Bubble Gum (Medicine)

This has been my poor little dude for most of this week.  Fever, vomiting, eye strain, neck pain...the works.  Not the flu.  Strep.  Yep strep.  Poo.

But, he gets bubble gum medicine.  That was the best part of ear infections for me as a kid.  Love that stuff.  Tastes like pink carnivals.  Like these pics.

{image}

{image}

{image}

{image}

Thankfully this is what he feels like now too.

The Loverly List

Everyone in blogland has a love list with a fancy name.  I keep imagining my dad's mom, Nana, singing the chorus "wouldn't it be loverly."  So, that's where this title was born.  I think it'll help me clear out all those great list of things I was saving to post about for an individual post but might never get to.

And the big elephant in the room is that you haven't seen me post as regularly as I had in the past.  I hope that's ok with you.  I'm in the midst of possibly the busiest craziest time I hope to have in my little families life.  Me with two little sweeties and two or more PT jobs, husband working FT/graduating law school/taking the bar/developing projects.  I look forward to a slightly more loosened schedule.  It'll be here soon enough.  Until then, I hope to see you a few times a week, if only one blog date a week. :)

Introducing my loverly list.  I hope you like it.  I have listed below 10 of my lastest and greatest finds.  Enjoy.

1. I want to make this. I'm sure I won't.  Still fascinated by sewing but don't have the patience and time just yet.

2. That grey kick pleated skirted table.  Love love love it! 

{image}

3. Chelsea's Leopard Sperry Top Siders.  No way. I'm not into leopard usually but this is the perfect juxtaposition.  {Tea Talk}

4. Homemade party in a box.  For those of us without much time but want that special feel.  I love this.{Acme Party Box}

5. This toddler high chair.  One of my favorite color combos. {found here}

6. This kit house.  Backyard yoga studio, play area, art studio, meditation room, reading room.... {kitHAUS}

7. That shelf that I wish were a giant bench.  I just can't stop looking at it.  Beautiful.  {found here}

8. This t-shirt from local etsy seller. Perfect Valentine's Day duds. {Finley and Oliver}

9. This shower curtain.  Our master bath is always lacking something to me.  Maybe something like this would do it. {saw it here}

10. Oh Joy's pickle pic.  I'm salivating.  I really want to learn to can/preserve this year. {pic}

Rocking chair for Gretchen

So I don't have an inch of room for another thing in Gretchen's room but I'd really love this rocking chair for those times when she needs a bit more cuddling and care.  I love this chair from Urban Outfitters.

My weekend in pictures

It started off with a little experiment of a recipe that turned out spectacularly!! I used The Stone Soup's base recipe for divine 4 ingredient cheesecakes and added a 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and zest of 1/2 a small orange.  To die for! Patrick even gave me two long audible "mmm" sounds.

Then while Sean was studying for his last law school exam {wahoo!} the kids and I cruised Paradise Valley for some pretty holiday decor + sunset views and then headed to the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park Holiday lights and train ride with one of his friends from preschool.

The next-door neighboor's mulberry tree was quite pretty and fall-looking this weekend.

We had 2 birthday parties this weekend too.  One at a bear factory and one at The Little Gym.  Both were super fun. {side note: I'm so excited about my shiny hair lately.  I think it's my shampoo.  Yes!}

I'm looking forward to getting the mail this week to see who has sent us cards.  Here's where they will live at our house this year.  Usually we place them on my piano but a 3 year old seems to have broken the music stand.

Oh, and I want to tell you of my fab shopping morning Sunday.  I got some "Mommy time" and headed to my favorite women's consignment shop {taking the scenic route near my house down Central Ave's Bridle Path - the trees are gorgeous right now} where I keep finding the best Eileen Fisher clothes every time I go in...and they all fit perfectly.  Apparently that's all she buys and rotates her wardrobe frequently.  I did some research on Eileen Fisher today {for fun} and she's an incredible woman.  Check out her story and company.  Sustainable design, amazing company benefits.

This is a visual of their design structure above.  Lovely isn't it?

Whoever you are, thank you!  I found something similar to this in charcoal grey today for $15, regularly $150. 

I rounded out my morning with a trip to a local Goodwill {one I'd not visited before} and scored a stellar preschool block set for my kids for Christmas.  These were had for $40, regularly $240.  I'm so so excited to play with them Christmas morning.

This is my last week doing work for the farm this year.  We'll be on a 2 week vacation - the only one we have all year.

Looking forward to a great week - including Sean's graduation from law school.  Time sure has flown! So proud of him.

xoxo
jen

Oobr Cool

So our kids were needing to move into bigger and better car seats and here's what we got for Patrick:

It's the Oobr by Clek and it's rad rad rad.  So easy to install and it just looks cool.  We got the black one. Buy buy baby takes the 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond.  FYI. :)

Oh Christmas Tree...

Saturday we drove to Payson {and my husband's sister's family} with our tree cutting permit and my hunky husband chopped us down a Christmas tree.

He used my great-grandfather's saw.  That part was particularly special to me.

We did lots of hiking and the kids had so much fun picking up pine cones, spotting spiders and tossing stones into the stream.  We didn't find the tree on our first attempt {sigh} and we'd gotten pretty tired.  We drove to a second location and let the boys run out and get it while Gretchen snoozed in the car.


Then today we decorated.

I love how the lights from the tree sparkle off the ornaments, and make the tree smell like our own personal forest.  We could have gotten a pinon or a juniper, we got a juniper, and let me tell you, it smells out-stand-ing.  

I love the holidays.

Handmade Wooden Toys by AsherJasper

How awesome are these kids' blocks.  I want them.  For me. :) I'd stack them up really high, then have my Godzilla child knock them over.  Then we'd laugh and do it again.  I'm easily amused.

handmade with love

Note: these are not my child.  Keep reading for details on these adorable pants...

I am really digging these.  I really want to start making some for Patrick and Gretchen with some of Sean's old shirts that aren't perfect any longer.  These are so adorable and made with so much love.  I hope I'll get some pep in my step and pull my sewing machine out of the closet.  Grace is so creative and has such great style.  

I took myself out on a date

So, last night I felt like my kids were eating me whole.  I was feeling pretty used up by the time my sweet husband came home from work.  After both kids were asleep I snuck out for a night on the town.  I had initially thought I'd pick up a new nail polish at the drug store for some cheap fun, just like in high school and college.  But, I thought I'd have a little more retail fun than that.


After rolling back the moonroof of my minivan, I cranked up KJZZ {I'm such an old lady - always have been} and I decided I first needed some aromatherapy.  Normally, I don't wear anything 'cause I get a tickle in my nose with most perfumes but was in need of a pick me up.


I headed out and picked up the teeny roller ball perfume of Kate Spade's new scent: Twirl.  It's lovely.  I am still twirling around in a cloud of Twirl.  So happy 'bout it too.  Tell me you don't totally love the description {tho' I don't know if I should wear it or lick it}:

a dash of joie de vivre- perfect for colorful days and cocktail soirees...

• pink watermelon mingles with blackberry and red currant
• enhanced with a heart of fresh flowers including orange blossom, star jasmine, tiare flower and sweet magnolia
• the frangrance is finished with luminous musks and a touch of french macaron (straight from the patisserie, of course)

Then I thought I'd browse the racks at Last Chance to see if there was anything I couldn't live without.  Well, I didn't find much for me but the kids' shoe rack was loaded with great finds {especially for Gretchen}.  The best part about Last Chance is coming home and checking to see what regular retail price is for all the loot you picked up.  I grabbed 6 pairs of shoes for $12.99/pair and they all normally retail for about $50/pair.  See Honey, I saved us $222.  Wow!  Ok ok, I wouldn't go out and spend that much in the first place. Here's what I found:

{Morgan + Milo}

{Keen}

I found these in two sizes

{Nordstrom}

{Nordstrom}

I can't find a pic of the last darling pink pair of sneaks for G.  They're adorable, trust me.

Then I swung by the "regular grocery store" to pick up a few things that we can't get at Trader Joe's.  I pretty much get my weekly groceries like this: Get food from farm, make meal plan using The Scramble, shop TJs for the rest of the stuff, shop at "regular grocery store" as needed.

Today we needed more chocolate chips.  I think they're the best in the world and totally necessary in any great cook's pantry.  Behold, Guittard Bittersweet Chips.  They are the best.  The BEST.

Lastly, I picked up a Sunset Mag.  I have always loved Sunset and I was reminded how much I loved Sunset {it'd been a while since I'd picked one up} from Kristina of Lovely Morning.  On a side note about LM...I sorta feel weird following the blog.  We went to high school together but didn't really run in the same circle of friends.  I stumbled upon her blog earlier this year, I added the RSS...but, we're not Facebook friends.  Social media is weird.  Either way, she has great style and taste.  I love her recipes.

I was especially happy to see the make ahead menu idea on the cover.  I'm hosting again this year and I'm trying to mainstream all the planning so that I can focus on the people.  My mom and grandmother did most of the work last year and I'd like to lessen that if I can this year.  

That was my night.  It was great fun and now we're loaded up with more chips in case I get a hankering for double chocolate chip cookies.  I'll post the recipe soon, they're to die for!

so precious

I was looking for a specific picture and came across this one from August.  My daughter freshly scrubbed.  She's so sweet.  I love her.

Belle Heir Vintage Baby

I just came across this vintage baby clothing shop via Ruby PR.

Ridiculously adorable.  I feel so lucky that I get to have and dress a little boy and little girl.  Such fun.