Lucy and Lloyd

Etsy Find: Xocolatl Chocolates

2012-02-07T19:02:00.001-08:00

Too cute. She's also got a ton of other amazing looking treats. Yum!

Gotta Have It

2012-02-04T18:36:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely loving this Helmut Lang jacket. The clean, modern lines. The slightly asymmetrical feel. The three-quarter length sleeves. Pretty much perfect!

Midnight in Paris

2012-01-19T18:59:00.001-08:00

Please do yourself a favor and watch Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris." The scenery will make you want to sell everything you own and spend the rest of your days strolling along the Seine eating macarons.

The acting is phenomenal and the story is so creative it will make you wish you had thought of it.

And the costumes. Goodness, one could create an entire lookbook purely from the gorgeous clothes found in this film. Here are a few of my favorites:

Costume Sketch courtesy of Variety

Thanks.

Etsy Find: Shyama

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, the Brooklyn Bridge holds a special place in my heart. I was looking for some original artwork to put up in our home, so of course I turned to Etsy, which has never let me down.

A quick search using "Brooklyn Bridge" turned up many items, but Shyama's art stood out to me.

I love the vintage feel and the sweet sentiments of her prints. They are mounted on a two inch thick wood block and are a "combination of collage, painting and transfer techniques."

Check out her Etsy site if you have a spare moment. But be warned, you may end up with a print of your own!

Time Zapper

2012-01-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

Nate and I spent the better part of an hour looking through these amazing photos. Basically, a bunch of art students were given an assignment to design and photograph their own interpretations of famous and not as well-known works of art. Some of these are simply awe-inspiring.

We decided that we are going to do our own artistic interpretation of a famous work of art. If we can find a painting of a gap-toothed toddler leaving a trail of wreckage with his frazzled parents trying to clean up his messes behind him, then we are in business.

Thanks to Booooooom and A Cup of Jo!

Jason Wu for Target

2012-01-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

Target's latest designer collection is set to hit stores on February 5th, and I plan on being one of the first in line.

Jason Wu, designer of Michelle Obama's Inaugural dress, will be the next big name hitting the shelves at the discount superstore. Missoni, Target's last designer collection offering, sold out in stores and online at a ridiculous rate of speed, sending shoppers into a frenzy and crashing the retailer's site.

Not a whole lot of pictures have been released, but some designs are beginning to pop up around the 'net.

And so far, I'm loving what I see.

You can also check out a frustratingly vague YouTube video of Wu describing his collection here.

(Images courtesy of T Magazine and Glamour)

UPDATE (Jan. 10): The entire Jason Wu for Target lookbook has just been released!

Spread The Love

2012-01-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

I just got a very sweet message from a fellow blogger, who also happens to be my sister-in-law Megan. She runs the fabulous blog The Remodeled Life and she has kindly nominated me for The Liebster Award, an award which aims to showcase and encourage small blog sites.

How cool is that?!

Part of being nominated is to also nominate five other small blogs that you feel are deserving of the honor. So here are my five, in no particular order. Check out these sites if you have a moment and help to encourage other bloggers!

1. Painter's Canvas

2. Nate in Nashville

3. Journal of an Exhausted Mom in Love

4. One Seventeen South

5. Curiosities of Change

And definitely pop on over to Megan's blog and say hello. You'll find some cool home remodeling tips and photos, inspiring Bible verses, and photos of my adorable nephew!

Thanks Megan!

Best Laid Plans

2012-01-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

So Nate and I have a running joke that despite being adventurous, fun-loving people, we have yet to pull off an exciting New Year's Eve.

Our first year together, we had only been married for about three months, and had just experienced a very busy year, with lots of travel, lots of parties and get-togethers and lots of spontaneous adventures. We decided to just stay home, which was a first in our adult lives for both of us.

The second year, we had just had a baby and were exhausted. We didn't even make it until midnight.

And last night, well, we had good intentions at least.

Many months ago, we started joking that this NYE would be the best ever. We were going to get a sitter and go out and party like people without kids. We were going to visit with my awesome aunt who was here from New York City, then head to dinner, where we had reservations with a group of friends, then a party at a home overlooking the city lights.

Well, naturally, Maddux had other plans.

He started throwing up at Whole Foods, while a group of us were sitting and chatting over coffee. Then again on the car ride home. And once more when I put him in the bathtub. Seven times in five hours. Needless to say, he was pitiful. But in between each episode, he would run around and play. He acted like he wasn't sick at all, which led us to believe we actually might still be able to go out that night. Maybe he had just eaten something that didn't sit too well in his tummy. My parents were going to watch him. My dad is a medical professional, my mom raised eight kids. He'd be in good hands.

But I was really conflicted. Would I be a bad mom if I went out and left my sick kid? I mean, who does that? We didn't want to let our friends down, but obviously most importantly, we didn't want to let our son down. Should we stay or should we go? The answer to that question came when, after I was dressed in my pretty party dress, with make-up on and hair done, I bent down to pick Maddux up. He ran into my arms and threw up all over me. I mean in my hair and down the front of my dress. Looking back, I can't believe we even considered leaving him.

Thank God Maddux stopped throwing up about 8 pm. He got super sleepy, so we put him to bed. We even managed to watch a movie and kiss as the clock struck twelve.

We spent our night sleeping on a blow up mattress by our son's crib. We wanted to hear him if he started to choke while throwing up. A rookie parenting thing, I'm sure. But I got to bring in the New Year with my two favorite boys, even if we didn't quite have the big night that we expected.

Oh well. I suppose there is always next year.

On The Hunt For: Loafers With A Heel

2011-10-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Restricted Bookworm

I'm not talking about the boring, flat brown or black loafer that we are used to seeing on schoolgirls and office workers. The loafers I'm after have a bit of sexiness to them and would make your legs look a mile long when paired with some dark jeans. I love the hint of preppiness, but with a little attitude, perfect for the upcoming Fall season.

Chloe

Last season, but I'm still in love.

Road Trip: Lynchburg, Tennessee

2011-10-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Jack Daniels Whiskey, then you may be familiar with the tiny town of Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Lynchburg is home to the famous Jack Daniels Distillery, which according to the town's website, averages over 250,000 visitors every year. For a town of less than 6,000 people, nestled in a pretty remote location in the Tennessee hills, that is a pretty significant population jump.

Nate was working on a story last week, so Maddux and I tagged along. We only stayed long enough to take a few pictures and get some Jack Daniels infused chocolates (yum!), but we are thinking about going back this Saturday for the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbeque Competition. With over 25,000 people expected in the town on that day alone we may have a hard time finding parking!

Miracle

2011-10-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

About this time three years ago, I was a mess. Most people, even my closest family and friends, didn't know it. I became a great actress, smiling and laughing when necessary, an expert at hiding my true feelings.

It had not even been two whole years since my husband Michael had been killed in a horrible accident. But it was enough time for people to move on. It wasn't so fresh and new anymore. The phone calls and letters had stopped coming. People didn't ask me how I was doing anymore, at least not in "that way." They saw me smiling, traveling, living life. "She's fine," they must have thought. But I was not in a good place.

Months before, friends had encouraged me to start dating again. And I did. But it was a disaster. I literally had no idea what I was doing. Michael and I had dated since I was practically a teenager, and I felt like a fish out of water, gasping for breaths.

I wasn't working, had almost completely stopped writing music and spent my days sleeping and my nights pacing, unable to sleep.

I knew I needed a change, something to force me out of the rut I was in. At this point, the YMCA had been an important part of my life, and I had wonderful relationships with many of the people there. I decided that I would start to work again. Not only that, but I would take the earliest shift possible to force myself to get up and out of bed. Well, the earliest shift possible was 5 am! But I went for it. Instead of staying up until 4 am , I forced myself to get to sleep by 10, so that I could be up by 4. And I loved it! I started working out again, enrolled in a couple of college courses and spent more time at the boutique I owned in Green Hills. I felt like I was moving towards the light.

But the darkness still found its way to me from time to time. I was lonely, and probably a little depressed, worried I would never fall in love again, or have children. These were two very important things that I wanted in my life, and I felt like they had been robbed from me. I often fell into the trap of feeling sorry for myself, hovering in that realm of self-pity for far too long.

About March of 2009, a friend and I went out for a girls' night. We had a great time, but somehow as we were getting ready to leave, I ended up in this awkward conversation with some guy. I think at that point, I didn't even want to think about dating or flirting. At any rate, it triggered something in me, and I spent the drive home crying and inwardly yelling at Michael for leaving me and putting me in the position of being single again and having to try and fit into the dating landscape.

I didn't sleep much that night and was utterly exhausted as I drove to work at 4:30 the next morning. But I did something different on this drive than I did on other mornings. I prayed.

Now, I grew up going to church, Sunday School, youth group. You name it, I was there. I had prayed many times, but looking back, I think they were more the stale prayers of someone who was used to praying the same words over and over again. I was never bold in my prayers. I never asked for anything, afraid that I would be over-stepping the God-Human boundary.

But this morning was different. I prayed like I had never prayed before, calling out and asking God for some very specific things. I prayed all the way to work.

About 30 minutes into my shift at the front door, a young man walked in. When he saw me, he got a huge smile on his face, like when you know someone and are wanting to say hello. I'd never seen this guy in my life.

"Are you still singing?" he asked me. Well, maybe he's seen a show of mine, or heard me sing at a YMCA event.

"Uh, not much," I replied, still a little confused.

"Well, you should, because God has given you a gift."

Well, okay, I thought as he walked away. That was nice. But a few minutes later, he returned, his eyes a little teary, and his hands shaking.

"This is really weird, but I have to ask you. Are you a Christian?"

"Yes," I said. "I am."

"Well, I was over there on the treadmill, and I got a very strong feeling, like God was telling me I needed to come over and talk to you. I didn't want you to think I was crazy, but the feeling just wouldn't go away. I think I'm supposed to come over here and tell you that your prayer will be answered."

My breath was knocked out of me. I had just spent the drive over praying a very specific prayer that I had never prayed before, and here was this stranger standing in front of me, telling me God had told him that my prayer would be answered. I didn't know what to think.

"I don't even know if that means anything to you, and you don't have to tell me, but I just couldn't leave until I talked to you," he said. And then he was gone. I never saw him again.

I spent the next couple of hours of my shift in a daze, oddly exhilarated, like I was walking on a cloud.

I left the Y and went to open up my boutique. About an hour after I had opened, I looked up and saw a large man standing in the doorway. He looked like Santa Claus. Even though I owned a women's boutique, I still had guys come in from time to time to buy something for a wife or girlfriend. I started to say "Hello, what can I help you with," when he came in and walked towards me. As he got closer, I saw that he had tears in his eyes and was carrying a book in his hands. He didn't say a word, just opened his book, which turned out to be an old yearbook, to an earmarked page.

"I'm Michael Lloyd, and I'm from Bushnell, Illinois," he said.

Well, once again, my breath was knocked out. My late husband's name was Michael Lloyd Bushnell.

He went on to tell me that he had read my recent article in Nashville's City Paper, about my boutique. It had mentioned Michael.

"I felt led to come here. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the similarities in our name. But I feel like God is telling me to tell you that everything is going to be alright."

And with that, he handed me a tiny Bible and left.

My whole life, I had heard stories about miracles, about God speaking to people, but it had never happened to me. And now in one day, in the span of only a few hours, this.

Over the next few days, I only told a few people what had happened. I felt like it was a gift that I wanted to hold on tight to and not expose to the elements. I guess I knew there would be people who doubted my story, and I didn't want them to rob me of my wonderment.

Two weeks later, I was invited to a birthday party for a girl I didn't even know. I really didn't want to go, but my friend finally convinced me to. It was there that a tall reporter in a rainbow t-shirt asked me to take a picture with him. Six months later, we stood in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, surrounded by our closest family and friends and pledged to spend our lives together. And last September, we welcomed our son into the world.

Anybody who says that they don't believe in miracles has not lived my life. I am aware every single day where I was and where I am now. I thank God for his redemptive grace and the chance to live this amazing life. If I never do anything else, if I never write another song, or travel to another distant location, I will still have everything I could ever want.

Happy Anniversary, Nate.

Road Trip: Nolensville, Tennessee

2011-10-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

Another weekend, another road trip for me, Nate and Maddux. Saturday was such a gorgeous day here in Nashville, sunny and finally cool enough for jeans and hoodies. Fall is just beginning to make its presence known and after such a stifling hot summer, it is certainly welcomed.

We didn't have a whole lot of time, so we drove out to the tiny town of Nolensville, less than 30 minutes from home. 10 years ago, Nolensville was nothing more than a small area of decaying historic houses and rolling old farmland. But with the huge growth of nearby Brentwood and Williamson County, the town has grown exponentially. Gone are many of the farms in place of Publix grocery stores and cookie cutter subdivisions. But if you drive just past all that, the main town area still stands, albeit with a brand new, shiny Town Hall.

We stopped at the Nolensville Feed Mill where you can buy groceries, gifts and knick knacks. On Saturdays, they host Music at the Mill (the store backs up to Mill Creek) where you can eat their buffet-style Meat and Three while listening to musicians do some "pickin' and grinin'". When we were there, we were lucky enough to hear the super talented Mark Winchester, who we found out used to play upright bass with the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

Here are some pictures from our fun day:

Maddux's Day!

2011-09-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

About six months ago, I started to plan Maddux's first birthday party. After reading so many amazing mommy blogs over the past year, I was really feeling the pressure to do something amazing. I mean, some of the parties I saw were truly phenomenal.

First, I needed to decide on the theme. Vintage Circus or Race Cars? Bumble Bees or Sing-Along ? Or maybe this one, but in blue. Well, whatever I decided on, I would need to find a way to incorporate these and these.

But as the date drew closer, I realized that my heart just wasn't in it. It's not that I didn't want to give my son a fabulous party. I just realized that I really wanted to have a small celebration, and save the big party for a year when he would remember it. I think I got a little caught up in the idea of planning some massive party that all my friends would ooh and ahh over that I forgot the main reason for the day was to celebrate Maddux's first year of life, and the amazing little guy that he is turning out to be.

So in the end, Nate and I decided to just have a "Maddux Day." First, Maddux woke up to a room full of balloons. We videotaped his reaction, first quizzical, then giggly, then ridiculously excited as he tried to grab them. Nate had the day off work and we just relaxed together and did all of the things that Maddux likes to do: chew on remote controls, chase Jackson Dog around the living room, giggle hysterically at his daddy and bang his blocks together.

We took him out to eat his first taste of meat and french fries. He got to wear his little birthday crown around all day, and smiled at all the people who said 'Happy Birthday.' Then we came home and he got to eat his cake and listen to his mommy and daddy sing to him. And of course I took way too many pictures.

It was a perfect day, and a perfect way to celebrate Maddux's first year of life. Wow! A year already?! But I do have to say I am looking forward to his first "real" party, with all of his friends and family, and maybe a circus animal or two.

Stella McCartney Baby

2011-09-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ack! I seriously want to dress Maddux in everything from Stella McCartney's Fall/Winter baby clothing line. I just can't get over the cuteness.

Etsy Find: Alexandra Grecco

2011-09-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm certainly not the first blogger to showcase the talents of Alexandra Grecco, and I won't be the last. This Brooklyn based designer already has quite a following, and with dresses like her best-selling 'If I Only Had A Heart' dress, it's not hard to see why. You can find her on Etsy as well as her main website.

Mellow Yellow

2011-09-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, I went through my Yellow Period. All of my dresses had to be yellow, I only drank yellow drinks and when asked what toys I wanted to play with, I replied, "yellow toys." At least I was consistent.

I guess I eventually grew out of my fascination with the hue, as my wardrobe now consists of all the primary colors, but if the Spring 2012 fashion shows are any indication, my obsession may return with a vengeance.

Here are a few of my favorites from the shows this past week in New York.

Click here for a trip down memory lane!

Matthew Williamson

Honor

Monique Lhuillier

Wes Gordon

Reed Krakoff

Jill Stuart

Tracy Reese

Oscar de la Renta

J. Crew

Burberry Prorsum

Carolina Herrera

All photos courtesy of NYMag.com

Happy Birthday

2011-09-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy! A year ago today you redefined the meaning of 'love.' We thank God for you each and everyday.

Lauren Moffatt Fall 2011

2011-08-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

Lauren Moffatt's Fall 2011 collection is a spot on interpretation of a modern day prairie girl. That is, if that prairie girl left her bucolic homeland and ended up in Manhattan with a healthy wardrobe budget.

Of course, I'm loving the lace dress, but I was also surprised to find myself drawn to the cape with the leather pockets. I'm not sure if I could pull it off, but I certainly wouldn't mind giving it a try. I probably wouldn't set foot anywhere near a farm while wearing it, though.

Dial "M" For Murder

2011-08-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Nate and I had a bit of an old movie viewing spree on Netflix. Our favorite by far was the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Dial 'M' For Murder, starring the always elegant Grace Kelly. The movie was amazing, the kind of edge of your seat drama with incredible dialogue that keeps you glued to your seat. But I have to say that my favorite element by far were the gorgeous costumes. I mean, even the guys looked incredible. It would not bother me at all to see more women in dresses and men in bowties.

The Memoir Project

2011-08-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Ernest Hemingway's Typewriter in Sun Valley, Idaho

So, I did it! I wrote and submitted an essay for Glamour magazine's "Real Life Story" contest.

A friend told me about it several months ago and encouraged me to apply, but I just couldn't seem to find the time to actually sit down and write. There was always an excuse:

"The baby needs to be changed."

"I need to do laundry."

"The dog has to be walked right now!"

"We have family coming into town."

Blah, Blah, Blah.

That last excuse proved to be my saving grace. Nate's dad came to visit us the weekend before the essay was due. I had not even written one word, and at that point, I knew.

It was never going to get written.

But I was wrong. I love it when that happens! My sweet, supportive husband literally pushed me out the door.

"Go. Write. We've got this covered," he said as I slipped out the door, watching Maddux play on the floor with his Grandpa. So I did. I went to the Starbucks in Green Hills, and sat and wrote like I haven't written in nearly a year, since Munchkin was born. And I came home and wrote some more, and again the next night, until it was finished.

Looking back, I realized it was the first time since Maddux was born that I completely let go and let Nate be in charge of taking care of him. I've had time away from him where Nate watched him while I ran errands or got a massage, of course, but I always found myself worrying and thinking too much. As a stay at home mom, I think that I tend to hold on a little too tightly and forget that Nate is just as capable (if not more so....I mean, you should see those two together) of caring for our son.

But this time, when I was away writing, I forced myself to think of nothing else but the words I wanted to put down on paper. I didn't worry about whether or not Nate would remember to feed him (he did), or if he would change his diaper (he did that, too).

And you know what? When I got home, everything was fine. There were no fires to put out and Maddux hardly even glanced my way when I walked in the door (which, if I am honest, kinda bummed me out). He was his usual smiling, giggling self, so ridiculously happy to be rolling around on the floor with his Daddy and Grandpa.

15 minutes before the submission deadline passed, we pressed "Send" and my essay was on its way.

At this point, it doesn't matter whether I win or lose (although winning would be awesome!).

I am just so happy that I actually did it!

P.S. I've become addicted to this website and am dying to attend one of her memoir writing workshops!

Check out this amazing series on Writers' Rooms, which profiles the spaces where authors and musicians, both past and present, have written their most famous works.

One of my favorites is the little hut where Roald Dahl wrote some of the most enduring stories of our time, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Road Trip: Charlotte, Tennessee. The Sequel.

2011-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nate, Maddux and I headed back to Charlotte for their Fair in the Square on Saturday afternoon. As expected, sweet tea and fried food was in abundance, there was a bluegrass band playing and the locals were laying on the down-home charm. Basically, it was Heaven.

Portland Music Festival

2011-08-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

My brother Chad and I had the opportunity to play in the little town of Portland, Tennessee last weekend for a music festival. This was the first year, so there weren't a whole lot of people there, but the venue was amazing: an awesome outdoor bandshell with a stellar sound system.

Hopefully as the word gets out, this little town will fill the place to capacity for future shows. It's definitely worthy of some great gigs.

My favorite moment of the day by far was, after the announcer introduced us and the audience was clapping, looking over to the side of the stage to see little Munchie clapping for his momma. Love it!

Thank you Tori Harris for the great shots!

Shrimpton Couture

2011-08-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

1950's Jaques Fath

Oh. My. Goodness. If you are a fan of vintage clothing (and you should be!), check out shrimptoncouture.com. Here you will find gorgeous, museum quality pieces ranging from the late 1800's all the the way to the 1990's.

I've fallen in love with several of the dresses already and loved just browsing through the pages. Check it out if you have a spare hour!

Road Trip: Charlotte, Tennessee

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

One of the many reasons that I fell in love with Nate is that he loves road trips as much as I do. I'm not even talking about the pack up the car, be gone for days kind either, although those are pretty awesome. Sometimes, even just getting gone for a few hours will do the trick. We love to explore, and now with Munchie, we have an even better reason to get out of the house. I want him to see as much of this incredible world as possible, even if it's just down the street from his house.

This week, we took a late afternoon drive to the tiny (think no stoplights) town of Charlotte, Tennessee. It was only about a 45 minute drive from Nashville, and filled with gorgeous scenery, like rolling green hills and thick vegetation.

The town itself mostly consists of a tiny square centered around the courthouse, which we learned is the oldest in the state still in use.

There is some Civil War history here, and several of the buildings around the square that date back to this period (and before) are still standing.

We were only gone for less than three hours, but we returned feeling like we had been on a week-long vacation! Sometimes, you just need to step outside your own front door and look around a bit.

The old Presbyterian church, formed in 1830 and used by Federal troops during the Civil War.

This house is located just off the square and is in a pretty deep state of disrepair. It has an old National Historic Marker outside, but we couldn't make out what it said. I told Nate I want to buy it, restore it and turn it into a front porch music venue and vintage clothing store. Well, I can dream!

P.S. We are thinking of going back on Saturday to the town Fair in the Square. I have a feeling that sweet tea and buttered biscuits will be readily available!

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 7

2011-08-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Our sweet childhood friend Meadow and her daughter, Irene.

Today's the day! The whole reason we decided to make this crazy road trip in the first place. So here's the deal: One of Nate's favorite bands in the whole world is a group called Animal Collective. You can listen to them here.

Apparently, they very rarely tour, and when they do, they certainly don't come to Nashville. Back in January, we were browsing through their website, listening to new music when we decided to check out their tour schedule. Well, lo and behold, we discovered that they were indeed touring, but they were only doing five shows and they were all in remote locations in California.

Not ones to be deterred by a lack of geographical closeness, we started hatching a plan to go see one of these Cali shows, specifically the one in Big Sur.

For those of you who have never been, I would certainly recommend placing Big Sur, and the entire California coast for that matter, on your bucket list of places to see before you die. It is literally breathtaking. I had the privilege of living in the area when I was growing up, and really wanted to show Nate.

We had originally planned on flying and just taking Maddux to the show. It would be outdoors in the redwoods, and we could spread a blanket, put these on, and just relax and listen to music.

Well, Mother Nature had other plans apparently. Big Sur experienced a deluge of rainfall which caused a part of Highway 1 to literally fall into the ocean. And guess where that part was? Yes, right at the Henry Miller Library, which is where the concert was to be held.

Obviously, they had to move the show, which bummed us out. We were looking forward to camping near the concert site and breathing in the ocean air. But, we figured Animal Collective would be good wherever they ended up playing. The show was moved about 30 miles up the coast to the cool, laid-back town of Santa Cruz. The venue was now indoors in an 18 and older, dark club, so there was no way we could take the Little Guy with us. Thank God for Nana!

Mom, Maddux and I would drive (since my mom won't fly), and Nate would join us in L.A.

It worked out perfectly! Mom and I got to have an incredible girls' trip together, Maddux got to see some of our beautiful country, and Nate still got to see Animal Collective.

The icing on the cake was the fact that one of our good friends that we had grown up with in California now lived in Santa Cruz, and she graciously let us stay with her for the night.

Meadow and her gorgeous daughter took us to eat the most delicious organic Mexican food. It was just a little place downtown, with a few tables outside for seating, but it was amazing!

After dinner, Meadow and Mom took the kids back to the house, and Nate and I headed across the street to the concert. The people who had Big Sur tickets got to go in early, so we ended up at the front of the stage right in front of the speakers. Nate's ear suffered a bit, but I had remembered my earplugs. :)

The show was amazing! I have to say I wasn't quite sure if I would like them live or not. Their music is very textured, with lots of sounds and intricate harmonies. I didn't know if they would be able to pull it off live, but they did, and then some. We had such an incredible night. There was an after-party, but we headed home to snuggle up with Munchie. We wanted to get an early start the next morning so we could spend as much time in Monterey as possible.

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 6

2011-07-10T19:14:00.001-07:00

So this is the day I've been most excited to write about because we finally got to meet up with Nate!

I woke up bright and early so Maddux and I could be waiting for Nate when he got off the plane at LAX. Well, I apparently grossly overestimated L.A. traffic on this Wednesday morning, because we arrived at the airport a whole TWO hours before Nate was set to disembark.

We ended up having a great time people watching, though, and Maddux was thoroughly entertained by the group of paparazzi staking out some unfortunate celebrity.

Nate finally arrived and as promised (after meeting up with my mom), we headed straight for In-N-Out Burger, which none of us had ever had.

Greasy goodness at its best.

Maddux was not impressed.

But mom, Nate and I all loved it, although we decided that Gabby's in Nashville was far superior.

Next, on to the beach, where Nate and Maddux would be dipping their toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time!

The big moment. It was cold, but no one seemed to mind.

And Maddux loved the sand. So much, he wanted it for his lunch.

Love this.

Thanks Mom for the great beach shots!

The Perfect White Lace Dress

2011-07-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

Found. And sadly, already sold. The hunt continues.

Closet Wars

2011-06-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

I should be terribly embarrassed to show you this picture, considering the horrendous state of my closet right now (yes, that is a pair of new underwear on the floor), but I think a picture speaks a thousand words, and the words are....I need a bigger closet!

I feel as if I am in a constant state of arranging and rearranging. Really, I have plenty of room in there, if I can just stop accumulating more clothing! I need to seriously edit this space down, and concentrate more on quality rather than quantity. I mean, who really needs 6 white tank tops from Target?

So, after this month of traveling is through and I am home for more than 4 days at a time, my goal will be to rifle through this disaster area and start ridding myself of this burden. Stay tuned!

p.s. Don't you love how Maddux's hair grows in a natural mohawk?!

Lost Your Phone?

2011-06-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

How cute is this?

And if you are prone to losing your phone like I am, it can also be utterly convenient as well.

C'mon, you know you want to try it! I did. It really works!

Photo Credit

OhHappyDay.com

2011-06-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this site the other day (thank you, Cup of Jo!) and I have to say I'm in love!

Jordan is a party planner and letterpress printer from San Fransisco who moved to Paris with her husband and kids! How cool is that?! As a wannabe expat, I am fascinated with her posts on living abroad and her cool pictures of day to day life in the City of Light.

She also has some awesomely creative ideas for parties. This is one of my faves.

And the piéce de résistance: she's giving away a trip to Paris!

If you win, you have to take me!

Color Blocking

2011-06-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

Usually, when I think of colorblocking, I picture an overwhelming barrage of bright neon colors. Of course, it wouldn't be hard to find that, but I'm loving these more muted, wearable tones. Still fun and colorful, but without the need to wear sunglasses.

Cousins

2011-05-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

Last year I found out that my sister-in-law, Megan, was expecting a baby, and that we were due only a few weeks apart.

I was so happy to find out that Maddux was going to have a cousin to grow up with who was the same age. Even though we live a state apart, I'm excited about these little guys being best buddies, and hopefully having many more adorable photo ops like the one above!

Etsy Find: A. Heirloom

2011-05-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

A shout out to my adopted home state of Tennessee.

Brooklyn! How cute.

While my husband Nate is a really great cook, one of the things he hates doing most is chopping up veggies, onions in particular. But maybe if I get him a cutting board in the shape of his home state of Indiana, it may make the chore a bit more fun.

This husband and wife duo craft these custom made cutting boards for $40 a pop. A small price to pay for a little whimsy in your kitchen.

P.S. The Alaska and Italy boards are really fun!

Thank you!

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 5.

2011-05-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Day 5 saw us up and out of bed bright and early. We knew we would be driving the 500 miles to Los Angeles and wanted to make sure we got through the more secluded, desert areas before it got dark.

Maddux continued to surprise us with his calm, relaxed attitude. What a little road warrior!

We had a gorgeous drive. I particularly loved the area around Indio, CA, with its snow-peaked mountains right off Highway 10. Breathtaking! I'm already making plans to go to the Coachella Music Festival held here every year (hear that, Nate?!).

We ended up pulling into L.A. right around rush hour (oh joy!), so it took a bit of time to get to historic Fort MacArthur, where we'd be staying for the next two nights. I was expecting a cute little villa like the one in Tucson, but they ended up putting us in a pretty large 3 story house with a weird, empty, serial-killer basement. It didn't help that I learned that this base is considered one of the most haunted in the country!

Here are a few more pictures from throughout the day:

Heading up through Phoenix. I'm sure we murdered thousands of innocent bugs along the way.

Still in Arizona, getting close to the California border.

Mom, aka Nana, and Munchie

We made it. California, Baby!

The Search Is On: Bathing Suits

2011-05-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Here it comes. That time of year that we girls both love and dread. Bathing suit season is just around the corner and I am on the hunt for the perfect suit.

My search is a bit different this year, as my body is not quite back to it's pre-baby shape. I'd love something with a bit more coverage, and have been looking at some of the higher-waisted, retro style bikinis. The ones I've shown Nate have gotten a big thumbs down and after reading through a few other blogs, I've come to realize that this is one of those fashion statements that women seem to love and the guys just don't get.

So in no particular order, here are a few of the suits that I've got my eye on. See if you can spot the theme.

Becca By Rebecca Virtue

And here's one of the high waisted ones I was talking about. I'm not completely sold on it. What do you think?

Marc By Marc Jacobs

P.S. We need a Bloomingdale's in Nashville.

Ooh La La

2011-05-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Jillian is heading to Paris tomorrow, and it is not without a touch of envy that I wish her a bon voyage.

And if I were in her shoes, this is what I'd be wearing as I strolled down the Champs-Élysées:

Yep. Head to toe Chanel.

EmersonMade Belt

2011-05-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Could this be the best belt ever made? Naturally, it is out of stock, but I've added my name to an e-mail list that will let me know when it's back.

I love the color, the width and the brass grommets. I've been searching for the perfect, simple belt to pair with my summer dresses and here it is. Hopefully, it will come back in stock before the summer ends!

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 4.

2011-05-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

Blogger's been a little screwy lately. My Day 3 post from a few days ago has disappeared and is nowhere to be found. Hopefully, it will return, but if not I'll redo and repost. Anyways, on to day 4!

We woke up in Tucson with a minor medical emergency. My mom was having some sort of allergic reaction and her face was getting puffier and more red by the minute (I will not be posting pictures of this as my life has been threatened if I did). After some medical consultations with a couple of family members, we picked up a prescription for her and headed back to our villa.

I guess the medicine kind of knocked her out, because she was down for the count. She told me she was fine and I should go explore, so off I went.

A couple of years ago, I spent a week at the Canyon Ranch Spa here in Tucson and fell in love with Sabino Canyon, which was just a short bike ride away. I really wanted to stretch my legs and do a little hiking around, so that's where I headed.

It is such a beautiful place to relax and reflect. Last time I was there, I saw several artists set up throughout the canyon, painting a giant cactus or a perfect Southwest sunset over the mountain. I can certainly see why they would find inspiration here.

Our long sleeves are a little deceptive, as it had turned pretty warm at this point. The sun was so strong, though, and I didn't want Maddux to get burned. We ended up shedding some layers by the end of our hike.

These cacti have an almost regal quality. Some seem as tall as buildings!

The hike begins.

Into the canyon. I was keeping an eye out for mountain lions!

After our hike, I drove around Tucson for just a little bit and found this amazing church:

Maddux's grin cracks me up.

After swinging by to pick up my mom on the base, we headed out to meet some family for dinner at a cute little diner called Little Anthony's.

But of course Maddux had to stop and play in the little red car out front.

My cousin Jen and her husband, Jamie. This was the first time they had met Maddux!

Most of the gang! L-R: My cousin Julianne, who is so adorable. She's a mascot at the University of Arizona and was even on the Ellen show! My cousin Jen, who lives most of the time in L.A., where she is an actress. You can see her in the movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, as well as several TV shows like "How I Met Your Mother." Jen's awesome husband, Jamie. They got married at the Santa Barbara Zoo. How cool is that?! He has worked on several TV shows, but is currently a Producer and Writer for "How I Met Your Mother." My cousin Jason, who is a great guy married to a sweet girl. He has served our country in the military for several years, and is hopefully home for good! My cool cousin Robert, who works in Parks and Recreation and coaches kids. His girlfriend Sarah, who I got to meet for the first time. She is so cute and super sweet. On the bottom is Chubby Maddux, Sore-from-hiking Me, Still-A-Little-Puffy-Faced mom, and my awesome and hilarious aunt, Diane. Love them!

And of course, what dinner is complete without a little Hula-Hoopin' in the parking lot?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Early this afternoon I opened my e-mail to find the following letter from my mom. I've been having a bit of a trying week, with Maddux going through an out-of-character fussy phase. He's been cutting some teeth and the poor little guy has just been beside himself and I've been left feeling like I am doing something wrong because I can't seem to soothe him like usual.

So when I read these words from my own mother, I burst into tears, I think because it really helped me put this week into perspective. This time in my life is such a tiny sliver and will be gone in the blink of an eye. I want to savor every second, even the fussy ones and hold tight to these still forming memories. One day my little man will be a grown up with his own life and his own family, and these sleepless nights will be far in the distance.

So thanks Mom for helping me remember that there is a season for all things. And now, here is her letter, shared with her permission.

before you were a mom

before you were a mom, you were my little girl.

you were a princess that i dressed in frilly dresses

until you became old enough to object

because you wanted to climb trees and play in the dirt with your brothers.

we would have tea parties and eat pretend food

and you would take care of your baby dolls

the way you take care of munchie today.

well, hopefully, you take better care of munchie

because you did leave tooth prints on the cheek of one baby.

before you were a mom, you were my little ballerina.

you would dress in homemade costumes and

you would twirl and twirl

with your hands over your head

and pretend that your were on stage.

then you took lessons and practiced

and finally you were wearing a real costume

and dancing on a real stage.

i began to see the graceful and poised woman

that you would become.

before you were a mom, you were my little wonder woman.

you would insist on wearing your red, white, and blue costume for days at a time

and declare, "i'm wonder woman" to anyone and everyone

and i guess you knew what you were talking about

because everyone who knows you today would agree

that you really are a wonder woman.

before you were a mom, you were a teenager.

when i hear stories of moms and their teenage daughters

who hate each other, or act like it anyway, i'm amazed

because you were an almost perfect teenage daughter.

i guess that's because you had gotten everything out of your system

in kindergarten.

before you were a mom, you were a country rock star

who turned me into a stage mom

who made complete strangers listen to your karaoke tapes

and caused me to stalk and accost unsuspecting celebrities

and entertainment execs in the hopes that they would discover

the great talent that i had discovered when you were twelve years old.

i always believed that you would see your dreams come true

and i still do.

before you were a mom, you were a businesswoman.

when you finally embraced my thrift shop obsession,

you used that knowledge to create a lovely boutique.

and i was so proud.

you even trusted me to take care of the money

knowing that i might end up giving a customer

twenty dollars in change for a ten dollar purchase.

before you were a mom, you were my daughter,

and my friend.

i like to think that i've taught you some things about life,

but i also know that you've taught me some things, as well.

i've watched you grow into a beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate woman who can handle adversity and heartache

with strength and courage, far beyond your years.

I’ve admired your independence and your ability to drive in new york

and l.a. traffic.

you've borne witness of your faith in Christ with the way you've

lived your life and the way you've treated

your family, your friends, and everyone you meet,

except for those terrible nashville drivers.

but nobody's perfect.

and now you are a mom yourself

with a precious baby boy.

you will watch him be superman

and pray that he won't break something

when he tries to fly off the top of his dresser.

you’ll cheer him on when he plays baseball,

or football. or basketball. or soccer.

you'll give him cookies and milk when he comes home from school

and help him with his homework.

and believe that he is the smartest kid in the world

and make plans for him to go to harvard.

you'll take him camping and on hikes

and maybe even climb a mountain with him one day.

you'll go for walks on the beach and collect shells

and tell him how much his nana loves the beach, and him.

you’ll sing him the same lullaby that i sang to you,

except you’ll be in tune and he’ll actually go to sleep

instead of crying.

you’ll laugh and cry and and pray and worry about him

even when he’s thirty years old and has a child of his own.

you’ll teach him about God and what it means to have Christ as his Savior,

the most important lesson of all.

and someday you might have another little boy or girl

and start the whole thing over again.

and if you follow in my footsteps, it’ll be again, and again,

and again, and again, and again, and again, and again.

or maybe not.

i thank God every day that I am your mom

and someday munchie will thank God that you are his mom.

I love you

happy 1^st mother’s day

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 2.

2011-04-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

So those that know me well or have traveled with me in the past will be surprised to hear that I planned this trip very thoroughly, even taking the extreme measure of typing up a day by day itinerary.

I usually like to be a bit more spontaneous, but with a baby, I decided it was best to have some sort of plan so we didn't end up having to sleep in our car at a rest stop in the middle of the desert.

We were up very early on day 2, as we wanted to make it to Los Alamos, New Mexico that evening to see some old friends.

Our first stop was Albuquerque, where we had lunch with one of my mom's high school friends and her husband. They took us to the most amazing, authentic Mexican restaurant called Los Cuates. The salsa was super hot! I couldn't help but think how much Nate would have liked it.

After lunch, we headed out for Los Alamos, with a short stop in Santa Fe at Whole Foods for some organic sweet potatoes for Maddux. If the customers in the store were any sort of indication of the whole population of the town, then Santa Fe must be a cool, artsy place to live. I even saw one woman in a silver sequined turban. I couldn't pull it off, but she looked totally chic.

After a nail-biting, curve-hugging drive up a fairly steep mountain pass, we were happy to make it to our destination for the night, Los Alamos, which we learned has the most PhD's per capita.

It was cool getting to see our friends, the Sorensons. Our families lived in Davis, California at the same time. Some of my best childhood memories revolve around panning for gold in Lake Tahoe or exploring ancient Native American ruins with them. They also have eight kids in their family, just like us!

{Then. May I just say that I find many things odd about this picture?}

{Now. Some of us, at least!}

We spent the evening eating pizza, reminiscing, and looking at old pictures. I even got my hair done! I have always wanted sisters, so it was fun getting a glimpse into what it would have been like. I absolutely love this family. Their creativity, their spirit and their obvious love of life. It was a great visit!

Here are some more pictures from Day 2!

Next up: Day 3 and the road to Tucson!

Travelogue: On The Road To California. Day 1.

2011-04-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

I've been told for as long as I can remember that I am "crazy" for all the road trips that I take. People can't seem to understand in this day of speedy transit, why I would prefer a long stretch of black asphalt to the friendly skies.

I think the answer lies primarily in my childhood, when we would all pile into the family station wagon and set off for one destination or another. Whether we were driving all the way across the country or just down the highway to Stetson Beach, my parents had a knack for making every road trip an adventure. We would pull off at random little exits, examining the giant dinasours in Cabazon or a Native American craft fair in New Mexico. Of course, we did the Grand Canyon and the places where all the tourists were, but my favorite memories by far are the off-the-beaten path destinations that we tended to gravitate towards.

My memories are filled with the sound of the highway. When we had our van, I would sit in the very back seat, slide open my little window and place my face up against the screen, falling asleep to the rhythm of the road. Even to this day, I get an odd sort of thrill when I pull into a truck stop. Weird, I know. I examine the faces of the road-weary travelers, the jaded truckers and the wide-eyed young families, and feel like we share a sort of bond, like a bunch of modern day Jack Kerouac's.

That being said, I am thrilled to have another adventure under my belt. My mom, Maddux and I drove from Nashville to Los Angeles and back, with Nate joining us a few days into the journey.

We drove 842 miles on our first day. Our goal was to make it to Amarillo, but after 13 hours on the road, we decided to stop for the night in the little town of Shamrock, Texas. I mean, with a name like that, who wouldn't want to stay there? Our luck continued when we scored one of the last hotel rooms left. As we were driving around, we discovered an amazing piece of Route 66 history, a gas station built in the 1930's, restored to all its art deco, neon-ed glory:

Maddux was a champion road warrior, sleeping soundly in the back seat or playing with his squeaky Sophie giraffe. He goes crazy over that toy. It's like baby catnip.

Earlier in the day, we also stopped at Casey Jones' Village in Jackson, Tennessee. I love the checkered tablecloths and barrels full of candy.

That's all for today. Tomorrow I'll post pictures of Day 2 and New Mexico!

Yay For Spring!

2011-04-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite Spring looks from around the web. I'm loving the big floppy hats and surprisingly, the socks with heels look.

The seventh picture down is making me want to really start looking for the perfect skinny pant to wear with flats and a sweet blouse.

French Connection is Back

2011-03-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've bought a French Connection dress since right before my high school graduation, when on a trip to New York City, I spent my allowance on a short, ruffled number that I never wore in my small town in North Carolina. I felt like such a grown-up.

Fast forward to yesterday when I was browsing through their website and was pleasantly surprised to see some amazingly gorgeous creations that I would wear today.

I love the last dress pictured, with the white lace. Gorgeous.

Take A Picture, It'll Last Longer

2011-03-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

My friends have learned to run and hide when they see me coming with my camera. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but I love taking pictures, and I am completely in love with the art of photography. I think I get it from my mom, who has been known to arrange impromptu photo shoots with all 22 of her children and grandchildren. In fact, a lot of my childhood memories revolve around her herding her children together for one photo op or another (at the Grand Canyon, in front of the Statue of Liberty, walking across the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.).

I love the idea of a photograph capturing a single moment in time, reminding the world long after we are gone that we were indeed here.

I've written before about how incredibly sweet and thoughtful my husband is, here and here, so it will be of no surprise that I have another to add to the list.

For my birthday last year, Nate got me the Nikon camera that I'd been eyeing for quite sometime, and for Christmas this year, he got me a chance to attend a photography workshop at Dury's. I'm so excited to start learning how to really use my camera, in particular, how to best use lighting to achieve maximum results. In the meantime, I will continue to annoy my friends and family by whipping out my camera anywhere and everywhere. I'd also love to share with you several of my favorite photos that I've taken over the years.

Mt. Adams, Washington State

Castle, Carmona, Spain

Peaches, Georgia

The Coliseum, Rome, Italy

Skipping Rocks, Mississippi River

Trout Lake in Black & White

Nuns, Vatican City, Italy

Christmas in North Carolina

And last, but not least:

Watching the Game with Dad

Thanks for letting me share.

Etsy Find: Allen Company Inc.

2011-03-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

This Etsy site sells a lovely array of vintage dresses, shoes, blouses and bags. I'm in love with the white 1950's dress. Wouldn't this be fun to wear to an outdoors Spring party?

The Spotted Moth

2011-03-23T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've fallen in love with The Spotted Moth. This online store has everything from cute, nautical inspired dresses to artsy vinyl wallets and quirky mouse pads. And the prices are seriously affordable, so that makes it all the better. I'm dying to put an outfit together with the above pictured items.

A Walk In The Park

2011-03-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

When I think back to the days when Nate and I were still dating, a lot of those memories center around long walks and long conversations. We walked around his neighborhood, my neighborhood, the Vanderbilt campus or just took the long way back to our cars after a date.

We had only known each other for about three months when we took a trip together to New York City. He had never been before, and I was excited to show him a place that I loved so much.

And what better place to be for two walking aficionados than a city that never sleeps and always yields to pedestrians. We were in heaven! Naturally, we found our way to Central Park, where we strolled lazily down the paths as the sun set behind the skyscrapers.

I knew I was in love with him even then. I told him later that as we were walking in Central Park, I had a vision of us with a couple of little kids running around, playing in the leaves. And for our first Christmas, this is what he got me:

Nate discovered this amazing artist, and I've since fallen in love with his prints. He has this beautifully simple perspective on the human condition that translates into these perfect little snapshots of everyday life: falling in love, walking on the beach with your child, sitting around the dinner table. I really encourage you to check out his drawings. There is sure to be one that speaks to you. You can find him at www.pascalcampion.com.

We also own this one, which is actually the first one Nate gave me. It's a guy serenading a girl with his guitar. Awesome.

(Sorry the detail is a little hard to see in the pictures. Definitely check out his site for better versions.)

Etsy Find: Daydream Designs

2011-03-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

I've written before about my love of all things Etsy. I could (and have) spent hours browsing through the almost overwhelming array of handmade jewelry, clothing, art and the like.

Today I wanted to share with you the gorgeous, vintage-inspired jewelry of Daydream Designs. When I had my store, I stocked this jewelry, and people loved it (including Alison Krauss, who now has a banjo and bead necklace from Daydream Designs)!

The designer is also my beautiful sister-in-law (and new mom), Megan, so I love it even more!

It's In The Bag

2011-03-16T19:05:00.001-07:00

I realized today that I have literally not carried a purse for the past 6 months. Apparently, this is what happens when you become a mother and it's no longer all about you.

It's all about the diaper bag.

I mean, how else are you supposed to carry around diapers, wipes, burp cloths, a nursing cover-up, toys, pacifiers, hand sanitizer, an extra pair of clothes for the blow-up that is sure to happen at the most inopportune time, a changing pad, and Goldwyn, the fluffy stuffed puppy?

I've got a great Kate Spade diaper bag that I love, and also a gorgeous 31 bag given to me by my cousin, but I must confess, I do sometimes miss carrying around a cute little purse with just my wallet and lip gloss.

So in honor of my current state, I am posting a few purses and bags that I've been eyeing. Come to think of it, some of these could even double as diaper bags!

Mulberry Oversized Alexa Bag

Alexander McQueen Brittania Punk Clutch

Lanvin Happy Shoulder Bag

Dorothy Perkins Vintage Style Cross Body

Balenciaga Giant City Rose Gold Bag

Bon Voyage. My Travel Wish List: Terra Mar at Big Sur

2011-03-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

Nate and I will be traveling to California next month and will be spending a little time in Big Sur. I think that staying here would make us feel like a couple of movie stars.

I can just see myself curled up in the hammock with a good book, being swayed to sleep by the gentle ocean breeze.

Or better yet, curled up with Nate and little Munchie, singing silly songs and cuddling until we fall asleep with the sun on our faces.

And how about that skywalk? Geez.

For only $2800 a night, it's all ours. Umm, I think we'll probably just stick with all the hippies camping out here, and save Terra Mar for when we are celebrities.

Who You'd Be Today

2011-03-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'd like to think you'd still be climbing mountains, always searching for the higher peaks. And still be walking around with a guitar in your hands, ready to serenade at a moment's notice.

I know you would still be the person everyone wants to be around. You could make us feel like we were the only people in the world when you talked to us. How did you do that?!

You would still be funny and in the running for world's best practical joker. And I'm certain you'd be driving around in your yellow '68 Chevy. Hopefully with the cracked windshield fixed, but maybe not.

Maybe you'd be famous by now, or a father. Those things we'll never know. And so, we will have to remember you as you were.

I hope that you'd be proud of me. I'm married now. To the most amazing man. He's kind and gentle and I feel like I am breathing again after holding my breath for so long. I think you two would like each other, be friends even. He keeps me laughing constantly and nurtures my adventurous spirit. Like you used to do.

And I'm a mom. Wow! I'm experiencing love in a whole new light. I wish you could meet the little man. I'm sure you would get him into all kinds of trouble, though.

I often think of all the things you've missed. You've become an uncle several times over by now. I see you in some of those kids.

It's unfair how life keeps pressing on, but beautiful at the same time. Do you know what I mean?

I think of the gigs, the travels, the births and marriages, the sunsets you didn't get to see. But I imagine you are seeing far greater things, where you are.

I've had some crazy adventures since you've been gone. I think you'd be happy to see that I didn't curl up in a ball to get swept away by a strong wind. It took awhile, but the sun has returned.

We still talk about you. We tell old stories, again and again, and laugh until we are blue in the face. And cry.

Don't worry. We have not forgotten. That would be impossible. And so, we remember you, today on your birthday, and every day in between.

Rest easy, my friend. All is well here.

Lace Love

2011-03-06T19:17:00.001-08:00

I Wish I Could Sew

2011-03-01T10:38:00.001-08:00

When I was about nine or ten years old, my mom sent me to the woman across the street to learn how to sew. We decided to make it part of a homeschool project, and I would have something that I could wear at the end. It sounded like a good plan, and I remember getting so excited, thinking of the rad pink and green shirt with gold sequins splattered all over it that I would get to walk away with.

Those dreams were quickly dashed however, when on the first day I discovered that the neighbor had already picked out the fabric, as well as the most hideous dress pattern she could possibly find. It was like a mutant "Little House on the Prairie" dress and I hated it (I also hated dresses back then, but that is a different story).

Naturally, I lost all interest in the project, and barely remember a thing about those sewing lessons. I did walk away with a completed dress, though, which I believe lies dormant in my parent's attic.

In retrospect, I do wish I had paid a bit more attention. I've been doing little drawings of dresses for years now, and so wish I had the skills necessary to bring them to life.

Enter my adorable husband, Nate.

For our first Christmas, unbeknownst to me, he took one of my drawings to our friend Helen, an amazingly talented fashion designer and seamstress. He had her make the dress, which he then presented to me. Did I tell you he is amazing?

The Drawing

The Finished Dress

Helen had Nate write an inscription, which she then sewed on the inside of the dress, in his own handwriting. Breathtaking.

Spring Is In The Air

2011-02-21T13:00:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a lovely respite from the cold this past weekend here in Nashville, with temperatures hovering in the upper 60's and the sun finally busting out from behind the clouds. Naturally, we had to get out and go hiking at Warner Park. Nate and I joke that we've felt like cave people this past winter, stuck indoors and in serious need of some vitamin D.

I'm finding out that my son loves being outdoors, which brings joy to my heart. I plan on taking him on many camping excursions, hikes, mountain climbs and windows-down road trips throughout his childhood, so I am very happy to see him enjoying nature so much.

Within a couple of days of his birth, Nate and I would bundle him in his Baby Bjorn and take walks around the neighborhood. If he was fussy, he was instantly soothed by the warm early fall breeze across his face, and would almost always fall asleep, depositing baby drool all over the front of my shirt, of course.

Now as a five month old, he is alert and taking in the world around him. His favorite pastime seems to be watching the dogs play and chewing on his Kelty backpack.

I'm so excited to see the first tiny hints of Spring and can't wait for more adventures with my little Munchie.

Unurth.com

2011-02-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

New York City

Marseilles, France

Arizona

Turin, Italy

My latest web obsession is this website that showcases street art from around the world. One of my favorites is the top image, Pixal Pour 2.0, by artist Kelly Goeller. Seriously talented people here.

Love

2011-02-14T08:22:00.001-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day.

Robert Indiana's iconic sculpture at the corner of 6th & 55th in Manhattan.

A beautiful photograph.

A timeless movie.

A fun date night dress.

Super cute stationary.

A killer dinner party.

And last but not least, a kiss.

Happy Valentine's Day. May all your wishes come true.

Thrifty Mama

2011-02-12T20:58:00.001-08:00

Growing up with seven brothers had both it's pros and cons. A definite downside was that I didn't have a cool older sister to give me her well-loved hand-me-downs. But the flip side of that was I got to buy new, or "new to me" clothes.

My mom was and still is a huge secondhand aficionado. She will spend an entire afternoon scouring a flea market for one of a kind antiques, or whittle the day away perusing shelves at a thrift store for the perfect teapot.

When I was a kid, I dreaded our "thrifting" days. I was embarrassed to be the kid shopping secondhand while most of my friends and classmates rolled into school in brand new J. Crew duds.

That all changed when I went away to college and all of a sudden, just like that, thrift stores were the epitome of cool. And ever since then, it's been almost a personal mission of mine to see just how much I can buy secondhand. In fact, I often find it difficult to buy brand new because I find myself saying, "I can find this exact same thing for less than half this price."

A lot of my friends say they have a hard time finding good pieces at a thrift store. I always tell them one of the keys is a virtue we all learned in grade school: patience. It's tedious sifting through other people's junk to find something bright and shiny, but it is well worth the effort. The outfit pictured above, minus the tights, was thrifted entirely from Nashville area stores, including the brand new Via Spiga boots.

So I will proudly continue my mom's tradition and hopefully pass my frugality onto my son. Hopefully, he won't be too embarrassed by me.

Dream Outfit #1

2011-02-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

(All images courtesy of net-a-porter.com)

Let's Go!

2011-02-11T10:25:00.001-08:00

It sounds good in any language. I'm tired of being cold and cooped up. I'm ready for wide open spaces, sunshine and new adventures, and this print basically says it all.

Nate and I always say how nice it is to have something to look forward to in order to help us get through our normal day to day. Not that we aren't loving life, but it is always fun to break out of the routine every now and then, to see a little light at the end of the tunnel. It could be a trip around the world, or just a date night without the baby. A little spontaneity can go a long ways in helping you recharge and see things with a fresh perspective. And people who know me well know that I can't sit still for too long before I'm ready to take off again.

And so, when I saw this print on Etsy, I had to smile and start to plot our next crazy adventure. Details coming soon...... :)

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

2011-02-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

(The dress I'm wearing is from a talented Nashville-based designer named Loretta Jane).

As much as I am loving my life right now, I have to confess that there is one place I wish I could be. Fashion Week officially kicks off tomorrow in New York City, but with a 5 month old baby, I'm afraid that my days of hopping on a plane at a moments notice and heading off to distant locales have been temporarily put on hold.

A couple of years ago my friend Christie and I had the opportunity to attend the Academy of Art University's runway show, where we got to see some amazing up-and-coming talent. I still remember my favorite dress from the show:

(Joanna Hatzenbuehler)

We stayed at the Gershwin Hotel, a cool hostel where we shared a room with two French girls and a party hopping German.

We ate good food, listened to some amazing musicians, and had fun dressing up and wandering the city as tourists.

At the end of our trip, my Aunt Susan took us to an amazing organic restaurant that she loves called GustOrganics.

We also got to see my cousin Lauren and her adorable daughter Julia (who I swear has a future on Broadway)!

If I were going to the shows this year, I would definitely want to be at Luca Luca for the simple, clean silhouettes, Christian Siriano for the over the top, va-va-voom dresses and Lela Rose, simply because I think that nearly everything she designs is gorgeous.

Looking at these pictures is making me want to go book a plane ticket for the September shows! Hmmmm.........

Rock On, Munchie. Rock On.

2011-02-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Cha Chah

2011-02-05T09:32:00.001-08:00

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, Nate and I have been sifting through Nashville's plethora of dining choices to find the perfect place to have a date night. Even though we've already been there twice, I can't help but think that Cha Chah, on Belmont Boulevard, would be perfect.

Anyone who is a fan of Bravo's Top Chef will likely remember Arnold Myint, the Nashville chef who appeared on the D.C. version last year. He got booted off pretty early on in the season, returning to his hometown to concentrate on one of the three restaurants that he owns here. Cha Chah has quickly emerged as a favorite of mine.

The last time we were there, we wanted to take complete advantage of the fact that we had a babysitter (aka Grandma), so we sat back, ordered wine (Martin Codax, from Spain), feasted on a huge array of tapas (my fave: Papas Bravas with Aioli), and indulged in one of the best desserts I've ever had.

It wasn't fancy, it wasn't contrived. Just a rich, delicious, unique take on the campfire staple: the s'more.

The chocolate was served in a cute little teapot with a consistency that was not quite a liquid and not quite a solid, maybe a bit like the Mexican "Abuelita." Our server demonstrated how to eat the dessert by pouring the chocolate mixture over a brûléed marshmallow. There was also a homemade shortcake that you could dip into the chocolate. At any rate, I have literally been daydreaming about this dessert since the last time we went, so I just might have to put on some high heels and head that way with my dapper Valentine's date.

UPDATE: Nate made a reservation! Yay!

Elizabeth and James

2011-02-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this Elizabeth and James dress for Spring/Summer. And I also appreciate how Shopbop styled it, with the cool oxford thong sandals and the middle-parted hippie hair.

Munchie's Nursery

2011-02-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

I had a few readers post or e-mail asking for pictures of Maddux's nursery and I am so happy to oblige.

Nate and I had such a fun time doing this room. We enlisted the help of many friends and family and can truly say it was a joint effort.

We knew we absolutely wanted a music theme, as music is such a part of each of our lives. We've decided it's our favorite room in the house now!

Paint: Olympic Windsor Way. We loved the color as well as the fact that it's a low odor, zero VOC formula.

(The bottom picture is from Christmas, obviously).

Oh Dear

2011-01-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

These will set me back a bit, but really, how can I resist? Now off to convince my husband that I really need them.

R.I.P. Charlie Louvin.

2011-01-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

Nursing Strike

2011-01-26T09:48:00.001-08:00

I had always assumed that a baby would give into his primal instincts and nurse when he is hungry. So when Munchie started to refuse to eat a few days ago, I went to my trusty expert (Google, of course) and found tons of articles about babies going on "nursing strikes." Turns out, babies will stop nursing for many reasons, including teething and stuffy noses. Thank God Maddux recovered from his cold and started nursing again so I didn't have to resort to feeding him through a syringe. Yikes!

Love At First Sight

2011-01-24T19:37:00.001-08:00

Thank you to Liebemarlene for introducing me to Steven Alan's Spring Lookbook. I am definitely ready for warmer weather to come my way, and these dresses are making me extra excited.

Covet: The Cropped Jacket

2011-01-20T13:44:00.002-08:00

Vintage Bill Blass, courtesy of Sea of Shoes.
Courtesy of The Sartorialist.

Barking Bird Art

2011-01-20T13:29:00.000-08:00

If you haven't visited the Etsy website yet, then you are missing out. I only recommend browsing while you have an hour or three, as it is highly addictive.

While searching for art for Maddux's nursery, I stumbled upon Barking Bird Art and now six of her prints grace the walls in his room. I love the music themed pieces, but I'm dying to own the "You Are My Sunshine" one.

Molton Brown

2011-01-20T11:08:00.001-08:00

I'm not a big perfume kind of girl. Heavy scents tend to irritate me, so I was happy to discover Molton Brown's Ultrasmooth Coco de Mer Body Lotion. It has a lovely fresh scent that makes me think of a cool shower after a day at the beach. Cozy, with just a hint of sunscreen. When Nate and I travel to New York City, we like to stay at the Bryant Park Hotel, where they kindly stock the brand in their bathrooms. On our last visit I made sure to steal all of the samples. But those only last so long you know, so I was happy to find more at The Cosmetic Market here in Nashville.

Bon Voyage. My Travel Wish List: Dunton Hot Springs.

2011-01-19T10:36:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine vacationing in a renovated ghost town? This place looks amazing, the perfect spot to get away and relax far from the rest of the world. Or if you wanted to bring along a few friends, you can even rent the whole town!

{Via Plaisirs Simples }

Memphis

2011-01-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

Nate and I traveled to Memphis this past weekend to watch his beloved Chicago Bulls take on the Grizzlies. It was an extra special trip because it was Maddux's first NBA game, and as an avid sports fan, this fact was especially exciting for Nate.

I think most people would agree that a 4-month-old and an arena full of screaming fans, over-eager announcers and fireworks are not a good mix, so thank God for these Peltor noise canceling earphones. They must have been pretty cozy, because Munchie fell asleep twice while wearing them.

I, on the other hand, was never fully able to relax and completely enjoy the game. Most of the time I was either changing dirty diapers, wiping up slobber or trying to figure out how to hold onto a squirming baby and eat bbq nachos without dumping hot cheese down the neck of the guy in front of me.

Of utmost concern to me however, was where I was going to nurse. I am not shy about nursing Maddux in public, thanks to this, but there was literally no room in my seat and after circling the arena several times, there was not even a chair for me to sit down in. A friendly ticketing agent said I could use the "family lounge." Well that sounds nice, I thought. Picturing a quiet room with soft lighting and comfy armchairs, I made another lap around the arena until I spotted the door. But instead of a "lounge," I found nothing more than an oversized bathroom with a plastic changing table hanging from the wall. I tried nursing Maddux standing up, but finally gave up and ended up sitting on his changing pad on the floor, trying to ignore the knocks of drunk sports fans who didn't want to walk the extra 25 steps to the restrooms.

After this experience, I think every major venue should have some sort of room for nursing mothers. Nothing fancy, just a place to sit and feed their children without having to resort to taking up residence on the floor of a bathroom.

Lela Rose Is A Genius

2010-02-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Just about every little girl dreams about their wedding day. We dream about the colors of the bridesmaids dresses, the magical kiss from our very own Prince Charming, and how we will wear our hair. But mostly, we dream about the dress.

When I was planning my wedding last fall, I had a vision of the exact dress I wanted to wear. My requirements were: vintage feel, not too "bridal," and not too white.

Lela Rose came through with flying colors. This is a dress that I will pull out of my closet when I'm an old woman, run my hands over the fabric, and remember how beautiful and alive I felt on that day. It is gorgeous and timeless and will forever remind me of the happiest day of my life. (Photo Courtesy of Matthew Williams. www.matthewwilliamsphotography.com)

Nanette Lepore Night and Day Coat

2010-01-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

My new current obsession.

It's been virtually impossible to find since "Jenny" on 'Gossip Girl' wore it on the show. Bluefly, Shopbop, and Bloomingdale's are all sold out, so if anyone gets a heads up on where to score this amazing coat, please let me know!

The Return of Balmain

2010-01-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

When Christophe Decarnin took the helm of Balmain in 2005, the once illustrious design house had fallen into financial ruin and stagnancy. But over the past few years, Balmain has had a revival of sorts, becoming the star of the fashion world with everyone from Hollywood celebrities to European society darlings donning Decarnin's edgy creations.

Although I am neither, I have fallen in love with the Spring 2010 collection, specifically the military jackets pictured above. Sadly, I will probably have to just admire the photos for now, as one of these jackets can set you back $9000 or more. (Photos Courtesy of www.nymag.com)

No, She Doesn't Still Have This Dress

2010-01-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

I called my mother up the other day to ask her if this dress was still in my grandmother's possession, and was pretty disappointed when I was told that she had given it away a long time ago. This small let-down made me pause and think about the items in my closet that I would love to pass down to my future daughter or granddaughter.

Here is my humble yet hopefully ever-growing list:

1. My grandmother's mink wrap and stole

2. my Lela Rose custom wedding dress

3. Yoana Baraschi jeweled mini dress that I wore walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with my soon-to-be husband

4. Vintage black leather motorcycle jacket

5. My crochet Cynthia Steffe dress (amazing, vintage inspired!)

6. A pearl necklace that my grandfather brought back from the South Pacific during WWII

Oh, and by the way....wasn't my mom the cutest little baby?!

Winter

2009-12-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

I've never been a big fan of winter. Growing up in California and North Carolina hardly exposed me to blizzards and white-outs. My memories of this time of year consist of rollerblading on the beach on Christmas day and camping in the balmy mountains around Asheville, and most of my childhood was spent without a single "winter" coat in my possession. But with a new man in my life comes a host of new experiences. I've spent a good bit of time this year up in Chicago and Northern Indiana, and any true Northerner would know that only a fool would go outside in December in anything less than full on winter gear. It's been a bit of a challenge, but I do have to say that I am actually embracing this season of hats, gloves, and layering. I think I may even be turning into a scarf person.

(Coat by Old Navy, Bag by Chloe, Dress by Bailey 44, Thrifted Vintage Rabbit Fur Scarf, Thrifted Hat, Tights from Target)

Lucy & Lloyd Boutique

2009-01-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate last season to be able to attend a runway show at New York City's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. It was incredible to watch creation after creation waltz down the runway (albeit on impossibly long legs!), and to be completely transfixed on the cut, the colors, and the materials used for each piece. The dress pictured above was my favorite from the show, designed by an up and coming designer named Johanna Hatzenbueler. Of course, I had to have it, so I e-mailed Johanna asking about purchasing the dress. She was lovely, but unfortunately this piece is priced well out of my price range. So what is a fashion loving, dress coveting girl to do? Head to Lucy & Lloyd Boutique, Nashville's newest resale clothing store. It is tiny, yes, but it packs a punch. Filled with new and gently used designer finds, as well as interesting one of a kind pieces, you are sure to find something that your friends will be jealous of. Some labels featured include Susana Monaco, Wink, Marc Jacobs, BCBG, and Joe's. And the prices are so outrageously low, you almost feel like you're committing a felony. Mapquest the following address: 2203 Bandywood Drive, Nashville, Tennessee 37215, and come by and say hello!

Designer of the Moment

2008-12-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Last fall as I was shopping for a dress to wear to the CMA Awards show here in Nashville, I stumbled upon a brand new boutique in the Hill Center in Green Hills called Hemline. Small and to the point (it's about the size of my bedroom) it is nevertheless packed with hard to find designers like Sweetees and Wendy Katlen. Almost immediately, my eyes were drawn to a fuschia colored mini dress by a designer I'd never heard of named Yoana Baraschi. I loved the clean, simple style contrasting with the jewel encrusted collar. And it had pockets too, so I was already sold on it. Since then, I've bought several more of her designs, including the black and blue dress above. She has consistently impressed me with her bold, jewel-toned fabrics as well as the girly little details like bows and ruffles that I love so much. I checked out her Spring 2009 collection on her website (www.yoanabaraschi.com), and instantly fell for at least two of the lace infused dresses. I'm seeing a pattern here and it's a little nerve-wracking to think that I may have to get a second job in order to sustain my habit.

The Lost Art Of Prettiness

2008-10-24T17:39:00.001-07:00

I think I may have been born in the wrong time period. This land of jeans and sweatshirts feels slightly foreign, and I find myself daydreaming of lace and petticoats. I love the idea of a woman being a woman, and even ever-so-slightly girlish. Satin and silk, lace and big bouncy bows all bring a smile to my lips. While I completely understand the need for comfort and maneuverability, I would readily give that up if I could wear dresses like the Balmain creation pictured above on a daily basis. There was a time in the not so distant past when a woman would not be caught dead without lipstick, mascara, and gloves. But these days, in our microwave quick, drive-through window kind of world, all is done in the name of instant gratification. We can't, or don't want to take the time to roll our hair or fuss with layers of clothing and undergarments, so we throw on our trusty pair of jeans, pile our hair into a ponytail, and rush out the door, completely bypassing our sacred right as women to take pride in the way we look. Not for men or even for other women, but for ourselves. I have been guilty many times of this, as I've become accustomed to the rapid-fire pace of our world. But I have to admit that I savor those special times when I can spend hours getting ready for a fun night. I love the rituals of being a woman. And I especially love that magical Cinderella moment after I've been transformed; when I can look in the mirror, do my little twirl, and thank God that I was born a girl.

( The above picture is from the Victoria & Albert Museum's Golden Age of Couture Exhibition. www.vam.ac.uk)