Red, White, and New: The Mother of Memorial Days

Ahoy!

Skirt: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

This is not my beautiful house . . . but this is my (mostly) beautiful life.

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Marshalls

Top and skirt: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Bag: Kate Spade NY for Target

Headband: Michaels

Shoes: Ami Clubwear

Coeur Quartet Necklace 

Top: Madden Girl, Macy's

Red Robin recon. 

Shoes: Mix No. 6, DSW; Socks: Amazon

Eclectic Ella Necklace

Baby's first burger.  Not really -- more like baby's umpteenth bowl of mashed produce medley.

Bag: Circus by Sam Edelman, Kohl's

Suburban skyline.

Scarf: Marshalls

A balloon bouquet to brighten your day.

This Memorial Day weekend, I was excited to celebrate with Charlotte (and, yes, parade some patriotic fits).  I took her on our first solo shopping trip, which was, of course, to Kohl's, and then the husband and I took her on her inaugural trip to Red Robin.  We wrapped it all up with a BBQ at my parents', and a good -- albeit exhausting -- time was had by all, especially Charlotte.  Next up: Char Bar's first birthday party.

Which will be a whole new level of exciting -- and exhausting.  But mostly exciting. 😁

Pattern Play for Memorial Day: The Past and Present in Pictures

Dress: Sonoma, Kohl's; Top: Simply Vera, Kohl's

The old but still awesome (to me, anyway) Happy B-Day USA Barrette Brooch.  Because July is just a gelati away. 😏

Cherry barrettes: SHEIN; Bow: Carole, JCPenney

Bow bangle: Holiday Lane, Macy's; Red bracelet: Guess, Macy's; Ring: Simply Vera, Kohl's

Flag necklace: Michaels

Bag: Betsey Johnson

Sandals: Katy Perry Collection, Zulily

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Michaels

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target

Cherries from another time on one of the husband's timeless cutting boards.

Dress: So, Kohl's; Bag: Simply Vera, Kohl's

More Michaels.

Anchor necklace: Charming Charlie

BAND-AIDS and case: Target

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Modcloth

Sneakers: So, Kohl's

Top: Amazon

When I got pregnant, I said that I would never wear a body-con, i.e. tight, maternity dress that ostentatiously showcased my bump.  For me, it would be tasteful A-lines all the way.  And for the first eight months, it was.  But then I saw a form-fitting, blue-and-white-striped maternity T-shirt dress in (where else?) Kohl's, and all my carefully constructed resolve went out the window.  What can I say?  My wardrobe options were dwindling, and it would be nice to have something new to wear for Memorial Day.  So I got it.  I topped it with a red floral blouse I already had (also from Kohl's) and wore it to yesterday's family BBQ.  And everyone was like, oh, you look pregnant now!  In a nice way.  Because I do.  No shame in this bump game.

Then today it was off to Michaels to buy a photo album for the hundred plus prints I ordered from Shutterfly.  During one of my baby prep classes, the instructor told us how one woman brought horse posters and horse-shaped string lights to the delivery room because she and her husband ran a ranch, and horses were it for them.  (She also told us to buy a birthing ball from Dick's because Dick's has the best balls; I'm still proud of myself for not laughing.)  Naturally, I thought about what might be comforting for me to see when my time comes, and the answer was obvious: color.  Lots and lots of color, as captured in the pics I took for this blog.  So last Sunday, I went back through the years, picked the best ones, and made my order.  They arrived Saturday, and I love them. 

Lastly, I guess I should mention the BAND-AIDS.  As in, what's a pic of them doing here?  I got the case for free at Target a couple of months ago while stocking up on bandages for my glucose monitoring.  The design had such a groovy, '70s lifeguard vibe that I took a pic to post for the unofficial first day of summer.

So that's Memorial Day -- the maternity way -- in a nutshell.  

Specifically an almond shell, as almonds now make up most of my diet.  

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.

Memorial Day: Memory Lane and a Mushroom

Bag: Amazon

Top: Wild Fable, Target; Dress: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target; Ribbons: Michaels

Shoes: Jessica Simpson Collection DSW

Bouquet: Michaels

I can't believe it's already Memorial Day!  I couldn't think of a better way to kick off this unofficial first weekend of summer than by reading beach book queen Elin Hilderbrand.  Endless Summer is a collection of short stories, extra chapters, and alternate endings to some of Hilderbrand's most beloved novels.  I very much enjoyed this, in Hilderbrand's own words, Choose Your Own Adventure approach to fiction.  I especially liked the extra chapter for Golden Girl, which reveals heroine Vivian Howe's ups and downs at the famed Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.  Her struggles undoubtedly mirror Hilderbrand's own at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and I loved seeing this glimpse of what it must've been like for one of my favorite authors to become the consummate storyteller we know today.    

Of course, it wouldn't be a holiday without festive fashion too!  For yesterday's family BBQ, I donned last year's never-before-worn, fruit-print LC Lauren Conard dress and my brand-new Jessica Simpson wedges.  The wedges' height was just what I needed to lift the (on me) floor-dusting dress from the ground.  The mushroom bag is an oldie but goody -- although a poppy would've been more appropriate.  Maybe I can find one before next Memorial Day and reenact my holiday hitchhiker pose.

I hope your weekend was filled with things that you love, setting the tone for a sensational summer! 🌞🌈