LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Halliday Sunglasses // I see you Madewell. Trying to make me do things like buy another pair of sunglasses I don't need.
• Sundrenched Peony Nail Polish // When our bushes stop blooming, I'm going to have to douse myself with this stuff.
• Calf-Length Cotton Skirt // Gen Sohr of Pencil & Paper Co. fame finds the best pieces from H&M. Follow here.
• High-Block Heel // I got these from Target and wore them to my sister's graduation. They're cheap, versatile, and comfy.
• Rosa Flower Drop Earrings // Bauble Bar is giving J.Crew a run for their money when it comes to cute earrings right now.
• Original Autocorrect Eraser // This, along with a handful of other products, from Frankie & Claude made me giggle.
• The Six Colors We're Obsessing Over // Shut the front door! But seriously though, that's kind of like the paint we chose. 
• Mint Clock // Hay Design always gets it right. This simple timepiece is a stunner! I'd snag it in a minimalistic minute.
• Woven Cube // What's not to love about this bin ($8.99 at Target) that manages to hold ALL the toddler crap?
• Stay Humble // I keep seeing this quote on Instagram and it makes me think "Rut-roh!" and then I continue scrolling. "Your greatest contribution to the universe may not be something you do, but someone you raise." Insert poop emoji here. 
• The Letter "M" // Speaking of which, remember that crepe paper "M" I made for Max's room? I think it needs an update.
• Mint Truck // While we're on the topic of updates, I'm wondering if a Leslee Mitchell print above his bed would be cute??
• Lacoste Striped Polo // OMGosh! I think I could just eat Maxwell up in a sherbet inspired color combo like this. Yum!
• Sweatshirt // Pint-size perfection. I picked this up for the toddler at Paper Kite in Omaha, but I wish it came in my size. 
• Slogan Sneakers // Okay, now these are adorable. Would it be too much to ask for Zara to make them in a size 10??
• Gang // This list seems Max-centric. I hope I've listened to enough Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar for him to stay humble.
• Hot Pink Fancy Matches // I'm starting to think there should be a rule that all matches have hot pink tips. Too much?!
• Glossier Lash Slick // Is it worthy of the hype? I'll let you know in the coming weeks as I'm in the market for a new tube.
• Metal Comb // Every Easy Tiger Co. creation makes me chuckle. Look at their site and keep a straight face. I dare you.
• Dotted Off-The-Shoulder Top // Another fabulous find via Gen Sohr. Have you followed her yet? Do it now. Trust me.
• Straw Crossbody // The 40% off promo is still going on at J.Crew, but what about this bag being excluded? C'mon now!

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

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THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA

THINKING ABOUT: I never understood people who genuinely enjoyed hanging out in their bed, but after getting a Leesa mattress (not sponsored, I promise!) I think I know why. Because of the size of our bedroom, we upgraded to a king size bed a few months ago, and while I don't love how humongous it is (Flyboy, where are you?!), we're both obsessed with the comfort. Sometimes (alright, most nights), we'll head up to our room early so Max can sprawl out on the floor with his train set or Legos and we can just veg out.

FEELING: This past week has been plagued with more migraines. They've been manageable, but I'm just SO over feeling like crap. Luckily, I've got an appointment with a neurologist in mid-July (Boooo to waiting!), and I'm hoping we can find something to help because the medications I've tried over the years just don't seem to be as effective.

THANKFUL FOR: Tomorrow Flyboy and I will celebrate a whole decade of marriage. Cut. It. Out. No, but seriously, HOW have we been married for a whopping ten years?! It makes us feel really blessed, but also REEEEEEEAAAAALLLLLY old. I promise to spare you the mushy-gushy talk (We still need to discuss the Royal wedding, duh!), but I'm so excited we get to go out for a date on Saturday and celebrate sans Maxwell. SCORE! It will be a snazzy departure from our norm, which usually entails watching 'Jersey Shore: Family Reunion' together or mowing—although FB is proof that if you find the right one, stuff like that can be really fun too! 

LISTENING TO: As soon as we bought this house, I knew I needed to plant a bevy of Peony bushes, so I stalked the local nurseries like a hawk and came home with four plants of my own. Squeeeee! Tending to them and talking to them has been the gift that keeps on giving. They're my bloomin' besties and I'm not kidding when I say that checking on them is THE highlight of my day. Max has grown accustomed to this morning chore. He typically hops on his riding digger and follows me to the back garden. While he plows around the yard, I get some quality time with m' buds. This little routine has been going on for a few weeks now, so imagine my excitement when I discovered the flowers were starting to open last week. Huzzah! Our resident threenager drove by on his wheels and commented earnestly, "Those are some big 'panties' on that bush of yours!" He hit the gas pedal almost immediately and drove off while I was left laughing hysterically in the dust. Internet, the amount of tears shed as I cackled was unreal. When I finally regained my composure, Max drove by the garden box again and asked "Why ya laughing, cutie pie?" Hahahahaha! When I bought the plants, I thought fresh Peonies each May would be the real prize. I never imagined the purchase would result in a lifetime of bush jokes and Max referencing my bloomers on the regular. Something tells me he's not going to find this story very funny twenty years from now.

WATCHING: You guys! Can we discuss THE royal wedding and that Markle sparkle?! I was up early with the rest of the world on Saturday to watch the historic festivities. I just wasn't prepared to LOVE it as much as I did, and now that it's passed I'm feeling hungover from such a happy distraction. What did you think? For me, the feeling of true love filled the church and oozed out from my TV. It was intoxicating! Although Harry was an unexpected nervous ninny, it made him even more adorable in my book. And how in the world did Meghan maintain such a sophisticated chill vibe throughout the ceremony? I only wish her dress was just a bit more fitted in the bodice and sleeves—as it looked kind of loose—but that was my tiniest qualm about the wedding. That being said, the duchess killed it later on at the reception. Yowzah! Pair the Jag with Harry in that tux and it was like the Bond moment of my dreams. Sigh. Suddenly the royals have this refreshing and modern air about them, and I can't help but think that Diana is smiling from above.

EATING: Max and I went to Fifer Orchards yesterday to pick strawberries and now I'm scouring the web in search of recipes. With a little crust help from Flyboy, I definitely plan on baking a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for Memorial Day weekend; however, that recipe won't make a dent in the buckets of berries we brought home. Do you have any recipes you love or ways in which we can use them?!

READING: This isn't the place where you come to get political, but here's a gut-wrenching article with stats that are hard to stomach.

LOVING: J.Crew just unveiled a boat load of super cute summer necessities and they're offering a 40% discount through May 28th. Shut. Up. This feels like a formal invite addressed from 770 to see what's new and stat. I plan on making a visit with my mom this weekend to see what the hubbub is about. I've got my eye on this skirt, these jeans, and this striped set of sandals.

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

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THE QUIRK GALLERY

This year has been great for a bunch of reasons; however, one of my favorite moments from the 2018 highlight reel would have to be the day my mom and I visited the Quirk Hotel and Gallery in Richmond, VA. You guys, it was like millennial pink magic! I'm still not fully over it, and it's been four months since we ventured south to check it out. It makes me beam just thinking about it. Gah!

I'd heard about this hipster destination hotel awhile back and kept it on my radar, but I knew I HAD to get there ASAP when I found out Elizabeth Graeber's work was on exhibition for a few weeks in February. If you've been hanging around this corner of the blogosphere for a hot second, then you know I'm a HUUUUUUUUUGE fan of Graeber's work. It's probably borderline creeper level at this point. Anywho, if I could have any artist live inside my head and illustrate what goes on up there, it would have to be her. Yep, that definitely upped the stalker status. Ha! Oh, well. There's just something about her pieces that remind me of my childhood favorite Quentin Blake (Roald Dahl FOREVER!), but with a more colorful, modern, and whimsical twist. Sounds dreamy, right?!

Naturally, my mom agreed that seeing her work in person was a MUST, so we left Max with my dad on a Sunday afternoon (Muchos gracias, PaPa!) and made the 1.5 hour drive to Richmond in some of the worst rain imaginable. Yikes! There were moments when I told my mom that we could just turn around and head back to the Beltway, but she persisted, and by the time we parked the car, the weather let up. Phew! It wasn't long after that when we both discovered every adorable detail throughout the hotel, along with Elizabeth's colorful sketches and paintings, would be the sunshine we craved on that dismal day filled with downpours.

Sweet readers, the number of squees that filled the small gallery and hotel lobby during our hour-long visit could be considered embarrassing by some, but as far as we were concerned, we had the place to ourself. I'm certain we made at least a dozen laps around the exhibit and gift shop—half of which I spent convincing my mom (in a low-key way, obvi) that she needed the clementine painting in her life and STAT. Much to my delight, the shop girl managed to seal the deal with a subtle nudge of encouragement, and a Graeber original now hangs in mom's kitchen. Yaaaassss! It's like we get to re-live this sweet little memory forever. 

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LIFE'S LITTLE DETAILS

"THE DETAILS AREN'T THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES

Happy Tuesday, m' dears! OMGoodness, so much has transpired. Where do I even begin?!?

• When I left you ten days ago, we'd arrived in Omaha to see my sister graduate from Creighton. Words can't describe the pride I felt watching her walk the stage, get hooded, and officially become a doctor of occupational therapy. Squee! She's worked her tail off these past three years and it was so gratifying to see her achieve this big life goal and do so with such grace and gusto. Better yet, friends and family showed up to celebrate her success, which meant eating and drinking more than is probably recommended in a 72-hour period, but this crew is a bunch of whoop-it-up winners.
• Speaking of licking m' fingers and libations, you'll find THE best crab rangoon ever at Three Happiness Express. If you're ever in the area, you should really make it a point to stop. I was elated to have Flyboy indulge in the Chinese food here because he's heard me drone on about it for the past 2.5 years and I'm left feeling very vindicated. Boom! Also, I learned I'm making a tequila comeback thanks to George Clooney's Casamigos and Logboat Brewing Company's co-founder and marketing guru, Mr. Judson Ball. These debonair dudes delivered the most delicious drinks over Aub's graduation weekend, and I think we can all agree that mixing Fireball and Tonic is NEVER a good thing. Sorry, Grandpa Larry! Yikes!  
• A trip to Silicon Prairie isn't complete unless you visit what my mom and godson deem "The WORLD'S Best Zoo!" And here's the thing, they're right! The Henry Doorly Zoo is amaze balls!! A group of us went on Mother's Day and we had a blast feeding stingrays and visiting the various exhibits. Despite Max being painfully shy with the family, he was on cloud nine the entire day, and one week later won't stop talking about how kind Uncle Mike was to get him a fish to feed the stingrays. Sorry Aub, I guess wearing a bow-tie and watching you graduate are second fiddle to sea life! Ha Ha!
• Over a four-day period, we managed to see A LOT of people (the first time FB had seen some of my family in almost a DECADE!!) and make a pit-stop at some really cute shops. Honorable mentions include Hutch and The Paper Kite. If I opened up a store of my own, I'm certain it would be a cross between these two gems. They're delightful!
• We got home a week ago (I'll spare you details about the travel nightmare we endured on our return flight home), but I think we've finally caught up on sleep. Hallelujah! Coming off of the celebratory high has been a little rough for Team Fine, but being reunited with Beesly and blooming Peony bushes certainly seem to help.
• Finally, I've got to give a shout-out to my parents for making my sister's graduation extravaganza so stinking sweet! They seriously thought of everything when they volunteered to host a couple dozen people. As if Aubrey and I needed any reminders, my mom and dad love big and I know she would agree that we're incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a support system that shows up like they do. As exultant as I was to see my sister become a doctor, I was equally proud of my parents for being constant pillars of guidance and encouragement to us over the years. It's a love without end, amen.      

Enough of my babbling. How the heck are YOU? I'm dying to know.

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LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Cylinder Task Wall Light // I wish I could say my obsession with lighting has waned in recent months, but I doubt it will.
• Baghera Pink Speedster // You guys! Will someone with a little girl PLEASE buy this?? It's insanely perfect. I can't take it!
• Your Aura is Ina // As the Barefoot Contessa's spirit animal, I think I need to frame this and hang it in the kitchen. 
• Party Prep // Between Oh Happy Day's shop, Sweet Lulu, and Target, we have everything we need to celebrate m' sister.
• Yellow Molly Armchair // I'm sold on a set of yellow chairs for our bedroom. Let the hue filled hunt begin!
• Pink Spot Suitcase // I ordered the blue set for Max's room, but I'm thinking it's so cute it will probably end up in the living room or office. Can we just take a moment and swoon over the punchy interior?? It's precious, y'all!
• Ellsworth Kelly Mail Art Collages // Ever since we left Texas, I've been pining to visit Kelly's Temple of Light in Austin.
• CV Monogramming // I sent my Alistair to get repaired (FREE!) earlier this month and opted to have my bag monogrammed while it's in LA. Now I'll wait patiently for FedEx to deliver my purse-onalized piece. See what I did there?
• Tie-Waist Shorts in Clip Dot // The only thing that's keeping me from this adorable set of shorts is the inseam. Argh!
• Classic Striped T-Shirt // But really though, how freaking adorable would this closet staple look with those shorts??
• Too Chill To Spill Drink Sleeve // They say that pink metallic neoprene is a dream and I couldn't agree more.
• New Flash Art Print // Alert the press!! In two weeks Flyboy and I will celebrate a DECADE of marriage. I feel so old.
• Airplane Backpack // Wheels up! We landed in Omaha yesterday morning to see my sister graduate from Creighton. Woot!
• Mother and Child // This will be the first Mother's Day in FOURTEEN years that I've actually got to be WITH my mom. Eek!
• Citrus Teresa Espadrilles // Skip around in chartreuse and scallops. Doesn't that sound like heaven?? Somebody pinch me.
• Frosé Sorbet // I gotta get to a Jeni's or a Whole Foods stat to try this sweet sangria-style pint. Have you tried it yet? 

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

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