A Note on the Screen Door

...& the Rest...

2012-01-22T22:22:00.000-06:00

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Birthday party was yesterday, & that means that the last few days - when I intended to blog about the rest of my Globes-inspired shopping - were

long,

busy,

& ended late.

I don't know how I'll ever catch back up on sleep, but I've certainly done it before!

So to wrap it all up, I wanted to share some of my finds that centered around the trends of pale pastels, metallics, headbands, & Old Hollywood...

Pale Pastels

Knitted Pastel Slouchy Jumper in Pale Pink at Topshop

Metallic Stripe Tee in Light Fern Heather at Talbots

Butterfly Meadow Cup&Saucer Set in Butterfly Blue by Lenox

Metallics

Byrdie Bow Dress in Metallic Silver by Contrarian at Singer22

Metallic Jacquard Mini Skirt in Roasted Hazel at Ann Taylor

Metallic Gem Bauble Bracelet in Metallic Silver at Gymboree

(For your little fashionista!)

Headbands

Rhinestone Headband in Natural at Juicy Couture

Lilly Pulitzer Bright Floral Print Fabric Headband by Looking 4 Lilly

(I have one of these & love it!)

Felt Flower Headband in Dark Pink at Hanna Andersson

(Another find for the littlest trendsetter.)

Old Hollywood

Hollywood Flair Top at ModCloth

Elaina Cigarette Pant in Black by Lilly Pulitzer

Toddler's & Little Girl's Ruffled One-Piece Swimsuit by Juicy Couture at Saks Fifth Avenue

(Let the hunt for the perfect bathing suit for Pretty Little Bare Feet begin! & this year we'll have to find some fantastic coordinating trunks for My Little Man!)

Jewel Tones - Not Just for Bling!

2012-01-17T23:59:00.003-06:00

I've previously mentioned that before I became a Lilly Pulitzer addict, it was very rare that I ventured out of my

black,

gray,

& navy

comfort zone. & to this day, my favorite non-Lilly store for my own wardrobe is White House/Black Market.

But since discovering my beloved Lilly (& having children!), I have become more adventurous with color - most of the time.

(On my nails, at the very least!)

There wasn't a whole heck of a lot of color on the red carpet this past weekend, & I'm hoping that will change over the course of this awards season.

Because these striking jewel-toned colors...

...were fantastic looks!

For those of us that don't grace red carpets, how can we add jewel tones to our lives?

Icy Embellished Dress in Sapphire by Free People

Ruby Teardrop Earrings by Ippolita at Neiman Marcus

Fish Figurine in Sapphire by Lalique at Bloomingdale's

(This would add such a chic, fun pop of color to an office done in neutrals!)

Ricci Shift in Turquoise Jungle Glam Toile by Lilly Pulitzer

Large Emerald Stone Pave Ring by ABS by Allen Schwartz at Bloomingdale's

Tissue Weight Wool&Cashmere Wrap in Red Posh by Nordstrom

& of course we can easily infuse some of this rich color into our kids' wardrobes!:

Boys Hand-Smocked Blue Marlin Bubble by Shrimp&Grits Kids

Cobbler Lined Plaid Clogs in Garnet/Espresso by Crocs Kids at Zappos

(Oh, I know Crocs aren't cool or whatever...& believe me, I can't put them on my own feet - but children & nursery school teachers looove them!)

Kids Rory Ruffles Cardigan in Lagoon Green by Lilly Pulitzer

(You won't believe the sale price on that!)

the Golden Globes: Top Trends

2012-01-16T23:32:00.001-06:00

(I *LOVE* this dapper little dog! =))

Like many of you, I love "Red Carpet Season." I kind of felt like I was alone in watching the People's Choice Awards (at least on Twitter), but I know many of us were watching the Globes last night! It's one of my favorites because...I love that the fashion bar is raised - but the actual dialogue on stage, & the interaction between the attendees, is less formal than at awards shows later in the season.

(Also, I love Ricky Gervais!)

So here are a few of my personal favorite looks from the Globes parties & red carpet, & the trends they'll be inspiring me to look into this week:

1. Sofia Vergara

jewel tones

My Prince & I *looove* Modern Family, & I think Sofia Vergara is hilarious - & beautiful! She looked the part of classic bombshell at the Golden Globes in her dazzling blue Vera Wang fishtail gown with its swirls of pleats. & she accessorized with more than five million dollars of diamond jewelry from the Harry Winston collection! Elegant, glamorous, & just incredible!

2. Shailene Woodley

pale pastels

So I have to admit that I am only familiar with Shailene Woodley from the clips of the Secret Life of the American Teenager that Joel McHale plays (& rightfully ridicules) on E!'s the Soup. But I have been impressed with her absolutely stunning red carpet looks, & she comes across as much more adorable in real life. This beautiful (& age-appropriate!) dress by Marchesa is classic&effortless - but it has this lovely color to it that looks like lilac in some photos, pale blue in others - & yet I thought it was silver when I was watching the telecast! The look is bright, cool, & yet still dramatic.

&...her chic, daring after-party dress was so sleek that I am willing to overlook, just this once, that whole dressed-down shoe debacle...

3. Nicole Richie

metallics

We just don't see enough of Nicole Richie's amazing style anymore! I was excited to see how beautiful&chic she looked in this open-backed metallic silver Julien Macdonald dress, which she described as "a little bit heavy." ;) I also love that she carried her own signature House of Harlow bag, & I thought her hair was great! What do y'all think about her upcoming fashion reality show...will you watch? I am undecided...

4. Charlize Theron

headbands

I am generally not a big fan of Charlize Theron. I like her as an actress, & there are plenty of great movies that I've enjoyed watching her in, but...there have been at least a couple interviews I've seen where she's come across as really arrogant & a bit condescending. However, last night she was maybe the most excited&happy I've ever seen her in a red carpet setting. & I loved her 1930s-feeling look! The blush-colored chiffon gown she wore by Christian Dior Couture was amazing, with an almost dainty effect in spite of the oversized bow detail on the waist. & how gorgeous was her dramatic vintage Cartier headband?! There really wasn't a lot of big excitement! on the red carpet last night, since a lot of stars seemed to be playing it kind of safe, so I liked this inspired fashion risk.

5. Kim Kardashian

Old Hollywood

This is another personality that I'm honestly not a fan of, but supposedly she had a sense of humor about the jokes Ricky Gervais made about her, & she brought a pretty classic look to the after-parties. So while I wish somebody I had more admiration for had been showcasing this fresh take on dramatic glamour, I will give some credit to Kim. She ventured away from her usual play-it-safe red carpet standards to wear this head-turning black lace cap-sleeve dress by Bruce Oldfield, & I think it's very "Old Hollywood siren!" & what really pulls the look all together is the way her hair is pulled up with the 1950s loose curls & the deep side part. Oh, & the big diamond&ruby bling adds a special touch, too! ;)

...& although there weren't a lot of glaring fashion disasters this year, my least favorite looks were:

Jessica Biel

(all that lace + dowdy long neck&sleeves + the floral applique + the high slit = overwhelming)

Mary J. Blige

(that odd feathered, furry skirt at the base of the sparkles was just unappealing)

Zooey Deschanel

(I actually liked the dress - I thought it was a very good look *for Zooey!*...but that hair was just atrocious - the side curls seriously look like sideburns, & it bothers me that there is no visible part...it's so retro that it looks costumey)

Lea Michele

(this went beyond just revealing - into tacky territory - with its barely there detailing & sheer panels...plus it was just unflattering & gave her an unbalanced frame)

Katharine McPhee

(the color washed her out & really faded her into the background, & the poor fit & uneven cut didn't help matters!)

So how excited are you about the kick-off of Awards Season 2012?! & has watching the awards shows so far inspired you to add anything to your "must-watch" list? I am really interested in seeing

the Descendants,

the Help

(I love love loved the book & have been apprehensive about seeing the film adaptation),

& maaaybeee Hugo.

Maybe.

Anybody seen it?

So stay tuned this week as I blog about some of my favorite shopping finds that were inspired by my favorite Golden Globes trends! =)

Pinterested, But Not Committed

2012-01-15T00:17:00.001-06:00

So, I've gotten a bit of blog tidying underway, though there's still a lot to do.

Same for Twitter.

Same for my email accounts.

Same for my (personal) Facebook account.

But this Pinterest business.

I want to love Pinterest. Really, I do. It's a great concept.

But I think one of the main reasons that I just haven't committed to using it is because it is a giant pain in the tail.

Maybe I'm less technically-savvy than I thought...

(I do have Polyvore issues, too)

...but I find the entire Pinterest process annoying because it seems like it's full of glitches that should have been fixed.

(Maybe it's not Mac-friendly? It's for sure not iPhone-friendly!)

I hate the add a bookmark thing, though I understand its usefulness & can deal with it.

What drives me batty are things like...

My profile says I have one pin. No, I do not. I cleared out all my pins to start this baby over from scratch. When I click on the one pin, you do not have a pin to show me. So why does it say one pin?

My profile says I have x number of followers. So, why, when I click on this, to see my followers, do no followers come up? Those that I follow come up when I click "following," so why doesn't the other one work?

I also find it ridiculous that you say it's proper Pinterest etiquette to give credit to the original pin's source when the whole point of Pinterest seems to be the convenience of "re-pinning" in a way that already does give credit back to the original source (unlike, say, Tumblr). Am I wrong?

Also, as I mentioned earlier, Pinterest is pretty much pointless on my iPhone. The mobile website is incredibly wonky, & the app is even worse. I always post my actual blog posts from my MacBook, & I do most of my email from my MacBook, at night after my children are in bed. But actually reading blogs, or doing anything on Facebook or Twitter...those are things I do from my iPhone (using wonderfully convenient apps & mobile sites) at random short intervals throughout the day, during moments when one of my children doesn't need my attention. That would also be the preferable time for something as leisurely as Pinterest.

But I'm giving it another go, albeit frustratingly (obviously).

If I start changing my mind about it, I'll let you know & share my Pinterest.

& if not, well...life's short. I need to get back in the habit of reading more books anyway. ;)

Present

2012-01-08T23:37:00.001-06:00

The other day Joy from All Things Refined! asked us what our word was going to be for 2012. I've decided that the best way to sum up my personal hope for 2012 is with the word "present."

Over the years I've become less & less "Type A."

(Though I'm sure My Prince would probably argue that I still have plenty enough of those qualities to still qualify for the Type A label!)

In 2012 I hope to continue becoming more relaxed about things.

I want to be able to stop & smell the roses.

It's not always easy for me to stop the constant train of thought in my head...which usually includes worries about the things I haven't done but meant to do, as well as stress about whatever is coming up next on my schedule. I make zillions of to-do lists, & I get frustrated with myself every time I see one that didn't get completed.

But in 2011 I dropped the ball in a lot of areas. & I left a lot of to-do lists untouched.

& you know what?

The most important things still got done,

we still showed up at the most important events,

& our family made many important memories together.

So my DVDs didn't get re-organized. So I didn't read as many books last year as I usually do.

(& almost no magazines.)

So I still haven't decorated every room in the house.

My Prince has always been a "better late than never" kind of guy. & I have to say I'm usually pretty annoyed by his tendency toward perpetual lateness. ;)

But I think there is a middle ground to be found between

so tightly wound that one never has any fun, due to a preoccupation with perfection...

...& so laid-back that you're irritating the ones you love because you aren't always prioritizing the same things.

Certainly, I don't think I'll ever be one of those "free spirits" who can truly relax about everything & just let things fall where they may. But I've decided that sometimes if I'm not excited about doing something on the list, it may just be because there is something more important I should be doing - something that isn't on any list.

So I hope to be present - mentally&physically - for all of the important moments that happen in 2012. & I hope that living in the present will help build a foundation of appreciation&patience for the future.

So, what is your word for 2012?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T01:59:00.006-06:00

I honestly don't know what to say. That's exactly when you shouldn't update your blog, isn't it? ;)

Obviously, this has been the longest hiatus I have taken from the blog since I began it back in the late summer of 2009. In between blog posts on the subjects I usually address here, I posted several updates in 2011 of a more personal nature, which is exactly the kind of thing I shy away from. However, because of that unofficial "rule" that I have about not posting the personal stuff, this blog ended up being pretty sparse on posts in 2011. That's because 2011 was a pretty emotional year for me & my family.

Most of you know that our newborn son got really sick in September. Those of you that know me well know exactly how sick, & know about the battles&setbacks we've faced in the last few months. Many of those hurdles have been related to our son's health.

That being said, please know that my absence from the blog does not mean that I have been depressed, or even that life hasn't been going on.

(Though perhaps going on a bit less organized. My Type A rep has taken a hit!)

There have been so many wonderful memories made in between these low points we've hit!

Our faith has been tested, but I believe I have come through the last year with my faith possibly stronger than it ever has been before. I have certainly experienced a very real connection with God during some of these highs&lows I've faced.

I can certainly understand why so many marriages suffer when a family adds the special management of a child's health to all of the other everyday stresses we all face. I am so, so blessed to say that throughout every single bump in the road we've faced, My Prince & I have strengthened our bond & acknowledged how very grateful we are to have one another

in good times & in bad,

for richer or poorer,

in sickness & in health,

'til death do us part.

Also, a couple of cliches proved true for me in 2011:

You find out who your friends are.

(& sometimes you find you've taken some for granted...& sometimes you find you've perhaps been putting a bit too much effort into others. It's another one of those "growing up" things, I think, that it becomes easier to let go of the ties that aren't strong enough to hold through the hard times.)

Also...

...when it rains, it pours.

But personally, I found that the harder it rained, the more easily I adapted to finding ways to make the cold & the wet seem sunny&warm!

In fact, a lot of people have asked me, "How on earth do you stay so positive?" Well, I just do. You can't change these kinds of things, & there is certainly more power in positive thinking than in wallowing in self-pity. & even when My Little Man was very sick, I also had to be a good mama to a beautiful little girl who adores her baby brother, & I would never want to allow my own worries to affect her.

My Little Man is doing well today.

He will always see specialists,

& he will always have some things that need to be monitored,

& God knows I will always be worried to death about him.

But he is a chubby, smiley little cherub; & he is developmentally perfect on all of the cognitive&physical charts. Were it not for the miracles of advanced modern medicine, nobody would even know anything had ever been wrong!

(Although I am not comfortable disclosing any more details, since this is still very much a public blog, & My Little Man has an incredibly rare condition; please feel free to email me if you want to know more. I certainly consider many of you friends & am not intentionally shrouding myself in mystery from those of you!)

Please forgive me...

...if I have not replied to your email at all;

...or if I have taken weeks to respond to your Twitter request.

Please forgive me...

...if I haven't kept up with your blog, which I probably love & miss reading!

...or if you generously offered me some fantastic gift or blog giveaway, & I never even got around to replying to you.

Truthfully, there have been many times in the last few months when I have begun composing in my head some kind of "signing off" or "taking a break" blog post. But each time something prevented me from doing it, even when I felt like I was too emotionally detached from this blog to continue to try to put any kind of heart into it.

Now, after making one of those silly New Year's resolutions to blog more, I've been trying to figure out how to go about it.

Do I just jump right back in, pretending as though nothing personal ever happened to the author of this blog?

Do I delete this blog & start over someplace else?

Do I just go to the email account associated with this blog & "mark all unread?"

Well, I just couldn't bear to do any of those, & so I've spent the last couple days scrolling through emails&messages...& my heart has just been bursting at the outpouring of love from my beautiful blogfriends. THANK YOU.

(I've also been humbled to have some of the most awesome bloggers, & folks from some of the most awesome companies, share words of encouragement&praise! Thank you!)

& so with all of that love, I am beginning 2012 with a big smile & a heartfelt appreciation for all that this "impersonal" blog has personally done for me.

I have no idea where this year will take this blog...

(or me!)

...but I am overjoyed to have you along for the ride.

Our Little Squirrel-Lovin' Girl

2011-11-15T12:33:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure exactly how or when it started, but Pretty Little Bare Feet has become quite interested in squirrels in the last couple months.

She had been noticing squirrels outside her bedroom window, & pointing them out when we took walks in our neighborhood.

Then she was ohsodelighted when I bought her this little orange smocked squirrel bishop dress.

& her current favorite pair of "big girl" unmentionables are from Gymboree: bright orange&yellow with a little squirrel on them.

Most recently, Pretty Little Bare Feet has spent the last two afternoons narrating her own little documentary

(which I've been overhearing on the downstairs monitor),

about the little "Squirrel Mommy" that has been posted on a branch just outside her bedroom window.

Now I must admit that the Squirrel Mommy was adorable, with all her little squirrel babies nestled up on the branch with her. But good grief, the mind of a two-year-old

(aaa, she's almost three!)

never ceases to amaze me. Only the blissful freedom of youth could provide one with the awe&patience to stare at a barely-moving critter

(okay, & its barely-moving young, too)

for that amount of time. Absolutely precious...but I do hope that maybe Pretty Little Bare Feet will nap this afternoon, since our little squirrel family has apparently relocated to another branch, out of our sight.

Anyway, inspired by Pretty Little Bare Feet's latest fixation, I just thought I'd share...squirrels are cute! ;)

Squirrel Pull Toy by Woodours at Geared for Imagination

(via: eBay)

Apparently once upon a time, there was a Lilly Pulitzer squirrel pattern for Minnies!

Squirrel Candleholders in Midnight by Jonathan Adler

Love Acorn Raglan Girls Tee by Juicy Couture

Squirrel Tee in Mustard Yellow at Crazy 8

Limited Edition 2011 Fall Charm Bracelet by Juicy Couture

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Palate: I LOVE Lunch-Packing!

2011-11-01T23:59:00.006-05:00

Recently, I posted on Facebook about how much I enjoy lunch-packing. I was delighted to find that several of my friends - & not all of them mamas! - are just as invested in trying to create more exciting, healthy lunches, whether for their children or for themselves.

I am (& pretty much always have been) admittedly a bit on the OCD side when it comes to

alphabetizing,

editing,

list-making,

organizing,

etc.

(See? I just alphabetized that list...I almost ALWAYS do that!)

So it should come as no surprise that one of my most recent projects came about from adding "lunch-packing" for Pretty Little Bare Feet to my already somewhat "over-detailed" meal-planning. I began packing lunches for Pretty Little Bare Feet last summer, when she attended camp sessions that lasted through lunch. Now I get to pack her lunch for nursery school four days a week! =)

I would be embarrassed to actually let anybody besides My Prince see my .docx for lunch-planning!

(That would really give away how neurotic I am, & I do try to limit my *many, many, many* crazy lists to my own crazy eyes. ;))

But since I was so excited to learn that so many others are at least interested in lunch-packing...

(if not also a bit off-the-deep-end detailed about it!)

...I would *LOVE* to share with y'all some of my favorite resources for creative, healthy lunchbox ideas - that are almost always well-eaten!

Pretty Little Bare Feet tends to always eat

a small breakfast,

an average-sized(?) morning snack,

a really big lunch,

a small afternoon snack,

& then a puny supper.

So I take advantage of that by putting as much "good stuff" as I can into her lunch every day (even at home!). I also realize how much she enjoys the "dining environment" of unpacking her own lunch & sharing a table with a friend in her classroom - things that motivate her to dig into whatever I pack for her.

Great Blogs, Facebook Pages, Websites, etc. for Lunchbox Ideas:

$5 Dinners

Another Lunch

Family Fresh Cooking

Food @ Babble

(including their blog, the Family Kitchen)

Food for My Family

Food with Kid Appeal

It's Not Just Lunch

Jamie Oliver

One Hungry Mama

Parent Hacks

Parents for Health

Recipes @ Parenting

Super Healthy Kids

Weelicious

Wendolonia

(Pretty much all of those also have Facebook pages linked from their blogs/websites.)

Cookbooks

Brown Bag Success by Sandra K. Nissenberg

Lunch Boxes & Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Lunch Lessons by Ann Cooper

My Lunch Box by Hilary Karmilowicz

the Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox by Nicole Graimes

I've never really given Pretty Little Bare Feet a lot of choices when it comes to eating.

For the most part,

she eats what she's served,

or she doesn't eat again until the next meal

(or snack).

But I even enjoyed making her baby food homemade, so she's been trying different foods since she was a baby & has a pretty adventurous palate most of the time.

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Montessori nursery school also encourages "good" lunch-packing. They ask that parents pack nutritious lunches, even if there is doubt that the child is going to eat all of it. They also advise that letting children help plan their own lunches provides a good opportunity to talk with them about nutrition. We follow their guidelines of

no chocolate;

no nuts;

(we love SunButter!);

no sweets;

only 100% fruit juice;

etc.

The teachers rewrap any leftover food & put it back in the lunchbox, so I always know what Pretty Little Bare Feet does or does not eat! & her teachers are always happy to microwave lunch items for a few seconds, if requested.

(So helpful!)

I use Easy Lunchboxes bentos inside Pretty Little Bare Feet's lunchbox:

They are awesome, & they fit PERFECTLY in Pretty Little Bare Feet's adorable Stephen Joseph lunchbox:

Here are some of Pretty Little Bare Feet's recent lunches:

banana, quesadilla, tomato salsa

(To make that quesadilla, I folded a single whole wheat flour tortilla in half; added a bit of grated cheddar cheese on the bottom to act as glue against the tortilla, canned black beans [rinsed&drained], finely chopped red peppers, finely chopped purple onion, cilantro, & a bit more grated cheddar cheese on top; cooked in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until the cheese melted; & cut into wedges. I use this recipe for fresh tomato salsa.)

hummus wrap, macaroni salad, strawberries, tangerine

(To make a hummus wrap, I fill a wrap with avocado, hummus, shredded lettuce, & tomato. I use Paula Deen's recipe for macaroni salad. The strawberries are kind of hidden under the tangerine in the photo, but they were there!)

apple, quesadilla, sour cream

(To make this quesadilla, I used two whole wheat flour tortillas, filled sandwich-style with a bit of grated monterey Jack cheese on the bottom, finely chopped tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, cooked chicken, & a bit of monterey Jack cheese on top; added a slick of olive oil to the skillet for a crispy exterior; cooked over medium-high heat until the cheese melted; & cut into wedges.)

carrots, pinto bean dip, potato salad, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

(To make healthy pinto bean dip, I puree 1/2 cup chopped kale & two tablespoons olive oil in a food processor; add a well rinsed can of pinto beans, two tablespoons tahini, zest of one lemon, & a small clove of garlic; pulse a few more times; & add salt, pepper, & two tablespoons lemon juice. I use the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for potato salad.)

broccoli & cheese sauce, fried rice, honey-glazed carrots, smoked salmon

(To make these easy honey-glazed carrots, I brought 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium saucepan; added five cups Bolthouse Farms carrot chips; cooked for twenty minutes; drained well; placed carrots in a large bowl with three tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, two tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind, & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; & tossed gently. I use Taste of Home recipes for broccoli with cheese sauce, & instant fried rice.)

corn & butter sauce, hummus, kiwi, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

broccoli & cheese sauce, honey-glazed carrots, SunButter & strawberry jam sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread

corn niblets, hummus with lemon juice, pineapple, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

ham, lettuce, & tomato sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread; Parmesan Goldfish crackers; raspberry Buddy Fruits

Campbell's double noodle soup, Parmesan Goldfish crackers, V8 V-Fusion Concord grape raspberry juice

Amy's organic minestrone soup; fruit salad with honeydew melon, pineapple, & watermelon; mayonnaise & red pepper sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread

Baked Naturals cheese crisps, cheese cubes, inside-out caramel apple, spinach leaves, tuna

(You can find the recipe for the inside-out caramel apple here. Because I am pretty consistent about packing healthy, nutritious lunches, the teachers don't mind if I slip some caramel in with the fruit once every couple months or so. ;) I mean, they have parents sending in icky Gogurt!)

(& by the way, that is what the inside-out caramel apple looked like before I had to cut it up to fit into the bento!)

ham; oranges, pineapple, & strawberries; vegetable&oatmeal bread

(To make the *divine* vegetable&oatmeal bread, I used this Mark Bittman recipe. For this particular batch, I used raw, grated zucchini. Since Pretty Little Bare Feet's classroom is nut-free, I substitute oatmeal browned in a little bit of butter.)

& some other lunchbox "staples" we love:

barley with mushrooms&spinach

(Heat two teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add one cup chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary, & three minced garlic cloves; sauté three minutes; add eight cups sliced mushrooms; cook eight minutes, stirring occasionally; stir in 3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley & a can of fat-free less-sodium beef broth; bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, & simmer fifteen minutes; add eight cups bagged baby spinach leaves, three tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cover & cook two minutes, stirring frequently.)

ice cream cone sandwiches

(recipe here)

mountains&forest sandwiches

(recipe here)

rocketship sandwiches

(recipe here)

(& yes, I do realize that I am a bit more fanatical about lunch-packing/meal-planning than is probably considered normal. ;))

What I Want This Weekend, October 21st, 2011

2011-10-21T17:29:00.002-05:00

I know. I intended to participate in Pink&Green Thursday yesterday.

But it's been a long time since I've been a daily or near-daily blogger;

& even though I thought about it several times throughout the day,

I ultimately forgot.

I also had a mini panic attack yesterday when two random strangers commented on photos on my Facebook - since I have always had all of my photos set to "friends only."

(Guess what? In case you are not aware, Facebook's newest set of ~~anti-privacy~~ privacy settings automatically negates whatever YOUR settings are as soon as you "check in" to a location - which I've never done! - or tag a person. Once that has been done, your post goes on the public page for that location &/or allows ALL "friends of friends" of anybody you tag - which could be strangers OR people you know but AREN'T friends with for some reason! - to view & comment on YOUR photos. Also, anybody you are friends with has the ability to "share" your photos on THEIR walls with THEIR friends at any time. So, in short, it does not matter how tight your privacy settings are set - they will be overridden as soon as you check in or tag a friend...or a friend that does not honor the same privacy desires you have can share your photos if they choose. Lovely, huh? I swear if it weren't for all the shopping I do for my children on Facebook, I'd just get everybody's contact info & deactivate the thing. Grrr. End rant.)

Here are some pretty things I've come across this week,

from some blog

or catalog

or friend

or magazine

or another;

or just from my own browsing&shopping&surfing,

that I need to convince My Prince to dole out the cash for...

Skansen Sweater by Roxy

What, you haven't worn Roxy since the tenth grade either? ;) Well, somebody told my mama the other day that I didn't look a day over twenty.

(I used to always get "teenager" comments, I think maybe because I'm only 5'1; but hey, I'm only three months out from having a second child, so I will gladly take twenty! I'm twenty-eight, for the record!)

Besides, I think Roxy looks decidedly less juvenile than I had thought that they did. & I'm pretty sure true fashionistas don't care what the tag on the inside says, or so the fashion editors would have you believe.

(Though I am admittedly very brand-conscious - not for "status" reasons, just out of sheer loyalty to the lines that are excellent quality, consistently match my style, & fit me best.)

Anyway, if it all of a sudden got quite brrr! this week where you live, I'm sure you've been moving your sweaters to the front of your wardrobe, as well. ;)

Women's Goa Watch with Pink&White Silicone Strap by Lacoste at Macy's

I need a new "everyday" watch.

I want that one! ;)

Pumpkin Treat Tote at Pottery Barn Kids

For Pretty Little Bare Feet's first Halloween, I bought her a tutu witch Halloween trick-or-treat bag from an Etsy shop.

(As you may know, I do gifts & go all out for pretty much every holiday!)

But I had a harder time finding something boy-oriented for My Little Man's first Halloween...until I found this adorable tote at Pottery Barn Kids - & it's super on sale! & with free shipping, the total was still less than the original price - even after adding personalization!

Gommini Driving Moccasin in Testa Moro by Tod's at Nordstrom

Another thing I need...it's time to replace my old trusty Ugg loafers/moccasins.

&...I want these ones!

(LOL...I feel like Pretty Little Bare Feet when she says, "Ummm, I want...that one!")

...& what's #1 on my Lilly Pulitzer lust list?

Eryn Dress in Chorus Girl by Lilly Pulitzer

This gorgeous dress, that could take me from

the ballet,

to church,

to a football game!

(We SEC girls do like to dress up nicely for those...)

Pretty sure it might be the perfect cut for a petite mama-of-a-three-month-old who still has something between about two&eight pounds left to lose.

(Seriously, depending on the day & the time of day...)

T.G.I.F.! What do YOU want this weekend?

A Letter to My Followers

2011-10-19T12:46:00.000-05:00

I have not been a good blogger for the past eight months or so. This is by no means the "end" of my blog - in fact, it may end up being a new beginning of sorts.

(& I fully intend to participate in Pink&Green Thursday tomorrow!)

But before I get back to the fun stuff, I just wanted to say...

Dear Friends (My Readers!),

This blog has been a little bit of everything in the last two years. Yes, it's been two years! I absolutely forgot that the two-year anniversary of my blog came&went at the end of August.

I've blogged about lots of shopping, recipes, submissions for link-ups, & everything in between - with only the occasional philosophical rambling or serious post. I've gone for a week or two where I've blogged every single day, & I've gone for as long as five weeks in between posts.

Those of you that have been with me since the beginning know that I waited to begin blogging until my older child, Pretty Little Bare Feet, began a consistent nap schedule. I had been reading blogs for months, but could not find the time to do what I wanted with a blog of my own.

Once Pretty Little Bare Feet began nursery school last fall, I was able to really begin blogging on a more regular basis, even contributing to a Southern Mommas blog something like weekly. But as my pregnancy with My Little Man progressed, pretty much everything became more difficult, including finding the time (or energy) to blog.

Because most of you know that this blog is not about my personal life, I have never disclosed anything about My Little Man's health, until my recent post with an update explaining my complete disappearance. Some of you are friends from "real life" who know all the details; & some of you I have been blessed to become friends with *because* of this blog, & of course y'all know all the details, as well. For those of you that do not know me personally, I certainly still appreciate you & your prayers every bit as much.

(& he is doing GREAT, by the way!)

Even though I am not comfortable sharing details about my personal life on this blog, I have often felt a sense of true friendship amongst our community of bloggers, & my last year of ups&downs has been no exception.

Mostly, though...

...before embarking on another fun series of blog posts about cookies, great Etsy finds, preppy fashion, & all the others things we enjoy discussing around here...

...I just wanted to say, "Thank you." & "I'm still here."

Love,

Sara

I'd Like to Interrupt this Hiatus with an Update...

2011-10-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

...long story short is that My Little Man got very, very sick in September & spent some time in the hospital. He is home & recovering well, & things are slowly returning to some kind of normal around here. I look forward to picking the blog back up after Pretty Little Bare Feet's fall break ends next week. Enjoy the pleasant weekend weather, wherever you may be! =)

Must-Haves for Transitions

2011-09-05T16:16:00.001-05:00

Well, I swore I was going to begin posting as close to daily as I could once September rolled around, barring any special kinds of days, or if our routine gets thrown a loop. & then, I am not kidding you, my first four days of September brought a whirlwind each day.

Long stories short,

I got into a (very, very minor) fender bender (thank God for bumpers!) on Thursday;

found out some bad news about a friend's teenaged son on Friday;

locked myself & Pretty Little Bare Feet out of our vehicle for most of Saturday afternoon;

& then had to take over My Prince's fantasy football draft last night because he was sick (& I must add that he got awarded the "best draft" from Yahoo! sports, thanks to his awesome wife! ;)).

So here it is, Labor Day, a day off for most people, & I'm tackling some of those annoying to-do lists. One of the more fun items, though, is "to blog," so here I am!

I've been thinking about what to add to my wardrobe in the next few days. There are two major transitions going on that have impacted my ability to wear much of my favorite clothing.

1. I am still in between all that awful maternity clothing & my normal clothing size.

I have no doubt that I will get back into all of my beloved clothing, but realistically, it is probably going to be a couple months or so before things fit the way they should, even as the scale drops. But I don't want to buy a lot of things that are a couple sizes up, because I don't want to waste money. I also don't want to get too comfortable in a larger size, thus losing any motivation to return to my size. So the best investments would be those that will still look nice when I return to my normal size, such as things that are a bit flowy&loose in fit.

2. The weather.

Summer outfits & the traditional pre-Labor Day rules are out; & the fall season of clothing is in. But the weather isn't quite there yet, since it's still pretty warm&muggy most days in Dixie.

So here are some things I've been eyeing for my daily back&forths during these transitions:

the Watch Hill Tunic by Port Winsor

Tunics certainly fit all of the above-mentioned requirements, & the ones offered by this preppy new company are beautiful!

Pintuck Cascade Shirt in Makeup at Talbots

Loose enough to be comfortable now, but fitted enough that it won't be frumpy when I'm ten pounds lighter.

Cashmere Isabel Sweatshirt in Navy at J. Crew

Perfect for cooler evenings now & later...& loose enough to layer over most anything. This could be the perfect thing to have on hand for things like evening book clubs at home, rainy-weather tailgates, etc. When it's appropriate to be comfortable, but still presentable.

Pia Skirt in Oatmeal by Velvet by Graham&Spencer at Piperlime

This foldover waistband is exactly the kind that I'm leaning on in most of my lounging pants right now, as there are really only two pairs of my jeans that are fitting comfortably just yet. How lovely to see this kind of comfort on such a cute skirt that can be dressed up or down. & its style is perfect for this in-between season!

Vivi Top in Cameo White Thrill of the Chaise by Lilly Pulitzer

The most perfect Lilly option for me for right now! & I have been dying to get some new Lilly clothing pretty much since last fall when I found out I was pregnant again. Here's to hoping my Lilly Via shop still has some of these!

To-Do's or Not-to-Do's...Sometimes It's a Question

2011-08-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

Pretty Little Bare Feet has officially been back at nursery school for almost three weeks now. & next week she's going to begin attending four days per week! Aaa, I know! But she is so excited. She's one of the "big kids" in her Montessori classroom, & she really is just at her absolute best after a morning of school.

I can't bear to part with her for all five days, but I realized just a couple weeks into the school year that she will be happier attending a fourth day of school, rather than remaining in a playgroup that meets inconsistently. & I will be happier to have a more stable routine, as well. Not to mention that both of us thrive better in a calm, ordered environment - much more so the case in the Montessori classroom

(or in my peaceful, hopefully-organized-again-soon home)

than in some random location for a hodgepodge group of playgroup members that are disciplined so differently (if at all) that some of their behaviors can negatively influence Pretty Little Bare Feet's own attitude for the rest of the day afterward.

So now that Pretty Little Bare Feet has her routine back in place & better than ever, it's (past) time for me to (attempt to) do the same.

My Little Man is pretty much sleeping through the night. & although his naps are inconsistent&sporadic during the day, he's such a chill little baby. Even when he has long periods of wakefulness, he coos more than he cries. He's just an angelic little blessing of an addition to our already-too-blessed-to-be-stressed home.

Which leads me to the dreaded question of to-do lists. Quite frankly, these days I am finding it much more beneficial to my overall health to just crumple them up & throw them away.

(This is coming from a self-professed Type A listmaker of neurotic proportions!)

Although I am not exactly ready to give up all of my neat organizational ways, I am finding that adding another member to this family has ultimately required the same amount of "relaxing" that I initially found myself doing once upon a time when getting married...& then twice upon a time upon being blessed with Pretty Little Bare Feet.

So what are the priority to-do lists that I am aiming to keep to in the next few weeks?

1. Getting back into my blogging groove.

I just plain old miss my little bloggy network of fellow

bakers,

lawyers,

Lilly lovers,

mamas,

party planners,

preppies,

shopaholics,

Southerners,

etc.

I started my blog well after my first child was into an established napping routine, & I really became involved with it once she was also into a nursery school routine. So the whole cycle of

pregnancy,

then delivery,

then post-delivery,

now newborn,

etc...

...has thrown me into a whirlwind that hasn't left much energy or time for blogging, or even reading blogs.

(Not that I feel a bit guilty for that - just miss the blogs, & y'all!; & look forward to rekindling my own!)

2. Getting back into my runner's routine.

Okay, yes, & my runner's body. ;)

I'm on my way, running four or five miles every day. I've also invested in a boot camp DVD because it did take some extra additions to my old faithful running routine, in order to slim back down after having Pretty Little Bare Feet back in 2009. However, after pulling up iPhoto...

(& actually confirming that My Prince wasn't just trying to flatter me with his seemingly far-fetched compliments)

...I did realize that I am already back into much better shape than I was at this point after having my first child. & I got back into a size zero

(which I must reiterate is healthy for me - I am only 5'1!)

within three or four months after having Pretty Little Bare Feet, so I know I can do it again!

I'd also like to get to where I can schedule a 5k, & maybe eventually a 10k, at least once a month. That's just because I am so married to treadmill-running that I forget how different it is to run pavement or trails. Then when I sign up for a 5k, thinking it'll be cake because I can easily run six or seven miles if I have the time to do it...I all but die out there on the real ground, having to breathe the "real" air.

(Of course, I maintain that it is also just as jarring not to have my creature comforts - like my iPod playlists, & whatever magazine I have opened in front of me that has pretty enough pictures that it won't matter if I'm running too fast to read the words.)

3. ...

Oh, well, I paused for a minute trying to come up with what should be next on this list.

& since I'm already off to such a good start on the second item on this list...

...& this very blog post counts as such a good start to crossing off the first item on this list...

...I'm just going to call myself successful! =)

Oh, I am just so looking forward to finding out what all of y'all have been up to!

Pink&Green Thursday: It Was a Watermelon Wednesday!

2011-08-04T11:35:00.003-05:00

So apparently August 3rd is National Watermelon Day. Who knew? A while back when I ordered a few party goods from Oriental Trading for Pretty Little Bare Feet's 2nd Birthday party, I received a 2011 wall calendar with my order. Now of course it's not as pretty to look at as the Lilly wall calendar, but I enjoy it for a completely different reason - it includes all these random little fun holidays that I'd never know about otherwise!

So even though Wednesday has come&gone, I say continue celebrating the summer fun that is watermelons. I refuse to cave to all of this back-to-school madness...

(though I do love a good tax-free weekend!)

...as it is still way too stinkin' hot&humid to be shopping for jeans&sweaters. Pretty Little Bare Feet has been on her own little watermelon kick all summer long, & I am inspired to join her in her sweet fun!

(via: Sugar&Charm)

watermelon mojito pops

Yesterday I picked up some (more) watermelon & fresh mint, fully intending to mix these delicious goodies up last night for My Prince & me. 'Til I realized they have to chill overnight, so then I figured they'd be a happy hour treat for us today. Only I can't find popsicle molds anywhere! So they may end up being a day late...

...& uh, just watermelon mojitos w/out the pops!

(But there's still plenty of fun in that!)

(via: Just Married & Cooking)

watermelon margs

I also think these look fantastic & worth a try. I've been craving a mango margarita from Chili's since I was in about week 34 of my pregnancy, & I haven't gotten one yet...

...so maybe I'll do some more at-home bartending with this watermelon I have, & see if I can satiate that fruity margarita thirst that's been nagging at me!

Watermelon Stripe Sundress by Hartstrings

I love, love, love pretty much anything Hartstrings, & I am especially grateful for them now that I have a boy - which makes it so much more of a challenge to find cute little clothes! There is still plenty of hot summer weather around these parts, so I've hit the summer sale on the Hartstrings website a couple times already, & will probably be back at it again!

(Especially with cute stuff like this on major sale!)

Watermelon Quilted Backpack by Stephen Joseph

Is Stephen Joseph all the rage in the halls of your kid's nursery school? It definitely is in ours! & in the lobby of the gym where we take her for gymnastics...

...& pretty much anyplace around here where cute little mamas bring their cute little tots!

Pretty Little Bare Feet has the cupcake quilted backpack (monogrammed, natch!) & the owl lunchbox (just a name label sticker on that one). & when she was a little baby, we loved her ladybug bib&burpcloth by Stephen Joseph.

I haven't seen this watermelon backpack in person, but came across it on the website, & now it might be on the list to replace the cupcake backpack once that one is completely worn out.

(& it's well on its way there...toddlers are pretty rough on their bags! LOL)

Laceless Watermelon Sneaker by Keds at Urban Outfitters

Although all the little watermelon-wear out there for kids is so sweet, it's not impossible to cutely incorporate watermelons into our own wardrobes. I think these little sneakers would be so fun to pair up with basic polo&shorts combinations, especially for a hot summer day outdoors!

Hmmm...

...now I see that today is Champagne Day...;)

What I Want This Weekend, July 22nd, 2011

2011-07-22T14:43:00.001-05:00

So here are some pretty things I've come across this week,

from some blog

or catalog

or friend

or magazine

or another;

or just from my own browsing&shopping&surfing,

that I need to convince My Prince to dole out the cash for...

Gloworm Throw Pillow by Suzy Ultman at Land of Nod

I'd buy this pillow for Pretty Little Bare Feet's bed...

...but I wouldn't necessarily object to it getting left in our living room either. ;)

Maria Legging in Starless by J Brand Jeans

How do y'all feel about high-rise jeans? I love skinny jeans for fall because they are great with boots&sweaters. But I haven't really tried high-rise cuts.

Just a couple more weeks to go before I can start running again, & thus allow myself to check the scale again. I was able to lose the baby weight after having Pretty Little Bare Feet, most within two or three months, all within five months...

...Anyway, I have a couple pairs of J Brand jeans, & they are some of my favorites, but I have completely worn out one pair (the shoreman sailor jeans) because they button in a way that allowed me to wear them when I was in that transition period between my normal size & maternity clothes (during both pregnancies!). So I think a new pair of J Brand jeans will be a nice reward for myself after I get back to getting in shape this fall.

Faustina Top in Scarlet by Nanette Lepore at Revolve Clothing

Love everything about this top.

The color,

the drapey fit,

the embroidery.

& Nanette Lepore is one of my favorite designers, especially for tops. They always fit comfortably & look nice.

Bowen Dress in Perfect Afternoon by Lilly Pulitzer

I think this is my favorite dress that I didn't get to buy/wear this summer of being pregnant/postpartum. I think I'll keep an eye out for it to go on sale someplace...

Nice Stems! Collection by OPI

While my toenails are freshly painted...

(Pretty Little Bare Feet's, too! - we had a spa date last weekend!)

...lately I haven't been able to visit my friends at the local salon that I get all of my (current) OPI nail lacquers from. I just love this summer's little mini-collection, though, especially I Lily Love You (light pink sparkle) & Come to Poppy (shimmering coral-pink).

T.G.I.F.! What do YOU want this weekend?

He's Here!

2011-07-06T11:49:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been over a month since I last blogged...but most of you know what a good excuse I had for my absence...

My Little Man!

My Little Man arrived on June 22nd. He's two weeks old today! Pretty Little Bare Feet couldn't be more thrilled to be a Big Sister. My Prince had to go back to work yesterday, but my sweet mama is still here helping out. In fact, she just left to take Pretty Little Bare Feet shopping (again), which is why My Little Man & I are able to take a second to update y'all on what's been going on around the Screen Door.

I'm sure blogging will be sporadic for another month or two. A big thank you to all of y'all for bearing with me & being patient while I've neglected the blog this summer, to focus on the most important things! Once Pretty Little Bare Feet gets back to her little Montessori nursery school routine, I'm sure I'll be itching to get back to my "blogging while the baby naps" routine. In fact, I obviously need a new header (since My Little Man isn't in my current one!), & I'm envisioning a whole overhaul in design around here...soon enough. For now, I'm thinking it's time for a quick nap. ;)

(Yep, that's really My Prince & My Little Man in that photo. Isn't my sweet stepsister ohsotalented?)

Preferred Catalogs: Hanna Andersson

2011-05-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

I ordered several of Pretty Little Bare Feet's fall wardrobe staples (hair accessories, turtlenecks, etc.) from Hanna Andersson, & I couldn't have been more pleased with the customer service or the quality of the items.

& although Pretty Little Bare Feet seems to have a plethora of little sundresses to choose from...the warmer the weather the gets, the more apparent it is becoming that we are still missing a few summer staples for her wardrobe.

Fortunately, the latest Hanna Andersson catalog does not disappoint!

Reversible Headband in Story Pink/Water Leaf

Summer Color Scooter Skirt in Treasure Pink/Pottery Orange

Favorite Things Tank in Citron

Cropped Sweats in Bright Coral Bloom/White

& of course now I get to look at *baby boy* things, too!...

Little Tanker in Seed Green

(all available at Hanna Andersson)

What I Want This Weekend, May 13th, 2011

2011-05-13T23:58:00.002-05:00

Here are some pretty things I've come across this week,

from some blog

or catalog

or friend

or magazine

or another;

or just from my own browsing&shopping&surfing,

that I need to convince My Prince to dole out the cash for...

Ugly Charlie by Uglydoll

Little Ugly Groody by Uglydoll

Do any of y'all mamas have any Uglydolls for your little ones?

Little Ugly Flatwoodsey by Uglydoll

Pretty Little Bare Feet received the one above from one of her favorite little nursery school classmates for her birthday this year. She absolutely adores the silly thing, & I have to admit that it has kind of grown on me.

After speaking to friends with toddlers, who have recently added newborns to their families, My Prince & I have been trying to ready ourselves for the big transition that Pretty Little Bare Feet is going to be making soon as she becomes a big sister. One idea that has been floated around is the idea of letting the older child pick out a special gift to give to the new baby.

I had already been thinking that maybe since Pretty Little Bare Feet only has one of the "Little Uglys," she might be excited about acquiring a new, bigger Classic Uglydoll for herself. I've been putting together a little "bag of fun" for our trip to the hospital, full of little surprises to be pulled out in instances of waiting room boredom, or just to distract from all of the unfamiliar disruptions to Pretty Little Bare Feet's little toddler world.

Then it occurred to me that maybe I could

take away the "surprise" element of this particular little gift,

allow Pretty Little Bare Feet to pick out her own new Uglydoll,

& also let her pick out a new Little Ugly to give to her baby brother.

Then we could sort of make the "bigger" Uglydoll a "big sibling" to the new Little Ugly...

Insulated Cooler in Floaters by Lilly Pulitzer at Swoozie's

I have been longing for Lilly throughout this entire pregnancy, pretty much from the moment I no longer felt comfortable in my favorite Lilly dresses&polos. Although I am still able to wear some of my Lilly pajamas, I've been having to make do with shopping for Lilly stationery & that sort of thing.

(& of course the occasional Minnie item for Pretty Little Bare Feet.)

Anyway, just a few more months (assuming, of course, I work my tail off to lose the baby weight as quickly as I did before...& that is what I intend!) before I can dress myself in my normal wardrobe again - & add to it!

Until that time, though, the #1 item on my summer Lilly must-have list is this cooler. I intend to spend some time at both our country club & neighborhood pools with Pretty Little Bare Feet, who can pretty safely splash around in the "kiddie pools" under my watchful eye, while I keep my other watchful eye on a newborn. Therefore, it will be necessary to ensure we are properly equipped with the perfect

beach bag,

beach towels,

cooler,

magazines,

water bottles,

etc.

I also already have the perfect Lilly caftan to cover my postpartum mama bod, & I just received a big, floppy hat in a delightful bright coral as a gift that will also be well-loved this summer.

Toddler Girls' Swimsuit in Red by Calypso St. Barth for Target

Pretty Little Bare Feet has thus far only snagged this one new bathing suit for herself, but now that most everybody has gotten their summer lines out, I'm sure it'll be no time before we add a few more to her current swimwear rotation.

Enamel Horse Bit Bangle in Green by Fornash

Love Fornash. Pretty much everything. & I would love to add to my Fornash bangle&bracelet collection with one of these with the new horse bit detail. Sooo classically chic!

Eli Open Shoulder Top by Dallin Chase at Shopbop

I know, we've already covered the annoying fact that I can't yet wear my normal-sized clothing, & it would just be silly to get this & stare at it for months, waiting until I can wear it. But I've always had a thing for open shoulder tops, & I can't get this one out of my head!

Gemma Long Dress by Karen Zambos Vintage Couture at Shopbop

...& while backtracking to find that fabulous top to share with y'all, I happened upon this fantastic dress - my favorite maxi dress I've seen this year! & I wore a non-maternity maxi dress by Gypsy 05 just tonight...so this actually feels within the realm of not-too-far-off possibility! ;)

T.G.I.F.! What do YOU want this weekend?

Calm After the Storms?

2011-05-09T15:30:00.000-05:00

I always say that this isn't a personal blog. & by that I mean that...

...this is not where I chronicle my daily life.

I don't use my real name, or the real names of my family&friends.

I don't discuss finances or share health issues.

Using my own personal photos is rare.

I'm not looking to vent about politics - the real kind or the private-school-mama kind.

Instead, this has been my place for sharing preppy, pretty finds for the house, the kid, or the wardrobe. This has been a place to chronicle failures&successes in the kitchen. It's also been a wonderful way to connect with other bloggers that share some of my lifestyle interests.

Part of why I love this little place is because it is a lighthearted "escape" of sorts, where I can

forget my cares,

put off my to-do lists,

& just indulge in a little bit of pretty for a little while.

Since the date of my last post, April 27th, it has been hard for me to bring my mind to that kind of lighthearted state, the kind that I try to approach my blogging with.

My house is still standing. My closest family&friends are still standing.

But my beloved home state of Alabama is devastated. The hometown where I grew up was violently impacted by the system of tornadoes that wreaked havoc across the state less than two weeks ago, as was the "hometown" My Prince & I adopted for several years, before settling in the area we live in now (also impacted by the storms). There are many places that only exist in my memories now. My heart has broken again&again for the stories I've heard from friends who did lose grandparents, or homes, or siblings...not to mention the stories I've read about complete strangers, who don't really feel like strangers, as I shake my head in disbelief at the shared sorrow we feel at the tragic losses of our beloved homes&neighbors.

I know that there are many people throughout the country who felt sadness when they saw the destruction caused by the storms twelve days ago. But many of those same people, my friends included, were able to refocus their attention on breaking news from the White House, or the gaiety of the British royal wedding celebration. Life goes on...

I am still losing my breath every time I pass an area of destroyed houses&trees; still feeling sick to my stomach every time a new upload of photos or videos shows more of the reality of how life has changed forever for so many of my friends&neighbors here in Dixie.

So today I am sharing a few things that are

a bit more personal,

a bit more real,

& a bit more serious.

Tomorrow is always a new day for sharing the brighter, happier side of life, which I am more comfortable blogging in. But today I am still just a sad Alabama girl that hopes you'll remember us in your prayers for just a little bit longer.

Kids4AL

Kids helping kids affected by tornadoes in Alabama.

Toomer's for Tuscaloosa

Toomer's for Tuscaloosa provides help to residents of Tuscaloosa & West Alabama affected by the April 27th, 2011 tornadoes.

Oak Mountain Church Disaster Relief

Providing relief to those affected by disaster.

Central Church of Christ Tornado Relief

Efforts to help people affected by the tornado of April 27, 2011, which ripped through Limestone County, Alabama.

Southern Supports the Tide® - Tornado Relief for Tuscaloosa

Southern Tide® has approved the use of their logo for this relief effort, & they are licensed.

Checking In!

2011-04-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

Hello to all of my fabulous, loyal, sweet followers!

I appreciate you all so much for hanging in there with me during this blessed (but chaotic!) period in my life, as we are nearing the time for our new baby boy to make his arrival. =) I have not been as present as I usually am in our bloggers' community, & I do miss it! But it's been a challenge just to keep all of our usual plates spinning around here, & keeping things as routine as possible for Pretty Little Bare Feet has been my #1 priority.

I've also been trying to get our house ready for the arrival of our new baby.

(His decor is "Hey Diddle Diddle," which I think coordinates nicely with Pretty Little Bare Feet's Raggedy Ann.)

Since he will start out sleeping in our room, there has been (& still is) some work to do to get our master bedroom ready for sharing. Eventually he'll move upstairs to share a room with Pretty Little Bare Feet.

(Our second&third bedrooms are *huge,* so I feel no guilt in having two small children share one of them, so we can keep our fabulous multi-purpose "spare" room as it is!)

So there have been some changes to Pretty Little Bare Feet's room, as well. & of course the doctors' visits are more frequent now. & of course I am...

...exhausted,

tired,

worn out...

...I'm pretty much ready for the challenge of newborn+toddler, rather than this current challenge of pregnant mama + toddler. I can function without sleep...but...

...I miss having energy!

& mobility!

& not being so achy by the end of every day!

(Okay, okay, & yes, I miss having a g&t or a glass of wine in the evening, as well. ;))

So although I'll try to blog a bit more often in May (never meant to go on hiatus for this long!)...if I'm "not around," you can check in with me on Twitter or email me (at the address in my Blogger profile).

Again, I appreciate all of you!, & I have been enjoying what little catching up on your blogs I've been able to manage.

I am so inspired by all of the beautiful, colorful spring posts.

Please keep them coming!

(& if you are one of the many of us Southern folks that is or has been dealing with the severe weather today, stay safe!)

"Just Because" Cards

2011-04-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

If you're a stationery junkie like I am, you don't need a holiday (or even a reason) to give a great card to somebody.

In fact, the hardest part of ~~hoarding~~ collecting stationery for me is that using it means giving it away.

I often save one of each design out of my boxes or sets of stationery...& if I find an especially wonderful card, I'll buy two, so I can keep one for myself. =)

Hint of Lime Folded Notes by a Touch of Whimsy Designs

Girls Night Out Note Card by Bonnie Marcus Collection at Polka Dot Design

Fetched Foliage in Mustard by Night Owl Paper Goods at Tiny Prints

Dress Note Cards by Lilly Pulitzer at Lifeguard Press

(I have these in last year's patterns, & I just love them!)

Giraffes Card by Winifred Studios

On Deciding that Amy Butler is Not Just for Children's Items...

2011-04-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

(via: Amy Butler)

Until my recent determination that I would have to roll up my sleeves & shop harder ;) to find the best&cutest in all things little boy...

...I had been under the impression that Amy Butler was simply a recognizable designer of almost-always-adorable fabric.

(&, having failed miserably at my resolutions to master my sewing machine, my familiarity with Amy Butler has been mostly limited to Etsy searches.)

However, during my recent exploration of lots of new (to me) baby style blogs & online baby shops, I came across Amy Butler & quickly realized there is so much more to appreciate!

Lucky Flowers Mix&Match Stationery by Amy Butler at Chronicle Books

Dream Traveler Carry-On in Tobacco Temple Doors by Amy Butler at Layla Grace

Valencia Comforter Set by Amy Butler at Bed, Bath, & Beyond

Bath Towels by Amy Butler at Bed, Bath, & Beyond

Bloom Fabric Shower Curtain by Amy Butler at Bed, Bath, & Beyond

& of course there are still so many lovely children's items to be found on Etsy, as well...

Baby Bib in Cherry Wallflower by Amy Butler at the Scarlet Poppe Boutique

the Modern Reversible Pinafore in Vintage Dots & SunSpots by Blue Morpho Designs

Ready for Spring Flutter-Sleeve Peasant Dress in Morning Glory Fabric by Amy Butler at Personalized for You

(FYI...Amy Butler will be featured on the fabulous exclusive sale site Rue La La tomorrow! & I'm also super-excited that the Lilly Pulitzer boutique will be open at Rue La La later this week...I have always been very happy with my Lilly purchases from Rue La La! If you are not a member, just email me at the address in my Blogger profile, or DM me on Twitter.)

Dress Like a Preppy...Rock Star?

2011-03-30T22:29:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, I posted about compromising the seeming conflict between camouflage chic & classic preppy. Today, ponder with me whether there are easy solutions to bridging a similar divide between preppy...& punk rock!

(Hint: I think you can add one little detail from almost any trend to an otherwise classic preppy outfit, & generally pull it off well. Also, I think there is one word that edgy street stylistas & preppy fashionistas can all agree to love: glam!)

Preppy Rock Star by ScreenDoorPrep featuring heart sunglasses

blazer jacket by Diane von Furstenberg, $545
jeans by Bird by Juicy Couture, $228
satchel by Marc Jacobs, $625
beaded necklace, $40
heart-shaped sunglasses, $14

Preppy Rock Star 2 by ScreenDoorPrep featuring hairbow headband

studded jacket by Narciso Rodriguez, $1,780
vintage skirt by J. Crew, $148
sparkly shoes in black, $301
bag by Coach, $238
hairbow headband by Esprit, $16

Preppy Rock Star 3 by ScreenDoorPrep on Polyvore.com

lipstick in MAC Red by MAC Cosmetics, $15
face&body foundation by MAC Cosmetics, $33
lip gloss by Bobbi Brown, $22
lipstick in MAC Red by MAC Cosmetics, $15
lip pencil by MAC Cosmetics, $13
lip pencil by MAC Cosmetics, $13
face&body foundation, $33

Preppy Rock Star 4 by ScreenDoorPrep featuring buckle bracelet

top by Lilly Pulitzer, $48
silk jeans by Paige Denim, $169
high heel shoes by Michael Kors, $850
satchel handbag by Michael Kors, $895
buckle bracelet by Marc by Marc Jacobs, $49

(As always, please excuse my obvious struggles with Polyvore...& idk why I can't center the images...*sigh*...)

& just for fun, a few "rock star" (ish) pieces I love, which can be subtly added to any chic classics you (or your chic little one) are already wearing every day!:

Boys Rock Star Bodysuit in White by Amy Coe at Babies R Us

Wright Gable Small Hobo in Mushroom by L.A.M.B. at Zappos

Leopard Calf Hair "Stud Clog" Platform Clogs in Tan/Brown/Black by Stuart Weitzman at Bluefly

Tristen Oversized Silk Shirt by BCBG Max Azria at Saks Fifth Avenue

Metallic Eyeshadow by Bobbi Brown at Nordstrom

Change of Seasons!

2011-03-22T14:21:00.000-05:00

Are you as excited as I am?!

I am so ready to spend more time outside.

I love seeing all the beautiful flowers&trees blooming around us.

I love all the spring&summer holidays.

While browsing the always fabulous Martha Stewart site this morning, I was delighted to see a colorful feature on spring decorating ideas. Some of my favorites:

(all images via: Martha Stewart)

I was particularly inspired by the tablecloth in that last photo...but I'm just not sure I currently have the patience to do my own embellishments in the way that the tutorial instructs. It looks easy (& fun!) enough, but my energy is so zapped these days that if I have a "free" ten minutes, I'd rather "rest my eyes" than be crafty. ;)

So if you're crunched for time (or energy!) like I am, you may be interested in some other tablecloths I found that fit the spring mood. I always find that changing the tablecloth in our dining room can really change the feel of the house!

Mandala Tablecloth Collection by Dwell at Target

Easter Bunny Jacquard Tablecloth at Williams-Sonoma

Floral Tablecloth by Blossoms&Blooms at Kohl's

Old World Round Tablecloth with Napkins in Yellow by Temp-tations at QVC

Butterfly Meadow Tablecloth by Bardwil at Lenox

Whale of a Time

2011-03-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

Having been the mama of a little girl for so long...

(well, two years, anyway)

...I've always noticed that when buying the odd gifts here&there for little boys, it seems much harder to find seriously cute little boy things. I mean, I often find adorable pieces of little girls' clothing on the clearance racks at Target! Although I do prefer to look a bit harder for most of Pretty Little Bare Feet's clothing&things, it is nice that I can occasionally find sweet little random things in the everyday places.

Now that I'm shopping for a little boy, however, I am satisfied that there was truth in my hunch that little boys are much harder to shop for. Unless you want your little boy to wear a constant rotation of bright, silly tees that say cheesy things in large graphics across the front, you're challenged to look a little harder for classic, more appealing options.

Fortunately, my mama knows my tastes, & she has been shop-shop-shopping away for her new grandson that is on the way. & although I am doing his nursery decor in "Hey Diddle Diddle," I have also found that a lot of my favorites from what my mama has been buying feature whales!

(Which shouldn't be a surprise, considering how much I love Vineyard Vines & all things nautical&whale for myself, but I guess I just haven't had a reason to consider what "little boy motifs" I prefer until now!)

So, in recent whale-watching, some finds I've been enamored with:

Stripy Logo Jumper in Tomato/Whale by Mini Boden

Flip Flop in Navy&White Whale by Miss Trish Splash at Nordstrom

(Okay, yes, so some of these whale finds are for me! ;))

"Tattoo Whale" Slip-Ons in Ocean by Robeez at Nordstrom

Whale Sleep Set for Baby at Old Navy

Mush I in Little Whale Blue by Teva at Piperlime

Toddler's Fancy Frock Cotton Cardigan in Frosted Lilac by Vineyard Vines at Saks Fifth Avenue

(Nope, can't help myself when I find something cute for Pretty Little Bare Feet either!)

Vineyard Whale Flip Flops in Asparagus by Vineyard Vines at Zappos

(& every now&again, I even find something cute for My Prince! Though to be perfectly honest, last year the madras flip flops by Vineyard Vines that I bought for myself were actually men's!)

Card Holder in Green with Navy Whale by A. Tierney

Bib&Burps Set in White Whale by A. Tierney

Fishing Boat with Whale by Playmobil at Barnes&Noble

Whale Tongs by Design House Stockholm at Bobby Berk Home

Classic Wooden Orca at Chasing Fireflies

Whale Animal Box by Karl Zahn at Design Public

Happy Whales Mobile in Green&Yellow by Flensted Mobiles at Design Public

Baby Zoo Whale Wall Decal by LittleLion Studio at Fawn&Forest

Whale Beach Towel in Hot Pink by Granny B's Clothesline

Brother Whale Shorts by Granny B's Clothesline

Whale Personalized Name Plate by Lima Bean Kids at Izzy&Ash

Whale Birthday Invitations by Cards with Care

Urban Zoologie Whales Pillowcase Dress by Baby Harrill

Whale Sleep Set in Aqua at Baby Gap

Dive Olly Dive: a Whale of a Tale! DVD at Target

Whale of a Playtub Baby Bath Tub by Fisher-Price at Target

Whale Watching Hooded Towel & Washcloth Set by Baby JaR at Layla Grayce

Moby Bath Spout Cover by Skip Hop at Layla Grayce

(We already have this little guy - & we love him!)

Oceanside Sleep Pants in Clear Blue with Whale at L.L. Bean

Whale Address Label by Boatman Geller at the Monogram Merchant

Wilbur the Whale by Kootie Bug Designs at the Monogram Merchant

White Whales Needlepoint Belt by Smathers&Branson at North River Outfitter

Pink Whale School Backpack by Four Peas at Oliebollen

Whale Sleeveless Frill Tee by Patty's Collection

Whale Nightlight at Pottery Barn Kids

Pink Inflatable Whale Pool at Pottery Barn Kids

Arkballows Hull Outlook Earrings by Kiel James Patrick at the Preppy Princess

Whale Holiday Flat Photocard by Boatman Geller at the Preppy Princess

Whale Applique Personalized Dress by Southern Tots

Whale Red Seersucker Applique Shortall by Southern Tots

My First Award of 2011?

2011-03-19T22:37:00.002-05:00

So, ages ago...

(seriously, like about two whole months ago, though I can't figure out where these two months have gone)

...Kay, whose fabulous blog is Sweet Preppy in Pink, was sweet enough to award me with the Stylish Blogger Award. Now I don't know if I've done her justice, it not being all that stylish to be so late in acknowledging her kindness ;), but I am so grateful that she thought of me! I've had this post on my "to blog" Stickie on my MacBook all this time, but I swear the number of to-do lists I've been neglecting lately is at an all-time high.

(My pregnant brain is mush, & my pregnant body just gives out on me by 9pm every night. Not great for productivity, since the late-night hours used to be exactly when I found the time to tackle all the things I didn't get done during my day of full-time attention to Pretty Little Bare Feet. & should I even mention that I started this post on Tuesday?!)

Anyway, a big thank you for the award, & y'all please be sure & go check out Sweet Preppy in Pink. =)

Rules:

Thank, & link back to, the person who gave you this award.
Share seven things about yourself.
Award fifteen recently discovered great bloggers.
Contact these bloggers & tell them about the award.

1. I am addicted to those online flash/sample sale sites.

I think I have a membership (& get the daily emails) for nearly every single one of them, but the ones I frequently buy from (& recommend!) are:

Billion Dollar Babes,

Ideeli,

Rue La La,

& Zulily.

I have had a couple bad experiences (think sites that rhyme with "BoatCook" & "Dotsee")...but overall I enjoy the whole combination of

anticipating a featured designer you love,

logging in to see what's being offered,

& cheering when you find it in your size & get it into your "cart" fast enough...

...or chalking it up to fate that you didn't find it or get it fast enough, since you didn't need to spend that much money anyway!

& of course the savings can be really great - I do usually try to buy enough items at one time to offset the higher shipping costs that most of these sites charge.

(via: Hostess with the Mostess)

2. I love parties.

All kinds of parties.

Baby showers,

birthday parties,

holiday parties...

...I even like lame office Christmas parties.

I love cake (especially wedding cake!). I love decorations&invitations.

It's rare that I won't make an effort to attend pretty much any party I am invited to...& sometimes I attempt to make an average Monday morning playgroup more festive by coming up with a silly themed menu. =p

I also love party blogs. Some of my favorites are:

Birthday Girl,

Hostess with the Mostess,

Kara's Party Ideas,

Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas,

& the TomKat Studio.

3. I get up at 6:15am most mornings.

My Prince usually gets up at about 7am. Pretty Little Bare Feet usually gets up at about 7:35am.

I need my sleep, but those 45 minutes of quiet time first-thing in the morning can be vital to my having a good routine going for the rest of my day. Before I became pregnant again, I would go ahead & get in my first daily Coke Zero (of many) during that period of time.

(Now, unfortunately, just a sip or two of any dark, carbonated beverage makes me nauseated.)

But I like to take a hot bubble bath, rather than a shower, especially if it's a morning that I am not washing my hair. I like to do a quick email check & read an article or two from a magazine.

&...I am also blessed that My sweet Prince often lets me "sleep in" until after 8am on Saturday mornings, while he ~~dozes on the couch~~ & Pretty Little Bare Feet eat cereal & watch Saturday morning cartoons.

(via: Mom's Crafty Space)

4. I love my daughter's Montessori nursery school.

I am a room mom for Pretty Little Bare Feet's classroom, & it actually hasn't entailed as much work as I initially thought I was getting myself into. It's been nice getting to know the other parents, several of whom have become friends of both mine & My Prince's.

I love seeing all the cute little sleepy-morning faces & their cute little nursery school wardrobes.

I also love when I arrive early enough to catch some of the sweet playground action before I go inside to sign Pretty Little Bare Feet out & wait for her to come greet me in the hallway (always with a grin, a run, & a big hug!).

I love the artwork that Pretty Little Bare Feet brings home for us to decorate the kitchen (& My Prince's office) with. I love doing

book orders

& classroom holiday parties

& field trips.

I am so fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mama that can really participate fully in my daughter's private nursery school, which encourages so much parental involvement.

(via: Sheek Shindigs)

5. At some point very soon, I am going to have to come up with a suitable "blog alias" for the baby boy that will be joining our family this summer.

I am also going to have to be sure that a new header for this blog includes him!

6. I frequently put myself into "food ruts."

I've done this for as long as I can remember. I can go for months at a time eating the exact same breakfast&lunch, only changing it up at suppertime. I can't explain it, & I don't know what the underlying psychological cause for it is (oh, I'm sure somebody would tell me that there is one).

Examples?

In college, I went pretty much an entire year eating the exact same lunch from our campus dining: half of an omelet with cheddar, ham, & mushrooms.

My senior year, when I lived in an apartment & didn't have a meal plan with campus dining, my lunch was almost always half of a grilled tuna sandwich with a side of broccoli salad. I would eat it at my desk in the office where I interned.

In my second year of law school, during which I had an hour commute (one way), I subsisted almost entirely off of Coke Zero & cookies&creme Pop-Tarts...at least during the daylight hours.

I am also one of those people that always orders my "usual" at restaurants.

But I am actually a pretty adventurous eater. I love to cook & try new recipes. We usually eat supper as a family. & I am often much more clever&creative in fixing different breakfast, lunch, & snack options for Pretty Little Bare Feet.

Still, I personally tend to get "in the mood" for something, & then I'll just sort of keep going back to it by default until I move on to my next meal phase.

7. My "signature" drink is a Sapphire&tonic.

1 part Bombay Sapphire gin
4 parts tonic

*Pour ingredients over ice in a tall glass.

*Garnish with a lime wedge.

Fifteen stylish bloggers I'm awarding:

Preferred Catalogs: Arthur Beren

2011-03-13T14:57:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is, another Sunday afternoon, & I'm again behind on:

my blog

& my email

& most everything else, it seems.

My OB appointments are more frequent now, which involves a bit of travel, since I opted to use the same hospital&OB that I used with Pretty Little Bare Feet. We also moved Pretty Little Bare Feet from her crib into a twin bed last week, so sleep has been an even more valuable luxury than usual around here. I had been thinking there was either not enough or too much to blog about...& my obsession with bracketology & all things March Madness didn't seem to be nearly interesting enough for my readers. ;)

But here I sit again,

with the week's mail that has gone unopened until now,

& there are lovely catalogs galore!

Do y'all adore catalogs as much as I do?

(Do let me know, & if they bore you to tears, I can always share my love of brackets with you in the next post. ;))

It's sort of funny, how I arrange our mail:

catalogs in one stack;

bills in another

(I admit, My amazing Prince is the one that tackles that stack...I can calculate, but it's definitely not something I do quickly, & I feel like I have to triple-check everything!);

magazines in another;

& then I immediately open anything that looks like a calendar or event announcement or party invitation.

(Of course, junk mail is disposed of immediately, as well.)

& there have been a lot of party invitations lately! In fact, we're missing a birthday party this afternoon because it was scheduled right in the middle of naptime. I'm surprised, actually, by how often this happens. I mean, isn't 1-3 in the afternoon pretty much a standard naptime for this age group? I'm not so rigid about naptime that I can't ever alter it, but actually interrupting a good nap is a big no-no here - Pretty Little Bare Feet has never been a good napper & needs all the sleep she can get!

Anyway, I digress.

Like most ladies, I love handbags&shoes. I particularly love handbags&shoes when I'm pregnant, as (knock on wood) my shoe size didn't change with my first pregnancy, & it hasn't with this one either. & obviously a fabulous handbag can be carried during any weight gain or loss.

My freshly pedicured toes are just itching to slip on a new pair of spring sandals from the Arthur Beren catalog, & there have been a wealth of other great handbags&shoes featured, as well! The one thing that bugs me about Arthur Beren, however, is that rather than sending one or two fat seasonal catalogs with all of the new offerings, they send frequent almost-brochure-sized catalogs that often only showcase one designer at a time.

(& on a completely unrelated side-note, was anybody else incredibly annoyed by my beloved Anthropologie's little "photo" catalog they did for this spring? Beautiful spreads, to be sure, but who wants to flip back to the opening pages every time they want to see the details or price of an item?)

Bigrose Sandal in Orange Jelly by Stuart Weitzman

Air Jasmine Gladiator Sandal in Beige Nappa by Cole Haan

Navajo Mid-Wedge Sandal in Black Croc Patent by Jack Rogers

Giveable Flat in Pan Nappa by Stuart Weitzman

Igea Hobo Bag in Tan Canvas by Salvatore Ferragamo

(all available at Arthur Beren)

(& now I'm off to begin completing my three brackets for this year's March Madness! Go Xavier!)

Preferred Catalogs: Home Decorators Collection

2011-03-03T00:54:00.002-06:00

As I've mentioned at least once or twice before, I am not one of those environmentally-conscious folks that shudders in horror at the exorbitant waste of paper every time I find a catalog in my mailbox.

(Although I have tried to ensure that we don't receive catalogs that I don't actually want to look at...still, there are a number of catalogs that I quite enjoy looking at!)

Of course most of these retailers have great online sites that have even more to offer than the catalogs themselves, but there is just something about turning those glossy pages that makes the whole "shop-at-home" experience so much nicer than just mindlessly browsing on the ol' MacBook.

I've been a bit of a catalog junkie since I was a little girl, hoarding away my own little stack of my mama's&granny's catalogs,

to peruse at my leisure...

...or play "store" with...

...or eventually cut "paper dolls" out of.

But now I just keep my favorite, preferred catalogs in their own special rack, editing out the "old" editions as soon as the new ones arrive. Sometimes I'll feel ambitious enough to actually mark favorite items with a Sharpie...

(particularly if there might be a holiday coming up! ;))

...but I usually just make mental notes of my favorites, & then try&recall them if I happen to be doing some online shopping at their sites later.

Anyway, I just recently mentioned a favorite or two from a couple of my very favorite catalogs, Lilly Pulitzer & Vineyard Vines. So let's look at something completely different today!

There are probably at least a dozen or so home catalogs that I receive that I enjoy looking at. I love to mentally redecorate...

(don't you?!)

...although there really are some areas of the house I should actually roll my sleeves up for & get to work in. But until that "nesting" phase kicks in, I'll just share with you a few of the things that struck my fancy in the most recent Home Decorators Collection catalog!

Monogram Double Old-Fashioned Glasses

Monogram Acrylic Serving Tray

Argyle Accent Table

Reflections Collection Executive Desk

Vintage Eiffel Tower Wall Art

(February is gone...& with it, hopefully, my lack of motivation for checking email, updating the blog...& well, I won't be so optimistic as to hope that I'll actually become more active on Facebook or Twitter...but you never know! ;))

Spring Fever

2011-02-15T22:11:00.002-06:00

Thank y'all for bearing with me for a couple chaotic weeks! Trunk show season is over, & hopefully all the little sicky bugs going around have run their courses & are gone for good. That means I can get back to my routine & back to the blogs! I've missed y'all!

I am sure that things will be chaotic in a few months when we get closer to the arrival of our next little one,

& I'll probably be intermittently blogging sometimes...

...but I didn't really get this blog going until my sweet Pretty Little Bare Feet started taking a regular routine afternoon nap,

& I have always tried to be up front about my commitment to focusing all my attention on family first.

So a big, huge THANK YOU to all my sweet loyal followers that hang in there with me when I disappear for a few days, or when I haven't gotten a chance to catch up on your blogs for a couple weeks. Y'all are the best, & I know there will again come a time when I have more time (& energy, for that matter!) to really take advantage of our fabulous community of bloggers.

So, what's been on my mind, you ask? Well, I'd bore you to tears &/or overstep my "this isn't a personal blog" credo, if we went into all that.

So let's talk about the weather.

(Ha! ;))

Well, really...it's finally warming up! That silly groundhog led us all astray trying to convince us that we could pack up our sweaters & get ready for sunny days. Who was he kidding? We had another snow day in Alabama last week!

However, we had a fantastic sunny Valentine's Day.

(& yes, I did get to have a wonderful romantic dinner date with My charming Prince.)

Although I am aware that it is not yet foreseeably clear enough skies to pack up all the winter wear...I am feeling bright&sunny enough to get excited about spring wear!

(& that fantastic spring catalog from Lilly Pulitzer that arrived in my mailbox yesterday...well, it mostly made me sad that I am too pregnant to wear any of the darling new offerings...but it was also a fresh breath of bright, sunny air that confirmed to me that spring is indeed coming soon!)

Shauna Dress in Classic White by Lilly Pulitzer

My favorite item in the new spring catalog! I love a little white dress almost as much as a little black dress, don't you?!

Short Shelbee Dress by Tory Burch

Lots&lots of lovely offerings from Tory Burch this spring, as well! Think I love that dress best!

Linen Easy Cardigan in Marigold by Plenty at Layla Grayce

I love that you can now buy fabulous fashion from one of my favorite beautiful catalogs, Layla Grayce. Very Anthropologie-ish, which I love. I suppose I could buy myself a cardigan to wear for a month or two...unbuttoned...over my maternity things. ;)

Featherweight Cashmere Short-Sleeve Cardigan in Radiant Orchid at J. Crew

I was delighted to see this bright burst of color amongst the new arrivals at J. Crew. Of course it's available in quite a few other colors, but it's almost spring! So let's break out the brights!

Basic Button Down Dress in Pink&Green Vine by Kayce Hughes

Like Layla Grayce, Kayce Hughes used to be in my bookmark folder for Pretty Little Bare Feet...a place I looked at for little girl things. But it seems that now that I can't shop for myself (at least not in the traditional sense), I keep tormenting my pregnant self by looking at these cute things I can't wear! ;)

Little Girls' Maypole Shorts in Vineyard Navy by Vineyard Vines

& of course it's going to be springtime on the nursery school playground...how excited am I that Pretty Little Bare Feet can finally wear a size 2T?!

(Well, in some things, anyway. It will actually probably be questionable whether she can hold up 2T shorts. But she can wear 2T dresses&tops pretty well now!)

It's a Boy!

2011-01-31T00:48:00.000-06:00

Wow, where have I been the last couple weeks? A bit of everywhere.

I survived the grand celebration of Pretty Little Bare Feet's second birthday. We had a fantastic turnout to a fun birthday party at a children's museum.

(via: Lifeguard's Press)

I did some slight variations on a theme using the Taboo print by Lilly Pulitzer.

Since that particular print has been discontinued from the Lilly line of party goods, I had to bring in lots of other coordinating touches - which ended up being kind of fun!

(I did find the Taboo invitations & some of the Taboo party tableware at the Preppy Princess. If you are not familiar with this fabulous shop, or the delightful blog authored by the Princess herself - you are really missing out! You'll want to be sure & add the Preppy Princess to your blog&shopping bookmarks!)

We also had a fabulous bakery create a customized cake, using the Taboo napkin as a guide.

Cute Candy Damask Elephant Appliqued Long Sleeve Tee by Oh Sew Cute Designs

& Pretty Little Bare Feet wore a precious little pink elephant top I found on Etsy, that coordinated well with our little "theme."

Anyway, I can't believe all of that was only one week ago, because then it was such a whirlwind week! I've been drowning in

appointments,

emails,

meetings,

schedules,

etc.

& then this weekend we celebrated my birthday!

(I turned twenty-one for the eighth time...that makes me twenty-eight, if you're not in the mood for math. ;) I figure I can keep getting away with "twenty-one" for as long as I receive comments such as the one made recently by our neighbor, telling My Prince that I didn't look old enough to be a mama, & asking him to "say hello to your teenaged bride." Ha!)

But the big update is that we went & had our "big" ultrasound done on Friday - & we were (pleasantly) so surprised to find out that we are expecting a baby boy in June!

& although this is not a personal blog...

(so I won't be getting all TMI about baby names, belly photos, & heartburn!)

...this is a blog where we love to talk shopping! & I am entering a whole new realm of baby boy shopping! =)

Big Pony Polo in Bright Lime by Ralph Lauren

Collared Bodysuit with Sailboat by Hartstrings

Denim Dungarees by Burberry

Ombre Slub Stripe Romper by Splendid Littles

Tee Me Up Scottie Soft Soles in Sand by Robeez

Ooo, I am going to have so much fun!

Hope y'all have a fabulous week!

Pink&Green Thursday, January 13th, 2011

2011-01-13T23:02:00.001-06:00

Happy Pink&Green Thursday! I can't believe it's been so long since I've participated in my favorite link-up! But now that my dear Ms. Trishy is back to hosting it regularly, I think it's time that I am back to joining in regularly, don't you?!

(via: Wildfox Couture)

Sooo...won't you have a seat, please?

(Or as Pretty Little Bare Feet would say, "Sit down!...please?" ;))

(via: Vogue)

(via: Veranda)

(via: Alice Lane)

(via: Jonathan Adler)

(I'm a bit obsessed with Jonathan Adler lately...)

One-of-a-Kind Berr Armchair in Flourished at Anthropologie

(Also a bit obsessed with Anthropologie lately...but that's not as novel as the Jonathan Adler kick...I periodically fall from like into love with Anthropologie!)

I Get a Little Warm in My Heart When I Think of Winter...

2011-01-10T13:41:00.001-06:00

Well, I only blogged a little bit about the miraculously white Christmas we had here in Dixie. & here we are, miraculously snow-covered again!

Can I be honest with y'all, though? The truth is I am a bit of a snow grinch. I went to college in Ohio & saw more snow during those four years than I ever cared to see. One of the reasons I moved back home to Alabama after graduating college was to get back to the climate that I considered "normal," where snow is a rare, fleeting sight. So although I can appreciate its beauty (from inside my warm house), I mostly find it inconvenient&messy.

Also, while I'm being completely honest with y'all, I must shamefully confess that I've become a bit of a snow snob, as well. Although I've spent a total of twenty-four of my almost-twenty-eight years living in Alabama, those four years in the snow belt of Ohio created a seasoned pro who didn't think twice about bundling up to trudge across icy sidewalks to class, or shoveling the car out of a snowbank to drive it through a blizzard to work twenty miles away. So now, if a snow flurry falls a hundred miles north of here, & I arrive at Target only to find that the pharmacy is closed because of the "impending, inclement weather," I find myself parodying the "Really?! with Seth&Amy" segment from Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. You know, "Really?! Does the pharmacist commute all the way down here from some mountaintop in the Smokies? I managed to get here just fine. Y'all call this winter weather? Why, when I lived in Ohio..."

Annoying, right? My Prince thinks so, too.

& yes, I totally get that "we just aren't prepared for it" down here the way regions that routinely receive snowfall are. But there were a lot of days that the college town I lived in in Ohio didn't bother to "re-salt" the roads after a fresh snowfall, & you know what? It's pretty simple...drive slowly, & avoid hitting your accelerator or brakes when going around curves or over bridges. Pump your brakes gently when coming to an intersection or stopping. & yes, sometimes accidents still happen - just like they do on wet roads or in everyday driving conditions.

Don't get me wrong - I hated driving (& walking) in it. But I had no choice. They didn't cancel classes or close businesses because a new batch of dangerous ice&snow had landed on the roads&sidewalks. & the South gets enough of the winter stuff every year that would it really be that much of a drain on our city budgets to stock up on a supply of salt to keep the roads passable in these random instances of ice? Surely it wouldn't be more of a hit to the budget than the costs of closing government offices & schools every time a meteorologist spots a flurry traveling in our general direction?

Anyway, so I suppose that's why I didn't blog much about the white Christmas of 2010 or the little dustings of snow that came in 2009. Yes, I appreciate the beauty & the novelty of snow. But overall, I'm a bit of a snow grinch & a snow snob, so I find it better to just be quiet about it - rather than sounding like the grouchy snot that snow turns me into.

(I don't want to come across as a ranting pessimist, really I don't. I'm embarrassed by my attitude!)

However, I have to admit that the silver lining to my snow cloud comes in the form of an amazed, delighted little toddler. She goes back&forth between the windows of the house, watching the snow fall & exclaiming, "Snow!" She will play in it for as long as we will let her. & unlike my grumpy grownup self, she doesn't mind bundling up in layer after layer, if it means getting to play in the snow. When she falls down in it, she giggles instead of groaning.

Pretty Little Bare Feet doesn't have a to-do list that can't get done if she can't get out on the roads to go anywhere. She has

her mama

& the White Dog

- & bonus! Daddy gets to stay at home from work, too!

She has a steady supply of

apple juice,

Cheerios,

& Greek yogurt.

She has books to read & toys to play with.

So today I shall blog about snow...

We have snow! In Alabama! It's pretty, & we're "snowed in!" We're going to play in it, & we're going to make snow cream.

(I'm even going to share the recipe with y'all...it's delicious.)

I have a Snuggie. ;) I have a MacBook. I have books to read. We have power. & most importantly, I have a sweet family that enjoys&loves the snow, so I will enjoy their happiness & love them for their love of snow.

(Well, except for the White Dog...she hates the snow, too. Mostly because she's so tiny that she gets lost in it easily, & it's cold&wet on her dainty little paws.)

(all photos via assorted Alabama news&weather blogs)

snow cream

(yield: 8 to 10 servings)

8 cups snow
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Place snow into a large bowl.

*Pour condensed milk over & add vanilla.

*Mix to combine.

*Serve immediately in bowls.

Preppy Polka Dots

2011-01-03T00:52:00.000-06:00

I love polka dots...especially for Pretty Little Bare Feet. & I love them on gifty things like

lunch boxes,

stationery,

etc.

But I am never sure if polka dots look appropriate on me. I am sometimes drawn to them, only to decide after seeing myself in a photograph that perhaps it was too bold (or too "young") of a choice.

However, after seeing Keira Knightley rocking some polka dots on the January cover of Vogue UK, I've been inspired to look around a bit for fresh ways to incorporate them into my wardrobe.

There is clearly nothing immature about the way she's wearing these dots!

Being of a petite frame, I am always concerned that patterns or prints will overwhelm me. & that makes me sad because I am so often drawn to colorful, pretty patterns&prints!

But I'm thinking...

Polka Dot Ankle Socks in Wine at Topshop USA

Clearly anybody can pull off the polka dot look on their socks! This is actually a place that I often do wear polka dots. =)

Dorene Polka Dot Dress at Delia*s

Okay, so this probably is too young for me. But I think with

a little black cardigan over it,

some black tights under it,

& some classic black pumps...

...I could make it more suitable for a "grownup?"

Ballet Flats by Marc by Marc Jacobs at Yoox

Okay, so it takes a little more moxie to don polka dots on your shoes than just your socks, but how cute are these flats? I'm thinking a solid sweater & some fitted jeans would really be taken up a fun notch with these on my feet!

Hello Kitty Polka Dot Rain Boot by Western Chief at Piperlime

Well...I did say I love polka dots for Pretty Little Bare Feet! I've been dying to find a perfect little pair of rain boots for her. Yet I never do think to look for any, except when I'm at Target, & their selection hasn't wowed me yet. These are so cute, though, & the price is fantastic. How fun for spring!

Polka Dot Suede Continental in Black/Pewter Dot by Juicy Couture at Zappos

I know, this is another way-too-easy polka dot addition, isn't it? But I think it's darling&sophisticated all at once, & I desperately need a new wallet. I got the one I'm currently carrying literally two years ago, as it matches the baby bag My Prince bought for me when Pretty Little Bare Feet was born...two years ago.

(Hmmm, I wonder if there is a baby bag that matches this wallet...?)

Tapping into My Country Side

2011-01-01T22:04:00.001-06:00

Okay, first I want to wish y'all a

Happy New Year!

I know that I should probably be blogging today about how I am going to be a

better blogger,

faster runner,

healthier cook,

etc.

Or maybe I should just resolve to be on time every now&again. ;) But as I mentioned recently, I think New Year's resolutions are fine - but nothing to get too worked up about.

So what's on my mind...is that I have six days in which to find a suitable date to go see Country Strong with me. =)

You'd think my mama would want to go with me. She has two VIP movie tickets she needs to use, & she loves country music. But apparently she doesn't love Gwyneth Paltrow.

(I don't get it either.)

Doesn't love her enough that she won't even go see this movie. =(

& My sweet Prince has said that he would accompany me. But he made it very clear that it would only be because he loves me. & he made it very clear that he would not enjoy the movie. Since (thank God) I didn't have to go with him to see that Tron: Legacy mess, I don't want to make him sit through a chick flick that doesn't even offer him comedic relief.

So why am I so excited about this movie that I am going to start asking every one of my local girlfriends to go with me, until I find somebody that will?

1. I love country music.

I don't only love country music, & I don't love all country music. But Sara Evans is one of my all-time favorite artists.

(I met her once, & I've seen her in concert several times. She is *fabulous.*)

I love that most country artists pay attention to how they present themselves, & take the time to really style themselves for public appearances. I love that Nashville has so much more class than, say, Los Angeles...I realize that country music has its share of scandals, but I'd say the ratio is relatively low compared to the unnecessary drama of the pop/rock scenes. & I love that I don't have to worry about Pretty Little Bare Feet overhearing & repeating a swear word when we're listening to country music.

2. I love Gwyneth Paltrow.

I think it's wonderful that she's actually been married to her talented rocker hubby for seven unheard-of-in-Hollywood years.

(& yes, I do realize that could change, like, by the time I publish this post. ;))

I loved her in Emma & the Iron Man movies. Heck, I even thought Shallow Hal was funny. & I love that she appeared on Glee, which is one of our favorite shows.

I love that Gwyneth can be "one of the guys," as evidenced by her friendships with Jay-Z & Mario Batali. I love her Goop newsletter - it is absolutely worth signing up for, if you aren't already getting it! & she usually has a pretty good sense of style - lots of chic, preppy outfits...

(via: Harper's Bazaar)

& you've got to love that she designed her own Mommy&Me look for Lilly Pulitzer.

3. Tim McGraw can actually act!

I remember way back in my elementary(?) school days when Tim McGraw was the new, cool thing. "Don't Take the Girl" or "Indian Outlaw," anybody? But he's another of the seemingly pretty decent celebrities, always down-to-earth in interviews & respectful of his gorgeous wife of fourteen years. & I have to admit, after seeing him in the Blind Side & Four Christmases, he's a pretty good actor, too!

4. I can't wait to see ~~Blair Waldorf~~ Leighton Meester on the big screen.

We already know Leighton Meester can sing.

("Good Girls Go Bad.")

& I am excited to see her in a role so dramatically different from the preppy Gossip Girl character that I know&love.

5. Tobey Maguire is a producer.

How cool is that?!

6. I'm already loving the soundtrack.

As I mentioned earlier in this post, I am a big Sara Evans fan. So I've had her latest single "A Little Bit Stronger" downloaded since pretty much the minute it came out. & the rest of the songs from this soundtrack are pretty great, too.

Now I'm even more excited about seeing this movie than I was before I started this post...I've just got to figure out who's going to go with me to see it!

Tidying Up...

2010-12-27T21:13:00.002-06:00

I hope all of my dear blogfriends had a most wonderful Christmas weekend! We had an absolutely beautiful white Christmas here in Alabama! Unbelievable, huh? Pretty Little Bare Feet donned those Uggs I told you about & had a grand old time frolicking in the snow. We even built a little miniature snowman, & adorned him with a camouflage hat&scarf set that My Prince's funny boss had used to accessorize a bottle of champagne for his Christmas gift.

(Cute, clever idea!)

If I dedicated this post to all the loot that Pretty Little Bare Feet scored from Santa, you'd probably stop following the blog of a lady that could so excessively spoil a not-even-two-year-old. ;)

(& I'd probably have to spend a day & a half working on that blog entry.)

Anyway, Pretty Little Bare Feet more than made up for the fact that she doesn't get a new toy every day of the year, or even every week of the year. More importantly, we shared the story of Jesus' birth with her, in the simplest way that she could understand. We are all just blessed beyond measure, & it was so much fun sharing all the joys of Christmas as a family this year.

Now the New Year is on its way in. Honestly, although I do make them, I'm not all that into New Year's resolutions.

(I feel like you can just as easily decide to break a habit or implement a change on May 6th or December 4th...or whenever...)

But I guess I do tend to see the whole

taking-down-of-the-Christmas-decorations,

hanging-up-of-the-new-calendars,

etc.,

as a good starting point for some random reorganization projects.

Since I haven't been the most ambitious blogger (or blog-follower) the last couple months, I felt like maybe I should reorganize some things to help get myself back into the blogging game. The first step has been reorganizing my

bookmarks,

Google reader,

etc.

I'm trying to reorganize everything into a way that makes sense for me to

first read my most important blogs

(i.e. those written by my dearest blogfriends);

& lastly read the nonessential-but-lovely blogs

(i.e. my beloved design, fashion, & recipe blogs).

& honestly, I don't think it would be so overwhelming for me to keep up with all of the blogs I follow, if I could only let myself skim some of them some of the time.

(That goes for the books&magazines I read, as well.)

I just can't stand not to read every single word. Maybe it's the lawyer in me - though I was that way well before I went to law school.

I'm also filtering out blogs that should have been removed from my bookmarks&Reader ages ago. Like, uh, the ones that don't exist anymore...

So as a result, there will be some temporary dust here at a Note on the Screen Door. Most noticeably, my collection of blog buttons & my list of "blogs that I follow" may disappear for a couple days. Not to worry, friends...unless you haven't updated in something like eight months, you'll probably find yourself right back in your normal spot on my blog sidebar before 2011. ;)

While I'm rolling up my sleeves & getting back to blogging business (so to speak), I want to ask...

...what do *you* want to see at a Note on the Screen Door in 2011?

(via: Poppytalk)

I can't explain it, but I am on a bit of a design kick lately...just itching to undertake some decorating projects around the house.

I'm also, of course, a bit of a shopaholic, so I'm more than eager to tackle some "window-shopping" & share my finds with y'all.

(via: the Party Dress)

We have a second birthday party coming up that I am already a few days behind on planning.

I've been falling asleep earlier, resulting in my getting less reading done lately, & I haven't shared a lot of books with y'all the last couple months.

& I haven't been sharing a lot of recipes with y'all the last couple months, though I have been plenty busy in the kitchen.

Of course I am always eager to delve into the world of preppy...whether it's the latest Lilly Pulitzer email in my inbox, the newest preppy clothing line I've discovered, or a new preppy blog I've found that has a great Linky I want to participate in.

Oh, & there is one other reason I've had a hard time getting around to getting everything done lately...

(via: High Street Market)

...we are going to be welcoming our second baby this June!

Even though this isn't a personal blog, I am sure that planning for a new baby is going to lend itself to some blog inspiration in the upcoming year. ;)

So while I'm

rearranging,

reorganizing,

& updating

my MacBook & all its many bookmarks&lists...I'll also be on the lookout for blog inspiration for 2011!

Ugh, I Admit I Love Uggs...

2010-12-14T19:54:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, I know. Many preps think Uggs are decidedly un-preppy. & furthermore, every other freshman girl at the local high school has a ubiquitous pair of the classic short boots in chestnut, right? So Uggs cannot possibly still be okay to wear, right?

I vote wrong. Well, okay, so maybe I wouldn't wear a pair of that style of Uggs.

But first of all, I never owned that same old pair of boots that everybody else had/has. My first Ugg purchase was actually the old Thelma style of moccasins.

(Not the less-attractive newer perforated version.)

& I still wear my oldest Uggs because they are perhaps the comfiest pair of cute shoes I've ever slid my feet into. They pretty much carried me through a winter of grad school classes, & another three winters of law school classes.

Sheepskin Dakota in Tobacco by Ugg Australia

The closest thing they seem to be carrying now is the Dakota. My old Thelmas, however, are not slippers; they are outdoor shoes with outdoor soles. & they look like penny loafers - more tailored, no ties.

(& as for tall, furry boots? Well, several years ago, I opted for the Coach Kimberly boots in black. They held up so nicely that the following year I got a pair of Coach Juniper boots in winter white. I haven't felt a need to buy any winter boots since, although I have bought ankle boots, cowgirl boots, equestrian boots, rain boots, etc. It is Alabama, so it's not like my "snow boots" get very much time out&about each year. ;))

So although I didn't really jump onto the Ugg trend, in the sense that I didn't buy the pair of Uggs that were actually trendy...I did fall in love with my Uggs.

Infant's Erin Sheepskin Boots in Soft Gold by Ugg Australia

& when it came time for Pretty Little Bare Feet's first pair of shoes, I bought her a pair of Erin baby sheepskin boots in soft gold. & her little growing pair of feet have gotten three seasons' worth of wear out of them...& numerous compliments. ;) & most importantly, she loves them!

So now that I've admitted my love for Uggs; at the risk of your criticism, I have to share some of my favorite Uggs of the season.

Mandah in Black by Jimmy Choo & Ugg Australia

(See, Jimmy Choo thinks Ugg is cool enough to collaborate with! So there! ;))

Classic Short Sparkles Sequin Boots in Gold by Ugg Australia

(I know, these are crazy, right?! But I like them. They'd be even cuter on Pretty Little Bare Feet, I'm sure. But I *think* I'm still cute&young enough to pull them off...maybe with a basic black sweater&leggings ensemble. Anyway, I *know* they'd look better on me than icky Oprah.)

Kid's Pilar Jacket in Blackberry Wine by Ugg Australia

(Love this coat for Pretty Little Bare Feet! She'd be swimming in it now, even in the 2T. But I have hope that maybe she'll be able to wear a 2T by next ~~summer~~ winter?)

Bailey Button Triplet Tall Sheepskin Boots in Sand by Ugg Australia

(I think this is a cuter & much more tailored look for the "classic" style of Ugg. I think the buttons make them look more like boots & less like houseshoes. So more appropriate for wearing out&about with jeans, etc. I just don't think I can ever condone Uggs with dresses&skirts...)

Scuffette Suede Slippers in Chestnut by Ugg Australia

(Speaking of houseshoes, as we call 'em in the South...since I am aware of how delightfully cozy all of these sheepskin Ugg babies are, I think I would actually *wear* houseshoes more often if I had a pair of these. I always get cute flimsy little houseshoes, & then never wear them because socks are more comfortable&practical - especially the fuzzy ones! But our house is all hardwood floors in the downstairs, where I'm at most of the day, & these floors do get pretty cold in the winter. It'd also be nice to have something to slip on my feet - other than whatever heels I've worn that day & haven't put back in the closet yet - to run out to the mailbox or take the White Dog out.)

So, alright, out with it...if you hate Uggs, at least give me the credit that I don't love the same pair of Uggs that everybody in the world has.

(& has had for years.)

& if *you* love Uggs, are you willing to announce it? ;)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

2010-12-12T23:10:00.001-06:00

...so where did the time go this year?!

Dear readers, I have learned my lesson. Never again do I travel for Thanksgiving without doing all of my Christmas preparations beforehand! Last year we had Thanksgiving here at our house, & I was able to get pretty much all of my Christmas to-do list taken care of by December 1st. This year we were out of town until late on the Monday night following Thanksgiving. Pretty Little Bare Feet missed her first day back at nursery school to catch up on sleep, & I feel like I missed the whole first week of December to catch up after travel!

(I did manage to make it to the places I was supposed to be & uphold most of my time-sensitive commitments...I think...)

Then I realized at some point during the middle of last week that I was entirely unprepared for the Christmas season! Not only were we not listening to my carefully prepared annual CD mixes of old Christmas classics & new Christmas renditions...I hadn't even put up our Christmas trees! No wonder I didn't feel "in the Christmas spirit" yet.

So now that I've learned my lesson, & have had to work into the wee hours of the nights...

(Like Santa's elves, naturally!)

...I'll share with y'all what generally goes into my Christmas preparations.

& do let me know what I'm forgetting, or what you just have to do at your own home to get ready for the Holiday season!

1. I bake, bake, & bake some more. In addition to...

...baking&cooking for the actual Holiday dinners themselves...

(Thanksgiving & Christmas, respectively)

...I also participate in an annual cookie exchange with my momfriends,

& I bake something for our special Christmas playgroup.

I enjoy baking so much, & I always see so many great recipes to try this time of year. I often end up baking

while we're putting up Christmas trees,

while we're watching Christmas movies,

etc.

Those wonderful smells from the oven just seem to add to the festive feel of the season!

(via: Better Homes&Gardens)

2. Usually sooner, rather than later, I update my Christmas card list. Last year I had the list finished & most of the addresses updated before the end of Thanksgiving weekend. This year I absolutely panicked when I received our first two Christmas cards in the mail.

(Last Thursday, I think.)

I had already ordered our Christmas cards, thank God, but the actual

addressing,

stuffing,

stamping,

mailing?

Yikes, I still needed to update the list! I got started on it this weekend, though, & I'm hoping to get most, if not all, of our Christmas cards mailed out by the end of this week. Please tell me I'm not the only one who's a bit behind on this!

(via: Quick&Simple)

3. Last year, being on top of my game as I was, I had ordered our first batch of Christmas photo cards before Thanksgiving. They went out the first week after Thanksgiving. I ordered a second batch of photo cards (Really!) during Thanksgiving weekend & sent those out about a week afterward. I did a final batch of Christmas photo cards by taking advantage of a great sale at our Target portrait studio, & distributed all of those throughout the rest of the days leading up to Christmas.

I know that sounds excessive, but I also do photo cards for

Valentine's Day,

Easter,

the 4th of July,

& Halloween.

I don't scrapbook, so it's a way for me to share updates with our closest family&friends, while also nicely preserving our memories of our growing girl for ourselves. Since I only do a small batch of cards for each of these occasions, I tend to go all out for Christmas.

(I invest in the more expensive, professional photo cards for our family & closest friends...but I must say that if you make sure to print your cards in a 5x7 size, with a matte finish, on cardstock if you can!...you can make less-expensive prints from your local drugstore or Target look so much nicer! That's how I keep our Christmas card list so long. =))

I was so proud of the family My Prince & I became when we married...so I've embraced photo cards ever since the year we were married. Of course now I'm also so proud of Pretty Little Bare Feet, so I feel it's worth the extra dollars&cents to invest in photo cards for everybody.

(Even though there are some perfectly lovely boxed cards out there to be had!)

I'm also not always the best in the world at keeping in touch throughout the year, so I make an extra effort at Christmastime to reach out to all of my dearest friends to let them know I still think of them & wish them the best. Technically, it's bad etiquette not to at least sign a photo card, although that seems to be the norm these days. I always enclose a handwritten note - even if it's just a short one - to personalize the correspondence. This may be why the whole Christmas card thing is such a huge undertaking for me each year; but I enjoy doing it, however much time it consumes!

(& of course it never fails that somebody that you elected not to send a Christmas card to, since you hadn't heard anything from them in years, will decide to send a card this year - so it never hurts to have an extra stack of cards on hand!)

4. Of course, choosing the actual Christmas card - & the photo to grace it - can easily take a whole evening for me. I have several favorite places that I order stationery from online, & I can spend (& have spent) hours perusing the new designs each year. I'm also much more impressed with the designs that can be found on Etsy, than the standard fare that is offered from the local printers; so I'll be using a custom design from an Etsy seller for the cards that I'll be printing locally this year.

5. I buy Christmas stamps at the last possible minute every year, & I admit it. Sorry! I put the effort&time into other things (see #3), & I just don't pay a whole lot of attention to what seasonal stamp I get left with by the time I get around to buying them!

6. I wish I could say that like my mama, I start buying Christmas gifts for the following year on the day after Christmas. But I do not. However, I do usually start shopping for My Prince & Pretty Little Bare Feet as early as October.

Most years I have my Christmas shopping list made out well before Thanksgiving. Then, whatever gifts I haven't gotten yet, I keep an eye out for during my annual Black Friday madness. For any gifts I haven't found after that, I start shopping around every day until the list is finished. I'm usually able to avoid last-minute Christmas shopping.

(& if I receive a gift from somebody that I hadn't considered exchanging gifts with, I send a sweet thank you card with an invitation to supper or an offer to babysit or something.)

My card list is long, but my shopping list is pretty short. Of course we exchange gifts with one another at home, & with our closest family. But other than that, we only buy gifts for my best friend & her husband, & My Prince's best friend. I also put together smaller gifts for:

classroom/playgroup exchanges,

My Prince's office staff,

the nursery ladies at church,

secretaries,

teachers,

etc.

(& sometimes those are the hardest to shop for!)

7. Although I do avoid last-minute shopping, I am awful about last-minute wrapping! Last year having a child in the house spurred me to get gifts wrapped much earlier, so they could be around&under the tree for most of the month of December. This year...well, yes, I'm behind on this one, too. =(

(via: Southern Living)

8. Last year I was able to decorate the house for Christmas & put trees up over Thanksgiving weekend. This year I didn't get around to it until this past week. But it's done!

What all do you decorate?

Until I got married...

(& really the first year or two that we were married, before we had a child...)

...I didn't put up a tree because I went home to my mama's house for Christmas, & usually several days before&after. So we've only been accumulating our own collection of Christmas decorations for a couple years, but I think we're well on our way to a festively decorated (but, um, not overdone&tacky) home for the Holidays.

This year I was able to hang a beautiful, huge red wreath that my mama bought for me last year after I lamented the sad excuse for a cheap wreath I had hung at the last minute. Now I need to find the perfect doormat!

We haven't really done anything in the way of front lawn decor. It's so easy to go overboard with it, I think, & most of our neighbors are very understated. Traditionally in our neighborhood, you only see ribbons on mailbox posts, & maybe one small tree strung with lights. If there are any decorations beyond that, they are generally just done with white lights, & not much of anybody actually strings lights on the houses in our neighborhood.

(I think that inflatables are banned by our homeowners' association. Thank God, I say.)

I also put up two Christmas trees.

Last year my white one went up in the kitchen. But My Prince bought me a stellar piece of exercise equipment to run to my heart's content on, which has taken up residence in the empty room at the end of the kitchen, formerly known as a "breakfast nook."

(Breakfast nooks, good grief. I am perfectly content eating all of our meals in our dining room! ;))

So now the white tree is in the front entryway. It is my "fun tree." I put

colorful ornaments,

fun ornaments,

& all of my many, many candy-&gingerbread-themed ornaments

on the white tree.

The larger, more traditional green tree goes up in the dining room, by the window. It has more classic ornaments, mostly in golds&reds. It also has My Prince's nicer University of Alabama ornaments, as well as my nicer Raggedy Ann ornaments.

Both trees are strung with solid white lights.

I also have several special Christmas accent pieces that I place throughout the

guest bathroom&bedroom,

kitchen,

& living room.

& I have a pretty great collection of Christmas plush that I add to Pretty Little Bare Feet's "downstairs" toys.

(The ones that get played with the most, & thus get to take up residence in our downstairs main rooms.)

A few Christmas essentials I still really need to get are:

suitable tree toppers,

(I am *so* picky about these!)

& tree skirts;

(Last year I borrowed extras from my mama.)

Christmas dishes;

(I have a few - just not a fine set...)

& Christmas linens.

(Currently it doesn't look seasonal in our master bathroom&bedroom at all.)

I also need to replace Pretty Little Bare Feet's stocking, as a local monogramming place mangled it last year.

(Thank God I found an absolutely wonderful place that has done beautiful work for me all year this year.)

We just love, love, love when our house is decorated for Christmas!

We also love attending local Christmas events&parties. & as Pretty Little Bare Feet is getting older, we enjoy the activities for children so much more than anything else. The delight&wonder in her eyes at every little thing -

the Christmas trees,

Santa,

& her favorite this year, the Grinch! -

it is just magical! My heart literally fills to the brim every time I see her little eyes twinkle at some new discovery.

Now that I've finally caught back up on the everyday things, & prepared most of the Christmas things...I hope to be able to blog, & catch up on reading blogs, with a bit more regularity...

...but if I disappear for a few days again, just know it's because that precious little girl of mine is taking up every bit of my

devotion,

energy,

& time...

...& I'll be back to blogging as soon as I feel caught up on all of the commitments I have to my beautiful family&friends.

'Tis the season!

What I Want This Weekend, Black Friday Edition 2010

2010-11-26T23:50:00.003-06:00

Here are some pretty *bargains* I've come across this week,

from some blog

or catalog

or friend

or magazine

or another;

or just from my own browsing&shopping&surfing,

that are/were worth getting up & going shopping at 6am for...

(I was mostly Black Friday deal-hunting for Christmas&Birthday gifts for Pretty Little Bare Feet, but I did spy some things I desired for myself, too! It's inevitable!)

Barbie Pink Doll Set at Kohl's

Since My Prince's gift to Pretty Little Bare Feet this Christmas is a Grand Balcony dollhouse by Step2, which is suited for Barbie dolls, my goal for Black Friday shopping this year was to find some Barbie dolls at fabulous prices.

(It was super sweet of My Prince to choose this for her, since he redeemed a bazillion credit card points for it...& believe me, he could have easily chosen some pretty cool stuff for himself instead! We sort of started a tradition last year, that each of us gets Pretty Little Bare Feet one gift from "Daddy" & one gift from "Mommy." Then everything else comes from "Santa Claus." Last year I gave her her first pair of shoes - Erin baby sheepskin boots by Ugg! - & My Prince gave her a teddy bear wearing a University of Alabama sweater. This year my gift for her is a My Own Leaptop in purple by LeapFrog - to encourage her to play with her "own laptop" instead of my pink MacBook. ;))

Anyway, I got the very last one of those pink doll sets at the Kohl's my mama & I went to first thing this morning. Kohl's opened at 3am, which is ungodly even for those of us seasoned Black Friday earlybirds. Since we're traveling this year, & Pretty Little Bare Feet is having a hard time adjusting to sleeping in a different place, we didn't make it to Kohl's when the doors opened. We did get out at 6am, though, & we were able to hit about five different places & still get back (with breakfast for My Prince & Pretty Little Bare Feet!) by about 9am.

Some other little Christmas gifts I (Santa) picked up at Kohl's this morning, all at fifty percent off:

Barbie Fashionistas Sweetie Doll

Barbie I Can Be a Ballerina Doll

Enchanted Nursery Beach Time Snow White

(These are too cute! Ours has red sunglasses on, though...)

My Little Pony Rainbow Dash

My Little Pony Cheerilee

& there were just a few other Black Friday deals I spotted, at several other stores, that piqued my interest:

New Super Mario Brothers Wii for Nintendo Wii at Target

My Prince & I discussed recently that as sad as it is to admit, we would play our Wii more often if we had more games that didn't require us to, um, get up & sweat. ;) So after expressing to one another a desire to expand our Wii game collection, as well as letting my mama know about our "need," we are hoping to find a new Wii game or two in the grownups' stockings this year.

(& I *was* a devoted Mario Brothers player back in my youth. ;))

Professional 600 Stand Mixer in Nickle Pearl by KitchenAid at Kohl's

As loyal as my hand mixer has been to me all these years, the last few times I have baked, I have longed for a big, bad stand mixer. The price on these at Kohl's today was unbelievable, but I certainly had not discussed bringing back such a big purchase with My Prince before embarking on my Black Friday mission.

(& my mama & I were in such a state trying to leave quickly&quietly in the dark, without waking anybody else up, neither one of us remembered our cell phones! So there was no calling to plead with him about the great deal either! =()

Logo Pillows by Lauren Ralph Lauren Bedding at Macy's

My very favorite pillows (& sheets, for that matter) are by Lauren Ralph Lauren bedding. I have this big huge body pillow by Lauren Ralph Lauren, that I've had since college, & it was fantastic when I was pregnant with Pretty Little Bare Feet. I still sleep with it most nights. & it's amazing how now that my pillows are all such good quality, I often don't even need more than one!

(I used to be convinced that I needed about five or six just for me!)

Cashmere Crewneck Sweater in Fuchsia Pink by Nicole by Nicole Miller at JCPenney

Because this girl can just never have enough cashmere sweaters. Or pink. ;)

(I may have also picked up the Katy Perry CD for fifty percent off at Borders. What can I say? Y'all know she's a guilty pleasure of mine! =))

T.G.I.F.! What do YOU want this weekend?