OUTFITS TO TRANSITION INTO FALL

This summer flew by and were headed into one of my favorite seasons...FALL! Now is the time to start mixing some of your summer favorites with new fall pieces. So no packing away all those tees just yet because they're a perfect layering piece. I especially love them under a blazer in the morning when it's cool. These are some of my favorite summer tees which are on sale for only $11 if you need to refresh any, now is a great time to stock up!

This cute little blazer caught my attention at Target the other day. Pair it with your favorite summer tee, raw hem jeans, a cute pair of slip on mules and these yellow studs (only $24). Then dress it up with red heels for an evening out and these tassel earrings. I love shopping places like Target, Old Navy and F21 for more trendier pieces and investing in more staple pieces such as good jeans.

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Have a pair of booties you're dying to wear but it's still 80 degrees outside? Pair them with a cute dress and if it's cooler add a cute leather jacket for the evening. I got this Cupcakes & Cashmere dress this summer and planned to wear it out to dinner but ended up wearing something else. It's such a great color combo I decided to keep it to transition into fall. I paired it with these booties and this leather bomber. These new pieces just arrived from Stella & Dot and would be a great compliment to the dress. Earrings // bracelet

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Apple and pumpkin picking may be my favorite fall activity. Grab your favorite striped summer tee and layer it under your new favorite cable-knit sweater. When I saw this in the L.L.Bean catalog I immediately went online and it was SOLD OUT! I was like WTF...it's not even Fall yet? I'm hoping it's being restocked because I NEED it. I included it here because I loved it so much and pray it will come back in stock. I also snagged this cute felt hat from H&M. The beige is sold out online but they were just stocking them at the Legacy Place store and other locations as well. Olive may be my fall color obsession and this crossbody satchel just arrived! We can't forget our accessories when going apple picking and these druzy semi precious stone earrings and bracelet are even more gorgeous in person. Anyone else think it's ok to wear white after Labor Day? I'm in, especially since these cords at J. Crew Factory are BIG1 FREE!!

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I got these bow flats at H&M the other day and love the way they look on. If you can't wear jewel tones well like myself but it's a hot color this season then add it with accessories, like shoes and bags. I love mixing fun patterns with solid black and this outfit could work as an office look or dinner with the hubs. These pants at J. Crew factory are B1G1 free right now! The earrings are 2 in 1 and are a great accessory for the holidays.  I've been wearing this bracelet with everything.  

        

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Workout gear is easier to transition into fall, just add a jacket or sweatshirt and maybe splurge on a new pair of sneakers to kick start your workout after all the summer cocktails you enjoyed. I'm seeing so many cute jackets that is was hard to choose just one. I tend to invest in these because I know I will get a ton of use out of them year after year! The infinity scarf is reversible and this India Hicks backpack works great as a gymbag! 

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A WEEKEND IN KENNEBUNKPORT MAINE

We visited the adorable coastal town of Kennebunkport, Maine last weekend. A classic New England town with beautiful views, cute shops and great restaurants. I had booked this trip last minute because we were all in need of a relaxing getaway, especially Rob who hasn't taken a vacation since the beginning of the year. I knew he needed a relaxing weekend away and this was the perfect little getaway. Since it was last minute I was scrambling to find a hotel, places to eat and things to do. I'm not originally from New England so I hit up a couple friends who are for recommendations. Nothing disappointed.

Where we stayed: The Lodge on the Cove

This place is a hidden gem! I wanted a kid friendly place with a pool that was close to everything. When I saw the description said the hippest kid friendly hotel in Kennebunkport, I was sold. This checked off everything on our list and more. I was nervous about not being in the heart of everything but this ended up being exactly what we needed. It was a quick bike ride to Dock Square which was our favorite thing to do as a family. It was so quiet and peaceful. We loved all the extras around the hotel. They have free bike rentals, including kids bikes. They also provided towels, beach chairs, surf boards for the kids and beach passes. All you need to bring is your bike helmets. The lodge has a ping pong and shuffle board table which is right next to their restaurant the Dory. So us parents could enjoy a drink in our cozy little booth while we watched the kids battle it out in ping pong. Right off the restaurant is the pool which was nice and warm. So even with our chilly temps that weekend, the kids didn't mind jumping in. Next to the main lodge was a little clubhouse to hang out in with even more games, movies and a cozy fireplace. They have smore kits to make your own smores, a movie night and an ice cream sundae night. The hotel was filled to capacity but the whole time we felt like we were there with maybe 5 other people. They included muffins, fruit, coffee, tea and juice for breakfast but we explored some other places. 

via instagram 

The Dory 

via instagram

via instagram

Where to eat: (We didn't eat at all of these places but they were on our list and recommended by some locals we met)

Breakfast: Salt & Honey, Satelite Donuts (this is a must when visiting)

Lunch: The Clam Shack, The Dory (get a milkshake) , Federal Jacks, The Ramp Room

Dinner: The Tides Beach Club (ask for a table on the porch so you have a view of the ocean) Bandaloop, White Barn Inn

We also got in the car and drove to Perkins Cove to eat at MC Perkins. Although we didn't get to explore because it was pouring, the view is amazing and so is the food.

What to do:

Bike rides. We took a bike ride along the coast. We checked out the Bush compound, fought a couple whining kids and took in the scenic views. Take a trolley tour around town. A lobster cruise. Hit the beaches. Explore the shops at Dock Square. One of my favorites was Day Trip Society. Beach Grass, Dannah's, Shoot the Moon and Spaces are a couple others to check out. Hit the Sugar Shack with the kids.

We really enjoyed our weekend away. Although I had done day trips before I didn't have the chance to explore as much as we did and we fell in love with this cute little town. It's the perfect getaway for a family or a romantic weekend away. We passed The Cabot Cottages on our bike rides which looked adorable as well as The Kennebunkport Inn for a romantic weekend away.

What I packed:

         

       

Project Patio

Exactly four years ago we moved into our fixer upper dream home. One of our favorite features of our home was the size of our backyard. Back in the day, this country girl would have laughed if I said this backyard was big but for Boston suburb standards, it's a decent sized yard. Now don't get me wrong, this wasn't some amazing manicured lot. In fact the deck was so rotted the inspector told us not to even walk on it. There were random plants in the middle of the yard, everything was overgrown and the property is surrounded by massive trees. The trees in the front of our house are what made me fall in love with our neighborhood. Picture father of the bride. Those trees are staying and I hope they never have to come down. The backyard was a different story. There were 3 massive pine trees that were actually planted for the 3 boys that lived here. We lost half of one during a hurricane and the other half went over our large retaining wall into 3 neighbors yards causing us to pray the other 2 didn't follow suit. We recently had the other 2 taken down before they could do it on their own. I got nothing done that day because I was amazed at how those guys work. No equipment besides a harness and a chainsaw.

I was hesitant to take them down. Not because they were pretty but our yard felt enclosed and what I feared happened...I now feel naked in my backyard and need new trees planted ASAP! Add it to the backyard renovation list. We're in the midst of finally fixing things up and I wanted to share the process of what's going on over here but before we get to that I'll fill you in on what our thoughts were before diving into this project.

We plan on eventually adding on to our home. It's a HUUUUGE renovation! Since we have an exposed basement, we have to add 3 stories and a new garage and that is not happening for awhile but we didn't want to live with our dilapidated deck until we renovated. So we had to come up with a solution to make the backyard livable for entertaining and hanging out with the kids but also not go crazy since it will eventually all be ripped up again. After nixing the idea of building another deck since it wasn't very cost effective we decided to go with a partial stone patio and peastone gravel seating area. I was very hesitant about how the gravel was going to look in our yard but I'm hoping it will all come together nicely. That's the thing about working on the exterior is that you may not see the final outcome until a year or two later when all your plantings fill in and make it the space you envisioned.  

Here are some before pictures of the back of our house before anything was done.

I had painted the lattice black and the decking gray because it was red before that. Even though it was falling down I was trying to disguise the eye sore that it was. 

and yes, I was really lazy when I painted around our outdoor rug

Sort of scary when we learned that there wasn't really anything much supporting that little roof

We used gray composite decking for the deck boards and stairs since it was a small area. Normally I'd just go with a pressure treated wood but since it gets lots of use and the area wasn't large we went for the more durable stuff. 

We removed the deck and had a new smaller portion built with steps which will lead down to the new patio. The railing will be painted white and we will be adding horizontal decking below to cover under the deck and the foundation of the house. I'm still trying to figure this one out so it's at a standstill right now and still looks ugly. 

I debated over the deck railing design for awhile and decided to go with a simple design. The carpenter added a wider ledge too which has come in handy for holding drinks! 

Stay tuned as I blog more about our #jcdprojectpatio this summer! 

FAVORITES FROM THE MAIL THIS WEEK

Fall catalogs are starting to fill my mailbox and I've been dog earring away. Here are some of my favorites from the mail this week. 

This whole outfit from Boden has my name all over it, although I'd prob wear black pants. Then pair it with a cute leather bomber and funky earrings to grab after work drinks with your friends. Because you know I do this all the time. (These summer days have been long so I think I'm vicariously living through 20 somethings without kids)  sweater //  pants // shoes // necklace

ALL OF THE SHOES! I always love Boden's shoes but have never actually ordered a pair. Has anyone else? Did you like them? 

You all know how much I love Mark & Grahams stuff and these bags don't disappoint. I mean that luxe cow hide one 😍  and the navy windowpane camera bag are to die for!

IKEA's new catalog came out and so I braved IKEA with the kids the other day to grab something for my office that I wanted to grab and as we made our way through the maze I spotted their new storage bins in black and white stripe! So cute for a playroom. 

Let's be honest filing cabinets can be an eye sore but they're sometimes essential. After organizing my office the cb2 catalog came in the mail with a similar vintage cabinet that I just finished organizing. It's from the new Fred Segal line at CB2. It comes in a single size too. Also loving this acrylic storage table from the collection too. Actually loving a bunch of things from the new cb2 catalog like this lucite desk, marble console table and that cowhide bench, gah! I NEED that! 

If you're in the market for a new backpack these Tea Collection ones are super cute! If Under Armour didn't exist I'd get the navy and orange one for the youngest. Or the cute shark one I spotted at target the other day that's perfect for preschool. Oh how I miss the days when I could buy cute stuff. 

NORDSTROM ANNIVERSARY SALE

It's here! Early Access to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. The sale where Fall and Winter is discounted for a limited time before going back up to full price. If you're a card holder you can get access to start shopping today! I had a sneak peek in person of some of the items that are included in the sale at our local Nordstroms and I'm sharing my must haves below. 

A little reminder that a lot of popular items sell out quickly so if you have your eyes on something I would suggest not waiting to long to scoop it up. 

I'll be sharing all of my favorites in the next couple days. I'll be kicking it off with my women's selections first. Including accessories, shoes, bags and clothing. So many good things for fall! I'm a blush, gray, black and leopard print kinda girl so if you're into that too I hope you'll enjoy my picks.

There are so many great bag selections this year. I'm obsessed with the colors in this Rebecca Minkoff bag and the All Saints bag is such a pretty color. I was drawn to it the second I saw it.  To shop my picks click on the pictures

         

        

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GET 4TH OF JULY READY

Summertime if officially here and it's time for bbq's, beach days and long days with the kids. So to help you pull together a great 4th of July picnic, I'm pulling out all the stops to help take your outdoor BBW to the next level. Adorable cocktail napkins, the best french fry holders and festive cocktails will have your guests raving about the occasion. I'm also sharing some of my favorite 4th recipes I've made over the years. 

STRAW TOTE (cheaper version here) // RED WHITE STRAWS // ROSE ALL DAY BOOK // SILVER LANTERNS // RED WHITE BREW NAPKINS // 4TH OF JULY PRINT // GALVENIZED TRAY // CROQUET SET  // FISH GLASSES // FRENCH FRY CUPS // FLAG BOWL // BLUE MELAMINE PLATES // STRING PATIO LIGHTS 

SOME OF MY FAVORITE 4TH RECIPES: 

SO LIGHT AND REFRESHING

HOW CUTE IS THIS SMORE IDEA??

I KNOW THESE CUTE TREATS LOOK LIKE A PINTEREST FAIL BEFORE EVEN MAKING BUT I MADE THEM LAST YEAR AN THEY WERE EASIER THEN I THOUGHT AND THE KIDS HAD FUN HELPING ME 

WINE SPARKLERS 

I HAVEN'T MADE THESE BUT THEY LOOK EASY AND I LIKE A NO FUSS DRINK