Holiday pajamas for babies (and other rambles)

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I made the mistake not putting Lizzy in her Halloween pajamas until Halloween actually rolled around. To be fair, I was afraid she might ruin her "costume" before the main event. She's adorable, but messy.

She's going to start wearing holiday pajamas now to avoid that problem :) These are a few favorites I've got my eye on at the moment, but in reality, I'll probably hit up TJMaxx and Once Upon a Child for some cute options...in size 12-18 months because she is still a giantess.

It's way too early, I know, but I am so excited for the holiday season this year. Part of this is because I feel like I've really hit my stride in the last few weeks with working, playing with Lizzy, sleeping (knock on wood over and over and over), and just generally enjoying life together. 

I don't want to make it to sound like things were going badly before by any means. Peter and I have seriously been on cloud nine since Lizzy arrived six months ago. But going back to work was so hard for me (even though Lizzy thrived at daycare from the beginning), and I feel like it's taken this long to wrap my head around it. 

I still have waves of missing her during the week, but she's becoming so much more of a person these days - someone who is such a delight to be around - that I feel like our mornings and evenings and weekends are full of quality, fun time. She totally knows who Peter and I are now, and lights up when she sees us. She plays with toys, eats dinner, loves dancing and being tickling, and plays peek-a-boo. (I'm getting dangerously close to one of those monthly update letters that are only interesting to grandparents. Sorry!)

All this is just to say that I can't wait to decorate the house and show her all the lights and the tree and the songs and, in the evenings, when she's all cleaned up after lounging around in the bath and smells so heavenly, I'm going to zip her up into some holiday themed pajamas. 

And I'm really looking forward to it.

Looking, Playing, Wasting

Making: Excellent use of our new island - it makes our kitchen such a happy place to hang out in
Cooking: This perfectly autumnal mushroom lasagna
Drinking: A splash of wine nearly every night after Lizzy goes down for the night
Reading: This should say "slogging" since I've been working on this since August, but Longbourn
Wanting: Track pants, real bad
Looking: Oh so tired these days - I need an industrial strength eye cream or something :)
Playing: On my new iPad (I've become one teeny tiny percent more hip!) 
Wasting: Time searching for the perfect baby Halloween costume
Sewing: A new valance for my kitchen window (a total cheat answer because my Mom actually did the sewing for me!)
Wishing: I felt more clear headed
Enjoying: The evening routine we've worked out, which involves playing with Lizzy for a few hours when I get home, then her bath, stories, and bed, followed by dinner, a TV show, and dessert - always dessert - for Peter and me
Waiting: Until the October madness calms down in Salem before checking out this lovely looking exhibit
Liking: How settled our house is feeling these days, even as I make plans for a few more adjustments
Wondering: If we'll be able to pull off a big trip in 2015
Loving: My little clan more and more each day
Hoping: To make a batch of this in very near future
Marveling: At these awesome floating babies in Houston
Needing: To get some dates on the books with friends - we've been somewhat hermetic 
Smelling: Lizzy's head every night at 5:00 p.m.
Wearing: Ballet flats as much as possible before the endless season of boots begins
Following: The new-to-me blog Aspiring Kennedy
Noticing: How beautiful Boston looks this fall - the leaves have exploded in color in the last week
Knowing: Some Top 40 songs for the first time since college, thanks to a lingering Sirius XM subscription in our new-to-us second car (my current fave)
Thinking: That our new normal is starting to feel just that
Feeling: So excited to tag along with my sister to do some wedding dress shopping tomorrow
Bookmarking: Tons of recipes from Jamie Oliver's magazine - it's been a treasure trove of inspiration 
Opening: The windows just a smidge to get some of that delightfully crisp fall air in the house
Giggling: Over Lizzy's seemingly deep voice - it's seriously just like this when she laughs
Feeling: Lucky, lucky, lucky 

This post was inspired by Meet Me at Mikes!

Newborn Favorites

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When I was pregnant, I pored over other people's recommendations for their baby registries. This is not that kind of a comprehensive list (for that, check out Design for Minikind!). Instead, these are some things that people turned me on to that I didn't even think to ask for, but loved.

The first is the Miracle Blanket. Lizzy slept in this for the first six weeks of her life before she started busting out (then she slept in a Halo sleepsack for a few more weeks before she just wanted to be free). But for the first few weeks, it was a life saver. She really liked it, and I loved that it made her less flopsy when I was holding her and transferring her down for naps and bed.

When new parents used to talk about how much laundry they had, I was genuinely confused. Baby clothes are so small - how can it add that much?! Ha. Now, of course, I realize it's not just their clothes, but also their bedding and blankets, burp clothes, your clothes, etc. A girlfriend told me Oxiclean was the best for getting out icky stains of all sorts. I'd oddly been using Dreft for years since my skin is so sensitive, but this doesn't bother Lizzy or me at all, and it's actually very nice to have some scent on our clothes now.

I'm not a journal keeper, but my Mom gave me the one-line-a-day journal, and I absolutely love it. So little pressure! And even though I've only been doing it for four months, I already enjoy looking back on earlier days.

These car seat straps are lovingly referred to as Lizzy's hippos (what animal are they, do you think?!). They keep her head more upright in the car, especially in the early days. Now she loves to chew on them - not their intended purpose, but no matter.

And finally...these cloth diapers. I've never used them as diapers, but they are my favorite burp clothes, small blankets, stroller covers - you name it. So soft and easy to stash, with many purposes.

So now, of course, I need to know what the lifesavers are for this next stage. Anything great I need to get to maintain Lizzy's status as one of the happiest(ish) babies on the block?!

11 Questions Answered

A few pictures of life lately! The most delicious lamb ragu with feta and peas; Lizzy suffering through tummy time; a walk in the wood; and a photo my sister took of Lizzy and me on Mother's Day.

Melissa invited me to answer a few questions she posted to her blog, and while my answers are far from riveting, it was fun to put together. You should totally play along!

1. What has been your most favorite vacation to date? 
Paris! It's hard to beat Paris. 

2. Do you prefer big city life, suburban life, or a life in the country? 
I love that I have a quasi-suburban life right now. We are still super close to the city (10 minutes to Cambridge, and just a bit further from Boston), but I love our little house and neighborhood and yard. 

3. What is your favorite type of food?
This sounds boring because I like to think of myself to be kind of an adventurous eater, but I think my favorite would be classified as American! But maybe fancy-ish American?! Ha. My favorite type of recipe is basically everything on Food 52. 

4. How would you typically dress for a night out? 
Fun patterned shirt (like so) and hot pink flats (like so). Though it's been far too long since these items have left my closet!

5. What are you go-to accessories?
Scarves, earrings, necklaces, sunglasses.

6. How do you fix your hair?
Lately it's been air dried, but typically I give it a quick blow dry and smooth it out with a big round brush. I'm useless with hair products, so I tend to skip them all together. 

7. What make-up do you wear on a daily basis? Do you have preferred brands?
I wear tinted moisturizer, mascara, and blush every day, and sometimes add eye shadow and eye liner to the mix, as well. And always (always!) Vaseline on my lips!

8. What is your preferred workout?
I'm terrible about working out in the formal sense, but I like walking a lot, and will occasionally do some yoga at home.

9. Where is your favorite place to shop online?
Oh gosh. Predictable, but probably Amazon. I also buy things from Lilly Pulitzer online when they have big sales, and like Terrain a lot for gifts. 

10. Do you enjoy entertaining guests in your home or would you prefer to be a guest? 
I LOVE hosting people here - it's one of my favorite things. But because I know how much goes into it, I also really appreciate how wonderful it is to be a guest in someone else's home. I always pick up tricks that I want to steal from our friends who are also fantastic hosts! (The trick I'm always trying to relearn is "just relax and everyone will have fun," ha.)

11. What quality do you really value in your significant other?
Goodness, this is tricky, because is truly a very long list. Peter and I have opposite personalities in many ways (similar values, though, which I think is the key). He is patient, even-keeled, focused, and is an exceptional listener - all qualities I lack, and value very much!

Loving Lately

I got this book a few weeks ago, and have been slowly reading a few of these quirky, funny stories each day. It's perfect for these fuzzy, jumbled newborn days because each one is short, compact, and satisfying. 

I am usually very brand loyal, but after years of using Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer, I decided to give this one a go after seeing it mentioned on Whoorl (she is so lovely, and I tend to trust her beauty product recommendations). I was a little nervous about the fruit extracts being too scented for my sensitive skin, but so far, no issues at all, and it smells heavenly. And there's something very satisfying about being able to say your make-up comes from France, right? 

Oooh goodness, we are deeply entrenched in True Detective. The chemistry between Matthew McConaughhey and Woody Harrelson is fantastic, and the whole thing is just so suspenseful and well-done. Highly recommended if you're looking for a new show to become obsessed with :)

And finally, a few good things I've read lately:

• My Early-Life Crisis - "I was born a friendless virgin."
• A Day on Long Island with Alex Lee - James Beard award winning article by Francis Lam
• The Ultimate SoWa Food Truck Guide - excited to get back here soon!
• My Other Mother's Day - from new blog favorite Wee Mountains

Basic Tools for Your Old House

We've only been in our crazy old house for about 9 months, but now that we are closing the door on our final major renovation (I promise to share some pictures here soon!), I thought it would be fun to show you a few of the little things that have been life savers for us while doing house-related projects.

These are all relatively inexpensive tools that we've turned to again and again in the last year. I originally just wanted to write about my pry bar (top left) because it truly is my favorite cheap tool that has countless uses, but I thought that would be a boring post. I'll just give you a few sentences instead! I bought two of these when we were removing the carpeting upstairs, and it's great for that, but it's also incredible for removing nails from tight spots that the back of a hammer doesn't fit in, scraping mysterious gunk off of stuff, opening boxes - it's just the handiest thing to have around. $10 you won't regret spending!

This mainly applies if you have a dusty old house like mine, but I picked up a big package of respirators that we've used for painting, carpet removal, cutting the flooring, etc. I love my caulking gun because I believe there are very few household issues that can't be solved with a bit (or a bundle!) of caulk. I've used this to fill in gaps on windows and trim, when we installed our new counter top in the bathroom, to seal tile gaps in the tub, and on and on. When you buy the gun, go ahead and buy a kitchen and bath caulk and an adhesive caulk (only a few dollars each). This kind of goes with the poly foam caulk, which we've used to fill in larger gaps in windows and trim (and then covered up with white adhesive caulk after - I have no idea if this is the right thing to do, but it seems to do the trick!).

If you have a lot of painting in your future, go ahead and buy a big batch of foam rollers, the ceiling extender, the wood putty (if you have beat-up/new trim to paint), a few nice angled brushes, and a packet of artists brushes for touch-ups. I find that if I have all the supplies on hand, I'm much more likely to dive in and get a project done, so this is really just to save you from procrastinating.

We also bought a few basic saws that have come in very handy - a hack saw, a cross saw, and a coping saw, as well as sanding blocks in different grits and a pocket plane (great for getting new doors to fit in our wonky, off-kilter house!).

What are your must haves for home-ownership? I'm sure I'm missing some really helpful items!

Loving Lately

I recently devoured this sweet little book in one day (it's a middle grade reader, so don't be too alarmed by my speed reading!). I now want to not only rescue a stray a dog, but also acquire a spunky old librarian friend, and host a candy and pickles party (let's not blame pregnancy for that one - those two foods sound good to me always).

I've never been a one-piece bath suit person (I have a long torso, and I always feel like they look a bit strange?) but this summer will fall just after I have the baby, so it might be time to take the plunge! This one from Garnet Hill is pretty and seems flattering. But how do you guys buy bathing suits online?! You have to reject so many before finding one that fits right - it's seems really hard! Related, I also need a cute cover up :)

When we were in California, we played Cards Against Humanity one night. We were all laughing so, so hard and kept putting off making dinner until later and later into the night (even though Sarah, Joel, and Peter had to explain the meaning of some of the cards to me and my parents - ha!). Super fun, but not for the easily offended.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Tomorrow we are taking a day long child birth class at the hospital (eeks!) and on Sunday I'm so thrilled that my mom is coming over to help with big some house projects. Cheers to a false sense of preparedness and projects!

The dusty house will wait

I took these lovely photos last spring of the blooming tree outside our old apartment. Like everyone else, I'm so desperate for these sunny, springy skies to return. Hopefully it doesn't feel too cruel to share them while we're still suffering below freezing temps in the northeast. They are giving me hope as we turn the calendar over to March this weekend!

This weekend is packed to the brim with fun stuff, and I'm so excited. Tonight we're going to a play, tomorrow night a party, and then Sunday to dinner at a friend's! We'll also be doing some house stuff - painting the bathroom vanity upstairs, maybe experimenting with taking down some paneling off the bedroom walls (Peter doesn't know about that plan yet, though!), and shopping for new floors. Whew!

Our house is a disaster zone - the entire kitchen was gutted down to the studs this week, and the dust levels are insane (though our contractor is doing his very best to keep it all contained as much as possible!). Next week I'll try to share some pictures of the craziness! It will be good to get out and about.

I've been thinking a lot about how we should be spending these last few weeks before parenthood duties officially kick-off. We're doing so much work around the house (and spending so much money!) that it's tempting to just hunker down and focus all our attention there. But this week I've been emailing with a girlfriend who had the most darling baby a few months ago. She gives great advice (about literally everything), so I desperately asked her what I should be doing during this weird time period, thinking I might be failing to accomplish something important like pre-washing bottles and baby clothes (which I don't even own yet).

But no. She had much better - much saner - advice. Go out to dinner. Take care of yourself. Have adventures. That's been spinning around in my mind all week. So I booked a weekend away to our beloved Portland, ME, and I've also put together a short mental list of local stuff I'd love to do, like going back to the Gardner and trying this fun looking new spot.

That advice really works for almost all of us, no matter what our lives look like at the moment, right? The dusty house will wait, but we need to make space to enjoy the fleeting blooms on the trees.

Dressing for Early Pregnancy

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This post should really be called "dressing for early pregnancy if you want to hide it." I waited until about the midway point to share the news with my office, and while I didn't have too much to hide, a burgeoning bump was becoming more obvious in tight clothing. 

I know some people don't mind showcasing their belly's more prominently (and on the weekends and at home, I'm the same - yay for cute baby bumps!), but at work, I'd rather keep things more under wraps, so to speak, even though it's no longer a secret. (I'm totally aware that these days are numbered!)

These kinds of clothes are my staples - especially shirts like the one on the top left. It's seems counter-intuitive to draw attention to your waist with a drawstring or belt, but it creates a powerful illusion, especially since the bump will be quite low early on (at least for me!). My work uniform since November has been skinny black pants, a long sleeveless shirt, and a long cardigan/open sweater/blazer, with a scarf and/or big necklace. 

This is slightly embarrassing to admit, but I've been surprised by the level of vanity I've displayed in the few months. I had been the same size for the last ten years or so, and it's been strange to have clothes look and feel dramatically different in a relatively short amount of time. I don't have any advice to offer, but I thought I'd share since it wasn't something I was prepared for (you're probably all much better adjusted than I am :)

And now that I have this (kind of) figured out, I'll probably need to change up my tactic for the last few months! There's certainly a lesson in that...

Half Bath Mini-Makeover

Yay, a completed mini-makeover to share! Over the weekend we painted the entryway (still being set up, but pictures coming soon!). There was half a gallon of that pretty green paint left, so I couldn't help but add the half bath to the list, too.

I did have grand plans to go with a cute stripe in here, but laziness won out. Maybe in a few years when everything else in the house is done / adorable (HA!), I'll have the motivation to tackle more creative things. But for now, this feels like a big victory - one (itty bitty) room in our house is now looking a-okay.

The before shots above are actually better than what I was starting out with because there were two truly horrible bathroom cabinets over the toilet and sink. You can see the creepy shadows on the walls where they once were. Since we have a full bath upstairs with storage aplenty, I was fine with getting rid of those cabinets down here, and there's still some storage under the sink for my blow dryer and cleaning supplies. 

This room was clearly a blank slate, and we certainly won't be don't anything major to it in terms of renovations. But if I had been the one designing this bath, I would have gone with pedestal sink to free up some real estate - it's a very narrow room. And for the love of Nancy, I would have centered the toilet on the wall (!!!).

I've tried to counteract that left-leaning toilet by centering the art work above it (obviously), but also adding a free-standing toilet paper thingy-majig and putting the tissues in the middle, too. It helps a little? If anyone has any additional brilliant ideas, I would love to hear!

Walls + Windows

Last week we turned a bit of a corner in the renovation. Instead of just pulling (wrong) things apart, they started putting things back together again. It's incredibly satisfying to see some progress! Our new front windows were installed, the outside walls were put back on, and the roof was added. I think (hope!) that this week, the sliding glass doors will finally be coming down!

Because of all that progress, we got to do a bit of shopping for fun stuff over the weekend. We're going to have the entryway tiled. I initially was thinking slate - I like the look of it, and feel like it's sort of timeless. But our contractor told us that it requires a pretty toxic sealant on it that gives off dangerous gas for quite a while. He pushed us to think about a matte porcelain instead. I found this one online, so we went to the store over the weekend to take a sample home. I actually don't understand if it's ceramic or porcelain based on the name, but I'm hoping it's good. I think it has the feel of slate, but a bit lighter and more yellow (though that doesn't really come through in this picture).

We also got to pick out a new exterior door (our current one isn't weather-proofed!). I think we're leaning toward this one. I think it fits well with the Dutch colonial style of house - it's sort of modern barn-ish, right? I might be thinking about this too much, haha. This is what we're thinking about for the door between the entry and the hallway - just light and airy, but something we could close off if we wanted to.

That's all the progress on the home front! I hope I'll be able to check in again soon with something a bit more exciting :)

Loving Lately

There's kind of a sub-genre of historical fiction geared toward women that starts with "the" at the moment (Exhibit A and B). Strange, no? The latest I've read in this category is The Chaperone. In the summer of 1922, a soon-to-be starlet and her middle-aged chaperone trapeze around New York. I developed great affection for the heroine (and a mixed bag of emotions for the complicated Louise Brooks). This is a good book to ease you into more serious reading for fall :)

I seriously can't believe I haven't shared my love of Fringe here before, because it's been going strong for months. We are currently wrapping up the fourth season, and I'm eagerly awaiting the fifth on Netflix. If you liked Lost and X Files, I think you'll enjoy this one, too. Plus, PACEY WITTER!!!

I've never purchased address labels before because my apartments always felt so temporary (even though I lived in some for years!). Now that we're more settled with the house, I want one of these brilliant self-inking stamps. (I always strategically put something in here that I want you all to encourage me to buy. I totally need this, right?!?)

A few other things I'm excited about:

• Do you all follow New Yorker writer David Grann on twitter? He posts the very best stuff. 
• As soon as my front steps are no longer in the midst of a construction zone, I want mums and polka dot pumpkins. 
• Next weekend, I want attempt these button-up window shades for the back porch. Right on schedule, I'm ready to sew again!

Loving Lately

Great cover art, no? And the rest of this slim little book is just as lovely.

I'm sort of a kill-joy when it comes to raunchy cartoons geared at adults. Bob's Burgers, though, is hilarious and touching. Indeed, Bob and Linda were recently named TV parents of the year by Vulture :) First two seasons are on netflix instant!

I consider myself to be a bit of a snack food afficionado. Chocolate covered chips, milk toffee popcorn, aged gouda, flax seed gluten free crackers, hummus of all types, olives stuffed with blue cheese - I could go on and on about snacks I know and love. These cheddar & horseradish chips from Trader Joes are my latest, greatest discover. They were SO POPULAR that my Trader Joes sold out of them last week (I was buying at least two bags a week to let TJ's know that they were a much loved new product, so I apologize for contributing to the shortage!). Have no fear, management assured me they will be restocked asap.  

I wanted some sturdy, cute new sandals, and these thongs from Saltwater fit the bill. (Why are sturdy, cute sandals so hard to find?!)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!! We're meeting my family in Connecticut tonight to celebrate my sister's birthday, and then going to see GARRISON tomorrow night at Tanglewood; be still my NPR loving heart.



Mitchell Gold Pop-up Store

Just a little PSA if you're in the Boston area - there's a great Mitchell Gold pop-up store in the South End right now through the end of the month. Gorgeous lamps for under $100, deeply discounted couches, chairs, rugs, and pillows galore. These babies were originally $140 each (!!!) and they were on sale for $35.

(P.S. Imagine my couch moved over a few inches so that it's, you know, centered under the window...)

Made it to the good part

(Please take note of the water temp - Peter still went in!)

(The couple that wears Lilly bathing suites together, stays awesome together. And yes, I have a window in my shower...)

I feel like shouting out in my loudest blogging voice, "Summer is here! We made it to the good part!" Around this time each year, I can't shake the feeling that we are right on the cusp of everything fun. Dark and stormies, Tanglewood concerts, fireworks, open windows, too many burgers, a long list of great things to read, action movies inside icy theaters, a new batch of ice cream churning every Sunday. Perfection, all of it.

The car has been christened with its first dusting of sand. Yesterday we went to Crane for the first time this season. It was windy and hot and glorious. We walked out to the far right of the beach, all the way to the tip, and I tried to soak it all in. Days like yesterday are what I think about in January when I'm freezing and it's dark outside at 5:00 p.m.

After the beach we stopped at Russell Orchards, where I bought literally everything they had on offer - a leafy head of Romaine, long, green scallions, cute pink and purple radishes, and two cider donuts. For dinner, Peter grilled turkey burgers and whisked together a sage aioli to go on top, and I used some of the scallions in a sweet potato salad. Then there was lemon ice cream and catching up on Game of Thrones while a storm rolled in, making the curtains in the living room blow around wildy, and do you see what I mean?

Perfection, all of it.

Springy Stuff I Want to Buy

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Happy Monday, friends!

Here are a few springy items on my wish list. Sometimes you just need do a little fake shopping, no? I actually did buy the top - Real Simple declared it the best striped shirt, and when Martha speaks, I listen. And I spent this gorgeous weekend inside, working on my final paper for my children's literature class, so I felt like I needed a prize for that. Ha! Maybe the bag will be my prize when I get my final grade? I think I could potentially drag this out for a while...

P.S. You know you live in Boston when your spring wish list includes a jacket, scarf, and pants!

Loving Lately

Mad Men has happily been welcomed back in our lives, but if you're looking for an additional period drama in your rotation, I highly recomend The Hour. There are only two short seasons (it was tragically cancelled, with major cliffhangers!), but it's absolutely still worth a viewing. Inconventiently, it's not on Netflix instant, so I rented it out from the library.

In October, I could have bought an adorable pair of boat shoes just like these for $25. I am still kicking myself for passing them up! These are still reasonable - I might have to go for it.

I am in travel research-mode these days because next week, we're heading down to Savannah and Charleston! We're going to be celebrating Peter's 30th birthday on Monday at this fun looking spot, and have a few other restaurants on our to-try list. But the rest of the itinerary is pretty open, and I know a lot of you have travelled to these cute cities lately. If you have anything to recommend, I'd love to hear!

A few other tidbits:

• Lois Lowry's Newbury acceptance speech for The Giver
• Ashley's selling a bunch of great furniture this week on her blog!
• And lastly, a moment of hot pink appreciation for Lilly Pulitzer

Hope you all have a lovely week!

Children's Lit Favorites, and Being a Student Again

1. The Amazing Bone; 2. The Girl Who Spun Gold; 3. Locomotion; 4. Grandfather's Journey; 5. Extra Yarn; 6. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

I mentioned before that I'm taking a course in children's literature at the college where I work. Higher Ed has lots of perks - not lots of money, but time off, a nice pace to the days, and the gift of working in an intellectual environment. Also, free classes!

I haven't been an official student since I graduated from college in 2006. And while I write and edit all the live long day, but that's very different than literary critique. We do things like think about Little Red Riding Hood from a feminist perspective, and examine the use of triangles in picture book illustrations. It's nerve-wracking and exciting to use my brain in this new way.

As an undergraduate, I was always a good student, but I remember it being a bit of game to see how little I could get away with doing and how quickly I could complete a decent assignment. Now I want to swim inside my reading assignments; mull over how to make my transitions strong but compact for my next paper. And I see elements of my class all over the place, like beer bottles or in Talk of the Town.

The class about a third of the way finished now, and I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite books from our reading list so far. We're doing many of the classics, too, but I skipped those in favor of newer or more obscure books that might be new to you (they all were to me!). Of the ones listed above, Locomotion is my absolute favorite. It is a stunning novel, written in verse, from the perspective of 11 year-old Lonnie. He's a character who stays with you, in the best possible way.

I'll try to remember to check in again at the end of the semester with more recs - we still have historical fiction, fantasy, and YA to cover!

Loving Lately

I picked up this striped t-shirt at J.Crew on super sale after Christmas, and I wear it all the time (do you wear something to death when you first get it? I'm guilty). It has such soft fabric, it's light enough for layering, and it's long - I can't stand short shirts! Just sharing in case you need a few more stripes in your life :)

Sarah and Katie both rave about this show, and I trust their taste completely. I picked up season one at the library over Christmas vacation, and absolutely adore Laura and Dorcas and the whole Lark Rise/Candleford gang. It also features Mr. Bates!

My girlfriend Ashley, who is a genius at all things house-hold related, recommended this cordless iron a while back on her blog. I was thrilled to receive one of my own for Christmas. This is embarrassing to say, but it really does make ironing a lot more fun. 

And a few fun links:

• Perfect Valentine's Day dessert
• Out to Lunch with Sterling Lord
• On my nightstand

P.S. Thank you for weighing in on the boot dilemma of 2012. I went with these, in case your curious!