Currently Loving

Happy Wednesday! Hope everyone is having a great week. Just wanted to check in and share a few things on my radar...

J.Crew Arrow-Print Shift Dress

I am so smitten with this dress. It's perfect for summer. To me, a sweet little shift looks a bit more polished than a pair of shorts, and it's just so easy to toss one on and head out the door. That embroidery at the neckline and shoulders? Love, love, love. Pretty sure this will be making its way into my closet very, very soon.

New Balance 420 Tomboy Sneaker in Indigo

When I showed this pic to my husband, his response was, "Are you kidding with the running shoes?" I'm not exactly the sporty type, as I may have mentioned before. But as I explained to him, those aren't running shoes, they are cute sneakers. Duh. I mean, gingham, navy, AND lime green? Get on my feet. Now.

31 Bits Wisteria Necklace

Are you familiar with 31 Bits? Founded by a group of five college friends, the company works with women in Uganda to hand craft gorgeous beaded jewelry (made from recycled paper!). The women sign up to be part of a five year program. In addition to their paycheck, they also receive counseling, health education, financial training and business mentoring. Upon graduation, each woman has her own business AND business education. Pretty genius, isn't it? This necklace is part of their new summer collection. I can picture wearing it with a great maxi dress, or just shorts and a tee.

Jergens BB Body Cream

Anyone who's used self tanner has inevitably dealt with the dreaded oompa loompa effect. It happened to me a zillion years ago in high school, and I've been wary of any drugstore tanners since. So when I read about this BB Body cream, I was hopeful I'd found a better alternative. This stuff is great, guys! It evens out my skin tone and even firms a little. If you want to test it out, I found trial sizes in the dollar bins at my local Target.


Have a great week, friends! XOXO

Saving Face

Happy Saturday, friends! Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. Almost noon and we're still in pj's around here!

So let's talk skin care. I've always tried to take good care of my skin--always wash my face before bed, drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen, the typical no-brainer type stuff. But I'm not getting any younger, and being on a budget keeps me from getting regular facials and the occasional Botox, so I've ramped up my regimen just a bit. After all, you can change your outfit, you can change your hair, but your face is what you present to the world every single day. Makes sense to be good to it, right?

Daily staples in my skin care routine...

1. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel
I have used this cleanser for at least five years now, and I love it. It's just a great basic cleansing gel--removes every bit of makeup without stripping my skin. And it smells so good!

2. Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Moisturizer
I just started using this a few weeks ago, and I'm really liking it so far. According to the Kiehl's website, the moisturizer "addresses both the short-term visible signs and long term premature aging effect that stress can have on skin." I have noticed a difference in my skin's texture and it seems to help with redness. I will say that a little goes a loooooong way, so just a dab will do.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray
I'm the girl who used to think facial sprays were just a racket. But consider me a convert, especially when it comes to this one. I keep it in our fridge and spritz it on my face every morning after applying moisturizer, then let it all sink in before applying makeup. On non-makeup days, I love misting a bit on my face and the back of my neck to cool off and refresh. Does it really do anything to improve my skin? Debatable. Does it provide a teensy little bit of decadent pampering (rose water! aloe!)? Absolutely.

4. L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur
This product seemed too good to be true when I read about it, but a tiny sample in one of my magazines changed my mind. It does a bang-up job of filling in fine lines and camouflaging dark circles. If only it could do dishes.

5. Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream
Want to know when you've hit upon skin care gold? When you use it one time, and the next day a friend says, "Your skin looks great! Did you get a facial?" Seriously, that happened the day after I started using the marine cream. My dull, tired skin was suddenly glowing. I initially used it twice a day, but I found that too irritating for my skin, so now I apply it every night before bed. It's pricey, but worth it... if you're skeptical, check out eBay for sample sizes to give it a try.

6. Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
We all have scars, and some of us have freckles. I was blessed with a double whammy for all the world to see: a crater-type chicken pox scar filled with a freckle, right between my eyes. I have always been a little self-conscious about it, but when a co-worker recently asked me if I'd injured myself, I knew I needed to do something. I've been using the Clinique dark spot corrector for several weeks now, and I can tell it's working. They key with this product, according to the lady at the Clinique counter, is consistency. You have to use it every day, at least once a day. I'm guilty of forgetting a day or two here and there, but overall, I'm happy with the results so far.

What are your staple skin care products? I'd love to know what's in your medicine cabinet! XOXO

Mother's Day

Happy Wednesday, y'all! Can you believe it's (practically) already May? Mother's Day is just over a week away. So to all my mama friends out there, you still have time to offer a few gentle nudges and hints to your husbands about how you'd like to spend your special day. Breakfast in bed... maybe a mani/pedi... heck, maybe just a nap!

As appealing as breakfast in bed sounds (my husband makes a mean omelet), I thought it would be fun to pick a handful of splurge-worthy gifts to share. You know, in case he's reading and decides to sleep in Sunday morning.

1. iomoi personalized stationery; 2. Catbird Grey Garden perfume; 3. Marigot Maya Check pajamas; 4. Nora Kogan 'Mama' ring

I know I just mentioned iomoi in my last post, but their personalized stationery is just about the cutest around. That zebra in the muumuu reminds me of Mrs. Roper from Three's Company, who I consider one of my fashion spirit animals.

Since I had H, I've only worn perfume a handful of times. I just opt for scented lotion most of the time. But when I read the description of the Grey Garden perfume from Catbird, I became so intrigued and enamored that I know I want to try it...

"For the lady who likes it spicy, mysterious, musky, sexy, decaying, rose-drenched, and a little off. This is for the alley cats, the late-night jazz records listeners, the bad girls in black. A scent to make you blush."

Cute PJs are my jam, and these from Marigot are pretty much perfect for summer. I love the men's style, and I seriously can't get enough gingham in my life. 

Nora Kogan's 'Mama' ring has been on my wish list since my first Mother's Day three years ago. I love the sweet simplicity of it, and the idea that the inscription is facing toward you and your heart when you're wearing it.

To all my mama friends out there, however you decide to spend your special day, I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

Consider this a big hug from me. And a high five. Because you're awesome. XOXO

You Get a Basket! You Get a Basket! You Get a Basket!

Hi everyone! I am so excited about Easter. In my opinion, it's the loveliest holiday. Fabulous dresses and dapper suits, the pretty pastel colors, the abundance of chocolate, the abundance of chocolate in pretty pastel colors (I mean, seriously, who can resist Cadbury Mini Eggs?), and the freedom to wear white with abandon from now till Labor Day. There's a lot to love, am I right?

With Easter, Christmas, and birthdays, we try to follow this gift-giving mantra:

Something you Want

Something you Need

Something you Wear

Something you Read

Those Darn Squirrel books; Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game; Pottery Barn Kids basket; Eleni's bunny cookies; Gap denim shorts; Melissa & Doug Whittle World School Bus play set

H is always up for a new toy, especially one with wheels. If you read this post, you'll know we are working on social communication, and pretend play is a great way to encourage that. I think the little figures that come with the school bus will provide lots of entertainment. The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game helps with fine motor skills, which we're also working to improve. And since the Adam Rubin books were about squirrels as well, I thought I'd keep with a little bit of a theme. I've heard lots of good things about his books. H is not much of a candy guy (he definitely did not inherit my sweet tooth), but he loves a sugar cookie. The bunnies from Eleni's are just adorable. And speaking of adorable, those Gap denim shorts? Yep, pretty darn cute.

In case the Easter Bunny is reading this, I have a few suggestions for a basket for the hubs, too...

Red Jacket  Hiroshima Carp tee; Pisgah Pale Ale growler (local brews rule!); Justified Season 4; Kettle Chips; The Art of Shaving After Shave Lotion and Shaving Cream

T is a huge fan of Red Jacket tees. They are seriously the softest cotton and they hold up really well. Pisgah Brewing is one of many local breweries here in Asheville, and we served their Pale Ale at our wedding. It's been one of our favorites since they launched in 2008. We are huge fans of Justified, but we stay a season behind. It's the perfect show for binge watching, though. And now that spring has sprung, my hubs will be shaving the beard he's been growing since Halloween. Everything from the Art of Shaving line smells fantastic, thanks to 100% pure essential oils.

And in case my husband the Easter Bunny is still reading, I threw together a few things for myself when I'm hopping down the bunny trail.

J.Crew Chambray Head Scarf; iomoi #whatshappeningnow #happybunny tote; Where'd You Go, Bernadette?; 10% Happier; The Ropes of Maine bracelets; French Broad Chocolate Lounge Peanut Butter Eggs

I've been trying to grow out my bangs for.ev.er. and they've reached that awful spot where they're too long to do a sideswept look well, but too short to tuck behind my ears. Ugh. A cute headband will (hopefully) help me maintain my sanity. If you aren't familiar with iomoi, go have a look around now. Their motto, "tradition with a wink" is my style to a T, and so is that tote! It would be perfect for tossing in a book and juice box or two for a trip to the park. Shana Ready's instagram feed makes me want to spend the summer sailing in Maine, but maybe a bracelet or two will give me a fix. And there's pretty much no place else that satisfies my sweet tooth like Asheville's French Broad Chocolate Lounge. Reese's ain't got nothin' on those eggs, y'all!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend! XOXO

Life Lately

Well, hello there. Hope you all are having some great spring weather like we are here in Asheville. 70+ degrees all week? I'll take it! 

So, I'd like to share what's been going on in our world lately, and one of the reasons for my lack of posts. If you read this post, you know the hubs and I have had some concerns about specific areas of H's development over the past year, and we shared these concerns with our pediatrician at H's annual check up last fall. Let me just take this opportunity to say how important I think it is to have a pediatrician who is more of a listener than a talker. Ours is amazing. He let me do the whole paranoid mama prattle, and his response was a perfect balance of professionalism and candor. He referred us to our local children's hospital for an evaluation with their Development & Behavioral Program. 

Fast forward five months (and LOTS of speculating/worrying/hand wringing/reading of developmental horror stories on the internet) later, to the long-awaited appointment on March 20. The director of the program evaluated H and diagnosed him with high functioning autism (HFA). This shed some light on things that have seemed a little unusual, like how H flaps his hands and wiggles his fingers when he's excited, or how he sometimes repeats a question back instead of answering. And it gave us a starting point from which we are moving forward.

Our doctor is recommending speech therapy that will focus primarily on the social use of language. We hope to combine that with the therapy services offered at H's preschool to maximize his treatment. Once school is out for the summer, I'm hoping we can utilize other services for at-home therapy sessions. With such an intensive regimen, our doctor feels confident that H will be off the autism spectrum by the time he's 5. It's very encouraging! He also commented on what an exceptionally bright child H is, for which I take full credit (just don't tell the hubs). 

As we've shared the diagnosis with our family and friends, we've been asked a lot of questions...

What is the autism spectrum, and what is high functioning autism (HFA)? 
'Autism spectrum' is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Individuals who are 'on the spectrum' have varying degrees of difficulty with social interaction and verbal/nonverbal communication, and may or may not exhibit repetitive behaviors and/or narrowly focused interests. Umm, yeah. Try to wrap your head around all that. At one end of the spectrum is high functioning autism (HFA). Individuals with HFA have average or above average intelligence, but may struggle with issues related to social interaction and communication.

Do you believe vaccinations triggered H's autism?
No, but in absolutely no way am I discounting the many families who maintain their children's autism was triggered by a vaccine. With H, there was no sudden regression in speech or motor skills following any of his vaccinations that would suggest a correlation. Rather, as he has grown and developed, a few skills haven't progressed as others have. Every family has their own approach to treating autism, because every autistic individual is unique. I have nothing but respect for anyone who is working in the way they deem best to help their child.

Can H be cured?
As a neurodevelopmental disorder, autism cannot be cured in the way that a disease can be cured. But because we've identified it so early and H will be hitting therapy hard from the get-go, we believe he will acquire the communication skills he needs to overcome his challenges with social interaction. Our hope is that he can be re-evaluated in a couple of years and he won't register on the spectrum. 

What will his therapy be like?
We're still learning what H will be doing in therapy. Mostly, from what the doctors have explained to us, it will be a lot of playing to encourage social engagement--games that require a call-and-response type interaction, role playing, or even actual board games. At home, we are following the Greenspan Floortime Approach to foster an interest in conversation through play.   

Just last week, the CDC released a report with startling numbers: one in 68 children in the US is on the autism spectrum--a 133% increase since 2000. The good news is that many government officials, both state and federal, have responded to the data by calling for an increase in funding for research AND assistance for those affected by autism. In my opinion, both are necessary for progress. And that's as soap-boxy as I'm willing to get right now. 

April is Autism Awareness Month. And I'm sharing this with you all today, specifically, because April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. And because I am a magpie, after all, I thought I'd share two sparkly finds that raise money for autism awareness. 

Stella & Dot Visionary Bracelet (All net proceeds benefit the HollyRod Foundation)

Alex and Ani Piece of the Puzzle Charm Bangle (20% of sales go to the National Autism Association)

My Arm Party

 

After putting H to bed a few nights after the diagnosis, my husband and I were talking about the journey we've started, and he said something that I've held in my heart since. "He's the same boy," he said. "He's the same sweet, smart, funny kid. The diagnosis didn't change him." And that is so true. The diagnosis didn't change him. It just gives us a better understanding of the incredible little boy we are blessed to raise, and a new direction in our adventures together.


XOXO

Checking In

Hi there. I am wishing so much that I could carve out some time for this little blog of mine, but it's been so hard lately. I did want to check in and share something that's been resonating strongly with me lately. Thinking it may be meaningful to some of you, too...

Hope everyone is having a great week! XOXO

Rikshaw Design Spring Collection

We've made it to the middle of the week, y'all! It's amazing how much faster the week goes by when you aren't confined to your house with a sick little. And the weather the past few days has been so, so, so wonderful. Of course, rumor has it (and by rumor, I mean The Weather Channel) we're in for another cold snap starting tonight, but I refuse to let it get me down. How can I when Rikshaw Design released their spring collection?

Love. It. All.

Y'all, those punchy colors are giving me a serious case of spring fever. If you aren't familiar with Rikshaw Design, founder Catherine Benson launched the company in 2008 with a line of baby bedding and accessories. Each piece is crafted from the softest, most ridiculously comfy cotton voile--the kind of comfy that makes you wish every shirt in your closet was made from it. Hand-blocked prints give each piece a one-of-a-kind feeling without being too precious.

I have a kurta from a couple years ago that is a summer staple, but these new prints have me itching for another. And don't even get me started on the kids line. H has outgrown his kurta, so a new one is most definitely in order. There's really nothing cuter that a little boho boy...

I mean, come on.

My favorites from the new collection:

Classic Kurta in Darjeeling Violet

Embroidered Sleeveless Top in Geo Pink

Children's Kurta in Turquoise Seahorse

Good news for those of us who missed the boat on the Gold Tuxedo Kurta after it sold out last year--it's back! If you're looking for a fab gift for a mama-to-be, check out the play blankets and burp & bib sets. And mamas of baby girls? One word: bloomers. XOXO

(FYI, this is not a sponsored post, just my opinion, which is pretty rad. But if RD needs an east coast ambassador, I'm up for the job!)