today...

...to me!

sorry it's been a few days, but i've been busy celebrating!

p.s. how adorable is this picture?

from my besties at ouraugust!

10 things i couldn't live without this week

1. alone time. monday the boys school had an all day halloween party so i brought him in....even though i didn't have to work.  i toyed with the idea all weekend and couldn't decide if i could justify sending him to daycare for no reason. well the guilt sunk in come monday morning. how could i deprive him of a fun party at school? so dropped him off for a few hours and i got to go grocery shopping alone! it was amazing!
2. halloween was a huge success this year. i am pretty sure that it was the best family costumes that we've ever done! can't wait for next year!
3. the hubs blog is blowing up huge! and all the things he's written about are all so sweet. i can't lie....there have been a few posts that have brought tears to my eyes.
4. trick or treating with the boys friend violet. we never  get to see her anymore, but we had to keep our trick or treating tradition. last year they had a blast together and this year was so much better! they are both a year older and watching them interact with each other is so much fun. they were a fearless little duo!
5. finally watched the vidal sasson movie. it was amazing, inspirational, and moving.  even if you are not a hairstylist i recommend it. great movie about a legend.
6. thank you notes in the mail for no reason. i received a "thank you" from my dearest sweet Jessica. it was just to thank me for being me.  i mean how flippin' sweet! everyone deserves a friend like her.
7. while i am on the topic....i am so pumped up for jess and jonny (of our august fame)! they finally found their perfect apartment in the BK! when can i come visit?
8. i was starting to feel a little down about missing out on all the prime yard sales lately! since i am normally driving to work during yard sale time.  but when i saw that my friends were doing a sunday yard sale i jumped in the car and headed over! scored some amazing finds! (thanks kelly) and even realized on my way home that there were more yard sales in the neighborhood...scored a few more items as well.
9. the hubs took the boy to gumbo limbo nature center this weekend. while i am totally jealous that i didn't get to go, i am so excited to go with them eventually. they haven't stopped talking about how amazing it was.
10. speaking of the amazing hubs.....do you know that man ordered pizza for dinner to surprise me after my long day at work......that man sure knows how to make me happy.

10 things i couldn't live without this week:

1. once or twice a year i make it out to my parent lake house on lake santeetlah. it is my heaven on earth. i think deep down inside (as much as i love living on the beach) that i was meant to be pickin' a banjo in the back woods of north carolina. spending the week up there was so rejuvenating (even if i was sick half the trip).

2. haley and paige drove up with my cousin to surprise my dad and spend some time with us at the lake. it was the best surprise! my dad was blown away. i had such an amazing time with them! the two of them are growing up to be such amazing women and i am so proud to be their big sister!

3. one of my favorite things about spending time in NC is checking out the local artist. we usually head into asheville and hit up some galleries, but this time we stayed very local. yellow branch farm and pottery as well as bee global will always be on my "must go to" list when i am up there.

4. the boy was so amazing on the plane. i was worried about the flight home since we didn't even take off until about 9pm. he fell asleep before we even left the ground and slept until every last person was off the plane. what a champ.

5. as i mentioned i got sick on vacation...bummer. but i must say, that if you are going to get sick you should do it when we are with 15 of your closest family members. i had so much help with the boy. it was the biggest weight off my shoulders to have all the help. thanks everyone!

6. as much fun as i had in north carolina this past week the highlight had to be getting home to see the hubs! unfortunately he couldn't make the trip, but we sure missed him! it is so good to be back in his arms.

7. nyquil - even though it makes me do funny things in my sleep.

8. sharing in the excitement with my two favorite people from ouraugust. not only is it their month (both of them celebrating birthdays in august), but these two little lovers just got engaged! jump on over and share the love with them! i know that they will have a long life together full of laughter and joy. best wishes!

9. the boy did his first zip line at his friend olive's birthday party. barrel o'monkeys is an awesome family run kids gym in delray beach. the boy and i have been before, but he was too scared to do the zip line before....but today was a new day! thanks to a little persuasion from mommy (i told him it was like a super hero....how could he say no?) and the instructor letting me take him on the ride....he did it!

10. i have not legitimately cooked dinner since i have been home from my trip (baked chicken and mac and cheese doesn't count). between me and the boy being sick and the lack of food in the house it just hasn't happened. all the pizza and take out is taking it's toll but sometime it's nice to have someone else make dinner. as i am writing this now the hubs in on his way home from picking up dinner at chili's. yum.

our august...

got to see my two favorite travelers this past weekend....check it out!

DIY: passport covers

this is one of the easiest tutorials and takes less than an hour to make start to finish. i made these in a snap for the sweet little lovers over at our august. what travel bloggers would love matching passport covers.

here's the handmade how to:

step 1:

cut two 12" x 6" rectangles out of contrasting fabric.

step 2:

pin and sew them together, right sides together with a 1/4" seam allowance. remember to leave your self a 2" opening to turn it inside out so that the right sides are facing out.

*tip: trim the corners off before turning inside out so that the seam will lay smoother.

step 3:

press flat. top stitch all the way around the rectangle.

step 4:

fold in 1.75" on one side and 2.25" on the other. press, pin and sew only along the top and bottom edges.

step 5:

fold in half, and press flat. and that's it. you are done. enjoy.

serve it up with a handmade card and you are set. love you anges and leonard.

the ms. z dress

i've been kinda obsessed with recreating the le sac dress from american apparel lately. i made one for myself the other day, and after a request for a summer jumper from ms. z, i thought that she might need one of these too. for her dress i used some vintage fabric from my grandmothers stash and i also added an elastic waist band (for i thought that my dress was lacking a little shape and was a little to sac-y) can't wait to see her cutie little self in this dress! i know it will be perfect for those hot new york summer days. love you and miss you lady.

10 things i couldn't live without this week:

1. a well spent $10 at world thrift. this exceeds my normal couple dollar budget, but i just couldn't turn these down. after doing a little research i think the fiesta ware purchase might be the buy of the year. i priced out one cup and saucer set at about $40. that was a very good $5 spent. and then the linen blazer that i got the hubs fit's like it was tailored for him. my trick worked! and the hubs got some sweet new digs for his birthday to wear under that blazer.

2. getting to see all my lake worth mommy buddies. i love all these inspiring and talented ladies! their maybe a surprise here in the future.....all depends on what the mommy ladies say.

3. swimming pool playdates.

4. turquoise violets first ever homemade giveaway. don't forget to enter for your chance to win.

5. my impromptu trip to orlando for two important ladies.

6. lady #1. my momma. sometimes i need my momma, but sometimes my momma needs me.

7. lady #2. my favorite lady, Ms. Z if ya nasty. we had a mini farewell party at house of blues to see the Darling Cavaliers. they were amazing. saying goodbye to Jess was not. i take that back. in the past few years she and i have become so much closer than friends. she is my teacher, my shoulder, my colleague, my therapist, my inspiration. and i could not be more proud that she is doing it. she is jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, and she is going to land on one foot with so much laughter and grace.

8. the hubs birthday. when i met the hubs there was a strictly enforced "no celebrating the birthday" rule. it brings the utmost joy to my heart to see how much he enjoys his birthdays now. i have worked hard over the past 5 years to make it that way.

9. some fantastic haircuts given out by your's truly. now if i could just corner the boy....he's looking like he needs a trim.

10. auditioning for the one month to win it contest. keeping my fingers crossed.