Pink Holidaze

Juniorbeads!

2013-05-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, while we're talking products I love. Chewbeads. Yeah, yeah. You know I love them. But, UMM, now they have "juniorbeads" - necklaces and bracelets for kiddos. They are stinking adorable and they have glow in the dark options. Thinking my nieces (and Eloise when she's a little older) need these asap.

(p.s. Breakaway clasp - really works. Tested by Eloise just last week. :)

{All photos from Chewbeads.com}

A Minted kind of Mother's Day!

2013-04-30T23:50:00.000-05:00

So, I guess wanting to post more and actually posting are two different things, huh? :)

So, I'll post now on a deal and something fun...PAPER. Yup. My favorite.

I was super excited about pairing up with Minted to offer you all some really fun ideas for Mother's Day gifts. And gifts they have o'plenty. They've allowed me to try out some of their personalized stationery, which I've been dying to get for a long while now. It seriously took me forever to decide which design to pick. They offer an incredible selection and a whole lot of options for Mother's Day, including personalized stationery, prints, and journals. Plus, they're offering 10% off their stationery and journals right now (code: MOTHERS10).

Above was my pick. I chose the "Pink Blossoms Stationery" with the curved frame shape (love the shapes). I thought, let's go monogram this time. :) It is loverly. Minted can do no wrong. I know write about them often, but they're paper is wonderful quality and the printing is exceptional. And they're easy to work with. You can also tell actual designers do the work, because things that look uneven or odd in your proof will be beautiful in the finished product.

And a few ideas for each style of your mom, mom-figure, mom friends, moms-to-bes, amazing friends (click on photos for links!)....

CLASSIC:

PEPPY:

NATURAL:

Happy shopping, friends!! And thanks to Minted!!

Hi, hello.

2013-04-08T00:40:00.000-05:00

Well, almost 2.5 months without blogging. Things I have learned about not blogging for a long while. A. I miss it. B. You get a lot of spam when you're away. Anyway, for some reason I feel like we're on that downhill part of a roller coaster, and it's going just a little fast. We kind of are, I guess. Two rotations have come and gone (almost) since my last post - family medicine and psychiatry, to be exact. I have completed and presented my Master's Project (such a relief). And as of this coming Friday, only ONE rotation left and then a two-month preceptorship through the summer. (With a two-week break in the middle!!!) Graduation date: August 3rd. Then, boards. Then, off to work. And, for those of you wondering, we will now officially be staying in Carbondale at least another year. Zach will continue to apply to PA schools and I will begin working. I'm planning to work in family medicine (my favorite - ER takes a very close second). I know I will be working, and that will bring its own challenges - I don't want to just work, I want to do a good job - but I look forward to being out of school. I don't know how I'll react when I'm done. Maybe I'll just cry for days out of relief.

So, what to post about here. I was thinking my favorite random things recently? I know I should be studying. Or sleeping before clinic, but I want to post and I'm very much awake. And I've been avoiding studying anyways. Proudly, though, I have in fact been getting 7- 8 hours a night consistently for weeks (ruining that tonight). This is a BIG feat for me. I've been getting sick way too often, so I decided it was time. So, without further ado...

1) This Laura Mercier foundation - love Bobbi Brown, but it wasn't available where I was. Decided on this. A little drier than I'm used to, but I think maybe it lasts a long time because of this, and maybe it will be good just for summer. We'll see how it stacks up to Bobbi long-term.

2) These pants from Gap. Hallelujah! Someone asked me if I lost weight when I wore these - no, in fact I have gained a few, but thank you very much and I will promptly order more. The ankle (I'm 5'2" ish) is long enough that I have to wear a wedge or my clogs (yes, I've resorted to clogs), which I prefer. Part of the whole illusion of length business.

3) This ipad mini cover. It is sturdy and pretty and has a clasp close. I tried the smart cover. I am not that delicate with tech-y things. It will not work. This one also matches my planner. The end.

4) The Mindy Project. I laugh until I almost cry every episode. So hilarious.

5) Eloise and Lucy. This is Lucy (excep not "twins" as below). My parents got "Wucy" for her birthday, and at first she screamed when she saw her. And now they're the best little friends, and Wucy goes to bed with Eloise and she's the first thing E grabs when she wakes up. She also attends school at times. She eats breakfast with the other kids. E has been quite kind to Wucy, allowing her to wear clothes for days now. This was a no-no according to Eloise just weeks ago. Also, this doll has hair. Eloise is VERY into hair. And, for those of you who may know, my American Girl dolls were really special to me. It makes me happy to see her love her doll so much. And watching a two-year old rock a baby is so, so sweet.

5) My watch. I wear a watch now. I've become a full-fledged adult. It is necessary now. I need to check pulses and such. And it seems unprofessional to not have one? And my watch also has the date on it. I'm surprised that I now feel bare without it. {I also like this pink one}. Sadly, KS product I'm not so happy with is my "perfect" bag...it has begun peeling, so I'm in process of returning. Sad face. Looking to other bags for replacement. Suggestions?

I'm going to try to post more soon. But I make no promises.

Birday partee!!

2013-01-28T20:52:00.000-06:00

Had a small family birthday party for Ellie on Saturday. She woke up that day and knew from the decorations that we were celebrating. And she had a lot of fun. Two sets of grandparents in one place...yes, please. She got that table and chair set below from Zach's parents and refused to get up, hence the reason she is in it in almost all of the pics. My brother literally carried her in it to the dining room. And the girl likes cake. The next morning, the first thing she asked for was more cake. Naturally.

{p.s. Used this link to make tablecloth. Most products from Shop Sweet Lulu or Target. My mom made the lovely cake and toppers. And the invite is from Paper by Paperless post (you can pay a few dollars to receive a paper copy of your evite, which is fun)}.

Pretty, pretty.

2013-01-24T22:14:00.000-06:00

You know how I've fallen in love with my new bag? Well, I'm still pretty obsessed with it. It's been the perfect bag for clinic, motherhood, and in general. But, if you happen to be looking for something a little smaller and still incredibly adorable, you should take a peek at the first two bags. I LOVE that iPad bag...and I'm still totally amazed by how gorgeous these colors are. That last bag...I just threw that in because it's gorgeous. :)

{Kate Spade - Clarke, Jordan, and Tamera}

How we celebrated.

2013-01-22T23:01:00.001-06:00

How we celebrated her day.

It was fun to get everything ready for a little birthday breakfast the night before. We put balloons in her room to wake up to.

My expectations: wake up to daughter in monitor squealing in delight when she sees balloons. Reality: She kind of noticed they were there.

The number balloons are HUGE. Holy cow. It barely fits in the doorway.

{Party City, btw...thanks, Mayumi!}

Birthday pancakes. No need to blow out the candles before eating.

Absolute delight when singing Happy Birthday to her. That was fun. I love her smile in that picture. She also really liked these milk bottles {Shop Sweet Lulu} to drink from. So did her shirt.

Spent some time with my dad and the chickens. "I wike chickens," she told him.

Then, opening gifts. She was a little confused whether it was Christmas or her birthday. She also requested to watch "Elmo Saves Christmas." And we did. Because it was her birthday, and because you will never have to convince me to watch a Christmas movie. Her favorite gift: A really loud pull-along plastic phone (not the one below) she picked out at Target. I just stepped on it...it's really loud. But she loves it.

Then we got ready and went to dinner and ate one of her favorite foods...spaghetti. She ate a lot of it. To the point where we had to take it away.

And then, the celebration continued into today. Cupcakes at daycare. And my favorite...her carrying her balloons absolutely everywhere she goes.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Eloise Anne!

2013-01-21T14:45:00.002-06:00

Today. Your 2nd Birthday.

Wow. Just two years ago right now we were in the hospital, after what seemed like years of waiting for you. I was in labor, and just about three hours away from your arrival. And then the world changed, in the best of ways. Miss Eloise, you have continually been the greatest joy and the most amazing blessing to us. Our love for you is as deep as the ocean, as wide as the world is round. Vast beyond measure, and only growing. It's a visceral, gut-wrenching love. No matter what you do, this will never, ever change. You have given me the tiniest glimpse into the intensity of God's love for us, and for that I'm so thankful.

I've seen this quote around...I have no idea where it came from (I should look that up), but it says, "You are our greatest adventure." That's so true. Nothing compares. You are so fun and such a delight. And currently, such a pistol. Even in your crabbiest moments, you're still entertaining. So, I will tell you a few things about yourself at this age to look back on.

You continue to talk a lot. It's very entertaining. You narrate most details of your day. Your verbal skills have definitely developed quickly (apparently gross motor wasn't your thing :), and you make sure to use new words as often as possible. You've been speaking more in sentences, expressing your wants and needs. This is wonderful, now knowing what you want. Also a little hard, because sometimes just because you say you want it and please does not mean you will get it (a lesson that fundamentally takes years to understand). Favorite phrases include, "I want a nana," "I need that," "I wike it," "I no wike it." You get the jist.

There's also a lot of singing involved in life these days, especially action songs, as your daycare calls them. Top of the list includes Monkeys on the bed, Old MacDonald, Wheels on the bus, Farmer in the Dell, ABCs and so many more. I must get more on video. Some of these songs can distract you from even your worst tantrums. And you love the motions to go along with them. Notably Monkeys on the bed and Wheels on the bus).

Other things you like include baking in your kitchen, taking care of your baby dolls, reading massive amounts of books (you love the Nutcracker right now for some reason), dressing up (princess dresses mostly and your fireman hat), and still dancing. That has never stopped. Have music, will dance. And play the triangle. Yeah, you rock that triangle. You wake up each morning happy, usually jumping up and down in your crib, yelling "boing, boing." Then you typically ask for breakfast, which you still call "dinder." Favorite dinder - cereal and milk. Then, when you get out of your crib and say, "walking, walking, walking...c'mon, c'mon," while you walk us to the living room to play.

I'm amazed at how much your personality has developed. Your sense of humor is already apparent. Goofy is probably one of the best words to describe you. Silly all around. Which is pretty darn fun. You're also pretty stubborn and strong-headed. We're learning how to discipline you and that's our biggest challenge right now. How to help you develop without squashing you, but without letting you run wild.

It's pure joy to be called your mama. Love you, little one. I can't wait to see what this next year holds for you. :)

Love, Your Mom

Simple and chic monograms.

2013-01-20T19:58:00.002-06:00

I've fallen a little in love with all of these classic monogram Mark & Graham pieces. Simple and pretty. That is all. Signet rings and the Lia necklace are probably my favs. And maybe this, too (monogram + name of babes).

To the new year...

2013-01-13T21:26:00.000-06:00

I've been wanting to write a post about life. Because I haven't written a real post that involves more than a few words in a long while. But every time I want to, I find myself kind of exhausted and burnt. Wanting to write, but feeling a bit at a loss. So, I'm going to try. And I warn you, it may not flow.

I've been sick this weekend. The consequences of encountering a whole lot of people with pneumonia and other bugs recently. And I've been a total baby about it. I know it. I know this because I've spent the past week and a half seeing actual sick people in the hospital. People who can barely breathe anymore. People who are having to decide if they want to go on Hospice or continue treatment. Not all patients are like this, but many. It's incredibly sad. I can't think about it too much or it makes me sick to my stomach. I enjoy the hospital environment, but spending more than a rotation (or two - geriatrics still to come) there might be a little much for me (much respect for those in internal medicine). And despite this dose of perspective, I find myself being a baby. I hate what little free time I have being taken up by sickness. It makes me cry. There's so little time for Eloise and Zach already. But, weirdly enough, despite the ickiness, the weekend ended up being the most relaxing one in a long while. I guess that's what being sick will do to you. We stayed at home and I slept a lot in hopes of repairing more quickly. I even napped. So, in ways it was bittersweet. And now, back to clinic tomorrow. And here's to hoping I feel better in the morning.

It has finally almost hit me that graduation will be in 6.5 months. Holy cow. That means in about 7 months (post-boards), I will be a practicing PA. And that is scary. Things are beginning to come together more now that I'm in rotations, but medicine is like this great vast pit that you can never, ever get to the bottom of. I swear. I've been told by many that one of the best things to learn in school is how to learn. Because treatments will change, medicine will progress. And there's a need to progress with it. To learn from current research. But, I'm also learning that despite all the facts and medications I'm being taught, which are incredibly important, one of the most vital parts of medicine is to learn to listen. Patients are dying to be listened to. For diagnosis, for treatment, for piece of mind. I've been amazed by the power of the white coat (even the short one I wear - short says "I'm a student," fyi) and the amount of trust it gives you. I don't take it lightly now, and hope I never will. So, despite the fact that school still feels hard, that I still miss my little one like crazy each day, I'm really going to try to embrace these next six and half months (okay, maybe after I'm feeling better :) of learning. Taking that trust seriously, and being incredibly thankful that Jesus is on my side in all of this. Because, He knows, oh, He knows, that there is no way on His green earth that I would have made it this far in school without Him. I'm overwhelmed by that. SIX years ago I decided to do this. And about 5.5 years ago I began taking classes towards this end goal. And it's almost over. It happened! Do you know what? I never believed that it would actually come to fruition. So, it really must be Jesus. This process has drained me a lot and I feel so not like myself at times, but I'm thankful that what I think is the hardest part is soon coming to an end. That although new stresses I'm sure will come, that I will never have to go to school again. That is so glorious. And in seven short (I'm starting to think they might feel short) months, I will be able to look back and be so thankful for what God has done and taught me. So, I'd like to devote a little more of this year to the art of thankfulness rather than complaining. To look at the positives rather than the negatives. In life circumstances, I'm not so good at this. And I desperately want that to change. So, here's to 2013. My year of graduation. And a year of thankfulness. Oh, yes. And the year my sweet little baby (not so baby) turns TWO. My word.

See, I told you it wouldn't flow. :) Love you, friends.

Blinded by the light.

2013-01-03T21:45:00.000-06:00

Have you guys SEEN the new light collection Young House Love is doing for Shades of Light? Holy cow. I love them all. Each and every one. They're all under $100, too. Impressive.

Perfect bag.

2013-01-01T23:35:00.001-06:00

So, you know when you find that perfect bag, and you're like, myyy this is glorious. Yeah? I found one. Got it for Christmas (okay, maybe I asked for it early...). Anyways, I'm in love. It's fun and green. It's made of pretty, soft leather. And it has a removable cross-body strap. Necessary with toddler, but happily removable for a date night. It also has this fun zip pocket that holds an iPad or notebook. And closes with a simple flap.

Name? Kate Spade Little Minka (some colors on sale). I don't believe this color is out anymore, but they now have the brightest pink and a lovely mint color!

Minted Inspiration Boards!

2012-12-29T10:33:00.003-06:00

Hi, all! Just wanted to introduce you guys to something fun from Minted. They've added an inspiration board feature to their site where you can create you own wedding (or party!) board based around their great selection of invitations and save the dates. You can also browse boards that were already created for inspiration. Annnd, you can participate in their inspiration board challenge, which means you can win some awesome prizes (they're giving away $200 a week and a $1,000 in Minted credit). Here's one of my favorite boards below (Love the gold. And that dress. I'm obsessed)!

Vintage Glam board by Erica Miller. See more Minted

Concrete Jungle Christmas.

2012-12-27T22:20:00.000-06:00

N.Y.C.

We had a blast in New York last week. Zach and I had never been together and it was E's first trip! It was a quick one, after a very long drive (yes, we drove :), but totally worth it. I'm pretty sure there were a few times in the car when we all felt like screaming, but we made it in one piece. And Christmas was all around us, which I loved (no surprise there). We got a great deal for a hotel literally across the street from Rock Center, and ended up in a room (tiny room) with an absolutely incredible view. It was called The Jewel of New York (got our room on Priceline)...highly recommend. Anyways, staying close to everything made being there with a toddler ten times easier, and more fun when we turned in a little earlier than we might have normally. And we were able to walk almost everywhere. Eloise loved looking around and at one point exclaimed, "Exciting! Exciting!" :) On the way back, we were able to stop in Pittsburgh and enjoy really refreshing time with friends.

Eloise enjoying the view from our room.

Rockefeller Center.

The loveliest tree.

Central Park walking.

Like a queen riding in her stroller.

Taxi time.

Times Square.

Visiting in the Burgh.

Snow and my boots.

2012-12-27T21:23:00.000-06:00

SNOW, SNOOW, SNOOOW, SNOOOOWWW... {name that tune.}

Loving the Christmas-y feel after Christmas. Eloise has enjoyed it as well.

And here are my new bright red boots I got for Christmas. Just in time for the weather. Turns out I needed kids sizing in the Hunters all along. Enjoying them fully. Oh, and the liners - pretty much awesome.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can!

2012-12-26T12:18:00.001-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great time celebrating with my family on Christmas Eve and Zach's family on Christmas day. {And, we woke up to inches of snow this morning. So pretty.} This year Eloise was really able to enjoy the festivities and it was so fun to see her open gifts and play with them. She received her little toy kitchen on Christmas Eve and has become a little obsessed. It's SO cute and makes me so happy. She takes it very seriously. So far, she bakes mostly "birday cake" (cupcakes) over and over again, saying "Birday cake, I wike birday cake." It's pretty entertaining. Other favorites included a cradle for her babies, an Elmo drum set (hilarious to see her play), and lots of other little toys and books (lots of kitchen accessories). My favorite of her gifts...the mega-sorter we bought to try to minimize the damage afterwards. Haha.

Merry, merry.

2012-12-25T23:43:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas to you and yours...hope you all had a wonderful day! And best wishes for the new year (although I hope to get in a few posts before then :).

Christmas in NYC.

2012-12-12T22:05:00.003-06:00

In just five days, I'll be looking at THIS tree. So happy.

New York, I can't wait. Sweet Christmas-ness.

Awesome-sauce lip stain/balm.

2012-12-09T23:58:00.001-06:00

I've been wanting to get a Clinique chubby stick ever since I tried my cousin's earlier this fall and really liked it, but I have been trying to be responsible with my makeup purchases and hoped to find something similar. And similar I found the other day. It's called Revlon Color Stay Just Bitten Lip Balm. It's definitely a balm, with a little mintiness to it, and with lots of color. Like, to the point where I thought it was going to be sheer and thought 'whoa.' You only need two coats for vibrant color. And then it lasts like 5 hours as a stain. Your lips may feel a little dry, but the color stays forever. Awesome for going to clinic, so I feel at least a little more put together (Instead of like the other day, when I had blood on my face for like an hour. It was during a surgery, I promise. Yeeeep.) Anyways, you all should get some. It's super easy to carry around and $8 a pop. I'm wearing "Sweetheart" in the photo above. It's actually a little brighter in person than it appears here.

15% off gifts at Layla Grace!

2012-12-08T11:30:00.000-06:00

Yet another affiliate deal for this holiday season as you all finish up gift shopping (or start :). 15% off gifts at Layla Grayce using the code "merry." There are quite a few gift ideas on their site, but these are some of my favorites. You can link to any of the products by clicking on the photos! And, I know, I can't help including blabla dolls. They're just too cute. And, I included that crown for those who asked about Eloise's birthday crown. Not exactly the same, but pretty close! Enjoy!

Decking the halls...

2012-12-07T20:25:00.002-06:00

We've been decking the halls here at home. So exciting. Oh, how much I heart Christmas.

Our Minted Calendar! And why they're awesome.

2012-12-05T21:22:00.001-06:00

Last week Minted offered to let me try out one of their awesome photo calendars, and no hesitation....I promptly took them up on the offer. Not only do I LOVE Minted products (see proof here), but I've always wanted to order a photo calendar and just haven't ever made one. So, I received the calendar last night and the quality does not disappoint. They recently updated to a new matte paper, and one that's super thick. So, not only does the design look super luxurious, but it's easy to write on compared to some other calendars. And, there's enough room to write in the squares. I know that sounds silly, but so many calendars don't have enough room for events. Here are a few shots to show you how it turned out and more details below...

I chose the "Glittering Confetti Grand Calendar" and absolutely love it. The colors and calligraphy make me smile. I was wondering how the design would show considering it's somewhat simple, but it stands out so well against the paper quality and almost looks three-dimensional. Another fear of mine is that I didn't have photos to use that were high-quality enough for some months (I use my iphone for almost everything!). So, I ended up using some instagram photos, and those pages turned out really well!

The calendars are available in quite a few designs, and two sizes. The Grand is pretty large and awesome for a kitchen wall or office.

And, while you're here...a few of my favorite of their other gift ideas right now.

This one, it's my absolute favorite and I seriously want one to put on our wall.

Awesome, adorable art prints...framed or unframed. Perfect for a friend and great for a kid's room.

And some classic (or funky) personalized stationery for your paper-loving friend, especially in the new triple-thick paper. A great gift for newly marrieds or new graduates.

Free address printing on Minted!

2012-12-04T21:54:00.004-06:00

So, a good, good deal on Minted.com! FREE address printing. That means that you buy your cards, give them your addresses, and they do that work for you, then ship them to you to stamp and send out. Bam. Holy cow. That's pretty awesome. And it's free. So, if that is a worry for you time-wise, this is a great option! Plus, the cards are all cute. :)

p.s. I'll be featuring some fun Minted products on the blog tomorrow, too!

Gift ideas for women under $75...

2012-12-03T22:24:00.003-06:00

Some fun and impractical gift ideas for the sister/mom/daughter/friend under $75...

Kendra Scott Elles (Never a bad gift idea)

Anthropologie Wee Initial Rings

PB Alphabet Mugs

Personalized West Elm Makeup Bag

ANY of the Madewell City Storyteller Scarves (I still want one of these badly.)

Kate Spade Idiom Necklace

Adorable Dabney Lee Personalized Cell Phone Case Holepunch

Domino book of Decorating

Okay, and a two classic gifts that exceed the limit but are totally reliable...

J. Crew Mini Brompton Hobo

J.Crew Classic Pave link bracelet

Bunny hop.

2012-12-02T00:27:00.001-06:00

Some weird part of me is obsessed with these rabbit ornaments from Anthro. They're just so...cute.

I think they might be kind of adorable hanging off a gift.

{Bunny Ornaments from Anthropologie}

And now I want more pink.

2012-11-30T14:57:00.001-06:00

Why I now definitely, positively want pink curtains in our family room. {I need this to happen} Specifically, the fabric below (dangerously available and not ridiculously priced). And why I now want to paint more rooms pink (that part won't happen - our kitchen is already pink). I thank Katie, who sent me the link to this house. :) I can just see these pink curtains, all sidled up to our Christmas tree, brightening up the room.

Despite the fact that I absolutely love white furniture and whites and grays and burlaps and wood and all things simple and modern and country all the same, it turns out I can never seem to resist color and pattern. I want things to be so perfect and matching. But I have given into the fact that my house will naturally always look as if a 5-year old little girl came in and threw up her most favorite possessions and colors all in one room. Which is what is happening now. I can see it now before my eyes. For example - on my coffee table - my favorite classic blue serving bowl, filled with classic-colored felt pinecones (Parents of toddlers, don't fill bowls with ornaments. Bad things will happen. Trust me.), then added to silver tinsel and hot pink puffy pom-poms? What?! Yeah. Oh, well.

And on that note, glorious pictures of that beautiful pink-ness of a house, all from Young House Love {post here}. I also like the owner's blog, where she talks about her inspiration and art, and where she got the colors for her walls.