wearing lately: summer prep

Okay, it's barely even spring weather here yet, but I have my reasons for summer dreamin': being cooped up because of my lack of mobility - going on week 3 of at least 4 of being in a boot for a stress fracture) is really starting to get to me - and it's going to be a slow recovery even when the boot is done. But if I put in the careful work, but summer I'll be running free!! Not to mention wearing my regular shoes again, rather than the boot + the right shoe from this kinda silly pair of platform high-tops that I had to buy in order to even out my gait. Gah!

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Also, having been pregnant last summer, I'm kind of looking forward to the return to regular wardrobe possibilities for the season... not to mention that our Covid-cautious life has a lot more possibilities when outdoor weather is back. Ahh, can't wait! And thus I *may* have placed some online orders in anticipation of and preparation for everything, as you can see above.

I've been Instagram influenced on a couple of things... hoping that the ubiquitous nap dress will be as cute in person as it is on everyone I've seen - loving the idea of being able to wear something with this more fit-and-flare silhouette this summer rather than the sheaths or muumuus of pregnancy last summer, so fingers crossed. (If you're feeling tempted to try it to, do it via this link for 20% off!) Could be adorable with a denim jacket for dressing down, and much as I love the one I've had for a zillion years, I'm excited about pulling out this lighter colored one too.

Also influenced to go all-in on Birkenstocks this year - I loved my rubber ones last summer, but now adding the "fancier" pair to my collection after seeing them looking so cute on a few people. Love the copper color, especially with some of the browns I've been gravitating toward lately, like this tank - all so cute and easy with a pair of pull-on linen shorts, and a cute initial baseball cap (really want my own to go with Hendrik and Freddie in theirs!)

And then finally, no maternity bathing suit needed this year, but I am back into the territory of needing good stay-put coverage as by beach time I'll probably have a crawling baby to chase across the sand! Not to mention that he likes grabbing at all parts of me, so if I've got him in the water I definitely want something that is not pull-down-able. Love this type of high-neck top + a high-ish waist bottom, and the fabric is great too, so nice and smooth.

What are you getting excited to wear?!

Sharing on Trend Spin.

5 things Friday: summer supplies edition

Last day of school for Hendrik! The whole last week feels like kind of a throw-away in terms of education, but hey, at least he's out of the house. Because much as summer is fun, I admit I'm not quite ready for the work/summer break juggle and having a kid home all the time... So this summer we're planning on some general morning routines with going for a walk then workbook/chores/extra screen time for him (and work for me), and then sometimes going to various camps in the afternoon - but also making sure to plan some special outings and activities to enjoy summer together - and to enjoy some last hurrahs of his long reign as only child! In that spirit, I decided to stock up on some summer supplies for keeping him occupied, and to add a little fun to his vacation time too:

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Hendrik is probably way more excited about a summer workbook than your average kid, so it's easy for us to implement this in a morning routine. Combined with some typing practice (which he hates but really needs to do), it'll give us both some regular quiet time. He also has a Kiwi Crate subscription thanks to my mom, and I've been stashing away the boxes for the last couple of months while he's busy with school, so these can get pulled out for a literal or figurative rainy day this summer and keep him busy mostly on his own when I need to do other things.

Then a few goodies for hot days: a new insulated water bottle to take to tennis lessons and bike camp, or on an outing to the beach on a hot day, of course! Some freeze pops are a little summer treat that I feel fine about him eating daily, and he'll just think is the best thing ever to get a bonus dessert type thing in the middle of the day. And then I saw these water gun/squirter thingies on some summer recommendations post somewhere and decided to try them from Amazon - thought they would be a little something fun for the beach when he wants to get into the cold lake but I don't....

And to mark the occasion of his last day of 2nd grade, I decided to put together a little package of goodies to surprise him with when he gets home - the water bottle and workbook will be in it, along with a new book and some scented pens and a graph paper notebook (he will go gaga for these). And when I pick him up from his 1/2 day we'll do a little picnic outing together - I've got an actual Lunchable for him, which is going to blow. his. mind. Nice to have an excuse to shower him with a few special things after being resilient through a weird year (plus my recent pregnancy hormonal self who has not always gotten along so well with his 7-year-old antics in the last couple of months...).

How are you celebrating (or bemoaning?) the end of the school year?

wearing lately: easy summer favorites

We're solidly in summer territory here - maybe even beyond it for my area, where we're supposed to be reaching about 90 every day this week. Combine that with working from home in a 130+ year old house whose hvac system isn't its greatest asset, and it's too hot to think all that much about style. Luckily I can refer back to my own blog posts for easy ideas - emphasis on the easy.

Denim shorts have been happening a lot more than previous summers here, with how much walking alongside Hendrik on his scooter I've been doing. I have repeated this outfit from last summer already - I always feel a little overly casual in shorts (even if I am just staying home), but the combination of dressy tee and the denim shorts balances that out perfectly, making for a very practical but put-together hot weather outfit.

No denim jackets happening this week, but I still do have this jumpsuit from several years ago, and I still do love it. A whole outfit on its own, dressed up or down. And look how short my hair was!

Basically just the short dress version of this year's Everlane midi-dress look... it's a plain black dress, and it's a whole outfit. I just love their dresses, and this is one I reach for often on a hot day. I like the silhouette for something classy that basically needs no accessorizing, but you can always pair it with a leopard sandal for extra flair!

Okay, this is totally aspirational right now. I did repeat this favorite outfit back when the weather was in the 70s and I still loved it. Guess I can pair the tank with the denim shorts though...

Hopefully that gives you some inspiration if you're roasting too, wherever you are!


Sharing on Style Six.

self-care for summer + self-isolation

Speaking for the moms out there, summer 2020 is a different beast than most. After having kids unexpectedly homeschooling for several months and now facing a few more months with all of the camps and things cancelled, definitely some self-care is going to be in order to keep the sanity. So here are a few ideas for some summer-specific self-care while we're still in a state of (semi) self-isolation, and semi-permanent kid presence...

Splurge on a juicy new read - for you, and for the kids. Find something that will keep them really occupied and thus will buy yourself plenty of escapist reading time. For Hendrik, I'm thinking he'll spend hours poring over Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (he's a little Harry Potter obsessed at present), or else a Weird but True book (those never get old to a 6 year old boy), and then I can put up my feet and pick up an escape - Beach Read is absolutely perfect for this in a summery, steamy way; if you want a good summer thriller instead, check out The Guest List.

Try a new cocktail of a refreshing variety. Cools you down in more way than one... I'm thinking a rosé cocktail sounds very promising. Or you could just plain try a new kind of rosé! (For daytime, you could treat yourself to a new sparkling water flavor - I'm loving this ginger & peach one from Target lately.)

Make a summer playlist. Some summer-appropriate tunes can make great self-care because they just make a person happy, and they can ramp up the summer vibes in so many situations - such as, you could double up on the self-care by listening on a walk or a run in the sunshine, or if you're stuck at home, you could turn the playlist into a dance party session, solo or with kids! (You can find fun ready-made options on Spotify too, of course, either summer-specific, or else the Happy Folk playlist always gives me happy summer vibes.)

Take up a craft hobby for when you need some quiet time in the cool of the air conditioning! Creating something and working with your hands can be such good self-care to relax your mind while you do something creative and tangible. For me, embroidery kits are an obvious starting place, since you get everything you need in one package, the instructions are really helpful for getting the hang of the basics, the project can easily move around with me if I want to work on it in the playroom while Hendrik does a project of his own or if I want to pick it up and hide out somewhere else in the house where nobody else is, and it's just such a soothing process to move the needle back and forth (and of course so satisfying with how the pretty product comes together in the end!). Check out this beginners' hub for crafts if you're interested in even more ideas of where to start with a creative project for self-care.

Those are some ways I'll be practicing self-care this summer that can even be done with kids around - and maybe come fall I'll be able to go back to some of my old ones, like pedicures and hair cuts, which require both childcare and corona-safe environments. But we'll see! Either way, needlepoint and embroidery projects could get a girl through any season.

Thanks to LoveCrafts.com for the embroidery kit; all opinions are my own.

five things Friday: summer highlights edition

With Hendrik back in school this week, it has me in mind of those "what I did over the summer break" reports we'd sometimes have to write at the beginning of a school year - and also has me begrudgingly admitting that summer really is winding down (but not done yet... thank you Labor Day weekend!). Reflecting back on the summer, it really was an excellent one that was hard to narrow down to a few highlights, but since it is Friday, here are just 5:

 

1. Copenhagen/kid-free vacationing: my work trip turned into a vacation when Peter arrived on the last day, and it was a pretty darn perfect one, with the mix of relaxation and culture and FOOD we fit into the week. It's already fun enough to be on a perma-date with your spouse for several days, and then when you do it in such a charming city?! (If you missed them, check out my Copenhagen and coastal Copenhagen recaps, and you'll be wanting to book tickets too.)

2. Cottage mornings: since we moved back to Michigan summer weekends have pretty much = cottage weekends at my parents' place. We love it there so much, but this morning an extra highlight has been the mornings. My dad makes us fancy coffees (or hot chocolates) and we do crosswords or coloring while we sip and before we head out for our morning walk, and it is just a delight. Very happy there are more mornings of this left to look forward to this weekend.

3. CATS: this Andrew Lloyd Webber classic has a prominent place in my childhood memories, so when we saw that it was coming to Chicago, my mom and I were determined to take Hendrik. And ah, it was even better than memory (no pun intended) served - the choreography especially. Hendrik loved it, my mom and I totally cried during "Memory," and we also along with my grandma got a delightful 4-generations big city day.

4. My brother's wedding: Peter and I maintain that a sibling's wedding is almost more fun than your own - all the family and family friends, none of the pressure! We had a blast getting to spend extra time with family during wedding week, seeing Hendrik be the cutest flower boy ever, and dancing at the most fun dance reception ever - from the bride/father of the bride choreographed Broadway medley dance, to the groom/mother of the groom dance-turned-flash-mob that we all were part of, to Hendrik seriously being the life of the party on the dance floor. So fun.

5. So. many. good. books. I still love reading to Hendrik, but with him full-on reading chapter books this year, it was extra fun to sit and read at the pool or the beach because we got to enjoy our own stuff, side by side! Top picks for me: Miracle Creek, Never Have I Ever, With the Fire on High (review coming Sunday, with a book linkup!), American by Day. Top picks for him: Catstronauts, Magic Tree House Eve of the Emperor Penguin, and sooo many bird guides. And for us together: The Great Cake Mystery, Dory Fantasmagory, Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants (fun on audio).


Overall, what made this summer great was doing it with an almost 6 year old. What a great age to enjoy summer activities, from biking to walking downtown to going out to dinner to reading to beaching, and beyond. A kid who can go put on his own swimsuit when it's time to go to the beach or pool, and then changing out of it and hanging it back up - unprompted! - afterwards is so easy to do summer fun with. Even better when he's such a fun kid, up for any adventure. Thank goodness for one last weekend of summer here to do (almost) all of the above a bit more before the school routine really has us in its clutches...

Hope you can look back on your summer with as much fondness - and enjoy this holiday weekend before it's (unofficially) over!

five things Friday: sunroof season!

This week we had a couple of days where the humidity let up and the temperatures stayed in the lower 70s, which is just the ideal sunroof weather. As I was driving around with the sun and the breeze streaming in I was just thinking about how life is GOOD. And also how I should share the other things that were contributing to this glorious experience - ha!

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These are all things I recommend for summer in general, but cruising around with your sunroof open or all the windows rolled down is an ideal time to enjoy them - my favorite sunglasses that are super lightweight and comfy, the best hairties in a mini version perfect for tying off braids (which are perfect for keeping hair out of your face in the breeze), a makeup-setting sunscreen spray for skin protection (which I have been testing for a couple of months and love), some excellent tunes to blast (this is my current on-repeat fave), and of course a keep-cold water bottle so you can stay on the water train even when on the go... 80+ ounces a day, baby!

Hope your weekend is filled with sunshine and good things.

five things Friday: summer bucket list edition

Happy summer! Though the Michigan weather doesn't tend to cooperate with these unofficial seasonal changes, it still feels like we're kicking off summer, now that Hendrik has had his last day of school, and Memorial Day weekend is upon us. This is always our first cottage weekend of the year, and even if we have to wrap up in towels to stay warm, we're determined to get some beach reading in!

Everyone knows how summer just goes by so much faster than all of the other seasons, so I like to kick it off ASAP, and to make a list of some things that I want to make sure I enjoy before it flies by - which it will even quicker this year, with Hendrik's first official year of school starting, pre-Labor Day.

Here are 5 things on my summer bucket list:

1. Go on a family bike + ice cream outing.
2. Host a cookout with friends once/month.
3. Play hooky for an afternoon and read a good mystery/thriller by the pool (solo!).
4. Make strawberry jam with fresh-picked berries.
5. Take Hendrik on some kind of special back-to-school fun outing before he starts kindergarten.

And what are you looking forward to this summer?

summer goals recap

Speaking of back to school season, I always think at this time of year about that classic first day of school writing assignment: the "what I did this summer" report. And even though I don't get summer break any more, I still feel like summer is such a special time of year (aided by the fact that winter can be soooo long here) that I always want to make sure that I make the most out of summer.

So this summer I actually wrote up a list of summer goals for that very purpose - and now that it's the unofficial end of summer (tear!), it seems like the perfect time to recap that list.

Now that I look back at it, I guess I only kind of "accomplished" the 5 things on it. But I had a pretty darn great summer, so I still think I did it up right, with this list as a starting guide.

The list was:

1. Try out a new (to us) brewery: didn't actually get to a new one, but we did enjoy outings to several old favorites for my birthday and for my brother's moving-to-med-school sendoff. Plus I tried new-to-me local beers in Minneapolis and Montreal. AND new ice cream places, which really is even better.
2. Plan some bike rides with friends: I didn't quite connect with some of the friends I meant to, but I did some great family rides with my parents, brothers, Peter/Hendrik. Plus plenty of group rides where I met some new people. AND I got my awesome new road bike - so, all around a great biking summer.
3. Find a great pair of sandals and summer-weight jeans: total success here. These Sorel sandals got tons of compliments, plus they walked me MILES around my own town, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Montreal. And while it seemed like we had way less opportunity to wear jeans than other summers (so hot and humid!), I really love these jeans and will be wearing them plenty come fall weather.
4. Take Hendrik on 1-2 special outings per month: I would say this was the other big success. We did plenty of time at the cottage/beach, and then there was also his tumbling class that was great, trips to the library and the local park and downtown, plus some special things like the Dragons Love Tacos character event at the library, biking over to mini golf + ice cream, and his first time sleeping in a tent. Plus he learned to paddle a kayak! So fun.
5. Spruce up the front steps: my goal was to "find some great planters to flank the door and fill them with some colorful flowers, and also finally get our historic district plaque hung up." Well. I got some great planters. (They have been sitting empty since...June.) And we are currently in the process of having exterior painting done, after which those guys have promised to hang up my plaque. So, perhaps I can redeem it by picking up some mums for the fall, and then really doing up my planters next year. But the exterior is going to be looking good either way, thanks to the painters (and plenty of $$...)

In addition, I went on a great vacation with Peter to Montreal, enjoyed two outdoor concerts, found a fab new bathing suit, got a perfect amount of tan, and read about 20 books. ALSO September can still be quite summery around here, so I'm keeping this all going as long as I can. Great summer indeed.

How about yours?

five things Friday: beachy links edition

I don't know about you, but I am seriously ready for Friday and for some beach time, after a weekend of crummy weather followed a pretty long week - featuring Peter being in the midst of a 10-day on-call stretch, oh, and an evening spent in the ER getting a head laceration stapled closed (Hendrik's totally fine, but still, sheesh!). So, to count down the hours before we get to take off for the cottage (minus poor Peter, still on call) - here are 5 beachy links from around the internets.

1. The 7 most beautiful beaches to add to your bucket list ASAP: much as I am partial to the shores of Lake Michigan, I am very willing to test my theory that it's the best by visiting other beaches!

2. Ultimate summer reading list for 3- to 5-year-olds: we've been doing so much reading on the beach with Hendrik, and I love it. Definitely adding a bunch of these to my library holds list to check them out! (There are lists for older kids too.)

3. Long weekend summer capsule wardrobe: how perfect is this for packing for a beach weekend? I don't pack all that much when we go to my parents' cottage since I have plenty of stuff that just lives there, but I'm definitely taking inspiration for when we go for a long weekend with Peter's family soon.

4. Team Glitter Guide got stranded on a desert island, beauty edition: fun to see what various ladies would pick as the 5 beauty items they'd choose in the thought experiment of "you're stranded on a desert island..." I feel like this is some good beachy beauty inspiration!

5. The ultimate guide to reef safe sun protection: speaking of beauty products for summer, I remembered Kait's post about keeping your skin safe in the sun, while also keeping the environment safe. Lots of good tips here - and a reminder that I have been meaning to switch out our sunscreen brands.


Hope you enjoy a weekend of summer sun!

in the [market] bag

This round of "what's in my bag" is a little different - and that's because the straw tote that I put in this month's mix & match wardrobe as a beach tote turns out to also be a great substitute for a farmer's market basket! I absolutely love walking to the great bi-weekly market that's about 3 blocks from my house and seeing what's new in season. Next week I bet I'll be getting my hands on peaches galore, but for now we have lots of good green stuff - and some hydrangeas, because I never can resist market flowers. Especially for $3.

 

 

The other bonus about this bag is that it's a steal of a deal. To illustrate that, I spent the same amount of $$ (just under 20) as this bag costs at the farmer's market and filled it up. Now you can see what that amounts to in amazing fresh Michigan produce... And actually for this price I also got an additional carton of eggs (I'm making frittatas for the masses tonight) as well as some red and orange cherry tomatoes that went missing from this little photo shoot. I've got Thai broccoli salad and Greek salad in the works too with this good stuff.

Coming up from the same mix & match wardrobe tomorrow is the perfect outfit to wear to the farmer's market! Hint: it involves super cute strawberries.

weekend by the numbers

It's kind of killing me that we're already at the 17th day of July. It feels like my summer doesn't start until after I get back from my work conference, but the calendar says summer is half over already. To focus on the good things about the summer numbers though, here are some good ones from this weekend:

1st 

time wear of my cute new stripey bikini

5

generations present for Saturday taco dinner at the extended family cottage

7 

types of toppings chosen by Hendrik on our family fro-yo date to celebrate Peter's birthday

8 

packages in Thursday/Friday's fun mail days, mostly thanks to my impulsive Prime Day spree...

10 

toes freshly pedicured in a favorite summer color

18ish

hours kid-free for date night + bike riding thanks to babysitter extraordinaire Cousin Emily

24

new markers (thanks, Prime Day!) prompting me to finally crack open the fun YHL coloring book

42 

books read in 2017 after finishing Windfall at the beach

70 

miles ridden in the Holland Hundred event for Team Hoekman

78 

degrees and sunny... I LOVE SUMMER

650

cheese balls won by Hendrik when he guessed closest to the number at a church picnic (seriously!)

How was your weekend?

five things Friday: summer travel edition

I’m finally on my way back from the conference in Dubai, and now I’m ready to stay in Michigan for the rest of the summer, aside from one other quickie work trip. Summer travels are great and all, but as summer is also the best time to be in Michigan, I’m all about staying put… though I do have 5 fun/helpful links for summer travels that I’ve come across recently:

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1. Minneapolis with kids: next year’s big conference is already scheduled for Minneapolis, a city that I’ve been wanting to visit for ages. Shea’s recent family trip makes me think I should have the rest of my family join me at the end for the first time.

2. Great luggage: I decided last-minute to get a new rolling suitcase for this trip (thank you, super fast Shopbop shipping), and the price is definitely right on this Herschel suitcase. Plus I love the navy color as something a little different - and the 4-way rolling wheels are a game changer! I liked it so much that I think I’m going to order the carry-on size when I get home.

3. Road trip listens: if my most recent podcast recap list didn't provide enough, I'm loving this list of 11 new ones to try this summer - especially that there is a new-to-me book one on it!

4. Best indie bookstores in the US: speaking of road trips and books, if I were going to do a summer road trip I would definitely be into the idea of planning one around great book shops, inspired by this list and this podcast episode.

5. Jet-set journal: I might love the getaway wardrobe almost as much as the beach itself. Great stylish ideas for beach and beyond here!

SBQL for soaking up summer

Okay, now really enough with the back to school talk. There's still plenty of time left before Labor Day weekend, and I'm soaking up as much summer as possible - and resurrecting the SBQL series with a sweet (supposed to be song, but this is so much better), book, quote, and look for doing it up right:

sweet - the best way to make the most of glorious in-season peaches: individual peach crisps. A la mode, of course.

book - The Vacationers is a perfect summer read, taking place over the course of a family's two-week vacation on Mallorca. You can just feel the gorgeousness of the island in this book, and that makes it even better to read in the sun.

quote - thanks, Emerson, this is just the life philosophy I need right now. Summer always feels so short-lived that I want to make sure to live in it now!

look - chic and perfectly polished but relaxed in one of my favorite colors, this is exactly the kind of look I want to wear to exude summer vibes while we still have dress-wearing weather around.

How are you soaking up summer?

wearing lately: summer favorites

There's still plenty of summer clothes wearing left to do (despite what retailers and their fall lines might make you think), which is great because my favorite go-to pieces from this summer still have plenty of remixing possibilities left. Here's what I added to my wardrobe that I've been reaching for over and over:

You've probably noticed that I have indeed been wearing these frequently (see them all in action in my summer 2015 style posts), but hopefully rather than being boring it just showcases how worth-it these purchases are - all things that are very versatile, things that I love (and am not sick of yet - that's saying something!), and things that easily jazz up any summer outfit whether separately or all together.

The denim jacket isn't actually recent, but it's made it into practically every style post as of late, so it couldn't go without mention alongside these other pieces. Also can't forget my honorable mentions for the summer, the black jersey dress and the white eyelet tank that appear in the collage too, also (still) getting tons of wear.

If you're in the market for deals on go-to summer items for the rest of August, take a look at the items (or similar) above... These ones will all get great use next summer as well, I'm sure, plus many are on super sale right now, so doubly and triply worth it!

Sharing on Mix It Mondays, Style Sessions, Just Jacq, Summer Style, Hello Monday.

around town lately: Lake Michigan

My weekend time around here lately can pretty much be summed up by Poppy and Hendrik's t-shirts below: my great lake: Lake Michigan ... and best. day. ever. I'm still reveling in how great it is to be living close to the lake again and am loving spending time at two family cottages with lots of fun people and books and sun.

Here are some recent shots from what we've been up to on Lake Michigan lately - from playing on the beach to lots of porch sitting and dining and doodling and sunset watching. And of course reading! Last beach weekend I finished A God in Ruins and Better Than Before, so now I need to get my hands on something else from that stack of all my family members' books. Maybe first my dad's summer cocktail book, from which he was making the porch happy hour drink of the day...

wearing lately: kimono cool

Today's style post is brought to you by a trifecta of perfect timing: a Creative Closet kimono linkup theme, a 4th of July weekend at the beach, and a recently arrived package with a piece perfect for both!

A kimono isn't something I'd typically try, but when SheIn asked me to choose an item to review, I thought this one would be the perfect thing to pack in my beach bag this summer - it works great as a cover up, and then, even better, it really earns its place on a packing list by doubling as an easy outfit with leggings and a tank for a breezy evening on the porch. I felt surprisingly glam with the all black and underneath and flowy kimono over top.

Shopping the SheIn site is kind of like shopping Forever21 - lots of inexpensive clothing and accessory options, but LOTS of stuff to look through to find what you want, which can be a bit overwhelming. But it is really fun as a way to try out a new-to-you style or trend, like a kimono is for me, without spending a lot of money. I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of this piece too - it's a nice breezy knit but feels like it will hold up decently well. And I usually shy away from one-size items but was also pleasantly surprised that it wasn't gigantic on my rather short self.

Sharing on The Creative Closet, Thursday Favorites, Mix It Mondays, Summer Style, Just Jacq.

summer fun essentials

When I saw that Kiki's The Circle theme for this month was going to be "summer essentials," I got to thinking about all the activities I think are essential to fit in to my (always too short) summer - and since I just couldn't narrow down my summer must-haves list to just one of them, I've instead repurposed the gift grid to showcase what would be my essential items to wear, carry, sip/snack on, and bring along for all of them: a beach day, a backyard BBQ, a baseball game, my birthday dinner (this weekend!), and trips to the farmers market.

for a beach day: scalloped bikini by H&M | embroidered tote by Target | insulated water bottle by S'Well | sea fan beach towel by Ruby Mint | for a backyard BBQ: embroidered tank by J.Crew Factory | Acapulco cooler bag by Sunny Life | grilled pizza recipe by The Kitchn | 6-pack of Cougar by Rhinegeist | for a baseball game: denim shorts by J.Crew Factory | canvas backpack by Baggu | soft pretzel from the concession stand | Cubs Cooperstown hat by '47 Brand | for my birthday dinner: lace shift dress by J.Crew Factory | lock clutch by Loeffler Randall | French 75 cocktail (or In my case the Sparkling ‘66 [Prosecco, Cardamaro, Demerara Cube, Lemon Zest] by Boca) | lucite box (with a present in it!) by Furbish Studio | for the farmers market: flat sandals by Michael Kors | insulated market basket by DII via Amazon | fresh strawberries grown by your local farmer | slim bee wristlet (with cash for your purchases!) by Kate Spade New York

Are any of these activities on your must-do list for the summer? Pretty much all of them always are for me, and I'm especially excited about some of them this year - like the fabulous farmers market that's just a few blocks from our new house. And the beach! Sad as I am to leave Cincinnati, I'm excited to be living on the coast of Lake Michigan again. I think this might call for getting that cute new bikini...

But first up, my birthday dinner date with Peter to Boca this weekend, which is kind of a birthday celebration + Cincinnati last hurrah in one. Can't wait to ring in 31 with that prosecco cocktail.

Happy summer!

in the [beach] bag

Crazy but true, I haven't made it to the beach yet this summer. We've been to my parents' cottage, but on those trips either the weather didn't work out or it just seemed like too much to cart everything down to the beach with a baby of this age... This week, though, quality grandparent time = 2 days of pure Michigan time for us! So I've got my bag packed and ready to go with my beach day essentials:

1. towel | 2. reading material | 3. sunnies | 4. hat | 5. snack & drink | 6. sunscreen | 7. pouch with essentials (hairband, lip gloss with sunscreen, iPhone protected from sand)

My beach bag of choice is a Baggu canvas tote, which I had monogrammed at the embroidery stand in the mall for about $10. Some other great options:

Pretty much my idea of a perfect day off: sunshine, reading an entire book, and having an early happy hour with my toes in the sand. Quiet Dell is next up for one of my book clubs, and I think it'll be perfect for a vacation read - reported to be a "riveting" novel based on a real-life crime. With no mom duties, I think I'll easily get through this one in a day or so. And speaking of no mom duties... when it comes to vacation, I say beer-thirty arrives in the middle of the afternoon. This local brew is my current favorite, but I'm just as happy with any summer ale or Mike's lemonade, which tends to be well stocked at the cottage. Happy Monday!

Check out what's in my other bags: handbag | diaper bag | gym bag

lately: porch life

Last week we got back to one of my favorite places on earth: my parents' cottage on Lake Michigan. I hadn't been since last August, which is the longest stretch I've gone without being there since they built it, and that means Hendrik had never been! We love to hang out there with my family - walking, reading, beach-going, tennis watching - but it's also a special place for Peter & me: where we got engaged, had the beginning of our honeymoon, spent a lot of our precious vacation time in medical school/residency - so it was fun to finally introduce Hendrik (plus get a night there to ourselves, thanks to babysitting from my mom!).

Most of all, it's a place we like to spend as much of the day as possible on the porch, where the living is fine as you can see:

Isn't this the perfect life? We spent much of the week lounging, reading, having happy hour, eating dinner here - except for the times when we took our books and drinks to the open deck above to get some sunshine. And if this sounds good, you haven't even seen the beach! Next visit, at the end of the month, we'll get Hendrik's toes in the wonderful Lake Michigan sand (and maybe even waves, if it's not too frigid by that point) for the first time. I imagine a lot of sand in the mouth too.

So that's my happy place. What's yours?