Thoughts for Thursday: Current Obsessions

Happy Thursday Friends! I hope you all are having a great week.  As it usually goes this week at the beach is flying by but I really feel like I've been soaking up every minute of it and just enjoying time with the kids and family making memories. 

Of course you know I can't stop browsing so I've rounded up so of my favorites for the week.

Leith Strap Wrap Dress



How fun is this dress? I love the strap cut out details and the back is even better than the front.  This would be such a fun one for date night or girls night out.

 

 

Shoshanna Striped halter bikini top







I've been wearing a bikini this week on vacation (insert shock face emoji here) and this top has to be my favorite.  Since I don't need a ton of support, halter tops with the string back tie are my favorite.  I was able to snag this Shoshanna one right before we left on vacation and it's perfect.  I did not buy the matching bottom because it looked too skimpy so I just pair it with my favorite navy blue Target bottoms.   Also available on sale here and here. 

Joie Hannela off the shoulder top



Another white off the shoulder top that I'm swooning over! Love  love love the print on this one. 

 

 

Kate Spade Orchard Street Natalya Bag

 



Again with the white I know but this bag is gorgeous.  I know I say this all the time but I've wanted a white bag for years, I know one day I will be able to carry one of these again!

 

 

Target Belo Lux Aviator Sunglasses



So I picked up these sunglasses at Target on a whim since I like having cheap ones to wear while I play with the kids. Well I've gotten so many compliments on them and everyone thinks they're designer and shocked when I say they're from Target.   I'm telling you if you like the aviator look run out and buy these because they will not disappoint.  

 

Anthropologie Ruched Seaside one piece



I love a good white bathing suit and this one is so classic but has the ruching to hide any problem areas.  The only thing you can't guarantee is if it will be see through or not but this one appears to be nicely lined. 

 

 

A by Amanda Zoe Floral one shoulder dress

  It looks like the one shoulder might be making a comeback.  How fun would this floral one be for a summer wedding?

 

 

J.Crew Factory Crystal Dotted Sphere necklace



As you probably know by now I'm a huge fan of J.Crew Factory jewelry and here is another piece to add to my list.   I just love how classic and detailed yet simple their jewelry can be.  This one could dress up any basic outfit! 

Mara Hoffman Swing Dress



If you've been eyeing this Mara Hoffman dress now is the time to snag it because they're having a huge sale and it's now 70% off the original price!! There are also so many other good items on the sale like this dress and this swimsuit. 

 

 

J.Crew Factory Embroidered pull on short

How adorable are these??  White with gold embroidery and pull on elastic waist- sold!

 

 



 Honest Sunscreen Spray

 

 Love this sunscreen with kids, since mine are fast moving I love that I have a spray option that has zinc oxide it and I can get on their skin and mine quickly.  I ordered some from Amazon before we left for this trip but also spotted some at my Target.  Give this a try if you haven't yet this summer.

 

 

What are you obsessing over this week? 

Happy Thursday Friends! Remember to link up with me and Annie below.  

Grab the button below and link up to Annie and Natalie on your Thoughts for Thursday post.  

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Life Lately At the Beach

Hi Friends! I'm writing to you today from sunny North Carolina.  We are in the Outer Banks with Kyle's side of the family and having a great time.   The weather has been cooperating with us and the kids cannot get enough of the beach and pool.  I will be back with a full recap when we get home but just wanted to pop in and give you some highlights. 

We celebrated Miller's 3rd birthday on Monday and I still cannot believe he's three!! I swear he was just an infant, I could go on and on about how much he's changed this year but I'll save that for another post. 

He loved having a "birthday party" and having people sing to him. The singing part was his favorite, he's definitely nothing like me who hated being sung to when I was little.

 For everyone who asked this dress is Lilly Pulitzer Rachelle dress and can be found here.  It also comes in navy blue and white!

Miller and Matthew still love the beach and cannot get enough of it. Of course Matthew runs straight into the ocean with no fear.  I forgot how hard this stage of toddlerhood can be.  He just has no fear yet.  Thankfully Miller listens and loves doing whatever his older cousins are doing.  If you don't already, make sure to follow along on Instagram and snapchat for more photos and videos (@eastcoastnat)

Alright I'm off to enjoy another beach day.  Stop by tomorrow to see what I'm obsessing over this week. 

Saturday Shopping: The Double Stroller

I have been meaning to write this post forever and it's finally here!  If you know me in real life you might know that I have a thing for strollers,  I am that mom that keeps her kids in strollers all the time.  Errands, doctors appointments, the zoo, etc.  It doesn't matter what it is, it makes my life easier and keeps me in a better mood if everyone is strapped in.

Today I've rounded up my three favorite double strollers and why I love them/what I use them for.  

Two under Two 

Baby Jogger City Select 

When I found out I was pregnant with Matthew, Miller was only 7 months old, so I knew that I would need a double stroller that could accommodate an infant and young toddler comfortably but could also fit easily through doorways and in the back of my car.   I had heard so many good things about the Baby Jogger City Select (I could kick myself for not just getting it when Miller was an infant) that it was one of the first ones I started researching.  After talking to friends, trying out my sister in laws and reading hundreds of Amazon reviews I was sold.   I have to say that 19 months later I still really love this stroller.  It's not light by any means, most doubles aren't, but its easy to take out for errands, to the mall, into a restaurant and the doctors office.   I highly suggest this if you have two close together (or twins) because the seating options really are a game changer and give you so much flexibility.
The only downside I would say is that at almost 3 and 19 months the boys prefer to sit next to each other in strollers rather than one behind the other so they tend to bicker more in this one and annoy each other.  Matthew who is usually in the back finds great amusement in kicking Miller or putting things on his head which you can imagine goes well ;)



The Jogging Stroller

Bob Revolution Dualie 

I knew without a doubt that I would want a Bob Dualie when I had two kids.  Whether or not you run this is an awesome stroller! I had the single Bob Revolution with Miller so I knew this one would be as good.  I have only run with my kids in this two maybe three times but we use it almost everyday to take our dog for a walk.  This is also our stroller of choice for the zoo or park. We usually take this one to walk around Annapolis, Baltimore, or DC.  It practically walks itself so you really don't have to work to hard even when you're pushing over 50lbs of kid.  
The best part about Bob strollers is that they keep their value and do really well on the re-sale market. I got mine off Craigslist with a parent console, kids console, and rain cover for $400!  They do go really fast, at least in my area, so I had to stalk Craigslist and local consignment stores pretty much daily until I found one in good condition, it's been well worth it though.
The only downside to the double Bob is that is big, really big.  It's pretty much impossible to fit into any stores or the mall.  It barely fits through a standard door opening and it takes up about 75% of the space in my Toyota Highlander trunk.  So I wouldn't say it's a good everyday double stroller but if you're looking for something to be active with your kids I would suggest this one.



Travel Stroller 

Babies R Us Zobo 2x Stroller

We just purchased this stroller in January of this year for our trips to Cancun and Rosemary Beach. Knowing my kids and how well they do in strollers I knew that I had to find a more affordable lightweight umbrella stroller for the airport and travel. I also didn't want the hassle of lugging around one of our bigger strollers once we were at our destination either.  It easily fits through a standard door and kept both my wiggly kids strapped in nicely.  It's still over $100 but was worth the price for peace of mind in the airport.  Each seat can hold up to 45lbs so I know that I will be able to get a decent amount of use out of this stroller since Miller hasn't even broken the 30lb mark yet.
The only downside is that since it's an umbrella stroller I don't think it would hold up to the wear and tear of an everyday stroller.



The Runner Up

Baby Jogger City Mini Double 

This stroller was a big contender against the Baby Jogger City Select but it didn't have a car seat adapter for our Chicco keyfit 30 so I decided against it.  Now that my kids are older though I would love to have one but at this point I don't think it's worth it to purchase another double stroller.   I think if you're waiting to get a double until your infant can sit on their own then I would suggest this one.  I think in the long run for an older toddler and infant this one is a great choice.  

So there you have it!  Feel free to comment or email me if you have any questions.   

Do you have a double stroller?  Do you love yours?  What brand do you use?  

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Thoughts for Thursday: Current Obsessions

Welcome back to another Thoughts for Thursday.  Remember you can write about whatever you want to,  just grab the button and link up below!

There are so many things I'm loving this week but I had to start with one of my new favorites.

J.Crew Slub Cotton v-neck

If you're looking for a new v-neck tee this is it!! Last week I mentioned how much I loved the J.Crew Perfect fit style shirts, well this top is the perfect combination of the perfect fit and the vintage tee.  It's not as thick as the perfect fit and not as thin as the vintage tees.  It has the perfect amount of drape to it.  The only downside is that it only comes in three colors, hopefully J.Crew will wise up and make more.  

Paper Crown Rosalie Swing Dress

How sweet is this swing dress?  I love the feminine floral print and neckline of this dress. 

Tory Burch Gemini Link Peep Toe Sandal

How cute are these?  I've been lusting over these sandals but I just cannot justify purchasing them.  I have no where fabulous to wear them, so if you do, go get them and let me know how amazing they are. 

J.Crew Factory Mixed Stone Necklace 

Loving the pastels, navy, and (faux) diamonds in this necklace.  It could dress up so many outfits. 

Loft Embroidered Tassel Beach Dress

Love this beach cover up!! I wish I had discovered it sooner so I could have snagged it for our beach trip next week.  

Old Navy Embroidered Slub Knit Tank 

ON has had some great tank tops this year and this looks like another good one.  I love the embroidered detail. 

Fossil Wristlet 

A fun classic stripe wristlet.  For some reason I love the idea of the wristlet lately, maybe because I'm always setting my clutches down and than having to look for them. 

J.Crew Factory Eyelet Dress 

How cute is this eyelet drop waist dress?  It comes in blue and white but I'm loving this fun baby blue color. 

BB Dakota Polly Lace Off the Shoulder 

Another adorable white off the shoulder top.  It's taking all myself control not to put this in my shopping cart and his buy.  

J.Crew Factory Calf Hair Print D'orsay Sandal

A little leopard love for summer! 

Gap Mosaic Print Romper

This romper!! The length and cut reminds of my beloved J.Crew Factory one from last year, plus the mosaic print is so fun.  

J.Crew Faux Leather Scallop tank 

Love love love this top.  The cut is so flattering on and scallop faux leather detail around the neck is a nice added touch. 

Kara Tie Tote

Such a classic leather tote for summer.  I love the tie loop detail and the unlined inside.  So not practical for me but one day.  

Trina Turk Shangri La one piece

Since my bathing suit shopping has been depressing I ordered this one to try before we leave Saturday. It gets here tomorrow (nothing like last minute) and I'm hoping it works.  To be honest I'm not crazy over the print but I still LOVE my Trina Turk suit cut like this from last year so I'm hoping I'm going to love this one too.   For my tall girls- this one is great for us with long torsos, no pulling.  It also helps that it's onsale!   

Ruffled Peplum Top

Love the feminine eyelet and ruffle detail on this peplum top.  I think it would be adorable paired with skinny jeans and sandals.  

Little White Lies Ophelia Dress

I couldn't leave you without another blue and white dress this week since I'm #obsessed . The cute and detail of this has me swooning but again no more white and blue for me! 

Tasha Hoops

How fun are these hoops?!  I'm totally on the big earring bandwagon and I love the beaded detail of these.  

So what are you obsessing over this week!?  

Happy Thursday Friends! Remember to link up with me and Annie below.  

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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Life Lately

Happy hump day friends!  How is everyone? We have been having a good week so far.  No kitchen updates yet, as we meet with our contractor and kitchen designer on Thursday night.  Really hoping we can finally nail down a design this week and get things rolling!


Friday I was lucky enough to have my dad come watch the boys so I could sneak out to the mall. I wore my new J.Crew perfect fit tank top and I have to say they really are that good.

J.Crew perfect fit shell// J.Crew factory boardwalk shorts (striped sold out)// Jack Rogers 

I tried on two adorable dresses! I couldn't justify buying both but I had to share them with you.  I went to the mall with the intention of buying a new bathing suit but just still can't find any that I love, bathing suit shopping post two babies is slightly depressing.

Lilly Pulitzer Essie Dress

This is the perfect easy to throw on summer dress! 

BB Dakota Stripe Shift Dress

If I didn't already own three blue and white dresses I would have gotten this one too, but I just couldn't justify it. 

Friday night I took the kids to the pool and Kyle met us there later.  I wish I had pictures but it's pretty much impossible for me to take pictures and watch them well at the same time.  

Saturday Kyle golfed with his college friends for an early Father's day and I watched my 7 month old nephew for a few hours. We had a lot of fun and it was a great test for three kids.  I managed to keep them all fed, (mostly) happy, and I got them all down for naps at the same time so I would call it a win.

Saturday night we headed out to celebrate my friend's birthday with dinner and drinks.  I wore my new off the shoulder dress which I'm obsessed with and the good news is this one actually stays down on your shoulders!! It didn't ride up all night which was nice and I got a ton of compliments on it.  

Line & Dot Off the Shoulder dress

It looks like it's currently back ordered until July 10th but I think it's worth the wait.  

Some of my favorite girls :) 

Sunday I woke up with what I initially thought might be a hangover but then I quickly realized there is no way I drank enough to feel as awful as I did and it turned out I had a stomach bug, my brother in law who was staying with us at the time also woke up with it that morning so it was a fun day in my house.  We have my sister to thank for that who had it last week ;)
Despite feeling awful I pulled myself together so we could go to my parents house for a Father's day BBQ.  I ended up spending most of the day sleeping upstairs while Kyle and the boys played in the pool and hang out with my family.   I definitely owe Kyle a Father's day re-do. Thankfully it was over as quickly as it came on and I felt fine by Sunday night.


Someone in our house has learned how to unlock doors and this mama is not liking that very much! After finding these two outside after I had run to the bathroom and left them in the family room we have had quite a few discussions about how only grown ups can open doors in the house.

Thankfully he's still super cute despite being a challenging almost 3 year old.

Monday was National wear your Lilly day so I had to participate since I was heading out to have drinks with some girlfriends at a great waterfront spot near me called The Point. The shellabrate print is one of my favorites this summer, actually I'm loving pretty much all the prints from this spring and summer.

Lilly Pulitzer Monterey dress// Jack Rogers 

We are headed to the beach this Saturday and I haven't packed a darn thing!! I'm also having a play date birthday breakfast for Miller on Friday.  So I have a lot to get accomplished between now and Saturday! 

Have a good one friends! 

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Saturday Shopping: Gingham

Happy Saturday! Hope you all are having a good weekend so far.  Kyle is off golfing this morning with some college friends as an early Father's day gift and then tonight we are headed out to celebrate a friend's birthday.   Then tomorrow we're having a Father's day BBQ with my family. Another busy but fun weekend for us.  Hoping to get some pool time in too for the boys.

I don't know if you all are loving gingham as much as I am this spring but I feel like there are so many cute options out there.  I've rounded up some of my favorites for you including the J.Crew gingham shorts I just got in the mail this week- they have a 4in inseam for the win!

J.Crew ruffle hem silk top// J.Crew shirtdress// J.Crew Factory shell// J.Crew scarf

J.Crew cotton shorts// Old Navy Harper trousers// Madewell one piece

Ann Taylor Mila pumps// J.Crew envelope clutch

It's no surprise that most of these pieces come from my favorite J.Crew, as they seem to have taken over the gingham trend this spring.  I don't think I'll ever tire of the gingham look!   

Have you gotten in on the gingham trend?  Is it a look you like?   Have you always been a gingham fan? 

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Friday Things: Product Reviews

TGIF Friends!  Today I wanted to stop in and follow up on some items I've mentioned to you all over the past few weeks.  I love hearing first hand reviews from people so I hope these help.


1. Schmidt's Deodorant-   I mentioned in this post that I'm trying to incorporate more natural products into my life and this deodorant came highly recommended from a friend.  I am here to report that it works! It actually works.  I've tried quite a few natural deodorants over the years and none of them worked for me.  I've only been using this for two weeks but it's been hot here, like 90s hot and it's held up to my sweat.   If you're looking to go natural I highly recommend these.  I went with the lavender and sage and I think it smells good.

2. Frownies-  I don't love these but I also don't have the patience for them.  I used them for about a week and I felt like my forehead wrinkles looked good for about a hour after I woke up and then they were completely back to normal.  I should note that I have pretty bad wrinkles, so if yours aren't as bad as mine these might work better.   Basically you have to wet the little sheets of paper and stick them to your face.  I found that it took forever to wet them, then my hands would get sticky, then I wouldn't be able to get the frownie in the right place.  It was very frustrating when I'm already exhausted and just wanted to get to bed.   I think if I had more time these might not be too bad.   They are also a brown color and every morning Miller would ask why I had paper stuck to my face.  So I decided I would give Smoothies a try.   Most of the Smoothies reviews come from people who had tried Frownies with no luck, so I will keep you posted on how these work.

Smoothies Facial Wrinkle Strips

3. Rodan + Fields Reverse-  I had wanted to try Rodan+Fields for months since all the before and after pictures are so good.  In April I finally let a friend of mine who sells it convince me to give it a try.  The first two-three weeks were actually really good and I liked what I saw.  After week three I started getting the worst breakouts all over my face.  They were the gross big under the skin ones, I looked awful, I felt like I was 15 again.  I went to see my dermatologist for another issue and was chatting with her about my acne problems and she told me to immediately stop using the R+F and put me on a daily acne treatment.  She said that most likely the exfoliating facial scrub mixed with the retinol was just too much for my face to handle and it wasn't getting enough time to rest and rejuvenate.  She also said I really shouldn't be using the retinol in the summer months because it makes you sensitive to sun and I have fair skin.  I don't want to completely give up on R+F yet.  I am taking the summer off and might try a new regimen in the fall.  I haven't decided which one, but if you have sensitive skin you might just want to be careful if you use reverse.  

4. Dolce Vita Lola Sandals-  I posted these sandals last week and when I was in Nordstrom on Friday I tried them on. They are even cuter in person but the white just didn't look good with my skin tone.  I think if I was really tan they would look better but I thought the white with the brown just looked awful on me.  I was so bummed.   The heel is the perfect height though, I would love to hear how other people like them if you've bought them.  I'm hoping to try the Havana ones that I posted on Wednesday, thinking maybe just the brown will look good on me.  

Dolce Vita Lola 

Dolce Vita Havana 

I will be back next week with more kitchen details, the rest of our Rosemary beach recap, and thoughts on double strollers.   Hope you all have a great weekend friends!






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