Home Sweet Construction Site.

We arrived home late last night to a house that still very much resembles a construction site. I thought I could handle almost anything, but when I learned that they had unplugged the Internet, a single tear most definitely rolled down my cheek (I'm trying my first ever post from my phone, and I can tell you it's not going that well.) However, there is a light at this end of this tunnel, and hopefully by this weekend we should be able to go back to a somewhat normal existence. This is convenient, given the fact that my hubby and I leave Sunday for our long awaited, SOLO trip to Costa Rica. I am crossing everything in my body, hoping that I can leave these boys (and my in-laws) with a home that is dust free, saw free, hammer free... You get the idea. Honestly, I'm pretty sure everyone would just be happy if we could figure out how it plug the damn router back in!

I'm not sure when I'll be back here, hopefully in the next day or two, but until then I'll leave you with this little memento from our trip home. This was after our flight was delayed for a third time.

If I'm not back in a few days, send help... and wine, lots and lots of wine.

UPDATE: We have internet! And Paint!!! Be back tomorrow ;)

Fashion Inspiration: Emerson Fry Spring 2013

 Have you all seen the spring preview for Emerson Fry's most recent collection? If you haven't then you should probably just turn your computer off right now, because I can tell you that this is where "no shopping" pledges go to die... and it's not even March! Gah, it's going to be a long 9 months. I find the whole collection to be pretty amazing, but it's these looks which are just so effortlessly chic, that are really inspiring me for the upcoming months! Trust me when I say that some version of this is my new (forever) uniform for Spring.

 

What do you even call this look? California cool, meets rocker chic, topped off with a little West Village street style? 

Whatever you call it, I love it and come Monday when the full collection is released I don't know how I'm going to turn down 1) that white shirt dress, 2) the most amazing black studded belt ever invented, 3) those black relaxed pajama style pants, 4) railroad inspired pants (because then Gray and I could be twinsies and that would melt my heart ;)) and, 5) the most perfect flatform (which is apparently the new shoe of the season) which completes every one of these outfits. 

Okay, okay, I'm not going on a bender here, but that belt... oh that belt. I'm not sure I can resist.

P.S. After yesterday's post I decided the bedroom is going dark. The whole room. I will post pictures when it's done! 

This Is My House: Part II

Just when I thought things in our home couldn't get any worse, on Friday morning BOTH kids woke up with double ear infections, the LM was sent home from school sick, and for almost two days the 4 of us lived in a home that looked like this. 

I.Can't. Even. Deal.

Luckily for us, we were able to beat the snow on Sunday and very happily got the hell out of the construction war zone. The boys couldn't have done better during our travels, and thankfully (with the help of some ibuprofen) their little ears didn't bother them too much on the plane.

 

Traveling with two kids has its challenges, but I have to say that right now being as far away from our home as we can be, is a good thing. Made even better when I got the call today, that we are already 4 days behind schedule and that our waterproofer decided the job was too small for him last minute, so he just never showed up. Me, being in Maryland, means that no one gets punched in the face, and that is a very, very good thing.

I'm trying to look on the bright side of this whole ordeal (there has to be one, right?) and since the guys have to repaint every surface anyway, I'm taking this opportunity to change some paint colors. 

The LM's room will soon be this beautiful shade of blue/ gray:

Farrow and Ball Parma Gray

and in my room, I'm going with this:

Farrow and Ball Downpipe

Right now, I think I'm sticking with an accent wall, but this picture of Jenna Lyon's former bedroom always makes me want to paint the whole room dark. Way dark. The only thing holding me back is the fact that we are street level and the last thing I want is a dungeon like room BUT I know accent walls are kind of running their course.

Do you all have any thoughts? Whole room? Accent wall? Know a good waterproofer? Want to punch someone in the face for me? Know how I can get that white fireplace to magically appear in my bedroom? Can anyone convince my husband that once you go dark, you never go back?

Anyone... anyone...

This Is My Home.

 A few months back, we started to realize that our downstairs, our ENTIRE downstairs, was taking on water under the floors, through a crack in the foundation pouring in to the Little Man's room. A few weeks ago, we came to the conclusion that this had to be fixed asap, and the kids and I began planning our escape from what was going to be two weeks of living in a construction zone. At the time I really wasn't concerned. February break was upon us, and I couldn't think of a better reason to spend some quality time in the country with my in-laws. During the first few meetings regarding the construction, everything was treated as if it was no big deal. Then, on Wednesday, the reality set in. At first I was under the impression that nothing need to be packed, at least by me, and I learned late in the afternoon that essentially EVERYTHING needed to be packed, and our entire downstairs needed to be moved upstairs. Oh, and by the way, this all needed to be done within 36 hours. Did I mention that every minute (second) of those 36 hours was already insanely packed with to-dos to begin with. 

Cut to me freaking out. 

It was, and still is, a mystery how we are going to fit 1,000 sq feet of our furnished living space, in 700 square feet of heavily furnished living space. It makes my head hurt just thinking about it. The best part is, that in 10 days we have to come back to the chaos, and add in myself and the two kids. We may or may not have anywhere to sleep, and we cannot predict what the state of our home is going to be.

Basically the whole thing sucks, and all I want to do every minute of the day is this:

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

BUT I know I have to put my big girl pants on, and yes, things could be worse, so for the next month, I have to kick my controlling/ clean freak tendencies to the curb, and find a way for the kids and I to navigate this "adventure" will the least amount of disruption to their lives.

Yet, I still can't believe that this is the current state of my home. 

Every picture is gone, every piece of clothing packed, and unlike with a move, it all has to go back exactly where is started, with no exciting remodel to look forward to. 

AND it's a freaking mess.

I will not cry. I will not cray

... in about two hours men are coming to take apart every piece of furniture that remains. I honestly can't bear the thought. 

Hope you all are faring better than we are. We leave Saturday for our trip, and I'll try to post as much as the internet allows from the middle of a corn field. 

Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

Trend I'm Loving: Cut Out Dresses.

 Just when I thought I was making some real progress on my shopping challenge, the new Intermix catalog arrived in my mail yesterday, and my jaw hit the floor when I laid my eyes on this:

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What is there to say, really? It's a perfect dress. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Totally impractical? Yes. Even more impracticable for a mother of two boys? Yes, and yes. Does this fact in any way negate its perfectness? No, no no! So, after I was able to catch my breath, and let the voice of reason set in, I decided that I would rather prove that I can go a year without shopping, than have the most amazing dress on the planet, and instead of purchasing, I taped this picture to the fridge, so so I could have a bit of its beauty in my life every morning. 

Le sigh.

Alas, the dress will go to someone else, but I have to tell you that I am totally and completely in love with the current cut out trend. Totally. What once was reserved for "dancers" and ladies of the night, has somehow reinvented itself as in a very sophisticated, dare I say classy way, and I am absolutely in love with any dress that provides a sexy peek-a-boo patch of skin. In case you weren't crazy like me, and are looking for that perfect way to update your wardrobe, might I suggest any one of these sexy little numbers?

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 Oh, and clearly all the celebrities got the memo. Pure cut out perfection.

Did I mention that Gwyneth is also a fan of the cut out? Let me tell you, if I had her body, I probably wouldn't ever wear clothes again, but considering that she is the messiah, if she wears it, you know it has to be good.

All I can say is that I hope these are still popular next year, because this is something my wardrobe is definitely crying without!

Currently.

 Snow, snow, snow! What else is there to talk about????? We have so much damn snow, I can't even remember what it was like to walk down a sidewalk without risking life and limb! While it was fun the first few days, and I do mean FUN, now that it has mixed with rain, it generally sucks, and I'm not looking forward to the next week of melt/ freeze/ melt/ freeze that we have in store. Oh, and at the end of the week I think we are getting MORE snow. Awesome. Oh well, this is what you get for living on the East Coast, we will all survive, although if school doesn't start soon I may have to re-think this one! Here are some pictures from the weekend that was. For all you West cCaters/ Australians... try not to rub in your warmer weather too hard ;)

 Pre- sledding homemade beignets...

... made for some very happy little boys!

Happy Monday y'all!