Came across this lovely book of poetry and fabulous shop.
Looks like such a beautiful baby gift and keepsake.
Her other work is gorgeous as well…check it out.
Archive for June, 2009
Count Me the Stars
Party Perfect
A great idea for summer parties…love this “vintage” soda bar.
So perfect for young and old alike…
On the West Coast, you can find most of these at Bev Mo.
courtesy of party perfect
Making Memories, Summer Camping
When my husband and I met and got to know each other, long talks on the phone, trips back and forth to the Bay Area and LA and finally weekends spent exploring amazing spots in California. Drives down the Coast, hiking and biking, trips to State Parks and at last some camping. Since I grew up on the East Coast and with parents who had a clear idea of vacation ( they find someone to stay with us, and travel to Egypt, Europe, Mexico ) that did not include camping in any way, shape or form.
My husband on the other hand, is one of those people who is equally at home ( and knows what he is doing! ) at a camp ground, deep and nature and at a fabulous hotel. Yet something else I love about him…
As we spent our time planning and taking vacations with our children, camping and a love of nature is something that is important to us..The idea of sitting around the campfire, playing outside for hours, exploring a creek. To me, the perfect idea of family time. Just have some learning to do along the way! Although a trip this year is not in the cards, next summer and in all the years to follow, we will be making memories.
An article from the New York Times, and this website, ForestCamping a guide to the state parks, will be saved so that when the time comes, we have all the information we need at our fingertips.
Enjoy…can’t wait to hear your memories, new or old.
Famille Summerbelle-New Treasures
I was waiting for these little beauties from Familles Summerbelle and alas they have arrived. The Paris and London Maps are divine and would be perfect in any little girls room. With fond memories of travel to both of these places, and dreams of going their again with all of our children, I love the idea of these in our home.
Can’t wait to get mine!!
Father’s Day Wishes
Wishing you all the best on Father’s Day…and hoping your wishes come true.
Click on the beautiful note above.
Moonshot-The Journey of Apollo 11
Since we love to dive into a topic and learn as much as possible…a few book choices to add to our celebration of firsts.
The first ( no pun ! ) one up, Moonshot
about the Journey of Apollo 11 and the team involved in this great exploration.
Inspiring our children
When we first starting thinking about Peek…Aren’t You Curious so many of our conversations were centered around all of our kids and how to create a work life balance that would allow them to be at the center of our lives. As we developed the concept of the brand, it was so much more then just stylish clothes..at the core, a desire to celebrate, acknowledge and build on the dreams and hopes we have for our children. To acknowledge the challenge and the joy of being a parent, and to build a community with others where we could help support and learn from one another.
Each season, as we begin to design the new line, a series of conversations start with my husband..thinking about role models, the defining moments and people in our collective history, lessons learned by our kids at school, thought leaders that make us experience the world differently. His interests and knowledge seemed to coincide with our youngest son and his discovery of new and interesting facts about thought leaders.
So here we are, thinking about those who were brave enough to be the first in their fields..Our new messages tees for the month, timed to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11. This group pays tribute to the Men and Women before us that were courageous enough to go where no one had gone before. The First Person to Walk on the Moon, The first to invent and Fly the Airplane, The First African American to play in the Major Leagues, the First Woman to Fly across the Atlantic.
As we think of the children in our lives, our hopes for them are simple and are roles are clear.
How do we make them feel secure enough to follow their own dreams?
How do we develop self confidence so they try new things and learn from failing?
How do we help develop a love of learning and adventure?
How do we demonstrate those things ourselves?
Who are the role models in their lives?
How do we all work together, to become our best selves?
Harmonie Interieure
Middle of the night feedings are making me a little tired, and I admit, my attention span is a bit shorter! Newborns and the end of year schedule with the older kids equals less time for posting. Hopefully, though short, these wil be helpful.
Today, back to the world of decor. LOVING these decals from Harmonie Interieures and would love to use in one of our daughters rooms when we move..
so many inexpensive ways to make kids rooms fabulous and give them a creative and beautiful enviornment.
What you really need..Part 1-Gear
When we first found out that we were pregnant, I kept wondering if all of the things you hear about pregnancy and pregnant women would happen to me…In my mind, starting to formulate a ( short ) list of things I did not want to do/be. As I shared a few of these with my husband ( I can not even remember them now ) I remember him saying calmly “that’s great babe, but instead of deciding what you don’t want..how about you decide what you do..
From that moment on, sheer bliss. Lucky for us ( me ) I had a relatively easy pregnancy and for that I feel truly lucky. Aside from feeling tired at the end of the day, and yes ok, sometimes in the middle as the weeks progressed, I felt great, loved being pregnant and was felt emotionally myself. Not everyone is this fortunate.
A few months later, I started thinking about “stuff” No, not the emotional issues of becoming a parent, truly partnering with someone in one of life’s greatest journey’s, connecting more with my family, I did all of that…but truly the stuff you need ( or in this case don’t need )
As a great shopper ( though this is no longer an aspiration ) I found myself quietly assembling wish lists, thinking about the nursery, and checking out a variety of stores that catered to new parents. Once again, I recognize that this is where things could have gone terribly wrong. If not for the good grace of :
Number One-The age of the Internet wish list and favorable return policies at a few key retailers.
Number Two-My age and the Recession
Number Three-My Husband ( and father of three )
We would be surrounded right now by a bunch of crap.
The therapeutic nature of creating these lists, and not actually buying this stuff in person is quite helpful. There is the mental joy of looking, thinking and listing ( sort of like buying) stuff, without the actual acquisition.
At times, sharing with the Mr. what I thought we needed, would be met with a supportive, but experienced man who had already raised three babies. Diaper Genies that I thought were a must were deemed as difficult to change…sterilizers for bottles were nice but the same task could be completed with a pot and water..
So alas, I have learned a great deal. Once again, learning that less is more, and that in the end, there are a few things that you need and want and the rest is just not necessary. In our case since we were expecting twins, we already needed more then most.
Just yesterday, I was catching up with a friend who is in her second trimester, and yes, her morning sickness is gone and her nesting instinct has kicked in. We found ourselves talking about what was truly needed..So for her, I provide this ( hopefully helpful ) list. In future posts, will share more of what we learned and what we bought-The Stroller is pretty Fab!
For us, the filter was pretty simple. Products that helped with the emotional development or were focused on safety, ideally items that would grow with us all so we did not need multiple versions of an item/category, great design and well priced.
Day one…lets talk about Gear:
Gear
1.Stroller. This to me is one of the key purchases. We did a ton of research, with my husband sharing the thoughtful, development learnings ( front facing vs. rear facing ) and my weighing in on style and function.
We opted for a pretty amazing stroller that uses basinetts ( or carry cots ) in the first 6-8 months, can accomodate car seats and adjusts to a traditional stroller later on. Truly this thing should work until a stoller is no longer needed.
The Easy Walker Duo is Fantastic
2.Car Seats. This was another item that we did a lot of research on, mostly looking into which car seat would adapt to the stoller, accomodate babies that were smaller, and got great safety reviews. We opted for an infant version, that came with a handle so we could easily carry the girls. The other option we considered would have accomodated the twins from birth up to 60 lbs, but it could not go into the stroller, and had no handle…For trips to the Doctor, ease in and out of the car, I would highly recomend the one we go.
The Maxi Cosi is great.
3.Carriers. Since we live in California and the idea of taking walks and hikes with the kids is something I think about…Wanted a carrier that was safe, comfy and that my husband and I would both be comfortable carrying. This one is made from Bamboo, and has great back suport..
The Lascal M1 carrier-though not well known, got great reviews and is both stylish and sturdy. I can’t wait to use it..
4.Diaper Bag. So I went back and forth on this a few times. Part of me thought we could simply convert a fabulous bag I had. Then, the voice of reason kicked in and reminded me that it would be easier to know where the bottles, keys, wipes etc were at all times. So we have two systems…one which is with the stroller-we have two beautiful blankets from dwell studio ( think haute look sample sale..more on that another day ) and two “cosmetic” bags from dwell studio that hold diapers, wipes, purell etc.
The Diaper Bag that I love is from Petit Planet..not easy to find but worth tracking down.
Tomorrow..The Nursery/Baby’s Living Area.
Photo from Martha Stewart Living
Pink Chicken opens in Amaganset
Our dear friend Stacey, who launched her amazing line Pink Chicken a few years ago just opened a fabulous store in Amaganset for the Summer. In a few short years she has quite a following and her line is sold at some great stores ( including ours ! )
Featured on the pages of Cookie,Allure, Parents and People Magazine her sensibility is casual and chic. With a nod to a bohemian lifestyle and an element of vintage charm it is perfect for summer days at the beach or park.
She and her husband have spent the last few summer weekends in Amaganset. This year, her dream was to spend the whole summer at the beach with her husband and girls. Now, she can do it! Working at the store during the day and handling all of the design and production from there she also gets to meet her Pink Chicken fans first hand.
If you are out at the beach, check it out. Stacey is fabulous, her line divine and she has collected some other treasures that you will adore. We wish her every success..