these are slew of my favorite things - may edition

Even though May is technically still Spring, I feel like the month of May officially kicks off Summer.  However, I live in Colorado and after a few days of 90 degree weather followed by two snowstorms in the last two weeks, those few months of longer days and breezy nights feel a tad out of reach. But I digress. Let me get back to my initial sunny disposition...

"May came out full of bloom and beauty."

-"A Little Girl in Old Boston" by Amanda Millie Douglas

I get giddy at the sight of flower buds in Spring and cheery at the drop of a leaf in Fall but Summer is where it's at for me. May is the beginning of pool days, spontaneous day trips, brunch on the patio, "porch happy hours" with the neighbors while we watch our kids play in the yard, and lazy days where we do absolutely nothing. Below is a list of things that make the kick-off to summer a little more sweeter for me...

The Magnolia Journal - Summer 2017 

Perfect for poolside reading. Plus, who doesn't love Chip and Jo?(I'm OBSESSED) Filled with great articles including a hilarious one written by Chip that talks  about embracing the "Dad Bod", yummy recipes, family oriented activities, and of course some serious home decor eye candy. 

Available for subscription here

Also available at Barnes and Noble Stores Nationwide

Bath and Body Works La Collection Francaise "La Fleur" Body Lotion

and Grove Collaborative Mint and Argan Oil Lip Balm

So I walked into BBW last week planning on buying some gifts for Minis teachers but ended up snagging a bunch of stuff for myself. The first thing I noticed about "La Fleur" was its chic packaging. I am a sucker for cool packaging and the new horizontal containers, simple fonts with the new scents caught my eye. I immediately fell in love with this scent. So refreshing and light. Whats even more awesome is that the scent last like, ALL DAY.

I'll mention Grove Collaborative again a little later but I received this lip balm in this months delivery. The mint leaves a tingly sensation on your lips and continuously hydrates throughout the day. 

"La Fleur" available at BBW stores Nationwide

Lip Balm available at GroveCollborative. com

SoDo Village Market

(Local Shout-out)

Last weekend the girls and I took a stroll down South Downing and discovered this little gem. Sodo is a small neighborhood grocery store where locals can get produce, farm fresh eggs, milk, artisan cheeses, and select cuts.  It was charming to say the least and even though I don't live in that neighborhood, I will make it a point to drop in every now and then. 

SoDo Village Market

2395 South Downing Street
Denver, Colorado, CO 80210

(303) 880-3900

www.sodovillagemarket.com

Salty Road Salt Water Taffy in Salty Caramel Apple

I looooove salt water taffy and am not ashamed to admit that I will binge eat these bad boys. I was first introduced to these delectable bites when I received a box in my Amazon Surprise Sweets box. I devoured them and ordered more online. Salty Road was born in 2011 in a small home kitchen but is now a full fledged candy factory operating in Brooklyn, NY. Each morsel is creamy and rich with flavor and have a subtle salty crunch. Caramel Apple is my favorite, but Peanut, Vanilla, Mango, and Peppermint are just a few of the other flavors SR has to offer. 

Available online at www.thesaltyroad.com

jujube Be Light and Be Quick

Be Quick and Be Light in "First Lady"

My diaper bag is less "bag" and more like cargo. I fill it with literally everything! In case of a catastrophic event, the girls and I will be prepared. However... schlepping around that behemoth is not necessary for quick runs to the grocery store. For short outings I usually take this tote. It's lightweight and big enough to carry a a wet bag filled with a change of clothes(blowouts really do blow) , my wallet, changing pad, and a Be Quick that is filled with diapers, wipes, butt balm, and sanitizer. If the jujube lingo is confusing, consider yourself lucky. Once discovered, buying(more like collecting) jujube can become highly addicting. The functionality and endless prints of these bags can put a dent in your wallet for sure. 

Available at shop.ju-ju-be.com

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day in "Basil"

Is it weird that I love quality cleaning products? Mrs. Meyers is my go to in this house. I have a bottle of the multi-surface cleaner in each bathroom and keep the stock pile of other bottles under the kitchen sink. MM is 98% natural and gets the job done without the use of harsh chemicals and smells pretty great too. You can find MM at most grocery and big box stores, but I buy a majority of our household supplies from Grove Collaborative, an online B Corp. that offers natural, non-toxic household products. Items usually cost a tad less than grocery stores and GC does a great job at offering bigger discounts when you buy in bundles. Click below to get $10 off your first order!

Available at grovecollaborative.com

Hello, its me...

Its me, Alicia. Returning to the blogging world after 3.5 years. Instead of a long drawn out post covering my years being M.I.A. I will keep it short and sweet and just stick to the basics.

Life Change #1
Mini is still my Mini, just not so mini anymore:

Here she is all in all her glory, cooking away in the buff because that's how Mini rolls. She is now six and a half, a tad taller, a lot more talkative, and a little more independent from when you last saw her.

Life Change #2
WontonMommy of one is now WontonMommy of two:

Meet, Dumpling (see what I did there?) a.k.a Mika (Mee-Kah) born February 5th, 2017. It's too early to tell if this one will be as precocious as her predecessor, but she definitely keeps this house on our toes, she's quickly risen to Boss Baby status.

Life Change #3
Cash me in da fleet.

After Baby #2, Hubs and I decided it was time for me to leave the workforce. It's been an adjustment, but reality finally sank in when one morning while dropping Wonton off at school we were siting at a red light. The light turned green, I proceeded, and then turned left. Looking in my review mirror I noticed there was a convoy of SUV's behind me, we were all heading to the same place: the drop off lane of our kids school. Stepping out of the car in my yoga pants, puffy down jacket, and rocking my "mom-bun"... it became Crystal clear, I am officially a SAHM. After years of a steady 9 to 5, I now report to a Minecraft obsessed kindergartner and a demanding milk-drunk baby.

So there you have it folks, the cliff-notes version of the last three years. For the readers that decided to come back, hello again and thanks for hanging in there.

For those of you that are just meeting me, "WontonMommy" is my open diary, all my "doing-somethings", "favorite-somethings", and of course, all my "mommy-somethings". Nice to meet you, and hope ya'll stick around for awhile.

a very merry unbirthday birthday...

the wonton turned three last friday, and this year it was decided that kennedy would have an alice in wonderland themed birthday tea party. the big shindig went down over the weekend,  kennedy and her friends had a blast! and i think some of the parents did too...

 wooden signs we posted at the entrances of our development to help parents and kiddos find their way to the party 

the pièce de résistance... i made garland from fabric scraps and lanterns from tissue paper and added tea cups purchased at a thrift store to make a chandelier that hung above the tables where guests were seated

the party started in the am, so guests indulged in various goodies, including a cereal bar, scones, muffins, doughnut holes, and macarons

i purchased a digital file of printables from an etsy shop that featured various wonderland characters. included were these cupcake toppers

for the centerpieces, i used vintage books, clocks, and mis-matched tea cups and saucers

 the birthday girl!

 as guests were leaving they got to fill treat bags with goodies at the candy bar - sidenote*  i gave fair warning to parents about the enormous amount of sugar that would be offered!

summer slowly comes to an end

tee; thrifted

flats; thrifted

white distressed denim; forever21

during the summer, i tend to live in a pair of denim shorts during the weekend. given that the last day of summer was this past saturday, and we still have a few 75+ degree weather days left here in CO over the next few weeks, i'm going to take full advantage and get whatever wear i can from these distressed high wasted shorts which were initially an impulse buy , but now a go-to summer staple. This vintage bronco tee and pair of cobalt flats are my current favorite thrift store finds and set me back a whopping total of $4. 

beast + bottle

an unknown fact to some of you readers is that i am a Colorado native. born and raised in Denver. I love denver it provides an eclectic mix of culture and community. when I started this blog I wanted to share with you all all the great, out of the way, sometimes little known, sometimes famously known places situated in my backyard. I debated featuring posts like these because I am aware that some readers are not CO residents. but there are places, people, and things here that are too great not to share and are part of my everyday life and style. so each week I dedicate a post to some gem nestled in the nooks and crannies of the place I call home. 

with that said, this weeks feature is a quaint restaurant called "beast and bottle". a friend of mine decided to hold her birthday brunch here a few weekends ago. BB is owned and operated by a brother/sister team and is located in denvers "uptown" neighborhood. 

the decor is simple country-chic. the food is amazing. great for small gatherings, large parties, or intimate meals. 

the gals and I seriously could have stayed all afternoon, sipped on mimosas, and do some serious damage to the deep fryer at BB by placing numerous orders for their french fries(HIGHLY recommended!). but, motherhood beckoned and it was time to return to the littles. 

plans have already been made to return, patiently waiting and counting down days...

exterior shots of  beast and bottle, photos above c/o yelp.com and denver.org

eclectic "uptown" neighborhood of denver

menu and mimosas

simple perfection

my menu choice; 6 minute egg, asparagus, and capers

the bar setup

instashops are the new black

denim vest, darling_parlor

vintage Coach Rambler Bag, darling_parlor

bolo and earrings, darling_parlor

eggshell button-up, old navy

faux leather leggings, h&m

booties, shoedazzle

over the weekend I was asked to pose for some photos for a friends shop.  first a little background, Simone is a thrifting god, she can go into a thrift store and come out with the most amazing finds. she decided to turn this hobby into "darling_parlor"; where she resales great condition, gently used, vintage finds via her shop on instagram. when i arrived to her place, I walked into vintage goodness heaven. vintage Coach, Dooney and Burke handbags, retro gowns, shoes, and amazing jewelry pieces. this denim vest and Coach Rambler bag was among some of favorites. 

i highly recommend getting a denim vest to add to your Fall wardrobe. finish out the last few weeks of warmth with pairing one with distressed denim shorts and a loose fitting tank or tee, then work into the cooler weeks of fall putting one over a loose fitting button up and leggings, or over a maxi dress or opt for a more masculine look and layer a vest over a thinner zip up hoodie, skinny jeans, and a pair of booties. 

photos c/o simone neese of darling_parlor

whatever works

silk cami; thrifted

brocade shorts; TJ MAXX

steve madden heels; thrifted

when the opportunity arises to have dinner and drinks with the hubs sans toddler, you take it. when you have only 15 minutes to get ready for said date night, you get creative.

throw the hair up in a messy bun and put on your go-to red lipstick...

and on this particular night, I went with spontaneity and paired some gold brocade shorts I've been meaning to wear and a vintage silk cami I scored for .$50 on a recent thrifting venture, and grabbed my red steve madden kitten heels(also thrifted) off the shoe rack.

no contemplating in front of the mirror for eternity, no wardrobe changes. I took a quick glance, and I was good to go. 

the spontaneity seemed to work, because I love this look and the hubs didn't seem to mind too much  either.