Score One for Our Side

Last weekend, we were in LA to visit some of my husband's family. Now, you might have noticed that when I refer to the man I married, I never call him "TCP Husband" or "Mr. TCP". It's not that he doesn't live in Chicago, or that he isn't really my husband, but... he's not so preppy. He's a hipster at heart, with funky leather jackets and shirts that contain zero natural fibers. He owns a pair of metallic Chucks. But it works for him, and he looks great in it. So we go about our business, me in my Lilly, him in trendy threads. We have our common ground; we both love the aviator shades, everyone loves a good pair of khakis, and we each have Tretorns.

So last weekend, we were shopping at The Grove when Mr. TC announced that he needed to go into J.Crew. I was shocked, but I'll never pass up a chance to wander around in J.Crew. He was in there so long that I got bored and moved on to another shop. I bought nothing. But Mr. TC? He walked out with a bag full, including things that I love but never would have thought he would like, including a belt with whales on it and khaki shorts embroidered with lobsters! Swoon. He claims that they were good deals, and that's why he bought them. But maybe, just maybe, I've started to rub off on him!

Eight Things

I was tagged by the lovely ECM over at Tres Poshe Preppy and have no desire to get back into the swing of the work week, so here goes...

Eight Bizarre/Random/Habits meme:

1. I edit things constantly. Like takeout menus and newsletters. Nothing is safe from my red pen. And I hate that AP style does not use the serial comma. Oh, it kills me.

2. My elbows are double-jointed and will bend the "wrong" way, sometimes without me noticing. This freaks my husband beyond all description.

3. If I start reading a book, I have to finish it, even if I hate it.

4. I can't go to sleep unless the dishes are done and the counters are wiped down. (Sadly, I don't have the same compulsion about the rest of my cleaning chores.)

5. I like real estate porn. Every so often, our paper will have a special section called "Properties of Distinction" or something like that, and I pore over it for hours.

6. If my sandwich comes with a pickle on the side, I save it and eat it last. Waitresses have nearly lost hands trying to take my plate away when I have not yet finished my beloved pickle.

7. I am addicted to urbanbaby.com. The message boards are such a train wreck, I don't post but just can't stop reading.

8. Breakfast is probably my favorite meal to eat out. I never make myself a decent breakfast, so it seems like such a treat. Especially eggs benedict, yum.

I'm pretty sure that nearly everyone has done this already, but if you haven't, consider yourself tagged!

Sometimes, It's the Little Things

Last night I had the nanny stay an extra hour and went to get my eyebrows threaded and then picked up some groceries at Trader Joe's. These are both things that I should have done, oh, maybe a month ago. But I finally did it last night, and can I just tell you how much better I feel about life in general?

I can cope with stress, but not when I have unkempt eyebrows, people. If you're on the third coast, go see Ami, here. It can change your whole outlook on life.

Query

How do I get a cute little icon to show up when I comment on someone else's blog? I keep seeing everyone's monograms or pictures, and I want one too, but am so technologically challenged...

5 Things I Love Right Now

1. TCP Baby's new ride, a Maclaren Triumph stroller.

We had the whole travel system going for a while, and it was great when he was a tiny guy and rode in the infant carrier. But times have changed, and we don't need the monstrous, hard to fold system. This folds easily, weighs a mere 11 lbs, and couldn't have a cuter, preppier design.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Yes, I am that nerd. The one who avoided the Internet like the plague so she wouldn't get spoiled. The one who damn near threw a hissy fit when she couldn't find a copy in Puerto Rico on Saturday. (Seriously, shouldn't hotel gift shops have had this??) The one who bought it on the way home at O'Hare. I was late to the party on this one, but once I started reading, I couldn't stop.

3. Caladryl Clear Topical Analgesic Skin Lotion

I had a run in with some very hungry bugs on the beach, and came away looking like I have the chicken pox and scratching in a most unladylike manner. This stuff takes the itch away (for a little while) but doesn't leave you with spotty pink legs like the calamine lotion from my childhood. (The worst part about my bug bites? They made my feet far too hideous to be photographed for "Where in the World Are Your Bonannos?" Sigh.)

4. Annie's Organic Mac n Cheese

TCP Baby loves it, I love it, and it takes less than 10 min to make. What else do you need?

5. Filene's Basement

Because I was able to snatch up a ton of cute Vineyard Vines stuff for dirt cheap. The Snappy Shirt rocks my world...finally, a button front shirt with no gaping!

TCP Rave: Blogger Love

Before TCP Baby and I headed out for our second trip of the month (oh yes, and there's still one more to come!) last week, we received the most adorable, comfy, perfect tees from The Monogram Marketplace. We both packed them for out little vacation, mine fit perfectly and his has a little room to grow into, just as I was hoping. MM has really outdone herself with these super cute shirts. We love them!

And last night, after a very long day, I got home to a stack of bills, catalogs, and one small package from Canada. Can you guess what it was? My new keychain from the Preppy Petunia! Love, love, love it. Maybe one day, I'll finish the needlepoint pillow that I've been working on since time began and try my hand at the keychains... Nah, why bother when Lisagh does such a fantastic job?? Here is my Maryland Crab key fob (excuse the camera phone picture, I cannot for the life of me find our real camera!) Doesn't it look great with the lobster glasses case that I picked up in Vancouver??

Odds and Ends and Memes

Ever since we got back from our little vacation, it's been one thing after another. Work crises, tree removals, dogs running away (but being found by kind neighbors), new teeth, babyproofing...the list goes on and on. So now I have a list on my desk of the things I am going to blog about when I have the time. Which might be five years from now, but I will get around to it!!

So in an attempt to not completely abandon my poor little blog, here's a meme I stole from Preppy Rider:

1. On a hot summer's day, an Arnold Palmer is my favorite thing!
2. When I think of summertime fun, I think of going to the pool.
3. Strawberry is my favorite flavor of ice cream.
4. My new favorite drink is a G&T (well, not new, but I had to, uh, take a break from them after an unfortunate night at winter formal in college, so I'm just now getting back to them.)
5. One of my happiest summertime memories is spending childhood summers at our cottage in Wisconsin.
6. The best place to watch fireworks is from a boat on Lake Michigan.
7. What are you doing this weekend? Friday night I'm looking forward to relaxing, and maybe going to Benfest, Saturday my plans include going to the beach, seeing my college roommate who is in town for the weekend, and getting my hair cut/colored (me too!), Sunday I want to go to brunch with some Junior League friends and hang at home with TCP Baby and my husband.

Happy summer--it is flying by so quickly!

Back on the Third Coast

We're home from our travels, with tons of great memories, a tiny bit of a tan, and a new love of the Pacific Northwest. I can't say enough about how especially lovely I found Canada... it was my first trip north of the border, and I luffed it. Vancouver was a beautiful, clean, sparkly city, with the most polite residents. And some killer seafood. Although I may have eaten the best oysters of my life in Seattle, at Elliott's Oyster House. Yum.

It's hard getting back to "real life" today--work, commuting, 43 loads of laundry. Oh, and this little bit of horror:

On my office desk chair this morning, an invitation to a co-worker's "housewarming" party, paperclipped to two photocopied registry print-outs!!!!!!!!!! That's right. She left the invitation AND approximately 10 pages of gift suggestions, at a variety of price points. Needless to say, I won't be attending. Nor will I be buying a gift off her "registry."

Sigh. I wish I was back smelling the briny sea air and trying to decide what form of shellfish to have for dinner.