Mama Style {soul mate}

I'm completely, madly, weak in the knees in love with this dress! I look at it every day and talk myself out of wearing it cause that's just not fair to the rest of my closet, playing favorites like that. But really, it's the BOMB. 

{dress - Free People from Besselli, bag - H&M, shoes - Target}

A Wild Weekend!

Yep, it's written all over his face! This was our weekend ... happy, crazy, and all sorts of fun. We celebrated the end of school by visiting Bay Beach not just once, but twice! We live about 8 minutes from this mini amusement park (it's permanently there but only opens between May and oh gosh, September?) Gets the kids all giddy. 

The crowds were still slim so I was happy to take them a couple of times, once even on my own! And while things went pretty darn spectacularly for that solo visit, they did end with one little man in tears. Just the way it goes ... 

While we were there, we worked on a few photos for an upcoming issue of Green Bay Moms magazine. They wanted shots of the boys for a feature they're doing on our family. What an incredibly cool opportunity for us!

Fashion Flash Back {from YOU magazine}

{Just thought I'd share with you one of the articles I wrote for a recent issue of GB's local YOU magazine}

A look at style from the 60’s, 80’s and 2000’s and the trends that are back again!

Fashion is an ever evolving phenomenon, one that seems completely appealing and chic at the time yet often leaves us cringing at the thought years later! It flamboyantly weaves it’s way through the decades, always making a statement and leaving behind an inexplicable reputation. I’m guilty of a few good laughs, especially at the cost of the 80’s and 90’s, while many other decades inspire more romantic notions that leave me more eager to reinterpret them (as an example, I have a complete love and fascination with the bohemian style of the 70’s).

As we watch fashion circle through time, the trends that we once either loved or abhorred revisit us again. Many are hanging from the racks and tucked onto the shelves of our favorite stores even today! So here’s a look at my personal favorite trends from the groovy 60’s, the punky 80’s, and the boy-meets-girl 2000’s, those that are in vogue once again. And with that I have a few ideas of how you might style those trends today, in a way that’s fresh for 2012!

Let’s get dressed for date night!

The 60's - mix and match color never looked so good!

The mod 60's are back in a big way, swathing us in boldly, color blocked ensembles and interesting shapes. Jewel toned mini skirts are popular with those that love a leggy look and A-line dresses are a beautiful buy as they flatter so many shapes. The 60's inspire us to be bold and bright this summer, turning our wardrobes into rainbows of happy, dimensional color. 

{dress - Forever 21, necklace - J. Crew, clutch - vintage (borrowed from a friend), shoes - Aldo}

The 80's - a more feminine side

M C Hammer gave us ... well, hammer pants, but we can thank Madonna for loving her lace. Whew! Lace is all at once feminine, flirty, elegant, and romantic and you need only one piece in an outfit to soften a look yet not overpower it. Paired here with other 80's favorites, a jean jacket and light pink leather pumps, a lace skirt becomes laid back but still chic, perfect for an evening out. And if you're a fan of dazzling color, then this summer is the season to consider another beloved 80's favorite, neon! Neon accessories are all the rage right now, whether layered on your wrists as friendship bracelets or slung across your arm as a fluorescent handbag. Neon is back!

{jacket - Hollister, shirt - J. Crew Factory, necklace - Loft, skirt - Target, purse - garage sale, heels - Nine West}

The 2000's - tough girl chic

The last decade saw the birth of a few fads that we'll likely not miss (bared midriffs and velour tracksuits being prime examples)! But it also made the skinny jean flattering again and the boyfriend blazer became a must-have item, as it effortlessly glammed up a pair of jeans or dressed down your favorite party dress. We were hooked by the oversized statement necklace which looked gorgeous with just about everything and finally, fashion warriors loved the unusual lines of a gladiator inspired shoe. This is how I would continue to wear these 2000 trends today but my skinny jeans would be bright and cheery, 2012 style!

{jacket - H&M, necklace - Express, tee - J. Crew Factory, jeans - Gap, shoes - Target}

Footnote: 

Since writing this article back in March, I've purchased an even brighter tangerine jean and those would have been just about perfect in this last outfit. But I worked with the colored denim that I had at the time. :) Styling for YOU is something that I really have to think about, a little more intentional than just grabbing the first pretties I see. Our target demographic is women 34-54 and yes, that includes me now! But I want to make sure that I'm featuring clothing that those ladies feel comfortable with, pieces that they would not be shy to try. So the outfits here will be a little different to those that I would feature exclusively on the blog, my daily looks. Just thought you might like to know. :) Because you care about such trivialities, right? 

Sunday Best {feminine florals and summer desserts}

 Happy Memorial Day everyone!

We've been hanging with family all day long and had a visit to our little GB fair this morning (you can check out a couple of pictures on Facebook here). It's been a lovely day so far.

I wore this dress again yesterday; that's twice in one week! But it feels so pretty and summery and it has that breezy and effortless feel that I'm longing to live in right now. Seems to work just as well minus the belt and with sandals instead, dressed down a little.

{dress - Francesca's (new in GB mall ladies, holla), belt - thrifted, shoes - Target}

I also wanted to share a little photo shoot we worked on a week or so ago, for the most recent issue of Apples magazine. The boys helped me bake an incredibly divine Strawberry Lemonade Cake that I found on Pinterest and let me tell you, it was some serious yummy. I'm really quite terrible at baking but this was a simple enough recipe to not only manage on my own but even with the boys "help". I'm always craving fruity sweets in the summer, so this cake hit the spot just perfectly. 

Recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Cake

(adapted from easybaked.net)

Ingredients:

• One box of strawberry cake mix (plus oil, water and eggs as directed on box)
• 8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temp.)
• 1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid Lemonade
• 2 cups Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
• 8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
• Fresh strawberries to garnish

Directions:

• Make cake according to box and bake in 2- 9 inch round cake pans as directed.  
• Cream together cream cheese and lemonade mix until smooth.
• Mix marshmallow creme in and then mix in cool whip until completely smooth. 
• Cut each cake layer in half.
• Alternating layers of cake with layers of filling, assemble cake. End with layer of filling.
• Top with sliced strawberries.
• Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Mama Style {summer layers}

 It's here, it's here, it's here! School is out and summer is here. Can't even believe it.

So I've been singing School's Out for Summer over and over again, at the top of my lungs, mind you, and now all the boys are singing it too. We're excited. Really excited. Can you tell?

I'm starting to get used to this bag and it's neon pink glory. When I first received it from the husband, I was a bit shy to wear it. It's really bright in real life! But now that summer is here, it seems perfectly normal and I get compliments on it all the time (instead of wide eyed stares). Color is definitely our best friend this summer.

{vest - Aerie, top - J. Crew Factory, skirt - Target, bag - Cambridge Satchel Company}

The Business of Bed Time

This is what a typical "getting ready for bed time" scene looks like at our house. The energy level is excruciatingly high and the pace for bathing, dressing, and brushing teeth is a snail's at best. Ironic, isn't it?

That's my Monty scratching, something he goes a little moggy with when he's tired. Poor boy. His skin is always bad at the change of seasons but he's learned to live with it.

A Family Photo Shoot

My family was in dire need of a photo shoot that included each member together! And I'm working on some photos for an upcoming issue of Green Bay Moms magazine and we needed a nice family photo for that article too. So my brother-in-law was in town over the weekend and I begged him to take a few pictures of us out on the dock that extends off of the property of a lucky friend's home. It was a stunning evening outside and I couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you Uncle Jonny and Callista!

 

 Thanks for being willing to get all cutesy with me, dear husband. I love you and these boys so much!