Spring Longchamp Colors

I love the Medium Le Pliage Longchamp bags and usually get a new one every fall and spring, 

but the last couple of years they did not have any colors that I was thrilled with.

Well this spring they are making up for it and I may have to get two or three...

just in case they don't make good colors next year!

Here are my top three favorite colors...

Medium Le Pliage in Lagoon

Medium Le Pliage in Pink

Medium Le Pliage in Azure

It is going to be very hard to choose....what do you think?

The Story of Us...with a Guest Post

I posted about D's and my engagement here

but there a a cute story to how we met.

The story, however, is a little different based on who tells it...

My husband is guest posting with his version of how we met.

Here is "he said she said..."

Here we are in at the Chicago Yacht Club in 1986...gotta love the 80's hair.

She said...

I was vacationing on Mackinac Island, Michigan with my BFF and her family.

It was 1986, the summer before my senior year of high school.

We were on the island during the Port Huron-to-Mackinac yacht race,

and headed downtown on the evening that all of the sailors arrived.

We were walking around the dock when my BFF and I were invited on to a boat for a tour...

It was the sailors from the USNA sailing team.

NICE.

We hung out for awhile on the boat and then decided to head to the Grand Hotel.

There was a jazz concert in the gardens and D and I sat on the lawn all evening and talked.

It felt like I had known him for 100 years.

Before long, it was dark and chilly.

He loaned me his USNA sailing team jacket to keep warm.

The evening flew by and my BFF and I had to make it home before curfew.

It was about a mile walk...and it was cold.

D told me to keep his jacket and bring it back in the morning.

We would have breakfast together before they headed to Chicago for the Chicago-to Mackinac race.

Early the next morning, my BFF and I headed straight for docks.

Uh-Oh....their boat was gone.

The crew that was rafted off of the USNA boat said they had pulled out early.

I had D's jacket.

Well....a USNA sailing team jacket would have been a GREAT souvenir from the summer.

However, I NEVER thought for a moment about keeping his jacket.

I was actually worried about how he was going to stay warm during the rest of his races.

We were heading home the next day and I happened to live only 90 minutes from Chicago...

so I figured out when D's boat would arrive in Chicago,

and a friend and I drove over to the Chicago Yacht Club to return his jacket.

I was waiting on the dock when they pulled in...

he was shocked I was there....WITH his jacket.

I gave it back to him.

We spent an amazing afternoon in Chicago, walking around the city 

and talking for hours.

We parted with a hug and promised to be pen pals.

And we were for many years.

Fate brought us together once, and it brought us together again 20 years later.

The rest, as they say, is history.

These are the members of the USNA sailing team from 1986 at their USNA 20th reunion.

They all remembered me as "jacket girl" and are D's closest friends from the academy.

He Said...

It was the summer of 1986 and I was a second class midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.  Translated to English, that means that I was about to start my junior year of college.  The Naval Academy had, and still has, an offshore sailing team and when I was there, we sailed a variety of donated boats between 40 to 68 feet long.  That summer, and all of the previous year, I was on a green 49 ft S&S called Cinnabar.  The crew was excited because that summer we were departing from the normal New England race circuit and headed for the Great Lakes.  It was probably because our skipper, TJ, was from Detroit and pulled a few strings.  You might ask why we were so excited… well, you have to understand that on the New England race circuit, the locals all knew all about midshipmen and how much trouble they could make.  On the Great Lakes, midshipmen still had a pristine reputation and the locals were more likely to be friendly and want to get to know us.  You might say that we were more of a novelty in the Midwest. 

So, after finishing my military training during the first half of the summer, TJ’s dad sent his plane down to Annapolis to fly 4 of us to Port Huron to meet the Cinnabar and the rest of the crew, who were already there.  I sure was right… the locals in Port Huron loved us and would not let us buy our own beer.  It was a blast.  A few days later we raced to Mackinac Island and when we arrived, it was even better than Port Huron (no offense intended to Port Huron).  While we were cleaning up the boat, 2 girls walked by and we did what we always did when they were good looking… we invited them to “see” our boat.  They accepted and after a quick tour, I headed into town with the prettier of the two girls.  We walked to the Grand Hotel and listened to a jazz concert.  After spending the day together, she needed to head back to the house where she was staying.  It had started to get chilly, so I gave her my sailing team jacket for the walk back and she promised to bring it back the next morning before we left.  Well, the next morning, she was nowhere to be found, and so we got underway for Chicago WITHOUT my jacket.  You can only imagine the grief and ribbing that I got from my shipmates for giving away my jacket.  I had to listen to it for three days straight. 

We pulled into the Chicago Yacht Club, but had to raft out about 10 boats.  That meant that we had to cross 10 boats to get to the pier.  One of my shipmates told me that the girl with my jacket was waiting for me on the pier.  I could not believe it. So I started to walk across boats and had to make a quick decision about half way across.  A woman sitting in the cockpit of one of the boats asked me if I was a ring knocker (midshipman), and invited my down below for a drink (wink wink).  It was a tough call, but I chose to decline and continued heading to the pier.  Sure enough, there was P, with my jacket.  We had a wonderful night, walking around Chicago.  It was my first time there and P was my tour guide.  We had to say goodbye, because the next day I was leaving on Cinnabar to race back to Mackinac.  I was so glad that P brought my jacket back. She made quite an impression on me.

Truth in advertising: the morning that I left Mackinac and P was supposed to meet me, we left a few hours early.  There were no cell phones back then, so I had no way to tell her.  She probably thought I stood her up when she arrived at the pier and I was gone.

So that is the story of us....you can decided which story is the more ACCURATE version!

By the way....my husband's real name is Jim.

My friends who follow my blog have asked me why I use "D" as his initial.
When I met D back in 1986, he introduced himself as Damien.

That was the name that was embroidered on his USNA sailing team jacket.

He explained that he got that nickname from his sailing teammates

because he frequently was sailing their boat at 6.66 knots.

So I have always known my husband as Damien, 

and when we were pen pals, I abbreviated his name to "D"

and have always called him just "D".
Several years ago, D asked me if I ever had a nickname.
My brother had a nickname for me...
"Prissy Chrissy"
And I don't think he meant that in an endearing way...lol.
So D shortened it to "P"
and that is what he calls me.

When we are at his work functions or other events where I have to call him "Jim,"

and he has to call me "Christine," it feels weird...lol!

Weeks in Review

So....I have not dropped off the face of the earth.

If you follow me on Instagram (suburbcharm) you will know what I've been doing.

I'm back to the cray cray schedule.

Here is what I have been up to...

Caroline had all four of her wisdom teeth pulled two weeks ago.

Poor baby!

I was up at 11:00pm, 2:00am, 5:00am to give her pain meds for a week.

I don't do well with no sleep.

Like NOT well at all...ask D.

So D and I had been talking about getting a new mattress for awhile,

and randomly bought one when we were not planning on it.

I wanted to move our old Queen into Teddy's room.

He had two twins and he is the tallest in the family now 

and can barely fit in a twin bed.

So I had to find a headboard for him....

I found this amazing solid mahogany bed on Craig's List for a steal.

AND the seller was SO nice and offered to deliver it to my home.

 I moved his twin mattresses into Jack's room because his are newer than Jack's.

So the boys bunked together until my new mattress was delivered later that week.

DISASTER

I'm not going to mention any names here,

but I was concerned that our bed would be too tall with a regular box spring.

They make a "low profile" box spring, 

but I was assured that our new mattress was not much thicker than our old one.

So we bought the regular box spring.

Let's just say on the day of the delivery, I could have used a Xanax.

The delivery guys took the two twin beds from Jack's room, 

moved my Queen into Teddy's room,

and brought my mattress and box spring in.

You literally could not even see the headboard of our bed the mattress was so tall.

AND

they delivery drivers said I needed four more supports to hold the weight of the mattress.

I called and arranged for the low profile box spring to be brought out the next week.

I called my Virginia dad to come over STAT to build a "foot" support for the center of the bed rails.

I went to Lowes to purchase four more bed rails.

It all worked out...I slept on "monster bed" for a week.

But I had to use my desk chair to get up into the bed.

No Joke.

And here is Teddy's bed...

His room is a work in progress....clearly.

I made the mistake of moving his furniture around without asking him, 

which involved moving his speakers.

I was informed that you NEVER move a man's speakers without asking.

OK.

Meanwhile...

Katherine and Caroline found their baby "blankies" hidden in my dresser drawer.

I let them have a little snuggle before hiding them in a new spot.

This past weekend we had ALL EIGHT KIDS HOME!!!!

First time in OVER a year!!!!

We took the entire family to see Jersey Boys...(Christmas gift from Michigan parents)

It was GREAT, however I do not recommend for an eight year old.

He learned quite a few new words.

We were in three rows....it really was a great show.

And we all went out to dinner together after the show.

Back to the mattress trauma...

I did not have a mattress pad or sheets that would fit an 18" mattress, 

so off to HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls I went.

SCORE!

The Le Creuset dutch oven I wanted for Christmas was on CLEARANCE!

I used it last night to make sausage chowder!

Sadly, I had to pass up these babies...

Literally no place in my house to use them.

Travel baseball winter conditioning has started...

AT 7:30 AM ON SATURDAY MORNINGS

who in the world thought that was a good idea?

And Jack has started club volleyball on Sundays.

Katherine is cheering for varsity basketball 

and studying for the SAT & ACT.

Caroline heads back to the University of Kansas on Monday (boo hoo)

and Teddy has decided he wants to go to Stanford,

and has miraculously become very responsible about doing his homework.

On another note, 

after much thought, discussion, and with the permission of my children,

I have decided that I will post my children's first names.

In reality, anyone could figure their names out in about five seconds

with all of the social media connections.

(I used them in this post)

Well..that's what's been going on here at Hotel Chadsworth...happy day!

Loafer Love

Normally I am a ballet flat kinda girl...

I live in Tory Burch Revas or Talbots flats most of the time,

but when it is REALLY cold and I want to wear socks,

I head for a classic loafer.

Here are a few that I love...

Ralph Lauren Navy Blue Suede Loafer

A classic style...goes with everything too!

GH Bass Pink Patent Penny Loafer

Ultimate self control to not order these...they are on sale too!

Ferragamo Black Driving Moccasin

These also come in PINK!

Gucci Brown Horse Bit Loafer

This is the mother of all loafers...and they come in EVERY color!

There are many other classic loafers out there...

Tory Burch makes a great driving moccasin and Michael Kors also has some cute ones.

If we are talking snow or ice, I reach for my Bean boots,

but on freezing cold days like these last two days,

I head for a pair of knee socks and a classic loafer to wear with a pair of warm pants!

2013 in Review

I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and do a year in review...

I learned one thing...

I need to take more pictures.

MANY more pictures.

Fortunately, my sweet husband got me a new camera for Christmas.

So...here is the best of 2013!

January

My children and I flew to my Michigan parent's house after Christmas 2012,

and spent a wonderful week playing in the snow

and visiting family.

 My boys...I LOVE this picture.

 First experience in snow sports!

My kids, my Michigan parents, my brother and his family, and my sister and BIL.

February

February brought a cheering competition in Washington DC, 

so we camped out at the Mancave (D's apartment) for the weekend 

and had a wonderful  family dinner at the Army Navy Country Club.

Dinner at ANCC

 They secured first place!

That is my super star daughter in the front row (in the air) on the far right!

March

We visited my Virginia parents in Florida 

for a much needed week long vacation in Lido Beach.

We celebrated Easter with my Virginia parents later that month.

The view from our condo in Lido Beach..it was a little chilly that week!

 Virginia mom and the twins

April

April brought the birth of Suburban Charm, 

as well as my birthday and the Navy Submarine Birthday Ball.

(first time D went as a civilian...no mess dress!)

 I LOVE getting dressed up!

Happy Birthday to me!

May

My baby came home from her first year away at the University of Kansas!

Baseball season was in full swing!

I also tagged along on one of D's business trips 

and we stopped by my Michigan parents' on our way home!

After an unscheduled overnight in Cleveland due to mechanical difficulties,

we made it to Wisconsin the next morning with five minutes to spare before D's presentation.

LOVED going to a jazz gig my Michigan dad plays string bass in...it was FABULOUS!

Visiting the winery, 45 North, where my BIL works....tasting!

 Welcome home dinner with her RVA friends

BFFs

June

One word:

BASEBALL

(All Stars)

 

July

Baseball...they made it to the state tournament in Arlington, VA,

and we made it into a mini family vacation. 

We had Louisiana daughter visiting for the month and Kansas daughter for a week!

We also celebrated a birthday

and rounded out the month with a vacation and sailing lessons at my Michigan parent's house!

Louisiana daughter arrived for a month long visit!

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC

Ham of the Fam

 Cooling down in-between games

 My Michigan dad and my sibs...miss them so much!

Michigan mom, sis, and the triplets picking raspberries.

 Sailors

 All three qualified!

Birthday celebration with their cousins!

August

August brought another birthday and a trip to Cooperstown, NY

for the twins to participate in a baseball tournament at the

Baseball Field of Dreams.

And of course it was back to the University of Kansas for my oldest daughter.

 Birthday Girl

My girls the night before I left to take my baby back to Kansas.

It was an amazing week with great friends! 

My boys....someone hit their VERY first home run ever that week!

September

Back to school.

Middle school football.

Travel Baseball.

Varsity sideline cheering.

And NAVY football, including D's USNA 25th reunion!!!

It's her Junior year....YIKES!

My baby boy! I don't like it when he is tackled!

Playing QB

New travel team the "Virginia Cobra's"

My left-handed pitcher!

Our awesome season tickets!

 Tailgating!

D's BFF and fellow USNA grad, BT and his wife (also a BFF from his high school days)

October

More baseball, more football, more cheering, more USNA football games,

the ORC...which I STILL have yet to completely finish, 

my daughter was initiated into the National Honor Society,

and MANY birthdays!

NHS Initiation night...so proud!

Working on my ORC.... 

Celebrating some of the October birthdays...both my Virginia parents, and my twins.

 

A surprise weeknight visit from D for the birthday party!

November

Wrapping up the fall sports...just in time for Thanksgiving!

And new carpeting on our stairs...so excited!

More time for homework now that sports have ended...does he look happy?

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

(and it's still clean)

Thanksgiving!

December

Well...December was a blur.

But it was a fabulous holiday and it was so good having everyone home!

We had all of the children home except D's #2, who was dearly missed!

We will have ALL eight home next weekend!!!

I hope you enjoyed my year in review!