playing dress up.

me & dresses go waaaay back. i have always loved them.  as a little girl, i was usually wearing some type of dress.  and now that i'm all grown up?  things haven't changed.  and now my little girls are usually wearing them too, especially in these hot summer-y days.  what better time to be wearing a lovely little dress than summertime?! that's what i say.  a cute sundress + a pair of flip flops is truly one of my favorite combos. ever.

since i'm not wearing my usual size in most stuff right now at 2 months post partum, i did some virtual shopping the other night and lived vicariously via my computer screen. here are a few picks of mine for some super cute summer dresses.

shabby apple

anthropologie

banana republic

modcloth

gap

jcrew

old navy

modcloth

shabby apple

anthropologie

jcrew

ten things {i heart fall}.

fall is my favorite season. besides christmastime, it is hands down, my most *favorite* time of the year. and there is something oh-so-lovely about fall in new england. trees turning such brilliant shades of red, gold and orange. cool, crisp air with the hint of firewood burning in the distance. apple picking and pumpkin patches. tall boots and warm sweaters.

this post is all about the things i {heart} about this most wonderful time of the year.

1. fall foliage.

in just a couple of weeks the leaves here in maine should be at their peak. the forests will become patchwork-quilt-like, dotted with bright, bold hues... golden leaves carpeting the grass. it is an absolute display of god's handiwork and i can't wait to take it all in this year.

2. boots.

it's always an exciting time for me when i get to unpack my boots, where they have been hibernating all summer, just waiting for the weather to turn cold. one of my all-time wardrobe staples, this picture shows my favorite pair i bought last year from old navy. skinny jeans + boots = one.happy.girl.

3. fall-scented candles.

i have some burning even as i type. a couple pecan-pie scented candles and an apple one in our kitchen. how can you resist? the minute labor day is over, i can't wait to fill our home with the delicious scents of pumpkin pie, apple crisp and cinnamon. doesn't reading those scents just make you feel warm&fuzzy?

4. pumpkin goodies.

i love everything pumpkin. pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pancakes (see my recipe here)... but i would have to say that there's still nothing that can compare to the ole classic: pumpkin pie. thanksgiving dinner isn't complete without it.

5. cute costumes.

i have always thought halloween is kind of a pointless holiday... until i had a little one to dress up :) now, i start buying halloween costumes in september; i just can't help it they are so cute. last year, we dressed bella up as a flower, which was adorable and this year we bought her this super sweet strawberry costume from old navy. i'm just hoping she will keep the hat on for at least two seconds so we can get a good pic...

6. football.

i love football. and nick? well, he played football in high school and college and has coached it as well... so, we are a football-loving-family, which makes for really fun sundays from september through january. our home cheers on the patriots (me) and the cowboys (nick) and several fantasy teams between the two of us.

7. picking apples.

one of my favorite childhood memories. today bella and nick went for their first apple picking trip of many... we picked a whole bag full and only paid twelve dollars. on the menu? applesauce, apple crisp, a pie or two, an apple breakfast dish for my crockpot and some apple dumplings. i'd better get cooking...

8. sweaters.

one of my favorite things to wear. there's nothing comfy-er than wrapping up in a thick, warm sweater on a crisp, fall day. i think i need a shopping trip to the jcrew outlet :)

9. comfort food.

ahhhh, comfort food. i love cooking in the fall and winter because it means using my crockpot a whole lot, soups, chowders, chicken&dumplings, chili and homemade biscuits. yum. i think your family should always know what season it is by what you give them for dinner... that's how i like to cook anyway; if it's fall, i want my food to feel like fall :)

1o. fall crafts and home decor.

i used to love going to barnes&noble to study while i was in school... i especially loved it in the fall because my study breaks consisted of a pumpkin spice latte and flipping through a martha stewart living magazine, checking out all of her beautiful fall decor and dreaming of my someday-house. well, now i still dream of what my house will look like once we get fully unpacked and settled, but i did manage to put out some pretty gourds today! tis the season ;) hopefully i will get my act together and at least make a wreath or something...

what are the things YOU love about fall?

ten things {my favorite stores}.

so. this is pretty much a meaningless post, just for fun. i love to shop. love it. for myself, for nick, for bella, for our pantry/fridge, for our home. i also love trying to stay within a budget because it's a challenge for me, and i appreciate the things i find so much more!

this "ten things" post is all about my ten fav places to shop. my favorite things at stores, items i've found and love and a few tips along the way ;)

1. target.

i've said it a hundred times but i will say it again: i heart target. cool home decor, stylish clothes, oh-so-cute baby clothing and practical everyday needs like clorox wipes and make up. what's not to love? and i am a huuuuge fan of the dwell studio for target line. our bedding (seen here) is dwell studio and i love it so much. if i was told i could only shop at one store for the rest of my life, it would be target. hands down. *registering for your wedding or upcoming baby? target is wonderful. just make sure to keep all/any receipts because returns can be a hassle, but i never had any difficulty and registered at target for both.

2. joann's.

i could walk up and down the aisles of joann's a hundred times (if i have enough crackers on hand to keep bella occupied). and i never have to buy anything without using a 40% off coupon because they always have them. always. so that makes it even more awesome. *hey all you crafters: make sure to sign up in the store or online to get your coupons!!

3. trader joe's.

like whole foods but not the prices? then go to trader joes. uh-mazing. i'm obsessed. try the homemade pizza dough for 99 cents or the various kinds of ravioli for under $5 bucks. so far we've tried carbonara ravioli, arugula&parmesan and have a package of lobster ravioli just waiting for us in the freezer. all delish. the cheese selection is extensive and inexpensive... as is just about everything else. oh--and the multigrain baking mix? yum. *don't live near a trader joes, but can drive to one? we're in the same boat. you can buy a freezer-bag from trader joes and stock it with your favs for the car trip home until the next time you're in town.

4. forever 21.

a must-go-place-for-any-girl. and you don't even have to be twenty one to shop there. how do i know? because i'm thirty. and i still love it. comfy maxi dresses for under $25 bucks, sweaters and tops for around $10 and accessories... accessories as far as the eye can see. *hey christmas/birthday/bridal party-present-shoppers: this is a great place to find fun gifts for any girl friend... i've gotten many a christmas/birthday present here, and also bought all my bridesmaids bangle bracelets and pashminas as gifts for being my girls :)

5. anthropologie.

i don't live near one anymore (tear). but i can still browse online and get inspiration for my wardrobe and my home (even better when i find things i can try to make myself!). one of my favorite wedding shower gifts were "n" and "m" initial mugs from anthro. we drink our weekend coffee out of them often. another one of my fav anthro finds is the initial stand i bought when nick&i got engaged (see here in another "ten things" post). i also love finding their super-cute aprons when they are on sale, and don't even get me started on their sundresses. sigh*

6. j crew.

ohhhh how i love j crew. i was spoiled in my early twenties when my roommate worked there and was told she could give a healthy discount on items purchased for someone she lived with. i went to town purchasing things for myself until we realized the actual clause said "same sex domestic partner." ooops. needless to say, i got a little spoiled getting things at such a discount. shopping at j crew just isn't the same when you have to pay full price. but i still love wandering through a store every.chance.i.get. *hey future brides, check out j crew's bridal line! i purchased my bridesmaid dresses from there, and the customer service was awesome. which made me even more of a j crew fan :)

7. ikea.

oh.my.goodness i love this place. and we now (sadly) live a good 3+ hours from one. but me and some of my girlfriends are making a trip next month, and you better believe i am making a list of all the things i need to purchase! our bedroom set came from ikea, tv stand, shelves, lighting pendants... the list goes on and on. shopping in a store that feels like a really fun museum and smells like warm cinnamon rolls? ummm yes, please.

8. old navy.

hands down one of my go-to-places to buy clothes. for me, nick and bella. my closet is full of boots, shoes, scarves, cardigans, dresses and tops courtesy of o.n. and the prices? even better. i love that the look of the clothing is similar to gap and banana (republic, that is... did you know they were all the same company?) but much more affordable. and i've experienced amazing customer service when i've shopped online. even better. *hey pregnant mamas; this was my go-to-place for maternity clothes, too!

9. gap.

what can i say? the gap and i have had a love affair for as long as i can remember. yes, it's true. i have the clearance sale prices down to a science... if something is 29.99, it's only a matter of days before it is reduced to 24.99 and then to 18.99... and eventually 14.99. yes, i know, it's a bit ridiculous but i can't help it. i've been a gap girl since the 9th grade. their curvy jeans that come in longs, and the high-waisted skinnies (especially for mamas) are like denim miracles sent from heaven. thank you, gap. *do you love the gap, too? sign up to get a gap card. i never use mine; we try not to use credit cards, but they send special sales/promotions to gap card holders.

10. tj maxx/homegoods.

our tj's here where we live now is waaaaaay better than the one down the street from our apartment in dallas. way better. and i am becoming a maxx-anista (don't you love those commercials?) i find the cutest little baby clothes for bel that are very inexpensive, work/dress clothes for nick, and i could go on and on and on about homegoods... the best to find accent pieces to decorate your home... i recently bought a birdcage for $6 and a beautiful white porcelain vase for $5 (don't tell target, but i like homegoods even better for home decor... and that's saying a whole lot!)

what are you favorite places to shop?

thirtieth birthday three.

i'm bringing back the "thursday three" (i know, i know... you've missed it). this week will be a little different. it will be all about my thirtieth birthday celebrations last week. i'm going to try to condense it down into three points... here goes.

so i turned thirty last thursday. those of you that are "bachelor" fans and have been watching this season, you'll appreciate when i say: not twenty nine... not thirty one... but thirty. (thank you, crazy michelle.) nick spoiled me and made it so special. here are the top three moments.

1. our beloved, maggianos.

after i got home from work thursday night, nick had lined up his mom to babysit bel and we headed to our favorite special occassion spot: maggianos. YUM. it works out rather perfectly that it's one of our most loved restaurants and a popular gift card choice for parents to give the teachers for christmas presents at first baptist academy. ahhhh, our favorite foods for free?? even better. we dined on our favorites: bruchetta, chopped salad, chicken&spinach manicotti and creme brulee for dessert. throw in a tasty pomegranate martini and good conversation with a handsome man and you have one happy birthday girl.

2. mall date.

yes please. on saturday we dropped bella off at nick's parents for overnight and when we got back in the car, nick looked at me and said "wanna go shopping?" yes, he knows the way to my heart. we walked around the mall (my favorite mall that is nothing but outlet stores. love it!) for a bit and purchased a couple shirts from jcrew and gap. two of my favorites. it was perfect.

3. surprise!

we left the mall and got in the car to go to dinner. when we were about fifteen minutes away, nick asked me to close my eyes so i would be surprised. when i opened them, we were in one of our favorite areas of dallas: the bishop arts district. those of you that live in dallas... you have to come here if you haven't already. we love it! quaint little shops and restaurants and plenty of hole-in-the-wall places which we are huge fans of. one of our fav restaurant there is a trendy lil pizza place that has oh-so-delish-thin-crust pizza... with toppings like pancetta and goat cheese. YUM. nick lead me upstairs to where all of our good friends were waiting. so. fun. we stayed up that night until almost two oclock in the morning, and since we were bella-free we got to sleep in until almost noon. happy birthday to me.

i am very excited to be thirty... my life has only gotten better and richer and more blessed with each season, so i can only anticipate what the lord has in store for the years to come.