I RESOLVE. . .

to be a better blogger!

i'm both shocked and embarrassed that i have not posted since november.  i meeaaaan, that's a lil ridic.  i have 101 excuses but i also resolve to stop making excuses . . . hmmm . . . so i guess i'll just start back up again and hope you'll forgive me?  pretty please with veuve on top?

via damsel in dior

the good news is that i have lots of fun things to share.  so much so that i don't even know where to begin {sigh}

how about the last 24 hours and then i'll work backwards?

first of all, santa brought me a new TV for my bedroom.  i saw an oprah once {God i miss that woman} that said there should be a NO TV in the bedroom rule. another friend {let's call her 'heater'} casually mentioned she didn't have one because it would mean the demise of her marriage.  so as CBC just hooked up 42 inches of marital doom, i realize that i'm okay with it.  i hope we are strong enough to make it through this new addition in our lives, but if not, i'm keeping the tv {and george.  obvs.} TV is pretty much the only thing i love more than . . . well, everything, including the horseface himself. {kidding. . . sort of}

okay, in another surprising turn of events, i attended my first patriots game yesterday!  it was about 46 degrees below zero and glorious.  i drank a thousand coors lights and officially feel foul as we enter 2013.  i resolve to do something about that, too.

so very very much more to share but i think i need a nap.  and the 42 inches of impending divorce is calling my name.

and then i need to rally for tonight.  i'm a little behind the 8 ball and there is more food & booze on the horizon.  obvs.  just what lil hoot needs.  i'm wearing this number.  and my hair pretty much looks like the model's right now so we're all set there.

oh, and i simply canNOT go another second without publicly thanking ms. meredith nelson photography, white loft studio, and the mostest fabulous friend and graphic designer evah, miss lucinda of chocolate creative design.  all these lovelies helped me create a pretty darn good Christmas card this year.  some of you are aware that i am in an intense Christmas card competition . . .  with myself.  i usually win.  ha!  {btw, i'm so glad i'm still hilare after my hiatus}

okay, so i'll send pics of the actual factual card later but here are the images we used.

can you even stand it?  this 'emergency' photo shoot with confetti was well worth the clean up.  i love these images with all of my heart for so many reasons.  not the least of which is that they will forever remind me of how lucky i am to have a friend like meredith, who despite me being a high-maint pain in the ass, miraculously still likes me.  oh, meredith, these bring me such joy, sweet lady.  you are amazing.  xoxoxo

oh and whaaattttt??  hello, my fave pup pictures EVAH.  when you see the rest of this gloriousness from miss heidi of white loft studio you just might die.  i want you all to make it to 2013 so i'll hold the rest back until then.  because i mean it, you'll DIE.  i have heart palpitations every time i look at them.

i am so darn lucky to have these talented ladies in my life.  they inspire me so and make my heart happy {so corny. . . so true}

miss lu also helped me with my fave christmas gift i've ever given.  ahhhhh, cannot wait to share with you!  i think tomorrow is the day as i can't think of a better way to kick off the new year of blogging.

happy happy happy new year to you all.  so sorry again for falling off the grid. 

i have missed you so and you'll be sick of me in no time.

and i leave you with this, because as previously mentioned, i heart oprah.

pantalones fantasticos

so what should i stroll around in this weekend?

let's be practical, people.  there are two facts about this weekend : it's going to be COLD and I'm most likely going to fall down.

lucky for moi, there are so many festive trousers to choose from this holiday season!

here are a few faves . . .some from my closet and some from my "pinterest closet"{aka never gonna happen} . . .

cafe capri in red tartan

gap legging cords

milly tuxedo pant

metallic skinny jeans

j. crew bow cord

7 for all mankind velvet

calypso sequin pant

happy holladays

sorry hoot has been on hiatus.  

survived thanksgiving weekend-  

bloodys & bagels took the cake- with host, MO {aka the gram} clinching MVP.  one for the books with a performance reminiscent of 'the year i ruined Christmas' circa 2000.  but that's a story for a different day, perhaps even a different blog.

 anyhoot, had a bah humbug moment yesterday when i publicly {via fb status} denounced sending Christmas cards in November, and apparently my wees are immune to the damn elf on the shelf.  wompwahhhhhh.  needless to say, i was not exactly in the Christmas spirit.

but then something magical occurred - my dear sweet oh so stylish ex-PS christina of c.k. & Gray texted me the link to this doormat.

and now it's GAME. ON.

with T minus 2 days until nantucket stroll, this is one jolly hoot reporting.  

image via i heart new england

{i may or may not have thrown up in one of those christmas trees last year.  doh! again, a story for another time. . .another blog}

let me know what you'd like to see on lil hoot this december. lil hoot gift guides?  guest gift guides?  you name it, and i'll do my best to make it happen.

merry merry!

monday fun{ny} day: thanksgiving

as i prepare to host my divorced {liberal} parents, {conservative} father in law and his girlfriend {first time meeting her}, my sister's multi-cultural family {including my 9 year old nephew aka george's nemesis}, and random pre-divorce friends of my parents, i found this to be appropriate.

i will be indulging in the usual excessive amount of bloody marys thursday morning at the o'neils annual bloodys & bagels party in anticipation of this blessed event.  

obvs.

have a safe and happy holiday week, everyone!

frenchie friday: bathtime

i went on a frenchie pinning spree the other night.  I have some amazing pics of G & LL to share soon so i think my excitement led me to get carried away on pinterest.

anyhoot, mine need a bath. . . badly.

image via sleeping frenchie

happy weekend!

totes not ready for . . .

this.

image via cuded

maybe i'd feel better if i dressed like this.

but i'll probably just stay inside and eat, drink, and watch TV.

stay warm & safe, everyone.

VOTE.

and then eat a cupcake if you want . . .

via martha stewart

because you can.

and that is truly something to celebrate.

monday fun{ny} day

always. . .

4! the princess & the cowgirl

last year i delivered a super emo birthday post, with an idea shamelessly stolen from miss meredith nelson, the ten things about you on your birthday idea, i mean, just too darn good not to swipe.

i'm going to be lazy and go off of last year's list: a) because as mentioned, i'm super lazy and b) i'm finding it interesting to see how things have evolved. . . or not so much.

phoebs.

1. You love pink and princesses and all things girly.

This year, you are proud to tell us, and i quote, you "love flowers & rainbows & princesses & sparkly things & the eiffel tower & all things that are beautiful."

2. You have spent about 50% of the last year wearing a tutu.

you have spent about 98 percent of the last year wearing multiple tutus.  multiple sources predict you have a future in high-fashion.

3. You also spent about half the year speaking with a scottish brogue. "I'm scarred" = i'm scared and "that's may charrr" = that's my chair. obvi.

you lost your brogue but still talk a little funny.  you put the wrong emPHASis on the wrong syLLABle quite often.

4. We love to talk about your 'crazy hair' that has only been cut once {a team effort by mommy and daddy.}

we still have not cut your hair!  and it is crazier then evah.

5. You're tall and skinny and strong. Just like when we brought you home from the hospital weighing 4 lbs. 7 ounces.

yup. such a scrapper. btw, we battle with you.  you do not love going to bed. . . or cleaning up . . .or listening in general.

6. You skip the tater tots and head right for the veggies, and then onto DESSERT, your fave.

hmmm, pretty sure you haven't touched a veggie in 2012.

7. You live in your own little world and we are so happy you let us be a part of it.

you are still in your own little world {see # 1}  your teachers tell us that you often skip snack because you are busy drawing & painting, mostly roses. obvs.

8. You pronounce about 17 different words - 'cock'. rock, sparkles, chalk, popsicle, clock, black, and so on and so forth. I'm pretty sure you do this to torture your father.

haha, forgot about this.  i think we are down to just a couple "cock" soundalikes.

9. Every night you want us to 'hold you like a baby' after your bath. We gladly oblige.

we still do this, more for us than for you.

10. {this one is new} you have recently changed your name to sarah grace.  because "it's a beautiful name and phoebe is a funny name"  whoops.  hoping we can move on from this sooner rather than later.

11. you are silly and lively and continue to live up to your name {your original given name, not sarah grace} 
phoebe = bright shining light.

and miss charlotte 

1. Nothing on this planet beats a Charlotte hug. You hug like you mean it.

this still holds true.  your hugs are ahhh-mazing.  and they come often, and they last a good long while.

2. After much discussion, it's official : Yellow is your favorite color.

yellow is still your fave.  you dig orange, too.

3. You ask A LOT of questions and you take the answers to heart.

yup.

4. You look exactly like I did when I was your age.

yup. it's crazy-town.

5. You are borderline obsessed with Kai-lan. 

hmmm, i did hear you counting in chinese the other day {pretend counting, obvs} but you aren't as smitten with kai-lan as your 3rd birthday.  peppa pig makes you LOL.  you worship TV in general {as does P}

6. You laugh hysterically whenever you attempt to throw a tantrum.

still true.  now we just say "charlotte, don't laugh, don't do it" works like a charm.  after you're done screaming at us to "go away!! everybody go away!", that is.

7. You've spent about 70 percent of the last year with a baseball cap on.

you totes ditched the cap!  maybe it's because you had horrible bangs last year?  you like to wear your hair "long".

8. You are a homebody. you're genuine 'i wanna go home' melts me every time.

you are still happiest in your "blue house."

9. You have a indescribable vulnerability about you that draws people in . .. and then there's also that smile of yours. 

this also remains the same, the sincerity and kindness in your dark brown eyes draws people in.  some people {ahem GNB, want to put you in their back pocket}

10. {new} you always put your shoes on the wrong feet.  let's work on this.
and the two of you together - well, i mean. . .

1. You talk and laugh for hours at naptime and bedtime. I'm already jeally of your bond.

you've added a little fighting to the mix, but you are truly built-in besties.

2. You are by far the worst 'dancers' in your ballet class and I just can't get enough of it.

your dance class is closed for viewing this year but i'm pretty sure you haven't made too many leaps and bounds in this category.

3. You like to tell people what kind of pizza your sister likes - pepperoni for charlotte, 'olibbs' for phoebe.

yup.

4. You worship your grandma. rightfully so.

more than evah.  you also love mimi, and frequently can be found packing for mimi's house in florida and then building a pretend airplane to get there.

5. You have played a very active role in planning your birthday party this year and lil hoot is very excited to give you a party with heart.

this is probably going to be a trend through the years.

6. You think we live in marblehead AND on nantucket and I'm pretty sure daddy is not going to buy us a house there before you're old enough to figure it out. 

you still have not figured this one out, often referring to our "nantucket house"

7. You adore your new cousin , a.k.a. "baby june". 

you still dig baby june, although i'm pretty sure she's going to lap you in pretty much everything within the month.

8. You love to "hide" on daddy when he comes home from work. This entails you running towards him screaming 'I'm hiding!' 

you still do this, you actually do hide for about twenty minutes before he gets home, then do the running and screaming towards him thing.

9. You're both painfully shy around other people. You are starting to grow out of it but we don't mind keeping you to ourselves for the time being.

still. so. shy.   and we still. don't. mind.
{except around your boo, g butts.  hoping you both don't stay in love with the same lil dude.  that could get sticky}

10. You've consumed enough fruit in the past year to ward off scurvy for life.

i literally cannot keep enough in the house.

11. You are so good to your doggies George and LooLoo. you are nothing but loving and gentle towards them. this is something i truly believe i taught you well. {c'mon people, you knew i couldn't write this post without mentioning the pups}

you still worship the pups.  often calling george "naughty" and " soooo handsome", a reminder that you are paying very close attention to the words out of mommy's mouth.  ruh-rowe!

11. YOU sing to US at bedtime now, and I am brought to tears- every. single. time.


this has become more of a dance party, and the tears are more in the form of laughs.  btw, charlotte you got my voice.  so sorry, my sweet.

12. {new one} you stole the hearts of many as aunnie ashly's flower girls.  nailed it.

13. mommy let you choose your halloween costumes for the first time this year.  phoebe, you chose a pretty barbie rocker princess outfit, and charlotte, in a sea of princess costumes, you chose a cowgirl outfit.  this pretty much says it all.

14. oh, one last thing. holy shiz, this is like 500 things, but i want you to know this.  whenever mommy is feeling like a waste of space, i look at you and think i must be doing something right.  you make me want to be better, you make me want to deserve you.

happy birthday, girls, with all of my heart.

frenchie friday : oui oui!

sooooooo . . . i'm pretty pumped about c & p's upcoming 4th birthday soiree.

and seeing my fave french pastry chef post this adorbs sketch of all the gloriousness she is cooking up {pun intended, obvs} makes me swoon!

here's a sneak peek.

worship.

jayme marie designs created the adorbs invite and other party paper goodies - much more to come on that later.  it's literally like Christmas morning when a package arrives from jayme.  LOVE-love her and her work.

if you aren't a fan already, head over to jayme's facebook page and give pickwick baking co. some love while you're at it.

merci!

happy weekend!

G party: after

at the risk of offending multiple readers, here are the G pics.  i feel obligated to share, but I do not take responsibility for any of these animals friends' creative minds hard at work, especially our winners.

try not to judge and enjoy!

xoxo