LURVE LOAVE LUFF LIST

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Avocado-Lemon Toast // I typically sprinkle chili pepper flakes on top of my avocado toast, but I heard about using lemon zest on Pure Wow and decided to give it a whirl this week. When it comes to certain meals and snacks, I eat them repetitively until I'm over them. This was a nice little change. Can't wait to try some of the other snacks they suggested. 
• Pale Pink Blush // For the past seven months I convinced myself that I lost my favorite Bobbi Brown blush, and I decided to just use one of the other rouge colors I had in my makeup bag. After purging old products, I realized it has been hanging out in my travel case. I left it in there and forgot about it when we brought Max home from the hospital. If that's not a case of mom brain, I don't know what is. At any rate, my discovery made me feel like I won the lottery! 
• Sheer Lip Color in New Orange // After seeing my mom rock a coral lip, I think it's time I spring for an electric orange.
• Striped Sunnies // I tried on a pair similar to these at Madewell, but I wasn't sure about the shape. These look just right!
• Awning-Striped Tunic // It's classic and crisp. Ugh, I adore everything about this top. Come to mama, won't you?!
• Eliza Gran Pom-Pom Basket // I've wanted one of these baskets for a year now. At first they were always sold out. Then they made an appearance in Real Simple and several online vendors started selling them. I couldn't decide on a color or shape. Then Furbish featured them this week and within hours they were sold out. I would say maybe it's just not meant to be, but I won't turn my back on a good pom-pom tote. This should teach me a thing or two about being decisive.
• Girly Hanging Lantern // I got an email last week asking about my giant snail from Stray Dog Designs. I went to find the link and ended up spending the next fifteen minutes drooling over some of their new arrivals. Story of my life. I decided if I win the lottery, I'm totally buying a set of these lanterns. That's right, not just one, but TWO.
• Anchor Keyring // Add a little ahoy to that pile of accessories with this adorable keyring that is LESS than $5. Get. Out.
• Chalkboard Pencils // The chalkboard in our living room could use a little update. These pencils might be a nice way to tidy up my lettering and add some fun little detail to my doodles. Has anyone tried them??
• Love Like Flowers Quote // Have you heard of The Poetic Underground tumblr? I stumbled upon it after reading this quote on Pinterest and I was so impressed with the 19-year-old poet, Erin Hanson, from Australia.
• Watering Can // Another item to add to my Ikea wish list. This watering can could double as a cute and modern vase.
• Espadrille Slip-On Sneakers // I love my Soludos, but they're looking extra loved after living in Hawaii for a few years. I'm thinking the striped pair would be worthy of a super cute mom-semble.
• Macarons // On Wednesday I received a surprise package from the UPS man that was filled with macarons and marshmallows from Sucre. Last year my sister sent me snazzy pretzels adorned in sprinkles from Fatty Sundays, so I had a sneaking suspicion that she was behind this tasty box of treats. After sending a quick text, I found out it was definitely her. It was such a thoughtful and sweet highlight to my week.

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

Image Credit: Wash Tape via J.Crew

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

THINKING ABOUT: Flyboy is interested in purchasing a jogging stroller so he can bond with Max while he runs. Um, getting the baby out of the house for a hot second? Sign. Me. Up. We're looking at various options, but I figured I would turn to YOU for some help. In the event you have experience in this area, what brands and models would you recommend? It will definitely be an investment, as they're not exactly cheap, so we're looking for quality and preferably a jogger that accommodates Flyboy's height.

FEELING: Last Saturday morning I placed a party hat on Max and snapped a quick picture to send to my father-in-law for his birthday. After our celebratory photo sesh, I noticed the babe was eyeing the pom-pom attached to top of the hat and grabbed at it. <Insert heart palpitations here.> I'm well aware that once this child starts moving on his own life as I know it is officially over, but seeing him attempt to detach that pom-pom took things to a whole new level of REAL. I did my best to smile through the pain, but I quickly became overwhelmed by all of the embellished details throughout the house. You guys, this does not look good.

THANKFUL FOR: I'm sure you've noticed the majority of my Swell Rio stories take place at one of three places—HEB, Starbucks, or Wal-Mart. Lucky for you, it will most likely be this way for awhile, so prepare yourself for all sorts of exciting ahead. Now that I got that out of my system, I should tell you about my favorite clerk at HEB. Most Fridays we see each other at checkout. She'll go out of her way to help me unload my shopping cart, and she always asks about the baby. A few times when Max was particularly fussy, she's opened up a new register so we don't have to wait in line. Sweet and thoughtful, isn't it?! Well, about two months ago, I approached the checkout and overheard her telling the teenagers bagging groceries that she and I go way back. Hmmmm... Did she mistake me for someone else? She went on to tell them she's known me for years. Uh-oh! I wasn't sure if I heard her correctly, but she continued to carry on about my Baggus, Max, etc., so I decided to just go with it. Since that Friday, we've carried on like old friends—because we are. I know all about her upcoming presentation, the trouble she's had finding dress pants in this town, and that she recently started waxing her eyebrows. I guess she inherited facial hair from her father. Part of me can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, but seeing her makes me feel really special. I look forward to our weekly exchange, and I get kind of sad when she's not working. Her kindness means so much to me. We probably only spend ten minutes together each month, but for those ten minutes I feel really connected to my "old friend". Now if I could just figure out how to pronounce her name...

EATING: Ooh, I tried another recipe I think you should know about! On Monday night I prepared Spoonful of Flavor's Cilantro Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowls, and they were SO stinking tasty. I've never been big on leftovers, but I was kind of jealous that Flyboy got to enjoy the remains of this dish the next day for lunch. Part southwest and part tropical, it was absolutely delicious!

LISTENING TO: Flyboy has had early show times this week, which I really don't mind. Around 5:45 a.m. he'll depart and I'm left with almost TWO whole hours of free time before Max awakes. A tiny part of me wishes I was still asleep, but the time alone feels like an incredible gift. As I prep today's post, it's just me and a cup of coffee along with the roaring sounds of thunder and heavy rain. I would almost call it peaceful if I didn't have two dogs who are terrified of storms at my feet panting and trembling. Oh well!

WATCHING: I have a confession. I'm a HUGE fan of Kevin Hart. I find him equal parts adorable and hysterical, and I not-so-secretly dream of hanging with him and Puffy on a yacht somewhere. P. Diddy boat dance, anyone (reference found here)?? Anywho, I've been itching to see The Wedding Ringer since last fall. Chuckle if you must, but it was the first real movie I was bummed I couldn't see in theaters because we just had Max. When a friend told me that it was available at Red Box, I was instantly giddy at the idea of renting it. So on Saturday, I picked a copy up at Wally World and Flyboy and I set out to watch the comedy after we put Max to bed. I guess renting a movie and watching it in its entirety felt like a rite of passage because we'd yet to do this post baby. I should also note that Max has always been pretty easy (knock on wood) to put to bed. Well, not even five minutes into the movie, he proceeded to wail off and on for the next hour. Really, kid? Really? Flyboy and I sat on the couch shoveling handfuls of chocolate into our mouths pretending to not hear a thing. Baby? What baby? And while I'm certain we missed out on a punchline or two, we forged on and finished the flick as we set out to do. I'll go ahead and chalk it up as a win because I got to see Keven Hart's squirrely antics.

READING: To remedy the rainy weather this week, I've relied heavily on polka dots, baby giggles, and my favorite art books. A few moments spent with Frankenthaler, Matisse, Kalman and Katz are like sunshine for my soul. I should dust them off more often.

LOVING: Pardon the hokey pun, but this quote by Marc Jacobs is spot on. I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. Preach it!

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

HUMP DAY HAPPY HOUR

A few weeks ago, I brought home a bag full of kiwis that I'd picked up at the store. Later that night I decided to dig into one for an evening snack. Flyboy chuckled at the sight of me eating it and said "I remember you eating those in high school. You were the first person I ever met who ate a kiwi." I smirked and replied, "You'd never seen someone eat a kiwi until high school? How is that even possible?" I found it oddly funny that he remembered this, and while I have no recollection of this moment, I vaguely recall the interest people at our table had in the plastic spoon/knife utensil my mom bought me to cut and scoop my kiwi at lunch. So, in honor of Flyboy and this pointless anecdote from our past, I whipped up a cocktail that contains one of my favorite fruits.

KIWI ENVY

Recipe from Aviation American Gin

(Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS:

2 OZ GIN

3/4 OZ ST. GERMAIN ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR

4 KIWI SLICES

1/2 OZ FRESHLY PRESSED LIME JUICE

1 OZ SIMPLE SYRUP (RECIPE HERE)

SODA WATER

ICE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Muddle kiwi in pint glass.
2. Add spirits and mixers (ingredients through simple syrup) to cocktail shaker.
3. Fill with ice and shake what your mama gave you.
4. Strain mixture into an ice-filled collins glass.
5. Top with soda water.
6. Garnish with a kiwi slice.

Happy Wednesday! Drink up, buttercup.

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Tuesday, m' dears. I hope your week is off to a swell start. Let's get on with the details, shall we?

• Most weekday mornings I wake up an hour or two before Max does so I can get a jump start on the day ahead. By the time I've showered, had a cup of coffee, and completed a few odds and ends, I'm in stitches just waiting for him to get up. Opening the door to find him playing with his toes and babbling about his dreams is one of my all-time favorite things. I know Flyboy would agree, because whenever he's home it's usually a race to see who can retrieve the babe first. Unfortunately, neither of us stands a chance with Beesly around (sore loser alert). The HBIC inevitably charges ahead of us to assume her morning ritual of greeting Max by sticking her nose through the slats of his crib. It's kind of cute (okay, A LOT), so I let them share a moment. I delight in knowing that my eyes will eventually meet Max's baby blues, and there will be a double-barrel grin with my name on it. And no matter what went awry the day before, we get a fresh start. I guess that's why this daily ritual feels so dear to me. I know it won't always be like this, and while part of that brings me relief, I also feel an aching need to savor these precious moments. The joy felt then and there is contagious.

• The local HEB deserves a special bloggie shout-out, especially after I talked smack about the dyed Hydrangeas in last week's Thursday Thoughts. Yikes! They really stepped up their flower game this Mother's Day. It wasn't all Carnations and Roses. I'm proud to say I have vessels of Tulips sprinkled throughout the house and I LURVE it. Way to go you guys!

• This Mama Bird Tee from The Bee and The Fox seemed like a necessary purchase in honor of my first Mother's Day. I proudly wore it around the house on Sunday, just in case there was any confusion that I'm Max's mom. It happens a lot...

• Fact: I drink more water when I trick myself into thinking I'm sipping on a refreshing cocktail. In all actuality, it's just plain old tap water with a few slices of cucumber and lime with a sprig of mint. Last Friday afternoon I almost convinced myself I was a guest at some fancy spa. Nope, still in Swell Rio and probably covered in spit up. I can't tell the difference.

• The idea of Mother's Day made me a little uncomfortable at first. When I think of the holiday, I think of MY mom—that's who the day was meant for. It wasn't until my sister text me last week and reminded me that I'm a mom now that it got me thinking about Sunday. I liked the idea of getting a fun gift (superficial, I know), but am I really "mother" material? I mean it was just days ago that I caught myself giggling and singing along to colorful Rihanna lyrics (this song) in the car with m' baby on board. Oops! Yeah, I'd say I still have A LOT of work to do. Then I got to thinking about last year on Mother's Day. Flyboy put the crib together. That felt HUGE. We had NO clue what was coming. We were terrified and clueless. Now, 365 days later, we're still a little terrified and clueless, but the two of us are silly giddy about the ray of sunshine that rests in that very crib. On May 10, 2015, I awoke with a grateful heart to the sounds of a cooing baby and I suddenly didn't mind the idea of Mother's Day. A mere seven months into this gig, and I think I'm really starting to accept and enjoy my new role and title. I told you it takes me awhile to warm up to change. Now to clean up my playlist...

• If you've been hanging around these parts for awhile, you know that I reeeeeeeaaaaally hate to get my picture taken. I like to style images, document moments with my people, and capture happy details. However, the idea of me posing and smiling for a photo is no bueno. In case you're wondering, I'm the girl that blinks. Every. Time. I'm the reason the person behind the camera says, "Okay, just one more." Slowly I'm learning to let go of this notion, especially with Max around. I don't feel the need to have oodles of photos of us together, but I do want a handful to cherish (in this album, perhaps?). And as silly as it sounds, I already feel a little more photogenic when I've got him on my hip because I'm so stinking proud to call him mine. Let's face it, people are too busy looking at my bright-eyed bestie to notice if I'm blinking. Again.

Alright, enough of my babbling. How are YOU? How's your week?

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Oh Happy Day Shop // Did you hear the great news? Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day opened up a party shop. Squee! It's chock-full of colorful cuteness. A few of my favorites include this bunting fan garland, washi tape galore, and this adorable cutlery kit. Maybe it's time to throw a party so I can stock up on fun supplies? The introvert in me says order it anyway (to hoard) and stream something on Netflix with m' clique instead. Typical Ashley...
• Snail Mail Opener // The Paper Chronicles recently featured a preview of what's to come from Sugar Paper, and I couldn't be MORE excited. I've got my eye on this letter opener along with a few of their gorgeous note sets.
• Summerweight Cotton Sweater // I wouldn't get much use out of this striped beauty in Swell Rio, but it's awfully fun to dream of wearing it while skipping around Kennebunkport on an easy breezy east coast evening. Maine, I think I love you!
• Sandals // Please don't ask me if I have a favorite color. It's much too hard to choose! That being said, I do have a sweet spot for vibrant shades of orange. At $18, these sandals from H&M are one bright bargain!
• Lily Avenue Carrigan // This tote might just be on its way to Swell Rio this afternoon—just in time for Mother's Day.
• Shell We Have Another? // Since cocktail napkins are my weakness and the crab is my spirit animal, this is a no-brainer.
• Sparkling Tarragon Gin Lemonade // Sipping on one (or two) of these might just be mandatory this weekend.
• Get Outside via Scout's Honor Paper // I'm eager to spend time outdoors with Flyboy and Max. Fresh air sounds perfect!
• Small Album, Big Picture // Oddly enough, I've never been someone who collects scrapbooks or photo albums. However, this Kate Spade number could convince me otherwise with its simple design. Polka dots. Need I say more?!
• California Girls // While scouring the Internet for fabulosity, I was instantly smitten with Ellen Surrey's work. This book, in particular, features a wonderful portrait of Ray Eames.  If you're into that sort of thing, it's definitely worth a gander.
• Forever Stamp Lapel Pin // In the words of cheeky artist Adam Kurtz, "How can a sticker be worth 48 cents? How can 48 cents buy you first class mail service forever? How can anything be forever at all?" He He.
• Nipprig Green Chair // If I lived closer to an IKEA, I'd totally snag a few of these emerald gems. Come live with me!
• Thick Stripes Pillow // I can see it now. Polish a pair of those fun green chairs off with something bold and classic.

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