For Mom

Happy Mother's Day to the woman who has always loved and supported me (even through my angsty teenage years)! My mom is one of my biggest fans. Ever since I was a little girl, she has encouraged me to be myself and to follow my dreams, even when that meant majoring in vocal music. (And attending a far-too-expensive university.) Of course I ended up going down a different path, but she never questioned my choices, if they were lucrative or stable career moves; she just wanted me to be happy. As a journalist, I can count on her to read every story I write, and she's proud of each one. (And, though she doesn't comment, my mother is a loyal reader of this blog.) When I was planning my wedding last year, she was there for me every step of the way, as a sounding board when I needed to vent or as a shoulder to cry on, and she gave anything and everything she could to help make it a dream day for me and for G. As with most mother-daughter duos, we've had our not-so-great moments and we don't always agree, but I'm glad we have an authentic, honest, unfiltered relationship. And as I've gotten older I've come to appreciate her unwavering love and support that much more.

So Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I wish I could be back home in California to celebrate with you, but I'm sending lots of love from Florida!

Suit Up + 20% off at Anthro!

I stumbled upon this tankini earlier this week, put it in my online shopping cart and then proceeded to have an internal debate about whether or not to go ahead and take the plunge. (Pun intended.) I love the peplum detail. It's cute, stylish and modest—a hard combo to come by in swimwear but perfect for me since I am not-so-comfortable rockin' a bikini at the moment. (While wedding planning helped me lose a few pounds, marriage has helped me added them all back!) I almost went for the white floral version, but the hubby liked the blue best and it's hard for me to resist bird-printed anything. (Can you see the little hummingbirds? There are fishes, too.)

My internal debate stemmed from the $122 price tag. I was hoping for a coupon code to magically come my way and make the decision of to-purchase-or-not-to-purchase easier and, as luck would have it, today I got my wish! In celebration of Mother's Day, Anthropologie is offering 20% off ALL merchandise (that's pretty unheard of except on Black Friday) with the code XOXO. The discount is only good through the weekend, online and in stores, so if you've been eyeing something like I was, get to shopping! And if you haven't picked up a gift for your mom or other mother figures in your life, Anthro has so many wonderful options to choose from, like this gorgeous candle or this one in her zodiac sign, a pretty pot to add to her garden, an ultra-fem fragrance, a special, whisper-soft robe that will remind her she's beautiful, and a wanderlust-y mug to hold her morning cup of coffee. Find more Mother's Day gift ideas at Anthro here.

I'm tempted to take that 20% off and go on a shopping spree! As my husband can attest, I can easily spend hours in an Anthropologie store, mostly on the home goods side. I want everything. But for now, I'm just hoping I won't hate the swimsuit the moment I put it on. Fingers crossed.

Happy shopping and happy weekend!