The Changing Lights and Shadows

Hard to believe, but summer and my pregnancy are soon coming to an end. There have been a few days that were uncomfortably hot for me, but for the most part we've been enjoying this season of sun, no matter how late it came.
I even got to swim a little, down at Wayfarer's Park (a site that is famous among Mallerys for marriage proposals, I have been enjoying the lake there since I was a little girl). Swimming when you are eight months pregnant is very different than at three or four months. At that point, no one could even tell; I hardly could myself. But now... well, let's just say I had to improvise a bit with the swimwear. A stretchy top, and a skirt I usually only wear to church became my ticket to the water. I may have looked like a runaway funeral attendant, but I got to get wet, and that's all that mattered. Some gals may be happy with wearing a bikini while pregnant, but, issues of modesty aside, the sight of my white, never-seen-the-sticky-side-of-a-wax-strip thighs is something I think all of humanity would gladly be spared of.
It goes without saying that I am looking forward to unpregnant swimwear next summer. In fact, I'm getting all giddy over unpregnant clothes, period. I can't wait to wear a pair of jeans that actually fit my rear end, not to mention dresses with a waistline!
Yesterday, I put away stacks of tiny diapers, and began filling out Sean's baby book, starting with the very first image we saw of him, at sixteen weeks. I hardly felt different at that point, but I'll never forget that overwhelming feeling, seeing a real human being, wiggling his arms and legs in there. Fearfully and wonderfully is what the king David described our fabrication as being, and to experience it first hand has made that truth so much more real to me. And if cravings suggest "what baby needs," it's good thing we confirmed the fact that our child is human, otherwise, I might have begun to think that we were baking a fruit cake in there, with all the fruit I've been eating.
Well, that's about all for now. I know I said there would be more pictures, but the one above is one that Ridge took, while we were out on one of our evening walks. If you haven't taken a walk at sunset lately, you really should.

Showers of Blessings

I had to add this cartoon afterward. I'm so glad I don't have to live up to these standards!I want to thank my mother, Carol & Megan Comstock, Barb & Anna Takahashi, and my aunt Kathi for all working together to make my baby shower so wonderful. The setting was so beautiful, the games were fun, and the food was yummier than it should be. Thank you everyone for making it such a special day for me!

Jolly Good

Okay, official new favorite stuff alert. Today I found the most fantastic brand of nail polish: butter LONDON. The colors are cute, the name is mahvelous, and I am angsting to get myself some.

London isn't known for being sunny, but no matter the weather, yellow like this can brighten your day.

Is it turquoise? Wedgwood? Lagoon? Whatever it is, it's simply splendid.

Every girl needs at least one bottle of a good, reliable red with some serious oomph.

This one I put on specifically for my future niece's benefit. A pink for the ages. Bright enough for tots, sophisticated enough for those who wish to be sophisticated. (laughing at self)

And last but not least, an old standby for those of us who like our nails naked, thank you very much.

Go to the site & see all the other colors!! They also carry a black tea lotion with a bright and sassy union jack on the bottle.

Insufficient Postage

Sorry for my laziness. I have been up to other stuff, honest. We've been getting the wedding together, and so far, when I have despaired of life, Ridge has proved an able therapist. Decorations are underway, all the attendants' outfits are nearly done, and yesterday we bought Ridge's ring and met with his friend Eric Dye, who will be playing live music for our prelude and reception. *whew!* We've also been planning our honeymoon together, and by all indications, we are going to have a lot of fun.
Last weekend, we all went to Lake Koocanusa to camp. I never sleep well when I'm camping, so I'm usually a grouchy old toad, but I did really enjoy shopping in Eureka and Libby. (yes, we go camping so we can shop- I thought everybody did that?) I found a Betsy and Aiden cocktail dress for the rehearsal dinner, a couple vintage Pyrex storage containers, some gorgeous yarn, and in the thrift store, I got a new /w tags Banana Republic pink silk blouse. Size? Petite small.
So, the trip wasn't so bad after all. Getting to shower & shave can change a girl's retrospect.

How I Show My Patriotism

First, I get some red...then I grab a little white...

and top it all off with a splash of blue!

Wishing you all a happy Independence Day!

Ta-da!

Here is a picture of the veil I sewed recently. It was over 4 yards of diaphanous illusion fabric, with yellow ribbon and a premade crown. It was a lot of fun, although next time hopefully I'll have more than four days' notice.

What I Want to Look Like This Fall

Okay, so the hat with pom-poms is a little much. Anyway, I like the rest of it. You can't go wrong with pleated skirts, and the tights and sweater are adorable. By the way, if you like the lovely girl modeling this ensemble, check her out: Ellowyn Wilde. The cutest (and most enviably fashionable) dolls, ever.

Put a Spring in Your Step

I love heels. Next to coffee, I think they are one of the greatest things on God's good earth. In the dead of winter, when sensible folk wear Uggs, Sorels, and other such footwear, I somehow manage to mince around through their footprints, still wearing the {darling} shoes which should have been in the closet months ago.

So, you can imagine my glee at being able to wear my favorite ones yesterday (and I hope you all had a blessed Passion Week and Resurrection Sunday!) to church without wet, muddy, or frozen toes. And what could be better in Springtime than a pair of sunshiny heels? Here are some favorites I found on ModCloth:

Very cute and vintage. (makes me think of picnics)

A stamp of seniority for those who can't get enough of the preppy schoolgirl look.

A fun tip of the hat to the Flathead Valley's famous cherry crop. (and the yellow heel is an unexpected pop of color)

(these are from Zappos) Heels don't have to be skyscrapers in order to make an impact. These are just adorable, with the bright pink eyelet.

Summer Dresses

I love these festive dresses. Perfect with a white cardigan, straw hat, and iced tea. A simplistic melon-flavored number a la Hepburn, courtesy of J. Crew.

A pretty poppy field by Anthropologie.
Ahhh.....now I'm craving summer. Well, I suppose it will come soon enough.

They Have Arrived!!

Today my new shoes were delivered! They are just as lovely as I expected, and fit as though some dear cobbler had my particular feet in mind. I felt like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly when I slipped them on! Now I am ready for Springtime, baby showers, or anything else calling for winsome whiteness. I don't think I've owned a pair of little white shoes since I was in Sunday School, but now I'd say I'm quite soundly smitten.

Pretty

Grey Gardens

I recently watched a most intriguing documentary on the lives of two eccentric women, who defied the status quo and sequestered themselves in a ramshackle mansion. Grey Gardens, the story of "Big" Edie and "Little" Edie Beale, and filmed in 1976, begins on an off-kilter, lightsome note, with "Little" Edie welcoming the Maysles brothers, and confiding in them that she is wearing "the best costume for the day." (which includes a brooch-adorned turban, turquoise high heels, and an upside-down skirt securely fastened to her girdle)
Cousin to Jackie Kennedy, she never married, and at 56, had been living with her aging mother for the past 20-odd years. Though it isn't specified when, they both turned their backs on wealth, fame, the socialite life, to reside on their East Hampton estate, gradually slipping deeper into a time warp where past and present somehow bend and merge.
As the film progresses, Little Edie's passion for life grows more apparent. She describes herself as a "staunch character," and tells of her longing to join Broadway. In the meantime, she spends her time reading horoscopes, ("that's what I need, a Libra man!") feeding raccoons, dancing on the porch, and answering her mother's impatient calls of "E-E-E-die!!!"
Although, at first, the documentation of these lives seems amusingly cock-eyed and near Suessian, it unfolds into a beautiful portrait of a different humanity than what we are most familiar with. It made me laugh, but it also made me pause and think for a moment. Life is not as prescribed as what it is often cast to be.

*note: The film is only rated PG; however, I would advise some prudence in watching it. There is some {what I would consider to be} mild language, and several of the Beale's outfits are more revealing than is proper.

The Best Almost-Instant Manicure:

Most everyone knows that I love painting nails, and that I'm a sucker for bright, happy, cutesy colors. Those are all well and good for toenails, but for my hands, I prefer something a bit less distracting. Enter Borghese nail lacquer in Angelica Blush. In just the right shade of translucent pink, it is very pretty without looking unnatural. So, you just start with clean, filed nails, sweep on a coat of polish, and voila! Perfect!

Something Blue

Adorable blue shoes by Fluevog. Totally impractical, but how fun!