New York: Amélia Takes on American Girl

Friday was A’s big day in the city. Every girl must experience 5th Avenue, and why not start now?! At two, she was about to experience the shopping mecca of New York, and the first stop was American Girl.


A little history: A is the second girl of a whole line of boys on my husbands father’s side of the family, and she’s the first great grand-daughter. Her nana (my husband’s grandmother) took the only grand-daughter to American Doll years ago, so you can imagine how excited she was to take her first great-grand daughter.


So, We taxied up to American Girl. This place!


Have you been? It was my first time there as well, and whoa! 

There are three levels of dolls. Yep, 3 levels. If a little girl can’t go crazy in there – and spend all your money! They have a photo studio – where your girl can appear on an American Girl magazine – a cafe (side note: make reservations before you go!), and a doll hairstyling counter – I’ve never seen anything like it.

I think they have something to represent whatever your girl’s in to: horses, basketball, ballet, skateboarding, biking, and the list goes on. 

They also have dolls to match your skin tone, hair color, even hazel eyes like mine. This is definitely going to be a tradition as my girl gets bigger. 

Her nana started her off today with Bitty Baby. OMG, the smile on my girl’s face when she got her doll! She’s such the little momma.

I’d say that’s one happy American Girl customer!

Do your daughters have an American Girl? Was this born out of a tradition? We’re currently in the market for baby names… got any good ones?

New York: Amélia Takes on American Girl

Friday was A’s big day in the city. Every girl must experience 5th Avenue, and why not start now?! At two, she was about to experience the shopping mecca of New York, and the first stop was American Girl.


A little history: A is the second girl of a whole line of boys on my husbands father’s side of the family, and she’s the first great grand-daughter. Her nana (my husband’s grandmother) took the only grand-daughter to American Doll years ago, so you can imagine how excited she was to take her first great-grand daughter.


So, We taxied up to American Girl. This place!


Have you been? It was my first time there as well, and whoa! 

There are three levels of dolls. Yep, 3 levels. If a little girl can’t go crazy in there – and spend all your money! They have a photo studio – where your girl can appear on an American Girl magazine – a cafe (side note: make reservations before you go!), and a doll hairstyling counter – I’ve never seen anything like it.

I think they have something to represent whatever your girl’s in to: horses, basketball, ballet, skateboarding, biking, and the list goes on. 

They also have dolls to match your skin tone, hair color, even hazel eyes like mine. This is definitely going to be a tradition as my girl gets bigger. 

Her nana started her off today with Bitty Baby. OMG, the smile on my girl’s face when she got her doll! She’s such the little momma.

I’d say that’s one happy American Girl customer!

Do your daughters have an American Girl? Was this born out of a tradition? We’re currently in the market for baby names… got any good ones?

Trendy Tot Tuesday {Fashion Post}

Apparently, I’m not the only one who poses for the camera… and loves it! 

Took these this past Friday before heading out on those last minute errands for our New York trip. This girl glams up for every occasion, and I don’t often get a say-so in her outfit choices. Fortunately, she’s got style sense.

And she’s super photogenic!

dress: custom from a boutique in Paris, France // shoes: Payless

Can this girl take a bad photo? 


And the poses? I don’t know where she gets ’em from!


Linking up with Megan of Modern Camelot

Trendy Tot Tuesday {Fashion Post}

Apparently, I’m not the only one who poses for the camera… and loves it! 

Took these this past Friday before heading out on those last minute errands for our New York trip. This girl glams up for every occasion, and I don’t often get a say-so in her outfit choices. Fortunately, she’s got style sense.

And she’s super photogenic!

dress: custom from a boutique in Paris, France // shoes: Payless

Can this girl take a bad photo? 


And the poses? I don’t know where she gets ’em from!


Linking up with Megan of Modern Camelot

Final New York Preparations

photo credit

…So as I still have a long list of things to finish up I decided to update on the New York preparations. 

Packing will be fairly easy because I sent a bag ahead last week with most of my outfits and shoes on a truck our company sends out early. So much easier (and cheaper) than checking two big bags!

But I have a girlfriend staying in my house for the next two weeks. It’s supposed to be non-stressful so she can care for our dog and cat… y’all, I don’t know about you, but even though my house is clean I still feel like it isn’t clean enough. 

On the list of last minute prep? Besides laundry for my checked bag? Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning out the fridge, washing dishes, washing sheets, emptying all the trash, and general tidying.

The only thing that’s making this a little easier? It’s raining. That means Amélia isn’t going to bug me at 9 a.m. to go in the pool, be pushed on the swings, write chalk on the sidewalk, you know ANYTHING outside that would distract from the inside house duties. 

On the other hand, I might have double the pick up by the end of the day. Looks like Netflix will be on ALL DAY. *sigh*

Well, it’s just past 830 a.m. and I’m on my second cup of coffee, so the procrastination life update on the blog must come to an end. 

I’ll see you lovelies from New York with some fashion updates, and mine and Amélia’s adventures around the city. Keep up with us through #AmeliadoesNY and #SouzafourthofJulyinNY.

Until then… if you’re in the NY area I highly {somewhat biased ;)} recommend checking out the fireworks show on the Hudson. If you can’t be there in person, you can view it on television. In the meantime, check out how our company, Macy’s and Usher have worked together to make this year’s show spectacular!… 

Happy Monday!

Final New York Preparations

photo credit

…So as I still have a long list of things to finish up I decided to update on the New York preparations. 

Packing will be fairly easy because I sent a bag ahead last week with most of my outfits and shoes on a truck our company sends out early. So much easier (and cheaper) than checking two big bags!

But I have a girlfriend staying in my house for the next two weeks. It’s supposed to be non-stressful so she can care for our dog and cat… y’all, I don’t know about you, but even though my house is clean I still feel like it isn’t clean enough. 

On the list of last minute prep? Besides laundry for my checked bag? Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning out the fridge, washing dishes, washing sheets, emptying all the trash, and general tidying.

The only thing that’s making this a little easier? It’s raining. That means Amélia isn’t going to bug me at 9 a.m. to go in the pool, be pushed on the swings, write chalk on the sidewalk, you know ANYTHING outside that would distract from the inside house duties. 

On the other hand, I might have double the pick up by the end of the day. Looks like Netflix will be on ALL DAY. *sigh*

Well, it’s just past 830 a.m. and I’m on my second cup of coffee, so the procrastination life update on the blog must come to an end. 

I’ll see you lovelies from New York with some fashion updates, and mine and Amélia’s adventures around the city. Keep up with us through #AmeliadoesNY and #SouzafourthofJulyinNY.

Until then… if you’re in the NY area I highly {somewhat biased ;)} recommend checking out the fireworks show on the Hudson. If you can’t be there in person, you can view it on television. In the meantime, check out how our company, Macy’s and Usher have worked together to make this year’s show spectacular!… 

Happy Monday!

Livin’ Easy with Nautical, Beach Style {Fashion Post}

Summa time and the livin’s easy…

maxi skirt: Quicksilver (here) // tank: Target (here) // fedora: Payless (similar, similar) // nautical starfish ring: JC Penney // nautical bangles: JC Penney // shoes: Macy’s // sunnies: Rayban (similar) 

(Side note: I told y’all I had birthday weekend outfits coming to the blog and somehow I managed to delete the photos when uploading :(. Anyhow, I’ll be spending nap times in New York bored recreating the pics, so those will be up sometime in July!)

In preparation for our big, yearly New York trip I’ve been running all over town picking up all the last minute odds and ends while still hitting the park with A, and that requires casual clothes. Of course, I’m not willing to give up style.

This outfit pulls together easy-casual while keeping chic: beachy-style. And the summer temps in the high 80s and 90s are perfect for livin easy in beach fashion.

Livin’ Easy with Nautical, Beach Style {Fashion Post}

Summa time and the livin’s easy…

maxi skirt: Quicksilver (here) // tank: Target (here) // fedora: Payless (similar, similar) // nautical starfish ring: JC Penney // nautical bangles: JC Penney // shoes: Macy’s // sunnies: Rayban (similar) 

(Side note: I told y’all I had birthday weekend outfits coming to the blog and somehow I managed to delete the photos when uploading :(. Anyhow, I’ll be spending nap times in New York bored recreating the pics, so those will be up sometime in July!)

In preparation for our big, yearly New York trip I’ve been running all over town picking up all the last minute odds and ends while still hitting the park with A, and that requires casual clothes. Of course, I’m not willing to give up style.

This outfit pulls together easy-casual while keeping chic: beachy-style. And the summer temps in the high 80s and 90s are perfect for livin easy in beach fashion.

Happy Father’s Day!

It’s safe to say the hubs had a great Father’s day.

You know, we’re in the midst of 4th of July season – the busiest of several big points in the year for a fireworks company – and getting time off is nearly non-existent. When it’s a family business, time off is even harder to come by. But we do what we can to be sure we take time for our family.

This Father’s day nearly came and went almost without a big celebration. We’ve both been busy and prepping for New York, that I almost forgot this past weekend was Father’s day, but we snuck in a little time at the beach house.

Saturday, after packing the car and loading my little family

we made it down to the house, settled in, and relaxed awhile before the hubs, his dad, and brother joined us after work.

Sunday, was filled with more lounging, some fun in the sun, 

and naps for everyone while I prepared the night’s dinner.

We ended the evening on the top deck with lights, fire, and a little libations.

Today, it’s back to the grind as I wash laundry, repack suitcases, tie up housework, and finish up fashion posts from birthday week to get on the blog that I’ve been promising! Then it’s off to the big apple for two weeks! 

All the hard work, and missing the hubs while he slaves away at designing fireworks shows for the country’s Independence celebrations is all worth it when we cap it off with a beautiful display over the Hudson on the 4th of July!

How was your Father’s day? Any big plans for the 4th?

Happy Father’s Day!

It’s safe to say the hubs had a great Father’s day.

You know, we’re in the midst of 4th of July season – the busiest of several big points in the year for a fireworks company – and getting time off is nearly non-existent. When it’s a family business, time off is even harder to come by. But we do what we can to be sure we take time for our family.

This Father’s day nearly came and went almost without a big celebration. We’ve both been busy and prepping for New York, that I almost forgot this past weekend was Father’s day, but we snuck in a little time at the beach house.

Saturday, after packing the car and loading my little family

we made it down to the house, settled in, and relaxed awhile before the hubs, his dad, and brother joined us after work.

Sunday, was filled with more lounging, some fun in the sun, 

and naps for everyone while I prepared the night’s dinner.

We ended the evening on the top deck with lights, fire, and a little libations.

Today, it’s back to the grind as I wash laundry, repack suitcases, tie up housework, and finish up fashion posts from birthday week to get on the blog that I’ve been promising! Then it’s off to the big apple for two weeks! 

All the hard work, and missing the hubs while he slaves away at designing fireworks shows for the country’s Independence celebrations is all worth it when we cap it off with a beautiful display over the Hudson on the 4th of July!

How was your Father’s day? Any big plans for the 4th?