It's the most wonderful time of the summer! Well, it's not actually summer yet, but it sure feels like it here in Virginia!

1. Any big plans for the summer?

Not so far, and I'm glad! We're planning on playing tourist on our own town (the DC area) and using Andrew's vacation days to take a bunch of day trips to the local attractions - the zoo, the museums, hiking, blueberry/peach/apple picking, etc. I'm really looking forward to a relaxed summer!

Throwback to 1-year-old John Paul picking peaches!

2. What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?

Oh, I've got a couple of doozies... 

First, I was pretty sure that praying was the same thing as wishing. So I would take my Delia*s catalog and circle everything I liked, and the proper colors and sizes. Then I would pray that God would give me all the clothes I wanted, in the right colors and sizes. For some reason it never worked...

Second, remember the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta? Well, our air conditioning broke that summer so we kids all slept in the basement because it was a lot cooler there. Except instead of sleeping, we stayed up late watching the Olympics since the TV was down there (our parents MUST have known and just turned a blind eye because it was summer and who cares?). 

Anyway, do you remember the VERY tense Women's Gymnastics Finals? And the whole Kerri Strugg thing? Well, I was pretty sure that I could communicate telepathically with all the US gymnasts. Because I would tell them things like, "Come on, Dominique! You can stick this landing!!!" and then SHE WOULD!

So basically, I was convinced that I won the gold medal for the US by using telepathy.

Yup.

I'm pretty sure this is me in 1996... And no, I wasn't going for telepathy there, I thought it was supposed to be the silly picture so I made a face.

I thought most pictures were supposed to be the silly picture...

3. What is your favorite amusement park ride? (can be a specific one at a specific park or just a type of ride)

Do the misters count? The ones in the middle of the walkways that just get you nice and cool? I'm not a big rides fan... Too old, and everything makes me sick! Mostly I just like eating the amusement park food.

4. What's on your summer reading list?

Well, I'm reading Flannery O'Connor with the Stella Maris Book Club. And by reading I mean listening to the library recording, which is cheating but there's no way I'd get through it otherwise. I'm also listening to The Penderwicks with the kids, and reading The Moffat Museum with them (I do NOT like the new illustrations, fyi. How horrible!). I think we might read The Tale of Despereaux next? We need some fantasy! Other than that, no plans, but I know I *should* read a lot!

5. Have you ever fallen asleep in public?

I'm pretty sure I fell asleep in an airport in high school, on the way back from our choir trip to Florida. Either that or I thought it would be funny to pretend to fall asleep... But I think I pretended to fall asleep and then really DID fall asleep. We were waiting a LONG time for our bags...

Throwback to me in high school! Or you could look at the awkward pictures here

6. What is your favorite smell?

Right now? Honeysuckle. It varies by season though - in the fall I'm going to love the smell of apple cider, and in the winter it's going to be our Christmas candles that smell like incense.

And here's what we wore to Mass today:

Well, some of us anyway... Personal highlight? When John Paul fell prostrate on the floor in front of a woman with a cane after Communion, and I had to try to drag him down the aisle to get out of the way.

Thankfully Father has a sense of humor and told John Paul he assumed he was in a state of spiritual rapture.

On the plus side, he didn't throw a screaming fit when I told him he wouldn't be getting a treat after Mass!

Go check out more answers at Catholic All Year! And check out more Sunday outfits at Fine Linen & Purple!

P.S. Next Sunday is Father's Day! If you're looking for gift ideas, I've got some good ones here.

Stitch Fix #2 - June 2015 {7QT}

This post contains affiliate links

--1--

I'll say this right now: 

Getting a Stitch Fix box is like Christmas.

I got my fix on Wednesday and was pretty excited to try things out during nap time! The black skirt was perfect to fill in a gap in my wardrobe, the blue skirt is adorable with the crochet detail, and I was reserving judgment on the others.

--2--

This Loveappella Elise Crochet Detailed Swing Skirt (S, $58) was SO cute, but in order to wear it at my natural waist, it was just too short for me.

And pulling it down lower (elastic waist, yay!) didn't help - just made an awkward muffin top!

Verdict: No.

--3--

This Mavi Rue Denim Dress (S, $54) was tempting - I would have styled it with a belt and it's a really versatile piece, but I already have a denim shirt dress. This dress is also Mavi and looks exactly the same, but is $98 on Amazon, which I thought was interesting. Looks like Stitch Fix cuts you a deal sometimes!

Verdict: No.

--4--

The Skies are Blue Barnet Button Down Top (S, $44) was... Odd.

Good, in theory. But just looked bad bad bad on me.

Verdict: No.

--5--

In the picture above and in this picture, I'm wearing the Pixley Blakely Cargo Skirt (S, $68). I was excited about this because it looked like a really convenient basic skirt, but the waist was small enough that I had to wear it at my natural waist and then it was too short. I considered exchanging it for a larger size, but for $68 it was an insubstantial enough fabric that I didn't think it was worth it.

Verdict: No.

--6--

My absolute favorite item in the fix was the Pixley Digby Embroidered Halter Top (S, $58). The drape was perfect and while I don't normally go for a boho look, I really liked the embroidery. But... 

Hand wash only. (Okay yes I know, you all wash it on delicate and it's fine. But that's STILL a lot of work for me for something so much more expensive than anything I ever buy!)

And the neckline was such that even wearing a racerback bra didn't guarantee my straps wouldn't show. 

The clincher here for me was when Abbey reminded me that Peter would suck on the tassels and then they'd leave drool marks all over my shirt...

Verdict: No.

So I sadly sent this one back also, and went hunting online for a suitable replacement and found some good ones:

I'm leaning towards the top left - never thought I'd like this sort of top because I'm so NOT boho, but it's perfect for summer!

--7--

So maybe Stitch Fix isn't for me? I left very detailed notes (well, as detailed as possible - they cut you off after a certain number of characters) about why things didn't work, and I emailed their customer service about the whole hand wash issue - I know a lot of moms who've had the same issue, way too many "hand wash only" or "dry clean only" items in their fixes and ain't nobody got time for that!

I'm going to try it one more time (because I have a little bit of credit from a really nice person who clicked through my referral link, thank you!!!) and see if we can make it work. I want to - I think it's a really fun way to get exposed to trends that I wouldn't otherwise have tried.

Want to try your own fix? I'd love it if you click through my referral link! I get a little credit towards getting another fix to blog about :)

Linking up with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum, right at midnight because THIS BABY WILL NOT GO TO SLEEP!!!

Father's Day Gift Ideas {Five Favorites}

Father's Day is in a week and a half! What are YOU getting your guy this year?

1. Rustic Bottle Opener with cap catcher - perfect for mounting right near his favorite spot to pop open a cold one!

2. Dadasaurus-Babysaurus Shirts - comes in different colors and sizes, too!

3. Father-Son Nerd Shirts - because seriously. Amazing (sizes baby through big kids!)

4. St. Joseph Icon - because who would be a better role model?

5. Reef Bottle Opener Sandal - there's a bottle opener on the bottom. Always be prepared.

So what did I *actually* get Andrew? Well, I'll tell you right now because he already knows... This book just came in the mail and I'm planning on letting him pick out some cocktails for us to make together soon!

Linking up with the lovely Jenna for Five Favorites.

My Spring & Summer Style Essentials {WIWS}

I've been promising a spring & summer style post for a while - here's some of what I've been wearing a lot lately:

1. Maxi skirts and denim jackets

I've blogged about this maxi skirt before (currently 30% off!) - it's one of the most versatile pieces in my closet! I've had it for 2 years and it fit all through my pregnancy (even though it's not maternity) and is a great post partum piece as well. I can't even emphasize how worth the price it is! 

I think a denim jacket is a must-have as well - it might be too warm for one where you are right now, but it'll serve you well in the fall. The one I'm wearing isn't available anymore, but this one is similar and also 30% off.

2. T-shirts and breathable skirts

This outfit isn't my favorite actually, but it's so comfortable... The shirt is from a couple of years ago, and isn't really the fit I'd prefer anymore, plus the neck is getting stretched out from constant grabbing... Might be time to turn it into a skirt for the girls! I ordered a few of these t-shirts from J.Crew Factory and am hopeful that they'll serve me well - their fabrics really do last forever, so I've got high hopes.

I looooove this shirt - one of my favorite spring finds from ThredUP (which has REALLY been improving lately - I might actually like it better than Twice now...) and have been pairing it with a lot of different bottoms.

This dress is a super-fun find, and only $15 right now! Nursing-friendly (it doesn't look it, but the top is really stretchy), and perfect paired with a t-shirt for layering or a denim jacket), but on the short side - I'm 5'2" and it hits me at the knee, so order in tall if you're not a shortie like me!

This skirt is a really nice summer maxi - slits up the sides and linen so it breathes well, but it doesn't get super-wrinkly in the dryer so you don't really need to iron it! 

Cecilia tells me it looks like one of our towels. She's right. But I still like it!

And here's how I blurrily styled it for Mass yesterday with this shirt (I won't go into how Mass went, because it was probably the worst behavior we've ever dealt with... My mom was visiting and we decided to take both twins and that was a BIG MISTAKE. I just kept reminding myself that Mass is Mass is Mass, and we're all getting graces just from being there, regardless of how much time we spend in the narthex.).

I'm waiting for my next Stitch Fix and am hoping for a couple sleeveless tops to round out my summer wardrobe, and I might try sewing another skirt or two, also - Molly's inspiring me with her adorable creations!

What are you wearing this summer? Linking up with Fine Linen & Purple for What I Wore Sunday! 

Some links are affiliate - thanks for clicking through to browse & make your purchases and support this blog!

What It's Like Having Toddler Twins: 7QT

"I always wanted twins!"

"It must be so FUN to have twins!"

Yes.

It's fun.

It is, it really is. So I just smile and nod.

It's fun, but would you also like to know what it's *really* like?

--1--

Let's say I take a few minutes to try to eat my breakfast in peace, or get dressed without the twins in the room with me pointing out Mom's wrinkly tummy, or make snack for the kids without somebody reaching up for the knife I'm using to cut cheese into cubes (because I've found cubes are more likely to be eaten than slices right now, but that will change tomorrow)...

This is what happens. A brand new roll of toilet paper in the sink, completely sodden, while they shriek gleefully, "ONCE UPON A TIME DERE WAS A TOILET PAPER!!!" all the while cramming wet toilet paper into their mouths and gagging on it.

--2--

They carry their blankets and pillows all around the house making "beds" and "nests" and pretending to nap or have sleepover parties. But come naptime? NOOOOOOOO!!!

They jump in their cribs (in SEPARATE ROOMS because they couldn't nap together anymore), they scream various prayers to each other through closed doors, they take their noise machines, unplug them, and throw them on the floor.

All that playtime devoted to naps, and they refuse to practice what they preach during *actual* naptime.

--3--

In the event that you ever have twins, or think you might some day have twins, I suggest throwing away every writing implement in the house NOW. Or install a shelf suspended from the ceiling that can only be reached by VERY tall people, and put all the pens, pencils, crayons, markers, and sharpies up there. Because you know what will happen otherwise:

"I was dwawin' a stwaight yine!"

Clearly.

I'm STILL finding new places where Mary Claire explored with the Sharpie.

They told me they were painting their nails.

And yes, it's still all over her legs and toes.

Cecilia drew this, and I can't help but agree with the sentiment. Yes.

--4--

Somebody is probably laughing. Or is that crying? Or is it both? Probably both.

Sometimes you're just GWUMPY!

However, they're probably arguing about which twins is grumpy. And crying about it. While they're arguing, they'll also argue about which one of them is a kid and which is a toddler. And who's big and who's little. And whose birthday it REALLY is (spoiler alert: you're twins. You don't get your own birthday.).

--5--

Somebody is probably wearing dress-up clothes. In fact, everybody usually is:

And with all the outfit changes, later on somebody else will probably only be wearing underwear. Hopefully there's at least underwear involved.

--6--

There are peaceful moments sometimes though, I promise!

Like when they ACTUALLY whisper the entire time at the library!

Or when they really sweetly read to each other in the bed they shouldn't be in.

Or try to help each other get their big sister's shoes on when they inevitably fall off.

--7--

Yup, it's insane. And fun, and sweet, and frustrating. Want to come babysit?

Linking up with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum for 7 Quick Takes - Happy Friday, and I hope your week was better than mine!