Tagged!

Mes Petit Choux tagged me about eight years ago to list my summer faves...It's only seemed like summer here for the last couple of days, so that's my excuse for taking so long to get around to it. Here's my list"



bright red pedicures



the smell of sunscreen



lemonade



eating outside



ice cream cones (ice cream is all year long...cones are strictly summer only in my book)



my birthday :)



Michigan



Yes, that's my transition..we're heading up north for a week, so this will likely be my last post until after we return on the 5th. Have a very happy Independence Day!!

I want this, even if it does glow in the dark* or whatever.

Bowen Dress in Happiest Hour Patch








That is all.


*Seriously, what is that about? I do not believe I am a fan of this "feature." If they introduce hypercolor** prints next, Lilly and I will need to be On A Break.

**If you remember hypercolor clothing, congrats on being ancient like me. If you have no idea what this is, read about it here.

Summer in Chicago

This morning, when I started this post, it was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, and 90 degrees. Now, a few hours later, it's major thunderstorms. sigh. At least we got in a little time in the (wading) pool this morning!

Nantucket Brand has a Fresh Catch Sale today on all madras items - including some brand new styles (madras dresses, madras lined zip-up hoodies, madras bermuda shorts and more). The madras hoodie is completely drool-worthy:

Lands' End has a two day sale: 40% off Beach Living Swimwear + Free Shipping. Enter the Promotion Code SALE and the PIN 00006179 in the space provided.

A Few Goodies

Coyne and Pinckney Stationery is having their first stationery giveaway. Leave a comment on the blog by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, June 30th 2009 and they will enter each comment in a Free Drawing!(yes, if you comment more than once, you will be entered more than once!) Look how cute:

Initial Request is having a sale thourgh the end of June on nap mats, lunch boxes, backpacks and sling bags by mint...20% off!

A.Tierney has free shipping for orders of more than $50 with the code SUMMER09. And check out the cute summer special totes:

I also just heard about a new Etsy shop that has some super cute stuff. The Trendy Tot has a preppy pink whale jumper, but my favorite is this navy Nantucket starfish jumper:

If only there was a lobster design!!

First of all, thanks so much for all of your comments and emails regarding my last post... I'm pretty thrilled about it (especially yesterday, when I hit the beach with the boys instead of heading to the office for my first day back). However, if anyone would like to borrow a two year old and bring him back potty trained? Be my guest.

Back to the shopping, yes??

Little Barrel has 30% off all orders and free ground shipping. I still covet one of their adorable headbands ("pruned" or "unpruned"):

Bird Dog Bay is buy two ties, get the third free right now. I'm digging the bow ties. If you have a man in your life who can pull off this look (and, admittedly, it is not easy to do), one would be a perfect Father's Day gift. If I hadn't already bought Mr. TC's gifts, this one might be a winner:

Mini Boden has 25% off and free shipping...I love them since they are one of the few companies that seems to have as many and as cute options for boys as they do for girls. This toweling hoodie is tempting...

Tucker Blair has some new summer designs perfect for Father's Day, and if you order by Thursday, June 18th, your order can still arrive by Sunday. At the TCP house, we're loving this Marlin belt...

CWD Kids is having their semi-annual Lacoste sale...up to 35% off.

Three Chickadees are offering free first class shipping on all retail orders placed now through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. No need to enter a discount code - - just select first class as the shipping option.

Also, I know that I am remiss in responding to some tags and awards... I will get to them soon, I promise! But now it is time for the Real Housewives of New Jersey finale, so I must run. Priorities, people.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life.

Last week, I resigned from my day job.

I'm taking the plunge and staying at home with the two tiny TCP boys. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do this, especially now, when so many are dealing with involuntary unemployment. Obviously, I will need to scale back (read: no new Bonannos for me this year) but I'm more than willing to sacrifice a little for this amazing opportunity.

I've always wanted to be able to stay at home with my kids...while searching through my desk recently, I came across a newspaper clipping. It was an editorial by Kathleen Parker* entitled "Giving Girls Another Career Choice: At-home Mom." I don't know when I clipped it out, but the article on the back of my clipping is about Elian Gonzales, so it's clearly been a while. It's a great editorial and I wish I could find an online version, but in a nutshell, she talks about how we as a society have been so focused on telling girls that they can do ANYTHING (be an astronaut! be an engineer! be president!) that we might overlook what they actually want to do, especially if it staying at home with children. I have an advanced degree. I have been an attorney for nearly a decade. But for me, right now, I find more satisfaction in listening to a slightly lispy alphabet song. I feel more accomplished knowing that I got my boys bathed and settled in bed, with their finger- and toenails trimmed, than I ever did when I "won" a motion.

I'm not saying it's what everyone should do. But it's what I need to do right now, and I am so grateful to Mr. TC for supporting me and our family while I take this time.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

It has been A Day.

I did the unthinkable today. I did school drop off with a baseball hat and not even a stitch of make up. Not even mascara. (I have light eyelashes, so I never leave the house without at least that.) But I was up half the night with a sick baby and the toddler woke up for the day at 6:15, so a shower wasn't happening. So this was the look:


Thank goodness I got a cute new hat in the mail yesterday!! Thanks to Alyssa for the adorable cap...and if you want one too, A. Tierney is giving them away with your purchase this week, while supplies last. The cutest part is the little grosgrain ribbon in the back.



*Do you see how short my hair is??? Oy.

**Edited to add...this was supposed to post at 9:15 AM rather than PM...makes much more sense early in the day!

This Should Be Good for a Few Laughs

This summer, in addition to Tiny Tots soccer and tumbling, the boys and I will be participating in Strollercize. Those of you who know me in real life know that I am not, shall we say, athletically inclined. Running? It is not My Thing. I present you with Exhibit A, my "running shoes" purchased in excess of 10 years ago...

So picture me, with the "double-wide" stroller on a "fast-paced jog through the neighborhood, ending with an upper body and abs workout in [their] enclosed playground." The things I will do to ensure that I can fit back into my regular clothes....

Clearly, new shoes are required for such an undertaking. Behold, my new (pink!) shoes. I won't even tell you how good of a deal I got on them, but suffice to say, I did not pay the shocking retail price. (Who knew shoes for sports were so pricey?? Thank goodness I only buy such things once every decade.)