The other day I was looking through photo albums and came across a picture of me in my first Lilly Pulitzer dress. I had had a skirt in seventh grade I think, but this was my first official dress. I was really tall and skinny for my age, so finding clothes that fit was always…
For as long as I can remember, I have been terrified of dogs. It’s not unusual for me to be afraid of things (including, but certainly not limited to ketchup), but my fear of dogs is right up there. This week, I have been house and dog sitting for family friends. My mom assured me…
So my really, really, really cute friend Melly and I took pictures for the Lilly Lover Days contest. We had so much fun getting ready and matching. Literally every car that drove past us on Bayshore (if you’re from South Tampa or have ever been there, you know how busy it is!) stared at us….
happy fourth of july This picture is circa 1995. Sporty Sister still has that doll “Molly,” but she is not in the same condition. (Oh man, check out those velcro sneaks… I rocked those.)
I have a slight obsession with grammar and have been known to send textbooks letters explaining what they said or did was wrong. Oddly, I’m not really that great about my own grammar and I NEVER re-read my own posts because most of the time I’m in a time crunch. There have been incidents, however,…
Thank goodness we’re getting out of town this weekend. I am incredibly sick of this rain!!! Even if it rains while we’re at the beach, it’ll be better than being cooped up in the house. Sporty Sister is in Spain… I’m so jealous! We’ve been getting the occasional Facebook message. (Mine today: “I had something to tell…
As I have posted before (here and here), Soccer Mom found a bunch of Lilly’s at a fabulous consignment shop around the corner from my house. It is literally fantastic. We pretty much bought them out of all the best patterns. We’ve been using the fabric to make all sorts of projects. (Making the first…
After seeing some of my earlier posts about my cookie creations, some of my friends wanted me to make cookies for them! Obviously, being so obsessed lately, I happily agreed to. I made these fun pink & green cookies for my friend’s surprise party! The pink bucket is from Michael’s… and I took seersucker fabric…
Oh my lord, I have had quite the week. I am absolutely exhausted. “Camp Carly” started on Monday. I had agreed to babysit a family friend’s 10 year old boy while she drove her oldest son back to college in Massachusetts. I drove to his house before his dad and other brother left for work….
(Why has no one been using this song for this trend? Literally all that I hear whenever I see another “ins and outs” trend 😆)
My 2025 Ins & Outs:
IN
More freedom, firmer boundaries
Silver
Red as a neutral
Spontaneous lunch dates
Photography
Redefining perfection
Silk scarves
Going to the movies
Trying new hobbies
Luxurious showers
OUT
Sticking with a book I’m not enjoying
Letting my car be a mess
Guilt around sweet treats
Unnecessary people pleasing
The comparison game
Staying up too late
Over complicating things
Holding in emotions
Yes, I’m an iPad adult now ✌🏻 I have been feeling all over the place with how I stay organized. In a dream world, I’d have a good ole fashioned paper planner, but I need something digital that I can access wherever I am and set alarms and reminders and appointments in my digital calendar. Kicking the new year off with a fresh iPad in the hopes that it helps?? Kind of felt like back to school shopping with fresh school supplies (but more expensive lol)… here’s to an organized twenty twenty five!! 🥂
PS I am trying out @goodmondayspaper on @goodnotes.app and went with an 11” iPad Air!
Not my best year of outfits- but here are some of my favorites! 2024 was all about feeling comfortable in my skin. I was eight and nine months pregnant in January and February- and then freshly postpartum. I wore four different jean sizes (five if you include maternity!), had to start the process of rebuilding my shoe collection (my feet grew 😭), and I’ve been breastfeeding this whole time so lots of buttons. I tried to lean into more colors and elevated everyday styles. I embraced my body no matter where I was on the scale and stayed true to myself the whole time, while still experimenting and trying new things!
Some highlights:
@tuckernuck Callahan dress
@jcrew denim skorts (and staples, as always)
@alice_walk cashmere wraps and gauzy linen shirt
@varley leggings and pullovers
@favorite.daughter hoodie (my emotional support sweatshirt at the moment)
@annmashburn cap toe Mary Janes
@cuyana small pouch + @llbean boat and totes
@oldnavy barn coat embroidered by @bobinettedesigns
@agolde, @levis, and @mother denim
@onequince cashmere fisherman cardigan
@shopdoen Leanne dress
@kiltecollection chic cashmere sets
@warbyparker eyeglasses + @celine sunglasses
Our year can undoubtedly be measured in love 🫶🏻. While 2024 wasn’t without its challenges, it was also overflowing with moments of joy and gratitude. Welcoming Rory into our family in February was the absolute highlight—nothing quite compares to the magic of those first newborn days.
This year was also filled with adventures to some of our favorite places and plenty of meaningful time with friends and family. Rory has grown from a snuggly, snoring newborn into a lively ten-month-old who loves to eat and play with his big brother. And Jack? He’s gone from my baby to a full-fledged kid—a social butterfly with a love for all things sports (and the skills to match).
For me, this year was a whirlwind—a beautiful mix of the magic and monotony of motherhood: pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and endless caretaking. But amidst the chaos, I found space to nurture myself and pursue what lights me up. I embraced new hobbies (hello, sourdough baking!) and deepened my love for old ones (Rory’s needlepoint stocking is finally complete, and I read 50 books!). I prioritized my well-being with new workouts (@sotomethod has been a game-changer!), dialed in my beauty routines, and even got my colors done.
I also stepped outside my comfort zone, making my first investment in a company beyond my own and hitting a few stretch goals that felt out of reach just a year ago.
Here’s to a year of love, growth, and resilience—and to the excitement of all that 2025 has in store! 💫
This and yap 🤍 Don’t forget to create holiday magic for yourself too! I can’t tell you how nice it was to do some gingerbread decorating without having to follow a three year old’s vision (or fight the sugar battle)! It’s fun to do it with kids, too, but sometimes you just need coffee, baked goods, and little bit of kid-free catch up time with your mom friends! Thank you for hosting @blueskyehouse!!
I wrote down a list of things I wanted to do for fun in 2024. I crossed off exactly zero of them (having a baby will do that to ya) and my only hope of accomplishing one would be to host a cookie exchange! I wanted to SO bad but I was also feeling exhausted after a long year (losing a dog, having a baby, running a business, etc.) and I didn’t know if I had hosting a party in me. I sent out the invitations and told myself I’d figure it out. There was no going back! It was SO FUN though and I will be doing this again. I feel like so much of the holidays as a mom is spent making the magic for kids. It’s Santa meet and greets, Christmas shopping, holiday pageants…. And then seeing Santa again (and again and again). THIS party was for us! 🥂
