little one when you play

How cute are these little hats? I've been searching for some gifts for friends who recently had babies, and I stumbled upon these great knit hats from The Gap. The bear, the giraffe, and the elephant are all so darling, that I want to get them all. I think every baby is even more precious when wearing animal ears, and moms could pretend to have their own little zoo babies. I love the details with the button eyes, giving these beanies a homemade feel - definitely something a grandmother would make for a favorite grandchild.

barbecues tailgates fairs and festivals

Everyone needs a signature go to party food - you know the one other people are excited when you say, should I bring this? I started making seven layer dip ages ago, but it seems to be one that everyone still enjoys time and time again. I've modified the dip slightly to make it my own, using ground turkey instead of ground beef, and plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Makes a delicious dip even more tasty, and slightly more healthy then the regular recipe.

strawberry wine

With names like whoppin watermelon, chunky cherry and super strawberry these little lip balms are appropriately named chubby sticks. One of the reason I wanted to try out this lip color is because it looks like a giant colored pencil or crayon, and I really do love odd looking chapstick containers. My lips definitely feel hydrated when wearing the color, and it doesn't wear off quickly. This is a great product for keep lips moisturized during those dry harsh winter months.

rock it out for reading

Reading is one of my favorite things to do, I really can't quite understand people who don't like to read.  If I don't have at least a couple books in the pile to read I get a bit antsy.  I thought it might be fun to occasionally share with you all some of my recent reads, just in case your looking for a good recommendation.

1) Maine- by J. Courtney Sullivan. This appealed to me at first mainly due to the title- I love the thought of Maine in the summertime.  Three generations of women in a family come together to spend a summer at the family beach house in Maine - each with some secrets.  A great tale with some interesting historical contexts such as the Coconut Grove nightclub fire, how family life has evolved in the last 50 years, and how families truly come together even when they might not like each other.

2) Think Twice- Lisa Scottoline. Purposely picked because Amazon was giving it away and I needed to get to the $25 point for free shipping on my purchase (hey, we've all done that). Interestingly, it involved identical twin women (those who know me in the real world think hard about that), where one of them tries to kill the other and take over her life. Definitely makes you think about family bonds, and how nature and nurture play a role in who we are. This was a quick paced read, with nice short chapters to keep it moving, as well as engaging you in the thrill of what the final outcome would be.

3) The Girl From Junchow- Kate Furnivall.  A historical fiction book based in Russia in 1929. A great mix of adventure and love story, as a girl goes in search of her father believed to have been killed by the Bolsheviks. I enjoyed the landscape of a communist Russia, and how it played into the story, but didn't dominate the book. Some interesting twists through out the book to keep one engaged, and how people are willing to risk so much for the ones they love.