I've got a little toe dipped into hipster territory (a firmoo review!)

I wore my first pair of glasses in second grade. A pair of very round, very lavender frames. Since then, I've gone through many pairs of frames, from sophisticated and rectangular to dorky and thick as pancakes.

Since Silas started being all grabby, my current frames made the world look a bit crooked. I was ecstatic when Firmoo contacted me. Their website makes frame buying simple and their frames are really affordable. First-time customers get one pair free and their virtual try-on system made it easy and even fun for me to figure out which frames would work best for my face. 

When my Firmoo frames (prescription glasses and sunglasses) came in the mail the other day, I was impressed that my frames were packaged in hard cases, and even came with a repair kit. The frames are sturdy and great quality, and my prescription seems to be spot-on. 

My new frames are comfortable and light. And I know it's all hipster-like to wear black roundish frames, but ya know, what? I love how they look on me. So, yeah, I may have stuck a little toe over into hipster territory, but at least my glasses are prescription, right? 

Firmoo also sent me this pair of sunglasses, which are of equally great quality. So, basically, head on over to Firmoo.com and I am certain you won't regret it. 

Okay, too many pictures of my mug in this post. I'm outta here. Chris, Si and I are going sailing this afternoon, and then I'm looking forward to a long overdue movie datenight with Chris later tonight! 

a house.

We got a house! 

After 5 rejected offers and countless potentials, God has provided us with the most perfectly quirky house and sweet neighborhood. I know He's really taking care of me because there is an ice cream shop 1/2 a block from the house. This was our last attempt to purchase a place, and we are unbelievably excited to move in at the end of next month if all goes as planned. 

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes during this crazy transition! Sometimes I'm a bit stunned that complete strangers care for my family so much and take the time to not only pray, but to encourage us through thoughtful comments and emails. 

PS. Ilene featured some fellow style bloggers (and me!) and their 'men behind the camera' today! It's a super cute post-- check it out here! Also, Silas' nursery was featured on Apartment Therapy recently! 

what we've learned:: road-tripping with baby

The weeks leading up to Silas' arrival were filled with lots of crossing things of bucket lists and 'lasts'. Last fancy dinner out, last movie outing, last naps without interruption. It felt a bit like our life was ending. But we had many conversations about how we were determined that this baby not stop us from traveling and having adventures. We were determined that his presence not completely halt our life.

I think we've done a pretty good job of it so far. At just shy of 9 months, this little boy has flown on an airplane 6 times, and has traveled through 12 states on roadtrips. He's explored St. Augustine, New Orleans, Boston and Annapolis with us. We still have plans to camp with him (once he's sleeping a little better!) and just bought a baby carrier for some backpacking trips. 

Below are a few things we've learned about road-tripping with Si. (I plan on sharing a flying post later on.) If you're new to this parenting thing (like us!), be encouraged that your adventures and travel doesn't have to be put on the back burner! 

Bring the kitchen sink (and don't stress about packing!) 

 The nice thing about car trips is that you can pack whatever the heck you want. Our days of packing light are long gone anyway, so I've embraced the fact that road trips mean loading up the trunk with everything we may want or need. Usually when we discuss whether or not to bring something, the conclusion is 'eh, why not?' Some of the 'extras' we bring along are 'new' toys (random things around the house that he can play with, or toys from a consignment shop) for Si to keep him entertained in the backseat, a few old towels for cleaning up messes, plenty of extra outfit changes for all of us, and the Ergo, stroller and pack'n'play. 

And the good news is, that even if you forget something (like socks for your baby in Boston springtime! *ahem!*), you can most likely find a WalMart or Target that can help you out. 

Pack some "carry-ons"

Instead of lugging our huge suitcases into our overnight stops along the way, we started packing backpacks with essentials for overnight stays. That way, when we stopped driving and finally got to hunker down for the night, Chris didn't have to make 20 trips to the car hauling in our stuff. When we got to our final destination, we could bring everything in, but until then, the car stayed nicely packed in Chris' Tetris-like configuration. 

This also helps us to get up and out the door earlier after a night in the hotel. It's kind of difficult to get moving when clothes, diapers and toiletries are exploded over every inch of the hotel room! 

Tune in to the static

This is a trick we started using when Si was teeny-tiny. White noise usually does a great job of calming him down when he's fussy (especially in the early days). Instead of downloading a white noise app, or lugging our white noise machine along, we just find a radio station with static and turn up the volume. It takes about 30 seconds for Si to chill. 

Of course, sometimes this doesn't work. Sometimes the baby is screaming as you drive through rush hour Atlanta traffic, and you find yourself bawling and trying to change lanes through blurry tear-filled eyes, while your husband says, "You have to focus!". Not like I'd know anything about that...

Go with the flow

I think this probably applies for every 'new parent' situation. Crazy things happen, you'll most likely be unprepared at some point, and plans may get derailed. But I've found that adopting a relaxed attitude about the trip makes things go much smoother. I'm the kind of girl who gets flustered when plans change and expectations aren't met, but I'm slowly learning to be more flexible and have fun no matter what happens. 

Got any roadtrip tips? Are you a 'bring the kitchen sink'-er or a light packer? 

one last florida outfit post.

tee:: {jcrew factory}

skirt:: {american eagle}

bracelet:: {gap}

sandals:: {target}

On Friday evening, we took our last walk on the pier as a family. The pelicans and seagulls soared over our heads and I kept thinking about all the times we walked it while Silas was still growing in my belly.  I love peering over the edge onto the clear waves crashing on the sand. I never fell in love with Florida the way some do, but I'm thankful for the sunshine and the salt air, and Panama City will always have a place in my heart as my baby's birthplace. 

As I type this, Chris and I are whispering back and forth while on our computers and Silas is sleeping in a pack n'play in the corner of our North Carolina hotel room. We're road-tripping up the East Coast to Boston, after getting the house packed up all day yesterday. Settling into a new home in Boston is still a long way off, and it's rather exhausting to be 'homeless' again, but we're ready for all the new adventures that a new city brings. 

one more weekend!

It's actually here. Our last weekend in Florida. On Monday, the movers come and pack up all our stuff again. The memory of our pack-out day in Hawaii is still fresh in my mind, and yet, things are quite different this time around- even though it's only been one year. This time, instead of tears at the thought of leaving, we're ready to move on from Florida and giddy about the prospects of living in Boston. Instead of a baby kicking in my belly, we're corralling Si as he zooms around the house on his little knees. We are still house-less, but trusting in God's faithfulness. One more weekend in Florida, and we're determined to make it a good one! 

If your heart is in summer mode already (like mine is!), you'll appreciate this guest post I wrote for Kim today. I'm sharing all my favorite 'must-haves' for summer for her Favorite Things Friday feature. Go over, share your own 'must-haves' and make sure you stick around to check out Kim's adorable blog (and precious new baby boy!) 

Happy weekend, friends!

say no to the frump:: 5+ swimsuits that won't make you miss your teeny bikini this summer

A few months ago, I came to the conclusion that a bikini would not be in the cards for me this summer. I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body is definitely not the same and I'm not about to subject my fellow beach-goers to this jelly-belly. I was determined not to feel frumpy though. Just because I'm chasing my little sand eater (he ate about 7 handfuls at the beach yesterday) instead of sipping mai-tais doesn't mean that I should wear some unflattering piece of Spandex.

And so began my search for an adorable swimsuit that wouldn't break the bank. I started out looking at tankinis, but most of the ones I found were way too loose and flowy. I soon realized that a) I needed to find a one-piece suit, and b) I needed to spend a little bit of cash to get a quality suit. I spent a lot of time searching the internets and was surprised that I couldn't find great, up-to-date roundups of cute suits for mamas and other modest girls out there (Andrea wrote some helpful reviews here.) So, I'm sharing what I found. Click through the links to see more styles and colors.


(clockwise from the left)

Padded Knot Bandeau Tank from JCrew >> This is the swimsuit I bought after two months of searching and I'm so happy with my purchase. Honestly, it makes me feel less like a frumpy mom and more like a classy pin-up. (Is that a weird thing to say on my blog? I just felt really adorable.) The bright red color is so fun and the quality is spot-on. In my opinion, it's money well spent. (See it on me in the photo below!)

Tribal Design Halter One-Piece from Ann Taylor LOFT >> I thought this one was super cute. Even though it doesn't have ruching like so many of the others, I think the fun pattern would do a great job obscuring possible problem areas. Check out more cute LOFT suits here. 

Ruched Bandeau Tank from JCrew >> Another cute one from JCrew. I almost went with this one. Love the ruching and simple silhouette.

Sara Bra Cup Halter Tankini from Athleta >> This was the only tankini that caught my eye. It's got the all-important ruching, padded bra support and comes in this lovely plum shade.

Assets Push-Up One Piece from Target >> Yes, this is a push-up, and it's made by the makers of Spanx. So, you can imagine, this is a one-piece with a bit of 'wow factor'. I tried this on in Target the other day and it's pretty awesome. Honestly, not the most comfortable swimsuit ever, but it does the job--there's not a bit of frump in this suit. See more swimsuits made by Assets here. 

Runner-up-

Criss-Cross Suit from Albion  >> This swimsuit is almost perfect, but it's over $100, so it didn't make my list. The silhouette is adorable and Albion has lots of other styles that are unique!

 Have you found a swimsuit that makes you feel great? Feel free to share details in the comments below!

disconnecting.

If you're like me (a blogger, shop owner, IG addict), I wonder if these following thoughts will resonate with you. 

In the past few weeks, I've become painfully aware of how much time I spend scrolling through Instagram while Silas plays next to me. Or how often I mindlessly open my lock screen, just to see what's going on, even if I did the same thing three minutes earlier. It's a habit that is starting to take over my days and I'm becoming weary of it. 

I love the online community, the inspiration I find there and the creative people I've connected with and grown close to. But I'm weary of spending so much time staring at a screen when I should be focused solely on my baby boy or the conversation that I'm floating in and out of with Chris. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on balancing your online life and home life. How do you remain present at home with your kids, husband, and friends, but maintain an active presence online? 

For a few weeks now, I've felt the tug to join with Hayley for an 'analog weekend'. You can read more about her decision to disconnect on the weekends here. I'll probably still capture some moments with my camera, but I won't be uploading them to Instagram the second they happen. I want to enjoy our trip to the strawberry patch without inviting the whole blog community. And I want Chris to have my full attention with each conversation. 

(The photo above is one reason why I love having my phone on me all the time. I adore the moment captured and I think I'm going to have to print this one off nice and big to hang in our new home.) 

PS. Just picked the winner for the Seek First giveaway! Anna from Navarre Charm is the winner! Congrats Anna! Just sent you an email! If you didn't win-- feel free to pop over to Seek First and use the code HELLOHUE for 20% your order!