There’s a wad of cash, rolled up like sushi and secured with a hair elastic, tucked in Lainey’s top drawer. It’s an impressively thick roll with a 5 dollar bill secured on the outside, and with the girth of the wad and the sight of the “5”, at a quick glance it looks like it could be a $500 bill–like maybe she’s a baller. But really there’s a bunch of wrinkled ones underneath that 5 for a total roll of roughly $22–enough for three Shopkins mystery packs, a Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker, another plastic charm for her necklace and two puzzle erasers. In other words, she’s rich as hell. The money’s been collected over time–from tooth fairies and grandparents and the one time I was so tired, I paid her $5 to brush my hair and massage my head–and has been sitting in the drawer for a while now, which is more impressive than the wad itself because 8-year-olds who don’t need to spend new dollars right this second on hair chalk and stick-on fingernails are the kind of kids who will have a down payment for a house when they graduate high school.

But then the weekend came around, and Sister had mall dreams. Mall dreams are the very first buds of what will, over the years, mature into farmer’s market dreams or downtown Main Street dreams or maybe brunch-at-a-cute-coffee-shop dreams, but at 8 years old nothing’s more dreamy on a Sunday morning than picking up a sugar-dusted Auntie Anne’s pretzel from the food court and zig-zagging through mall tchotchke kiosks to get to Claire’s where you can spend your hard-saved roll of cash on dangly feather clips for your hair and sparkly hand sanitizer holders that clip onto your backpack.

I decided to take all three kids which, I admit, was a mistake. Brett offered to keep Dash, but he saw his sisters walking out the door, accessorized to the moon which clearly said, “We’re on our way to do something awesome,” and he lost it–didn’t want to be left out. So all three it was.

The shit hit the fan when, after promising the little ones a carousel ride, we waited at the carousel for the clerk to come back. He never did, so we walked away, and everything went sour. Lots of crying, lots of refusing to walk, lots of people walking by, smiling “Oh honey.” I brought a single stroller and tried to hold one kid on a hip while pushing the other, but it was too hard so I stacked up both of them in the stroller which led to kicking and more crying.

But the climax? I was weaseling the stroller through some shirt racks, hurrying Lainey to pick something out, shushing the little ones and promising them we’d buy a balloon or a lemonade or a pony if they’d hang on just a few more seconds–and I heard a woman say, “M’am?”

I turned to see the twenty-something store associate, adorable as ever, holding a pair of Batman underwear from one finger, her arm stretched as far away from her body as she could get it. And I suddenly figured out where they came from–from the basket of the stroller. I had thrown them in there a few days ago after a pee accident in another store and forgotten to remove them.

“Are these underwear yours?” she asked.

And this is where I tell you that motherhood is 2% effort and 98% humility.

“Own it proud,” I told myself. Retrieve those damn underwear like you dropped a hundred dollar bill.

I pulled my shoulders back, flashed a grateful smile and leaned forward to take back what was mine.

“Why yes,” I answered. “Yes. Those are my dried-up, peed-out Batman underwear. I’ve been wondering where those were. Thank you so much.”

I tucked the underwear in my purse, turned to gather the kids and stopped only to call back to the associate.

“And, um, Ma’am?” I held up the pink t-shirt Lainey was eyeing. “If you have this in an 8, we’ll take it.”

Heck yeah, we paid for it in ones.

********************************

Enjoying less embarrassing but equally adventurous this week:

#squadgoals

Nella’s Crown Royal Bag
My dad filled it with Costa Rican coins and gave it to the kids, and now it’s her purse of choice for outings which is a little bit amazing.

Matching
We’re on a roll lately. You can take Full House away from the girl, but you can’t take the Olsen Twins away from…wait, this doesn’t even make any sense. Nevermind.

Naples City Dock
We had some time to kill while Lainey was at a birthday party downtown, so I took the little ones to the dock to watch fishermen bring in their catch (saw a baby shark catch!) and pelicans loiter for scraps.

Summer skies
Since it’s an enjoying post, I can’t exactly rant that the heat and humidity has arrived with its bags, and it’s here to stay for a long while (sweaty thighs for days!). But the accompanying skies are beautiful–as blue as ever with little cloud fluffs and the promise of summer fun to come.

Thirst Quench
Is there anything better on a hot day than finding a place that sells cold Cokes in a bottle? Or settling in a window seat at a pizzeria to skip the people watching on the outside in exchange for gazing at your own dreamy-eyed lovies next to you? No, there is not.

Poolside Poop.
As in Poop the Barbie, who pushes Naples indecent exposure laws to the limit. The topless beaches are in Miami, Poop!

Family Swim
Way more fun than the mall.

“Higher!”
What they want, what I hope to support…go higher! Higher! HIGHER!

Happy Tuesday! Washing all the underwear today!

We made it to Friday! My week included two trips to the dentist and enough Novocaine to knock out a herd of cattle (I swear I’m resistant to it–confirmation that I FEEL TOO MUCH IN LIFE), so I’m doing an especially celebratory weekend high kick today. I haven’t done a Friday Faves post in a while, and I’ve been collecting a list of my very favorite things as of late–things I love so much, I text pictures of them to friends (“You HAVE to get this! GAME CHANGER!”) and use them to start up awkward conversations with people I don’t know (“So, I’ve been using this deodorant lately…”). These simple little things from beauty goods to books are making me happy, so I’m passing them on to you.

1. How to Be a Wildflower by Katie Daisy (which might possibly be the happiest name on the planet). I just bought this life field guide, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m saving it for summer for something to look forward to. It’s filled not only with Katie’s cheerful paintings and lettering, but prompts for enjoying life to the fullest–things to do, meditations, recipes, quotes, an empty spot to press flowers and more, more, more. It’s an interactive workshop for happiness and gratitude, all tucked into a book that makes me smile.

2. Gem Gem Just Ginger Mango Candies I can’t find these many places online (the link is an ebay supplier), but I do pick them up whenever I see them at the check-out at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. I’m obsessed. They’re chewy and sweet (dusted in powdered sugar) but have a spicy kick to them with the ginger. I keep them in my glove compartment and inhale them when I’m waiting in car line to pick up Lainey. Can’t promise they’re good for your teeth though–I mean, see post opening paragraph.

3. Cru & Lu Leather Bow Collar (for the littles) NECK BOW! For kids! And the greatest one yet. It’s a leather Peter Pan collar that ties with beautiful rayon sashes, and it’s worth every penny of the $29 because it’s 100 outfits in one. Transform white tank tops into fashion statements, pair with knit dresses, cardigans, graphic tees. It has so much versatility, and it’s gorgeous. Neck Bows for President!

4. Bluewick Leather Tabac Candle  You may not know this about me, but I speak fluent candle. Whenever I travel and find a cool shop, I head straight for the candles to look for new brands, good scents and great packaging. And I get the shakes when I walk into Anthropologie and see the candle display–the temptation is real. I may have a slight candle obsession, but nothing compares to my dear friend and neighbor Dede who has an entire cabinet/shrine dedicated to candles–tins, jars, 3-wicks, tealights, you name it. We talk about candles like wine connoisseurs. “The grapefruit undertones! Splendid.” “Mmmm. Earthy with a hint of–what is that, bergamot?” “Burns nice and clean but the scent is weak.” I love Volcano, Nest and Thymes, but Dede got me hooked on Bluewick candles which smell divine and make my entire home smell like it’s not the kind of place with rotting sippy cups hidden under the couch and peed-out kid underwear sitting in the laundry basket. I like earthy musky scents that bring to mind a hot strapping man hauling firewood mid-fall, and this candle does just that–described as “Ripped leather, Oak with Tobac & Mahogany Musk.” While visiting Dede’s last night, I mentioned that I’m out of Bluewick, and she opened her candle cupboard, scanned the inventory, and pulled one out for me. “Here. For you.” One more thing–I never buy these full price. I’m on Bluewick e-mail list, and they have frequent 30-50% off and Buy-1-Get-1-Free sales with free shipping. God, this was supposed to be a quick read faves post, and look–I just wrote a thesis on candles. Come back next week when I write a ground-breaking essay about TOAST. Sorry. Carrying on…

5. Pentel EnerGel 7.0 Gel Pens In Michigan last week, my perhaps-the-most-delightful-person-in-the-world cousin Molly gives me a small wrapped “Oh-it’s-nothing” gift–because this is the kind of thing that Molly does. “I know you like a good pen,” she says. I rip the paper to reveal a pack of pens. Pens that would soon turn into life changers. Pentel EnerGel 7.0 gel pens. Glide like buttah. Perfect ink distribution. Feel good in your hand. Molly knows good pens because she’s a professor and uses them to grade papers. I use them for important things too–like circling cute shoes in the Boden catalogue, making grocery lists I’ll lose and signing my name 17 times in a row on Lainey’s agenda to make it look I haven’t forgotten the past 17 days. You can use them however you like though.

6. Just Between Us Mom & Daughter Journal I should have put this one first. This one’s my favorite. Lainey and I started this journal about 2 months ago–we’re taking our time–and we’re learning so much about each other–things we might not think to talk about. This journal is filled with prompts to learn more about each other–mom prompt on the left, daughter prompt on the right. When I finish mine, I tuck it under Lainey’s pillow, and when she’s ready, she fills out hers and puts it back under my pillow. I cried when I read her “favorite thing about my mom”:
she is creative and cares very much for people with “desabilities.” There’s NO RULES to this book–and its written invitations create a safe place to talk about fears, frustrations, funny stories, passions, loves, similarities, differences and ways moms and daughters can understand each other more and be closer. It’s both intimate and light-hearted and takes a lot of effort out of creating meaningful communication with your kid.

7. Benefit Matte Shy Beam One of my favorite make-up tricks that makes me feel pretty and fresh and awake is highlighting under my eyes and cheekbones. I fell in love with this Shy Beam recently and love the way it goes on and stays, highlighting all the things you want to highlight without being shimmery or cakey. It’s light and pretty.

8. San Diego Hat Company Sun Hat (for the littles) Best hat ever. My kids are big hat wearers, especially in the summer and at the beach. We bought this hat last spring, and I loved it so much I bought another one this year so we can have 2. It’s traveled to Michigan, fallen in the water, been stuffed in suitcases and has donned my kids heads from beaches to gardens to boat rides, and it’s still in fabulous shape. I love the leather strap that can be fitted below the chin, so the hat stays on even on windy days. The sun coverage is perfect, and the best part…it’s adorable.

9. Paper Wai Natural Deodorant I saw it on Shark Tank and got suckered into going online and buying it–then fell in love, and now I’m hooked. It’s all natural (a lot of other deodorants are carcinogenic), smells amazing and it works better than anything I’ve used. Brett and I both use it, and we’re a little bit dorky in our dedication to telling people how much we like it. I just reordered my second jar (it lasts a long time!). A little dollop will do ya.

10. Too Faced Lip Cream in Naked Dolly. When I want a break from classic red lips, I like a good nude. This pinky nude is my current favorite–not only is the color super sexy, but it’s so creamy and rich. Looks amazing with smoky eyes.

11. Aveda Pure Abundance Clay Conditioner. I get all my good stuff when I go to Michigan–found this one in my sister’s shower and came straight home to find an Aveda store to buy it. I have really fine hair, and it can look oily and weighed down, especially in the Florida humidity. My hair feels so light and bouncy with this (I use their Shampure shampoo with it). I’ve never been one to use fancy salon hair products–I’m a drugstore shampoo girl–but this one’s been too good to me.
12. Sunset Lover by Petit Biscuit. Last one’s from Michigan too. Cool niece and purveyor of cool things introduced me to Petit Biscuit, and this Sunset Lover song has been on repeat all week. It does something to me. Hard to find on iTunes, but I linked to the YouTube, and you can download it from Petit Biscuit Facebook page. Music always makes me feel too much, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Okay, enough babbling about favorite things. Now get on out there and enjoy your weekend. Happy Friday!

*These are unpaid, unsponsored favorites, shared simply because I love them and think some of you will too–but as always, if I link to Amazon, I’ll include my affiliate links which kick back a small percentage to our family if purchased.