Gingham love + Recent purchases

My gingham blouse: {Maison Jules}

Mariam's dress: {Carter's}

Earrings (Lonna & Lilly): Similar{here}

Graphic Tee: {NY&CO}

Cuffed cropped white jeans: {Indigo Rein}

Taupe Jogger's: {NY&CO}

Cropped skinny jeans-bottom left: {{Dollhouse}

Cuffed cropped skinny jeans: {Indigo Rein}

True Story. I love gingham prints yet I've never worn gingham before. I've always felt it didn't look right on me, and ever since I left the corporate world I don't wear long sleeve button down shirts, but I'm loving this one. It's lightweight and looks great with the sleeves rolled up. It' runs a bit big since this is an XS and it's not very fitted at all, but it's a keeper. When I bought the blouse from Macy's I also ordered a few jeans and I'd say I'm good for awhile. Pants are so hard to find, but these are all so comfortable. The jogger's and the cropped skinny jeans (upper right in collage) actually go down to my ankle because I'm short at 5'1, but the white jeans and cuffed skinny jeans do fit me like capris. 

Have a great Monday!

Life Lately

It's been quiet around this blog lately but we've been busy. What am I saying!? It's usually always busy around these parts with a full household. My best friend and her family came to visit us and they stayed for about a week. We all had a great time and it's nice to get a break from daily life. We went to Miami, West Palm Beach, and ended the fun with 2 days at Marco Island. I'll be doing a full post on Marco Island, but here are some quick pics from my phone. In other exciting news, Ava was cast for her first commercial! It shot this past Saturday for Nature's Sleep, and I was able to snap a few quick pictures. It was for their new ghost bed pillow. I was a little worried about how she would do since she's been teething and extra clingy, but she did great! It was fun and thankfully wrapped up quickly before the babies got too fussy. I can't wait to see the commercial. 

Ava's first July 4th!

This Fourth of July was our first in Boca this year and a first for little miss Ava. Last summer we were visiting family in Texas. It was pretty low key. With no family here, we had a quiet day at home, had hamburgers for dinner and then headed to the firework show put on by the city. It was fun and Mariam had a blast dancing the whole time since there was music to go along with the fireworks. I thought Ava might be scared of the fireworks but she was fine. I nursed her when it started and she stayed in my arm's or H's arms the whole time. 

Have a great Thursday! It's almost the weekend!

Vizcaya

Last weekend we went to go visit Vizcaya museum and gardens in Miami. Vizcaya Is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering on Biscayne Bay. The villa was built primarily between 1914 and 1922, while the construction of the elaborate italian renaissance gardens and the village continued into 1923. Deering used Vizcaya as his winter residence from 1916 until his death in 1925. After his death, Vizcaya was inherited by his two nieces, Marion Chauncey Deering McCormick and Ely Deering McCormick Danielson. Over the decades, after hurricanes and increasing maintenance costs, they began selling the estate's surrounding land parcels and outer gardens. In 1952 Miami-Dade county acquired the villa and formal Italian gardens, needing significant restoration for $1 million. The village and remaining property were acquired by the county during the mid-1950's. 

The estate is now known officially as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which consists of 50 acres with the villa and the gardens, and the remaining native forest. The villa's museum contains more than seventy rooms of distinctive architectural interiors decorated with numerous antiques, with an emphasis on 15th through early 19th century European decorative art and furnishings.

The experience

To get there we decided to take the tri-rail for the first time from Deerfield Beach and then get on the metro rail transfer. We thought it would be a nice little adventure and it wasn't bad, but it ended up taking us 2 hours to get there waiting for both trains and then the ride. That day was also really hot! Before entering the grounds we slathered up on sunscreen and then headed right to the bathrooms. With several littles, bathrooms are always a must. They were clean and well maintained so that was a plus for me. We arrived hungry so the first thing we did was head to the cafe. Their cafe/gift shop is charming with outdoor and indoor seating. There was no room indoors so we ate outside which had a nice view of the bay. The girls had chicken nuggets and fries and H and I split a tapas plate and a small pitcher of sangria. Both were really good. After everyone was fed we started to explore. It was so beautiful. The grounds, the villa, just gorgeous. You're not allowed to take pictures inside the villa so I don't have any to share, but you can find some online. I definitely want to go back, but I wouldn't take the kids. They behaved (except for Mariam in the villa), but they weren't really interested in looking at gardens and architecture--especially since they had to keep their hands to themselves.

Have a great Monday.