LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Tuesday, sweet readers! Coming off of our Austin high last week, I couldn't help but delight in the silliest details. I'm talking about the bright morning light that hits our white walls, unexpected Peonies in Swell Rio (shut the front door!), a fresh set of chalk pencils, the fact that Big Tex is still kicking (who knew?), and a case of Topo Chico. Not pictured in today's post: the royal meltdown that occurred last Friday morning in the checkout line at HEB, teething-induced insomnia, and a pair of neurotic dogs. Just because those moments aren't captured in a tiny square doesn't mean they didn't happen. In fact, when I hark back to last week's highlights and hairy moments, I can't help but think about a sticker I saw slapped on an electric box in Austin. It read, "Live a great story." 

A week has passed and I keep coming back to that reminder, which makes me utterly grateful for the good AND the bad details. Because when I look at any of these images, I know I own the narrative behind the snapshot. That's such an incredible gift! An onlooker may only see colorful blooms and a punchy pair of flats, but I smile because I know the insanity that ensued in the moments leading up to that photograph being taken, and I wouldn't trade that craziness for a second. Honestly, I earned that snippet of joy because despite the day's messier moments, I chose to hone in on the happy details instead. Thanks to that random sticker, I'm reminded yet again that living a great story is much like a scavenger hunt. I must be on the lookout for treasures in the everyday. Even when it gets messy and I might feel like I'm running on empty, there are hidden gems scattered throughout the mundane. 

Alright, enough of my babbling. How are YOU? Tell me about the hidden gems you've discovered in your week.

GIFT GUIDE: FATHER'S DAY

THE GOODS:

Artisan Painted Paddles $180 // Cocktail Shaker $28 // Grr Pilsner $12 // Best at Life Tee $35 // 

Crosley Solo Radio $72 // Carry On Cocktail Kit $24 // Socks $15 // Pomade $22 // 

Bulova Air Warden Watch $199 // Seersucker Bow-Tie $58 // 

FYRKAT Picnic Charcoal Grill $85 // Hatchet $58 // Union Leather Key Fob $35 // 

Flash Drive $36 // Grady's Cold Brew Coffee $18 // Dapper Shave Kit $48 // Brass Comb $35

Just a friendly reminder... Father's Day is THIS Sunday. Let's not forget about dear ol' dad.

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Orange Scallop Pillowcase // Scallops never looked so sweet! Rachel Castle does it again with these darling shams. Gah, I would just love to crawl inside that fabulous mind of hers. The color and creativity!! Swooooooon!
• Lime Pom-Pom Mini Basket // Because you should always stash your secrets in a canister adorned in pom-poms.
• Seersucker Halter One-Piece Swimsuit // Looking back, I can now see that hormones paired with a pregnant drama queen are a lethal combination because I definitely threw away all of my old swimsuits. Can you say NUT JOB?? Ugh, this wouldn't be an issue if Max wasn't such a hoot in the pool. After this weekend, I suddenly have the urge to take a dip with m' babe. I guess it looks like I'm in the market for a new suit. Sounds like a blast. NOT!
• Striped Board Shorts // While we're at it, I might as well add a pair of snazzy board shorts to my virtual shopping bag.
• Pajaro Flor Framed Art // Okay Furbish, who is this mysterious Spanish artist you speak of? I must know more.
• Sailor Stripe Espadrilles // A shocking shade of pink paired with stripes? The perfect summer shoe couldn't be any cuter.
• Sippin' On Milk + Juice Tee // Story of Maxwell's life... Laid back (with m' mind on m' money and m' money on m' mind).
• Your Baby's First Word Will Be DaDa // When this book arrived, Flyboy and I wondered how much Jimmy Fallon made off it. Don't get us wrong, it's flipping adorable. Truly. We just wish we could have cashed in on something this simple.
• Toofeze Baby Teether // Three teeth in two weeks with a possible fourth on the way. Oh. Em. Gee. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime and a handful of stellar recommendations. This comes in as a close second to Max's favorite teether.
• Smoked Tea Vanilla Cocktail Syrup // If it tastes half as good as it looks, then I'm in some serious T-R-O-U-B-L-E. 

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

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

THINKING ABOUT: While we visited Austin this past week, we stayed at Hotel Ella — a historic mansion turned boutique hotel in the heart of the city. I'm still not entirely sure how we lucked into getting such a great deal on our room, but Flyboy and I definitely felt out of place when we arrived. Valet the VeeDub? Really? Most of the guests were either rich, hipsters, or both. Clearly we don't fit into any of those categories. Grrrrrrreat! When we finally realized we were one of the few (only??) guests with a child, we kind of freaked out and said a gazillion prayers our babe would be on his best behavior. Thankfully, the part-time angel came out to play and we didn't get kicked out. Phew! Plush amenities and elegant ambiance aside, we just really wanted to stay somewhere with a pool so Max could take his first official dip. Then, on Monday night, we waited patiently for all the hipsters to depart for dinner and we rushed downstairs to have the pool to ourselves. Flyboy and I weren't sure what to expect, but it was clear Max was smitten. He kicked with gusto and remained focused the entire time, occasionally taking a break to smile and slap his hands with excitement. I hadn't considered getting a pool pass this summer, but after seeing how happy he was in the water, I should probably rethink that. 

FEELING: Well this is easy! The Fines are refreshed and recharged. Could we rewind to last Sunday and start over again? From the top.

THANKFUL FOR: The jaunt to Austin couldn't have come at a better time. Flyboy and I were eager to deviate from our norm and spend some quality time together. Traveling as a trio is still kind of a novelty to us, so it's important we make it a point to step outside our comfort zone every once in awhile. Most of the time we're traveling to visit family members in the Midwest or East Coast, which is a blast; however, I think we decided it's necessary to plan more of these short little adventures to keep our sanity in Swell Rio. Hooray!

EATING: Any time we get out of Dodge, the itinerary consists mostly of eating and more eating. Our twenty-pound whippersnapper must have caught on to this because every time we sat down to eat on our trip, a Maxwell meltdown was imminent. WTF!?! The first night we opted for Shake Shack. While it's not exactly an Austin original, neither of us had been to this magical burger joint and since we were in the area it only made sense. After taking turns to devour our meals, which was every bit heavenly as we imagined, we strolled out of the restaurant and chalked his behavior up to a long day. He was probably just really tired, right?? The next day we planned to treat ourselves to a late lunch/early dinner at one of our favorite spots, Perla's. We figured 3 pm would be just the right time to avoid any potential fussiness—chances are, he'd be snoozing. Wrong! We ordered our cocktails and an appetizer. While the babe wasn't quite asleep, he seemed fairly content. Then the calamari arrived and you could tell Max was slightly agitated and very awake. I got out my handy bag of tricks and alternated between his teether, bottle, and board book while attempting to simultaneously enjoy the lobster roll before me. Far from ideal, this juggling act seemed totally manageable, but that was probably just the gin talking. It seems parched parents deserve a nice buzz every now and then. 

LISTENING TO: We returned home on Tuesday evening to find a copy of Jimmy Fallon's book, Your Baby's First Word Will Be DADA waiting for Max on our doorstep. I can only assume my mom is responsible for this one. You see, when we visited my parents back in April, Max uttered "da" for the very first time. When you put "da-da" together, you essentially get the word dad. Ladies and gentlemen, Max said dad. Upon hearing the syllables strung together for the first time, my parents cheered and Flyboy beamed with pride. Can you really blame them? This was a big flipping deal! While I should have sounded my celebratory kazoo and cued the confetti cannons, I practically curled up in a fetal position and cried. Yes, I knew it was coming. I read about it in all the parenting books and learned about it in my college psychology class—but that didn't mean it didn't sting. A lot. Couldn't Max be one of those babies who defies nature and jump straight to mom instead?? Sigh. Two months later and I'd like to believe I'm over it, but you know deep down I'm still kinda (really) bitter. In the last week, I noticed Max has moved on from  "da" and he's all about that "ba." I can't help but wonder when he'll ever get to "ma." Much to my dismay, his ornery disposition tells me it's going to be awhile...

WATCHING: I guess I didn't realize I missed out on an entire season (or more) of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. How did I let this happen? Actually, I haven't watched an episode since SJP and Jerry ate donuts in the back of Parker's station wagon, which was totally precious BTW. It looks like it's time I catch up. First up, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kevin Hart. Obvi.

READING: Kristen Howerton's article, Surviving as an Introverted Mother, resonated with me in so many ways. She perfectly described a few of the thoughts and feelings I've experienced these past eight months and some of the general worries I have about surviving motherhood. I love Max deeply, but there have been numerous occasions where I felt really bad about my desire to be alone. I definitely questioned if I was lacking some sort of motherly instinct. I'm well aware of my introverted ways, but I NEVER realized how it might affect my role as a mom. I guess I always assumed the way I'm wired related mostly to friendships and interacting with others. This ah-ha moment makes me think it's time to explore my introversion and read Susan Cain's book, Quiet.       

LOVING: While browsing Anthropologie last Sunday, this Swirled Snail Skirt stopped me dead in my tracks. Simply put, it's perfection! I immediately grabbed my size to hit the dressing room, but ended up putting it back because I was afraid to keep Flyboy and Max waiting any longer. Aw, how considerate. Translation: I also knew that if I tried it on, I'd love it, and there was NO way I'd leave the city without it. Do I REALLY need another skirt? Days later I'm still thinking about it and feel foolish for leaving it behind. Yep, need it.

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

P.S. I'll share some of my favorite moments from our trip in next week's Life's Little Details post. Stay tuned.

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Monday, y'all! While we're keeping it weird in Austin, I thought I'd pop in for a hot second and share a few of my favorite moments from this past week. Topping the list would have to be Max petting Tripp for the first time (be still my heart) and getting to visit Flyboy on the job. I'll be back on Thursday with another riveting round of your favorite ramblings. Try not to get too excited.

Until then, cheers to the fabulous week ahead! You've totally got this.