New Find: Baby Name Leggings

This is one of those posts where you will either like or roll your eyes.  Totally ok, I get it.

I've been wanting, waiting and researching the new legging trend for babies of "hipster" designs.  I just can't decide and can't totally accept the prices.

Just a few sites here, here and here.  And more on Etsy.

Then I read about these.

Name leggings!

And of course the blanket to match.

Her store here and blog here.

All images from here.

Kickee Pants for Kids

My favorite kids' item this time around is hands down, Kickee Pants.

I discovered this brand in Houston two years ago when we bought my son a extremely soft and light weight onesie.  I couldn't find the brand anywhere else at the time.

I finally found two stores in the city that sell it with a pretty great selection and I hear more and more stores in Houston are carrying it.  Even The Monogram Shop.

I decided since we have a summer baby this time around I am going for quality over quantity regarding sleepers.

Definitely worth it.

My sister started my daughter's collection with these two.  Love.

 

Then I added these.  Great for summer weather and so, so soft.

(but in pink)

Although the pants set is a little slippery for a newborn

My only complaint, if I had one is that they don't have much gender neutral colors.  At their price I would like to be able to use them again if we have a boy.  I guess the navy, teal or red could go either way but not so much the pink with ruffles.

4th of July Fun

My very favorite day of the year is upon us!

And although it's been about thirteen years since I've spent it on the lake, fireworks at night and skiing in the morning, this year will be the closest thing to my ideal 4th in a long time.

Entertaining at my house with my food and decor for my mom and other family.  (although my sis, Dad and Sue will be greatly missed)

I finally get to entertain on the 4th and make pies and dishes and red, white and blue paper goods.

Sur La Table was at it again with an adorable collection this year!

Obsessed, I mean obsessed with these napkin rings.  I have absolutely zero use for them, but if I can find them on clearance I may snag them up just for decor.

I picked up this spreader last week to add to my spreader collection.

 Other cute things.  Collection here.

 I've got the kids' patriotic outfits picked out.  You better believe next year they will be in coordinating gear.  And the next, and the next.

Here's a quick tutorial for an easy flag shirt from babyrabies.

Considering I don't even have a pie crust made, I need to get busy baking and crafting.  I'm hoping Steve's grilling will be ready by the 6th.

Nursery Wall Art

  

Monday was a slow day around the house.

I've been waiting for someone to help me decide how all the all art should be hung but I always get lazy and never do it.

I was tired of looking at it on the floor so I just went with it, took out a pencil for even measurements and hanging and hoped for the best.

After all, my husband can always spackle over the holes if they needed to be redone, right?

I decided the hoop art and yarn letter would be over the changing table.  (Craft tutorial here and here)

This is probably what made me stall the most but I finally just arranged them on the ground and went for it on the wall.

The crib definitely needed something above it and I wasn't going to put a shelf that could fall.

                                  

I loved all my Valentine's Day cards but this one from my Aunt in Scottsdale was the perfect picture of love, warmth, colors and happiness.  I love the 3D gumball machine with hearts flowing out.  So I thought I would frame it and hang it somewhere.  Then I got the idea to get two more and make a little picture collage.

I ransacked the left over Vday cards at Target to find matching cards along with our other received cards and two perfect matches were found.

I decided on three separate frames instead of one - three frame frame.  They can also be changed out in the future with other colors, cards or pictures.

I was very nervous about hanging these straight with out any help.  Excuse me, I had a two year old really trying to help.  But I think we all know how "helpful" that was.  I was pretty surprised that I got them rather straight and aligned.

 

I bought these picture hanging hooks at BBB and they are awesome.  They are easy to nail in, easy to take out (had to do that a few times) and aren't supposed to harm your walls.

My New Best Gal

So, you know how I am moderately obsessed with my best friend Meg?  How she is so amazing and I love her to pieces?

Well, she may have to move over to second favorite person in the world.

To this beautiful baby girl, Olivia.

I couldn't be more excited for them.  Now I just need the details.

It's really hard when the person you talk to at any minute of the day and is usually always available all of a sudden isn't available because you know, they just had a baby and all, when you need to talk to her most!!!

It sounds like it was a perfect, easy birth which makes me so happy.  It's all I could have wished for her these past 10 months.  It also makes you think that being incredibly healthy and fit probably does make things run more smoothly.

I have about five other posts but they will just have to wait.

Green Machine Smoothie

I love anything Brooke does.  So when she mentioned she was obsessed with this new green smoothie I had to try it.  Plus I really need to up the veggie intake.

So easy, so good.  My son loves it too which is awesome since he seems to have a love/hate relationship with greens lately.  Loves to throw them, hates to digest them.

It usually makes more than enough so I give my son his own cup.

 But he always seems to steal mine too.

Here is the recipe Brooke uses.
Here is the original recipe from Iowa Girl.

I do this:
1 cup almond milk or non fat milk
1/2 cup greek yogurt.  I usually just use plain since that is what I buy for other days
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or just a heaping scoop with a regular kitchen spoon)
1 frozen banana sliced (I've done it with out the banana and it doesn't taste that different, just added some ice)
4 cups of baby spinach  (I just fill the rest of the blender)
* I usually add some agave syrup if I don't have french vanilla yogurt to give it some sweetness

Blend and sip.

So delicious and you can't taste all that spinach.  Like a peanut butter banana treat.

Sweet Fluffy Dreams

When I think of my ideal bedding I think of clean, soft and fall into fluffy.

Anthropolgie speaks my language.  Just not my budget.

Downton Abbey

I seem to have a lot to share this week so there may be multiple posts each day.

Obsessed.  I mean, up until 2am watching the last four episodes of the first season obsessed.

I don't even know what is so good about it but I love it.  It is like a soap opera.  It is like an HBO drama.  It is like a piece of history.  It is like Gossip Girl but a 100 years ago (literally).

Watch Downton Abbey Season 1 Preview on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

It is on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre and is getting a ton of buzz and awards.  I think I am late to the party but I don't care.  Currently in the second season.  We streamed the first season through Netflix on our Blu-Ray.  Or if you have Netflix you can watch it on your computer.  I'm not sure the other options.  Schedule here.

It is so refreshing to watch a basically PG rated series that still has all the drama, suspense, betrayal, quirky lines, romance with out over the top violence and steamy scenes.  It is possible Hollywood.

Also makes me want to go back to Newport, RI and tour more mansions.  Fascinating, just a fascinating time period and way of life.  But the rich always are, aren't they?

{Movie Review} Footloose

Slightly obsessed.  It was good.  Like, first season of Glee cheesy good.

I know I have terrible taste.  Or yet the taste of a thirteen year old girl but I don't care.  I was shockingly surprised how much I liked this movie.  The acting was actually ok.  The chemistry, right on.  The dancing was not over the top and talented.  I was afraid it would be too much breakdancing (or whatever you call it these days, crunking?) but it wasn't.

I'm not saying there weren't some incredibly silly moments but that is just a no brainer.

Let me tell you, I really liked Kenny.  Forget Zac Efron and Chace Crawford who thought they were too good for this role.  Kenny nailed it.  I forgot that I knew of him back on Dance Life a few years ago.

But the real star?  The guy that made me laugh almost every time he opened his mouth or moved his feet?

Miles Teller.  Willard, the best friend.  Hilarious, current and exactly what the role should be.

All I will say is the dance teaching montage begins with four sweet little nine year old girls singing on their Barbie karaoke machines as he is instructed to follow their lead as they perform their choreographed dance to "Let's Hear It For The Boys".  Amazing.

Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-.  US Weekly gave it three our of four stars.  A Cup Of Sweetness gives it a 3/4.  Get it?

The At Home Latte/Cappuccino

It works.  It works really well.  The foam is a little fake but they actually sell frothers the size of a hand blender.  Worth looking into.

I'm in a little bit of trouble because not only am I having a latte every morning, I only have fully caffeinated beans where I usually only drink decaf.

Mug Obsession

I have an addiction and my husband only feeds it.

Coffee mugs are like my shoes for most women.  I see one and I have to have it.  I can't throw an old one out and I even have special seasonal favorites.

These two are for or when I buy our new espresso maker this week.  I don't have patience to wait for a holiday.  I picked these anthropologie like mugs up at Marshall's last week.

This one is so big that it actually is only good for hot chocolate or maybe a yummy soup.

It does go well with Friday morning cinnamon rolls.

Pinterest

I was doing so well with no tv during the day.  But this pinterest?  Not only does it take up time (and I don't even know how to use it yet) it leads me to even more blogs and sites that I end up spending hours on.  I haven't been going to sleep until way after midnight because of this thing.

I need a job where I spend 8 hours a day just surfing the internet.  Oh wait, I already had that.

This makes my hundreds (literally) of bookmarked sites so much easier to navigate, organize and simplify.  Plus the gazillion of new ideas I get each time I look at one more.

It's never ending, overwhelming and wonderful.

Like this idea?  Love it.

Source: flickr.com via Jess on Pinterest

It's not just for crafts or fashion.  Food, decor, houses, electronics, music, anything!

LC by Lauren Conrad

Forget Missoni for Target, I'm going to Kohl's.



I am sure it will look different in person but I kind of like each piece of her latest collection.

I kind of wish her hair styles were also offered.  Why do I like her so much?  It's getting annoying.

What You Don't Know About Ryan Reynolds by Jason Bateman

I love that Jason and Ryan are everywhere this week promoting their new film.  And talking about each other.

Celebrating the Boy (Craft Website)

Her name is Dana, her site is MADE and I love her.  I love her tutorials, I love her ideas, I love her photos and I love, love her sewing space.  I am inspired.  I need that teal rotary phone.

 

So many tutorials on her site but the best part is that she has ones just for boys too.  She acknowledges that there are not many sewing projects for the little males out there.  (There are plenty adorable girl ones too)  I need to learn how to work with elastic and then I am all about those boy pants.



I actually found her through her pajama tutorial.  Looks easy, up until the waist.  But that is just because I've never done elastic, a waist, button holes or drawstring.

She also has great home improvement, decorating, recipes, thrift finds and other fun goodies.  Just going back and forth getting her links I've found about seven other tutorials I want to try and posts to read up on.  This is one of those websites you need a good hour (or two) to browse.

"It's been a long time since I've stumbled upon a website I am obsessed with.  I couldn't stop talking about her last night.  Finally my husband laughed at me going on and on and said, sew what?!"  He was kidding and yes he is a nerd.

Guess I'll be getting my sewing machine out again soon.  And to think our apartment was finally clean...

*all pictures are taken from her amazing site

Dogeared Jewels

I randomly spotted these Dogeared Jewels necklaces at Bloomingdale's and fell in love.  I love simple, light gold dipped jewelry.  I've been looking for a pair of small gold studs for months now.

Only in times like this I wish I had a million viewers and could have give aways where they give me one for free.

I think two different designs would be really nice paired together.

I think I am going to get this one in gold while Bloomingdale's has their Friends & Family this week and then hope to get another piece sometime in May.