Procrastination Proclamation: A Treatise on Not Hopping to It

Dress: Macy's; Blouse: SHEIN

Bunny: Marshalls

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Boscov's

Top: Nine West, Kohl's; Skirt: ELLE, Kohl's

Bunnies: Peeps, Kohl's

Bag: Current Mood, Dolls Kill

Barrettes: SHEIN

Wreath, eggs: Michaels

Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

It's finally here: my Peter Cottontail-come-lately Easter content.  So what if Easter is less than a day away?  There's still plenty of time to get crackin'.  But Tote Trove Lady, you may say, if you're trying to sell a product or be an influencer, then you should really post holiday stuff weeks or even months in advance.  Wait, what's that?  You're (mostly) not trying to become an entrepreneur or social media star?  You can't even influence your baby to stop licking lamps or grabbing your throat?  You just do this to distract yourself from the horrible things going on in the world not to mention inside your own head?  Then, by all means, take as much time as you need.  Heck, take a page out of Blink-182's book and have Halloween on Christmas.  That might be kind of cute, jack-o'-lanterns in Santa hats.

So, Easter.  Despite it being my favorite holiday, I find myself, as I so often do, one egg short of an omelet.  Because it's work, baby, work, baby, work, baby, work right up until the pastel parade.  But fatigue be darned, I love that parade and won't let myself miss it.  So I'm ignoring my grease-grimed stovetop and cobweb-choked stairs and breaking out the bunnies.  This year, I was careful to place them far from the floor, well out of Char Bar's reach.  Because she's suddenly a little crawling machine, and no crumb or knickknack is safe.

Speaking of Charlotte, I found her the sweetest Easter dress.  And myself a pretty sweet skirt.  But more on that post-holiday.

For now I need to sign some cards and bag some gifts.

Because those cobwebs aren't going to weave themselves.   

Style One (Baby) Step at a Time: He Lets Me Pose by the Stairs, an Exercise That Shows He Cares

Skirt: Indigo Rein, Macy's; Sandals: So, Kohl's

Bag: Amazon; Bracelet: Betsey Johnson

Top: INC, Macy's

Bag: So, Kohl's; Scrunchie: Wild Fable, Target

Sandals: INC, Macy's

Dress: Monteau, Marshalls

Skirt: So, Kohl's

All jewelry: Simply Vera, Kohl's

Top: Violet & Claire, Marshalls

Sandals: Chinese Laundry, JCPenney; Bag: Delia's

Dress: Modcloth; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon

Long necklace: Kohl's; Short necklace: Macy's; Bracelets: Target

When searching for a tune with a symbolic stairstep tie-in, I should've maybe gone with one that at least has stairs or steps in the title, such as "Stairway to Heaven" or even New Kids On the Block's "Step by Step."  But that wouldn't have been as fun -- or as accurate -- as Blink-182's "All the Small Things":

"She left me roses by the stairs/Surprises let me know she cares."  

Yes, the husband leaves me roses by the stairs.  If leaving roses by the stairs means taking the odd fit pic of me upon request, always in front of the staircase so as not to abandon our child while I vogue in front of a tree.  So when I dress for a now-rare-leaving-the-house event, I make it count and ask the husband to document it.  And although this may seem like an, ahem, "small thing," it isn't.  Because even when consumed by parenthood, it's important to honor the people we've always been.  

Which is my way of saying that roses are nice, but when it comes to romance, it's poses over posies. 😏📸🌹

Summertime Blues if You so Choose; Otherwise, Onward to Autumn

Dress: So, Kohl's; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Modcloth; Shoes: Jessica Simpson, DSW

Strawberry Cherry Necklace

Top, skirt, bag, shoes: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Berry Blossom Necklace

Dress: ELLE, Kohl's; Bag: Simply Vera, Kohl's: Shoes: Katy Perry Collections, Nordstrom Rack

Bright Howlite Necklace

Usually, Labor Day bums me out.  It means the end of summer and sunshine and custard stands, and who wants that in her life?  So I'd hang on as long as I could, refusing to wear fall clothes or put up fall decorations, using the defense that it was still in the eighties.

Until now.

I don't know if it's because I did so much this summer -- I even went to the beach! -- but I'm okay with it being over.  I want to take the time to enjoy fall instead of scrambling to jump on the bandwagon right before Halloween.  So I'm going to collect spooky décor (just today I bought a Poe print) and mix black and gold in with my warm-weather wardrobe.  I think it'll be a whole new fun thing to look forward to.  And anyway, if what I saw today is any indication, then fall has already arrived:

So yes, folks, it's happened.  I've fallen for fall.

In the eternally wise words of Blink-182, I guess this is growing up.        

Not Quite Through With Red, White, and Blue

Bag: Amerileather, Zulily; Shoes: Katy Perry Collection

Top: Simply Vera, Kohl's

Deep Blue Twee Necklace

Bad: INC, Macy's; Shoes: Katy Perry Collection

Flag Swag Necklace

Nine West, Kohl's

Top: XOXO, Macy's; Bag: Royal Monk, Modcloth

American Anchor Necklace

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target

Some stores already have their fall stuff out.  And to that I say boo hiss!  Because here at The Tote Trove, we post Fourth of July flare a week after the Fourth.  Some may call it procrastination . . . but I call it reliving the moment (and also, yes, procrastination).  So it's with pride that I display these baskets of hot-off-the-grill red, white, and blue baubles:

Baskets: Michaels

I just love these baskets, which I found at Michaels for half off just before, not Fourth of July, but Memorial Day.  (See?  My procrastination knows no bounds.)  

Who knows.  Come December, I may channel Blink-182 and have Halloween on Christmas, festooning my tree with ghosts instead of gumballs.

Well, ghosts with gumball eyes.  Because it's not Christmas -- or, for that matter, Halloween -- without an unhealthy dose of high fructose corn syrup.

Old School Rules: Blink if You're Color Blind

There are two '90s bands that make no ophthalmology apology: Third Eye Blind and Blink-182.  Blink had the punk and the grit; Blind had the pop and the wit.  Is that an oversimplification for the sake of a rhyme?  Totes.  But simpler times are the name of the game.  And like these eyes, I make no apologies.

Although Blink-182's new album "Nine" is nowhere near as good as "Enema of the State,"I liked listening to it.  And not just because I was hypnotized by its rainbow case cover.  But because it brought me back to a simpler time.  Kind of like how looking at these outfits brings me back to the simpler time that was September.  (I've seen you on my lawn, Mr. Frost, and you are not welcome.)  Then again, the first single from "Nine," "Blame it on My Youth," describes harder times and a past that's about as romanticized as store brand mac n' cheese.

I guess some simpler times aren't so simple.  Which is why it's best to move on and get to the good stuff.

And in this case, the good stuff is Gouda. 

Drumroll/Jellyroll Please . . .

 Fruit Fete Necklace

 Great Scottie Dog Necklace

Top: Bongo, Sears

Skirt (a dress!): JCPenney

Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Bag: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Jacket: BCBG, Macy's

Sunglasses: JCPenney

Red Bow Rainbow Barrettes

Top: Bongo, Sears

Skirt: Modcloth

Shoes: Betseyville, Macy's

Bag: Xhilaration, Target

Jacket: Candie's, Kohl's

Sunglasses: JCPenney

 Sally Starfish Bow Barrettes

Top: Bongo, Sears

Skirt: Material Girl, Macy's

Shoes: Penny Loves Kenny, DSW

Bag: Nine West, Marshalls

Jacket: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Sunglasses: Target

 Abbie Apple Bow Barrettes

Top: Lily White, Alloy

Jeans: Bongo, Sears

Shoes: Payless

Bag: Marshalls

Jacket: Hot Kiss, Marshalls

Sunglasses: Rampage, Boscov's

 Haute Tropics Gumball Necklace

 Polly Pink Hearts Necklace

Top: Bongo, Sears

Skirt (a dress!): Kohl's

Shoes: City Streets, JCPenney

Bag: Apt. 9, Kohl's

Jacket: Abbey Dawn, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Candie's, Kohl's

 Too Hot Teapot Necklace

Top: Bongo, Sears

Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Chinese Laundry, DSW

Bag: Candie's, Kohl's

Jacket: Decree, JCPenney

Belt: Wet Seal

Sunglasses: Candie's, Kohl's

Because on New Year's Eve we're still in pa-rum-pum-pum-pum territory, which means a bounty of drumsticks -- chicken, ice cream, and anything else hanging by the buffet.  (Also, candy, as represented by the above bargain basement tree garland.)  On the subject of drums, every outfit in this week's post includes a Bongo item from Sears.  Because I've had the pleasure of rediscovering Bongo lately.  If you were a child of the 1990s, then you may have picked out a pair of Bongo jeans for the first day of school.  Back then you could find them at JCPenney, sometimes in a funky pattern befitting their namesake, that most exotic of the percussion instruments.  Then it all disappeared for awhile, only to reemerge as a fashion phoenix at the retailer best known for wrenches.  New and improved, the brand has moved beyond denim to infiltrate every nook and cranny of the wardrobe spectrum.  It's good stuff, fun and affordable with just a hint of rockabilly retro, and I'm so excited about it that I think that "The Walker" by Fitz and the Tantrums  ("I walk to the sound of my own drum . . .") should be its theme song, a comeback anthem that boldly proclaims so what if it's cousins with Kmart?  Which is fitting, what with drummers being known for their off-beat behavior.  You know.  Animal from the Muppets, Travis Barker from Blink-182, Ringo Starr from the Beatles --  also, that other, lesser-known Ringo from Los Lonely Boys.

So let's have a listen, shall we?  I'll provide the lyrics if you hum along in your head, or, if your head isn't earworm friendly, then if you zip on over to iTunes.  Fitz and the Tantrums' drummer, by the way, is John Wicks.  Not to be confused with the title character in that Keanu Reeves movie.  Which, now that I think of it, was John Wick.  Still close enough for the poor guy to get some weird fan mail, though, don't you think?

"Ooh, crazy's what they think about me
Ain't gonna stop cause they tell me so
Cause 99 miles per hour baby,
Is how fast that I like to go.

Can't keep up with my rhythm
Though they keep trying.
Too quick for the lines they throw.
I walk to the sound of my own drum,
It goes, they go, we go, hey yeah yeah yeah"

Prose like that deserves some pastry (figuratively speaking, of course, as I'm certainly not going to box up a pie for Mr. Wicks after that bit about fan mail).  Indeed, dessert and drums: no sweeter way to roll.