LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Monday, m' dears! It's been far too long since I signed off last—my sincerest apologies! As I mentioned awhile back, my family visited Texas for Thanksgiving (our first together in THIRTEEN years) and they left last week. Sigh. A few days later, Flyboy headed to Missouri for a hunting trip with his dad and best friends. Needless to say, Max and I have been trying our best to get back at the Swell Rio grind since everyone departed. Thankfully, boxwood wreaths, online shopping, and pretty ribbon are sure ways to get out of a funk and gear up for Christmas. Although our time together went by too quickly, I couldn't be more grateful and eager to make more memories and SOON. Now excuse me while I try not to ugly cry anymore—because let's be honest, it's happened a lot this past week. Gulp. I'm off to whip up the much-anticipated gift guides. Stay tuned. It's about to get snazzy up in here. Hopefully it makes up for my blogging holiday hiatus.

Enough about me. How the heck are you? Did you have a fabulous Thanksgiving? I'm dying to know.

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Meri Meri Holiday // My go-to company for keeping celebrations cute and cheerful. Their Christmas stuff is divine!
• Classic Stripe Napkins // I was a senior in high school the last time I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. CRAZY!?! Now I'm married with a child and I get to take on the role of hostess. Yikes! I'll need linens and these napkin rings.
• She Was Beautiful Greeting Card // You guys, it's my mom's birthday today and this quote sums her up perfectly.
• Pom-Pom Loop // I need to get started on Christmas shopping. This is a front runner for snazzy family and friends.
• Roasted Turkey Hat // Squee! My mom sent a box full of party hats for everyone to wear on Thanksgiving Day.
• Five Recipes To Try This Thanksgiving // A handful of recipes to whip up next week. I've got my eye on the slab.
• Leisure Queen Sweatshirt // You know all of the women in the family will be relaxing in style with the Real Housewives.
• Kate Spade Holiday Lookbook // I'm studying the lookbook like I'm cramming for an exam. Must be ready for sales!
• Corgi Colorblock Socks // Who am I, Gwyneth Paltrow? Cashmere socks might seem frivolous, but these are pretty fab!
• Flannel Bedtime Gingham Shorts // We'll be lounging in Southwest Texas, so we must be rational about our jammies.
• Cactus Emoji Pin // A little flair ought to be a nice memento for my family as they celebrate Turkey Day in TX. 
• Drinky Low Ball // There will be no shortage of spirits when it comes to celebrating in Swell Rio. Gimme ALL the gin.
• Gather Appetizer Plate // Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to decorate with my favorite color—ORANGE. Yaaaaaas!
• Large Storage Basket // With my parents arriving tomorrow, I've been in full organization mode. This basket is a steal.
• Lemon Suede Superga Sneakers // I had no clue suede sneakers even existed until I was browsing Sole Society.

Happy Friday, m' dears! Make this weekend count.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA GREER CHICAGO

THINKING ABOUT: Last week, in a group text with my mom and sister, I got the honor of explaining what the acronym "AF" means to my mother when I said Max was being "moody AF" that day. Gulp! Now, my mom is pretty hip, so there was no need to panic like some of you might think, but I was at a loss when she asked WHY people say it. I mean, I don't know! I honestly assumed my mom knew what I meant when I sent the text based off her experience with social media. When you scroll through Instagram, you see it left and right. No, my monogram isn't being sprinkled on t-shirts and captions like I might wish. And NO, it definitely doesn't stand for Air Force, as my mom rightfully assumed. Ha Ha! After our silly exchange of slang enlightenment, my mother decided she still doesn't get why someone would don something that says "Married AF," but she will forever agree that Max is moody AF.   

THANKFUL FOR: Kudos to creative types like Jordan Ferney who constantly delivers incredible content and ideas to her readers via her blog/brand/shop Oh Happy Day. This particular DIY is an oldie but goodie that I stumbled upon on Pinterest recently. I completely forgot about it as it was originally published three years ago, but I ended up having supplies on hand to whip up a batch of these keepsakes yesterday morning. I think they're going to be a fantastic addition to our Thanksgiving celebration.

WATCHING: When you have a little boy you end up watching some really odd shows. Okay, I'm being nice. They're just plain weird! And boring. Since few subjects keep Max's interest like transportation (and trash), I decided to stream Mighty Machines on the iPad one morning so I could finish getting ready. Little did I know, I was making a HUGE mistake because the kid LOVES this snooze of a series and now I can't stop singing the theme song. Essentially, it's just a show with really grainy footage of machinery (we're talking film from the late 80s) and a narrator who makes random comments in various kid-friendly voices every 45 seconds. Yikes!

EATING: For all of my fellow salmon eaters who might be looking for ways to shake it up, here are two recipes I tried and loved...

Cajun Salmon with Salted Lime Butter via How Sweet Eats

Sheet Pan Roasted Chili-Orange Salmon with Garlic Green Veggies via Camille Styles

LISTENING TO: Max's fascination with trash is nothing new, but that doesn't mean Flyboy and I aren't going a teensy bit crazy by our kid's smelly obsession. Because our tot's vocabulary is still growing, he often explains his excitement by blurting out the words "trash" and "away" (mostly just "way") whenever he spots a dumpster, garbage truck, rubbish, etc. After a week of encouraging him to use other words to discuss the trash, the word garbage finally stuck. Unfortunately, Max likes to drop the "gar" portion of garbage and he just says "bage". As some of you may have noticed, it sounds a lot like the B word. Paired with his punctuated delivery, I feel like I'm living in this 2002 Ludicras single. Conversations with Max sound a lot like, "move 'BAGE, get out the WAY..."

READING: Earlier this week Elizabeth Logan wrote a piece for Glamour entitled, I Still Love My American Girl Dolls. It's Fine., and it truly felt as though someone hopped into my brain and stole my innermost thoughts. How did she know that whenever I visit my parents, I also sneak in a quick heart-to-heart with m' girl, Molly, when no one is watching (obvi), because I just want to check in on her and not have my parents, sister, or husband worry about my adult sanity. What's so wrong about that?! Try not to judge, but Logan had me at HELLO with a few of the following quotes in her article— I may have got a bit misty-eyed at the end.

Last time I was home, I gave the Nellie doll a tiny kiss on the forehead. It just happened, like a reflex. I couldn't control it and I didn't mean to do it and I think it surprised both of us. 

An American Girl Doll, at least in the late '90s, when Samantha came into my life, was a status symbol, because you can't give a kindergartener a Birkin. The dolls were expensive and had to be ordered via catalog; you couldn't just walk into Toys R Us and pick one up last-minute. With the price tag came value. The clothes and accessories were high-quality. The faces were washable and durable. It wasn't out of the question to think that a Samantha or a Molly or an Addy might one day find her way into the hands of her original owner's daughter. They came with books and back stories. Any kid could get into Barbie or Polly Pocket; American Girl Dolls were for the intellectual. In a pre-Rory Gilmore, pre-Hermione Granger world, American Girl Dolls were the go-to for girls who liked history and reading.

I can personally vouch for the quality of the American Girl Magazine, as it taught me everything I know about locker decorating and planning the perfect sleepover. And yet...Samantha used to come in a school-appropriate checkered dress and now she comes in a pink party outfit. Almost everything is now pink or purple or mint green. Which is not only historically questionable, it's insulting. As if girls can't like anything that's not aggressively "girly". 

Maybe the rose-tinted version of history isn't something I'm willing to get rid of. Maybe I never will be, even as I acknowledge and learn its flaws. Maybe, actually, I need it, to keep me grounded in a version of myself and a vision of the future I can make good use of. Caring for others and saving the day and learning lessons and, hell, optimism, were values that got me through a lot of potentially confusing years. I have, among so many other things, Nellie and Samantha to thank. And so even though I know they aren't real, I feel like the least I can do is make sure they are dressed okay. Not that looks are so important. But I would hate for them to be uncomfortable. 

LOVING: After the shock of last week's election, Emily Henderson invited readers who voted for Trump to share why they voted for the candidate in a polite dialogue in the comments section of her blog (read this post). As someone who also felt confused and disheartened by the outcome of last Tuesday's election, I found her reader feedback to be somewhat helpful. Emily certainly didn't have to open up her blog to controversial issues that have nothing to do with safe and fun topics like fabric swatches and tchotchkes, but I appreciate her intent. She's always appeared to be a very genuine blogger and I think she used her post as an opportunity to learn from those she might disagree with. As a result, readers like myself also benefited from the discussion. 

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

LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

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

Happy Wednesday, m' dears! These photos might not necessarily convey what it is that I've been feeling lately, but they're my honest attempt at finding cheer amongst the chaos. I have to; it's a matter of survival in Swell Rio these days. You see, I've been operating on a short fuse and I'm not proud of it. The busiest time of the year has only begun and it appears that I'm already coming undone. How?! Send help AND gin! Stat. To top things off, just when I think Max couldn't get any more unruly, I'm blown away by the new tricks he's got up his sleeve. Sweet readers, I'm tired of sounding like a broken record. I want to write about something NEW. But sometimes it feels as though I've been putting out fires with this child nonstop for the past two years and it's emotionally draining. Can a mother get a break?? I knew it was bad on Monday evening when we got home from one of Flyboy's work functions and our wily tot chucked his water bottle at a bookshelf. Internet, my inner Hulk was unleashed. In that moment Flyboy learned that I put the Ash in smash and it wasn't pretty. I was embarrassed and erupted in tears, but I was at my wit's end. Moments later my dear husband suggested we take Max to daycare sometime this week to give me a break. I typically have NO issues doing this as we've done it countless times, but something about FB's proposition made me feel really ashamed of myself.

No, these images don't document me chasing my toddler (who refused to wear both his slicker and wellies, which he typically LOVES) down the street in a downpour as I did last week—but if you look really close in the second photo there IS a gross booger on his cheek (#authentic). And they certainly don't say a thing about that moment last Thursday when my son watched me throw the truck he hit me with in the park trash can (#consequences). Sorry, I'm not sorry. I guess Chuck the truck is gone for good. Gulp!

There's nothing I want more than to genuinely enjoy motherhood, but lately Max has been giving me a run for my money. I'm burnt out, and I hate that feeling. Thankfully, my family's arrival is just days away and I keep clinging to that notion. If I keep my head down, don my snazziest flats, and stock up on ALL the toilet paper, Saturday will be here before I know it. Time together will be the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button, which I think it's clear after today's post somebody, ahem, could really use...

If the blog has felt a little stale lately, my sincerest apologies. 

Motherhood is exhausting and has been known to zap creativity from time to time. Ha!

FEATURED DETAILS: STRIPED TEE // DENIM // PLANNER // PEN // FANTASTIC TEE // RIBBON // PAJAMA SHIRT

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Leather Pom-Pom Ballerina Flats // Aren't these incredible?! The mustard color and pom addition scream FALL FLAIR!
• Penelope Dullaghan's Illustrations // This week I've found so much joy in browsing Penelope's online portfolio. The Red Leaves and Boots piece might be my favorite as it celebrates Autumn in style and makes me wish I could jump in a ginormous pile of leaves. After poring over Dullaghan's artwork for days, I was delighted to see she was featured on A Cup of Jo in a Gif from this post, which was intended to celebrate unity, especially after Tuesday's dramatic election.
• Triangle Coin Purse // I'm starting to get antsy about Christmas gift ideas for family and friends. Let the scouting begin.
• Pintucked Lace Pencil Skirt // I scored this gem on promo earlier this week (HELLO 30% off!), and I'm eager to try it on.
• Amy Bernstein's Artwork // You guys, get ready to swoon when you lay eyes on this Portland-based artist's paintings. 
• Ice Skate Keychain // Attach this to your bag for a touch of seasonal whimsy and say buh-bye to stoopside scrambling.
• Midtown Beanie // I'd maybe get to don this playful piece once in Swell Rio, but that's a color combo hard to deny.
• Striped Scarf with Pom-Poms // This accessory is too good to be true. Stripes AND pom-poms?!? Bless you, J.Crew.
• Studio Oval Leather Minaudiere // Is it too early to embrace winter whites with this cute carryall? I'm obsessed!
• Fireplace Matches // With all the rainy weather we've had this week, I'd give anything to snuggle up fireside.
• Fairy Door // I really want to get one of these for our house. Max's imagination grows daily; this would be a riot!
• Standing Pen // Designed with function in mind, these pens remain upright when you're not using them. Genius!!

Happy Friday, m' dears! Make this weekend count.