LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Tassel Pillow // I'm taking a page from Max's playbook. It's never too early to add something to your birthday list. Ha!
• Prudence Dudan Collages // I can't quit these colorful collages. They're so simple but oh-so stunning at the same time.
• More Coffee Mug // This could be the official motto of motherhood. Just add white strips or charcoal toothpaste.
• Ganni Sabine Slingback Pump // You guys! These. I get tongue-tied just staring at them. They're drop dead gorgeous.
• Houseplant Pin // So what if you lack a green thumb. There are no tricks to keeping this Fiddle Leaf Fig alive.
• Cat Eye Sunglasses // Lives in Hawaii and Texas for a decade (combined) and decides sunnies are her weakness.
• Vintage-Style Coin Pouch // All the honeys, who making money. Throw you hands up at me! File this under ADORABLE.
• Parke Blazer // You know how I feel about the color cerise. Then they had to go and add this amazing pink collar.
• Too Much Moodpatch // Wasn't it Mae West who reminded us that too much of a good thing can be wonderful???
• Thick Stripe Vase // Don't mind me. I'm just over here picturing this pretty little thing perched on m' desk.
• Oslo One-Drawer Desk // Dear Target, stop being so awesome. You make it really hard to get in and out of your store safely when you're out there flaunting all of your adorable decor deals like this. Love, Ashley
• Create Your Own Opportunities // I was scrolling through Pinterest during nap time and this was a timely reminder.
• Dot Basket // Here's the deal, this darling organizational vessel will be added to the fictitious birthday list as well.
• Stabilo Pen Set // I associate this pen set with the beginning of the school year. They've been my fave for 20 years.
• Monogram Postcard Set // I've dedicated ZERO time to snail mail in the past few months. Who am I?
• Full Dry Volume Blast // Liz Adams, among a handful of other bloggers, swears by this stuff. Time to try it!
• The Brush Crush // I've got the budget version of this bad boy, but if it gets THE Alli Webb's approval?!?

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

HALF MOON OVER WATER BY BOBBY CLARK

FEELING: My parents are coming this weekend and I'm excited! I have no clue what we'll do and the weather shows thunderstorms on the forecast, but it won't matter. It will just be nice to catch up and hang out. Do you have Labor Day Weekend plans?

THANKFUL FOR: Remember how I was on a texting basis with Patrick the trash man? Well, we had to let him go a few months ago. Sigh. It was an unfortunate good-bye, but at least we're getting our garbage picked up in a timely fashion again. Woop woop! There were periods in which we'd go almost three weeks without seeing him and it was getting to be a little bit frustrating. Yesterday he finally stopped by to pick up the two trash cans we were using and I'm pleased as punch to no longer house FOUR large garbage bins in our garage like we've been doing for the past three months. SCORE!! Suddenly it feels like we have SO MUCH SPACE!!!

THINKING ABOUT: I've been looking for an excuse to wear glasses since I was in grade school. There was that time I faked an eye exam in elementary school (3rd grade perhaps?!) and then again a few years later when I used an 8th grade trip to Paris to "reinvent myself" and I wore fake spectacles all around The City of Lights. I can't say I've let go of this dream just yet. In fact, I'm somewhat intrigued by the idea of blue-light blockers. Have you heard of them? They're intended to give your peepers some rest from digital eye strain and it just so happens that my go-to brand J.Crew is selling a variety in their accessory section right now. Coincidence?! I think not. They're by an Aussie brand The Book Club and they're pretty stinking cute. Do you know anyone that's used them? I'd like to give them a shot but fear the lens will take on a bluish hue and it could go from trend-tastic to transition lens trauma REAL quick. In the event I do try them, I'll be sure to share an update. 

READING: Walls by Brad Holdgrafer is one of those children's books that really nails it with the simple illustrations, rhyming text, earnestness, and timely message. There's no denying that we learn a lot about who we want to be based off the books we read when we're kids, and as a parent I'm truly grateful for tools like this that help nurture openness and kindness. This is one of those reads that would resonate with any age group for generations. Read it. I just know you'll love it.

LISTENING TO: We switched from AT&T to T-Mobile a few months ago because their offer for military/veterans cut our cell phone bill in half. As if saving $900 a year wasn't good enough already, they offer random weekly deals for their customers and this week we snagged a year of Pandora Plus for free. Yasssssss! Say buh-bye to ads and hello to offline listening, unlimited skips, unlimited replays, and more. As someone who uses the app a lot each day, this was a total score!!
 

WATCHING: We live down the road from one of the characters on Teen Mom 2, and apparently they're filming because Flyboy witnessed the crew getting footage of the D-list celebrity sending her kid off on the first day of school this past Monday. So if you see a familiar face picking his nose or something in a grey Volkswagen, be sure to let us know. We're going to need to get in on some of that $300K paycheck she's bringing in. Ha! Last week I was walking around the neighborhood and noticed girlfriend's got a snazzy new Mercedes sedan parked in her driveway right next to that tank of a SUV. Break me off a piece of that, am I right??

EATING: Last Saturday I made a batch of Chicken Zucchini Poppers (recipe via One Lovely Life) to have handy in the fridge for a quick lunch throughout the week and they were incredible. The best part?? They're gluten free, Paleo, and Whole 30 friendly. After making them, I can totally see why they're Emily's most popular recipe because they were stupid easy, delicious, and squeaky clean. I'm eager to make some more—between the two of us, they didn't last very long.

LOVING: Summertime has been pretty sweet and I hate to see it go, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm stoked to experience REAL fall weather again. Eeeek! It will be our first legit Autumn in over a decade and the idea of not having to fake it by sweating through my sweaters makes me silly giddy inside. Naturally I've been keeping tabs of all of the darling options available and I've got my eye on this polka-dot staple, this neutral no-brainer, and this classic work horse in Neony Peony.

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 hump day, m' dears! First, I wanted to take a moment and thank you all for being so supportive in regards to last week's post. I'm glad I was able to share that little detail with you. Just as we hoped, Flyboy got back last Wednesday night from his work trip and we had the best four-day weekend ever!! We explored a bit of the local area—there's still sand in the backseat of the wagon to prove it, worked in the yard trimming trees (because #homeownership), let Max opt out of a few naps in the name of fun (not my best move!), devoured the tastiest chocolate ice cream, finished watching Sharp Objects (whoa!), and drank a few beers Sunday afternoon in the kiddie pool. If this is what Liz Gilbert meant when she said "Just keep serving the freaking peanuts," then count me in. Ha! Now it's just a matter of making it to Friday and we get to do it all over again. What's not to love about that? 

Do you have any big plans for Labor Day Weekend?? Do tell.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Belle Flats // Squee! Boden is really bringing it with the flair factor this Fall. These flats are insanely adorable. 
• Whatever Print // Threenagers serve some serious attitude. I feel like the resident toddler is always in "whatever" mode.
• Healthy Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Bites // I plan on making a batch of these this weekend. Stay tuned.
• T-Rex Taxidermy // Dinosaurs or bust! See what I did there?! Anywho, Max totally needs this for his bedroom.
• Karen Walker x Madewell // Talk about a dreamy collaboration. How fabulous are these sunnies? I love the quirky lines.
• Kule Stripes // One of these days I will add THE ULTIMATE striped shirt to my wardrobe. It will be royal, obvi.
• Love Y'all Tote // The Gen Sohr fan girl in me almost flipped when I learned they were going to sell their snazzy bags.
• Lovevery Subscription Service: The Play Box // This would be such a great baby gift. The contents are adorable!!
• Bunny Sweater // You guys!!! All the Oeuf sweaters make me want to have a gazillion children. Wait, nevermind.
• Banwood Balance Bike // This is a seriously stylish and cute set of wheels. Can they make it in my size?
• Alphacrete Letter // Words can't express just how much I love this marquee. We can agree these letters are lit, right??
• Why Hello Doormat // It's not often that you find such an adorable doormat that's this big and reasonably priced.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA

FEELING: Last Sunday while playing with blocks and dinosaurs in Max's bedroom, my child declared that stripes are kind of like his camouflage. Yes, my mama heart swelled with serious pride upon his proclamation. Also, it's rather perceptive of him considering the fact that he's been sporting them since day one and 75% of his bedroom (dare I say our house) is covered in the pattern. Ha!

THANKFUL FOR: I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support regarding yesterday's post. It makes me incredibly grateful for this online community. Just as the GIF promises, this will all make perfect sense someday. We can do hard things.

THINKING ABOUT: When my parents visited Delaware over the 4th of July, my mom and I created a little jute rug hack that I thought I'd pass along to you now that I know it's effective. In the event you also have one of these textured rugs and you're starting to see a little wear and tear in areas where there's high traffic (places in which the weave is getting loose and starting to pull), you can reinforce the back of the worn spots with strips of Gorilla Tape. Upon settling into the new house after Swell Rio, I was a little nervous about two areas in particular, but this has helped tremendously.

READING: In her Rising Strong podcast on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, Brené Brown cited a Theodore Roosevelt quote that was so poignant I had to listen to her repeat it twice and then proceeded to jot it down in the notes app on my phone. Here goes:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

LISTENING TO: Good gracious! Flyboy's absence this past week meant lots of cretaceous-themed dance parties as well as our fair share of meltdowns. I much prefer Koo Koo Kangaroo's Dino Stomp to dramatic toddler scuffles, which have been all-too frequent. 
 

WATCHING: Oh. My. Word. The RHONY reunion has me shook. What the hell is even going on here? It feels like a giant gang up on Bethenny. I swear I'm not being overly sensitive of the SkinnyGirl, but even Andy looks overwhelmed by it all! 

EATING: Flyboy got back late last night and since he has Thursday off, we plan on making today a beach day in Lewes. While Max is pumped about dipping his toes in the ocean and digging around in the sand, I'm in it for lunch at Agave. Gimme that guac sampler!

LOVING: It's no secret I take great pride in my bed making skills. After all, it's one of the first things I check off my to-do list after I wake up each morning. For this reason, I would usually cringe if someone messed with my fluffed up masterpiece; however, Beesly gets a pass. She reigns as queen, of course! Whenever we're gone for more than two hours, I've noticed that she takes it upon herself to lay on our bed while we're away. This ritual is fairly new and I think it has something to do with the fact that our platform bed sits a little lower than our previous setup in Texas and Hawaii making it easier for her to get up. In her old age, this little bitty does what she wants and it's pretty hilarious.

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

With bellies full from pancakes, we said good-bye to Flyboy last Saturday as he departed on a five-day work trip. Just as the Touareg was no longer in our sight, Max came over and leaned his head into my thigh and said "When daddy leaves, my heart breaks into a thousand pieces." With a giant lump in my throat and very aware of what next year will bring, I put on a brave face and reassured him that our favorite person would be home in a few days and that it would be alright. We would be alright, right?! Then, a few hours later while Max was napping, I finally gave myself a chance to digest what our three year old expressed to me earlier that morning. It was so sweet and earnest, but it left me panicked. How on Earth will we explain the impending six-month deployment to him when it's time? I breathe and begin to talk myself through it. The three months we spent apart earlier this year weren't easy by any means, but we survived. It will be just like that, times two. Ugh. Yes, WE signed up for this when we chose the lifestyle, but I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that adding a child to the equation definitely complicates things. We've been down this road before, just as thousands of other military families have experienced or are experiencing something similar, but this time we'll navigate it with a very intuitive and emotionally aware child involved.

The pulled-together, can-do version of myself knows the next 3.5 months will give us time to prepare for the upcoming chapter apart, and leaves me feeling incredibly grateful to celebrate birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together. But then there's also the overly emotional and uncertain Ashley that knows being separated is hard enough for adults. Now what about Max?

I share this with you not for you to feel pity, but for you to better understand where my head will be at in the coming months. We anticipated this would happen when we moved East and our time has come. Now we have the opportunity to roll up our sleeves and do the work. I may *occasionally* hide in my closet to ugly cry like I did this weekend, but I'll regroup, and take stock in the moments I'll miss like watching Flyboy assess his mow job from the windows in the guest bedroom and every night we get to tuck Maxwell into bed together. I imagine it's little details like these that I'll look forward to the most when it's all said and done.

     

COLOR STUDY

THE GOODS:

Dance It Out Tee ($35) via J.Crew*

Walcot Bag ($230) via Boden

Pink and Red Acrylic Painting ($270) via Kayce Hughes

Le Creuset Gold Knob Collection Dutch Oven ($343) via Nordstrom

Loreal Colour Riche Lipstick ($5) via Amazon

#47 Print (SOLD) via Marleigh Culver

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color in Gitane ($28) via Nordstrom

Fiona Walker Strawberry Book-End ($66) via The Tot

The Reid Pump in Suede ($138) via Madewell

Fig Jam ($10) via Makers & Merchants

Resin Disc Drop Earrings ($48) via J.Crew

Wrap-Tie Jumpsuit in Stretch Poplin ($128) via J.Crew*

Fjallraven Kanken Backpack ($80) via Amazon

The Beer Pantry ($16) via Amazon

Tiny Cottons Striped Sweatshirt ($46) via Alex and Alexa

Collage via Prudence Dudan

Striped Fabric Ballet Flats ($40) via ZARA

Banners Thank-You Card ($5) via Greer Chicago

*J.Crew is offering 25% off with the code FLASHSALE thru 8/21

LURVE LOAVE LUFF

Let's get right to it, shall we?

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

• Moonrise Pebble/White Tile // How do we get something like this in 'Merica? I want it in every bathroom. Pretty please.
• Asteria Forest Pendant Lamp // Get that sleek simple glow with this insanely gorgeous pendant lamp. Hubba Hubba!
• See-Ya Suitcase // I've always wanted a set of steamline luggage. Maybe the closest I'll get is the toddler variety??
• Le Petit Post // Any chance Max would honor a light like this, or is that asking too much of a three year old??
• Popcorn! Peanuts! Pint // A pint of ice cream that can take you straight to the ball field?! Jeni's latest has me drooling.
• F&B Hague Blue // I thought I had it all figured out in our kitchen, but now I'm considering this on the cabinets. HELP!
• Off the Record Notebook // Easy Tiger Co. debuted some really adorable goods at NSS. I can't even wait. It's SO good.
• Loren Hope Butterfly // This one-of-a-kind colorful series is a true heirloom. The custom velvet box is another story!!
• The Reid Ballet Flat in Calf Hair // Thanks to Madewell, I give you the official wardrobe work horse for this Fall. Voila!
• CV Midi Sac // That Clare V leather is just so stinking yummy. I can't take it! Not to mention that navy and red stripe...
• Cerise Peplum Top // J.Crew has brought back my favorite color in a really big way this season. Say hello to CERISE!!!
• Elle Earrings // I have an Emeldo necklace and it makes me so happy. These sparklers are going to have to happen.
• Waldo Mailbox // This beauty is at the top of my lust list, in the event I hit it BIG time and becomes filthy rich.
• Christiane Spangsberg // For this Danish artist, drawing is synonymous with imperfection. "I believe art is about having the courage to make mistakes and not be like everyone else.” What's not to love about that?
• Matte White Bread Box // For as many sandwiches as Max eats and the loaves of bread we buy, this is a necessity!
• KSNY Planner Charm Set // What's a planner charm set anyway? These cuties make me think they're mandatory.
• Sophie Treppendahl // The Quirk Gallery in Richmond has her work on display right now and it's all the heart eyes.
• Orange with Pink Line Study // It's no secret Laurie's artwork puts me in a really great mood. I have to pinch myself every time I walk by our living room and see my chartreuse stunner set the happiest tone in the space.

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA PENCIL & PAPER CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT CO.

FEELING: I got my nails done last Sunday for the first time in six weeks and it felt really GOOD! While getting a manicure, I witnessed a gentleman escort his 88-year-old mother to the salon to get a pedicure (she left feeling feisty and ready to hit the casino afterward to "find a new husband"), along with a grandfather who wanted to treat his 6-year-old granddaughter to an afternoon mani/pedi. Sure, it's nice to have my phalanges dipped in Clambake again, but the warm and fuzzies I left with was the real treat.

THANKFUL FOR: Jordan Ferney's creative gem The Color Factory has made its way East and will be opening in NYC on August 20th. The original install in San Francisco made me weak in the knees, but I knew I'd have to win the lottery or something to actually see it in the flesh. Now that the pop-up color experience has taken residence in The Big Apple, I've decided I HAVE to go and witness the magic in person. Now to decide on a weekend??? Thankfully it didn't take much to get Flyboy on board. The prospect of running into Jerry Seinfeld while eating brunch at Jack's Wife Freda really seals the deal.

THINKING ABOUT: We spent the past three days camping out at the house in the name of potty training, but I'm starting to get stir crazy. What's the secret to going out during this new phase? A lot of people I know throw the training toilet in the car and take it along with them in addition to a spare change of clothes. Are there any other tips and tricks I should know about? 

READING: Max can't get enough of Bees: A Honeyed History. I originally bought it this Spring, after seeing it on display at Terrain, because the illustrations are delightful. I didn't anticipate that our resident toddler would want to sit and sift through the pages on a daily basis and talk about bee factoids nonstop. I know I'm biased, but some of the details he remembers are impressive.

LISTENING TO: I could listen to episodes of How I Built This with Guy Raz for hours. His interviews are just as captivating as they are addictive!! Have you listened to the episode with Jeni Britton Bauer—the illustrious founder of Jeni's Ice Cream? Squee! I finally got around to this one a few weeks ago and was tickled to learn that it was her love for perfume that inspired her to begin experimenting with ice cream flavors. How cool is that?! If you're like me, listening to Raz's interviews will leave you with the urge to take a few more risks and be a little bolder. The moral to each episode?? Don't forget about your daydream.
 

WATCHING: A few weeks ago, while I was visiting my parents, my mom and I started watching the HBO series Sharp Objects. My mom has read the book, so she already had a good idea of what the show might entail, but I went into it clueless and immediately got hooked. This is typically not the sort of genre that holds my attention, but there's just something about the all-star cast and the way the story is piecemealed together that was enough for me to reactivate our HBO Now subscription. Are you watching?

EATING: I'm hooked on dried mango at the moment. It seems to satisfy my sweet tooth most nights, but I've also learned that not all dried mango is made the same. I prefer the Trader Joe's variety, but I've dabbled with options from Target and Safeway as well. Why it's taken me almost 33 years to discover this goodness is beside me, but I'm thoroughly jazzed to have it currently stocked in our pantry. Now, what other deliciousness do I need to know about?? I'm having a serious case of food FOMO. Go on and dish.

LOVING: These striped New Balance sneakers are going to be a momsemble MUST! How long before yours truly pulls the trigger?? 

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

It's been one helluva week. Let's dive into the details, don't you think?!

• Last Wednesday I got Botox. Flyboy had a meeting, so Max tagged along with me. I was nervous that he might be scarred for life after joining me at my appointment, but he was so entranced by the iPad he had NO clue what happened in the fifteen minutes it took for me to get poked and prodded by the neurologist. Phew!

• In terms of the actual procedure and its effectiveness, I've been impressed thus far. It usually takes about 7-10 days for it to take effect, but my migraines have been minimal compared to what's been my norm in a typical week over the past year. I'm hopeful and excited to see if the day-to-day quality of life improves as the doctor thinks it should.

• My primary goals for the Summer included visiting a therapist, finding a solution to my migraines, and POTTY TRAINING Max. Woof! Imagine my delight when, without any prompt, Max declared last Friday night that he was "tired of these damn diapers!" Um... I guess this means we're going to check that third and final item off the ol' to-do list, right?? Nevermind the fact that our spirited threenager sprinkled in his favorite four-letter word into his BIG announcement.

• Since Flyboy was on-call the previous weekend and we had hopes of going to a peach festival and to Wilmington this past weekend, I told Max that he could wear underpants while we were at the house and pull-ups when we were out and about. I was elated that he was so ambitious, but I had NO desire to stay home again when there was plenty of fun to be had, so we agreed to roll up our sleeves and get to work on Monday morning. He was totally on board and with the help of a hideous Paw Patrol potty, we've had incredible success. My mom always joked that when Max made up his mind and decided to go for it, he'd go all in. I think she was right, because we've had one accident in the past three days and it was primarily because he was afraid to go #2 in his toilet. However, the promise of a remote control Triceratops arriving via Amazon put that fear to rest real fast and it's been smooth sailing ever since. Hallelujah! I've been hesitant to share much about this process on social media because I was certain there would be a "you're the parent, he's the kid" backlash. After almost four years of getting to know Max and his headstrong ways, I should know by now that the typical timeline means nothing with this kid. They say God gives you what you need, not necessarily what you want. I hope that includes a toddler that throws the word damn around every now and then too!

• A word to the wise. If you see an adorable tee at Crewcuts and the journalism grad/typography junkie in you can't deny a tee that says BIG NEWS, re-think IMMEDIATELY!! Max was wearing his shirt while we were at Lowe's and he was giddy about his Venus Flytrap, so I snapped a pic only to realize that if I posted something like this, people were going to think we had BIG NEWS—like a baby on the way or something, and that's definitely NOT the case. Yikes! Fast forward to later in the week when my child is wearing the tee again and I decide to make toilet paper roll confetti launchers (because Wednesday...) and I go on to share the easy DIY on Instagram only to freak out when my sister says people are going to think it's a gender reveal. Gulp! I adore this shirt, but I need to burn the shirt. Worst purchase EVER!!!

Alright, that's all I've got for now. How the heck are you? I'm dying to know.

FEATURED DETAILS: BAG // KEYCHAIN // TODDLER GINGHAM // DANCE IT OUT TEE // TEA KETTLE // BIG NEWS TEE

FOR MORE PRODUCT DETAILS, FOLLOW ALONG VIA LIKETOKNOW.IT.