Holiday Archives - Page 7 of 46 - Enjoying the Small Things

My Favorite Valentine Inspired Looks

February 11, 2019 By Kelle

Valentine’s Day is an especially memorable holiday for us because Dash is our Baby Cupid and shares a birthday with the day we celebrate love, but there’s a number of other reasons I love this February holiday–namely, having good reason to pull out Valentine-inspired things out of my closet. I’m looking at you, pink neck bow. Speaking of neck bow, taking the #1 spot in the list below is the perfect romantic neck bow blouse, at Target now. Also in this list–my favorite red shoes, the prettiest bra I own and a red skirt that made angels sing in the dressing room at Anthropologie last week. My Valentine-inspired favorites:

Who What Wear Blouse with Neck Bow
Let’s have a round of applause for the neck bow, please. You know I love my neck bows, and this blouse does it right–big enough so it doesn’t hang limply and balanced out perfectly by the delicate blush color. And I love the sleeves–fitted around the wrists and then subtly ballooning out into a little poof.
Noonday Collection Orbital Earrings
Aren’t these fun? They’re part of Noonday’s new spring collection, and every piece is divine. White t-shirt, jeans, and these babies is all you need.
This Matte Lipstick (Color: Love)
I keep this in my car console so I can quickly fix one of those “Dear God, I need help” situations when I pull the rearview mirror down to take a look before I step out of my car. It’s the perfect matte red, and it instantly makes you look put together.
Heart Sunglasses
Super affordable and F.U.N. I’ve been wearing them on my runs to trick me into thinking running is fun.
Glossier Cloud Paint (Color: Puff)
Santa slipped this in my stocking last year, and I’ve used it every day since (I also use it in Dusk). I love this soft pink color–all you need is a little dab on the apples of your cheeks to give you that natural flush.
The Bee & the Fox “Mother” Tee
Whenever I’m looking to add a new graphic tee to my collection, Bee & the Fox is one of the first places I go to. I love their simple tees, and this one’s blush/red combo is perfection.
Halogen Emilia Loafer
These were my favorite shoes I bought last year, and I wear them all the time. Red shoes are my favorite way take an outfit up a notch, and these work with everything–skinny jeans, skirts, black pants, overalls. And I love the shiny patent leather!
Free People Adella Bralette
I have this bra in three colors, and it’s the prettiest one in my drawer. It’s not super supportive, but it’s really great for loose shirts, strappy or off-the-shoulder shirts or anything low cut because it’s pretty and delicate enough to peek out without screaming “I’m a bra.” The tiny double string straps are a work of art.
Pink Vans for Madewell (super affordable, on sale)
The perfect blush color, retro vibes and that subtle platform sole…total score.
Scarf Hair Tie
I was given a couple of these for my birthday, and I’m in love. Lainey’s already stolen one of them. Instantly turns a workout ponytail into something chic.
Anthropologie Sandra Belted Skirt
Very Gwyneth Paltrow in The Talented Mr. Ripley. I fell in love with this skirt the second I saw it on a rack when I walked in Anthro last week, tried it on, and the rest is history. If I wasn’t sold already, the other women in the dressing room did it for me. One woman walked out to go find one for herself and another told me, “If you don’t buy that, you’re crazy.” Thank heavens for the gift cards I saved.

Are you a dress up for Valentine’s Day kind of gal? There’s always the subtle route of a little pair of conversation heart earrings or shoe clips.

Christmas Day

December 28, 2018 By Kelle

For the first time in–well, ever–the end of Christmas hasn’t put me in a sentimental all-the-fun-is-over funk.

Last year, somewhere between the last present opened and the first piece of pie cut for Christmas dinner, Brett found me in the bathroom, curled over the tub while I washed Dash’s hair, a tearful mess. It was like all those childhood Christmases where I cried when it was over and all the magic years of raising babies and all my love for the holidays had crescendoed to that very moment in the bathroom–a recognition of how much I have loved it all and how much it is changing, sweet and painful at the same time.

“It’s all changing, they’re getting older, these Christmases…I love them so much.” Sob, sob, blah, blah, blah. If I recall, I pulled it together for pie.

This year, I didn’t cry or mourn the end or say one word about how next year would look different. I sat back and enjoyed our little Christmas–just as it is–a maturity graduation I attribute, of course, to turning 40 tomorrow because I’m attributing every meaningless thing to turning 40. Drop a spoon in the kitchen: “Ha ha, look. I’m dropping things. Must be turning 40, eh?” Try a new lipstick color: “Gotta change things up, you know. Turning 40.” Puts clothes away instead of leaving them on the floor: “I’m a new woman! I pick things up! Yay, 40!” I realize this is annoying, but I can’t stop.

That said, yes, I do love so much about Christmas and I’m grateful for the memories we’ve made this month and the festive celebrations and all the pretty things that have added wonder to the past few weeks. But I can tuck them away without feelings of scarcity or sadness. Because 40, of course.

Some favorite moments from the past week…

Baking Santa’s cookies.

A hug he grabbed because he loved the little buns she put in her hair so much, he couldn’t help himself.

A check off our holiday bucket list with a trip to a nearby neighborhood that puts on the best light show.

Every weekend in December, it’s bumper-to-bumper slow traffic in this neighborhood–trolleys and buses come to tour it, residents host parties in their driveways, bands play Christmas carols and just about every family in Naples spends an evening touring the streets.

Another holiday bucket list finished (I think we had two unchecked items at the end), rolled up and tucked in the keepsake bin…with no feelings of scarcity or sadness BECAUSE 40. We’re doing this, folks. We’re doing this.

I was so proud to announce that I had all my wrapping done early this year and would not be staying up until 1:30 a.m. Christmas Eve to prepare.

But we all know how that ends. I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. Christmas Eve to prepare.

The Eve is my favorite. Christmas movies by the fire…

Writing our final words to Santa.
(Dash: “I’m not going to tell Santa I love him because he’s not in my family, and I don’t love him.” Touche, Dash.)

Annual tradition: setting up the reindeer runway in our driveway.

Cookies for Santa.

And putting all three kids to sleep in the same bed. It takes forever for them to settle down, but when they do, I take this photo every year.

And yes, I fully expect them to keep doing this in their 40’s (Because 40). I know this can happen because the mother in the book I Love You, Forever crept into her son’s room to cradle him grown man style, and if she can do that, then my grown kids can surely leave their spouses and children at home to come curl up in bed at my house to fall asleep and get their photo taken, not creepy at all. (We will absolutely reenact this scene to recreate a photo in 20 years, and it will hang in my old lady office someday.)

The final scene, 1:30 a.m. before I crashed, excited and happy.

And all the Christmas morning joy. Running to find evidence of Santa, Blitzen’s spit-out carrots (he doesn’t like them), snowy reindeer tracks (it’s magic North Pole snow that never melts), stockings and presents and Christmas breakfast, pajamas that don’t get changed until the afternoon, endless coffee and movies and family piled up on the couch. Grateful for these memories and the people in them.

And Nella’s little doll with Down syndrome. I’ll tell you more about it later this week. Let’s just say I changed my mind about dolls with Down syndrome because I used to feel very strongly against them, and this little baby has brought so much joy.

We’re still in cozy lazy day mode over here. Whatever you celebrate and wherever you are, I hope you all made some special memories this week and were surrounded by love.

The Great Big Chicago Christmas Post

December 18, 2018 By Kelle

For the third year in a row, we escaped this past weekend for a heavy dose of holiday memories to a city that pours out festive feels from every corner, every storefront window, every street musician.

My kids look forward to our Christmas weekend in Chicago as much as Christmas itself, but this year perhaps no one was excited about this trip as much as Lainey. Her best friend Maggie moved to a Chicago suburb over the summer, and while the loss of her presence here has been patched over with FaceTime calls and daily texts, technology has nothing on the hug they shared an hour after we arrived and the three days that followed that included these two joined at the hip.

Christmas in Chicago musts for us include:

State Street Macy’s window displays.

Numerous stops for hot chocolate while we sightsee.

Riding the train.

Pictures on my friend’s apartment stoop.

…and so many night walks where we point out Christmas trees in windows and look for parties and pick which front door decorations are our favorites. We imagine the stories that are written in all the buildings we walk past, and my dad provides an ongoing soundtrack with the portable speaker he keeps in his pocket, full volume–all the Christmas carols, all the time.

New favorites this year:

Tea at the Drake Hotel with our friends and Brett’s sister (who is moving to Naples in just days, and we are so excited!).

A night time carriage ride through the city (we used Antique Coach & Carriage Co., just outside the old Water Tower). We all loved this one so much and will definitely do it again.

You bundle up beneath blankets and ride through the most festive streets, even a little stretch along Lake Shore Drive. We sang Christmas carols while the kids hollered to onlookers various holiday greetings that, I’m sorry to say, included “Tooty Christmas!”, “Happy Toots!” and “We Wish You a Merry Fart!” (followed by hysterical laughter).

Macy’s Santa. We’ve never attempted Santa in Chicago before because the lines were too long (because it’s the REAL Santa) and Nella isn’t much for seeing him face-to-face, but I was on a one-on-one date with Nella and ventured down to the enchanting Santa Land in Macy’s where Santa was visiting. I thought maybe we’d just check it out, but we came during a time when there were no lines, so I pushed it a little further, standing in line and suggesting we’d just “look at Santa.” not sit with him. When it was our turn, the red velvet curtain pulled back to reveal this magical festive nook and the kindest Santa, straight from the North Pole. When Nella was hesitant, sweet Santa suggested I sit with her alone while he walked away. Once she was comfortable, we asked if he could come back and she said yes. I asked if I could step away to take a picture, and she nodded yes again. And then Santa reached for a book and asked if he could read it to her. I didn’t think to check my camera settings–just started snapping. Magic, I tell you.

I don’t know how I missed the little playground tucked right next to the fire station near Michigan Ave all these years, but I’m so glad we found it this year. It was warm enough that the kids could actually enjoy a good half hour playing there before our next cocoa stop.

Another favorite this year was Christkindlmarket, an open-air German holiday village full of gift vendors and German food. I enjoyed my first (and hopefully not last) cup of Glühwein, the most delicious hot spiced wine, and picked up some keepsake treasures.

At the Bean, it was surprisingly warm enough for the kids to take off their coats for a bit.

Even though we didn’t end up with snow, we feel so lucky to have enjoyed such beautiful weather when we’ve experienced brutal winds on this weekend before. The sun allowed for more outdoor exploring.

And when the sun went to bed and the cold came creeping in, we made my favorite memories–the indoor kind, not dependent on what the city gave to us but what we brought to it.

Our wonder…

…our dance moves…

…and the suitcase of things we packed to “make it special.” Snowmen marshmallows for cocoa, a Christmas puzzle, our favorite jammies, card games and a candle that smells like a Christmas tree farm.

My dear friend lets us stay at her family’s apartment, and so many of our most memorable moments on this weekend happen inside this special place, set up with toys and so many little personal touches.

I think we could have skipped the city adventures altogether and let Nella play in this secret nook the whole weekend, and she would have been perfectly happy.