Moonrise Kingdom

You may find it surprising, as hip and cool as I am (ahem), that I have never watched a Wes Anderson film.  After watching this trailer today, I assure you, I will be watching Mr. Anderson's next feature, "Moonrise Kingdom."  I've probably watched this trailer 10 times and have been giggling all day.  It looks quirky, odd, and a little ridiculous.  I am in.

Plus, do you love the song?  ME too.  I have been alternating watching: trailer, song trailer, song.



Listening to it makes me feel super cosmopolitan .  Sort of like when I listen to "Girl from Ipanema" (especially during the Portuguese part.)

More Chevron Stripes

I went into Old Navy this week to buy my daughter a pair of boots.  They were having 30% off their sale prices.  I browsed through the sale racks and tried on quite a few clearance sweaters and tops.  

I nixed all the sale items and ended up purchasing this, even though it was full price:

Because it is perfect in every way.

And because I have learned that it's worth it to buy one item you really love rather than by five items (for the same price as the one) that you sort of like.

 (Oh and I did find some great boots for my daughter at 30% off clearance price.)

Polka Dots + Navy

If last year was the year of stripes, and according to the stack of striped shirts in my closet, it was, this just might be the year of Polka Dots.  This post will be dedicated to Navy Polka Dots Solamente.  (I will translate for the non Spanish speakers.  Solamente = only.) 

I am not opposed to polka dots in any other color, navy just happens to be the pick today.

I will begin by staking my claim on this Anthropologie dress.  I will own this.  Consider yourself warned, you buy it, we will be twins.  

If you would rather not be twins, but would still like a navy polka dot dress, might I interest you in this little beauty from Banana Republic?

I really love this sweater, also from Banana Republic.

It reminds me of this cute sweater for little girl's from Boden.  I am still kind of kicking myself for not buying this for my youngest.

And how about this jacket from Banana Republic.  (Sheesh. Lots of good stuff at Banana right now.  It's about time!)

This skirt.  You guessed it: Banana Republic.  Feel free to purchase this with no fear of being twins.  I will not own this skirt, not matter how cute it is.

Because I own this skirt (last year, Anthropologie.)  So, if you purchase the BR skirt above, we'd be more like fraternal twins.

And all this talk of navy polka dots, reminds me of last year's J Crew Flouncette blouse.  That I did not buy.  I can't buy it all.  Some times my good taste feels like a curse.

Hot Chocolate

I am happy to report some good news friends.  It's hot chocolate related. Which, as you know, is super important.

Last November, I blogged about my great sadness over Starbuck's termination of their Signature Hot Chocolate.  (Sure, they still sell regular hot chocolate, but its not even close.)  I won't make you link back to it.  I'll just repost it here because I thought it was particularly well put, I said:

"It's been very hard for me to accept that Starbucks has stopped selling their Signature Hot Chocolate. That was easily my favorite beverage/treat/dessert/breakfast of last winter. I imagine it tastes exactly like the Chocolate River from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Only Augutus Gloop knows for sure. All I know is it was pure heaven in a cup."

Until now.  And I am here to share the goodness with you, because that is the kind of person I am.  A giver.  A sharer.

Buy it here.  (I get no proceeds from your purchase, other than the happiness of knowing I've brought pleasure into your humdrum hot chocolate drinking.)

The link I provided is to Costco by the way.  Please note the large red "48 count" sticker.  It's because it's bulk.  You can also buy it at Target or your regular grocery store and get a smaller pack, but I recommend the extra large size.

I know a lot of people don't like Starbucks.  I'm okay with that.  But delicious-ness doesn't lie twice. 

Gift Giving

How often do you get a gift that makes you gasp and then makes you cry?  (In a good way?) 


On the Jones side of the family, we follow a rotation for a family gift exchange for Christmas. This year was our family's turn to  receive a gift from my youngest sister and her family.  It was one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever been given.


We need to rewind just a bit to capture the true awesome-ness.  Over a year ago, I posted a picture of this map quilt on my blog. You can read about it here, if you so desire.   
    

I was quite smitten.  I thought it was about the coolest thing I'd ever seen.  Imagine my surprise, over a year later,  when I opened up our gift and saw this:

My sister remembered from all those months ago my gushing over this quilt.  And then she made one for me.  Can you imagine how long it took to make?   


It just blows me away.  Absolutely the perfect gift.   You can tell how my kids feel about it:

(And they also sent a hefty pile of gift certificates to Baskin & Robbins.  Which is also super thoughtful, since we go there about once a week.  It is kind of the "Cheers" of the Skinner family.  They totally our name.)


Allow me to quote a line from one of my favorite books, "Love Walked In" by Marisa de los Santos:

"I just never thought anyone else knew that.  If I can apologize in advance for sounding like some idiot high school girl, I'd just like to say that I feel so - gotten."

That describes perfectly how I felt when I opened the gift, so gotten.


I have a good friend Jeanette, who is an awesome gift giver.  She always seems to give the perfect gift.  I asked her about it once and she modestly shrugged it off and said, "Gift giving is easy.  You just have to pay attention when people are talking.  When So-in-So talks about her new obsession with Quick Trip hot chocolate, I think 'I should get her a gift card to Quick Trip.' "  And when Jeanette said it like that, it seemed both completely obvious and completely genius at the same time.  Just pay attention when people talk.


It is something I have tried to apply in my life.  Clearly, my little sister has already mastered this principle.


*Incidentally, you may be wondering, what gift did we give this year as part of the family rotation?  My oldest sister's family got a few seasons of "Pysch" on dvd and small mountain of treats.  Not quite a homemade quilt, but can you really put a price on Shawn and Gus and large quantities of sugar?


**Technically I got two gifts that made me feel gotten.  I am currently typing on the second gasp-inducing-gift.  Thanks Marky.  

Some Christmas Happenings

The season starts with Christmas in the Sky (Fireworks timed to Christmas music over Longview Lake. I may have mentioned a time or two Kansas City's obsession with fireworks.)  We meet up with friends, drink hot chocolate, and enjoy the show.

We take list making very seriously around these parts. We got several lists from each child. I think they found the need to supply us with weekly updates.

Lots of wrapping.  Lots and Lots.

Decorating the tree happened way too late this year, nearly mid December.  I had some church duties the first 2 weeks of December that left me with little time for decorating.  And then we had some pre-lit tree issues.  (Our grand solution was to add another string of lights over the non-working pre lit lights.)

A last minute dinner party with friends.  (I originally planned on making something lovely but reality intervened and we ended up getting take out from Pei Wei.)

Dessert was by Trudy's Treats.

Christmas in the Park.

Christmas Treats.

Christmas Decor (once it finally got up.)

Plaza Lights.

Christmas Eve dinner at Houstons on the Plaza.

Chevron stripes, No matter the size

I saw this dress in Old Navy the other day.  It is a 5T.  My youngest has grown out of the 5T's awhile ago.  But I couldn't resist and bought it.

She wears it more as a long shirt (tunic?) than a dress and loves it as much as I do.