Happy Weekend!!!!!

Image by Liz Ham

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

The trees are all turning a slight shade of red as they are ready to burst with new foliage.
The Magnolia trees are now in full bloom which makes me sad and happy at the same time.
You see, our house came with a 100 year old Magnolia tree which has now been butchered to one branch due to a very pushy Elm that has encroached on it's sunlight... 
Hopefully this year, we might find a new one and plant it in honor of our southern heritage.

But...
you really know it's Spring when..

Vintage baseballs at woodnheart on Etsy

Baseball season starts!!

Yup that's right...starting this weekend, the Monster starts Minors 2 Little League and with the help of the Tall One who just so happens to manage the team..

I can guarantee that I will be tripping over various bats, balls and gloves for the next 3 months...

During said time...I get to have a little fun with my boys..playfully arguing which baseball team is THE best..

I think we all know it's the Yankees!!

{Personally I don't really care but I have to say it's a heck of a lot of fun driving around with my Yankee's license plate cover in Red Sox country! Even better...Having both teams stickers on your car..seriously..people don't even know what to do with themselves..)

On another note....
Chocolate Creative Design will be in full swing over the next 4 weeks....

3 Wedding Invitation Suites and 1 Save the Date!!

Whew!!!
April showers bring it on as I will not be able to see the sun till May!
But that's ok...when I awake...it will be planting time!

Stay Safe, Plant a Tree and Have a Great Weekend!!

Chocolate Therapy #73

 Image found via SKILLSHARE

Under the Sea.....

 I think I need an octopus cake stand....

Yup...I do!

Tentacled Server Cake Stand at BHLDN

Tuesday Typeface....Let Us

Its almost time to plant lettuce!!
Lettuce Letters created by Mariam

a little glitter to start your week........

A little glitter love for your toes from H & M

Happy Weekend!!!!!

Image by Polly Wreford

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

It is absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous today!

68 degrees in our little part of Connecticut is crazy!

It isn't until June do we dare reach those temperatures!

The forsythia is quickly catching up to me as I clip her wild branches to bring inside!

I just saw a Magnolia tree in bloom!

I know they all had a tough go of it during the hurricane this past August and want nothing more than to come back to life...

but it does worry me a bit!

Looks like it will be a garden rose season instead of a peony season for all those lovely brides out there!!

The spring blooms always remind me of my Dad...

He is the one who has inspired me to love gardening..

So I am very happy that many of these blooms will be showing up with a beautiful smile for him on his birthday this Sunday!

My Dad,(aka Pop-Pop), has always had a hard time accepting gifts...

It's not in his nature you see...

as he is the one who is always giving!

This year is no exception...

He plans to take his children and grandchildren on a cowboy adventure out West this summer!

It will primarily be a Smith adventure with a couple Wessons thrown in for good measure.

(yes, I did indeed become a Wesson after originally being a Smith)

My Father is truly one of the only selfless persons that I know..

Anyone who knows him, knows that by us strapping on our boots and slapping on some spurs, it will be the best birthday gift of ALL time!

 He is truly a wonderful Pop-Pop!

As emails were being thrown back and forth regarding timing on this adventure...I couldn't help but giggle at one...

When my father asked us to contact his travel agent, Connie, to set up our flights...

the Tall One (aka smart-ass) inquired...

"Does Connie know where I can I find size 38-Xtra-long chaps and size 14 cowboy boots?"

Being the visual person that I am....

This is what immediately came to mind....

Ahhh Family...what would we do without them?

Happy Birthday Pop-Pop!!

I think you now know what to get your Son-In-Law for Father's Day!

Be Safe, Be Barefoot and Have a Great Weekend!!

Puddle-Jumping?

Image found via weheartit

Here in Connecticut, we are absolutely, positively LOVING this May-like weather!!

Sadly our sun-shiny dreams will come to an end soon because as quickly as the warm temperatures arrived..this weekend, we will be back in our winter coats with an added umbrella!

But we need the rain....

Rain brings the flowers...

Yet I can honestly say....

I am tired of my huge clunky snow boots and my cold rubber rain boots...

But what is a Lady to wear in these soon to be rainy months?

Well..Just like they always do..

Anthropologie has come to our rescue...

 Basketweave Rain Flats

 Florence Rain Flats

 Coy Rain Wedge

 Split Strap Rain Sandals

 Ribbon Tied Rain Ballerinas

 Ribboned Rain T-Straps

Warwick Bay Rain Slides

What's more fashionable than a lovely and colorful umbrella??

These are some of my favorite finds...

without breaking the bank!

 Women's Printed Umbrellas at Old Navy

Piano Man Umbrella at Modcloth

Patterned Rays Umbrella Blue at Anthropologie

Colorblock Umbrellas at Gap

My Favorite!

Cross Hatch Stem Umbrella at Orla Kiely

So rain away...rain away!!

Chocolate Therapy #72

Print created by Ian Coyle

Spring has Sprung and it's time to Tip Toe through...

Image found via Easy to Grow Bulbs

 

In the Northeast on the Shoreline, it's easy to spot the early signs of Spring.

The air gets warmer and sweeter, the birds start chirping, the Peepers put on their concerts as the sun sets and pastel hues magically pop out of the ground and paint the once drab landscape.

First the dainty purple crocuses emerge

 Then...

Image created by Lisa Russo

the sun colored daffodils...

followed by..

 Image created by Maria Kallin

The ombre sky Muscari

and finally...

Image found via Martha Stewart

my beloved and graceful tulips.

But for all those mothers of boys....

Spring=Freedom

 Image by Anna Sawin Photography

Free to walk through your home without stepping on Legos.

Free to NOT pick up dirty socks and various articles of clothing such as hats, gloves, mittens, jackets and very very wet boots.

Free to use your counter tops..

(as the Matchbox car parade has been taken outside)

 Free of any electronic noises such as wii, DS or T.V.

Because for them...

it's time to go outside, explore the world and find...

 Image by Anna Sawin Photography

Sticks...

 and

  Image by Anna Sawin Photography

 Animal Carcasses!

And perhaps some sea glass, shells, rocks and sharp, rusty, pointy metal objects.

(didn't you know that ALL boys are human metal detectors?)

As Miss Sawin coined it yesterday..

Are we celebrating 

The last day of Winter or the first day of Spring?

But it wouldn't really be Spring on the Shoreline till you...

  Image by Anna Sawin Photography

Tip-toe through the ocean...

and give a little jump....

because..

Image by Anna Sawin Photography

(with a little help from Chocolate Creative Design)

Tuesday Typeface.....Tweet..Tweet...

The air is warm, the sun is out(well it was yesterday!!) and the birds are singing!

Happy Spring!!

Letterpress Alphabirds Print by the amazingly talented

Jessica Hische

Piccolo Miracolo......

Image by Chocolate Creative Design

I believe in Miracles

I believe in Signs

I believe in Yin & Yang

I believe in Karma

I believe in Fate

I believe in Destiny

I believe in Magic

In the summer of 2008, I lost my engagement ring.

The engagement ring which was lovingly designed by the Tall One's great-grandfather for his great-grandmother.

It had a story and it was loved.

It slipped off my finger and fell in between the seat of my car..

down down below...to the abyss..

We were trying to get 2 dogs, 2 five year old boys, 1 baby, a heaping pile of stuff into a boat in the middle of a thunder storm at the brink of dusk across a lake to an Island.

Weighing meltdown vs ring...I took my chances and left it.

The next day..I tried to reach for it and it snuck away from me and instantly disappeared.

So it stayed in my car..

Over the years I have pulled everything apart..

looking looking looking..

Huge plastic pieces of my car lay in our basement. 

Every time that I would get into my car..
I was reminded of it and my heart became heavy. 

Yesterday, the sun came out and the air became warm & sweet..

The Tall One decided to clean and wash his car..

I felt inspired and decided to do the same..

One last look..I thought..just one last look.

On March 18, 2000, I was lovingly given this ring by my future husband..

In the sky the sun was setting and moon was rising.

One of the best days of my life..

On March 18, 2012, I stretched out my fingers into the depths of my car and there she was..

Just like that..

a little miracle..

Do you believe in miracles?

a little glitter to start your week.....

Glitter, Orange, Sale....

3 AMAZING words..

Ombre Polka Scarf at Anthropologie

Happy Weekend!!!!!

Image by Corey Arnold

(check out his website...Alaskan Fisherman turned photographer)

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

What a fantastic weekend it will be!! 

The Monster has his last basketball game of the season against Milagros...

Now I do have a soft spot for Milagros especially a certain little boy on that team...

BUT

Our team is undefeated thus far and we'd like to keep it that way!

Baseball tryouts are immediately follow which means Spring is HERE!!

Perhaps a little Spring cleaning will be in order too...

Oh wait...I almost forgot...

 Ok.. no I didn't... 

It's the Tall One's birthday today!!!

Usually we head up North and go skiing but since it's a full on sports weekend, we are officially grounded...

So this year I had a bit of a hard time picking out a gift..

I mean the man has EVERY piece of fishing equipment out there!

Clothing is impossible to buy 

(good luck finding ANYTHING decent that's extra tall)

He has a watch which was purchased on our honeymoon

Tick tock tick tock Lucinda..

Well I can't spill the beans now...

BUT

This I will promise my Tall One...

When we finally move down South

(after the Monster has grown)

and we find a little house(shack) on the water

I will build you an official "Fish Station"

Check this one out I found in Southern Living!

 (How cool are those bucket lights?!

Available at Barn Light Electric)

Located in the garage...

It's perfectly equipped for the fisherman!

Apparently, there is a grill located around the corner so that you can clean your catch and grill it up in one fell swoop!

Ok so maybe it's not a shack....

BUT..It's that converted barn that you have always dreamed about...

and the views are

 AMAZING!

 Don't worry Tall One...I have your back...

We still share the same dream after all these years..

Can you believe it..

It was exactly 13 years ago TODAY that you called me up for a "blind date" that forever changed our lives...

Happy Birthday Tall One..

Blow out those many many many candles

and make another wish that I know will come true!

Be Safe, Pick a Daffodil, and Have a Great Weekend!!!

Branching Out....

I have become completely obsessed with this image shot by Erica George Dines for Southern Living!! 

Since I started hearing the Peepers last night, It's time to bring a little Spring inside our home.

We are lucky enough to have a pleathera of flowering trees on our property such as Apple, Pear, Magnolia and Forsythia, which with a simple pair of clippers, bleach, a rubber mallet and a fabulous vase...

you can have a gorgeous floral display that lasts for weeks!!

I have the table and now I am on the hunt for those AMAZING sea glass hued vases!

My absolute favorite thing to do is...

(which has delighted the Monster since he was little)

Image by Martha Stewart

is to carefully place bird's nests filled with tiny faux eggs between the branches...

A few butterflies, birds and bees complete the look and become hidden behind flowers as they begin to bloom, depending on where they are placed..

I dare say...

I have found a few rubber snakes and rubber spiders

hidden amongst the flora and fauna...

But 

I quickly catch my breath and realize that this is purely a collaborative work of art that The Monster and I are enjoying, learning from and constantly ever-evolving...