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We’ve officially hit the time of year when all the stores start to have major markdowns on all their summer clothes. This is to make sure they have room for all the sweaters they’re going to start selling the day after the fourth of July.

But whatever. It’s a great time to find some good deals. Specifically, Anthropologie is having a huge summer sale right now so I’ve included a bunch of my favorites today, but you should go look around because there is a bunch of great stuff.

1. tile stitch tunic

This isn’t on sale, but I do love it.

2. au revoir dress

I can’t even tell you how much I’m loving having a variety of dresses in my closet this summer because they are such a better option than jeans for a night out. This one is only available in limited sizes but is on sale for $49.95.

3. artemis beaded tassel drop earrings

These are so summer-y and fun. Love the color combo.

4. cold shoulder flutter sleeve top

I’ve had my eye on tops like this because I like the open shoulder with the ability to wear a normal bra. This one is my favorite. It also comes in navy and purple.

5. scarf print maxi

I think this is really pretty.

6. costa blanca tee

I love the stripes on this. It’s on sale for $69.95.

7. embroidered roselle tank

This has been one of my favorite Anthropologie tops ever since I saw it in the spring catalog. It’s on sale for $59.95.

8. seawater kimono

I think I’ve featured this before. Or maybe I just meant to and then forgot. I love the colors because it really pops with white jeans. It’s on sale for $59.95.

9. surin peplum top

I hadn’t ever seen this until I was looking through the sale stuff yesterday and immediately fell in love. I just can’t decide if I like it more in black or white. I’m leaning towards black. It’s on sale for $69.95.

10. pinehill vest

I love the color of this vest and it’s a great piece that can be worn year round. It’s on sale for $69.95 and also comes in moss green.

11. ruffle neck tank

This tank has great reviews and is great on its own or under a jacket or sweater. It’s on sale for $39.95 and also comes in black and turquoise.

12. block horn necklace

How cool is this necklace? Perfect to add something to any outfit. I think I need it. It’s on sale for $49.95.

13. sam edelman estelle sandals

These black fringe sandals are so cute. They are on sale for $69.95.

14. hydra earrings

There are a bunch of cute earrings for sale, but these might be my favorite. They’re on sale for $29.95.

15. finley embroidered shift dress

This isn’t from Anthropologie but I saw it at the last minute at Nordstrom and really like it. And I felt like I needed a number fifteen.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Yesterday was the longest day of the year. I mean that literally because it was the summer solstice. And we celebrated by going to the grocery store and, also, Walgreens.

I know.

It’s almost too much.

And since there is clearly so much going on here with the trip to both Walgreens and HEB, I thought I’d just share a few things of interest and/or things I love right now.

1. SHIPT

Um. Grocery delivery? YES PLEASE.

I first heard about Shipt from Sophie and I was beyond envious of the concept of having groceries delivered to your door. And then, the heavens smiled and Shipt is now available in San Antonio.

You can click over to Shipt for more information and to see if it’s available in your area, but here are a few quick things you may want to know.

1. It’s membership based- $99 for a year-long membership
2. With a membership, there is no delivery fee on any order over $35
3. You can take your Shipt membership on vacation if you vacation in one of their service areas.
4. On average you will pay $5 more from Shipt on a $35 in-store order.

I’ve used it about three or four times already since the end of May and I’m a huge fan. I downloaded the Shipt app on my phone and I keep a running list of things I need until I’m ready to actually place my order. You can set your delivery window and specify what you want your shopper to do with the groceries when they arrive at your house. I personally prefer that they just text me when they arrive and leave the groceries on the front porch, but they will actually come in and put everything on your kitchen counter if that’s your preference.

Best of all, the shoppers do a great job of texting me while they shop if they have a question about an item or if the store is out of something I requested. Plus, they do a great job of choosing the freshest, ripest produce. I’m super picky about my avocados and I felt like that would be a real test because I don’t play around with guacamole. And I was so happy that the avocados were absolutely perfect.

I’ve still gone to the store on my own a couple of times since joining Shipt just because I think there are times that I need to look at everything on the shelves, especially with Caroline being out of school for summer and constantly looking for something to eat. I’ve had to up my snack food game.

But I have loved just getting groceries delivered on a Saturday afternoon instead of fighting all the weekend shopping amateurs and I think it will be a lifesaver when school starts again and life gets busier. And while you pay for the membership, I think I actually end up spending less when I use Shipt because I don’t accidentally throw in six bags of Sour Patch Kids or fourteen different kinds of crackers.

And if you’re a mom of young kids, I can’t even tell you what a game changer this could be. I saw a poor mom at the store today navigating that giant race car cart down the aisles as her kids asked for everything in sight and then declared in the cereal aisle, “I HAVE TO GO POTTY!!!” and I wanted to hand her a Shipt brochure and say, “Ma’am? I’m about to change your life.”

2. The best chocolate cake ever

I saw this recipe on Pinterest last Thursday and made it approximately an hour later because I believe in the science. And also needed to know if this was truly the best chocolate cake ever.

The answer is YES. (I didn’t use espresso powder because I didn’t have it on hand and I needed immediate gratification. I did, however, make a strong cup of coffee and put a couple of teaspoons in the cake batter and also the frosting.)

3. Marinated tomatoes

I saw this recipe in the June Southern Living and saved it because our neighbors have a garden and bring us a ton of tomatoes during the summer. I made these marinated tomatoes yesterday and they are so delicious on their own, but I used them in their recipe for spaghetti with marinated tomatoes and mozzarella for dinner last night and it was so good.

I used rotini pasta instead of spaghetti because it’s what I had. And I sautéed some shrimp in garlic and added that too because it needs to have meat for P to consider it dinner.

4. Modern Mrs. Darcy book lists

Do y’all know about this? Because I feel like everyone knows about this but me. I kept seeing all these great book lists pinned on Pinterest and they all led back to Modern Mrs. Darcy. If you’re looking for a great book to read, I’d suggest starting here. She has a bunch of different lists with various genres represented so there should be something for everyone.

5. lola cocoon tunic

This has become my favorite dress of the summer and, lo, perhaps even the year. I hesitated to buy it because it’s a little pricey, but I have already worn it at least sixteen times. It can be dressed up or down, the fabric is dreamy and doesn’t really wrinkle, and it’s the perfect weight. I bought it in black because I felt like I’d be likely to wear it more, but the red is really pretty, too.

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

At some point in the last five days it has gotten aggressively hot here. Like that kind of hot where I worry that the milk might go bad between the grocery store and my house.

And so it’s hard to think about cute clothes because I am basically living in some version of a t-shirt and running shorts at all times. But I did manage to find some things.

First, I have to share the 3D Belt Company with you. I believe my love of turquoise jewelry is well-documented and they have so many cute pieces at great prices. Here are just a few things I love:

The silver strike turquoise necklace

The silver strike turquoise and pink bead necklace

This silver cross and bead necklace

I adore this Loulabelle gold and turquoise round ring

And this angel ranch turquoise ring

Here are some other things I like this week:

1. j.crew embroidered swiss-dot tank

I love this. It also comes in navy and white and the only real problem is I can’t decide which one I like the best. It’s great with white jeans, shorts, or even a skirt.

2. laced tie-neck tank

I have a top that’s very similar to this and it is my go-to top at all times. This one is on sale for $39.95 plus an extra 25% off with no code needed. It comes in a pale gray, navy and peach color, too.

3. magari tunic dress

I cannot have enough dresses like this. I adore this.

4. tulum embroidered mini dress

Free People calls a lot of things a dress that aren’t really a dress for 99% of the population. But I do think this would look so great with a pair of skinny jeans and sandals now and boots later.

5. gap double layer dress

I have two other Gap dresses that I’ve bought this year that I really love throwing on and I think I may add this one to my closet. Gap has disappointed me in many ways, but I think they still do a (mostly) good job with a simple summer dress. This one also comes in off white, navy and gray.

All shorts, dresses, and shirts at Gap are an extra 40% off with code MORESUN at checkout.

6. nike gym vintage capris

I bought a pair of these a couple of months ago and I honestly might dedicate my next book to them. They were my constant companion as I wrote the last few chapters and now I want them in every color.

7. tinsel anorak vest

I’ve had my eye on a vest like this because I think they look cute layered over summer dresses and will be a great transition piece into fall, too.

8. nike free 5.0 mesh sneakers

I don’t normally link to much stuff at Net-A-Porter because most of it is so pricey. But they are having a huge summer sale right now and there are some great deals to be found. These Nikes come in several different colors and patterns and are 60% off which makes them just $44.

There are a bunch of other styles on sale as well, so it may be worth it to look around.

9. sam edelman gela fringed sandals

These are also on sale at Net-A-Porter. They are 70% off and just $27. I love the color and the fringe. Perfect to add a pop of color to your summer outfits.

10. delaney ruffled edge tank

I saw this tank at Ikat Elephant last night and love it. This is the kind of top I’ll throw on all summer long and I just need to decide between the white or the blue.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Before I say anything else, I just want to say how sad I am for what happened in Orlando over the weekend. My thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of all those we lost.

Caroline and I got home from Nashville late on Wednesday night. I need to tell you that the Sunday morning before we left, the picture below popped up on my Facebook feed because occasionally Facebook plays dirty.

What on earth? Six years ago to that day, Caroline and I had flown to Alabama to go to the beach with Sophie and her son, Alex.

We slept in on Thursday morning because we were exhausted and I spent most of the day unpacking and catching up on laundry and then made a gigantic trip to the grocery store on Friday because we were out of exactly everything. We also had soccer practices, late nights watching Parks and Recreation, catching up with Mimi and Bops and having friends over for dinner on Friday night.

But let’s talk about something that happened while we were in Nashville.

I had a meeting with my publisher on Tuesday morning and my friend, Kelly, offered to pick Caroline up so that she wouldn’t have to tag along for what was sure to be a bunch of talk that wouldn’t interest her in the least. I was so appreciative and Caroline was excited because she and Kelly had big plans to get donuts and the go visit Kelly’s friend, Bethany’s, new baby chickens.

The latter part of that sentence is what I really didn’t think through.

Caroline spent the morning with baby chicks and fell more than a little bit in love with them. In all fairness, this is understandable. I mean who doesn’t love baby chicks?

Come closer and I’ll tell you who.

Me.

I met up with Kelly and Caroline in time for lunch and all Caroline could talk about were the baby chicks. We finished our lunch and then ran in a few stores in the 12 South area, including Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James store which was so cute even though most of the clothes were a little too precious for me. And then Caroline said, “Hey, why don’t we go visit the chickens again so my mom can see them?”

This seemed reasonable and I didn’t yet know that I don’t care for baby chicks. We arrived at Bethany’s house and she immediately had me sit down, handed me a towel to put over my lap and, next thing I knew, I was holding four baby chicks. Immediately thereafter I was covered in baby chicken poop. I guess they felt comfortable with me and relaxed. All I know is I prefer to exist in a space where getting pooped on by anything isn’t really a thing.

However, I had to admit they were pretty cute with their little fluffy baby chick feathers and soft little cluck cluck sounds as they tried to fly and scurry around.

But then Caroline introduced me to Beverly Clucky in the backyard.

NOPE.

A grown chicken is more than I am emotionally prepared to deal with. Being in close proximity to adult chicken feet is second only to a possum’s tail on my list of things I prefer not to happen ever.

Caroline didn’t share my chicken sentiments and has launched a full scale chicken campaign. She even called P from Nashville and sold him on the idea. By the time we got home on Thursday night she had filled four full sheets of notebook paper with chicken research. Meanwhile I kept repeating my philosophy on her potential chicken ownership which is, “I am not interested in being responsible for another living thing nor am I interested in watching a living thing starve. The first day those chickens don’t get fed by you is the day they get sent to a farm. Or the barbecue pit.”

I’ve also tried to warn her that Mabel and Piper will not view the chickens as friends so much as tasty, tasty food. In fact, Mabel got wind of the chicken news and immediately wrote some new poetry in her excitement.

Get in my belly
Hard to catch, but so worth it
Delicious chicken

Crunchy, delightful
Feathered friends in my backyard
Want to bite their heads

And even Piper got in on it.

Chickens are good, chickens are nice.
I’d like to eat them on a bed of rice
With a glass of Asti Spumante on ice.

(Piper likes for her poetry to rhyme. She also enjoys a sparkling wine.)