John Derian

I can't resist popping in to gush over John Derian's apartment. Yes, I am posting about John Derian uh-gain. But I can not help it. Everything he touches, I love! This is no exception...

 

Brag Books

We now have smart phones chalk-full with photos to show off our little ones, but who doesn't still love a good old fashioned brag book? These are the most precious ones I have seen {found at Paper & Chocolate, my favorite paper store in Dallas}. The gingham ones are actually silk.  

Stock The Bar

This weekend we had a "stock the bar" couples shower to attend. I was a bit stumped as I didn't want to bring just a bottle of liquor and I didn't give myself enough time to have cocktail napkins monogrammed. And how many martini shakers can one get? Thankfully, I found a beautiful tall glass pitcher at Pottery Barn with the accompanying glass wand to stir and muddle. I included a bottle of bourbon and a recipe for The Perfect Mint Julep. We used this recipe for Stella's Kentucky Derby birthday party and they were a hit. 

Tooth Fairy

There truly is an app for everything. Visa has launched a Tooth Fairy Calculator app so you can determine how much to leave under the pillow. I guess the $1 days are a bygone era. And the way you store your tooth was never as fashionable as it is now. I have this porcelain box ready for Stella's first tooth (there is a fairy wand painted on the inside).

There are so many cute options, though.

The monogrammed square ones

have me rethinking the box above.

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Rise & Shine

Labor Day weekend was wonderful and relaxing. I actually sat and read through an entire magazine. OK, I didn't really read...but I flipped through every single page slowly. If you're a mom, you know this is a feat! 

During the weekend, I made smoothies using a new find...dark chocolate Pure Almond. I'm not a fan of drinking this on it's own, though, it's not bad. But in a smoothie, it's great. I added vanilla Greek Yogurt, a banana, and ice to this as well. What's your favorite smoothie ingredient?

      
p.s. adding a straw to your drinks makes it more fun. This colorful pack I picked up at Target.

Lime Tots

On Saturday, a food truck came to our neighborhood pool and while everything was delish, it was the Lime Tots that made me wonder why we've never had them this way before. Fresh out of the oven, squeezed lime juice, salt and pepper. So simple and delish, I made them at home the next day and they tasted just as good!  

  

Summer Recap

Hello, friends. I hope to not be a stranger much longer. For us, summer has come and gone in a wink of an eye. It's not my favorite time of year...heat, West Nile, heat...so I'm happy girl September is around the corner! Stella started her second year of dancing this week, she begins Pre-k on Monday, and I'm looking forward to a new chapter the autumn brings. In the meantime, I thought I'd post a few pictures of how we spent our summer.

First up, a road trip to San Antonio, hoping Sea World would suffice until we're ready for Disney one day...

 

While in San Antonio, we stumbled upon this great place for lunch.

And yes, it's slanted!

 

 

 

I picked up one of these and am saving it for Christmas from an adorable children's shop that had just opened, Roo & Me. I felt so proud of myself because I don't usually buy that far ahead for Christmas.

 

 

We had dinner at Mi Tierra, which is a huge Mexican restaurant and bakery that stays open 24 hours and is decorated like a thousand pinatas have exploded.

 

 

 

In early June, Stella performed in her first dance recital and even had a tiny solo. She cried hard backstage so when I ran back to my seat just in time for her number, I wasn't even sure if she'd come out on stage! But she did and she was a shining star. Here she is backstage, in the middle, surrounded by the most precious group of girls.

We had cousins visit from Florida.

 

We acquired a new pet fish, Chloe.

She's tiny and peach, just like Stella.

 

I discovered the sub-culture that is Instagram, but only love it since further discovering Statigram, where you can view Instagram pictures on your PC, laptop, etc., not just your iPhone. Seriously, this is where the party is and as usual, I'm late. Here are a few of my summer snapshots of life over on Instagram...

 

 

I've also been working on a little project that I hope to launch next holiday season. It's taken up the better portion of my daydreaming. I have been collecting images on Tumblr as inspiration. Here is my page, The Tiny Whale, if you want to escape and feel like you're in a New England coastal town: http://thetinywhale.tumblr.com/ 

Last but not least, my sister got engaged to the sweetest guy! Love this shot of them in Mexico. Would you believe, he proposed in the exact same spot Jeff and I married?!

{Sara Richardson Photography}