what i love about mondays

What I love about Mondays?  Okay, not much.   But one of my personal goals at the moment is to feel more grateful, complain less, and generally be a more positive me.  So with that sentiment in mind, here are a five things that are making me happy on my least favorite day of the week:

1.  Boston Strong.  My limited edition Boston Strong bracelet arrived in the mail from Rue La La!  As a born and bred Boston girl, pride in my home town runs deep my blood.  Last year, after the tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon, Boston Strong took on new meaning for me--and the rest of this amazing city.  I was beyond excited when Rue La La (a Boston business, if you didn't know!) announced their partnership with Alex and Ani for this limited edition bracelet.  100% of the net proceeds from sales of this bracelet support the One Fund Boston.  Tough.  Proud.  Strong.  Love love love.

2.  Eat cookies for breakfast.  So what if another personal goal is to lose 5 pounds and tone my abs for beach season?  This chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie recipe from my girl Martha was too tempting to resist.  Harper and I baked yesterday afternoon, and we added a twist on the recipe by mixing butterscotch, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate chips into the batter instead of plain old semisweet.  I mean, you gotta live a little, am I right?  Which is why I also feel that it is okay to eat a cookie for breakfast.  Or four.

3.  Remember where you come from.  With Mother's Day approaching, my mother and the many women who inspire me have been on my mind.  My grandmother, who will turn 93 later this month, is one of the most amazing women I have ever known.  The things she has seen and done during her lifetime are enough to take your breath away.  Her example helps me realize that I have a long way to go, and I hope I can make the journey with the same grace, poise, and tenacity that she has.  She recently shared this photograph with me (she is the little girl in the center holding that precious little dog), and I fell in love with the snapshot of her life--and America--at a different time.

4.  I dream of Louis.  Earlier this year, when I had just returned to work after having my sweet baby boy, I was having a difficult time juggling the demands of work and home--and also trying to avoid feeling like a hot mess.  One of my coworkers challenged me to do something just for me--to settle on a goal I could work towards over time.  For some, this could be something heroic like trying to change the world.  But as a firm believer in and subscriber of retail therapy, this meant starting a bag fund.  So now I stuff wads of cash under my mattress and dream of Louis Vuitton.  Just kidding!!!  But I am saving my money instead of falling prey to little purchases here and there, in hopes that I will be able to buy myself a fabulous new handbag by the end of the year.  It is an exercising in saving, willpower, and--best of all--fashion.  I'm visualizing a classy future like this:

Of course, my reality will probably look more like this:

But a fabulous bag makes everything look good, right?  That's what I'm banking on.  

Have a great week, friends!

the summer report

Happy 30th birthday to me!
And goodbye to summer...

With Labor Day now behind us, as far as my calendar is concerned, summer is over.  True, the autumnal equinox isn't for a few more weeks, but doesn't it just feel like fall?  And with that sentiment in mind, it's time for me to disclose the outcome of my summer to-do list...
  

1.  Reread The Great Gatsby (my favorite summer book) 

Done!  No matter how many times I reread this story, I love it all over again.  It is always makes me feel a little nostalgic, perhaps because I was in high school when I read it for the very first time, and I can't help but feel reminded of the passage of time--which is, of course, is a central theme in the novel.  The tale of Nick, Daisy, and Gatsby is yet tragic, yet beautiful, and it will always remain my favorite summer book.

2.  Finally complete Harper's baby book

Speaking of the passage of time...  It was quite something to relive the first year of Harper's life through photographs, as a story in pictures--particularly, as we approach the arrival of her baby brother--and shortly thereafter, her second birthday.The finished baby book is simple, but I'm so happy with how it turned out and to have the ability to look back through something tangible, rather than scrolling through the photos on my iPhone.    

3.  Make s'mores around an outdoor fire

Done--and yum!

4.  Redo my bedroom décor

While I sincerely wish I could say that this task was completed in its entirety, it remains a work-in-progress.  However, I still feel excited about the progress being made.  My devoted husband is hard at work on our space-saving bed, and the rest of the room will come together around this central piece.  It was my hope (okay, demand) that all of this be finished before the arrival of our baby in a couple of weeks.  Alas, the bed will be completed by this time (demand), but the full redo will likely continue on well into the fall.  Isn't that just the nature of home projects--particularly when the demanding one is too pregnant to do much about it!  Shrug.

5.  Explore a New England beach I haven't been to before

My amazing friends helped me check this one off the list with the incredible beach day they planned in honor of my birthday.  And this wasn't your run-of-the-mill tote bag and towel beach experience either.  Rather, my kind and creative friends created a luxe cabana area for us to lounge for lunch, including the fixings for beach-inspired mocktails, homemade lobster rolls, and lots of time for gossip and conversation.  After a few hours in the sun, we showered, changed and dashed off  for birthday cupcakes and shopping in the quaint, seaside town where my darling friend, T, lives with her boyfriend.  And I even bought a jacket for fall!  Perfection.

6.  Finally have a picnic with my amazing cousin before she moves 

Technically, this is a FAIL--and now she is gone (tear).  But what we lacked in picnic time, we made up for with a fun, family walk to our local ice cream parlor on the night before she left town.  What better way to say, not goodbye, but see you later?

7.  Go for long summer walks (a favorite pastime)

Maybe "long" is a bit of a stretch, but lately Harper and I have been enjoying strolls through our neighborhood, along with purposeful treks to Starbucks for cool refreshments. It is either really wrong or totally amazing that she can recognize the Starbucks logo on the cup.  Either way, we have been trying to get out and enjoy the fresh air during these late summer and early fall days.  Soon the leaves will be changing, the temperatures dropping, and we will be wishing for the chance to do so again.

8.  Do more yoga 

Do my amazing new hot pink Wunder Under Crops from Lululemon count?  My attendance in yoga class this summer has been embarrassing.  I can only hope (pray) that my postnatal practice will be far better, especially if I'm motivated by those extra lbs...

9.  Eat fiddleheads while they're in season

Sadly, another fail.  But next year I will be sure to remember that fiddlehead season is in MAY.   This year, it's crossed off the list as an impossibility due to my poor time management.  I used to be an organized person.  That was before I (literally and figuratively) came unheeled.

10.  Plan my perfect 30th birthday in the absence of Chanel (tick tock!)

Hello, 30!  I had a truly amazing birthday, thanks entirely to my amazing family and friends.  Following my indulgent spa date with my sister, I enjoyed: a beach day equipped with homemade lobster rolls and time to read FIVE magazines in the sun with some of my dearest friends; a birthday weekend out at my family's home in the Berkshires, complete with a family trek to the county fair; AND finally a lavish gold-themed surprise celebration with some fabulously golden girl friends.  Do I sound spoiled yet?  While my list may have suggested that I be the one to plan my perfect 30th, this was far, far greater.

While I didn't finish every single item on my list, I have to say that it was really helpful to have made one.  It made me feel accountable for how I spent (or didn't spend) my time.  I should say that there were things NOT on my list that ended up being fun summer activities too--like splashing in the pool with Harper, mani/pedi dates to blessedly air-conditioned nail salons with friends, trips to the farmers market, and trying delicious new recipes from Pinterest.  I have to say that it has certainly been a productive summer, but I couldn't be more ready for fall.  It feels only right to end summer the way we started, with F. Scott Fitzgerald:

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.

I couldn't be more ready for those crisp fall days.

summer update part 2

Last month, after an embarrassing update, I promised I would have at least three more items crossed off my summer bucket list at the beginning of August.  Since we are now forging into the middle of the month, I felt like I should make good on my promise.  Here's where I stand...

My husband (on the left), making me the perfect s'more.

I am obsessed with s'mores right now.  In fact, did you know that this past Saturday was National S'mores Day?  I actually didn't discover that fun fact until Sunday, but at least my obsession is a timely one.  I've had the chance to enjoy s'mores on several occasions in the last month.  The best was definitely the traditional version, enjoyed around an outdoor fire with family and friends at my mom's house in Western MA.  With Harper on my lap, my obliging husband was the one who actually made my s'mores (yes, I ate two), and he has basically perfected the art.  Thanks to the life-changing powers of Pinterest, I have also learned about and successfully recreated a version of s'mores that doesn't require a camp fire.  Behold, the s'mores bite; I know that s'mores sans fire sounds blasphemous, but these are pretty darn close to the real thing.  If you don't believe me, just try them:

Yet another reason I love Pinterest: s'mores bites

Ingredients:
-6 graham cracker sheets
-6 large marshmallows
-12 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

Directions:
-Break graham cracker sheets in half.
-Cut each marshmallow in half.
-Heat oven to Low Broil.
-Align graham crackers in the center of a cookie sheet about 1/2″ apart from each other.
-Top each graham cracker with a marshmallow with the cut/sticky side down.
-Place marshmallow-topped graham crackers under broiler.  Don't walk away!  Watch them, as they will toast quickly, allow to toast until marshmallows are golden.
-Once golden, immediately remove from oven, and place 1 Hershey's Kiss in the center of each toasted marshmallow and gently press down.  
Yum.

It is indeed possible I have been eating so many s'mores in a desperate attempt to ignore the fact that I'm turning 30 this month.  I've been trying to adjust my attitude though, since the truth of the matter is that aging is a gift that not everyone is able to enjoy.  I haven't actively been planning the party of the century or anything, but I feel like my "perfect 30th birthday" is totally within reach, with my birth month off to a fabulous start.  On Saturday, my lovely sister treated me to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, followed by window shopping, and then an indulgent spa facial.  It feels a little symbolic that I've shed a layer of skin (okay not really--but exfoliation counts) to greet a new decade.  Regardless, sister spa time was a truly incredible birthday gift--and my skin feels amazing.  Also amazing was the watermelon mint cooler I had at lunch, which I am now inspired to recreate at home.

Watermelon Cooler at The Cottage in Wellesley, MA

In fact, home creations just might be the theme of this month.  I have been wanting to redo our bedroom for a while now.  The décor just isn't working for us; it is dark and, despite our best design attempts when we moved in three years ago, just misses the mark.  At the top of my "must have" list is space-saving storage, and to that end, I have been coveting an amazing storage bed from Pottery Barn that is simply not within our budget.  So my handyman husband found the plans online and began construction this weekend; I am nervous but excited to see how it will turn out.  I have given him a pretty tight deadline of two weeks so only time will tell!  Also part of the bedroom redo is a new color scheme palette.  Right now, blue is our central color, but we're trying to move in a softer direction--perhaps a light grey, maybe accented by a pale aqua...  We have nothing set in stone yet, as the bed is taking precedence, but I am looking forward to the finished product.

So here's the official report:

Reread The Great Gatsby (my favorite summer book) 

• Hoping to accomplish this while I'm off work next week...

Finally complete Harper's baby book (she is going on 2, after all)

• Planning to finally order prints tonight!

Make s'mores around an outdoor fire

• Done--and yum!

Redo my bedroom décor

• A work in progress!

Explore a New England beach I haven't been to before

• On the calendar for this weekend with some of my besties--another early birthday celebration!

Finally have a picnic with my amazing cousin before she moves 

• Hopefully this week?

Go for long summer walks (a favorite pastime)

• A walk is not the same thing as walks so clearly I'm still working on this one...  Fortunately for me, the temperatures have been lovely this month so far--so let's leave it at "to be continued."

Do more yoga

• Haven't been back to class yet...  Le sigh.

Eat fiddleheads while they're in season

•  Impossible (poor time management)

Plan my perfect 30th birthday in the absence of Chanel (tick tock!)

• A work in progress...

I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm feeling much, much better about my progress this time around.  Things weren't looking good for me for a moment there, but I'm grateful that I actually put my summer goals in writing so that I can truly hold myself accountable.  Thankfully now it's all happening!  Stay tuned for the final report...

 

summer update

Here's the dirty truth about my summer bucket list so far:  

I missed fiddlehead season--by a long shot.  Eating fiddleheads, as it turns out, should have been on my May to-do list.  Now that I know, you can count on me to be first in line at Wilson Farms next year (not that people wait in line for that sort of thing--but they should).

The summer walks haven't been happening.  With a few exceptions, the temperature has been hovering in the 90s for far too long.  Over the holiday weekend, Harper and I attempted a leisurely early morning walk, and we (me) basically had to crawl home and dip our (my) feet in a cold bath (hers).  Definitely NOT the ethereal summer exercise I had envisioned.  

I have gone to yoga all of one time.  In fairness to me, Harper and I were away this past weekend--but still.  I am pathetic.  Or maybe I just need some new Lulu gear to motivate me???

On the upside, I am happy to report that I haven't been letting summer pass me by and have been trying to embrace a more DIY spirit this summer to really enjoy the little things...

Pesto caprese

Okay, so I missed out on fiddleheads, but there is so much amazing produce to be enjoyed in New England during the summer that the consolation is huge.  Caprese has always been a favorite of mine, and I've had fun putting my own spin on it.  Since Dallin rather loathes tomatoes, when our friend, Rachel, came for Sunday dinner last weekend, I was excited for the chance to share my most recent caprese experiment, made with these incredible yellow tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and arugula lemon pesto (added bonus: the pesto was homemade by my friend, Talyn). You'll have to ask Rachel for a more objective report, but I was in love.

As I said, I've been trying to be more DIY lately, and this extends to the fashion/beauty realm.  This is in part a budget-driven endeavor, but it also feels good to accomplish something special on my own.  And given all the time I spend on Pinterest while we are watching TV in the evening, there's really no reason not to try some of my (p)inspirations.  Today's DIY attempt: watermelon nails.  Well, a watermelon deconstruction is perhaps a more accurate description, comprised of: Chanel's May, Maybelline's Green With Envy, and a pinch of pink fabric glitter.  While they may not be professional, they're totally fun and easy.  Which is also important.

Watermelon nails

Last week, my friend, Aimee, and I also began making friendship bracelets a la Martha Stewart.  I know I was bragging last month about how I used to make these all the time during my tween years, but as it turns out, it's not exactly like riding a bike.  Aimee and I both opted for the chevron "V" design; I have restarted my bracelet at least twice, and I think we also had to watch one YouTube video to help our technique.  Other things Martha didn't tell us: neon thread and metallic thread are really difficult, if not totally impossible, to work with.  That being said, fab company, plus ice cream from one of my favorite local spots and an episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County was totally morale-boosting, and we will NOT give up until our bracelets look like they belong in Martha Stewart Living.  That is a promise.

To return to my summer bucket list, a little less than one month later, here's where I stand:

-Reread The Great Gatsby (my favorite summer book) 

-Finally complete Harper's baby book (she is going on 2, after all)

-Make s'mores around an outdoor fire

-Redo my bedroom decor

-Explore a New England beach I haven't been to before

-Finally have a picnic with my amazing cousin before she moves 

-Go for long summer walks (a favorite pastime)

-Do more yoga

-Eat fiddleheads while they're in season

-Plan my perfect 30th birthday in the absence of Chanel (tick tock!)

 Let's just say that I'm glad this is not school and that I will not be receiving a progress report.  Fortunately, summer is far from over, and so I will be so bold as to put it in writing that by, the time we turn our calendars to August (yes, I still have a real paper calendar hanging on the kitchen wall), at least three more items will be crossed off--and not because they are impossible to accomplish due to poor planning.  So stay tuned--and stay cool!

miss independence day: the 4th in 3 parts

1. My first peach cobbler was a success--yay!  And yum.

2.  My pretty little patriot--in her French stripes.

3.  Nailed it!  My Star-spangled nails, poolside.

may the 4th be with you

It's July--what?!  Seriously, how did that happen so quickly?  This week has been amazing though; with the 4th on Thursday this year, I only had to work TWO days this week.  I could really get used to that sort of schedule.  My little family is looking forward to celebrating Independence Day, grilling with friends and enjoying time together as a family.  Here are a few pieces of Americana that have me feeling festive this week:

Movita Beaucoup Peach Cobbler

Peach pie.  We were asked to bring a dessert to our friends' 4th of July BBQ, and like any good domestic goddess wannabe, you know I immediately consulted Pinterest for culinary inspiration.  While the red, white, and blue cakes and fruit confections are absolutely classic, I feel like it doesn't get more all-American than peach cobbler.  Harper, Dallin, and I hit the market earlier this evening to gather our supplies, and now I couldn't be more excited to try this recipe from Movita Beaucoup:

For the filling-

4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (about 8 or 9 peaches)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon flour

For the crust-
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon brown sugar, for topping
whipped cream or ice cream for serving (optional)

To prepare:

-Preheat the oven to 425

-Combine all dry ingredients for cobbler crust in a bowl, and set aside.
-Generously grease a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Place the sliced peaches in the dish and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Mix gently and spread evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
-While the peaches are cooking, cut the butter into the awaiting dry crust ingredients with a pastry cutter or your fingers, to make the texture like coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and stir to form a soft dough.
-Remove the peach mixture from oven and drop rounded spoonfuls of dough on top. Then sprinkle the top of your cobbler with the remaining tablespoon of brown sugar, and return to oven. Bake until the fruit is bubbly and crust topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. 

-Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.  Yum!

Girl's Milleraies Striped Tee in gitan/ecume, $22.50
by Petit Bateau

Patriotic stripes.  Harper's Grammy Sue surprised her on Monday with this special tee from Petit Bateau to wear on the 4th, and it has taken all my willpower to wait for the grand debut.  Granted, Petit Bateau isn't exactly classically American, but let's be honest, it doesn't get much cuter or more patriotic than red and white stripes.  Perhaps my favorite detail is the little bow at the neck (the neckline and bow on Harper's tee are white instead of the red shown here).  As a side note, the Petit Bateau store on Newbury Street in Boston is closing at the end of this week.  This means that we have recently purchased some amazing Petit Bateau swag at even more amazing sale prices--but I am absolutely heartbroken to see it go.  Anyway... My vision: this tee, paired with little H's chambray shorts, and her red, white, and blue hair bow...hello, Miss American Pie!

Butler Please, $7.79
by Essie
Available from Target

Starry nails.  I was super bummed to miss viewing The Bachelorette with some of my favorite girlies this week, particularly as our TV night was also a patriotic nail painting party!  Sigh.  Nonetheless, I'm doing my best to nail it on my own this time, thanks to Essie's Butler Please, a nail color recommendation from my fashion icon friend, Aimee, who has it on her toes as I type this.  Called an "indulgent, bright blue," I'm totally loving it.  This blue is peppy, patriotic, and even a little nautical.  After another trip down the Pinterest rabbit hole, I've been inspired to take my nail painting party to the next level and to try this polished version of star spangled, using the reverse color scheme, all blue with one red (not just any red but Essie's Lollipop, another summer fave).  Pictures to follow!

Pinterest inspiration: 4th of July nails

From peach pie to stars and stripes, I'm looking forward to celebrating tomorrow.  I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't express my appreciation for living in the land of the free and the home of the brave--and for those men and women that have made those blessings possible.  Happy 4th of July--and may the 4th be with you!

Happy Summer!

Today is the Summer Solstice, and I am totally ready for the official start of summer.  The weather in Boston this week has been gorgeous; warm but not too hot, zero humidity, breezy in the evening...  Did I somehow transplant to California?  Seriously though.  Here are some happy summer things to start the season right:

Okay, so I haven't been to the beach yet, but that doesn't stop me from faking it with another layer (or two!) of bronzer.  Summer beauty products are tricky though.  When the temperatures rise, no girl wants her face to melt.  This luminizer from Benefit is a beauty product that I've heard a lot about; it is essentially a shimmery highlighter for your face.  You apply it to your cheeks and brow bones and then blend with the handy blending tip.  I'm dying to try it this summer, when I'm stuck in the office (sigh) but craving the beachy glow of a woman of leisure.
  

Watts Up! Luminizer in luminous champagne, $30
by Benefit Cosmetics

Not only is today the first day of summer, but it's also National Wear Your Lilly day!  Pulitzer, that is.  My newest Lilly love is the Jolene Skirt, a soft jersey maxi skirt with diagonal seams and stripes to match in a soft, tidal blue.  When I said I was all about maxis this season, I wasn't kidding.  Plus, in honor of Lilly day, you score a free Lilly key chain with any purchase or a printed wristlet with orders of $250 or more.  I love it when there is a cherry on top.

Jolene Skirt in tide blue lazy days stripe, $148
by Lilly Pulitzer

This Monday night, I was able to watch The Bachelorette with some lovely ladies AND have my nails painted by my amazingly talented friend, Aimee.  In honor of summer, I now have OPI's Hot and Spicy on my nails, a punchy lobster orange that pairs perfectly with nautical colors like navy and white--but that's not all.  I am also a total stud; well, my digits are at least, thanks to Aimee's guidance and the tiny gold pyramid studs on each of my nails.  It's okay to be jealous.

Orange Studded Nails--
love love love.

Remember making friendship bracelets?  I was obsessed.  Growing up, whenever we would take long family car trips, I would tote my trusty box of embroidery floss and fashion all sorts of fantastic bracelets that adorned my left arm like whoa.  Yes, I have always been this cool.  So you can imagine my excitement when I saw that friendship bracelets are making a comeback--for adults.  In the July/August issue of Martha Stewart Living, friendship bracelets are the main attraction--and they're all grown up, thanks to sophisticated color palettes, metallic thread, and other adornments.  Maybe it's because my nails are already studded, but I feel like a speckle of studs or perhaps even rhinestones would really take this summer camp classic to a fabulous place.  I honestly think I need a Bedazzler; do they even make those anymore?

Friendship Bracelets, All Grown Up
from Martha Stewart Living, July/August 2013

During the summer, I hate to turn on the oven when it's already so hot outside already--particularly when our house is regrettably not cooled by central air but by two window AC units and half a dozen old school fans.  Needless to say, summer salads and other cool treats are an absolute must.  I'm currently obsessed with this watermelon, feta, and arugula salad with balsamic glaze.  I had a version of it at Bertucci's about a month or so ago, and I have been in love ever since.  Plus, it's super easy to make:

Ingredients:
1 5-ounce package baby arugula
8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze*

*Balsamic vinegar glaze can be found in the vinegar section at most supermarkets, but in a pinch you can make it yourself by boiling 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced to 3 tablespoons, (about 6 to 7 minutes).

Preparation:
Arrange arugula over large platter. Scatter watermelon, then feta over. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper.

Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad

with Balsamic Glaze

from Bon Appétit

I feel like I should also put a summer to-do list in writing so that I can be held accountable for my grand plans.  Otherwise, it seems summer always slips through my grasp, and it's Labor Day weekend before I know it.  So--in no particular order--here are 10 things I hope to accomplish before the clock chimes Labor Day, and the fashion laws force me to stop wearing white:

-Reread The Great Gatsby (my favorite summer book)

-Finally complete Harper's baby book (she is going on 2, after all)

-Make s'mores around an outdoor fire

-Redo my bedroom decor

-Explore a New England beach I haven't been to before

-Finally have a picnic with my amazing cousin before she moves 

-Go for long summer walks (a favorite pastime)

-Do more yoga

-Eat fiddleheads while they're in season

-Plan my perfect 30th birthday in the absence of Chanel (tick tock!)

And on that note, it only feels right to greet summer with F. Scott Fitzgerald:

And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees--just as things grow in fast movies--I had the familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.

Happy summer!

Daddy's Day

Today is Father's Day.  Probably like many of you out there who have lost your father, this day is a bittersweet one for me.  On the bitter side, of course, is that I am reminded of how much I miss my beloved Daddy.  But there's more sweet than bitter; I love the opportunity to remember my amazing daddy and, what's more, to celebrate my husband, who is an incredible father.  In honor of two of my favorites, here are some of ways our family is celebrating today:

Cool cards, like this one that we sent to Dallin's dad earlier this week.  I know we live in the age of Skype and Snapchat, but one thing I learned from my father was how to write a real letter.  And nothing beats the perfect card, especially when it is indeed for one very cool pop.

Card by Hearts Grow Fonder
Available on Etsy

"From mail room to board room," as my dad would always say.  Here is the tie that my little H made for her Daddy at church today.  Very chic.  She has also been modeling it for him this afternoon.  I'm not sure who it looks better on.

Old photos.  A daddy/daughter nap, circa 1983, loving every minute of an afternoon snuggle.  My Daddy was a man of few words; he didn't say much unless he really had something to say, so I learned to appreciate moments of silence shared in complete comfort.  Like when we drove across country together to bring my old Volvo out to LA when I was in college; we listened to a LOT of CDs and shared time together I will always treasure.

New photos.  I love that Harper is Daddy's girl; after all, it takes one to know one.  Here is Harper, with Dallin, after a visit to the doctor's and in desperate need of some Daddy love.  It's cool, I totally get it.

Red velvet whoopie pies: my attempt at making Dallin a Father's Day treat.  I say attempt because there are a few things that I learned in the process...  As it turns out, I should read directions before starting a baking project to make sure I have all the ingredients and tools necessary.  For instance, one needs a whoopie pie pan when making whoopie pies.  In the absence of said whoopie pie pan, a muffin tin will work--but maybe not quite as well.  Fortunately, Instagram (what one of my besties calls "the beer goggles of life") makes everything look prettier.  Here's to hoping they taste good too!

Found notes, like this one from my Daddy.  He wrote this to me after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and was going through chemo and radiation.  Despite the physical toll this process was taking on his body, he found the time to sketch out designs with me--cupcakes, ice cream cones, candy...  All the sweet things that inspired my lolly.brand line.  I am grateful to fathers like mine, who inspire their children to dream.  There are so many ways that he lives on.

On Facebook today, there were countless pictures fathers, as well as status updates paying tribute.  I have to admit, it made me a little sad, wistful perhaps, I wasn't celebrating with my own father.  But a while ago, I decided that I would do my best to celebrate my father's life, rather than to mourn his passing.  This day, I have done just that, showing gratitude to the fathers in my life and appreciation for the examples that they are to their children.  I am blessed to know some seriously amazing guys.  And speaking of which, Dallin enjoyed his red velvet whoopie pie, and Harper did too.  Like father, like daughter...  And so it goes.

Cooking For Three

This weekend, my mom gave me a cookbook that she selected with my little family of three in mind, Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual.  The concept behind this book is that kids can cook with an "adult helper."  Obviously, my nearly nine-month babe is still a little young to be a sous chef, but it's definitely fun to plan ahead.  So I was scanning the pages yesterday when it dawned on me: these are recipes that I can cook!

Sad?  Maybe.  But definitely true.  The whimsical illustrations that accompany recipes like "Buried Treasure Muffins" and "Alphabetter Soup" make it clear that these recipes are for kids, but the simple directions (and even the illustrations!) make this cookbook a handy guide for those whose culinary skills might be...lacking, shall we say?  While I have two binders full of recipes that I've clipped from Martha Stewart Living and other magazines, I could probably count the number of times I have actually made said recipes on one hand. Don't get me wrong, I totally want to make my Martha recipes, but my skills--and frankly my spare time--just aren't there yet.  

Someday I will make those fancy, sophisticated culinary creations, but in the meantime, I can hone my skills with more basic recipes like this:

Put-Back Potatoes

Ingredients-
potatoes (as many as you like)
milk: 2 tbsp. for each potato
grated cheddar cheese: 3 tbsp. for each potato
salt and pepper: pinch of each

Directions-
1. Bake your potato
2. Take the potato out of the oven when it's all done, wait a little bit for it to cool, then cut it in half and scoop the potato out into a bowl.  Keep one of the skins (you're going to need it).
3. Save 1/3 of the cheese to sprinkle on top of the potato before it goes in the oven.  Mix the rest of of the cheese, the milk, and the salt and pepper with the potato.  If you like butter, add a pat per potato now.  Use the masher or mixer while the potato is still a little warm.
4. Put your potato-and-cheese mixture back into the potato skins you saved.  Put it in a baking pan, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of it, and put back into the oven for 20 minus at 350 degrees.
5. It's done when it starts to melt!

Yum.

There are also recipes for play dough, giant soap bubbles, and face paint, but I think I'll save those for Harper.