8.25.2016

Thoughts for Thursday: August Outer Banks Trip

Happy Thursday Friends!  Sorry I've been MIA lately.  Our house didn't have wi-fi last week at the beach and then this week I've been trying to get back into the swing of things.  Honestly not having wi-fi was kind of nice and felt good to get disconnect in some ways.

We headed down to Duck, NC in the Outer Banks with two other couples and their kids.  It was so much fun and the boys were a blast on the beach.  I really wish I had more pictures but my kids were running around like maniacs so it was hard to keep up with them and document it all.  













We spent most of our time on the beach, enjoyed a lot of pizza and beer, and of course my favorite Duck Donuts!!  



My sister was able to capture a few family photos for us, and they turned out so well.  I can't believe how big my boys are getting!



We have one more trip to the beach on Labor Day weekend before I have to finally admit that summer is over and fall is here.  I will probably be here sporadically the next week as I try to soak up the last week of summer before it's back to reality!

I'm not sure I'm ready for all things blanket scarves, PSL, and boots but I am sort of excited for cooler weather... shhhh don't tell anyone.

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8.22.2016

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale and My Favorite Lilly Pieces!!

It's here friends!! Today is the big day!! At 8am EST the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale starts!   This is one of two of the biggest online Lilly sales of the year.   The Lilly Pulitzer website never puts items up for sale until the After Party Sale which they hold online in August and January.

If you are a Lilly lover or even new to Lilly Pulitzer this is the best time of year to stock up on some Lilly!  The prices are so, so good but things go fast so you have to be ready and know what you want.



First things first you want to make sure that you account is up to date.  If not you can create one here.

Read the FAQs here, which are so helpful.

Have all your devices ready!! I have the Lilly app on both my iphone and ipad- so make sure those are up to date and you are sign in on those.

Finally if you have a Lilly Pulitzer Signature store near you make sure to call them too- they usually have a similar sale in store and online!  The prices might not be as good or they might be better because they need to move out the inventory for fall 2016.


My usual go-to purchase during the After Party Sale is the Elsa top.  I love love love this blouse and find it so versatile. It can easily be dressed up or down and wears so well.    The fit is true to size.





My next favorite is the Monterey Dress.  This is a cotton swing dress that is so easy to throw on during the hot summer days and doubles as the perfect pool/beach cover up.   The fit is true to size.





A new summer love this year is the Essie Dress.  I'm so glad I picked this up in the print I did and I was hoping to get it in the navy blue.  I know I'm not supposed to be shopping but I'm not sure I can resist today, it might be too good to pass up.  Runs small, size up.





Another tried and true favorite are the Callahan shorts and the Essie tank top.  These have a 5in inseam and are seriously flattering on so many different body types.   The Callahan shorts are true to size, I sized up in the Essie tank because I wanted it to be longer looser on me.






The Blythe V-Neck Dress is another one I just picked up this summer and love the style! It's a swing dress and is cotton but can be dressed up or down.  The fit is true to size.



I also just got the Ali Dress is July which is great for cool summer nights and should carry me into fall easily.  I think this runs a little small, the arms are tight, so I sized up.


The Rochelle Dress and the Mango Lace Shift Dress are great for dressier events but as usual with most Lilly Pulitzer you can dress them up or down.   I think both fit true to size.





Happy Shopping Lilly Lovers!! 

What are you looking to buy today?  Are you excited for the sale? 
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8.17.2016

30 Day Closet Remix Challenge: Halfway Point

Happy Hump day friends!! I'm so sorry I'm a few days late with my update but we have been on vacation and I've been trying my best to stay off the phone and just enjoy my time on the beach.  The kids have been having so much fun and running around like crazy people on the beach.  

We are officially half way through the 30 day closet remix challenge!! To read more about the 30 day closet remix challenge click here.    I have to say I haven't bought anything and I haven't even really had the desire too.  I think August was a good month to pick because I'm over summer clothes but it's way to hot here to start buying fall clothes.   That being said though, rumor is the Lilly Pulitzer After Sale is happening this coming Monday and it's to be really, really hard not to buy something.   This is one of my most favorite sales of the year! I will be back tomorrow or Friday to share my Lilly Pulitzer favorites and how I shop the sale but the prices are so so good!! It's where I buy so much of my Lilly.    

Here is my outfit round up for the month so far.  I haven't documented every day of the month since I know you all don't want to see the gym/yoga pants day.  I'm lucky that I'm close in size to my mom and sister so I was able to borrow the bottom white dress from my mom for our beach trip this week- hoping to get some cute family photos in it!





Lilly Pulitzer Blythe Dress// Tory Burch tote (old similar here)// Sunglasses similar here and here// Micahel Kors Watch


 Anthropologie fluttered Ina top// J.Crew Toothpick Jeans (old similar here)// Steve Madden Daryyn Sandals

 J.Crew Speckled Cotton Tee// J.Crew Factory striped shorts (sold out but similar here)// Jack Rogers




Is anyone else doing this no shop month with me?  How have you been doing?  Have you cheated yet?  


Remember you can follow along on instagram here with the hashtag #ecn30dayclosetremix 



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8.11.2016

Thoughts for Thursday: Regretting A Furniture Purchase

So it's taken me a few months to admit this but I kind of hate our bedroom furniture.  Specifically the dressers. Which I just purchased. In February.  I spent years (for real) looking for bedroom furniture that I loved and I just could not find anything that Kyle and I could agree on. We went into every furniture store and I was sure I had scoured every website.   It was also one of the rooms that kept getting pushed to the back burner when more important stuff came up, so when I finally got the green light from Kyle to make a purchase I decided to go with the ones that we could both mostly agree on.

We went with the Pottery Barn Hudson dressers:




I really wanted white or a natural wood while Kyle wanted a natural wood or a dark wood finish.  We would find a color we loved but the styles would be off, we would find a style we loved but we wouldn't be able to agree on the color.   I finally felt like we had to buy something, so I did.  Then once I did it and it arrived it seemed like suddenly exactly what we were looking for started popping up everywhere.  I was so angry and mad that I didn't wait longer.  I have contemplated selling it on Craigslist a few times but I know I'll never recoup our full price.  At the same time it feels stupid to be so mad since it's just furniture after all ;)

So I've been trying to find some bedside tables that I love in hopes of bringing it all together and learning to love the pieces more.   Below are some ideas I have.  The bedding shown is the duvet we have and we have lamps similar to the ones below, but I'm thinking of getting new ones.   We still need to work on artwork and drapes but nightstands are my next purchase.

Bedroom 2






Bedroom 1





Bedroom 3





Bedroom 4



As you can see I'm not the best decision maker and have narrowed it down to four bedside tables I like.  I like the top option but Kyle likes the bottom option.  What would you all do?  Do you have a favorite?

Have you ever made a big furniture purchase you later regretted?  Would love to hear I'm not alone! 


Grab the button below and link up to Annie and Natalie on your Thoughts for Thursday post.  
Use #thoughtsforthursdays on Instagram and tag us @homeofmalones and @eastcoastnat.
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8.10.2016

Style | White Swing Dress

Dress// Clutch, sold out but black is available// Sunglasses// Sandals 





A few weeks ago I popped into Anthropologie because I had a few upcoming parties and didn't love anything in my closet (you all know the feeling).   I don't always have the best luck at our local store so I figured I would just browse and see.  I saw this white swing dress immediately and knew I had to try it on!  The embroidery of the fabric is so detailed and gorgeous.  It is a heavier linen/cotton and lined so it's not see through but the swing style makes it light and airy which is perfect for these hot humid summer nights we've been having.  It is one of those swing dresses that is cut so that it's flattering in all the right places without looking like you're wearing a sack. It's long enough for us tall girls but also comes in petite which makes it even better.  It's the perfect white summer dress but I think with the heavier material I will be able to wear it into fall with booties and a jacket.

I ended up wearing it to a surprise party for some family friends at the end of last month.  I paired it with my favorite Steve Madden wedge sandals that are currently on sale for under $55 and this fun pom pom clutch.  This clutch has gotten so much use this summer, I think the natural is sold out, but they still have it in black and I linked some similar ones below. It came back in stock a few times this summer so fingers crossed it will again! These sunglasses are my favorite Celine knock offs and under $10, which means they're kid friendly.


You can shop the whole look here:





Don't forget to follow along on instagram @eastcoastnat for our #ecn30dayclosetremixchallenge 

*affiliate links used
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8.08.2016

Weekend Recap + 10 mile training + Reading Challenge

Happy Monday Friends! I hope you all had a great weekend.  Our was busy and flew by but it was so much fun.  

On Friday I took the kids into DC to meet up with Kyle and some friends who have boys the same age as ours.  There ended up being no traffic so we got their earlier than I expected and drove through Bethesda, our old post college stomping grounds.  Our friends live in Friendship Heights area of DC right by Mazza Galleria (one of my favorite malls) and some of the best stores.  I loved living that close to a Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bloomingdales, and the biggest J.Crew and Pottery Barn.  It was a shopaholics dream :)   I didn't get any pictures of the kids running around Friday night but we had the best pizza from Pete's New Haven Style Apizza.  It was a veggie with the best arugula on it and had the thin Italy style crust.  I will say one major downside to living in the suburbs is the lack of good restaurants! 

On Saturday we dropped the kids off at my parents house and headed up to Pennsylvania to celebrate my brother in law's 40th birthday.  My sister in law had a party at their house and it was so much fun.  We just ate and played drinking games like beer pong and flip cup just like old times.  It was a blast.



These aren't the best quality photos but it's the first time Kyle and his four brothers have all been together since last Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It always fun when the whole crew is together.



I wore my new Lilly Pulitzer Blythe Dress and I'm obsessed.  I got so many compliments on it and it's so comfortable.

Dress// Sunnies// Bag is old but similar here

On Sunday we got back to my parents house just in time for my uncle to show up with a bushel of crabs! I brought about 15 home with me that I plan to pick for crab cakes.  



If you like crab chips like me these Herr's Kettle cooked ones are so good! Not that good for you but so good.


Today officially starts the beginning of my training for the Army 10 miler in October! I haven't run a 10 mile race since 2009 and I haven't run any races since 2011 so I'm starting slow to get back at it.  I love love love Hal Higdon training programs and have been using them since my first half marathon in 2006.  If you've never used them you can find them here.  Prior to my half marathon I had never run more than four miles and his training program made it so easy to train and not feel worn down by the process.  


Here is the 15K training- which is the same one he uses for 10 miles since it's just 0.7 mile difference.  I promise to keep you up to date on my progress.  
WEEKMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
1Stretch & strengthen2 m run30 min cross2 m run + strengthRest2 m run30 min cross
2Stretch & strengthen3 m run30 min cross2 m run + strengthRest3 m run30 min cross
3Stretch & strengthen3 m run35 min cross2 m run + strengthRest4 m run30 min cross
4Stretch & strengthen2 m run35 min cross2 m run + strengthRest2 m run40 min cross
5Stretch & strengthen4 m run40 min cross3 m run + strengthRest5 m run40 min cross
6Stretch & strengthen4 m run40 min cross3 m run + strengthRest6 m run50 min cross
7Stretch & strengthen3 m run45 min cross3 m run + strengthRest4 m run50 min cross
8Stretch & strengthen5 m run45 min cross3 m run + strengthRest7 m run60 min cross
9Stretch & strengthen5 m run45 min cross3 m run + strengthRest8 m run60 min cross
10Stretch & strengthen3 m run30 min cross2 m run + strength2 m run or restRest15-K Race

Now remember my summer reading challenge??  Yeah I've totally fallen behind.  I could not get into Truly Madly Guilty so I just downloaded The Singles Game and I'm hoping I'll like that one.  I plan to try Truly Madly Guilty again in a few weeks. We're at the beach next week so I'm hoping I'll be able to get through 2-3 books while I'm there but we'll see.  

Have a great week friends! 
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