bff.

I was always very social growing up and loved having friends. Especially one best friend. I have really good memories of my kindergarten crush with David Bailey and meeting Jennifer Whitty in 2nd grade and Jenny Allen if 5th. Sometimes best friends (or good friends) turn into husbands and forever pen palls. I married Bradley, who I coined one of my closest friends in high school. And I really like talking to Juice every once in a while, who I met on one of the craziest adventures of my life. I tell Brad that I need to live in California for several reasons, including the fact that it's Missy's home. She's one of my favorite friends. And it's always good to get a very comfortable email from Kathryn or to schedule a quick play group with Mandy...and the list goes on and on. If I'm being honest, my best friend right now is Cole. It's hard to understand a relationship with a one year old being so gratifying and fun but it is and I hope everyone lives that one day. I still need good friends and my thoughts about this have transitioned to Cole's future experience with his BFFs.

Isn't just exciting to think that one day, Cole (or insert your own child's name) will be sitting on the reading mat in kindergarten and he'll connect with another little girl or boy and will come home to ask me if so and so can come over to play? Or that he and that same so and so will probably carve their initials into some tree that will forever be changed by friendliness. I love these thoughts. And I love this post that a friend I met in Boston wrote... and photographed this whole idea so perfectly.

[illustration by Daniele Young.]

dream nursery.

I saw this on Dwell's site today and got inspired to find the elements (some of them...this is a process..) of my dream nursery. Just: replace the pink side of the room with a crib and this bedding, the white rug with a {yellow} shag rug or the like, and the kid's bed bedding with something simple, but colorful and creative (like dots). They must match of course. Any ideas?

I love the idea of a shelf above the crib

and a colorful nightstand for the bed and crib to share.

I would include a corner with a bench or desk or table and chairs,

a stack of cushions and pillows,

and plenty of toy storage.

An enormous book case is a must.


Great, unique toys would be displayed,

and custumized art like this

or this- will set his/her room apart from others.

Finally, his/her own art will color the room

and a mobile (above the crib) will do the same for the ceiling.

Theme: colorful, playful, comfortable and natural. (Maybe it's a little hard to follow? It makes since in my head.)

spring clean.

If cleaning isn't your niche, or even if it is but you love organization (especially lists), I've (or Real Simple has..) basically come to the rescue.


KITCHEN
Every Day
Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
Wipe down the counters (one minute).
Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).
Every Week
Mop the floor (five minutes).
Wipe the cabinets, backsplashes, and appliances (10 minutes).
Wash the dish rack (four minutes).
Wipe the switch plates and phone (one minute).
Wipe the inside of the garbage can (one minute).
Every Season
Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator (30 minutes).
Empty and clean the insides of the utensil drawers (15 minutes).
Scrub down the cupboard exteriors (30 minutes).
Clean the stove-hood filter (10 minutes).
Perform "Shiny Sink 101"


BATHROOM
Every Day
Wipe out the sink (30 seconds).
Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).
Every Week
Scrub the tub (three minutes).
Scrub the tiles (five minutes).
Mop the floor (two minutes).
Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Empty and wipe out the wastebasket (30 seconds).
Every Season
Take down the shower curtain, then launder it according to the care instructions.
Empty, weed, and clean the medicine cabinet (20 minutes).
Perform "Shiny Sink 101" on the tub and sink.


BEDROOM
Every Day
Make the bed (two minutes).
Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).
Every Week
Change the sheets (five minutes).
Dust all surfaces — including electronics, books, picture frames, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames — and remove all cobwebs (10 minutes).
Dust or mop the floors or vacuum the carpeting (five minutes).
Throw out old magazines (one minute).
Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Wipe and disinfect the telephone (30 seconds).
Empty the wastebasket (20 seconds).
Vacuum the heating and air-conditioning vents and the inside of the closet (three minutes).
Every Season
Wash the insides of the windows (15 minutes).
Strip the bed and flip the mattress (five minutes).
Launder the mattress pad and dust ruffle.

LIVING-AREA
Every Day
Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos. (Two minutes.)
Every Week
Dust all surfaces — including electronics, books, blinds, picture frames, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames — and remove all cobwebs (15 minutes).
Dust-mop the floors with a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer, or vacuum the rugs and carpeting (five minutes).
Vacuum the upholstery (five minutes).
Throw out old magazines (one minute).
Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Wipe and disinfect the telephone (30 seconds).
Shake out or vacuum the doormat (one minute).
Vacuum the heating and air-conditioning vents (one minute).
Every Season
Wash the insides of the windows (15 minutes).
Lift big pieces of furniture and vacuum or mop underneath (10 minutes).

storytime.

New book recommendation(s). We picked up Duck and Goose last night while we were in Barnes and Noble exchanging an Easter gift (book) that we already had. It's very cute. And another one that Cole sat all the way through. Great illustrations and fun story and just a different take on children's literature. Cole thought the blue bird character was funny. He laughed when blue bird came to play.

And, if you haven't already, please add this to your collection! I know...a little silly that Jamie Lee Curtis is writing books, but I love anything to do with acceptance and diversity and this tells the story of how we should live.
"Switching to the mother's perspective, the narrative emphasizes the importance of taking one's time, trying one's best ("that's more important than beating the rest") and making the world a better place "for the whole human race." "

Sale!

JCrew has some great sales right now. I just bought a swimsuit tonight, but you can never have too many totes. Think summertime pool/beach outings for the one above.

It's a steal too. $9.99 for the small and $12.99 for the medium sized.

And camo is so in right now.

zara home

I've posted about how I fell in love with Zara Home while in Spain. Since being back, I've made a couple trips to their London Zara Home stores (I didn't know they did the homestores here...there are only 3 home ones).

I was looking at some of our new lovely links - love them. Decor8 posts about Zara Home, but I can't link to the post.

Anyway, they've updated their Home site and you can flip through the catalog. It's fresh, natural. I like what Decor8 calls it: "...a little bit of the Beachy Keen and the Nurturing Naturalist combined". I'm a fan, though I don't think I'd have the guts to do all white (the stores of LOTS more colors than white). I also wish they had a kids catalog...

home away from home

Like most kids, I always dreamed of having my very own treehouse. Can you even imagine?

I get excited thinking about it even now. A place to read, write stories, have tea parties, watch movies. The possibilities are endless! Instead, I spent hours reading in my closet with a flashlight, popcorn and my sea monkeys. That was okay, but it's probably the reason I wear glasses for reading/movies/driving.

Squirrel Design has created some amazing treehouses and I love how each is tailored and designed for your tree/backyard.



Maybe a treehouse is too expensive? Maybe you don't have a tree? You'll probably want the rock climbing wall then. Oh, and check out these before and after shots. I think they are inspiring for re-creating even the most hopeless outside areas.