friday afternoon, I made a bunch of baby food with our nifty Baby Brezza, and I had the most fun! Later that evening, I told Flyboy about the entire process and how it required adorable little jars, Washi tape, and a Sharpie. He smirked when he realized how much joy it brought me. Why are some of the most mundane tasks (refilling soap dispensers, making baby food, etc.) the most relaxing and fulfilling?

• My in-laws sent Max this cute Peek-A-Boo Bear for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, Beesly despises the bear's up-and-down motion and high-pitched giggle. I have to keep the poor toy in the closet because I'm not sure I can trust her alone with it. It's hilarious to watch her interact with the bear. I suppose she thinks she's protecting Max or something?!?

Alright, enough of my babbling. How are YOU? How's your week? Happy St. Paddy's Day!!

COLOR STUDY

A GAGGLE OF GREEN GOODS:

Kelly Green Pendant Cord via Color Cord Company

August Morgan Cocktail Napkins via Hattan Home

Drop Bike via Pink Olive

Hooded Utility Jacket via J.Crew

Leather Moccasins via Freshly Picked

Lily Avenue Carrigan Tote via Kate Spade

Small Preserved Boxwood Topiary via Waiting On Martha

Deco Dots Pillow in Kelly Green via Erin Flett

Hello Lettering via Elizabeth Graeber

Off We Go Luggage Tag via Kate Spade

Green Color Swatch via Pantone

Kikkerland Solar Radio via CB2

Think Big One-Piece via J.Crew

Happy Monday, m' dears! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. 

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

Here's what made me feel all twitterpated, smile contagiously, giggle uncontrollably, etc.

• Color Crazy via The Atlantic Pacific // Blair Eadie can simply do no wrong, my friends. I adore EVERYTHING about this outfit. The stripes. Swoon! Those fabulous shoes. Hubba Hubba! Oh, and the punchy and classic color combination! Squee! It's going to take me awhile to come down from this delightful high. This is the definition of verklempt.
• Ceramic Colorblock Box // I quickly browsed J.Crew's latest batch of New Arrivals (SO GOOD) because I didn't want to be tempted; however, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the sweet persimmon color of this little box. Bravo! I'm sure by the time this post is published, I will have items on my wishlist to pursue in person when I visit the store with my mom.
• Loren Hope Spring/Summer 2015 Look Book // Feast your eyes, my friends! As per usual, the styling is spot on. I especially loved the Kai Pendant in Turquoise (paired with a pop of yellow, perhaps?!) and the Sylvia Necklace in Lagoon.
• Uptown Tote // According to Jenna's Picks, it looks as though we're tote(s) twinsies. Eek! It's ridiculous how smitten I am with this bag. I only wish I would have sprung for the monogram like I originally intended. #PURSEPROBLEMS
• Freshly Picked Baby Moccasins // I've been told these actually stay on a baby's feet, so I went ahead and got Max a pair for our upcoming trip. While I wanted to get something colorful like this green pair, I opted for a neutral and went with weathered brown. I'll keep you posted on my overall thoughts. I'll be impressed if he doesn't find a way to peel them off.
• Furbish Favorites // I online window shop in the name of blog research. You're welcome, world! While browsing some of my favorite online stores this week, I fell hard for a few colorful items including this Herringbone Throw, this Spotted Terra Cotta Serving Bowl, and this Sarah Boyts Yoder original, Nautical Toy.
• Why Not Banner // Well, I'm glad you asked! Why not add this simple reminder to any spot around your house?
• Carrot Orange Ginger Juice // This tasty and colorful juice might be enough of a reason to get me to dust off the ol' juicer for something other than a cocktail recipe. Actually, I wonder how this would taste spiked?! I'm just kidding. Kind of.
• Happy Wife Happy Life // Occasionally I like to check out Essie's website to see if they've launched any new collections. I noticed this "radiant red orange" and I can't say I hate the name of the polish. I think Flyboy would agree.
• Type-A // I found this lovely typeface on Pinterest and can't track down the original source. I'd love to know where it originated because the font design is splendid. It almost makes me twitterpated like Blair's colorful ensemble. Almost.

As always, thank you kindly for stopping by. Cheers to a snazzy weekend, m' dears! Make it count.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

FEELING: For the past three weeks, I've been hesitant to say anything because I was afraid I might jinx myself, but I think Max's colicky shenanigans are a thing of the past. Phew, what a relief! After Flyboy returned, I was hopeful this phase was behind us; however, the teething episode made things a bit confusing and it was hard to tell if it was REALLY over. Feeling confident about our content baby, we ditched the Miracle Blanket last week. Woo Hoo! We survived the first few months, we're smiling, and we love this nugget more than ever. Now where's our shiny trophy? I think I'll take my reward in the form of retail therapy at J.Crew with my mom.

THANKFUL FOR: Last night I got a text from my sister that said she would get to join us in D.C. for a few days. You guys, I'm over the moon! The emoji action that went on in response to her message was out of control. I can't believe that we'll all be together to celebrate Easter and my parents' 30th anniversary. It's going to be amaze balls!

THINKING ABOUT: In an effort to prepare for our visit east, I ordered a bunch of baby necessities from Amazon to have on hand while we stay at my parents' house. With my in-laws arriving next week, it just made sense to get as many items checked off the ol' to-do list as possible. This will be our first time flying with Max, so the idea of lugging everything to D.C. felt a little overwhelming. For the sake of convenience, it will be nice to have odds and ends already setup at our end destination. And while I'm rambling about traveling with tots, do any of you pros have advice to offer this newbie? We'll take all the help we can get.

EATING: This week I tried two new recipes I thought I'd share with you. Flyboy could eat pasta every day, so I made Cooking Classy's Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo. Like most of her dishes, it was a BIG hit! I loved the added flavor and texture the cauliflower gave to the pasta. The second recipe I tested was Pinch of Yum's Caramelized Salmon. Ever since I got pregnant with Max, I've made a conscious effort to eat salmon at least once a week. Because we eat it frequently (sometimes twice a week), I'm always looking for new ways to prepare our go-to fish. This particular recipe required just five ingredients, most of which you'll have in your pantry, and took twenty minutes. The simplicity and sweet flavor are just a few of the reasons I'll be making it this way again.

LISTENING TO: My dad got a karaoke machine for Christmas, and I think Flyboy is eager to use it. Lately he's been singing Toto's Africa to Max at night—it's a real treat! I can only imagine how he'll nail those high notes under pressure, but I imagine a few beers and a hot mic ought to do the trick! Also, can anyone tell me what that song is even about?

WATCHING: Please tell me you're binge watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix. The series was created by Tina Fey (bow down) and stars Ellie Kemper from The Office. This just seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it?! Kemper plays the role of Kimmy, a plucky and naive survivor of an underground apocalypse cult. The sunny and sweet show debuted last Friday, March 6th, and has already been dubbed the second coming of Liz Lemon (blerg!). I can't help but agree—it's blissfully absurd! I've quickly become obsessed with the characters and the opening theme song, which I can't seem to get out of my head.

READING: I'm in the process of reading Bringing Up Bebe, and I really don't want to bore you. How about a little link love instead?

The Apple Slice and Social Media Envy via Design For Mankind — Days later and I'm still digesting Erin's words.

24 Drugstore Products Hollywood's Top Makeup Artists Swear By via Refinery 29 — I'm a sucker for articles like this!

Jenna Lyons via La Figaro Madame — I have absolutely no clue what's being said, but our girl looks stunning!

The "Best Of" Issue via Matchbook Magazine — I was so sad to hear this would be the last issue. Sigh.

LOVING: Just a day shy of giving up "treat yo self" online shopping for Lent, I ordered a bottle of Jo Malone Wile Bluebell Cologne. I'd heard a lot of great things about the line and this specific scent, but I was hesitant to order a fragrance having never actually smelled it. Yeah, probably not my brightest move, I know. All of the rave reviews swayed me into purchasing a small bottle, and I'm so glad I did. It's very subtle and fresh. The best part? I don't get a headache when I wear it. Oh, and I've even been stopped by a few strangers who have asked what perfume I'm wearing. I'd chalk this up as a risky but sweet success!

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