One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Potty Training.  I despise it, but that's what we were doing this past weekend.  And apparently what we are doing this week as well.  I'm about as comfy as I can get for doing laundry all day, every day; comfortable enough for sitting around waiting for my child to need to use the bathroom.  The only bright spot (other than my pants) is that this. is. it.  No more diapers.  No more potty training.  It's the end of a very long marathon, and I can almost see the finish line!

Top: Madewell

Pants: Marshalls

Shoes: Forever21

Earrings: Jewelry Swap c/o Jeni from Two Shades Of Lovely

Use code LOCALLOYAL for 15% off Jeni's etsy shop AND LOCALLOVE for free shipping!

p.s. It's only 96 degrees Fahrenheit today, and it feels like fall.  Well, compared to 107 degrees it does.

Social KC: JCrew Re-model

I am dubbing this post (and subsequent link-up) InstaCrew.  Last night we got to preview the new J. Crew fall collection (I love everything - shocking, I know) and see the newly re-modeled Plaza store.  

Belts in every size, shape and color (and socks you can conveniently coordinate them with):

 The Men's Shirt Bar - The Mr is about to get a closet re-do:

Most shockingly favorite item of the night: 

What I Wore - from my own closet: 

The tilted-head-of-disapproval from a trustworthy friend - for the pants, not the top: 

 Bubbles, or no bubbles? - my favorite "European" question:

Me, trying to be all fancy-photography: 

And to end the night, a little goodie bag.  Complete with macaron from Natasha's Bakery (an absolute must visit when you are in KC!) Even the box was polka dot! 

It's Friday, I had to work off that single macaron (or maybe it was those Gram & Dun meatballs!) so I hit the Power Pilates class.  Anyone see the 40 oz. in this picture?  Haha!  It was all I could not to make a joke.....

Yes.  I put down my exercise ball just so I could snap a picture.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

p.s. Fall is almost here - Hallelujah!

You Say Tow-Mah-Tow, I Say Tow-May-Tow

I think making new friends is like dating:

A.  There's usually that initial attractions: what made me click on that thumbnail?

B. You go on a "date", find out what they like, their quirks, if your pet peeves align.....

Then, it's like a garden - you have to water it, feed it, trim it, protect it.......

And, if you are lucky, you end up with perfectly ripe, juicy, tasty tomatoes!

~ Erin B.

Now go meet some tomatoes!

I heart Thursdays! I love the opportunity to meet so many new friends.

Last week we had a record breaking turnout with over 200 link up's! AMAZING!

This week I'm raising the bar just a little more....

If we can get to 300 link up's, one lucky person is going to win 

250 custom business cards for their blog. How cool is that?!

Now let's get this PAR-TAY started! 

Ready to make new Twitter friends?
Sweetness, just follow the rules.


RULES:
Link up your Twitter account, not your blog.
Follow your host and co-hosts. {The first 8 in the linky.}

HOST: Laura from Our Reflection

Thanks so much to my amazing co-hosts:


Maria from Agape Love Designs
Erin from Pretty, Polished, Perfect.
Mar from Raising Bean
Jamie from Moms Test Kitchen
Amanda from Tales from a Far
Brittany from Bee Little Queen
Elizabeth from La Vita e Bella

Loving this hop? Shout it out to all your friends!

The more the merrier.

Tweet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Co-Host spots for August are now available. Interested?

Email me for details at momsgonnasnap@gmail.com.

Thanks so much for linking up today!

Hope you've had fun and made some amazing new friends.

Save the Date! Next Hop: 8/2

Grab a button and add it to your blog!

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What I Wore: Madewell Event

Jacket: Hydraulic (similar here)
Top: George (yep, Wal-mart, similar here, here, and here)
Necklace: Forever21 (similar here, here or here)
Bracelets: Derng (similar here), Target, Thrifted (similar here), Banana Republic Factory
Skirt: LC by Lauren Conrad (similar here)
*This outfit was inspired by Bailey, the only young person I know who has a solid handle on her own personal style.......I was a hot mess at her age!

Congratulations to Megan and the Madewell staff on a successful event!

From top left: Taylor, Laura, Krystal, Katie, Maygan, Emily and Brigid.

I really do enjoy shopping with the Madewell team - they are so sweet and kind. 

Several of the local bloggers styled their own mannequins - and I loved every second of it (that's my mannequin in the blue pants - @_TripleP!) Shop the outft: Printed Boyshirt, Overdot Tee, Typeset Trousers.

I interned as a visual merchandiser in High School (with the best mentor - Marilyn - whom I will never forget!) and I loved it.  Why did I stop?  I was tempted with a department manager position that sucked the love right out of retail!

All photos courtesy of Nicole at Nicole Clifford Photography.  You can see more photos of the event here (don't forget, if you "like" what you see......)

Me, Myself and I.....

      What is your biggest phobia?

That I will lose, or forget, the moments and memories that have meant the most to me (it's why I love photographs, especially when they capture the memory with its thousand words.)


 If you could relive any day of your life, what would it be and why?

I could be cliché and say the day(s) my children were born, or the day I was married, but that isn’t true.  I don’t want to live in the past, I live for the future (I know that is also cliché, but it’s more true to who I am than pretending I would relive any day in the past.)


If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?

21?  Just kidding.  

Haha!  I don’t know what age, maybe 29?  Old enough to still have found my own style (and I’d like to think a bit of wisdom), but young enough to have not gotten the wrinkles yet?

      Which celebrity do you get mistaken for?       

    

      I have only been told I look like an actress once (and I'm okay with that.)  It was a girl at the Y (my gym, where I always, undoubtedly, look my worst), she said I look like the girl from Lost.  I still don't know which girl she was referring to (I never watched it,) but she said it what the actress with the curly hair.  I looked this girl in the eye and asked, "So what you are really saying is that my fro looks like I've been stranded on a strange island without any hair products, right?"  We both laughed.

      What songs are included on the soundtrack of your life?

Oh gosh, I don’t know.  I love music, but I don’t think there is a song that is about me or defines my life.  Some favorites are (and this may shock you) F*^$ You, by Lily Allen – the edited version.  It’s the perfect song for when I am just so angry (which is rare, and usually after listening to the song I’m over it.  Plus, I hide this song from my sons......)  I also love Rapper’s Delight by the SugarHill Gang.  I think because the guys are like the OG’s or rap (or maybe because it’s a little bit disco, a little bit hip-hop and mostly rap – I’m not kidding, watch this YouTube video.)  They weren’t afraid to be different.  And come on, they were kind of awesome.  Right? 

That's it for today, I hope you learned something new.....and that you still like me, lol!

KC Social: Madewell Event 7/15

Fellow Kansas Citians,

If you can make it, be sure to RSVP to ChasingDavies(at)gmail(dot)com or on Facebook.  Feel free to thank her for coordinating this fabulous opportunity to shop the new arrivals at a discount (wink, wink)! 

Hope to see you there!


p.s. Have you entered the Triple P Giveaway yet?

Triple P Giveaway: Shabby Apple

When I was contacted by Shabby Apple about offering you a giveaway, I waffled (what does that mean anyway?)  I've never shopped with them, so I can't give you my opinion on the quality, sizing, or what-it-really-looks-like-on-a-real-person-with-horrible-lighting  However, I asked my favorite sister (she put in a good word for them) what she thought and she was adamant that I say yes.  In fact, she was a bit pushy about it, lol!

I went to the website and fell in love with at least a dozen dresses, was filled with bitter resentment over the super-cute maternity dresses that I wish were available when I was pregnant (I was only sort of kidding about the bitter resentment.....) and saw a pair of shoes I love (and happen to already own.)  Here is a sampling of those dozen+ dresses I'm considering:

Love the peplum that was raging this past Spring (and is still going strong this summer.)  Oh, and stripes, polka dots, and yellow.  

Now let's get to the good part:  Shabby Apple is offering one lucky reader a $50 gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't want to wait?  Use code SUMMER20 to get 20% off the entire site (no refunds, exchanges only.)

Torpedoes and Nerf Balls

Meggy of Chasing Davies has asked us, "What's in your Beach Bag?"

This is my daily pool bag, shared with my sons:

They use up most of that real estate.  It's chock full of nerf balls, cars, torpedoes, goggles, swim diapers and smashed crackers.  (This is my favorite bag however, thrifted when I was in High School!)

What I'm dreaming of (in about ten years:)

Splurge  bag ,  towel (who doesn't need a little Missoni in their life?)  and sunscreen (expensive, and light, not greasy!)

Save  bag,  towel (can attach to a beach/lounge chair!) and  sunscreen 

NO MATTER WHAT! Face sunscreen - I can't live without this stuff.  It's expensive, but it works and it doesn't make my face break out.  Worth every penny.  Snacks - what can I say, it's better than junk food and you don't have to keep them cool - almonds  and dried apricots

 I know, where's my trendy iPad in it's even trendier iPad case?  I love to people watch.  It's one of the advantages to dark sunglasses.........

Where's my latest book (Fifty Shades of Grey? NEVER.  Don't even get me started on that crap.)? See the iPad clause.

The truth is, sand isn't pretty.  It gets everywhere.  You get a little bit of it with your snack and polished your teeth. It gets in your car, then it clogs your vacuum.  You will find it months later in something you swore you didn't take to the beach.  That's why I pack lightly.  And I forgot to add a bottle of water, but you don't really want to see a picture of that, do you?

What's in your Beach (or pool) bag?

Independence Day

As much I'd love to be more subtle, this Fourth of July I've resorted to posting an outfit in.......red, white and blue. Shocking, I know. If you want something a little more original, you can see last year's post here.

Top: Polo RL Factory Outlet (similar here)

Pants: White House Black Market

Shoes: Candies (similar here)

Hope you all have a fun and safe Holiday!

I'm linking up with some fellow bloggers for the Red, White, and You Giveaway.


p.s. I love the Legends Outlet Kansas City.  Between JCrew, Saks Off Fifth and Polo RL, I can always find inexpensive but classic stripe t-shirts!