Fashion Friday: Patterned Shorts.

Hey, friends! Happy Friday!! It's a beautiful, albeit hot 103º in Scottsdale right now. Our summer has officially begun, although it's only getting toastier from here. Inspired by our rather warm weather lately, for today's Fashion Friday post, I decided to highlight on an absolute essential this season in the blazing AZ sun: patterned shorts. They are funky, fresh, and the perfect pop of color when paired with a solid, simple tank top or tee. One of my favorite cyber-shopping destinations over the past couple years has come to be  Spool No.72.  It's a flavorful online boutique that specializes in trendy prints and exciting statement pieces. I urge you to check it out, as their prices are beyond reasonable, and they frequently have great sales on top of that. Woohoo! Here we go:

My 15 Favorite Spool No.72 Patterned Shorts

1. Desert Vacation Shorts - $44

2. Sugared Marigold Shorts - $42

3. Cloud Break Native Shorts in Sky - $42

4. Shallow Waters Shorts - $42

5. Smoke & Mirrors Shorts in Lime - $42

6. Cloud Break Native Shorts in Pink - $42

7. Wild Rose Shorts - $42

8. Laced in Snow Shorts - $46

9. Painted Sky Shorts - $38

10. Rising Sun Native Shorts - $42

11. Mountain Laurel Lace Shorts - $42

12. Santa Fe Shorts - $42

13. Sand Dancer Shorts in Pink - $38

14. Dreamy Sky Shorts - $38

15. Riviera Shorts - $38

Which are your favorites? Let me know in the comments below!

Weekending With the Mammels.

There are not many things I cherish more than special time away;  And that is exactly what God so lovingly provided for Reid and I last weekend.

On Friday afternoon, we left Reid's parent's beautiful Tsawwassen home and headed off on the scenic, two hour drive to Chilliwack, British Columbia.  We had a couple exciting, eventful days before us.  The Mammel Family, (Reid's older sister, Ashley, and her wonderful hubby Kevin), were our beyond-gracious hosts for the weekend.  They completely spoiled us from start to finish with amazing food, wonderful entertainment, and trips to each of the fun Chilliwack must-sees.

Here is a little taste of our incredible weekend in pictures & bullet points:

• we met up with Ashley and Kevin at the Mammel family farm, Lyba Farms, owned by Kev's parents

• Ashley took us out to Booster Juice for delicious fruit smoothies, while we waited for Kevin to finish up at work

• dinner prep at the Mammel's lovely suite commenced

Home-cut yam fries, ready to be popped into the oven!

Yummy fresh-sliced veggies.

Vegan chickpea burgers.

• the four of us sat down to a scrumptious, healthy dinner, complete with ginger root beer and vegan chipotle aioli dipping sauce - two of my favorites!

The spread of burger-fixings.

Perfectly crisped and seasoned yam fries.

The complete meal... ready to be devoured.

• after our bellies were full, Ashley and Kevin brought us to the stunning, new home they're building

In two weeks, it will be ready for move-in!

Such a remarkable view of Chilliwack from their balcony.

• later in the evening, we played Settlers of Catan, our new favorite board game, for hours

• a sweet dessert rounded out our night as we chatted and laughed until the early morning hours

• we awoke Saturday morning to a delicious breakfast of gourmet oatmeal with flavorful toppings, created by Ash

• a breathtaking morning hike up a local Chilliwack mountain was next on our list

I absolutely adore all of the lush greenery.

• as Kevin headed off to a "Stag" (what's known in the states as a Bachelor Party), Ashley, Reid, and I went to several charming shops around Chilliwack

• we then ate a tasty lunch and headed to Waves for another round of refreshing fruit smoothies

• Ash brought us to beautiful Cultus Lake in the afternoon, where we relaxed and basked in the sunshine

• on our last adventure of the day, the four of us went out for a lovely dinner at Dakota's, along with Doug, Reid and Ashley's loving Step-Dad

Talk about a memorable, meaningful weekend.  We had such a wonderful time and were overwhelmed by how cared for and loved we felt.  Reid and I couldn't have possibly been more blessed with amazing family (and friends).  Ash and Kev, thank you so much!  We would be honored to tour you both around Scottsdale anytime. 

Love you, Mammels!!