summer remnants

mommy: dress :: ark & co (via olive & tweed) // earrings :: olive & tweed // cuff (right wrist) :: gas station // red bangle :: vintage // amber & gold bangle (left wrist) :: banana republic // sandals :: bandolino // satchel :: street level (via olive & tweed) // sunglasses :: juicy couture

kumquat: patriotic outfit walmart

Finally getting around to posting these photos from Independence Day weekend; Kumquat was too young to appreciate the parade last year, so her second 4th of July was a bit more exciting than the first (although the recurrent ear infections made it somewhat more miserable as well). We caught the parade in Tooele with Grandma, Great-Grandpa and the cousins before heading back up to Park City/Heber, where she watched fireworks with her dad. Mother Nature even cooperated, giving us just enough cloud cover to prevent frying (I burned, but Kumquat just seems to turn more and more brown).


I picked this dress up from Olive & Tweed in Park City around mid-summer - it was a bit of a risk for me style-wise, but I love the drama of the sleeves and the pretty crochet waistband. It would be perfect for an early-twenty-something to wear to a music festival as a dress, but as an almost-thirty-year-old mom, I think I'll like it better this fall, when I can pair it with some pretty burgundy cable knit leggings.

Seeing the cooler weather trends begin to appear in fashion magazines and on the blogs has me longing for the season change. I love fall, and even winter. I enjoy the easygoing, laid back vibe of summer, but I've never been much a fan of the unbearably hot weather and stripped as-bare-as-possible wardrobe. Real style, I think, is in the mixing and matching and layering, putting new looks together out of meaningful pieces, then disassembling those looks to make new ones out of the same pieces. Summer is about tank tops and sundresses, which are lovely, but chunky cable knits, luxurious textures, deep hues and trench coats are more my thing. There's nothing better than being buried in layers.

That being said, the onset of fall fashion has even me savoring every last bit of summer. It's Kumquat's second, but the first one she can really enjoy, and I find myself re-experiencing a bit of childhood through her. I love introducing her to all the things I loved doing as a kid - it's sort of like having some of that time back. Last week, I let her play in the puddles after a rainstorm, and it was the closest thing to peace I've felt in ages. The first part of summer sort of slipped away from us; I start working (almost) full time again next week, and there's still so much fun to be had.

mom & kumquat's late summer bucket list

1. Go to Lagoon (again).

2. Play in a stream.

3. Go for a walk in the rain.

4. Hit a new playground.

5. Make some new friends (for both of us).

6. Have a picnic.

7. Go hiking.

8. Feed the ducks.

9. Stargazing.

10. Read a book together.

11. Go on a mommy/daughter date.

12. Find an awesome apartment.

13. Fill our "be awesome" journal with awesome stuff.

What are your plans for the last bit of summer? Any adventures you'd like to have before fall sweeps in? Leave your thoughts and suggestions for fun to be had in the comments.