Patricia Green Scalloped Sandals (Available in Navy, Black, Champagne and Coral. Also check out The Bali Slide and The Palm Beach Slide.) / Tortoise Clutch / Favorite White Jeans Here, Here and Here / Navy Polka Dot Sweater / Tortoise Clutch / Similar Gingham Button-Down / Sunglasses / Similar White Denim Jacket
Guys. I have some important information:
Camel Blazer (Also a big fan of this one and this one.) / Red Rothy’s / Gap Maternity Jeans (Current Non-Maternity obsession here.) / Navy Monogrammed Crossbody / Gingham Button-Down (Factory Version here.) / Stampled Initial Necklace / Tortoise Phone Case / Cane Bed / Jute Rug
This is probably the most down-to-earth “fashion” post I’ve ever done. ;) I’m just starting to get into clothes again–both literally and figuratively–and while I’m pretty limited in terms of wardrobe options because of my belly and the fact that I’m nursing, it’s SO nice to be back in some of my favorite stuff! (Also, I do have quite the belly. Promise, haha. I’m just very savvy with the camera angles. 😂) So yeah: these outfits might not be super interesting, but they’re very real… and they’ve been making me feel confident and cute!
Emma’s J.Crew Factory Dress: The huge J.Crew Factory sale is still going on! See my favorites (complete with reviews!) here.
I published a slimmed down version of this post on Instagram last night, but The Larkins had a wonderful—and emotional—Memorial Day Weekend. We’d originally thought we wouldn’t be able to make it down to my in-laws’ lakehouse because Baby #2 was due the week before. And while we were obviously incredibly excited about that 😉, MDW was going to be a big hurrah for my brother-in-law and his family, who are moving to the East Coast for a new job at the end of the month… and I suppose we just wished we could be in two places at once.
Mitch’s family is ridiculously close, and I love that. Everyone is pretty spread out: Mitch’s parents are on Lake Bloomington in Normal, Illinois; his younger brother, Charlie, lives on a farm (raising chickens!) nearby; his older brother, John, and his family are out in Wisconsin (though moving to Virginia soon!); and Mitch, Emma, Lucy and I are–of course–in Chicago. The lakehouse, though, is where we all convene on a regular basis. And Mitch’s parents built it for that purpose! It’s the best. The kids love going; the adults love going; heck, the dogs love going. (Click on the highlight called “MDW” to see how much Noodle loves it. 😜) There are endless activities but also tons of places to sit back, catch up with each other, and unwind from everyday life.
Hello from Lake Bloomington!
Update: Congratulations to Frilot M. for winning the giveaway!
Today I’m hosting a fun giveaway, featuring the best products from my four favorite long weekend sales, and sharing some cute family snaps from the lake.
To enter to win $250 to shop the weekend’s best sales, simply:
Lobster Sweater / Huarache Sandals / Gingham Button-Down / Similar White Jeans Here and Here / Mitch’s Shorts / Mitch’s Gingham Button-Down
Hahaha. I’m laughing so hard at these photos. This is the story of a couple who recently discovered that their camera has remote capability via iPhone. And they’ve clearly been having WAY too much fun with it. 😜 (Though they’re admittedly lacking in talent. 😂)
Matching Sperrys: Kelly’s Pair / Mitch’s Pair / Emma’s Pair / Lucy’s Pair c/o // Other Outfit Details: Softest Button-Down (Other colors here.) / White Jeans (Non-Maternity Here, Here and Here) / Stamped Initial Necklace / Emma’s Shirt and Leggings / Lucy’s Outfit / Mitch’s Button-Down
Earlier this week, Mitch and I took the girls–can you tell that I love saying “the girls”? 😂–over to the Shore Club, which is a newish seasonal spot on the water in Lincoln Park. We arrived just as the sun was setting, and everything was perfect. The warm air wafting through the windows of the restaurant; the twinkle lights overhead in the outside area; the sand under our feet as we ran around the beach afterward.
I’ll admit that it takes a LOT to get the four of us out the door–did you see this pic?!–but whenever we get to our destination, I look around and am overcome by gratitude. I don’t know. It’s a constant “I can’t believe this is real life!” kind of feeling, like everything has finally fallen into place and we’re complete. :)
The Larkins are settling into their new lives! Yes, it’s been a CRAZY month, but things have finally calmed down, and I’m proud of us for staying focused on what’s truly important: loving our girls, spending quality time together as a family, and resting.
I’ve received a good number of questions regarding how I’m managing to stay active. And while I am having a good recovery–WORLDS easier than last time!–I’m actually largely at home, just hanging out and taking it easy. I do try to leave the house once per day for the sake of my own sanity and also so Lucy can get some fresh air… but I’m really just here, (almost) all day, every day. 😜 In fact, I’m in bed as I type this, haha.
Before this month gets away from me, I wanted to publish a post about what I packed in my maternity hospital bag. :) To preface things, though, I packed my bag in five minutes because my water unexpectedly broke 10 days before my due date, only a couple of hours after we finished moving. (I know that 10 days early isn’t ridiculously uncommon, but Emma came a full week late, so we really thought we had a lot more time! Learn from me and pack your bag far in advance. 😉) So yeah! This is a minimalist’s guide, so to speak.
The first time, I definitely overpacked, and I didn’t use half of what was in my enormous bag. But with Lucy, I only brought the “essentials,” if you will, and my experience was just as lovely as it was when I had Emma (and one zillion things with me). I honestly didn’t wish for anything more!
So if you’re overwhelmed by the massive “what to bring” lists floating around on the internet, know that you don’t need everything. Honestly, you could go without most of what I list below and be totally fine, too. You’d be surprised by how much the hospital has there for you, and remember: drug stores are everywhere. If need be, someone can likely run out for you!
(Btw: Still working on Lucy’s delivery story, but you can expect that soon!)
Okay! Here’s what was in my bag:
I stumbled across this review of a skirt on the J.Crew Factory website recently and thought it was just the most adorable (and hilarious) thing. ;) How cute is this girl?! And I have to say: the skirt is pretty darn fabulous, too. Looks like silk but is machine-washable!
Here are this week’s Recent Finds!
Guys, thank you SO much for your kindness yesterday! We’re unbelievably excited about our new home. (Though obviously far more excited about our new addition. 😉❤️) And your support over these crazy last couple of weeks has truly meant the world.
Today, I’m sharing a little house tour I shot with my phone the morning of moving day, before our stuff arrived. I originally took the photos so I could do before/after posts as we furnished and decorated, but I figured it would be fun to show the house in its entirety before any of that happens! The untouched space, if you will, along with initial thoughts on what we’d like to do with each room.
So let’s get to it!
