Happening Lately + Happy Links.

It's been quite a few weeks! Does anyone else feel that way? Gosh this Spring weather has me feeling all sorts of hopefulness about life. It's just wonderful. I wanted to share a few things we've been up to and some fun links around the web that are making me smile BIG this week.

This Little Collage:
Top Left: Colored my hair again. It's going from ombre to straight up bronde. // Top Right: I found roses growing in my yard. I almost cried because I almost BOUGHT SOME to grow this summer. Best discovery ever. // Bottom Left: My friend Liz brought over freshly picked organic strawberries. Because she's the sweetest human on this grand Earth. I made strawberry bread. // Bottom Right: As you know, Everett's puppy Oscar has been coming to life lately, even to the point of eating pizza with us. The most recent display of Oscar's independence was when Everett "took him potty". I wasn't pleased. But I was laughing. //

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Happy Links!
The Target+Marimekko Line launching April 17. I want it all. Which isn't working out too well for my new "get rid of everything" philosophy, thanks to Marie Kondo.

Oh, and you want to know about Marie Kondo? She's the one making me throw everything out that doesn't "spark joy" anymore. This book and her disciplined approach to eliminating clutter will inspire you. And really mess with your closet.
Eagerly awaiting the release of the Sonnet James Spring Line which launches April 19. I am panting like a dog for another one of these dresses.

This gal's hair tutorials have me inspired. I don't have much time to get fancy, but when I have some unwashed day-old hair, I like to try out some of her braid inspirations.

I'm hosting a little Stella and Dot party at the end of this month (which is drool-worthy jewelry and accessories), and I wanted to share this link with all of you to join the fun virtually! I'm swooning over this leather wrap, this gold cuff, this split ring and these chandelier earrings. When you get to the check out screen, make sure to type in my name "Kristen Hale" as the hostess, because that gives me some credit for pointing you in their direction :) Happy shopping friends!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand finally, this cookbook is out, as of yesterday! I am a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's previous cookbook's, because they are brimming with super healthy meals that taste really indulgent. I never feel like I'm "eating healthy" with her recipes - so excited for this new book!

Last but not least, I'm published! I'm super proud that my travel review of yurting at Sweetwater Creek State Park (though it's the tiniest article I've probably ever written) was published on Atlanta Magazine Online! Make sure to check it out and maybe leave a comment to make me look popular. P.S. You can check out more of my recently published work on this page. I even wrote a cover story on a 20-time Ironman athlete this month! The fun never stops over here, friends. Although the napping should probably start.

Happy linkage to you!

Springtime in Georgia.

Wearing: Banana Republic Heritage Floral Silk Ruffle Dress (c/o) in dark cypress & Eryn Heeled Sandal (c/o) in blue. Michael Kors pave ring. Necklace from a Boston street vendor. Anthropologie earrings (similar here). Photos by Rachel Hill.

These are the good old days.

I am realizing it only because I keep pinching myself. Like, is this weather really real?! The azaleas in Georgia during this fleeting span of a mere few weeks are second to no other charming southern foliage. Okay, I haven't seen the Cherry Blossoms in D.C. yet (it's on the bucket list!) but I will still argue this with anyone. Because the azaleas are a Georgia thing. Yes, they can grow elsewhere, but the great, humid state of Georgia is where these decadent shrubs comfortably sprawl out and revel in their decades of vibrant bounty. And the lifespan is short - the blazing shades of graceful rose, audacious coral and heated scarlet have a way of planting seeds into the sensations of your memory. Then after 3-4 weeks, they lose their flowering wonder, and elegantly defer to regularity once again. So these are the days, right now, to remember! This unapologetic breezy weather and saturated azaleas that are currently mid-bloom have me feeling all whimsical and hopeful that this season shift symbolizes more than just new growth in my backyard. Springtime is for more than just dreaming - its for action! This is the time to, quite literally, spring forward into motion on all those things that have been filling the to-do lists in my mind. No better time than the present to clean out my closet, clean up my desk, write the difficult posts that have been eluding me and continue chipping away at a few dreams.

Banana Republic was kind enough to send me this killer dress and shoes (how did they know I have a zillion weddings coming up??), which gave me the timely opportunity to try everything on and prance around outside in this coveted weather - taking captive the moment to really appreciate this season. Springtime, yes, but also THIS SEASON. The one I'm living. This season of young motherhood, of budgeting every dollar, of relentlessly writing and wondering if I will ever become everything I want to be. I live in this tension - and you probably do too - of hoping for more while trying really hard to appreciate everything I have right now.  I am so grateful for these gentle moments of reminder. It seems to me that we rarely ever know that we are living in the good old days. But as I take a moment to really ponder it, to feel the gratitude of the life I'm living, I wholeheartedly admit it. Standing in this silk dress, almost lost in the azaleas of my hometown, after so many tiring journeys and yet with so much life still before me - this is the truth. These are my good old days. And I intend to make good on them.

This post is sponsored by Banana Republic, who provided free product in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weekend Things.

Weekend Things.

On Sunday afternoon I sat underneath this Japanese Maple tree in my parents yard and looked up.

It made me think a little bit.

You can choose to look a lot of ways. You can choose to look down at your phone and see all the things you need to do on your iCal, all the people that you compare yourself to on Instagram, or all the time you can waste play Candy Crush. Or you could choose to look around you, and see the many many things you "need" to do - laundry, to-do lists, cleaning, work email, etc. Or you could choose to look up. Look up and notice the sky. Feel the quietly warming air. Notice the birds that are soaring freely above. Notice the Japanese Maple blooming right before your eyes.

It was a little bit of a wake-up call.

I think I'm gonna start looking up more. It's really so very pretty to look up.

A few fun things from the weekend:

It Is Written.

I found out that a blog post I wrote a while ago about Mompetition was quoted in a parenting round-up article by the USA Today Parenting Community! You can see it here (I am #74, haha, it's a small quote in an obviously ginormous article - BUT STILL.)

Chew.

Everett got a package in the mail from his friend Elias from ALASKA. Well, they haven't exactly met yet, even though they were born on the same day. They're birthday buds. Anyway, he got the raddest toy with his name monogrammed right on it and he hasn't taken it out of his mouth since then. I am officially obsessed with Bannor Toys. Thank you so much!

Burpees with Baby.

A snapshot of my view doing burpees by the lake. Everett kind of smirks at me while I do them, and if I'm not looking at him I'm down on the ground looking at the lake. It's kind of brown. Because, Georgia. PS if anyone has any tips on losing baby weight and getting back into shape, I am all ears! I can't seems to shake off these extra lbs. pooling around my waist, hips and thighs. I know, I know, I had a baby and "things will never be the same", but I've been working hard to get back at it. And at this point, I'm doing all I know to do and my old tricks aren't having quite the same effect that they used to.... thoughts? Hacks??

Spring!

Spring. We've been waiting for you. Even though you come with the pollen (my solemn foe), you also come with blooms and humidity and saturated colors and I CAN TAKE MY BABY OUTSIDE. Praise report. Because staying cooped up with him is torture for both of us. So thank you, dear spring, for forcing your way upon winter. I welcome your bravery.

Hot Date. Like, Picante.

We went on a date the other night. It wasn't the kind of date where you dress up snazzy and put on perfume. It was more like, the baby is down for the night, hand the monitor over to my mom... and then what? We debated even going, because of the exhaustion. But gosh, we are tired each and every night so that doesn't seem like a good enough reason to crash into bed and binge-watch Netflix AGAIN. So we decided that good southern Mexican food (which Boston and New York could never offer good versions of) sounded so delicious. I have this rule about Mexican food places though. I don't like smelling my purse the next day. So we dressed down into our sweats and went "casual" AKA I didn't brush my hair and I got to pull out my "Jenny from the Block" sweat suit that everyone I know hates. Seriously. But its so comfyyyyy. And anyways I throw everything in to the washing machine the second I get home because I have a crazy nose and can't handle it. But the margarita is so worth it! Also it was my first marg in 18 months. Yes, you read that correctly.

Presents!

Last week's winner for the Milkmaid Nursing Pillow giveaway has been announced (you can still use the code OYKRISTEN for 15% off on the site!), but there is still a giveaway going on for the Baya Diaper Clutch. Make sure to enter now, it closes Tuesday at midnight!

Have the happiest Monday :) What are you excited about this week?

A Lazy Hour in the Boston Public Garden.

Baaaaahstan.

The past few weeks have been a blur. I've been coupling moving prep and baby prep with an attempt to experience each moment fully engaged. These last experiences of living in New York, these last weeks as a non-mother, these last moments of selfish quiet. It's been sweet. But also a bit alarming. I've felt calm, but there is an undercurrent of expectation about the upcoming transitions.

As a wonderful break from all of these internal musings and introspective processing about LIFE, Stevie & I took a quick road trip up to Boston. It was his birthday weekend (yeeeeee!!) and also his 1-year class reunion, and we hate to miss a good party. Although I stood far too long chit-chatting (my feet/legs/back yelled at me for days after), it was SO GOOD to connect with our dear-hearted Boston buddies. We capped off the weekend with a stroll through one of my favorite Boston landmarks, the Public Garden.

As we wandered through the truly mesmerizing array of tulips, weeping willows and the lazy waters, I was immediately struck with a moment of memory. I remember walking through this exact part of the garden, this exact bend in the path, 3 years earlier. We had just moved to Boston, didn't know a SOUL in this town, and sauntered through the garden in dumbfounded wonder. It was just such a beautiful, new place. I remember saying to Stevie, "Let's really enjoy this day. Because next week, you're going to start classes, and we will meet people, and start to have things to do and life will be different forever. But here and now, we don't know anyone and we don't have any responsibility. Let's enjoy it!" And we did.

Ah, youth. I hadn't even graduated college at that point. My oh my.

And here I am, only 3 years later, walking through the same garden, the fresh aromatic flowers bursting with bloom, and I am pregnant with our first child. Um, whoa. So much has changed in just 3 years. SO MUCH. And now, instead of Boston being a sort of scary, unknown place of potential dreams, it is in our rear view mirror as a marvelous hub of memories. It is safe. I can't believe how quickly this life has happened.

// The originals from

Make Way for Ducklings.

(Trish, should I cry now or later??) //

// ACTUAL ducklings. //

// Isn't it just so loungy and lovely? //

// We found swans. //

// They were pregnant too! //

// Growing growing growing. //

// This is Stevie's fave: If you look closely, you will see a tiny little bird drinking right next to the squirrel. Priceless shot, Mister Hale. //

One Hour.

I am incredibly grateful for the small moment I got to spend in this sanctuary of bliss. We don't know when we will be back in Boston again, but I have a feeling that the next time, I will be wrestling my son to not jump into the swan water :) And I will probably have another one of those "We've been here before..."-moments. My, oh my.

Happy day to you, friends.