Friday favorites

Take five!

1.
Van Morrison
Am I the only person under 30 who "likes" them on Facebook?
I don't even care.
Their music screams "relaxing summer evening with my lover" to me.
Very 70's/80's in the best possible way.
A little "yacht rock"-ish.
Here's one of my faves...

2.
Fun frocks.
I simply do not look good in shorts.
Is it my short squatty gams? The fact that I hate how knees look?
I don't know, but I tend to wear dresses & skirts FAR more often.
And how fun is this geometric little number?
{HERE}

3.
Coconut Water
I'm not talking about the kind you drink.
Unless it's straight out of a freshly cracked coconut, I just can't get into the trend.
(No matter how much potassium it has.)
I do, however, like my house to smell like coconut water in the summer!
{HERE}

4.

Hanging photos.

Sometimes we all need a little layout inspiration!

I love that this includes dimensions,

as well as options for stairwells and shelving.

5.

Car seats + heat = deadly.

Since the entire country seems to be experiencing some major heat waves,

and because "mom brain" is real,

I thought I better share this absolutely terrifying  article.

{HERE}

I read it before bed the other night and had MAJOR nightmares.

While I'd like to think I would never  do something like this,

it is certainly worth raising awareness!

And a few extra fun links/reads...

(as I would hate to end a post so morbidly)

This D.I.Y. pallet bookshelf is pretty rad.  And inexpensive!

The 7 best exercises to blast leg fat.  Sign me up!

Possibly the cutest interview ever about a haircut gone bad.

The part about it "being down to her tush" cracked me up!

I need to make these bread and butter pickles.
So delicious with summer tomatoes, on sandwiches, as well as on their own!

And here's Southern Living's list of the 20 best ice cream recipes.
'Tis the season!

Milwaukee's 2012 Readers' Choice Dining Awards.  {HERE}
(I have some disagreement, but that's another post.)

Finally, since it is outdoor patio season,  I found this thought to be hilarious.


Happy Weekend, m'dears!
xoxo
b

Sweet beams

You know I love me some beams.

Here are some FABULOUS rooms that boast beautiful beamed ceilings.

This first one is styled so gorgeously.

I'm loving the dark cathedral ceilings paired with the clean white walls

and accents of navy and gold.

This sweet little living room is perfectly beachy and eclectic.

Even more rustic...but it works!

Confession:

I may love this gallery wall, the pendant chandelier, & those dining chairs

even more than the beams.

These tall window walls and that amazing brick fireplace are to die.

What a warm, cozy little living space we have here...

And, finally, beams even work in the kitchen.

How 'bout those wood fridges/freezers?!

Do you groove on beams as much as yours truly?

~images via la dolce vita, 79ideas, coco+kelley, cup of jo, houzz, seharsoft, & vogue living~

Bug Be--Gone

DEET is bad to the bone. B-b-b-b-b-baaaaad.

Not only for us a-dults, but certainly for babies!

(Can you say "brain damage"?
True story in some research articles.  Yikers!  And, no thank you.)

All "natural" bug spray recipes literally abound on Pinterest.

{HERE}

And some swear by Avon's "Skin-so-Soft" line.

(But who knows if this adult skincare lotion is meant for sensitive baby skin?)

The bugs have come out in full force recently,
as we have been experiencing record high temps + humidity,
a.k.a. a bug's glory day.

So, I decided to whip up a relatively small batch of a homemade, organic concoction

and gave it a go during our "Jazz in the Park" outings.

1/2 cup distilled water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

~40 + drops of your favorite essential oil

(so that you and your cute offspring don't end up smelling like a salad)

Just mix it all up and spray away!
(But because it is au natural, you must reapply it more frequently.)

I plan on pouring some into a mini spray bottle to keep in my diaper bag.

It seemed to work well!  (Either that or bugs don't like jazz music.)

(Note:  This is supposed to work wonders, especially on mosquitoes.
And we're talking the kind you encounter while eating al fresco in your backyard.

It is highly unlikely to be effective on, say, ticks or other "deep woods" insects.
So please apply OFF! generously if you're going on a camping excursion.  The benefits clearly outweigh the risks in this situation, and I do not want to be responsible for anyone getting malaria, Lyme disease, or Dengue Fever.)

If it fails, I plan to try another Pinterest recipe or just plain, old, brown Listerine.
A friend's dad swears it works wonders!

It would also be inexpensive and au natural.

(Though I'd rather smell like my "Joy" scented essential oil than brown Listerine.)

;)

Stay away skeeters, horse flies, and stinging gnats!
There are plenty more bug-free summer nights to be enjoyed.

~photos by b / image via Listerine~

Maxi mania

It is not new news that I adore a maxi dress.

With the appropriate tailoring, it is not only flattering on most figures,

but comfortable as all get out.

(Especially if you go for the jersey knit,

or "sweat dress" as my husband likes to call it.)

Enter:  The Maxi Skirt

A twist on my old favorite!

They can be styled up or dressed down.

Pair them with flat sandals or fun belts.

You name it.

Let's take a look...

Not sure which maxi look I love the most?

I'm thinking Numero Uno, the Gossip Girl herself...

loving her little fishtail braid & vest, too!

(Though the styling on the rest

- stripes! arm parties! bauble-y necklaces! cropped jackets! -

are also to die.)

Which look are you digging?

~images via just jared, say yes to hoboken, just glitter, joie, & fashforfashion.com~

He is 4 months old!

Today, our little man is 16 weeks old.

Whaaaaat?!

(Excuse the lack of smiles.  He's immediately post-vaccinations.  Ouchie!)

Firstly (and obviously),

Baby A is absolutely adorable.

And what a little ham!

His little personality is becoming more and more evident.

Including, amongst all his giggles and cooing, letting us know what he doesn't  like.

;)

He continues to scoot his cute little butt all over the floor.

His hand-eye coordination and fine motor development are picking up steam!

As is the "talking" and strengthening of his neck.

 

He can't quite roll over yet.

He gets onto his side and then doesn't know quite what to do!

Roll back?  Keep going?

When in doubt, just pause and take a nap.

As evidenced by that photo, he LOVES to put anything and everything

into his mouth.

Teeth a-comin'?  Exploration?  Methinks a little bit of both.

At his ~4 month check-up today,

he clocked in at just 1 ounce shy of 14 pounds (40th percentile)

and is 24.5 inches tall (50th percentile)...

all on an exclusive breastmilk diet.

Go baby, go!

Other exciting "firsts" this month include:

Lots of travel...

First, up to Appleton to meet his cousin Kadin from San Fran,

as well as 2 weekends in Madison, including his first trip to Ella's Deli.

A dip in the pool with Grandpa Don

(Safety first!) ;)

Running his fingers through his hair & giving himself little mohawks

Pooping in the bath tub

He continues to be obsessed with the color red,

coincidentally also the color of his beloved Clifford.

(I noticed Dad likes to wear a lot of red these days, too!)

 

It is a tough call who is more exciting,

Gregory the Gloworm...

...or that baby in the mirror!

;)

Mom and Dad (as well as all of his grandparents)

just can't get enough of the little Munch Man!

We love you, dear boy,

and cannot wait to see what exciting things

the next month has in store for you!

Keep smiling, my little love!

I hope we bring you just as much joy as you bring to our worlds.

~photos by b~

Avocado, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

Is it Mexican?  Is it Italian?

I don't know.

Let's just call it a delicious hybrid.

Mix the following:

2 chopped tomatoes

2 chopped avocadoes

(squeeze half a lemon over avocadoes to keep from turning brown)

1 small, thinly sliced Vidalia onion

~ 1 cup fresh Mozarella bocconcini

A generous pinch of dried basil or Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

~ 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

~2 Tbsp olive oil

Handful of fresh, torn basil

Eat it as a salad.

Eat it as a light side dish, paired below with broiled tilapia.

Eat it with tortilla chips.  (Like my husband.)

So darn delicious!

The textures and flavors are a match made in culinary heaven.
Especially if you are fortunate enough to get your hands on some
red, juicy, garden tomatoes.

Happy {Summer} Eatin'!

~photos by b~

Summer moments

Some fun "summer" things to live for at this moment...

• seasonal temps + sunshine
• the smell of fresh basil
• homemade ice cream
• hot pink toenails
• market-fresh peaches + bing cherries
• sweet corn-on-the-cob (even more appreciated with this year's drought!)
• walks along the lake

• the coconut-y scent of suntan lotion on our skin
• wheat beers with fresh orange slices
• running through the sprinkler
• watching lightning bugs light up the night sky
• celebrating the love of good friends during wedding season

• a chilled glass of white wine
• berries, berries, berries!
• s'mores
• baby in shorts + sunglasses
• cruisin' along the Mississippi (can't wait!) listening to laid back tunes like this:

• the smell of meat grilling and/or campfires at dusk
• big, red, juicy tomatoes from the garden (yay, BLT's!)
• outdoor street festivals
• holding hands with my new boyfriend

I hope your {summer} weekend is full of the above!

xoxo,

b

~image via pinterest / instagram photo by b~

The Friday Five

1.
Trampled By Turtles
Bluegrass meets Fleet Foxes meets The Avett Brothers.
With a little bit of Mumford.
Works for me!

2.
A "sunset" manicure.
Orange is "in" & hot pink is a summer classic.
The best of both worlds!

3.
THAT.  FLOOR.
Holy smokes.  I want it in my entryway.  Now.

4.
Printed shorts + macrame bag + bold flats
Leave it to O.P. to pull off a fresh summer look
that feels like an instant classic.

5.
Summer camp = Independence??
I am grateful to my parents for letting me spend an entire summer in Russia
as a wee, impressionable 17-year-old.
As hard as I imagine it to be to let your children out of your sight, (let alone the country!) there really is something to be said about letting them experience life on their own.
{HERE}

And a few more links just for fun...

Here's a D.I.Y. canvas + neon mouse pad.  Super cute!

See all the design layouts possible for your own rooms with this room planner.

50 delicious breakfast recipes.  With photos!  Just in time for the weekend. :)

And how fun is this summer dessert?  Easy, kid friendly, & somewhat healthful.

This is hilarious.
As is this thought, which I admitttedly think about at least one person daily.

This homemade hand cream sounds like something I just may have to try.

Finally, an Aperol Spritz...a nod to our Italian honeymoon drink-of-choice.
(a.k.a. probably what we were drinking exactly 3 years ago today!)


Happy Weekend, lovelies!

~images via cupcakes & cashmere & pinterest x 3~