Happy Halloween

The BeeBs hasn't watched much television and he can barely sit through 20 minutes of a movie but he does love Toy Story! It's our go-to movie on roadtrips. So, when Rachel was selling Charlie's old Buzz Lightyear costume I grabbed it! He was so stoked to wear it last weekend at a friend's Halloween party with all his friends. I called him Buzz all evening and he loved it.

Wishing you a safe and fun-filled Halloween! XOXO, Buzz

"You're Not Doing That Right"

Sweepin'

Recyclin'

I've mentioned that BB is in therapy for some developmental delays. Yesterday he had a review and there were some things that he's not doing that he "should" be doing. For instance, his therapist asked if he's putting on - or at least trying to put on - his own shoes. He's not. It's not his fault, though. Confession: I haven't let him even try to put his own shoes on because I like to take care of him. A few days ago he was trying to get something out of the dishwasher and I actually said "You're not doing that right," and I wanted to kick myself in the face. Truth be told, I like teaching him things but I think I'm a little scared for him to grow up. He's still a baby in so many ways. Also, I'm a perfectionist so when the color rice spills I clean it up. I think I got too focused on teaching him numbers and colors and forgot to teach BB to just be a human. 

Consider this a public declaration to teach my kid practical things and to let him make mistakes. That's what growing up is all about, right?

Do you let your toddler help with chores? Is it hard letting them grow up?

Helping unload the dishwasher

The T-Shirt Dress : 2 Ways

I've had this striped T-shirt dress since we lived in France in 2007. I have styled it and worn it many ways -but always with pants. In fact, it's a little strange even calling it a dress. I decided that I'd try it with some thick fall tights and play around with a few different layers. I don't work in an office (I work from home) but if I did, I thought it would be nice to have a transitional outfit from office wear to casual wear. The casual look is very casual and would be suited best for a concert or, I dont know, construction. But, it's fun and it's paying homage to the 90s grunge era so I like that!

Shirt Dress: H&M, Tights: Target, Blazer: thrifted, Shoes: Steve Madden.

For the office wear I chose some comfy wedges and a blazer. After trying on a few jackets with this fitted dress, I learned a few things. For a short jacket, choose a frock that emphasizes your waist like this tailored blazer. A longer jacket or sweater can be looser, as long as it is covers your bum. You could also pull off a cropped jacket or vest if you dont mind showing off your curves. What you want to avoid is a boxy top that hits you mid-bum. This will make you look bigger and wider than you are. So, two rules on jackets: show off the waist or cover the bum.

For the casual look, I went with my new combat boots and a men's shirt with some studded bangles. Hair: messy, as usual. I rarely mix prints so this was a stretch for me but I think that it coordinates beautifully - without trying too hard or being too match-matchy. 

Office lady goes 90s grunge. Just have fun with it! If you're comfortable with your curves you'll be so comfortable in a stretchy T-shirt dress. 

Shirt Dress: H&M, Tights: Target, Shirt: Forever 21 Men (borrowed from Dan), Combat boots: TJ Maxx, Bangles: TJ Maxx.

Photos by Sarah Kyle.

What I Wore on our Mediterranean Cruise

Here is a little Excursion Wear 101 for you. We went to 7 cities and did a lot of walking in all kinds of weather. I certainly wish someone had notified me of how much I'd be walking on this trip (ahem, Dan). Dan keeps a pedometer so he kept track of how much we walked and I am so glad I brought comfortable shoes! I've documented the locations, mileage, and weather conditions of each city we went to... (except for the days we were in Barcelona and Amsterdam because I looked like a hobo but, for the record, we walked 15 miles...oy vey!) and also what I wore and where it's from.

You'll notice the outfits sort-of coordinate. I tend to do that on trips. I decide on brown or black and what my accent colors will be. This eliminates the need to bring your entire wardrobe. As long as nothing gets dirty you can mix and match during your whole trip! I didn't realize I owned so much pink/coral but I guess I do. The shoes are flats (duh) and occasionally I wore layers in case the weather changed on me (which it often does in October in the Mediterranean). These are my excursion outfits. For dinner, on a cruise, you must dress up. I dont have photos of those outfits because we were too busy stuffing our faces to take any photos. Seriously, somuchfoods!!!

CITY: Rome
DATE: Oct 4, 2013
WEARING: Dress: H&M, Shirt-dress: American Apparel, Belt: Target, Sandals: Target, Aviators: Nordstrom.
MILES WALKED: 8.2
TEMP: 77° F, cloudy, humid
REMARKS: When it's humid, just wear whatever makes you the most comfortable. A cotton, belted dress with sandals does the trick for me!

CITY: The Vatican
DATE: Oct 5, 2013
WEARING: Sweater and Jeggings: H&M, Sandals: Target, Scarf: street vendor in Rome.
MILES WALKED: 9.2
TEMP: 70° F, cloudy and raining
REMARKS: Adding a colorful scarf is a great way to accessorize a black and white or monochromatic outfit.

CITY: Palermo, Sicily
DATE: Oct 6, 2013
WEARING: Shorts: Gap, T-shirt: Taget, Shoes: Converse, Sunglasses: Forever21, Bangles: TJ Maxx.
MILES WALKED: 11.4
TEMP: 70° F, sunny then party cloudy then pouring then sunny again
REMARKS: I hated this outfit. Women dont wear shorts like this in Italy. I felt like a man. Truth be told, I changed into a sundress after lunch but I dont have any photos of that.

CITY: Valletta & Mdina, Malta
DATE: Oct 7, 2013
WEARING: Shorts, Top and Sandals: Target, Aviators: Nordstrom.
MILES WALKED: 15
TEMP: 74° F, sunny skies
REMARKS:  I love a high-low top with a fitted short-short! This is my favorite look of the week.

CITY: Day at Sea!
DATE: Oct 8, 2013
WEARING: (Bikini - not shown), White shirt dress: American Apparel, Beach Cover-up: H&M, Sandals: Cathy Jean, Aviators: Nordstrom, Earrings: Gap.
MILES WALKED: 6.7 -- AT SEA!
TEMP: 68° F, sunny skies
REMARKS: Yes, the water really is that blue!

CITY: Florence (Livorno), Italy
DATE: Oct 9, 2013
WEARING: Shirt and Jeggings: H&M, Shoes: Converse, Belt and Necklace: Forever 21, Felt hat: street vendor in Florence.
MILES WALKED: 8.9
TEMP: 70° F, mostly sunny
REMARKS: Maybe wear something a little looser. A tight shirt and skinny jeans is a bad combo when you're trying to walk and eat all day long. #bloated

CITY: Genoa, Italy
DATE: Oct 10, 2013
WEARING: Jeggings: H&M, T-shirt and Cardigan: Target, Shoes: Converse, Headwrap: Modcloth, Aviators: Nordstrom.
MILES WALKED: 11.6
TEMP: 62° F, party cloudy
REMARKS: The head scarf takes this humdrum outfit and adds a little flare. I'm all about a little flare these days.

CITY: Monte Carlo
DATE: Oct 11, 2013
WEARING: Romper: H&M, Skirt: Target, Shoes: H&M, Aviators: Nordstrom, Bangles: TJ Maxx, Earrings: thrifted, Watch: Marc Jacobs.
MILES WALKED: 11.8
TEMP: 68° F, sunny skies
REMARKS: A skirt over a romper just makes sense... especially on a windy day!

Monte Carlo

It's no surprise that Monte Carlo was picturesque and pristine. In Monte Carlo resides the most millionaires and billionaires per capita in the world! Everything in Monaco is beautiful, and expensive. We paid 20 euros for coffee and crepes. The sunshine and the feeling of not-getting-robbed was worth it. 

A view of our cruise ship and the port of Monaco

The grounds of the royal palace

The famous Casino Monte Carlo

We found a public beach and the famous Casino. This was our favorite day of the whole trip. We'll probably never vacation in Monaco - unless anyone wants to take us there on their yacht - but we are so glad we got to experience it!

One of the only photos of the two of us together from the whole trip

Florence and Genoa, Italy

FLORENCE

I know what you're thinking. Florence isn't a coastal town. No, it's not. Our ship stopped in Livorno and most of the other cruisers went on excursions through our cruise line. But, Dan and I took a shuttle, a city bus and a train to Florence. It took almost 2 hours each way. We have been to Florence before, in 2007, and we had eaten the best meal of our lives there. It was a gnocchi dish with truffle sauce and we were determined to find it again. Unfortunately, we did not find THE restaurant but we found a great substitute that had a similar dish. We did some shopping and then headed back. It was a short day in Florence but I still like that town.

Mmmm... gelato

Mmmm... gelato

At the bus stop in Livorno

Carousel in Florence

Wild turtles

GENOA

Genoa was a great town for shopping. We shopped at some of our favorite stores, drank Illy coffee, and walked too much. We didn't do any research on the town but we saw a big statue of Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo) and found out that Genoa was his birthplace. While visiting the royal palace, Dan took of his shirt and got into a tub. So, that was fun!

A bath in the courtyard of Museo di Palazzo Reale

Statue of Cristoforo Colombo

 Ciao!

Valletta and Mdina, Malta

MALTA

Originally this cruise was supposed to go to Tunisia in Africa but due to political unrest they re-routed us (weeks before, not during the trip) to Malta, a 122 sq mi island in the Mediterranean Sea. And we are so glad they did! You know how most European cities look the same? Not Malta. Malta was beautiful beyond words. Dan and I both loved it. The capital city, Valletta, contains buildings from the 16th century onwards, mostly baroque in style with vibrant painted window boxes. We also took a bus out to Mdina. Mdina is a medieval, walled town situated on a hill in the center of the island.  Mdina is commonly called the "Silent City" by natives and visitors. The town is still confined within its walls, and has a population of just over three hundred. It's like nothing I've ever seen!

It was a really nice day (although our pictures, taken in the morning, dont reflect this) so we really wanted to swim but never found a beach. Most of the beaches are rocky. As the cruise ship set sail that evening we saw light houses and docks on a side of the island we never saw. There were beautiful cliffs, perfect for cliff jumping. So, now we are certain we need to go back!

Mdina

Cathedral of St. Paul

A view from a cafe in Mdina

Mdina

Valletta, Malta

Apartments and a gargoyle in the streets of Valletta

Well, Malta, you were a gem! We truly hope to see you again someday.