We've been in New Orleans enjoying time with my folks...+ way too much (insanely good) food and great jazz and lovely, odd, interesting sights.I'll be back with a recap on Monday.
In the meantime, have a lovely, festive New Year's Eve Friends.
xo
12.31.2009
Happy New Year!
We've been in New Orleans enjoying time with my folks...+ way too much (insanely good) food and great jazz and lovely, odd, interesting sights.I'll be back with a recap on Monday.
In the meantime, have a lovely, festive New Year's Eve Friends.
xo
12.29.2009
The Dollhouse...
So I figure I owe you a few "after" shots of the dollhouse renovation, no?
Actually it was Santa's renovation -- some backstory....
A couple of Christmases ago, Audrey got an unfinished wood dollhouse for Christmas that she adored and then, well, completely lost interest in. Of late, the dollhouse became pretty much a repository for pencil graffiti and doctor's office stickers. It was in a sad state.
Cut to a few months ago when Audrey and I were running errands, and I had to literally drag her out of a kid's store, as she was completely enchanted with a groovy, modern dollhouse...going on and on about how she wished her dollhouse was as pretty as that one.
Of course I took that opportunity to remind her why her dollhouse was in complete disarray, but then I went on to make (what I thought at the time) was the most brilliant move in my parenting career (but would later realize {when I was spewing four letter words at an innocent little can of wallpaper paste with abandon} was actually the most foolish.) I suggested we box up the dollhouse, send it to the North Pole and ask Santa to renovate it for Christmas.
Let's just say it was not an easy task...even for a pro like Santa, but the looks of pure joy on the girlies faces Christmas morning made it all worth it. For sure.
A couple of Christmases ago, Audrey got an unfinished wood dollhouse for Christmas that she adored and then, well, completely lost interest in. Of late, the dollhouse became pretty much a repository for pencil graffiti and doctor's office stickers. It was in a sad state.
Cut to a few months ago when Audrey and I were running errands, and I had to literally drag her out of a kid's store, as she was completely enchanted with a groovy, modern dollhouse...going on and on about how she wished her dollhouse was as pretty as that one.
Of course I took that opportunity to remind her why her dollhouse was in complete disarray, but then I went on to make (what I thought at the time) was the most brilliant move in my parenting career (but would later realize {when I was spewing four letter words at an innocent little can of wallpaper paste with abandon} was actually the most foolish.) I suggested we box up the dollhouse, send it to the North Pole and ask Santa to renovate it for Christmas.
Let's just say it was not an easy task...even for a pro like Santa, but the looks of pure joy on the girlies faces Christmas morning made it all worth it. For sure.
12.27.2009
The Past Few Days in Photos (a lot) + A Few Words Too...
There were sunny spots perfect for snapping a few pictures (including one of the new bag + a favorite scarf too...)
There was a magical carriage ride that made you feel like you were no longer exactly in the middle of a big city... (carriage ride photos courtesy of lovely cousin erin)
There was Christmas Eve with loads of clementines and chocolate + goat cheese polenta and pork loin with doting, sweet Grandparents... There were UNO tournaments, matching pajamas and plenty of books before bed.
There was an insanely magical (and wholly unexpected) snowstorm that made for a white(ish) Christmas morning, which is needless to say not so much the norm in our part of the country...
And there were two girlies that were surprised and delighted and altogether lovely about the whole enterprise (at one point sweet Millie actually hugged each of her Christmas presents.)
All in all lovely, irreplaceable, memorable days...
And there were two girlies that were surprised and delighted and altogether lovely about the whole enterprise (at one point sweet Millie actually hugged each of her Christmas presents.)All in all lovely, irreplaceable, memorable days...
12.23.2009
Holiday Thoughts and Lovely Tables
All images via One Lovely Day (projects from top by mary swenson, chelsea fuss and 100 layer cake)I know it's a cliché, I do...but it's far too easy to get caught up in the "stuff" and the obligations and the general hoopla of the holidays and forget to pause and reflect on why we as individuals celebrate the season.
Thanksgiving is traditionally the time to look back and express gratitude for the good that's happened over the course of the year, but when I do remember to pause in December...when I do remember to mellow out a bit and allow myself to let go of the stress of trying to do everything "right", I find I want to be grateful.
Amidst all the activities this month, inevitably, my favorite moments involve sitting in front of the tree, staring at the lights until they all blur together and reveling in how fortunate I am to have my family, my hubby and girlies, our home, good food, health...
I read this passage in an article in "O" magazine a couple of years ago and it really resonated with me.
Thanksgiving is traditionally the time to look back and express gratitude for the good that's happened over the course of the year, but when I do remember to pause in December...when I do remember to mellow out a bit and allow myself to let go of the stress of trying to do everything "right", I find I want to be grateful.
Amidst all the activities this month, inevitably, my favorite moments involve sitting in front of the tree, staring at the lights until they all blur together and reveling in how fortunate I am to have my family, my hubby and girlies, our home, good food, health...
I read this passage in an article in "O" magazine a couple of years ago and it really resonated with me.
"For my grandparents, the essential thing about Christmas is midnight mass, and the birth of a child who shall be called Prince of Peace. For my mother, I think it’s the solstice and the fact that the days will get longer, the light will return. For my father it’s Santa Claus, the spirit of abundance and generosity. But for me, it seems to be something at once simpler and more complicated than all these things…"
Whatever is the essential thing for you about this season, take time to revel in it.
Have a lovely, lovely holiday friends!
Whatever is the essential thing for you about this season, take time to revel in it.
Have a lovely, lovely holiday friends!
12.22.2009
Gingerbread Houses...
We joined forces with my buddy Amy and her girlies to make gingerbread houses yesterday and had all sorts of messy, sugar-fueled fun. The houses ended up a bit drippy and kludgy, but that adds to the charm, no?
12.21.2009
Scenes from The Weekend + A Winner
a few spots of "Christmas" around the house...I'm proud to report that we managed to have a laid-back (and altogether lovely) weekend. I didn't over-commit (and even said “no” to a couple of things -- progress friends), and we found ourselves with all sorts of time to laze about and, well… enjoy each other (which pretty much consisted of watching old Rankin & Bass Christmas specials, cuddling, loads of coloring and eating way too much chocolate.)
The mellow lead-in was a good thing, as things got a little rowdy Sunday morning when we took the girlies to a (surprise) breakfast with Santa + concert (aka baby. mosh. pit.) at the downtown Neimans with some friends. The kids went nuts (in a good way.) It was a most excellent time...
Millie channeling a dead show...If you live in Dallas and haven't been to the downtown Neiman Marcus to see the windows yet, it's definitely worth a trip...they are fantastic + there's a tube that the kiddos can crawl through so they are essentially in the window display. Needless to say, they were in heaven.
Audrey and her besty, best friend Emma dancing inside the Neiman's window display...Hope your weekend was equally lovely (and lazy)!
Now for the winner of the Sixx Design book... Congrats Molly!
12.18.2009
Looking Back
All images via Roland Bello.Do you ever go back and re-read old posts on your blog?
Every few months, I go back and pour through all the posts from a particular month to see what I was thinking, loving, doing, etc...at that moment in time. It's fun to see how I've evolved, (how the girlies have evolved!), but I'm usually most struck by how much I'm still enamored of the same things... Maybe I'm a smidge boring? Or at least consistent, no ;-)
The images above are from one of my favorite December 2008 posts... Roland Bello still makes me swoon.
Have a splendid weekend friends!
Every few months, I go back and pour through all the posts from a particular month to see what I was thinking, loving, doing, etc...at that moment in time. It's fun to see how I've evolved, (how the girlies have evolved!), but I'm usually most struck by how much I'm still enamored of the same things... Maybe I'm a smidge boring? Or at least consistent, no ;-)
The images above are from one of my favorite December 2008 posts... Roland Bello still makes me swoon.
Have a splendid weekend friends!
12.17.2009
I Love Blogs...
image via happy mundane
images via poppytalkBut I miss magazines...dreadfully.
This time last year I still had my beloved Domino and Cookie and Gourmet.
True there's still Vogue and Vanity Fair and Martha, but nothing that (for me) replaces the visual inspiration that was the trifecta above.
And I had a very specific "system" for how I read them (weird I know, but hang with me here...) When I would get a new magazine in the mail, I'd immediately do a quick scan, cover-to-cover (really just a flip-through if you will) to see what was in store for the more in-depth read to come.
Then, (and only when I knew I had at least an hour of uninterrupted time, which was usually after the girlies were in bed or early in the morning) I would slowly read every page.
Every. Single. Page.
You just can't do that online... at least not in the same way, no matter how good the content (and yes, there are online magazines with stellar content like my beloved Small and the relatively new Lonny.)
So I'm pretty excited to get my hands on the new zine from the blogger behind Happy Mundane. Called At Your Leisure, it's billed by the creators as:
This time last year I still had my beloved Domino and Cookie and Gourmet.
True there's still Vogue and Vanity Fair and Martha, but nothing that (for me) replaces the visual inspiration that was the trifecta above.
And I had a very specific "system" for how I read them (weird I know, but hang with me here...) When I would get a new magazine in the mail, I'd immediately do a quick scan, cover-to-cover (really just a flip-through if you will) to see what was in store for the more in-depth read to come.
Then, (and only when I knew I had at least an hour of uninterrupted time, which was usually after the girlies were in bed or early in the morning) I would slowly read every page.
Every. Single. Page.
You just can't do that online... at least not in the same way, no matter how good the content (and yes, there are online magazines with stellar content like my beloved Small and the relatively new Lonny.)
So I'm pretty excited to get my hands on the new zine from the blogger behind Happy Mundane. Called At Your Leisure, it's billed by the creators as:
"An Exploration of ideas, images, concepts & colors. An homage to those that inspire and a desire to do the same. A visual train of thought. A celebration of individuals that live what they love…"
12.16.2009
While I Am Daunted By Undertaking Massive Renovations
The amazing couple behind Sixx Design clearly is not…
I am seriously, seriously impressed (and frankly in awe) of this couple. They run marathons, they completely renovate massive properties in NYC, they throw killer parties, they have great taste…
(I’m currently having massive anxiety about renovating Audrey’s old dollhouse for Christmas, so it’s probably safe to say that Courtney Novogratz and I are not cut from the same cloth.)
Oh and they have seven (SEVEN) children, including two sets of twins.
I know, I know…right?? ??
Instead of working on the aforementioned dollhouse, I’ve been perusing the Novogratz's book, Downtown Chic, the past few nights, and it’s filled with great advice for design projects of all sizes (for those of you that share my home renovation anxiety), lots of gorgeous photos + funny, practical takes on how to stay sane amidst raising kiddos and running a thriving, busy, chaotic business (i.e. make takeout your friend.)
And just so I won't feel bad about all my procrastinating, I'm sharing the love and giving away a copy of Downtown Chic to one of you. Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday at 6:00 pm ET for a chance to win. I’ll announce the winner Monday!
I am seriously, seriously impressed (and frankly in awe) of this couple. They run marathons, they completely renovate massive properties in NYC, they throw killer parties, they have great taste…
(I’m currently having massive anxiety about renovating Audrey’s old dollhouse for Christmas, so it’s probably safe to say that Courtney Novogratz and I are not cut from the same cloth.)
Oh and they have seven (SEVEN) children, including two sets of twins.
I know, I know…right?? ??
Instead of working on the aforementioned dollhouse, I’ve been perusing the Novogratz's book, Downtown Chic, the past few nights, and it’s filled with great advice for design projects of all sizes (for those of you that share my home renovation anxiety), lots of gorgeous photos + funny, practical takes on how to stay sane amidst raising kiddos and running a thriving, busy, chaotic business (i.e. make takeout your friend.)
And just so I won't feel bad about all my procrastinating, I'm sharing the love and giving away a copy of Downtown Chic to one of you. Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday at 6:00 pm ET for a chance to win. I’ll announce the winner Monday!
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