The fourth of July is right around the corner, so I wanted to round up some of my red, white and blue picks this summer.
Truthfully, the easiest way to put together a patriotic outfit in a pinch is a classic LWD with a cheerful scarf. Easy and always chic! You can tie the scarf around your neck or even in your hair.
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
I just got this dress in and it’s really cute, runs TTS. I almost bought this sarong – it’s so pretty! In my opinion, you can never have enough sarongs in the summer.
I’ve always wanted to be the girl wearing a dress and high-top sneakers. It doesn’t really flatter my personal shape, but that girl is the coolest. I also love these sneakers. They would also look great with a dress.
If you want to knock it out of the park – this dress has you covered on all sides. How cute is it!? It’s s a splurge but I saw it on another influencer recently and it was gorgeous. The detail is really something special. I styled a dress by the same designer in this post.
Does anyone have fun plans for July 4th!? We’ll be staying home but I’m trying to come up with some fun plans. Thanks so much for reading! XO –
I have had this dress since last year, but while my body was changing carrying Theo I was unable to wear it. As soon as I could zip this bad boy up, I knew we would be in business!
A bonus is that it happens to be on sale here and here. It also has pockets, which is always a perk in my book.
I would typically choose to wear a strappy sandal and more “evening” pieces with it. But I think it also works with raffia sandals, a straw bag and sunglasses. I love the vibrant magenta for summer, and bronzed skin is the perfect finishing touch.
One of the most common questions I get in every Q&A is, “what do I wear to a ___ wedding?” I’ve shared a few blog posts (will link them all below), but I wanted to round up some of my favorite picks for a best-dressed guest to a summer wedding soirée.
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve come to appreciate solids. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pattern at times, but solids are so versatile and photograph beautifully. It’s one of my biggest tips for choosing what to wear in a photograph. Go solid!
– a summer clutch bag from Jules Kae that will go with everything –
– gardenias blooming off of our patio –
Happy Friday! I can’t believe we have entered into June, the real, real start of summer. We are spending more and more time outside. And I’m extremely grateful for three ceiling fans on our covered patio. A necessity in Georgia!
Hudson has been talking nonstop about the beach. He asks us how many days until we are going to “get in da car and go to da beesh?” every day. And every morning he thinks it’s THE DAY. His excitement is so adorable. It makes me want to plan as many trips to the pool and/or beach as possible!
I have been trying to work full-time while being on solo duty with Theo the past two weeks. Some days are easier than others, but it’s still been a serious juggle. I didn’t realize that nearly every sitter I know is also living it up for summer and unavailable… so that’s been trickier than expected. It tests my patience, but I do try to remind myself what doesn’t get done isn’t going to be an emergency. This isn’t life or death so relax… when you can at least.
Being a mom while also trying to keep a hold on the interests, relationships and career that I still love so much has brought me some of my highest highs and absolutely my lowest lows. But I constantly remind myself that everything is temporary. Every age, every stage, every scenario – it’s all temporary. Don’t hold on to anything too tightly!
I hope all of you have a beautiful weekend and stay cool. Thank you so much for reading – XO –
We spent the majority of the weekend outside (like I’m sure most of you did as well), and I’ve been working on freshening up our covered patio for the season. I’ve never shared a formal blog post of it, but I plan to soon!
For now, I rounded up some of my favorite outdoor finds. To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
There appears to be a theme here. White and tan. I know a lot of people think, “white – outside? How will it stay clean?!” We have sunbrella fabric outside and scotch guarded it when we first got the pieces. Now I’m able to spray Clorox cleaner and then use a carpet cleaner machine (a pressure washer works too) to clean them. If they weren’t white, I think they would be even harder to clean.
I love this style of coffee table. This one is also similar and they just look so simple and chic. I have been considering it for the basement.
I ordered this scalloped tray over the weekend while it was on sale. I think it’s going to be great for snacks and drinks outside. Love this one too!
We have a croquet set, and am I any good? Not sure. I’ve yet to play a formal game with them, but for now, we all have fun setting up the court and knocking around some croquet balls. It’s proven to be highly entertaining for a toddler, so we’ve left them out for now in a little basket by the egg chair (on sale!).
Do you have any patio finds lately? I’d love to hear about them. Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
– treating myself to a giant hydrangea arrangement –
– and clippings of my own hydrangeas in the yard –
– offering 20% off Annie Selke this weekend with the code KBMEMDAY –
I hope everyone was able to see some of the light this week despite so much darkness. It’s been a very melancholy week, looking at my two young children and wondering what kind of world I’m raising them in. I signed up for Everytown notifications and plan on calling my local representatives, but we really have to start looking within to see what WE can do to further the gun safety movement along. It’s incredibly important.
I enjoyed a nice little “mom’s night out” in Atlanta with a few friends and it was so, so good for the soul. I was gone for over 7 hours (!!) the longest I’ve been away from Theo. It was needed and incredibly refreshing. Grateful for good friends who can always give me big laughs and fresh perspective.
We will be taking it easy for the holiday weekend, having some pool time and lounge time. My favorite sale going on this weekend would be the custom KBMEMDAY code which allows you to shop the Annie Selke 20% discount early. These are some of my favorite rugs of theirs that we have in our home. They’re the best!
I haven’t gotten a round of the best Memorial Sales together yet, but if you guys are interested in that I can try to look into it. Between taking care of Theo and the Uvalde, TX tragedy… my mind just wasn’t as focused this week.
This dress is a splurge but boy, isn’t it stunning!? I also love the print and silhouette of this one.
I have a variation of this dress and this one, and they are as comfortable, timeless and versatile as it gets. The only catch is that they can be a little short if you need to bend a lot (for kids and such). But I really love them!
I splurged on this top last year and still love it so. It’s slightly cropped so it works best with a high-waisted skirt or pant, but the detail is so pretty.
The elegance of this top caught my eye. It would be beautiful on anyone of any age.
These sandals and this tote are the types you’ll use year after year. They are highly versatile and comfortable.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. If you have a wish list theme request, please let me know in the comments! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I have been working on this sweet room bit by bit over the past year or so. Knowing that when Theo arrived Hudson would move to his “big boy room,” and Theo would move into the nursery. And now we have all made the transition and it really does feel like his special space.
Because he doesn’t have an opinion about his room yet, I tried to make it feel like a nice bedroom rather than a traditional “kid’s room.” We have a lot of out-of-state family, so I wanted to be able to offer two guest rooms at times if necessary.
I thought once we had Hudson’s bookshelves, tent and stuffed animals in here that it would feel like his space and it definitely does. The only other thing I’ve considered changing is the fan, but this room is a converted attic space so it does need that circulation. The fan works well, so for now it stays!
– splurging on the Baby Brezza Advanced, not sure if it’s worth it yet… we will see –
– a sweet book for the kids recommended by Amy Schumer –
– adding the first photo with Theo to the gallery wall –
We made it to the weekend, my friends. This week was a challenging one, so seeing it come to a close makes me proud that we’ve made it and are on the other side.
I was on my own with the boys for the second time while Christian was traveling, and it happened to be during a week when all the high schools and University were coming to a close. Meaning all my usual helper gals were unavailable. So I was both working and playing single mom. But we can do hard things! And I am always amazed at how much we can accomplish when we know it’s the only route. One thing at a time, and here we are… all still alive, healthy and smiling. I’m going to call that a mom win.
The heat has seriously spiked in Georgia this week. Next week looks better, but yowza. This is our third summer back in the South and each time I’ve forgotten how outrageously hot it gets. Mama needs to start saving for a pool.
Last weekend both Christian and I worked on pressure washing the patio and getting it ready for all of the time we expect/hope to spend outside. I’m on the hunt for a new rug, and when it arrives I plan to share a full patio reveal, which I’ve never done! I will also be sharing Hudson’s big boy room reveal next week. He’s been sleeping in a queen bed for the past few weeks and doing so well! It’s allowed Theo to move into the nursery and we are all sleeping so much better. I am so proud of Hudson. He is a classic oldest child, handling transitions so well.
We enjoyed this lemon chicken pasta salad this week. It was so good – a great summer dinner recipe! I plan on making this spicy vodka pasta recipe this weekend. A house favorite. Has anyone cooked anything lately worth sharing? I’m always on the hunt for some fresh recipes.
Lastly, ever since the website redesign launched, those who are subscribed to receive new content by email haven’t been receiving any emails. That was *hopefully* fixed yesterday, so I’m crossing my fingers and toes that if you are a subscriber you’re seeing this in your inbox! I’m toying with the idea of creating some exclusive content for subscribers. Let me know in the comments if you’d be into that.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend – XO –
One of the most frequently asked mom questions I’ve received since Theo was born is, “what products or items are you using this time around that you didn’t use with Hudson?” Truthfully, I shared in the May Q&A that there isn’t much.
We haven’t made any big purchases this time and have enjoyed the same items we used with Hudson. But there are a few new things in the mix…
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
A lot of these items you’ll also see in my original newborn favorites post here, but because it is still a frequently asked question, I wanted to share again!
My friend encouraged me to buy this swaddle after I shared Theo was too long for most small baby swaddles. It’s been great! I don’t know why it’s as expensive as it is… but it’s now the only swaddle he sleeps in, so fine. I also bought this pillow this time around. At night time Theo sleeps swaddled and flat, but for naps, we use this little pillow and he seems to like it.
We got a second Miku monitor and now have one in each boy’s room. I love being able to check on them from wherever I am. Even when we’re traveling, we’ll creep on the Miku to watch them be put down at night. We also have this monitor so babysitters can easily watch both kids.
I love this 2-in-1 body wash and shampoo for Hudson (we still use it on him), as well as the lotion. I’ve also used Necessaire lotion for both boys and it’s great too. A new item is this inflatable cloth newborn and infant bath float. Theo loves baths and is so content floating around on this thing. I always laugh because he looks like he’s floating along a lazy river. It will be great to bring on vacation and trips as well because it can pack so small.
We use this play gym daily for tummy time. Hudson loves it too!
That’s it for now. If you had a newborn item you really loved, I’d love to hear it! Thanks so much for reading and you can find more family content in the menu under “family.” XO –
I usually ask for a blunt cut with some minimal face-framing layers. This time she added some other long layers around to try to get it to hold waves more easily. We’ll see how it goes!
What are you loving for summer fashion this year?
I’m considering splurging on this dupe bag (original here). It’s genuine leather and the reviews are amazing. I think the bright green would be so fun – I’m trying to bring in some bright color for summer.
I don’t know if the neon trend is for me… but I do love some color in the warm months.
Favorite self-tanner for body and face?
Lately I’ve been mostly using Tan Luxe and Trish McEvoy drops. Love how easy they are (and don’t have as strong of a smell as other self-tanners).
What’s your #1 beauty product you can’t live without?
This is tough! I’m tempted to say this chapstick or this balm, but I might also say a great facial oil like this one. You can use it for your body or face and it’s super versatile.
Everyday summer sandal?
I recently got these and love them. I also love these and these.
BABY/MOM QUESTIONS:
Gift idea for a second time mom?
My favorite gifts I’ve received for Theo are personalized pouch bags (like this or this), personalized hooded bath towels and a family friend always gives us a tree from Seeds of Life. With Hudson we recieved a magnolia tree that’s now at least six feet tall and for Theo we received an oak tree!
What are your favorite baby bottles?
I try to only use glass and silicone bottles. My favorite glass bottles are these and these are my favorite silicone ones!
What are some changes you’ve made in terms of approach, gear, etc. from baby #1 to #2?
Not much. We are using all of the same gear (this car seat/stroller as well as this one), no new purchases thus far. Theo is in the same nursery with very few changes. Same baby carriers (this one and this one). Same baby monitor. Still operating by the Moms on Call books and schedules… I don’t personally feel the need to reinvent the wheel!
I did buy this swaddle this time because Theo is too long for most swaddles. And we bought a toddler riding board for our stroller.
You can find my favorite newborn products and why here. I still stand by these items!
Thank you so much for reading and for submitting your questions! June’s Q&A might be entirely shopping-related because there were a lot of those this time. Love it! XO –
