These Days

I have been wanting to post a bunch of these photos. So here they are!

I've been really into eating roasted vegetables lately- butternut squash, tomatoes, some mushrooms and fennel. This bowl was really filling for 2 people.

Tomato & cucumber slices with pepper and sea salt with some slices of Fontinella cheese.

I am SO not a food photographer! Joel made some disgusting comment on what he thinks this looks like but I don't care, it's delicious. I can't explain the way I like my eggs but they are more than over easy but not cooked the entire way through, they are barely runny. Spinach and mushrooms make a yummy side to my lunch.

He seriously loves the lounge chair at nanny & grandpa's.

We headed down to Long Island to visit my parents and went to the BEST BAKERY IN THE WHOLE WORLD! The Levittown Park Bake Shop has the most delicious treats and I was so excited to bring Jonah there. I left with a vanilla frosted french cruller, rainbow sprinkle cookie, cupcake and pineapple danish. I don't know if I should admit that 3 of those things were for me (I can't help it everything is so good).

I even had time to hang out with Kim and Miss Thea at the park.

I love her!!

Back home we've been going to the park a lot. It has taken a long time for the weather to warm up over here and now with a fully walking toddler there is no excuse not to explore. He had more fun playing around the fence then going to the playground at first.

My kid loves the slide. He particularly loves walking up the slide.

The little punk stealing my lens cap...

and then trying to put it back on!

And this is what a particularly awesome nap time looks like for me. Lemon sorbet and Tina Fey's new book.

flowers flowers everywhere

I have become obsessed with flowers lately. I will marvel at the different types of flowering trees around our neighborhood, I will drive slowly past a house that has a cherry blossom tree in their yard (creepy much), and I have been jumping like a fool when I see a wild lilac bush. I've also noticed that my closet has gotten the floral bug as well. Wow, that's a pretty decent segue.

The Everybody, Everywear challenge for this month is florals!! It's really fun looking through everyone's take on the theme. The pattern is found everywhere- on skirts & dresses, button up shirts, cardigans, scarves and even shoes! It just really feels like spring is here looking at all these floral inspired outfits!

Okay, so when I finished the 30x30 challenge I went out shopping hoping to find a skirt that I love as much as my denim one. I picked one up at H&M and tried to think of at least 3 things I had in my closet that would go with it. I didn't get that far before I brought it up to the counter and handed over my $13 (yes it was only $13!!!). It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had a ton of tops to wear with this skirt. It has become one of my favorite skirts to pair things with.


Clearly I'm trying to be my mother.




Top Tights & Belt: Target, Skirt: H&M, Shoes: Blowfish Shoes, Jacket: Primark (Ireland).


Even the inside of my Java boots have a floral pattern.


Just another way I have worn this skirt. And I'm realizing now that it's not that different. Oh well, I'm posting it anyway!

Happy "it's finally feeling like" Spring!! If you have a cherry blossom tree or lilac bush in your yard, I'll be seeing you later!

My Mother's Day

An add on to the title could be, "My Mother's Day- The Day I Spent Acting Like a Teenage Girl". I am not a big planner. Okay scratch that... I'm big on planning but I suck at it. So I don't know why when plans went awry on Sunday morning I decided to put a permanent bitch face on. It was like my face was going to dictate the day and I couldn't do anything to stop it. In the end Joel and Jonah won and my bitch face was left to admit defeat.

The house was decorated, flowers were everywhere, breakfast in bed was a strawberry frosted doughnut (and as much as I love my son I love strawberry frosted doughnuts too much to share), and the thoughtful presents at the end of the night were just too too much for my bratty self. I told Joel that my attitude was just practice for the day we have a teenage girl. The day was wonderful and I can't thank my J boys enough.

Joel wanted to make sure we took some Mommy & Jbear photos. I think it was accomplished.

he's really into the hugs these days and I basically ask for them on the regular.

Tank: Target, Cardigan: Joyce Leslie (from 2007), Blazer: Walmart, Jeans: Rapsodia Buenos Aires, Belt: from my grandfather, Necklace: Target or H&M, Shoes: Old Navy (I got a pedicure woo hoo and didn't want to smudge the polish). I had planned on dressing up seeing as I use any excuse to put on a dress but during bitch face craziness I decided to keep things casual. Mother's Day casual, if you will.

I don't know if you even read my blog but thanks, Joel, for a really great Mother's Day!

And if you have a spare second please vote for me and my blog HERE!! It's just a click on the thumbs up sign. That's means you too Joel!

Dance Party Monday: Oblivious

There is no video to look at just a song that gets us moving! All I know is youtube but surely there must be another way to share music on a blog post without having to link to a video, especially when there is nothing to actually look at. Also, the lyrics are vague, and then pretty straightforward and then vague all over again. I have to admit that I don't really pay attention to the lyrics that often (unless it's Lisa Loeb's Stay- I know ALL the lyrics to that song). If the song sounds pretty or has a kick ass beat then I'm all over it.

I'm sad the weekend is over but I'm pumped for a new week. My boy slept in today so maybe that's why I'm feeling excited for the week. What gets you going on Monday mornings when you just want to pull the covers over your head?

Mother's Day!!!!

This is my 2nd Mother's Day! Last year it was so surreal going out with my boys and hearing complete strangers wish me a Happy Mother's Day. At brunch Jonah was comfy in his infant seat sleeping next to us while we had a delicious meal at Bridget Foy's. Jonah was just a little nugget at the time- it's so crazy how different things will be this year.

I also can't help thinking of Mother's Day 2009. My mother was in Florida visiting my grandmother, Joel was with his mom and I was home in Philly getting over being sick. On the morning of Mother's Day I walked to the park and thought about how one day I wanted to be a mom, how one day this would be a day I might receive macaroni necklaces or traced hand prints and crayon written I love you's. It never occurred to me that in less than a week I would find out I was pregnant, that Jonah was already starting to brew. Another year into motherhood, another year worth celebrating. I feel blessed to be a mommy to my amazing baby boy!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there! Thank you for being an inspiration!!

And I would love love love if you wouldn't mind clicking on over and voting for me!

My Mother- The Queen of Style.

I don't even know where to start or what I want to say exactly. So I'm just going to start... I love my mother. Obviously, it's no secret. In some ways I am a lot like her and in many ways I wonder how we are even related. Throughout my adolescence I adored her but would sometimes think "I'll do things so differently when I have children". And now, being a mother myself, I pray that I can have one ounce of the grace, courage and confidence my mother possesses. How did she know how to handle the situations that she handled, how did she know when to step back? I'm convinced she's got some dominican voodoo powers because the woman is psychic.

My mother has gone through a lot in her life and continues to fight many health battles. I look at her strength and positivity and can't help but believe she is the most beautiful woman I know. I remember going to the Dominican Republic with my aunt and cousin, for a vacation and to visit some family. Every time we visited someone it was if they felt compelled to talk about my mother and her beauty. My uncle (my mom's 2nd oldest brother) called my mom a beauty queen and went on to say that there once was a parade in her honor. Now, knowing this particular uncle I'm pretty sure there was no such thing. Regardless, I felt so privileged to be her daughter and hear all those wonderful stories. I continue to feel privileged.

Since I have recently fallen in love with style blogs and have even tried to resurrect my own sense of style, I thought it would be fun to post some photos of my mother. Because seriously? The woman has style dripping from her manicured finger nails (that is kind of a weird description, no?).

I want to go to this spot in Central Park and re-create this photo!

I want that dress and that hairstyle!

My Tio Eduardo would take photos of my mom all the time. If I knew a beautiful model like her I would too.

the glasses, that belt! To this day, I am envious of my mom and her knack for accessorizing.

Now all I want to do is back comb my hair, pick up some scarves, put on some Jackie O sunglasses, get some stirrup pants and pretend like I can achieve the style my mother so effortlessly exhibited.

I love you Mamacita! Happy Mother's Day!!

having a kid rules...

because you don't need an excuse for wanting to go to a rubber ducky race and posing with a giant duck!

have you seen my baby?

I feel so bad looking at this photo with his hair in his eyes. But I just can't cut it... not yet, at least.

Since Jonah only recently started walking I was able to continue believing that I still had a baby baby and it was bliss. Now it is blatantly clear that I have a toddler, through and through. These past few weeks have been some of my favorites though! Food shopping, trips to Target, and going out to eat have become shorter because of his eagerness to go off on his own. But the exploring we are doing is just so exciting. I thought that from my years as a nanny some of this newness would be a little less thrilling or somehow I might be desensitized to it all but that is so not the case. Every discovery made by Jbear is incredibly exciting and every sound from his mouth (although extremely LOUD) makes me melt.

Dance Party Monday: on a Tuesday

Honestly we're still listening to last week's song, "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" by LCD Soundsystem. But this song usually comes on right after so we're usually still dancing about.

I am more of a fan of her other songs especially this one:

But Kiss With a Fist is on the mix that we've been playing in Jonah's room. Her videos may be a tad over produced (if that makes sense) but they are so visually entertaining.

ANYWAY!!!! Yesterday was just kind of busy... well actually I was just kind of tired. The Jbear woke up so much earlier than normal and finding the time to post was difficult. I still have so many photos I want to post from the past few days. I had a really nice weekend- running errands while my in laws watched the baby, relaxing at home, blow drying my hair (the simple pleasure of taking 45 minutes to tame my mess), taking the babe to a rubber ducky race and going out for Joel's sister Lauren's birthday.

How do you guys like to spend your weekends? Does it include the pure joy of having a blow dryer to your scalp for 45 minutes? I know I know I could just wear it naturally curly/wavy/frizzy but after having a baby my hair has decided to not only be high maintenance but schizophrenic as well. Again, please feel free to share how you spent your weekend and brag about how well your hair behaves.

dressing up to celebrate

Yesterday was Joel's sister's birthday. We celebrated at a yummy seafood restaurant where I filled up on oysters, crab cakes, swordfish and butter pecan gelato. I also ordered a malibu bay breeze which was super delicious and a bit nostalgic. Joel said that that's the drink he remembers me drinking when we first started dating. I've changed my tastes in the past 10 years but it was fun for the night.

Top: H&M, Jeans: UO, Jacket: Primark in Ireland, Shoes: Java from Blowfish Shoes, Necklace: F21, Belt: Target.

Yeah, I don't know either.

And here is my beautiful sister in law with her dope birthday eye makeup. Seriously, doesn't she have such gorgeous eyes?