This mourning thing is tough.

My mom has been staying with us since my father died and just returned home yesterday.  We hadn’t been apart since late May. We have been propping each other up throughout this whole experience and not having her at my side left almost as big a whole as my Dad.  It seemed that with Mom going home, I really had to deal with my grief alone and that Dad was truly gone.

I did get it together enough to go to dinner with Eric and the Peach the other night.  When she noticed my somewhat somber mood, the Peach asked me what was wrong.

“I miss Grandma.” I said.

The Peach took my hand and stroked it and looked me straight in the eye and said:

“I miss her too, Mama, but whenever you think of her or miss her, just call my name and I’ll come and give you a hug and tell you everything is gonna be OK.”

So, maybe it will all be OK, with this little wisp of a girlie at my side.

August is right around the corner—I love it because it’s my birthday month (yay!) and it’s a time to enjoy the final hooplah of summer. Come play with us!

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Hoo boy! What a wonderful wonderful weekend! I spend it going to two tiki parties and then Sunday with one of my dearest friends gabbing about everything and making life choices that are wonderful and oh just glorious. I hope you all had equally inspiring and joyous weekends. But of course I didn’t forget about you! I found some extremely cute thing that I can’t WAIT to share with you, so ON WITH THE SHOW!

How could you not choo choo choose these sweet train pants? From Etsy seller, Quirky Mugs!

Do you have a bucket of awesome? Jeanine from Sweet Shop Vintage does in the form of this amazing Barbie box and clothes. OH YEAH!

Care for another bucket of awesomeness?  Well, here you go!  BOOM!  Super cuteness for your kiddo’s wall.

Whoo whoo would love this darling little owl pinafore? From Etsy seller, Breedbaby NYC.

Why have only one elephant when you can have TWO.  And throw in a palm tree for good measure, why doncha? So sweet! From Etsy seller, Wee Little Ones Vintage.

Ladies, the search is over for your the perfect swimsuit…  For your baby girl.. From Etsy seller , Noodle & Lou.

I can’t help but list at least one tiki item every week until TikiOasis. And this week’s cutie piece is from Storybook Retro.

Why, you little stinker! I might get this one–it would be so much fun on a rainy day! From Etsy seller, Little Monsters.

I can never say no to hand smocked cuteness like this!  So sweet! From Etsy seller, Izzy and Ever.

Oh man, I love this pattern on this boy’s shirt. SO divine! From Etsy seller, Aesthetikara Vintage & Handmade.

Happy Monday, friends!

I don’t know about you, but with the sun shining like this, all I want to do is pack everything up and head for the beach! So, I’ve taken that as my inspiration for today’s Retro Round Up.  All things beach/pool/nautical inspired. ENJOY!

Even if you can’t enjoy the pool, I hope you can at least indulge your Barbie with this sweet vintage 1973 pool that can actually hold water so Babs can take a proper dip! From Etsy seller, Saturday Morning Matinee.

What is a trip to the beach without a sand bucket? Nothing!  And fortunately, there are quite a few darling vintage ones that add a nice bit of charm to any sand castle building fun.  I love the nursery rhymes around the edge of this one! From Etsy seller, Miss Chore Girl.

Look no further than here for the perfect beach robe. So cozy and made of absorbent terry cloth.  Plus the little duck print is too cute for words! From Etsy seller, Cindy’s Cozy Clutter.

OK, I’m going bananas over this little beach outfit for a 2-3 year old. Matching bloomers aren’t shown, but it is on sale and I’m sure it will go fast! From Etsy seller, Lulu’s Frou Frou.

These little plaid swim trunks are a great find! $20 each and in outstanding condition too. YEAH! From Etsy shop, Antiquesingmar.

This little hand-smocked sun hat is so darling for either a boy or a girl! From Etsy seller, InzeOdelia.

Miss Lish always has the cutest stuff! And this little bowtastic swimsuit is too cute not to share!  Especially thanks to the sweet modeling job by Miss Tova. LOVE!

Why not settle down at the beach with a good read, like this one? Oh, those Bobbsey twins! From Etsy seller, Greta’s Girl Den.

Or, you could just make your own with this wonderful pattern! I’d buy it just for the hat pattern!  Imagine a full matching outfit of amazingness! Yes, please! From Etsy seller,

This little sailor sun suit is a little cup of heaven if you ask me!  Sooo darling! From the gloriously named Etsy seller, Disco Divas.

Happy Monday!

Little Duck Organics snacks are made from 100% freeze-dried fruit, in small bite sized pieces—making them perfect for teeny hands to hold.  Created by an enterprising papa who wanted to give his kiddos something healthy and delicious to snack on, Tiny Fruits are organic, zero sugar added, gluten-free, non-GMO verified, kosher, sourced locally when possible and delivered by unicorns on a rainbow! OK, so maybe not that last part. But they ARE pretty unbelievable. They can be enjoyed by children as young as 6 months, but honestly I like ’em too! They come in yummy flavor combinations like Apple & Banana, Blueberry & Apple and Strawberry & Mango. The company itself is adorable with a fun sense of humor, just look at the package everything arrive in!

Back in April, Little Duck Organics also launched Mighty Oats, a certified organic instant cereal for little ones that comes in first-of-its-kind plantable and compostable packaging. Yes friends, you can PLANT THE BOX! The biodegradable cardboard packaging is embedded with veggie seeds. Super duper fun—and a perfect summertime activity! You can order Little Duck yummies from Amazon here or pop by Whole Foods. They also list retailers on the Little Duck site. If you give ’em a try, let me know what you think!

This is NOT a sponsored post, although Little Duck did provide me with samples of their product to try out. I just thought it was adorable and tasty and wanted to share….