What I Want This Weekend, October 21st, 2011

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

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...

...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

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

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!

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

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?