sugar, swiss dots, and my sweethearts

today we put on our easter best and headed to the annual story-time egg hunt at the library.  it was good practice for sunday's big hunt and the girls came home all sugared up and smiley and with chocolate stains in awkward places that had me wishing their daddy was home to laugh and joke about with me.  i don`t allow too many sweets in my house, but i never want my children to feel like they were deprived of some of the fun things that holidays bring about--  pastel m&m's sure are pretty and easter eggs filled with playdoh are a brilliant idea, you can't convince me otherwise.  though i am a bit of a momzilla and don't include any candy in their easter baskets (they get enough when we go and visit relatives) and i don't neccessarily agree with how commercialized certain holidays have become, its good to let the kids indulge every now and again... especially after sitting through a couple good easter stories and songs.

On Cameron: vintage pink swiss dot dress- etsy, shoes- puddle jumpers, sweater- baby Gap

On Haley: 1960's vintage turquoise swiss dot dress - etsy.  shoes - hand me downs (thanks Shannon!)

A couple swiss dot dresses you may enjoy:
 peach swiss dot dress -- the lace on this dress is divine and unique
baby blue swiss dot dress -- simple and sweet and perfect for spring

and because i think every mom deserves an apron on easter, if only for display purposes--
swiss dot floral apron

To see more kiddos in cute attire visit:
Small Style and Little Vintage Style

holy suspsenders...

easter is right around the bend! and per tradition, i have thought about it all april long yet haven't managed to coordinate anything but the girls easter outfits. or so i thought. when the final piece of cameron's ensemble arrived in the mail today... it just wasn't very flattering to her short, round stature and she was a bit reminiscent of georgie porgie on babes in toyland. i just couldn't do it to the girl.

haley has been a trooper about the whole thing and isn't giving me too much sass about not being able to wear a twirly dress on the big day. and that flat skinny thing we call her butt... the thing that can't hold up a pair of jeans to save it's life (hi suspenders! i am your new biggest fan)... was just achin' for a pair of vintage plaid britches! who knew?

Other toddler suspenders that may be of interest to you mama's who have also caught a bad case of suspender fever:
*  plaid wool shorts in the dreamiest blue and purple combo... would be perfect for fall. collared shirt, t-straps and tights (if you're a lady)
* primary color sweet suspenders. oh my!  i can already picture a little one running around with these, teddy bear in hand.
* and this last pair, well, i am showing a lot of will power by not purchasing them!
they even come with a matching bow!  i love vintage sailor-themed clothing.
*these aren't exactly suspenders, but i guess they could be added.  i just thought i'd throw them in while on the topic of vintage sailor clothing because someone needs to scoop them up... the little buttons are too good to be true.

on my easter (would like) to-do list:

1) washi-tape easter eggs - take two.

2) painted clothespin dolls (easter basket)

3)  homemade kite -- if only for picture purposes.
we fly kites at the farm every easter and i have been wanting to do this for sometime,
though googled kite tutorials make it seem 10x trickier than i imagined. boo.

4) upcycled hairbows from girls old clothing (easter basket)

5) easter bunny plush (easter basket)
6) find something for cameron to wear! ack!
7) family photoshoot.  though i am sure it will just end up being the girls because i am grossly unphotogenic these days.

i`ll probably be scarce here as i try to pull this all off before sunday...

so have a wonderful week and don't forget to share the real easter story with your family
(even if you're busy getting a bit caught up in all the extra like me... as moms we are entitled to such foolishness, right?)

<3

school daze

I have a sweet spot for vintage toddler dresses, it's true.  And I must warn you, my vintage dress posts may come a little more rampantly now that the weather is warming up and Haley, who believes herself to be a true princess, doesn't really care to wear much else  (though she choses to be naked as a jaybird, first and foremost, haha).

This little number I am sharing with you is Haley's "first day of school dress." Could it be any more fitting?  The colors, the plaid, the peter pan collar, the two little pockets in the front that are perfect for stashing erasers, crayon shavings, and other school miscellanies... or for sticking her hands in when she gets nervous and overwhelmed at all the new faces.  Ohh, I am completely in love...with everything down to the "love" brand tag.

I think Nick is starting to roll his eyes at my explanations for purchasing certain dresses.  I mean, i've ordered sensible things like easter dresses and christmas dresses... but when I tell him things like "this is Haley's baking dress,"  well, i must confess that somewhere down in my heart even i know that is quite the stretch in justifying a purchase... but really, who could refuse such a fine dress to mark the start of our daughter's education? 
Even if it's 6 months away





Not me.

You'll be seeing this little pretty again...
along with an apple, bag lunch, an oversized backpack, and first day of school cheese faces!
And to me, such things are priceless.

===============================

Here are some other vintage pretties that I would love to add to my collection if money were no issue and I had a better reason than "this is Cameron's sunshine dress":

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69204813/vintage-50s60s-yellow-lace-dress-2t
http://www.etsy.com/listing/67336916/girls-vintage-smocked-dress
http://www.etsy.com/listing/56256329/vintage-1960s-autumn-flowers-ruffle
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69818414/vintage-60s-easter-best-smocked-baby

Maybe one of you can find a spot in your closet for them.
(or purchase them before Nick has a reason to smack my hands)
Feel free to tell your husband it's a "sunshine dress"
;)

dress me up, buttercup

Without the rain, There would be no rainbow....



Happiness.
It's something that's been on my mind a lot lately.
Some days it just seems to find me and other days, I have to reach for it.
I mean really really reach for it.
(i used bold and italics here people, i hope you understand the great lengths of my reaching, haha)
I don't like that happiness has become more of a task than a general state of being as of late,
but I suppose in being mom to a 1 year old and a 3 year old, I am pre-destined to go through little bouts of "this".
This being ::: those frustrating, terrible two, can't find a matching sock, no food in the cupboard, daughter spills a bucket of paint and breaks a hazardous CFL light and shampoos her hair with half a bottle of dish soap on the living room floor all in the same day, kind of days.
(yesterday was exactly that)

Today, though particularly gloomy and wet outside, was one of those unexpectedly wonderful days where happiness just seemed to find me-- in the sound of rain, in a peach tea snapple, in a walk down memory lane by way of our sweet vintage dress collection.

 Nearly all these little dresses of ours come with a story and memory.... or are a starting point for happy days to come (i've already got the girls fourth of July dresses picked out for this year, if that tells you anything... and finding something to wear always seems to be half the battle if you're a girl, right?)



This little dress took me back to Jed and Haley's sweet photo session and made me want to kiss my husband.  Cameron can't fit in it yet, but the idea of Haley wearing something one year and Cameron being able to wear it the next always delights me.



This dress will probably be Cameron's easter dress this year and is also the dress Haley wore to the elementary school when we went to help judge the talent show.  The day Haley tried to get on a school bus with the big kids and finally showed a bit of interest in school (or atleast it's fancy big yellow commute).



This is Haley's most favorite dress of all. Her "Cinderella" dress.  I can't tell you how many hours she has spent in this dress- twirling around, curtseying, marrying princes and tending to other royal businesses.



And these two little numbers... two of my most favorite of all, were worn for Thanksgiving dinner and graced the front of our christmas card.

Yes, today is one of those days where happiness has just shown up on my front door step all on its own.
Wrapped up in flutter sleeves, polka dots, smocking, ruffles, and gingham...
Be still my heart.

<3

a cubed sugar affair

today has been an exciting day.
because what could be more exciting than recieving an instant collection of 42 vintage hankies in the mail?
not too many things... if you're me.
haley expressed her wishes for a "tea party" bedroom, so i am setting out to give her just that.
well... maybe after i untie all 42 of these bad boys.
they have yet to be washed or ironed and that's kinda gross when you think about it.
(...they are hankerchiefs)
but, i tend to get carried away when i`m excited...
and excuse things like vintage snot remains and wrinkles.



the next time you're having a bad day (or week in my case)....
i highly suggest fixing yourself a hanky banner.
the colors, the patterns, and the ease of it all is sure to give your heart the mending it needs

<3