A baby drizzle

My sweet little friends drizzled me with some lovelies over the weekend and I have to share. We met for breakfast at the very cozy and delicious Bouchee, a new place for me. I arrived unaware of the festivities planned and was greeted by my VIP's. Here they are...

My place at the table was adorned with a delightful bouquet of cloths and socks, wrapped to look like flowers along with a butterfly here and there. Perfect to walk down the hospital aisle as I make my way to the room of no return (hopefully I will not be crawling). Each place setting had a brown paper parcel filled with Seroogy's taffy and folded over and closed with a pretty button. My presents included a gorgeous baby book that looks like it came out of a time capsule from the 40's or 50's. I am a firm believer that baby #3 and thereafter will be blessed with every memory album, both journal, scrapbook and photo that the previous 2 also inspired. So he's off to a great start and actually, a much fancier start. And then there was the cocoon that I gushed about on this very blog and which I now (well soon) own and plan to use for the newborn photo shoot. Woohoo! I also received a very handsome brown linen one piece and Green baby onesie (more for the knowing smile it incurs than the "green-ness" of the mommy).

I missed getting a shot of the food as it was gone before I knew it was there, but here are some leftovers artfully placed in the hopes of conjuring up a feeling of yumminess. I had a ham, brie cheese, and fig jam panini on challah bread with a vanilla bean latte. Delish!

Thank you everyone for making me feel so special!

Some of the sweetest outfits ever!

J Crew has managed to steal my heart this fall, with beautiful clothes and combinations (that jacket with those jewels with that belt and those pants!) that make me smile and wish I was so lucky. The 2 pictured above are a couple of favorites (their October catalog is insane!) and the velvet blazer right above is one little number that I have admired since last year and which has made a lovely reappearance this season (and now it's even on SA-YIL! but don't ask how much). Go to their site to see these images in their full glory.


The shoes and boots I found at Aldo. They have an unbelievably awesome selection right now. What's the deal with everyone? Are things really that much better than they usually are, or am I just coming out of a frumpy slump of a wardrobe and see all new clothing and accessories as if they were a mirage in my desert? Regardless, the exciting news is that it seems that they've come up with a brilliant solution to my new found fear of heights. By adding a platform to the bottom front of the shoe, the heel itself is a mere 2.5 inches, which is nothing. Even though I'll still be soaring above the ground, I might be able to trick the mind and teeter calmly and painlessly.

Ah...just love.

Mmmm...can't-get-enough-boots. Need-nude-suede-on-my-feet.


All the jewelry can be found at Banana Republic. Very sweet, antique inspired pieces that would be lovely with your new cozy T shirt plus warm sexy cardi.


I think the color and folds of this little dress are just so, so gorgeous (Banana Republic). Christmas dress anyone? Is it really too early to think about this very important outfit? Never! The girls in my family are quite fond of making Christmas dress considerations well into September, while my mom can often find herself in the throw of a holiday purchase as early as May. ;) We have been trained by the best.

A touch of sparkle

When my pumpkins and gourds come out to play, so does the glitter! It's a lovely excuse to sparkle up the centerpiece and get away with glitter in my testosterone filled home. Thank you Martha Stewart. More to come at the end of this month, when the pumpkins make their cameos in preparation for our fall potluck party on October 3rd.

Scones for tea

(You may be aware...) my little Monty has several food allergies, the worst of which is egg. This makes it very difficult for him when it comes to cakes, cookies or pancakes...pretty much most yummy desserts. I was once offered the very helpful hint from a fellow egg allergy burdened mom, that adding one can of sprite to a box of yellow cake mix (and nothing else!) will result in delicious, albeit tarter and moister, cupcakes for a birthday party. So I was wondering through my favorite daily blog Design Sponge and I found a recipe for Lemonade Scones. Sounds kind of cool so I checked it out and yay, it's another egg free recipe, though there's not a mention of it being an allergy friendly recipe (which usually scares me off cause it virtually means "not as tasty"). So here it is!

Chris Chun's Lemonade Scones

6 cups of self raising flour

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups Sprite

Mix with knife slightly until just combined. Roll out gently on floured surface, cut into scones with round shaped cutter, then bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Note: It's an Australian recipe and so the end result is more of the English tea scone than the American scOne. This makes it even lovelier and the recipe seems too simple to be true. I always thoughts scones were really laborsome to make.

A new room for 2 little boys!

It's done (!!!), thanks to my mom and dad who spent an entire afternoon at my home, measuring and drilling and nailing and sewing. Monty slept through the racket in his adjoining room and later that evening they entered their new world. It's really awesome and so perfect. Feels like a tent but hung like a canopy. When I lay in their bed I am definitely swept away to a faraway land, filled with humidity and mosquitoes, but very exotic and cool. So the adventure begins; the first step (okay not the first but maybe the 2nd) towards becoming a family of 5 and these little boys having a tiny brother to share everything with...including their space. I think they're happy though.

Fancy shoes for less!

I wanted to display my favorites of the new fall collections available at Payless. Several designer collaborations at slightly higher prices for the Payless brand, but all under $34.99. The first and third pair are by Project Runway season 4 winner, Christian Siriano, while the other pairs are by Lela Rose, Abaete, and finally Fioni (a Payless brand). All really gorgeous and glamorous wardrobe additions (my fave being the booties, which I've noticed I'm slightly obsessed with at the moment...booties in general, I mean. Plus, they're actually purple!). The only problem...I don't think I can wear 4 inch heels anymore; those days may be over. We'll have to see though. It's worth a little clomp up and down those Payless aisles, just to try.

(Don't forget to click for better views!)

Farmer's market basket

Doesn't this look delicious? It made me feel all warm and cozy. Bri, another very clever and talented friend, managed to find all these goodies at the farmer's market a couple of weeks ago and made it all look so pretty before delivering the fresh finds to a friend. I wonder if I could find a yummy enough dish to create to be worthy of all this goodness. Likely not... Better to just display on my kitchen counter. :)