We’ve been back from our family beach trip for a few weeks now. I don’t know what’s gotten into me these days but I’ve been feeling next level nostalgic lately (even more so than usual, ha). I’m sure it’s something to do with the fact that all of the little ones in my life are growing so darn quickly. And because they change so much over such a short period (truly – it is a blink!)… It has made me feel keenly aware of the passing of time.

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I already know that I will look back upon these years as “the golden years” and I find myself bound and determined to soak them in. I read somewhere that you only get four summers with your child before they realize you aren’t their whole world. And though I’d like to refuse to believe it, my three year old was an entirely new person on our family beach trip this year. She was far more independent, played with her cousins happily forever without a second glance… I even finished a whole book and I can’t believe that I’m already in the phase of child rearing where I’m capable of finishing a whole book?! It was such an adjustment! But it gave me more of a reason to slow down and prioritize this time spent with her. And them!

I find it can be a difficult balance of mourning what is sure to be lost (toddlerhood, childhood and beyond…) all while remaining present and enjoying how beautiful and hilarious and special it is in that very moment. As an emotional person I tend to sway drastically between presence and nostalgia. I also find it can feel scary to allow joy when you know it won’t be there forever. But that might be a story for another time.

I already know that I will look back upon these years as “the golden years” and I find myself bound and determined to soak them in.

I’m proud to say that things have felt very aligned lately and this really has been the summer of “yes” – from new exciting projects, to visits from far away friends, to late night ice cream runs, to family beach trips – all 13 of us crammed in a tiny bungalow at one point… Chaos and coziness combined. And though I know we still have weeks left to enjoy what’s left of the season, I’m already feeling glossy eyed around the memories surrounding the summer of 2023. It’s been such a lovely one.

Here’s a little peek at our most recent family trip (and here’s a post inspired by a grown-up version of said trip!)

{I taught her to yell “road tripppp” when we left and it was excellent <3}
top | glasses

{the minute we landed. It was raining, too. Actual magic.}

swimsuit

{signs of summer}
swimsuit | floatie

{dream scenario}

{post-beach naps always hit differently}

romper

{the nostalgia}

{unlocked a phase of parenting where I can *actually* read (parts of) a book or magazine}

swimsuit

{this kids scavenger hunt was a hit – we had a 3, 5 and 7 year old with us}

Thanks for indulging me <3

MORE VACATION POSTS: RIGHT HERE

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The post Our Family Beach Trip appeared first on Lark & Linen Interior Design and Lifestyle Blog.

I’m struggling to find the words to describe how it feels to be turning my daughter’s nursery into a little girls room without sounding over the top or cliché. But it really does feel like this huge rite of passage. One that I wasn’t really anticipating? Or, perhaps, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined we’d be here so quickly. I must admit, I’ve been far more emotional about the whole thing than I thought I’d be. And though I’m sad to be saying goodbye to some of the last remaining remnants of my baby’s babyness, I am equally as excited for her and this next phase of life. Motherhood really is all of the things all at once isn’t it. Does one ever get used to the whiplash of emotions that come alongside this role?

SEE THE REST OF MY HOME: RIGHT HERE

All that said, it’s an honour to have been able to help take her room to the next level. Sometimes I wish I could design kids rooms exclusively – they just bring me so much joy. And, shocker, I get so sentimental about the idea of this space being the backdrop to her many childhood memories. She’s been sleeping here for a while now (we just had her first little sleepover with her cousin on Sunday and it was THE CUTEST) and she is just nailing the transition. I know she was ready for it, and I’m getting there too (in my own time, hah). Take a peek at the update below, if you’d like…

SOURCES

Bed | Mattress | Pillows | Sheet Set | Duvet Cover
Quilt | Lamp | Star Pillow | Rainbow Pillow | Rug | Nightstand

MY LITTLE GIRL’S ROOM

As an aside, if you’re looking for an organic mattress and pillows (something that was very important to me), I highly recommend Obasan. They are an absolute 10/10 for comfort and style. They’re fully customizable depending on your sleep needs, which I love. Plus they go above and beyond and do things like embroider your daughter and her stuffy’s name on their pillows (she LOVED this). Just so stinking cute!

The one we have for my little girls room (here) is the same mattress that they use at Fogo Island and Wander the Resort (amongst many other really luxe boutique hotels). Girl is living her best life, let me tell you. It’s so so good.

This is not sponsored, but they did gift the mattress to us and I have since specified them for a few clients because I’m instantly sold. As a thank you, they wanted to offer my readers a little gift with purchase:

If you use LARKANDLINENBED at checkout you’ll receive two complimentary pillows of your choice with the purchase of any adult mattress from the Auberge & Residential collection.

SOURCES

Bed | Mattress | Pillows | Sheet Set | Duvet Cover | Quilt | Lamp | Star Pillow | Rainbow Pillow | Rug | Nightstand

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The post An Emotional Transformation: From Nursery to Little Girl Heaven appeared first on Lark & Linen Interior Design and Lifestyle Blog.

I’ve been thinking, lately, about how much time I spend on platforms like Instagram (stories, specifically). Admittedly, I adore the spontaneity of posting as the mood strikes or something inspires. But it also pains me that those lovely little moments disappear into the ether within hours. After penning this blog for nearing a decade and a half now, I still find myself digging deep into my archives to drum up old memories. And I love that so much of my little (and big) life’s moments are found within these pages. It’s something that I haven’t been great at documenting in recent years but have wanted to be more intentional about.

So in light of that, I’d like to take a moment to bank a few memories. It’s been a really busy few weeks with a big project install coming up (I sometimes forget how many millions of moving parts are involved for a project like this). We also had our best friends from Sweden in town to visit us (we hadn’t seen them since this trip years ago – we hadn’t even met each others children. That was so soul-filling, let me tell you.) Plus a serious birthday party circuit to boot (why is everyone seemingly born in May?)

RECENTLY: Bought & Loved

And though it’s been quite busy, and im admittedly a little pooped, our days have been full of so much goodness. I feel keenly aware of all of the love, beauty, and abundance that has been surrounding us. It’s a lot to handle at times, if I’m being honest!

Allowing myself to be present and feel all of the feelings, the good AND the bad, has been a large part of my personal journey in recent years. As a deeply sensitive person, I spent a lot of my life denying, being embarrassed by, or suppressing my feels. But I’m not nearly as afraid of them these days – in fact, Im embracing them more and more as I go. And with it sometimes comes these waves of intense love and gratitude – especially as of late. It still feels like a lot at times, but it’s wonderful! And I appreciate you for indulging me. Here’s a peek at what we’ve been up to IRL around here.

{above: the prettiest home store in Prince Edward County}

{deliveries for an upcoming install – this bedding is 10/10}

{my new favourite tee – buttery soft & the sweetest details}

{my brother’s birthday lunch}

{a mochi donut date with my girl (we got earl grey & chocolate chip cookie)}

{pony rides at a birthday party – my *actual* childhood dream}

{a weekend in Prince Edward County with friends}

{the best age <3}

Thanks for being here <3

Sending love,
Jacquelyn

RECENTLY: bought & loved

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We recently came back from vacation and it was such a wonderful treat. We used to be such avid travellers but kind of fell off the last few years (for obvious reasons). Having a baby in the thick of the pandemic definitely shifted things for us. Travelling became a non-option, and then that became our norm. It wasn’t until we were driving to the airport did I realize how desperately I had missed that buzzy pre-vacation feeling. In addition to this being the first trip we’ve taken in years, it was our daughter’s first trip ever – which only compounded the joy.

RELATED: Our Honeymoon | My Trip to India

We stayed at the Hilton, Cancun, and I kid you not it was the best all inclusive experiences we’ve ever had, which is why I feel the need to share about it. It really felt like we were staying at a lovely hotel that happened to have delicious cocktails and a killer chef serving free food at all hours of the day. The dream, really, is it not?

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Note: I also started a travel toys shop here – it’s filled with all of the things we actually used and actually loved on this trip. I’ll be adding to it as I stumble across new things!

Everything was brand new and beautifully designed, which is always a treat. The best part is that it was absolutely kid-friendly, too. The kids pool/splash pad was an entire experience of its own. Throw in kids cooking classes, an epic park, an indoor playground, a churro-meets-ice-cream bar… and we had a happy little one on our hands.

the cutest swimsuit

It was a luxury kid friendly all inclusive resort through and through – for both adults and kids alike. It was so nice to slow down, to spend time with family, and to not have to worry about a single thing. To this day Ivy still asks when we’re going back (and tbh I’m with her).

It was a luxury kid friendly all inclusive resort through and through – for both adults and kids alike.

As an added bonus, it has completely re-ignited our love for travel once more. I seriously can’t wait to show our daughter all the beauty our world has to offer. It’s going to blow her adorable little mind.

Here’s a peek at our trip…

As an aside, we’re planning on doing a trip to Europe this fall – even daydreaming about travelling once more is thrilling. If you’ve ever taken a toddler somewhere (anywhere!) in the world and loved it, I’d love to hear about it.

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The post A Luxury Kid-Friendly All-Inclusive Resort appeared first on Lark & Linen Interior Design and Lifestyle Blog.