Family, Life

It’s the Unofficial Start of Summer!

Last week I chaperoned Harlan’s field-trip to the beach. They’ve been learning about the different bodies of water lately and to end the lesson, they took the school bus to the beach nearby. I couldn’t help but pinch myself as I watched as her and her classmates waded in the water observing all of the plant and animal life that existed. It was such a gorgeous day and to be able to just take a quick trip to our local beach was incredible.

Since our move nearly three years ago (crazy, right?) I keep finding things that I love about the town that I live in. I’ve fallen more and more in love with the beach as the years pass. No matter what time of year it is, I always love driving down and watching the calmness of the water and the boats out in the distance. If I ever need a moment of tranquility, chances are, you’ll find me at the beach.

This weekend our beaches officially open in our town, and while I know they will be packed with people to celebrate, I still find that tranquility that I find during the winter months. To be able to sit on the beach and watch the kids splash around in the water, run after each other in the sand, build sand castles together, is one of the most enjoyable feelings for me.

Since we spend a lot of time at the beach and at the pool in the summer time, I always want to make sure that I not only have stylish bathing suits that the kids love, but ones that will hold up to their craziness. I really love the collection of swimsuits that Lands’ End has. The kids sat with me to pick our their suits which is always a fun process for me. As much as I love shopping for them, I love involving them in the process. And all three of them are very vocal about what they do and don’t want to wear.

They loved all of the swimsuits from Lands’ End that the hard part was getting them to narrow it down to one favorite. It didn’t surprise me at all that Avery choose the suit with the sunglasses. This girl loves her accessories and what a better way to show that off than with an adorable swimsuit. Macks is all about the sharks because he’s been going over aquatic life in school, and Har loves a good tropical look with the pineapples.

We’ve already got our bags and swimsuits packed to celebrate this long weekend. If you want to find us, we’ll be hanging out at the beach.

To kick-off Memorial Day and the unofficial start to summer, I’ve partnered with Land’s End to celebrate National Swimsuit Day. Today only, May 23, you can purchase your favorite swimsuits for the entire family at 50% off, plus upgraded free shipping! That means that not only can you get a great deal, but you can also have your suits in time to hit the pool or the beach this weekend!

And what’s better than a day at the beach? A vacation at the beach! Enter the Lands’ End Best on the Beach Sweepstakes. You could win an 8-day, 7-night stay for two at the British Virgin Islands, Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina!

Swimsuit details: Harlan’s Swimsuit | Avery’s Swimsuit | Macks’ Swimsuit and Top | Lands’ End Bag and Towel

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Motherhood

Why I’m Happy Wednesday: 67

 

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts. And to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve posted here. My absence is due to a lot of things, but within that, I have also realized that I miss a lot of me when I don’t write here. This place was started as an outlet for me to just write about things going on in my life and was therapeutic in a way. Of course life has its ups and downs and right now at this time, we’re having a bit of a time in life when things just don’t seem to slow down. So in turn, I’ve been going to bed early each night in pure exhaustion rather than staying up late and writing. I’m making more of a conscious effort to make it back and to be more present on here. So here’s to making a comeback. Here’s to taking more time out for me.

That’s what makes me happy.

Now tell me something good. Something that’s made you happy. It can be big, it can be small, just something that has put a smile on your face. You can participate by sharing a photo on Wednesday with the hashtag #WhyImHappyWednesday and tagging me @laurenjimeson or feel free to write it in the comments below. I do read them all and am happy to reply back on your good news! You can also join in the conversation on my Facebook page!

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Life

Spring Soirée

One of my favorite things to do is throw a party. I love the planning, the prepping, and the executing. It’s so fun to see an idea that you had come to life. With the weather starting to warm up and the flowers blooming (yay for peony season) I thought there was no better excuse than to celebrate my favorite season than with a get-together with some friends. A little spring soirée.

My grandmother gifted me the most gorgeous antique glassware when I visited her house last summer and I’ve been dying to use it. It was the inspiration behind the decor for the party. I loved being able to use a mix of the glassware that she gave me. It’s been sitting in our china cabinet on display and, I’m not going to lie, I got a little thrill when I was able to take it out and set the table.

With soft pink and white and a splash of gold, the colors of spring were everywhere.

I picked up the peonies from our local Whole foods and immediately cut the stems and put them in warm water so that they would open up and fill the vases. Peonies are my absolute favorite flower and I love how simply putting them in a vase can really liven a table.

Of course, no party is complete without wine for the adults. I’ve been drinking red wine all winter long, so being able to switch to white is much welcomed. We were sent a case of Rueda Verdejo wine for our guests to enjoy. It’s the top selling white wine from Spain and it did not disappoint. If you love a white wine with very subtle hint of fruit, while being very refreshing, you’ll love Verdejo from Rueda. I definitely recommend trying the Marques de Caceres Verdejo and the Nisia Verdejo!

I really wanted to show off the Rueda Verdejo with our guests and I decided to stick with the flowers of spring and showcase them in the ice. It was such a gorgeous display and something that brought a smile on their faces when they went to get a refill on their wine.  To make the ice, I simply went in our backyard and grabbed some gorgeous flowers and then put them in ice trays. If you want to use them to put in your glass with the drink, make sure you use edible flowers.


If I could have a charcuterie tray every single night for dinner, I’d be a happy camper. Rueda pairs with just about any food and was delicious with the cheese and meats.

And of course no party is complete without dessert.

Cheers! And happy spring!

To find Rueda Verdejo, look for the Rueda logo in their local wine store or order it directly from wine.com with the code “RUEDA” for a 10% discount!

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