Terrazo Time

I certainly wasn't planning to buy any more J Crew pencil skirts right now since my closet is full to bursting but I was returning some shirts I bought for Hubby the other day and saw this beauty and had to bite.  It is the Terrazo tweed pencil skirt and although it's hard to see it is a navy and white pattern, right up my alley.  I don't care for how they have it styled on the J Crew web site which might be why I never looked at it twice.  I'm going to wear it with my navy tippi sweater, a scarf around my neck and either navy or red heels for the office.  It will also go with just about any other color around in my closet but red, yellow and bright green are all likely to take their turns.  It fits like the other No. 2 skirts I have J crew and is fully lined.  Love it!

More Sports

Who knew I was one of those parents, you know the ones who talked incessantly about their kids games and know all the rules.  Well, turns out I am one!  Here is AGB pitching in a game last weekend.  He plays for the Aces which is a majors team in our league.  He's the starting pitcher and very proud of himself for that feat.  Not that I think he is going to get a scholarship or anything but He's pretty good for 11!

You go girl!

I think  sports are so important for kids growing up and especially for girls.  I know organized youth sports can be a pain and there are lots of weekends I'd rather be doing almost anything else that getting up early and going to a tournament of some sort, some where but I think it is worth it.  My oldest son, AGB, plays little league baseball and tournament baseball with a passion that has been well documented here.  However, I do think sports are maybe even more important for girls and that's one reason I have really been excited that CMB is playing lacrosse this year and loving it.  Here in Northern CA it isn't as popular as back East and I certainly didn't grow up playing it.  But it is growing in popularity and showing up more and more. She is in the Under 9 division and plays for the Coyotes. She's really loving it and it has rekindled her desire to play soccer and other running sports which I also love.  Do you think sports are important?  What sports do your kids play? If you played lacrosse as a kid, any pointers?

A Spring Topper

Now that the rains have stopped (I hope) and spring weather appears to be here in Northern California I have need of a light weight spring coat. What my British friends call as "topper". Here in Nor Cal, you pretty much need some sort of coat all year round, at least in the morning and late afternoons. I have my trench coat, my pea coat and my good wool one but a light spring coat. have eluded me. I adore this one at J Crew. They call it the Gondola Coat and as describe it as follows:

"A printed stripe makes an unexpected cameo in this cheery spin-off of the
classic peacoat. We started with a luxe wool crepe sourced from a Japanese mill,
then printed over it in our exclusive nautical stripe—a rare technique that
requires special craftsmanship to pull off. With cropped sleeves and a classic
nautical feel, it's the perfect piece to pull you out of a wardrobe rut.
Standing collar. Flap pockets. Functional buttons at cuffs. Lined. Hits at
midthigh. Part of J.Crew Collection. Import. Dry clean."

Ok, I love it but the price, $495, is out of my range right now. Anyone have any suggestions for a more wallet friendly option? Maybe I will just sale stalk this one. A girl can dream.

Decisions

I bought the beautiful J Crew doubl serge wool pencil skirt in neon azela during one of the recent promos. I love it. The color is bright and cheerful, like a pink highlighter. The trouble is when I put it on, I feel conspicuous. Like everyone out there is looking at my bright pink lower half. I'm not loving that feeling. So, I am trying to decide if it stays or goes. On one hand it's an amazing skirt. On the other, it's not getting out much because I feel super conspicuous wearing it. It's kind of like trying to decide if it's time to break up with that super popular high school boyfriend who you love because of what he represents but who really isn't right for you.

A Boy and a Bow

Some boys (and men) are just born to wear bow ties. I've always loved the look but sadly, neither hubby nor my eldest son are really bow tie wearers. Fortunately, my youngest son loves them and is slowly creating a collection. He has a blue and yellow silk striped one he likes for church, a blackwatch plaid one he wore during the holidays and proudly rocked this madras number at Easter. After all, who doesn't love a boy with a bow?

Score!

It's no secret that one of the things J Crew does well is blazers. Pencil skirts and great colors too but that's another post. Anyway, I fell in love with the schoolboy blazer in the maraschino cherry color when it came out last fall but it was totally out of my price range at the time. Yesterday however, I found it marked down to $99 and there was a secret code I learned about over onf the J Crew Aficianado blog (Shopnow) that gave 30% off. And it was in my size!. I jumped on it faster than you can say OMG! It came to $75 dollars inlcuding tax and shipping. So thrilled and cant wait. Here in the SF Bay area, even a flannel blazer is a 3 season garment. Just about made my week!

Sisters

I'm quite close to my sister. Really, like best friends. It wasn't always so. She is three years younger than me and we were fairly competitive growing up. I was studious and captain of the debate team. She was head cheerleader and student body president. But as we grew up and moved away, that seemed less important. Her son is my youngest son's best friend. Sometimes I am sad that my daughter does not have a sister. Not sad enough to have another baby, don't get me wrong there, but still. I would miss not having mine.

Easter Celebrations!

This is my great grandmothers wonderful china. I've always loved it and the last time my mother moved she decided she didn't have room to store it any longer so it came ot my house. Isn't it perfect for Easter. I also used yellow tulips on the table and my grandmother brought me the most wonderfully scented Easter Lilly too.

Here is CMB, doesn't she look grown up with her new hair cut?

This is my sister's daughter E after our little egg hunt. She got a three egg head start and I think she more than made up for it.

This is our family, we so rarely remember to grab family shots that often you would think we don't exist!

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter weekend!

Before and After

Today my little girl did a very brave thing. She's been growing her hair forever and refused to let me cut itfor almost 2 years. Our Brownie troop has been doing a unit on community and helping others and she had read about Locks of Love and how they make wigs for kids with cancer. All on her own she asked me if she could come with me when I got my hair cut this morning and donate her hair. She was able to donate 8 inches of thick, honey blond locks that will make someone very happy. I'm so proud of the person she is growing up to be!


This is the before shot! Look at that that pretty hair!

The first chop and the pony tail is history!

The final result. Doesn't she look grown up? It's hard for me to believe that she is only 8. She looks so grown up here and she just loved how it looked. She told me, it's just hair, even if I hate it, it will grow back. So proud of my big girl!

Ga Ga for Gingham

I love gingham shirts. The J Crew perfect shirt in gingham is one of my wardrobe staples althoug I understand Lands End Canvas makes a nice one too. I have several colors and they go with everything. I wear them tucked into a pencil skirt at the office, with jeans and a blazer, with shorts and the sleeves rolled up. They feel fun and happy and yet pulled together. How about you? Are you ga ga for gingham?

Reading Aloud

When your children are small the importance of reading aloud is totally obvious. One of the best baby shower presents I got from my mom was a collection of all the books she loved reading to me when I was small, some of which were out of print and she had tracked them down via a rare book dealer. But oce your kids learn to read themselves, somehow it feels less urgent. But my daughter's first grade teacher told me that it was even more important than ever. She and I try to read aloud together every night. So far we have read Black Beauty, The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, Little House in the Big Woods, Anne of Green Gables and right now are reading Little Women. It's my way of introudcing her to classics I loved as a child. Usually she then takes up interest and continues reading the series such as the rest of the Little House books as well as the Anne series. With the boys we have read all of the Chronicles of Narnia books, Where the Red Fern Grows and now are reading Johnny Tremain. Do you read to your kids still?

Wrapped up with a Bow

Does your "special someone" or son wear bow ties? Hubby and AGB don't care for them but my youngest, OPB adores them and is slowly building a wardrobe of bow ties. Well if you are in the market, all Social Primer Brooks Brothers Spring bow ties are 25% off this week just in time for Easter. http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=1143&section_size&section_color&sortby=newArrivals

These are great cotton ties in fun patterns. I boght OPB one in a cute madras pattern to wear to Easter Brunch.