create the life you love

Oh Lilly ... Summer!

I am a bit behind with my favorites from the summer collection .. the 2nd summer collection just hit the stores this past weekend with one more collection to come.

Now that I am working for Lilly, I get a whole new perspective with the opening of the many boxes as the new collections arrive .. with lots of ooohing and aaahing!

 On to the favorites. I have a lot .. and I just may own a 'few' ;) of these items.

* Treena Dress

Colby Dress

* Mariekate Dress

Krista Dress

* Jessy Dress

* Dawn Dress

Mayfield Dress

Tylar Dress

Minta Dress

Kaylen Dress

* You Gotta Regatta Callahan

* Resort White High Tide Callahan

Pippa pant

* Wiley Top

* Poppy Top

* Sunday Top

* Thandie Tunic

* Cleo Top

* Marigold Skort

* Resort White High Tide 

@Touch Feely 

Summer Tote

Getaway Garden Resort Wedge

* Neon Shinny Mini Jeans ..

as seen on me and Hillary

'Stopping traffic in our Neon Skinny Minis!'

The Graduate!

Two down ... one to go!

Connor graduated from Ole Miss this past Saturday.

Proud, proud moment as a parent!

We flew up to Nashville to visit friends (golf, as usual was part of the trip) for 2 days and then drove to Oxford, where we spent the next 4 days.

As always, such a fun, fabulous time. I am certainly going to miss our trips to Oxford and Ole Miss, but we are hoping to continue going to a football game each fall.

I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked of our evenings / dinners out and other happenings, but me pulling out the camera is never a hit with my gang.

Our first evening (Connor had just finished up his finals late that afternoon) .. drinks on the balcony of The City Grocery and dinner downstairs.

Just pretending ;) ..

Connor & his room mate .. I love this boy!!

(bad photo-taker ... which would be my husband)

Another bad photo-taker (the room mate), but I love him!

On the balcony at Boure

Friday golf ..

Rebel baseball game .. in the student section!

Lunch with friends at Boure ..

Shopping ...

I need to get these boots! ;)

For my future grand children ..

Big Bad Breakfast ..


Graduation ..

Way to go CCal!

 

 

 

 

Dream Job!

I still need to post about our trip to Nashville, Oxford and CCal's graduation from Ole Miss, but I just wanted to share my big news.

I just started working part time at my dream job ....

 

 

So excited and thrilled!!

 

 

MVP

So proud of Griff .. he recieved the LHP JV Boy's Lacrosse Most Valuable Defence Player award!

 

With his coach ..

 

and his proud dad ..

 

 

This was a few weeks ago, but I am behind here on my blog.

Photos of CCal's graduation next!

We have another College Graduate!

 

This Saturday!

Happy Birthday CCC!

My little Connor Sweetie is 23 years old!!

With Col Reb at a recent Ole Miss baseball game .. in the lime green tank!

Dinner Secrets

Ha .. Griff LOVES these sausages (and is sharing on instagram) .. it just so happens that the creator's son goes to school with Griff and plays lax with him.

I certainly 'score big' at our table when I grill these up ;)

More Lax

#10 The 'stickman' .. as he is called!

The boy can jump!

and fly ..

 

 

Spring Favs!

I have so many favorites that I have been saving to post about for months now .. all non-Lilly favorites too (of course, I have posted many of those already and always have more!).

 

J Crew 

 

 

J Crew .. I think they are sold out already :( ..

 

 Kate Spade

{Paige .. I still haven't bought these wedges.. perhaps when they go on sale!} ;)

devon baer designs 

I love so many of her designs

 

 Tory Burch

 I have these sandals in gold & red (LHP game days!) and love

 Elizabeth McKay 

I bought this at a great deal - 1/2 off!

 

Silvia Benson 

Lots of lovely pieces!

 

voneshna jewelry

 

Moon & Lola 

I just received mine. Love it.

 

The silk Hot Sake dresses from Viereck. A local boutique carries this line and I just love this style dress. I have the pink and I am wanting the orange too! ...

viereck hot sake dress in pink

viereck hot sake dress in orange

And the vierreck cayenne dress in black (just ordered this - I love a one-shoulder dress)

Please note that these dresses are not as short on me, being that I am not model-like at 6 ft tall ;)

 

elephant side table from zhush

Love!

 

 

Coming up next .. favorite new beauty products!

 

Easter Sunday

 

A lovely day with church and brunch with my boys

Just missing the middle boy. He did send a picture with friends at the Sunday service in The Grove .. pink shorts and all! ;)

 

.. just a month away until graduation!

 

And, I had to add these pictures of us many years ago on Easter Sunday

{no laughing at my flipity hair-do!} .. and I just noticed, it looks like I am sporting a farmer's tan!

Happy Easter!

 

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
 John 11:25-26.

Lilly State Prints ...

 

Yay for

F L O R I D A

'Drum roll please... 35,000+ votes later, the State Print winners are... Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia & Maryland!! That's right, 6 prints!! We can't help ourselves :) Right now the prints are planned for Murfee scarves & will be rolled out as they're ready!'

Monogrammed Buttercup Callahans

For those asking .. a small script monogram down on the left corner

 

{sorry about the bad photos - taken quickly with my iphone}

Oh Lilly ... Spring!

 

A little late here with this post .. which seems to be the theme with me these past few months. Late! 

I was invited to attend a trunk show (back a month or so ago) and be one of the first to get a peek at the Lilly spring fashions.

Although .. It is actually summer here in Florida this past week - temps in the 90's already!

Some favs ... and purchases

pink & green twinkle elsa

hotty pink elsa (love my elsas .. want it in white too)

set in stone sandals 

coral cuff

 

resort white capris

white bee in your bonnet callahans

hotty pink seersucker callahans which I had monogrammed (and in white too)

white mini spring fever toile callahans (I had these monogrammed too!)

state of mind callahans

 

rosalee top

kade top (want this in white too)

As always ... LOTS more on my wish list!!

Such an Honor ..

 

Miss Janice has featured me on her 'Friday Style File'.

What a fabulous surprise and such an honor. Thank you!!!

Don't Blink

VGC

 

Can not believe my 'baby' boy is 16 Years Old

Not only is he 16 .. but, 6'2" tall!!

 

Of course, being 16 (or a teenager for that matter), about the only photos I can get are action shots ..

 

 

 

I did get a bit of cooperation at his birthday dinner at Houstons (or Hillstones, as it is now called), with the big brother #1.

A combination 16th birthday picture and 'no more braces' (removed a few weeks ago) .. crooked smile that is really nicer in person! 

 

And, this picture before we were leaving for dinner .. DCal and Griff trying to chase out a bird stuck in the garage.

Those lax long poles come in handy!

Right on with the Current Trend

While colored jeans are very much in style right now .. my husband has always had a love for them (actually, chino type pants) .. he loves bright and pastle colors!

 

 

And some of his shorts ..

Happy Spring!

The 'boys' have new monogramed, Lilly scarfs to start out the season.

Baxter ..

Murphy was not cooperating for the photo shoot!

Birthdays

So .. we celebrated a few birthdays last week. Back to back.

Both my husband and mine.

We still haven't managed to fit in a night out to celebrate (just a chocolate khalua cake for DCal) .. it's been a crazy busy week.

 

 

My birthday card from Griff

love the 'younger' part .. ha, that's my boy! ;) 

Lilly Loving

Hillary and I in our Elsa tops at The Hippity Hop Spring Market!

Downton Abbey .. A Little Late to the Party!

 

Since I rarely (almost never) watch TV, I had no idea about the Downton Abbey series on PBS. I did see a few posts about the show on face book and finally decided to check it out. SO glad that I did! I watched season 1 on my ipad (netflix) and am now almost through season 2 (one more episode to go) .. as well as 'Christmas at Downton'.

I have enjoyed this so much that I am also planning on watching 'The Kennedys' series that of course, I didn't see when it aired on PBS. I just love laying in bed with my ipad watching a show or movie .. only problem is that my reading has been pushed aside. Good to mix things up though?! 

Lax Action

 

pre-game warm up

 

 

penelty box ;0 

fans :)

 

Team Captain

So proud of VGC .. choosen as a JV Lacrosse Captain.

The season is under way .. first 2 games this past weekend, both big wins!

#10 ..'stick man'

starting line up

 

LOTS more photos to come

Mother - Son Weekend!

I just returned home from spending a long weekend in Oxford with C Cal, just the 2 of us ..

well, many of his guy friends too and a few girls.

So much fun!!

We ate at our favorite restaurants .. Lorena's, Big Bad Breakfast, Snack Bar, Boure, The City Grocery.

Also visited a few bars .. Burgandy Room, Proud Larrys, The Library (doesn't every college town have a 'library' bar??)

Ah .. college life!

And .. although it looks like all we did was hang out at bars, not so! Just good photo opportunities!

 

Saturday morning breakfast at BBB 

Saturday afternoon happy hour at the Burgandy Room on the Square .. bloody mary bar

 

Terrible photo .. but wanted to include it. With my good friend's daughter who is a student at Ole Miss also.

The next time I see Connor will be in May .. at his graduation!

Hotty Toddy!!

 

** more Ole Miss posts here, here, here and here!

February Book Club

The 'babes' met at Flemmings this month for our book club ..

Our book was The Thorn Birds. I read this way back during a summer in college and enjoyed reading it once again.

60th!

I'm a bit behind in posting, so trying to catch up!

~

My friend Lisa celebrated her 60th birthday a few weeks ago. Another friend and I gave her a little party. It was held at Lisa's beautiful home .. a small group of gals. So much fun!

Birthday Girl!

Coconut Cake

Pink Swap Gifts

My fabulous pink gifts from my sweet partner, Hopsy!

So many lovely pink gifts ..Gaspari napkins and tissues, littel pink note book, 'Quality, Taste, Style' book by Tim Gunn, pasley playing cards, mini lint roller, note pad with clip board, pink & green candies, pink peppermint mallow bits, glass case, and a beuatiful Lilly scarf. Love them all .. thank you Hopsey! and thank you also for hosting the swap!

Pink Ellie

Just a little pinterest craft I made (actually made 2, one for my Pink Swap partner) .. via Martha Stewart

 

I added a few more coats of glitter after taking this picture .. probalby 6-8 coats in all!

I think I needed to use a deeper shade of pink so it covered the dark gray elephant with less coats. This ended taking a few days to finished due to the drying time inbetween.

Pink Swap!

Once again this year, I participated in Hopsy's Pink Swap ..

and, my partner this year is none other than Hopsy! 

A sneek peek of my gifts to her ..

 

Bar Star

A bit embassed, but quite honored ..

I LOVE The Bar Method 

 

 

Meet our Bar Star for January...Melissa. You have truly become a part of our Bar Method Family and you look amazing! Here is her story: " I have been an exercise enthusiast throughout my adult years as well as an athlete in my youth. I tried my first Bar Method class almost 6 months ago, and I have been hooked ever since, attending 4 to 6 classes per week. The Bar Method has been the best full body workout for me- toning, elongating and sculpting my entire body. The results have been amazing! The studio is a beautiful studio facility and the instructors are excellent!!! All are highly motivating, positive and helpful (friendly and super sweet too!). I thank you all and look forward to continuing on at The Bar Method!"

Metabolism Boosting Drink

 

Dr. Oz’s Tangerine Weight-Orade Recipe…It contains: green tea, shown to boost metabolism 12% by drinking just one cup; tangerine, with a chemical composition that increases sensitivity to insulin and stimulates genes that help to burn fat; and mint, a calorie-free flavor enhancer.

In a large pitcher, combine: 8 cups of brewed green tea / 1 tangerine, sliced / A handful of mint leaves / Stir this delicious concoction up at night so all the flavors fuse together. Drink 1 pitcher daily for maximum metabolism-boosting results.

 

Made this tonight and trying tomorrow!

Wrap it up

engagement gift

Soccer!

Griff played on the JV team .. the season just ended, but I wanted to record a few pictures .. actually, the only TWO photos I took and bad ones at that!

#11

 

 

He has moved right on to his #1 sport, lacrosse, with training all this week and tryouts next .. although he has been playing club lax (weekend tournaments) year round.

And btw, my 'baby' boy is now 6'1"! 

Oh .. Shift!

The lastest Lilly gift with purchase ..

cute, shift pillow. Perfect for my pink chair in my office.

 

And a travel bag .. love this

Go 'Noles

Just catching up here.

We had a little FSU party for my Seminole family memebers (son #1, brother, SIL, neice, nephew & friends), and also my sister who was down from Illinois - a Notre Dame fan. All were going to the bowl game (FSU vs Notre Dame) the following day.

the girls .. and Bax & Murp

some of the guys

 

 

ETA ... a friend sent me this photo of me that was taken by mistake with her iphone ;)

To answer a few questions.. yes, the LV bag was a Christmas gift. The little cross bracelet (elastic) is from a new store here in WP, not sure of the make, but it was $12! The link bracelet is from Henri Bendel. My blouse is J Crew and cardigan, Tory Burch.

Pinsomnia ..

 

Ha ... SO TRUE!! I am obsessed with Pinterest!!

Oh Lilly ... New Year's Cheer Sale

 

Love when these on line sales come around, such fabulous prices ..

but this time I messed up while checking out.  During my ordering frenzy (items sell out quickly so it's a race!) something went wrong and I ended up with only 2 items total - one being a men's tie, so I didn't score well at all :(. Honestly, I can not even remember what all I wanted .. obviously, I did not need it that badly!

I was able to order from another via shop with great prices ..

Naomi Dress

Jeanette Dress

LOVE the expossed zipper

***

Santa has also good to me!

Ricci Shift

Jessie Sweater

Adriana Dress

Callahans

 

And on my wish list ...

Since Tangerine tango is the color of the year (love it!), I'd like a few items in this color

Taytay Dress

Jules Dress

Sea Coral Necklace

Party Boy

 

Wishing you all much happiness, health and blessings in the New Year!!

Christmas Day

We had a late start to our Christmas morning .. the parents were up bright and early, as always, but the boys later. A nice little perk as your children get older! With this being the first year with our oldest living on his own (although just 10 minutes away) as well as late sleepers .. we planned a brunch with gift opening and dinner to follow in the evening.

 

Mimosas!! .. with a breakfast casserole, cinnamon buns and of course bacon (bacon-lovin' boys)

Dinner was our traditional Christmas meal : beef tenderloin with bernaise sauce, cheesy, smashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, sweet potato casserole, spinach salad, rolls, red velvet cake and other dessert treats.

Our tree ... complete with NO lights! Just a few days before Christmas, ALL the lights went out. A bit of hysterics from me. Since none of my guys are handy men (to say the least), we had problems with fixing it. No luck what so ever and no white lights to be found in the 4 stores that I looked.

 

My 'holy' tree in the living room .. nicely lit!

Radko Tree

 

Lilly tree in my office

 

I didn't do a good job of picture taking during gift opening  .. photos throughout my home

 

 

 

Two of my crazy boys with their cracker 'treasures' ..

you see how much they LOVE posing for me??!

 

 

Christmas Eve

 

After church we had our annual Christmas Eve dinner at Enzos.

Dan & I have been dining there since we were dating .. for over 30 years now!

My handsome men

And since they are so handsome ;), another picture ..

another family (good friends of ours) also at Enzos ..

Santa was here ..

My Goddaughter

A little Christmas gift giving with my darling goddaughter ...

 The 'boys' love Bridget and joined in with opening the gifts

And little Lilly :) ..

And the back of our card ..

 

Since this is Connor's last year at Ole Miss (and the fact that this was the only photo I had of the entire family), we used our pictures from The Grove.

Merry Christmas!

A child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

 

Parties!

So many parties this Christmas season .. I have had something every night for over a week straight.

Many of the parties have been girls 'only' get togethers, including a small soiree I had with some good friends.

Completely forgot to take pictures, except for a few before the girls arrived.

 

This is my book club Christmas party .. the guys were invited too and no book discussion, just partying!

Connor is home! Dinner out on Park Ave.

And, I may add .. every night has been a party for him since home.

Catching up with old friends!

Bear boy and friends.

They all came over prior to a party on our street (another family of 3 boys).

Big Murph and myself in this picture

 

Mother - Daughter Champagne Party!

My sweet friend, Sharon invites me even though I am daughter-less.

All college girls and their mothers.

So much fun and the girls are sooo sweet to me!!

 

With Leigh, having a little bubbly! ..

Really just posing for the picture ;)

 

We attended a few other parties, but I didn't take pictures, and ...

tonight we are off to another party - a pig roast!

Wrapping it up!

Long time, no posting! I have been crazy busy with Preppy Paper Design orders, as well as gift wrapping for others. I love to wrap, so this has been a pleasure! Now I need to start on my own gifts .. on the schedule for today (along with so much more to do)!!

My photos are all so terrible .. the settings were all off.

For my goddaughter ..

LuLu!

I mentioned a month or so ago about my new exercise of choice .. The Bar Method. I have been going 4-6 days a week now since the first of August and am still loving it. Along with my obsession with 'the bar' is my big obsession with Lululemon. Hands down, the best quality and most comfortable exercise wear, in my opinion. I was a former Nike lover/wearer, but have completely converted to Lulu. 

Some of my favorite pieces -

The Wunder Under Crop .. I have a few pairs of these and have even worn the plain black as leggings with boots and long sweater. 

(love the little ruffles)

 

(again, love the ruffles around the shoulders - I am wearing this right now, never mind that is is 8pm and I've been in my exercise clothes since 6:30am)

The only thing that was missing at Lululemom was the color PINK ... but much to my delight, they recently added quite a few pink pieces .. so I just had to buy myself a few Christmas presents.

I even love Lululemon's Groovy Thong ;)

'Tis the Season!

This was LAST Sunday .. and the tree is yet to be decorated. Griff was a big help .. he helped with getting the tree in and then bringing in all the many, big rubbermade boxes (while DCal 'directed'!) But .. that is just about all that has been done with our Christmas decorating. We did manage to get the outside finished (thank goodness for our yard men who do my trees every year). I am just so busy with my business and struggling to keep up. Not complaining - it's all good and I appreciate all my many wonderful customers. I have also been working for a friend of mine, who has a shop here in WP .. she is keeping my busy too! Going to try to rally and get this tree done tonight.

My little pink, Lilly tree is up in my office where I am spending most of my time lately ..

 

And, just catching up here on my blog ..

A photo (not very good - darn Nikon coolpix, I am not at all happy with) of Bear's birthday dinner at the CC .. minus the birthday boy who dashed before the picture taking. Griff was wishing he did also ;)

My goddaughter and her Advent calendar from me ..

 

The cutest reindeer topiary!

Happy Birthday DBC

Twenty-five years ago my dreams & prayers came true with the birth of DBC .. 

Happy Birthday, Bear!