A Garden for Plant Killers

Today I was feeling particularly garden-y.
Probably because I was thinking about Mother's Day.

I haven't figured out what I'm doing with or giving to my mom yet.
If you are like me, you can now feel better about yourself. You are not alone.

There is something about Mother's Day that puts me in the mood for a garden.
There is also something about Mother's Day that puts me in the mood for food that tastes like cake.
Who am I kidding?
I am ALWAYS in the mood for food that tastes like cake!

Enter: Cornbread from Saturday night's dinner. 

Or Sunday morning's breakfast for my daughter. 

Whichever. 

Enter: The daughter who ate all the cornbread.
And the daughter who made me a mother for the first time.
Love her!

Back to the garden.
Actually, the non-garden for those of us who are watering challenged.
The well-known secret is that I kill all plants that require more than the most minimal attention possible.

Boxwood.

You spray them with water once a month!

Even I can handle that. 

I bought this line of table linens, Couleur Nature, at the suggestion of one of my favorite people, Claudia.
She said I would love them.
She was SO right!

Obvious good choice for someone like me.
Instant garden. Instant good mood.
No watering required!

Okay, so I strayed to the beach. 

I couldn't help it!

Love the beach. 

It has lots of water already there. 

This lamp does not need to be watered.

Enter: Blog Math
Mother's Day =  Food That Tastes Like Cake + Garden -- the Water.

If I come up with some fantastic idea that completely encompasses the sacrifice and life-long unconditional love that is being a mother, I'll let you know!

If I come up short, I probably won't mention it. 

Today, more than ever before, I know how special it is to have the opportunity to be a mother. 

Mother. Sister. Daughter. 

Love you J. 

The Majors are Waiting

My older boy is actually on the team. 

The younger one is not. 

But he thinks he is. 

No one has the heart to tell him otherwise. 

Coach is nice and lets him practice with the other kids. 

Coach was nice when he asked him to let the other kids have a chance getting the ball. 

He seems ready, by his professional posing ability, to go all the way. 

Best part is the pink glove.

He owns a blue glove. 

Maybe it's his good luck charm. 

Or maybe he's three and unreasonable. 

He grows on you. 

Kind of like a chocolate bacon bar. 

Yes, little bacon pieces mixed into a candy bar. 

It came highly recommended. But still. 

The first day I tried it I tried to give it away. 

No takers. 

Then, this morning, I was hungry and too busy to get real food, so I tried it again. 

It was tasty! And sort of breakfast-y.

I ate the whole thing. 

You can see why I am still trying to give 10 pounds away. 

No takers. 

Sometimes a home run comes in a package you weren't expecting. 

Sleeping In Today...Sort Of

Any time we are expecting a couple thousand people downtown in one day, I get a little anxiety.

What if the store doesn't look good that day?

What if I spill food all over my shirt before it even starts? (Holiday Stroll flashback)

What if there is some other catastrophic happening that ruins the day?

Dear brain: Shut up and get to work.

The day started at 7am putting up the tent for the sidewalk sale.
Let me repeat: 7 am. Tent.
Me and the troops.

Festival started at 9 am and so did my son's t-ball game.
Oh so thankful for a seasoned t-baller known as POP-POP to take him to his game and cheer!

Summer is so close I can smell it. 

Always changing things up a little. 

I've been thinking about these since I saw them in January!

Did I mention the troops?

As soon as you say "don't shine that in your eyes" you have just come up with a cool idea that needs to be tested immediately. 

Dear Little Sister, you are running low on favors. 

I know you love the owl bracelet, but still. 

The other 130 pictures I took of him were with his grumpy face. 

On purpose.

We had a great day, with no catastrophic happenings! 

I have to thank everyone who came over and helped out .

I couldn't have done it without all of you! 

I heart nice people. 

The Royal Wedding of Sussex

Since my invitation got lost in the mail, I decided to wear my outfit to work.

Don't forget to stop by and see us tomorrow for the Sidewalk Sale & Bug and Bud Festival!

Have a great weekend. It's going to be a good one.

Sidewalk Sales, Festivals, New Stuff

I know I have been quiet this week.

The combination of three kids, spring break and this weekend's triple threat have had my brain working to the max.

First Order of Business. Sidewalk Sale!!

This Saturday starting at 9am, anything you might have been looking at for a while, that we just happen to still have, might be going on sale!

Look for the big white tent with the pretty windows, that I have been told is a giant pain to put together. (I wouldn't know)

Same tent. Better sale. Different season. 

Second Order of Business. Bug and Bud Festival!!

The reason for the sale. 

Downtown Milford is expecting nearly 5,000 people and ladybugs this Saturday. 

Minorbird is expecting a customer or two (or a bajillion). 

Weather Channel says 70 degrees and sunny on Saturday.

 Perfect.

The Third Order of Business and maker of the Triple Threat. New Inventory!!

All that hard work sourcing new stuff for summer just paid off.

Lots of boxes are arriving tomorrow and they're full of SUMMER! 

Because seasons arrive in boxes around here. 

Tiny, little sneak peak...

Little Black Dress. Great necklace. Yes.

With a white t-shirt and a beach tote? 

Just plain love these earrings. 

Silver and Gold. Silver and Gold. With a twist. 

Not stopping at jewels...

Summer table linens from Couleur Nature...So pretty! 

Perfect excuse to buy a beach house. 

And there's more. But I don't have any more time today. 

I have to figure out where it's all going to go!

See you this weekend!

Takin' a Ride

Well, it's Spring Break.

I love being able to spend time with the kids I shuffle off to school every morning. Except when they act like children I don't even know.

We spent the morning at the beach making friends and collecting fish.

We also collected sand. In our bathing suits.

 Home we went, salty and tired. Sleep? No.

Ride bikes with friends? Oh yes.

Just like I remember it. 

Finally another girl to play with. 

Don't let his size fool you. 

You would think I asked him to run 3 miles. Barefoot. Uphill. 

Watch out for little curly-haired boys on Big Wheels. 

You might lose a shin. 

Yes, we have a bathroom in our house. 

No, I didn't catch him until he was already pulling his pants back up. 

What a great way to kick off the warm part of the spring. 

Scarves be gone!

Between the Sheets

Growing up I almost always got new sheets for Christmas from my grandmother. And they always had some sort of wintery, holiday, theme. And always flannel. 

They were good. I liked them. 

Not sure why, but I was 10 and didn't care.

Not long after the first wash, they would begin to feel a little scratchy. With little flannel balls. 

My snowman sheets seemed to be exfoliating my entire body. 

My sister still buys sheets like that. 

It must be for sentimental reasons.

Fast forward to grown-up-hood. Wedding registry.

I was 21 when I got married. Tell me, what in the world did I know about registering for all the stuff I supposedly needed to have a proper house? I had just graduated from college. Proper meant you had something to sit on. 

Ralph Lauren sheets seemed like a good choice. Pretty color, reputable brand name. Pricey, but you can't go wrong with Ralph, right? 

I would like to think, at the very least, my style had upgraded from the grandma's-sweatshirt-style snowmen. 

Fast forward to have-my-own-first baby-hood. Crib bedding. 

I lived in South Florida at the time. And I was still learning how to not feel Amish surrounded by Housewives of...(you can fill in the blank, they all apply). 

I wanted the prettiest baby nursery I could considering I didn't know if it was a girl or a boy. 

Ruffles were out. Neutrals were in. 

I walked into The Silly Goose, my most favorite little boutique in Downtown Delray Beach (and the inspiration for my store today) and my favorite store owner in the world, Beth, showed me a bedding line that changed everything I thought I knew. 

Bella Notte

Linen. Embroidered Linen. Silk. Velvet. Satin. Sateen. Lace. Crocheted lace. Oh my. 

Toto, we aren't in Kansas anymore. Or Delaware.

But for a baby? For my sweet, precious, unborn little baby. 

Why shouldn't he/she have the best? I mean, I had way higher standards for that tiny little person than I did for myself. 

I bought them. I trusted Beth knew what she was talking about. She promised I wouldn't regret it. 

It was a girl! 

I am happy to report, nearly 8 years later, that she is happy and healthy, smart and beautiful, and worth way more than I could ever give her. 

But those SHEETS! 

They survived 8 years and two more kids. And got better. 

The crib sheets feel like butter now. I'm telling you, like butter. 

Not that I sleep in butter, but you know what I mean. 

I didn't stop at crib sheets, of course. And let's just say, not only can I never go back to the snowman exfoliators, I can't even consider any Ralph-what's his name either. 

So there you have it. My thoughts on sheets. 

If you're up for more info on how they are made, garment-dyed, and how environmentally friendly, made here in the U.S.A. they are, click here.