Swoon Worthy

I'm keeping this week's Swoon Worthy post short and sweet.  I am posting from Maine, where the kids and I are spending the weekend visiting with family and friends, indulging in some of the foods that we dream about while away, and hitting up as many of our favorite spots as we can possibly squeeze into one weekend.

I can't wait to share photos of our trip when we return to NY, but in the meantime, here's what I'm loving lately...

{candle | coast of maine book | how to live at the beach}

1.  This candle from Anthro (pictured above).  Not only is it pretty to look at, but it smells amazing too.

2.  We've been spending a lot of time out in the sun lately, so I thought I would share my favorite sunblock with you all.  I use this religiously on M&E, and really love it, as well as pretty much everything else in the line.

3.  I am dying to make this salad!  What a great summer side dish.

4.  These sneakers... that I just recently ordered for Max... he loves them, and I think he couldn't look any cuter while wearing them.  Bonus... they glow in the dark.

5.  This dress, which is so, so comfortable, and has become a summer wardrobe staple for me.

6.  You guys know full well by now how much I love a handmade in Maine products, and these cuffs are no exception!

7.  Looking for a fun way to keep for kiddo busy and for awhile?  We recently found these gigantic sticker books at our favorite local toy store, and Max is obsessed!

8.  I might just have to make this fabulously festive and patriotic dessert for the 4th!

9.  Not very glamorous, but these things work wonders on dry feet!

10.  I love the simplicity of this adorable craft project/activity for kids.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

                                           

Fourth of July Favorites

It's hard to believe that the Fourth of July is just a little over a week away.  I'm really looking forward to celebrating it this year, now that Max is old enough to actually appreciate and enjoy the festivities.

Truth be told, I haven't even looked into where we will be watching the fireworks this year, now that we are New Yorkers.  One thing I will certainly miss about our old house is being able to watch them right from our own deck, but this area is super family oriented, so I don't doubt for a second, that there will some sort of great festival for us to check out.

I have been thinking a little about what M&E will be rocking this year, you know, to celebrate in style, so I thought I'd post a little inspiration board, if you will, of some of my favorite styles for littles.

swim trunks | slip on shoes | romper

star dress | plaid shirt | flip flops

star sunglasses | flag shirt

                                           

Weekend Recap

Summer weekends are what dream about all year long...  There is truly nothing better, in my opinion, then days spent playing barefoot in the yard with your babes, until they are so tired from all of the fresh air and sunshine, that they literally fall asleep, the moment their little heads hit their pillows.

We spent the last few days, exploring our new area a little more, and discovered an amazing pool... a spot that we will no doubt be frequenting many more times this season. With a country club set-up that included outdoor dining and a poolside bar, we were pretty stoked about such a fabulous kid-friendly find.

Aside from that, when given the choice, the man of the house opted for a quiet Father's Day at home, so that he could watch the US Open. I was more than happy to oblige, so aside from gifting him with a hammock to enjoy in our new yard, it was pizza al fresco, beer, and golf watching only on our agenda on Sunday.  No complaints here.

I still have a fair amount of unpacking/decorating/organizing to do around the house, but it is certainly coming along, and I can't wait to share some photos with you all, as soon as there aren't anymore rogue boxes hanging around. 

My plans for the week are to continue to plug away at that project, but I also need to start thinking about packing (packing, unpacking...story of my life lately), since me and the kids are embarking on a little road trip to Maine at the end of the week.  I cannot even put into words how happy it makes me to be back within driving distance of my home state... I am so, so excited to see my family and friends, and to indulge in some of my favorite things from home.

I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day, and enjoy the week ahead!

                                            

Swoon Worthy

I'm baaaaaaack!!! We finally have internet access again, and I can't tell you all how much I missed being able to blog.  While it's nice to unplug occasionally, I kind of missed having this place, my creative outlet, to blabber on endlessly about all of my favorite things, my current projects, and of course, my kids.

I figure it's best to just dive right back in with the posts that seem to be the most popular around here, so rather than drag things out any longer than necessary, here's what I've been crushing on lately...

1.  I picked up a pair of these chambray pants, just before we moved, and I would be lying if I didn't own up to the fact that I have been (literally) living in them lately.  They are super comfortable, and lightweight, so they're perfect for summer, paired with a ribbed tank or a T shirt.

2.  Have you guys heard of Next Issue?  I just recently discovered it, and seeing as I'm a total magazine junkie, I think it seems like a really cool idea.

3.  I've been on a serious mission to decorate our new house lately, and though I have to keep reminding myself that Rome wasn't built in a day (i.e. I cannot spend thousands of dollars on all new stuff, all at once), I'm having a hard time restraining myself from binge buying all of the things I see online.  Currently, I am swooning hard over this area rug for our new kitchen.

{via}

4. Nothing screams summer like pink lemonade, so these thumbprint cookies are on my must-make summer bucket list.

5.  Beachy tousled waves on a budget... I can't get enough of this stuff lately.

6.  I have always been a fan of Little Hip Squeak's line, but when they recently relaunched as June & January, I fell hard for this playsuit.

7.  Adding this book to my summer reading list ASAP. #guiltypleasure

8.  Putting this recipe in my back pocket for a rainy summer day... or tonight.

9.  I am so, so excited to be living close to bodies of water that you can actually swim in again... the Mainer in me is dying to get to the lake or the beach STAT, and I pretty much want each and every one of the floats on this list.

{via}

10.  I'm about 99% positive that this iced coffee has made a Swoon Worthy list in this past, but it is just too good.  Whipping up a batch this weekend, for my husband, the mint lover, to have with his Father's Day breakfast.

I hope you all have the most amazing weekend, and I can't wait to share our recap with you, along with about a million other things, now that I am able to post regularly again.

                                             

One More For the Road...

We bid farewell to our little house in Pennsylvania this past weekend, and though I'm fairly certain the following photos won't be featured in any home decor magazines in the near future, I couldn't help but share some pictures of our first home.

Now that we have successfully relocated all of our stuff to our new, much larger house in New York, it is overwhelmingly apparent how much we had outgrown the other one (and just how much stuff we have that we don't really need)... But that house, where we began our life together, will always hold a special place in my heart.

As I tackle the hundreds (literally) of boxes that need unpacked, I will begin to share glimpses of our new home, and as soon as I have internet again, I will return to posting more regularly... In the meantime, however, you can always follow along on Instagram (@contemporarydomestics).

-J

Movin' Ain't Easy

If you're reading this post, you may or may not have noticed by now, that there was no Swoon Worthy post this past Saturday, and that Monday came and went without a Weekend Recap, complete with lots of pictures of our fun-filled, relaxing few days together as a family.

So... Here's the deal; moving week is officially upon us... As in the trucks roll in on Friday. This Friday. Our house, whether we were ready or not, hit the market this past Sunday.

The last few days have been spent scrambling to make things look pretty, saying goodbye to our dear family and friends, and most importantly, trying to keep M&E's lives/routines as normal as possible.

I've never been great under pressure, and in this current situation, I don't seem to be fairing much better. 

Yesterday our realtor mixed up showing times for our house with one for another property, and a car rolled into the driveway and sat there for a solid half hour before we realized what was going on. Low and behold, 5 minutes later, Mike and I were scrambling to pile our kids into the car and get out of here, as potential buyers were coming through the front door. Hands down one of the most awkward experiences I've had in a long time.

Knowing that strangers are walking through your house while all of your personal belongings are there and you are not, is such a strange and violating feeling.... As I'm sure any of you who have sold a house can understand.

It is what it is at this point. We only have to endure a few days of this chaos before we ship off to New York with all of our stuff in tow, so I'm trying to keep my eye on the prize.

In the meantime, I may not be blogging as much as usual, but I am still checking in on Instagram (@contemporarydomestics) if you feel inclined to follow along for this crazy ride!

-J