Lilly Pulitzer For Target

All the buzz going around lately is the Lilly Pulitzer collaboration with Target that goes to market on Sunday 4/19/2015.  I have to be honest as a life long Lilly lover I am absolutely shocked and unbelievably excited about this special collection.  I truly think it may be one of Targets best purely because of the huge selection of pieces but also because of the price point.  I mean Lilly for less than than $25.00 it's rare to find good quality pieces that affordable on Ebay let alone NEW!  Because of this I think this entire collection is going to be a total hit and quite possibly sell out faster then any other designer collaboration Target has ever done.

With that said I am going to give a few pieces of advice on how to tackle this and possibly walk away with some of your favorites.  Not only do I know how dedicated these Lilly fans are that will absolutely be counting the clock in front of their laptops and tablets until this becomes available in the wee hours of Sunday morning (myself included).  But I am known to call Target my second home - it is .4 miles away from my house and I am in there sometimes 7 days a week - its sad, slightly pathetic, and my husband has taken all of my red card privileges from me again as of last week.  With that said its time to start a game plan for shopping :)

1) MOST IMPORTANT!!!! List out all of your favorite pieces - I honestly have a list on my desk of must haves, wants, and if they are available in order of importance (see my list below).  It is a good think I am pregnant as its helped keep my list somewhat small!  The best place to pre-shop the collection is the online look book available from Target.com here.   Also check out Racked they have even more details including what items are online only (which I found out is a lot of the collection)!

2) Set up an account online with Target when you do this make sure to put in your billing address and preferred payment method this will make shopping a breeze.  Also sign up for EBATES here to get additional savings online! 

3)Time for the sale - According to Racked shopping the collab will become available sometime between midnight and 2am CST.  My biggest concern is that Target will run into the same issue that Lilly does during their annual sales where you cannot even access the site due to the number of users.  If this happens be patient and refresh until you can get in.  I am hoping Target is prepared for this though.

4) I think the best target plan is too purchase any of your must haves especially Online Only pieces first and check out then go back to your wants and available's and check out.  Anything that you didn't get try to scoop up at your local Target the next morning. 

5) Hitting the store - Target has already come out and said that Every Target store will carry the collection unlike past collabs where only some stores carried them.  I suggest if you are a die-hard to get to your local store between 7-730am.  I think certain markets will get hit much earlier, think Crazy Black Friday Style but you will have to be the judge of that.  From their hopefully everyone will be on their best behavior and you can walk away with some great stuff. 

What's great about ordering online is if you get the piece and either a) hate it b) quality is poor or c) doesn't fit right you can always return for free at the store!  Keep in mind though that the Lilly for Target collection has a 14 day return policy.  I do highly suggest though that you check out the Target size guides prior to ordering for a reference!  I hope that you find this list helpful and can snag some great pieces - Just remember Keep it Classy & Happy Shopping :)

It's A.....

Girl!!!!!

Better late than never but I had to showcase the fabulous Gender Reveal Party that my sister threw for us.  Along with the help of our parents it was a great way to find out what the little bean is going to be.  My sister had known since middle of December so the wait until February to find out was CRAZY and I have to be honest every ounce of me was convinced I was having a little boy (I guess I was wrong).  I highly recommend a gender reveal for anyone who wants to know the gender but doesn't want to find out in a stuffy doctors office - it was so special finding out with our closest family and friends! 

My sisters fabulous set up! 

Name suggestions were a total hit. 

The siblings were clearly divided!!!

My sisters homemade poppers worked so well and were AMAZING!

We are both so excited to be seeing pink in our future and I have been having too much fun shopping for little girls things the past few months - although between us my husband is slightly Terrified! 

Week 18!

How far along: 18 weeks!

Baby Size: 9 oz.

Weight gain: 12 Lbs.

Maternity clothes: Finally made the switch to jeans – where have these things been all my life they are so comfortable!

Stretch marks: None as of yet :)

Sleep: Very good – The Bump Nest has been a lifesaver

Gender: Find out on Saturday - counting down the days but my gut tells me it’s a boy!

Movement: I have felt a few little flutters although the little one is very active during ultrasounds

Best moment this week: Having our 18 Week Anatomy Scan and seeing the little one grow so much is so exciting – also can’t forget the Patriots winning the Super Bowl – If I have my say we will have a future New England Pats fan in the making!

Looking forward to: My sister and her boyfriend visiting this weekend and of course the Gender Reveal on Saturday!

Food cravings: I have never been a big sweets/chocolate fan but lately I can’t get enough of ice cream and cupcakes – ohhh and McDonald's cheeseburgers – so yummy!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Eggs are still skeeving me out a bit

Labor Signs: Nope

What I miss: I have missed the occasional glass of red wine – especially during the Super Bowl

Symptoms: None lately other than backaches and still get tired more than usual

Nursery: All painted Michael just needs to finish the trim!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: Lately I have been in a great mood and not nearly as many mood swings as the first trimester I still cannot believe how incredible of a feeling this is and there is nothing more important to me in life right now than taking care of this little one and already planning to give it the safest and best life we possibly can.

Products I cannot live without:

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil – I swear this has saved my skin

Paige Denim Maternity Jeans – My girlfriend recommended these and they are a comfort lifesaver

Jonathon Edwards Winery, North Stonington, CT

The second stop on our Columbus Day Road-trip was one of my favorite vineyards, Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington not only is it absolutely beautiful but they make one of my absolute favorite Zinfandel's (unfortunately for us it wasn't bottled for this visit), that's okay though the Cabernet was equally delicious.  

Onto the best part the tasting...

I have to admit they had some very good whites as well my favorite being the 2012 Estate Connecticut Chardonnay and the 2012 Napa Valley Chardonnay.  But on a chilly afternoon everyone was in a red wine kind of mood so the Napa Valley Cabernet it was! 

My husband was one lucky guy spending the day with us three and have I mentioned I absolutely adore these two who I never get to see enough!  Unfortunately for us there was a wedding about to start so we had to get on our merry way...

Barrels and Barrels of wine!

Quite possibly the absolute best vineyard directions sign I have ever seen, ever.  

It was a must capture for us girls after a very fun wine filled afternoon. 

All photo's in this post are my own. 

Mystic Seaport, Mystic CT

Columbus Day is hands down one of my all time favorite weekends of the year.  It is quintessential fall throughout most of New England and I love taking in the natural beauty of our surroundings.

With that said I like to plan something exciting to kick off the start of my favorite season - my girlfriend suggested we visit Mystic Seaport for Chowder Days (and seriously what is better on a cool crisp autumn day than a hot bowl of Chowder).  Hubs was a true sport and kindly offered to take my girlfriends and I out east on a day trip venturing through Mystic Seaport and some of our favorite vineyards.

This was our first trip to the seaport and I really didn't know what to expect and have to admit I almost thought it was going to be a complete rain out.  With that being said we lucked out and the clouds finally started to dry up on our ride.  The village is very cool it is more or less a living breathing museum that literally takes you back to a 19th-Century Seafaring Village, and we all know I have a soft spot for anything nautical.  

What I wore: Gap Super Stretch Legging Jeans / Boots (Old) Similar Here
Vest (Old) Similar Here / Sweater  / Scarf (I will probably be in this all season)

This street was my absolute favorite from the picket fence, the hanging mums, 

the lamp post, and can we talk about those leaves - its official I have become 

my mother nothing make me more happy than beautiful fall leaves! 

My only major regret of the day was not getting a single picture of the delicious chowder that we all enjoyed.  All in all Mystic Seaport was a great visit and its perfect especially for families as there is so much for children to do during the stay.  

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of our day ventures. 

All Photo's in this post are my own. 

Fourth of July Must Haves

Tonight we are Cape bound for Fourth Of July Weekend and let's just say with the impending weather situation, what some people are beginning to call a possible hurricane has drastically changed my packing list (insert sad face here).  Although, I am still holding out hope that this ugly thing named Arthur is going to venture out to sea and I will be happily relaxing on the beach all weekend :)  Fingers Crossed...

Anchor Print Shep Shirt Everyone must at least own one Shep Shirt they are by far the most comfortable sweatshirt I have ever worn 

 Vintage Stripe Tunic Still hoping I will get to rock this 

fabulous cover up to the beach on Friday

 Marielle Boatneck Firecracker Sweater Since it may or may not be a little chilly and rainy this could be perfect for "rain or shine" 

fireworks and can be a Fourth of July staple for years

Seersucker Gold Trim Bikini Classic Seersucker Bikini, enough said

 J.Crew Chino's must have to anyone's summer wardrobe 

I have a bunch of pairs in entirely too many colors

Anchor Straw Tote such a great beach bag to store all the necessities even great to take along for a shopping trip

 Jack Rogers if there is one word to describe Jack's it's timeless they will never go out of style in my world and I love all the new colors

 Macy Linen Espadrille great option if you are going out and want to dress up your look but still keep it Cape Cod Casual

Wishing a Happy and Safe Fourth of July to All!!!!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my other half, my best friend, my husband and most importantly the only person that will always make me smile on the roughest of days!!!  It has taken me 2 years to finally post pictures from our wedding...first off it took us forever to finally choose pictures for our album and at the point I figured why not wait until now!  Our wedding was everything I ever dreamed up, nautical chic was my inspiration and of course when it came to location there was no other choice than Cape Cod!  

Stationary - Splash Stationers Located in Sandwich, MA Rose is a pleasure to work with and absolutely incredible with her work,

she took my vision and made it a reality!!

Bridesmaid dresses - Lula Kate before I even got engaged I
 knew my ladies were walking down the aisle in Lula Kate

Venue - Wychemere Beach Club located in Harwich Port, MA - Michael and I walked in here and knew instantly this was where we had to get married it had everything we wanted beach, boats, it was modern and chic but also had a classic nautical cape cod vibe and the food was incredible...they surpassed everything we ever expected and the service is top of the line.  Karen took care of everything for us and neither of us worried about a single thing all day!!

Photographer - The woman behind the lens Nancy Gould she is the absolute best and I couldn't picture anyone else capturing the day as well as she did.  She was amazing to work with from engagement photos to planning, and the day of the wedding she made it a breeze knowing exactly what we wanted.  The best thing about her is she is so fun to work with and she never gets in the way if you are getting married on the Cape I highly suggest you hire her - you won't be disappointed!!!