Just in case you needed a reason to TREAT YO SELF...
Have a Happy Halloween! Who wants to make a bet that Max refuses to wear his costume?!
Monday, October 31, 2016
Friday, October 28, 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.
- Halloween Boo! Balloon Kit // The most festive five dollars you can spend to get in the Halloween spirit. Thanks, Target!
- Put the BOO in Booze // Whip up one of these fine options! How about a Salty Melon Slush or The Bourbon Ginger?
- Stefany D' Orsay Flat // Nine West, you had me at oversized bow! Flats like these are an instant classic. Swoooooooon!
- Illustrations by Kate Pugsley // I'm still obsessing over Kate's drawings, namely this pattern and this abstract.
- Glittery Paper Masks // The weekend leading up to Halloween wouldn't be complete without cat or bat shaped masks.
- Mani Kit // Pinch Provisions nailed it with this mani kit. Packed with five essentials, your nails will stay in tip-top shape.
- Velvet Lip Glide in Mineshaft // It glides like a gloss and coats like a lipstick. Anyone tried the latest formula by NARS?
- Succulent Earrings // These spiky standouts aren't like anything in my arsenal of accessories. Oh, it must be LOVE!
- French Rib Tie-Waist Tank // This simple staple just went to the top of my wardrobe wish-list. It's absolute perfection!
- Excursion Quilted Vest // I want to live somewhere you can wear a layer like this all year long. Is that too much to ask?
- Ribbed Cashmere Hat // I can't imagine we'll need anything like this in Swell Rio anytime soon, but that hue is superb.
- Smiley Cushion // Felt eyes and a pom-pom nose. Could a throw pillow get any cuter? I didn't think so either.
- Rie Crew // Got a thing for polka dots? Maybe it's time you go big or go home and make a statement with this pair.
- Apple Crumb Bars // My goodness these squares of deliciousness look divine. Who wants to make them with me?!
Happy Friday, m' dears! Make this weekend count.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS
 |
| YES/NO MORPH I BY TAUBA AUERBACH |
THINKING ABOUT: I've got a deadline next Tuesday that's taunting me. I've put a lot of time and thought into the product, but I wouldn't call it finished just yet. Gulp! I've learned there's always a point in the creative process when being "undone" can actually be pretty exhilarating. You've got to be patient and wait for that spark. Over time, I've become more comfortable with this phase but it doesn't come natural to me. I suppose it feels a bit risky for my Type-A personality, and I kind of like it.
THANKFUL FOR: I always knew there would be a Halloween in which Max would don his very own "Where The Wild Things Are" costume. Duh! That's kind of the whole point in choosing that name. While discussing when this "Maxwell Must" should occur, my mom and I agreed that THIS would probably be the best year. He's old enough to walk, wily as hell, and he's still young enough that we can make his costume decisions for him. Ha! Lucky for us, my grandma is an incredibly talented seamstress, so my mom enlisted her to help create Max's costume when she visited Iowa over the Summer. The two of them picked out materials and discussed the concept, but up until yesterday I had no idea what it actually looked like. Squee! Imagine my surprise when the mailman dropped by, I tore open the package, and laid eyes on the future heirloom. Happy tears immediately began squirting from my eyes. You guys, it's absolute perfection! The costume itself is fabulous, but the idea that my grandma made it takes the cake!
WATCHING: My world came to a screeching halt on Tuesday when I learned the official trailer for Gilmore Girls was released. Unabashedly, I put all mom duties on hold for 2 minutes and 26 seconds so I could get lost in Stars Hollow once more. Entranced in a beautiful world of snarky banter I almost forgot my kid was in the same room chucking Legos until Max snuck up next to me, pointed at Rory, and shouted "That's MAMA!" Shut. The. Front. Door. With 42 seconds left of the trailer to spare, I had no choice but to push pause and smother that kid with a gazillion wet kisses. How did he know that would be the best compliment EVER? I know I've outed him on the blog many times, but I'm going to chalk this coincidence up as a BIG win. From here on out, every time someone asks where Max got his blonde hair, I'm no longer going to question the decision I made 11 years ago to dye my hair dark brown so I could be just like Rory Gilmore. Clearly my child thinks we're the same and that's all that matters. WINNING!
EATING: One of my sister's classmates brought these Peanut Butter Vegan Black Bean Brownies to class on Tuesday and it was enough for Aubrey to email the recipe to my mom and me. Big deal alert! I've received maybe two emails from my sister over the past five years, so I knew she meant business when I found a message from her in my inbox. Ha Ha! You can bet I'll be whipping up a batch of these this weekend. She said they were quite possibly some of the best brownies she's ever tried. Mind. Blown.
LISTENING TO: Earlier this week we scrapped our meal plan on Tuesday night and opted for Panda Express instead. I can't remember the last time we ate out on a weeknight, but this felt pretty wild and crazy for our family. The chain restaurant is new to Swell Rio (it opened last Saturday), and we were eager to get our hands on some Chinese food. While I finished working on a project, the boys headed into town to retrieve our dinner. Upon their return, Flyboy explained that while they waited in line, he devised a strategy he thought might render extra generous helpings of orange chicken for the three of us. Unfortunately, his plan to have Max put on a show and say thank you to each server in the sweetest and loudest manner didn't pan out, but it was worth a shot. Hearing my husband explain his takeout and toddler tactics was entertaining enough. Better luck next time, boys!
READING: The following excerpt is from a speech Bill Murray gave this past weekend when the beloved comedian accepted the 19th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center. I hope you love his words as much as I do...
"There's this little trampoline that's inside of you that bounces. It's something that makes you care. It makes you care about other people. It makes you care about yourself. It comes to you, it lands in you, and then you bounce it back out to other people. It's always coming to you, and you can just keep bouncing it out. Look at each other. Look at who we are. Look at how we are all together here right now. Alive. That's pretty good, right?"
LOVING: Because of next Tuesday's deadline, I keep searching for snippets of inspiration around each and every corner. I was ecstatic to find a glimmer of genius and originality in the work of artist Tauba Auerbach. If you need a quick visual escape, be sure to take a moment and check out more of Tauba's work here. The gouache piece featured in today's post might be my very favorite.
Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
WHAT I'M WEARING WEDNESDAY
HERE ARE MY PARK ESSENTIALS:
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS
"THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES
Happy Tuesday, m' dears! We celebrated my 31st birthday and Tripp's 13th birthday last Saturday. The celebration started off with a bang when Flyboy presented me with a candlelit donut that morning. Somebody knows my love language is SUGAR (and snazzy flats)!!! Be still my heart. Then, hours later, the two of us realized we must be getting REEEEEEALLY old and super lame because we both popped a handful of Tums in a desperate attempt to get rid of our terrible belly aches. Womp womp! When you live in Swell Rio, you rely heavily on tasty treats to make birthdays and holidays feel kind of special. Unfortunately for us, neither gin-spiked drinks nor delectables sounded appealing on Saturday, so we took to the outdoors and enjoyed the fabulous "fall" Texas weather instead. It was divine! As we watched Max chase Tripp and Beesly around the yard, Flyboy and I couldn't help but reminisce about the fact that we began dating exactly 11 years ago on my birthday. Opening presents, receiving mail, and answering cheerful phone calls on October 22nd certainly makes me feel special, but nothing beats the company of my best friend and husband, sweet pups, and little boy. If you asked me if I thought life with Flyboy would look like this 11 years ago, I probably would have rolled my eyes or smirked. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but I'll gladly sign up for 11 more. Maybe even 31, if that's not too much to ask?
Alright, enough about me. How are YOU?! I'm dying to know.
P.S. For those interested, here's some information about the featured details...
Embroidered Pointed-Toe Flats // Eric Carle Animal Flashcards // Mr. Boddington Custom Silhouette // Cuba Libre Nail Polish
Friday, October 21, 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.
- Small Belles Rive Tray // The sunny hue and scalloped edges would make any person excited about organization.
- Library Card Socks // Current socks past due? Purchase a pair and Out of Print sends a book to a community in need.
- Ghost Napkins // As Max gets older, holidays just keep getting better. He's starting to get psyched for Halloween.
- Green Snack Champ Bag // I'm obsessed with WAAM Industries' bags, and I adore their latest collab with Gunner & Lux.
- Pablo Pillow // If Picasso was still around to design textiles, the product would look something like this. Right??
- Lime Green Bubble Earrings // Playful earrings with a 60s vibe in the most delicious shade of green I've ever seen.
- Velvet Blazer // As if this pretty number could get any more delightful, it's lined in stripes and contrast piping. Swoon!
- Chanel Longwear Nail Colour // Is this cult favorite worth the hype and price tag? Gitane and Espadrilles look lovely.
- Swatches // I stumbled upon this and fell instantly for the cobalt fabric. The electric hue pairs well with every color.
- Metro Card Wallet // A sleek way for the minimalist to store cards and bills. How yummy is that Carnelian leather?!
- Barbara Biel Gold-Leaf Heart // I snagged one of these hearts by artist Barbara Biel when we visited San Antonio last.
- Embroidered Pointed-Toe Flats // Vibrant accessories are my thing. Would it surprise you if I went with these?!
- No Rules Art Print // This seems like a perfect addition to Max's gallery wall, except there are rules but kindness is king.
Happy Friday, m' dears! Make this weekend count.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS
 |
| ILLUSTRATION BY DAHLIA PRESS FOR GREER CHICAGO |
THINKING ABOUT: A few weeks ago, I picked up a paper-mache Brontosaurus at Target. I thought it would be the perfect figurine for Max to paint the next time the two of us were feeling crafty. Yesterday morning was overcast and muggy, so after we got home from our walk, I got out the paints and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal my big surprise to Max. Just as I hoped, he ate it up and we were having the BEST time until Tripp heard thunder in the distance and began pacing near the kitchen table. Unfortunately, Mr. Bossy Pants took a cue from his mother's playbook and ordered our anxious pup to sit down. Just as Max finished barking commands to the dog, I watched my overbearing offspring accidentally knock his dino drenched in paint on to the floor and it landed perfectly in Tripp's freshly bathed fur. Prep and clean-up DEFINITELY lasted longer than the painting. Yikes!
THANKFUL FOR: I needed to accomplish a lot of random to-dos this month, and with the help of my visiting in-laws I was able to get my hair and nails done in addition to renewing both my military ID and driver's license. Tantrums and fruit snacks aside, I usually enjoy bringing Max along for most errands, but I think we can all agree it's best if we don't mix toddlers and the DMV. Ever. Now I just need to knock out my trip to the dentist along with a freelance deadline, and I will totally own the month of October.
WATCHING: Last week Max's dramatic side took an interesting turn when I watched him slowly and intentionally "fall" to the ground, look up to see if I was watching, request that I ask if he's "Oh-tay?", and then extend his arm for some help up. Once these steps occur, he likes to dust himself off and respond with a nonchalant "Yeah." This series of events carried on about a dozen times before I realized we were going to be REALLY late to his two-year wellness exam. With the help of some trash to distract my little guy, we went on our merry way. Unfortunately, this routine has made several encore performances since it first began last Thursday. Because I can only tolerate so many repetitions of Max's latest favorite game, I noticed that he's started throwing his dinosaur and has swapped roles as the concerned witness to another fake fall. Apparently I'm raising the boy who cried wolf...
FEELING: I recently tried Woolite's INSTAclean Stain Remover to tackle a few stains Tripp has created over time on our living room rug. I was blown away by how well it worked to restore discolored spots on the cream wool rug. I almost gave up on a few of the stains, but this did the trick almost instantly. You know how much I love another cleaning success story.
FEELING: I recently tried Woolite's INSTAclean Stain Remover to tackle a few stains Tripp has created over time on our living room rug. I was blown away by how well it worked to restore discolored spots on the cream wool rug. I almost gave up on a few of the stains, but this did the trick almost instantly. You know how much I love another cleaning success story.
EATING: Usually I like to share recipes I've tried in this category, but I can already tell this Black Bean Pumpkin Turkey Chili via Ambitious Kitchen is going to be a winner. Why wait to share, right?? I can't remember the last time I experimented with a chili recipe that wasn't this one from Dinner: A Love Story, so I suppose that will be the ultimate test when I whip this up next week.
LISTENING TO: Max is obsessed with ALL the animals. Lately he's taken a real interest in sheep and goats; however, he continues to confuse the two mammals and has opted to combine their names into one hybrid species he lovingly refers to as "Sheet." For the record, yes, it sounds a lot like shit and he likes to shout it loudly with lots of gusto for all to hear. Because of course...
READING: After returning from Houston, I checked the mail and found the sweetest surprise waiting for me in a bubble mailer. I thought it was another birthday gift for Max until I opened the envelope and found the kindest note along with a bright yellow book from a blog reader named Erin (you might remember her from the Beautycounter giveaway). After she heard I was having a particularly rough day via Instagram, she thought I might benefit from one of her favorite books, Jen Sincero's bestseller You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. How sweet was that? The only thing Erin requested is that once I'm done reading the book, I pass it on to someone else that could benefit from it. Challenge accepted.
LOVING: It's really no surprise I fell hard (again!) for J.Crew's latest batch of new arrivals. I'm not going to ramble about EVERY little item that made me squee and grin (unless you want to go there in the comments section), but I would like to get your opinion on these Embroidered Pointed-Toe Flats. I ordered them in both colors because I couldn't make a decision and wanted to see them in person first. I plan on sending one pair back, but I'm interested in hearing whether you would opt for the Tangelo or Aqua Mist??
Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS
"THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES
Happy Wednesday, m' dears! It's usually a good thing when so much living gets in the way of blogging, but things have been crazy busy since my last post and I'm more eager than ever to return to a slower pace. Aside from a few pamperiffic appointments, pumpkin patches, and ID renewals, my in-laws visited Swell Rio for a few days, there was a family health scare, and my childhood dog, Schatz, passed away over the weekend. Needless to say, over a span of five days, there have been some joyful highs and somber lows. The tailspin of emotions that we've experienced lately has left me scratching my head and wondering what I should do next. Naturally, hopping over to the blog to touch base with you lovely people is always a nice place to start.
Here's hoping your week is wonderful! Tell me, what have you been up to lately? I'm dying to know.
Friday, October 14, 2016
HOUSTON RECAP: PART TWO
With visitors in town, I don't have a lot of time to ramble (you got lucky this week—you're welcome!).
Here are some of my favorite places we went, things we did, and delectables we devoured while in Houston...
Sights:
Shopping:
(We had a napping toddler and wanted an air-conditioned place to keep him moving in the stroller.)
Dining:
Happy Friday, m' dears! Make this weekend count.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)