Wall to Wall to Ceiling

These two rooms from the latest edition of Lonny caught my eye:





Could you do it? Commit to one wallpaper to cover all the walls? And possibly even the ceiling? It definitely makes a statement! I gotta say that I'm digging the mix of romantic floral with modern lighting and furniture.

So do you love the look or not so much?

21 Months

M is 21-months-old today. Seems like a random month to record, but the day Henry turned 21 months, I was headed to the hospital to deliver Spencer, so I always think about it as this milestone month.



I look comfortable, no? When I look back on these pictures, I just can't believe how young Henry was but at the time seemed so big to us. And all I gotta say, is that I'm glad I'm not diving back into that world right now -- a 21-month-old and a newborn is a lot to handle!

Villas, Teepees, Treehouses + A Geodesic Dome

Those are just some of the places you can stay using Airbnb. Have you heard of it? Used it? I'd only heard about in passing a while ago, but it really caught my attention when I saw the collection identities by Kelli Anderson. The combination of her charming illustrations and stellar typography make for some truly great design.







I'm so curious to hear some first hand Airbnb info -- either from listing a place or staying in one. And aside from Airbnb, are there any other sites that you like to use for travel to find quirky or off the beaten path places?

Nice to meet you, too.

It's all about the packaging, I tell you. I just received an order from Poppin, and was so happy to see their creative packaging.

Full of doubt and staples.



Short, pushy and a little sharp.



Nerd is the new black.



My favorite part? The air pack that says "See you in the Supply Closet." I'm so there.



So, thank you Poppin. For not only offering sleek office supplies that in themselves bring a smile to my face, but for giving them quirky personalities. I can't wait to try them out!

A Burning House

I'm going to give you something to do over the weekend: peruse the pages of The Burning House! You guys, I'm fascinated with this site. I think it's the combination of liking to know what other people value and liking good photography and styling.





Have you ever thought about what you would grab first in a burning house?

[All images from The Burning House]

A 5-yr-old's Suitcase

Seeing what Spencer had packed all by himself in his little orange suitcase was one of those moments where I thought that I wasn't going to be able to take one more second of this little man growing older. He can usually be found off in his own world somewhere, which I don't know if that is a personality thing or a defense mechanism for dealing with a make-my-presence-known older brother and younger sister. But, I love seeing what he comes up with.

I knew he had packed his suitcase, but I had no idea what was in it until we got to the hotel last Thursday and he unpacked everything. By himself. Finding the perfect spot for all of his treasures.

His lantern, a necessity in any hotel:



His bouncy ball, that found a cozy home in one of the hotel glasses:



His blanket:



Superman and Wonder Woman and a cellphone:



His stuffed animals, neatly tucked by the spot he chose to sleep:



And last but certainly not least, his whistle, stashed on the bathroom vanity shelf:



You just never know when you might need one of those.

I had so much fun with my boys in the hotel. We swam until way past dinnertime, then came up and ordered room service and watch the NBA finals. Spencer fell asleep pretty quick:



But Henry would've stayed up to watch the whole game if I let him.



When he did finally fall asleep, I looked over at him and wondered, when, when, when did you get so big? He's almost the length of the bed!



He told me that night that he was going to be in the NBA. And then he asked if I would come to all of his games. And then I almost started crying because I always want him to want me around. I told him that of course I would. Wouldn't miss it for the world. To which he asked, "If I was playing would they give you free tickets?" Yep, they sure would, buddy.

The Magic Kingdom

Back from Disney, had a blast! 5 and 7 are perfect ages for the Magic Kingdom. We pulled into the parking lot at 8 AM and drove out of the lot at 11:30 PM. A full day, but so much fun.

The most fun part for me was getting to spend the day with the Perrys, our old friends from Houston. Henry and Jackson were born two months apart, and spent the first two years of their lives [before we moved to Boston] as big buds.



How about a little flashback?



Spencer and Annie were also born about two months apart, but sadly we moved when Spencer was only 5 months old [Annie, 3 mos], so they didn't get as much time together. But everyone got along great, which I was excited about because you just never know how these things are going to work out, you know?



We rode Buzz Lightyear three times. The first two times were by choice, the third time because Spencer had a little freak out about not getting to ride with Jackson -- which in all fairness to him, it was his turn -- so we waited another 30 minutes to get back on the ride. By this point, we were all pros. Julie even got a 212,000 score, which I think was Super Space Ranger status? It's a fun ride, especially for this age group.



We ate lots of ice cream, because when in Disney do as the Disnians do...



The most stylish Disnians I saw were these ladies from It's a Small World:



That ride is a classic -- loved it as much this time as 20+ years ago.

The street dance parade was a favorite of mine, too. Kids have the best dance moves and are so unselfconscious. And man, those dancing Disnians really get down.



Both boys said their favorite ride was Peter Pan. My favorite was Splash Mountain. It doesn't get much better than that.



Good times were had by all!

I'll end this post with my top 5 tips for Disney:

1. Go early! We rode Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Peter Pan, The Haunted Mansion and Snow White plus had time for an ice cream break all in the first 1.5 hours. There are no lines first thing in the morning. Peter Pan was already starting to fill up at about 9:30 AM.

2. Pack water bottles and snacks. Everything in the park is super expensive but you can take food and drinks [non-alcoholic -- the guy inspecting my bag told me someone just tried to smuggle in a 12-pack -- really?!] into the park. The food is pretty gross and pricey, so I'd even consider packing lunch.

3. If you aren't staying in the resort, leave earlier than you think. It took us about 30 minutes to get from where we parked to the Magic Kingdom. And if you can swing it, I'd recommend staying in one of the hotels in Disney, on the monorail.

4. Use the Fast Pass system! This system rocks. For Splash Mountain, the wait time was 65 minutes. With the Fast Pass, we waited about 5 minutes. I highly recommend timing things out to where you do the popular rides using the Fast Pass so you don't have to wait.

5. And lastly, go into it just expecting that it's going to be crowded and at times crazy, but it's worth it to see their little faces light up when they are experiencing something so new. I was so confused when I would see adults look annoyed at excited [and admittedly rowdy] kids. If you can't be wild and excited at Disney, where can you be?!

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions, too, so let me know!

Comfort in a Box

I heart The Instant Comfort Pocket Boxes by Kim Welling from the Netherlands. Who doesn't like to hear that everything will be OK? Or that they look wonderful? Plus, the illustrations and design are so nifty that it's a win-win all around. Would make me smile.



And if you're feeling crafty, you can assemble you own with these DIY kits:



In completely unrelated [unless you were to think about the above happy sentiments] weekend news, the boys and I are headed to DISNEY this afternoon! Caps and bold -- I can't wait. They are 7 and 5 yrs old, and this will be their first time at the Magic Kingdom. Should be great ages for enjoying everything...except the waiting, of course. Waiting isn't so fun at any age. But the greatest part of our trip is going to be meeting up with old friends from Texas. I really can't wait for that. Will be back next week with -- hopefully -- some happy pictures and stories!

School Days Cover

Look who was on the cover of School Days Magazine:



Did you notice the shorts? Told you they were his faves. I laughed hard when I saw this -- of course he would be wearing those that day!

Every Vote Counts!

I know it doesn't seem possible that I'm talking about holiday cards, but I AM! It's true. Over the past couple of months, I've been thinking about stockings and mistletoe and Christmas carols. And now, it's time to vote! Below are all my submissions to the Minted Holiday Challenge [if you click on the picture, it will take you directly to that design. ]:


The Peace Van


Noel in Stripes


A New Stocking


Let your heart be light


HappyStrangeLove


Classic Merry


Merry Ribbon


Sweet and Simple Merry


The Happiest Season

Voting ends this weekend, so if you have a minute to pop over and check things out, I'd be grateful -- every one of your votes counts!

Mem Day in Savannah

We were in Savannah last weekend with family, and I wanted to share some of the pictures that I finally uploaded. Have you ever been? It's one of my favorite cities. The architecture and squares are unbeatable.



Don't those row houses look like they could be in London?

My favorite signage from the trip:



My dad was actually born in Savannah, his mom and dad born there as well, so I always feel like there is a part of me there when I visit. We spent most of the weekend on the beach:



Wading in tidal pools, and catching fish:



But on the way out of town, we ate lunch in a square that just happened to be right outside the church that my grandmother used to play the organ in way back when:



They don't quite understand what it means yet to go back to a place where your family once lived and worked and walked around, but I like showing them anyway.



Hope yours was memorable as well!