Easter

When we planned our trip to Richmond, the best week to go happened to fall over Easter weekend.  Sunday ended up being kind of cold and rainy, but we still had a great day.  We went to church, had a delicious lunch, and then an indoor Easter egg hunt.  The kids found all but 3 eggs, and the grownups couldn't remember where else we had hidden them, so I suspect my sister will find them someday.  Then we put some cheerios in bigger eggs for Mr. Baby and hid them in the middle of the room.  He loved it!  Of course, he was more excited about shaking them to make fun noises than opening them to eat the treat, but that's okay.  Plus he got a big chocolate bunny which I graciously volunteered to eat for him.  

My niece was coaching me on model poses during outfit picture time.  I think I should listen to her advice more often, because I look SO COOL.  

And then I convinced her to join me.  It wasn't very hard.  

And then we lured everyone else out (except my brother-in-law) for some more pictures.  

Cousins!

Girl picture

Smiths

My dress is from Bella Gravida.  It was definitely my most favorite item when I was adding things to my wish list, so I was pretty excited when I got the notice that I'd be receiving it just in time for Easter.  It fit kind of weird up on top, but nothing too noticeable.  I was hoping it would be perfect and I could wear it to my other sister's wedding in May, but alas, it was not.  My search for the perfect maternity dress continues.  It's frustrating, because you can be tall, or you can be pregnant, but good luck if you are both!  

Cardigan: JCF
Dress: ASOS via Bella Gravida

Shoe: Old Navy (similar)

Off to See the Wizard

Last week, I went to see the Wizard of Oz musical.  It was so much fun.  The crazy thing was people kept saying "oh, I didn't know Wicked was in town!" and I had to explain, "No, just the regular old fashioned version where good is good and bad is bad!"  

Fun fact: even though I am from Kansas and generally love musicals, I have only watched the Wizard of Oz movie in it's entirety one time.  I had never seen it until I was in high school and had my wisdom teeth out.  I got to rent movies to watch all day and I grabbed it from the grocery store video rental place.  Remember when that was a thing?  So that's the only time I have seen it.  There was an occasion in college where some friends tried watching it with Dark Side of the Moon synced up, but we stopped after about 15 minutes.  It was just weird.  Although, the munchkins dancing to Money was pretty cool.

Another fun fact: people think it's funny to call you Dorothy and say "we're not in Kansas anymore" when they meet you and find out you are from Kansas.  If you meet someone from Kansas and want to make this joke, just be warned.  They have heard it a million times and probably don't think it is funny.

Anyway, the show was great, and I was happy for another excuse to dress up a little bit.

Cardigan: JCF (exact in various colors)
Necklace: F21 (similar)
Dress: Loft (exact - on sale and extra 40% off!)
Belt: Madden (exact)
Boots: Madden (exact)

Accidental Matchers

Mornings have been tricky, because our child is a night owl like me, and then sleeps later in the mornings.  So we hadn't been to morning church in a few weeks.  We finally made it last week, and I accidentally wore a combination of what my two favorite guys were wearing.  In our defense, I was getting dressed while John was getting himself and the baby dressed, so I didn't realize we kind of matched until we were heading out the door, and it was too late to change.  

Church went pretty well.  Baby Smith slept for the beginning of the service and then woke up about halfway through the sermon, so we ducked out.  Then he fell asleep again for Sunday School.  

He's not really into outfit pictures!

Cardigan: JCF 

Dress: banana republic factory

Belt: gap

Sandals: target

Another Week, Another Visitor

So I mentioned that my sister and nieces were visiting last week.  The day after they left, my mom came out, so she and I are hanging out this week.  I've recruited her help with my long list of tasks to accomplish before baby arrives, so we will be doing some sewing projects and prepping some freezer meals.  I'm pretty excited that she was able to come out for a few days.

I'm also pretty excited that baby is 37 weeks now, which means he wouldn't be considered "premature" at this point, and might not even have to visit the NICU.  That makes me really happy.  And I think we have most of the necessary items for him now, too.  Carseat is installed, bassinet is put together, and I've got a drawer full of diapers and wipes.  So pretty much this kid can come whenever he's ready now.  Of course, I am aware he'll likely take the full 40 weeks or longer, but it's nice to get to a point where I wouldn't panic completely if I went into labor.

Cardigan: JCF
Necklace: F21
Belt: Chinese Laundry
Dress: Loft Maternity
Shoes: Old Navy

Neglected Plaid Popover Ideas

Well, it hasn't quite been a year since I blogged this shirt.  I'm sure I've worn it a handful of times, but I guess not as much as I should.  I bought it as a replacement for this one, which I loved, but then it got too tight.  The first one just had colors that played better with the rest of my closet.

As part of my plan to wear certain items more, I've been building Polyvore sets with outfit ideas.  Here are 4 of my ideas for this shirt.  Confession - I actually wore the navy cardigan option over Thanksgiving, but didn't take a picture.  Help me out - how else would you wear this top?  There have to be ideas other than jeans and white!

Cardigan: JCF
Shirt: JCF
Jeans: Old Navy Maternity
Boots: Madden

Skirt Week - Orange and Blue

Last time I wore this skirt, I realized I should have taken a close-up, so you can really see the pattern.  Lesson learned - I totally remembered this time.  Anyway, I wore this outfit to the Rainbow Rowell book signing, and then I remembered that I wore this cardigan to her last event.  Not that anyone would remember, but I thought it was weird.  

And other people probably thought it was weird that I was taking pictures in the parking lot.  But I'm getting more and more used to the awkward stares.      

Link up below!  And remember to check out the other links!  And it's Tuesday, so you should also link up with Laura for Confident Twosday! 

Cardigan: J.Crew Factory (exact)

Top: Gap (similar)

Skirt: Gap Factory

Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

Dress Week - Three in One

Get excited!  It's time for another theme week.  This time, we're featuring dresses.  My lovely co-host is Heidi from Literate & Stylish.  I'm starting off the week with a three-fer of iPhone mirror photos.  Because I do what I want!

These three outfits are from my work conference last week.  My hotel room didn't have any good location to build a makeshift tripod tower, so I just ended up doing iphone mirror selfies.  And I forgot to take a picture of my Tuesday daytime dress. (it was this one)

JCF jacket, Old Navy Dress, Chinese Laundry Belt, Sperry Shoes

First up, this is what I wore for traveling on Sunday.   It was comfortable but not too casual.  When I got to the conference, I traded my jacket and Sperrys for a navy cardigan and navy flats for the opening happy hour.  Then I switched back into this outfit for dinner with my team. 

JCF cardigan, Gap Dress, NY&Co Belt, Old Navy Shoes

This was my Monday outfit.  I was in meetings all day and then took clients out to dinner, so I needed to have comfortable shoes, but still look polished.  Also the meeting rooms were like 60 degrees, so I was very happy to have a cardigan. 

Gibson&Latimer Dress, NY&Co Belt, Old Navy Shoes

Tuesday evening was the finale dinner.  I kept it simple in this floral dress, which has been one of my favorites in the past year or so.  I did not have a cardigan to go with it, so I just froze. 

Over 4 days in St. Louis, I barely went outside at all.  We were right by the arch, but I never had the time even walk over and see it properly.  I'm glad I have been there quite a few times, so I wasn't missing out on my only chance to see it! 

Now it's your turn - link up your dresses below (after the jump).  I'll be sharing 4 more this week.  And make sure you check out Heidi's blog to see what she's wearing.   If you want to join in on Instagram or Twitter, you can just use #dressweek.

Also, go check out my guest post all about Summer Must-Haves on Work Clothes, I Suppose.  Spoiler alert - dresses are on the list! 

Skirt Time

I'm finally linking up for Skirt Week with Katie, Liz, and Sarah.  I mean, I love skirts and I can't resist a good old-fashioned theme link-up.  This is the second time I've worn this skirt.  I wore it right away after buying it, and it was a little baggy.  I thought it would shrink up a bit in the wash, but it didn't  It's just too big.  I'm going to have to see if I can take in the waist, because I was in danger of losing it all day.  On a positive note, it's SUPER comfortable!

It's been a crazy week.  Yesterday was one of those "back-to-back meetings for 4 hours straight" type of days.  I finally got to sneak out for lunch around 3pm.  Not awesome.  I'm headed to a conference next week, so there's just a lot of work to get ready for it, and never enough hours in the day.

I'll be busy packing tonight and tomorrow, and then we're going to see Ben Folds on Saturday!  Have I mentioned he's my favorite?  I've lost count of how many of his concerts I've been to, but I will keep going because he's amazing.  I'm just hoping the 60% chance of rain doesn't happen to be at concert time!

And finally, since I love you guys, here's an outtake.  I don't even know how this happened.  I guess I was flipping my hair.  Model material right here!

Cardigan: J.Crew Factory
Tee & Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Old Navy

Floral Week - Scarf

 

Floral Week is an excellent excuse to re-introduce some of my items that have been neglected over the summer - like this pretty scarf.  I should confess that I actually bought this scarf intending it to be a gift, and then I realized that the recipient probably wouldn't like it.  She never wears scarves, and I had no idea if she liked orange and/or purple.  Since it's from F21, I couldn't just return it, so I kept it.  And I think it's gorgeous, so I think that's okay.  And I bought my friend a way better present that I think she appreciated much more. 

Linkup info after the jump!  Remember, you can link up every day if you want! This is also my floral entry for Sarah's April Looking Lucky Style Challenge. 

Scarf: F21
Cardigan: J.Crew factory
Dress & Shoes: Old Navy

Koi

According to J.Crew factory, this cardigan is "vibrant flame," but I'm going to call it "koi" for today's link up with Marissa and Heidi.  I almost cheated and used a coral colored outfit, but then I remembered my legitimately orange cardigan and went with it.  

The color orange doesn't have much representation in my closet.  I like it, but it starts to feel very Halloween-y to me sometimes, so I have to be careful about wearing an outfit of mostly orange and black.  I actually planned my outfit the night before I wore it, and then switched out my plain black skirt for this striped one in the morning, because I'm just spontaneous like that. 

Chambray & Cardigan: J.Crew Factory
Skirt: Old Navy

Literary Junkies Day

 

Oh hey, 3rd Tuesday of the month! It must be time to talk about books with the Literary Junkies!  This is perfect, because I went to a book signing last week and got my picture taken with the brilliant Rainbow Rowell.  Yes, I may be biased because she has big hair and wears cool shoes, but she's also a great author who happens to live in Omaha!  I bought Fangirl at the signing on Thursday, and finished reading it Saturday afternoon, so I guess you could say I enjoyed it.        

Without any further ado, here are this month's questions:  

• What are you currently reading? Tell us about it!
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - book 5!  After loving #4, I'm really excited to see what happens next.  I'm also reading The One Hundred by Nina Garcia.  It's basically a dictionary of the basics every woman should own (although, I'm not convinced I will ever require a cape).    
• Autumn is coming! What's your go-to drink when curling up with a book at night?
• Well, everyone else gets excited about Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but I'm more excited that Starbucks can now make my Salted Caramel Mocha Creme Frappuccino!  No coffee for me, thanks!  At home, I'm usually drinking water, or if it is cold outside, I may opt for some hot chocolate.  
• Printed books vs. e-books: What are the pros and cons of each?
• Currently, I prefer printed books.  I don't have a Kindle or iPad, but I've read a few books using the Kindle app on my phone.  It's okay, but I'd rather have a real book with pages.  I'm sure I will change my mind at some point, but for now, I'll stay old-fashioned!  
• Buying books vs. library books: Which do you prefer and why?
• Libraries are made of magic!  I love my library and go there almost every week to drop off and pick up books.  Their website is awesome, so I just put a hold on books that I want, and then they email me when it is ready for pickup.  So efficient!  The only problem is when 7 books come up as available at the same time, and I only have 3 weeks to read them all.  Sacrifices must be made, and I just put them back on my request list.  I very rarely buy books these days.  The last few books I've purchased have been at book signings or the airport!  My bookshelves are full, and books are heavy and expensive, so I'm happy to borrow and return from the library! 

I'm skipping our book club chat on Twitter tonight because the book is Seabiscuit.  As I mentioned here, this was "required summer reading" before my freshman year of college.  I thought it was stupid to have summer homework before starting college, so I just didn't read it.  For some reason, my rebellious teenager attitude persists about this book.  I'm sure it's a great story, but I won't be reading it any time soon.  

Dress: Banana Republic outlet
Cardigan: J.Crew Factory

Shades of Orange

Happy Labor Day!  I'm so excited to have an extra day off work.  I hope you all are enjoying the day off (unless you have to work, in which case, I'm sorry for mentioning it!).

There's something about pairing a striped top with a similar color cardigan that I really like (Exhibit A and B). I wore this outfit to work, and then changed into my denim shorts and Converse sneakers for a baseball game that evening.  I had to ditch the cardigan because it was pretty warm out that night.  I really should have taken pictures of my more casual outfit and done one of those "work to weekend" type posts.  But then again, boyfriend jeans aren't exactly "business" dress.  It would be like "weekend to even more weekendy."

Top: Loft
Cardigan: J.Crew Factory
Jeans: Jessica Simpson
Sandals: Old Navy

Halfway There

 

It's Wednesday, so we are halfway through the work week, YAY!  It's also April 24th, which means I am halfway between birthdays.  Which means I'm turning 30 in 18 months.  So, that's sort of crazy.   

Shirt: Target

Cardigan: J.Crew Outlet

Jeans & Shoes: Gap

Third Thursday Winterization

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This month's Third Thursday Threads theme is Winterizing a Summer Item!  

I'm a big fan of making summer items work all through the year.  One of the easiest ways to do this is take a summery dress and add a sweater, tights, and boots.  Boom!  When I bought this dress, I had vacation and summer in mind, but then I noticed that it would match perfectly with my fuchsia tights and orange cardigan.  I sort of expected to get some looks from my co-workers, since this is a pretty loud outfit, but I didn't notice anyone staring awkwardly.  One person did tell me I was very bright.  I just said thanks!

How do you wear summery items when it's cold outside?  Any brilliant tips to share? 


Dress: Kohl's
Cardigan: J.Crew factory
Tights & Belt: Old Navy
Boots: Target

My Boot Broke

 

Take One, Pass It On Item:  orange cardigan from last Thursday's post

Remember how I recently found a hole in my brand new dress?  Well, I've had another wardrobe malfunction.  This time my boot broke!  I was talking with a co-worker, and I have a habit of rocking back on my heels (kind of like a little kid).  Anyway, I did this, and heard a crack, and sort of fell.  Broken heel.  Way to go, Andi.

I swallowed my pride and emailed my co-workers hoping someone had some superglue so I could fix it.  One guy was at home for lunch, and was able to bring some back.  As my nieces used to say (every day), he was the "hero of the day."  I glued my shoe back together, and it definitely helped, but I'll still need to take it in to the shoe repair place, and I hope they fully fix my boot!  These are relatively new, and I haven't worn them a whole lot.

2 other quick things:

1. This outfit was really awesome in my mind, and I actually felt pretty fancy all day (sort of like the quirky librarian from a movie, or maybe Emma Pillsbury).  Now that I am looking at pictures, I'm not sure I like it very much.  Does this happen to anyone else?
2. I don't usually tuck in my shirts, and I think it is because it adds extra fabric/bulk to my middle.  Is there a trick I don't know to avoid this?

Shirt: Gap

Cardigan & Skirt: J.Crew Factory
Boots: Guess via TJ Maxx

January Check-In

 

I love how you can see John reflected in my sunglasses!  

2013 got off to a decent start, but then I was knocked out by the flu for about 2 weeks.  Not awesome, you guys.  With that in mind, I don't think I did very well on my goals for the month.  

1. Do a project, mostly sewing -  I haven't done any sewing, but I did have craft night with my friends at the beginning of the month.  I made some art for the bathroom.  Now I just need to paint and put up my new decor (that I bought last summer).  
2. Work out - I met my goal of 3x a week for the first 2 weeks, and then I got the flu.  You aren't supposed to exercise when you have the flu, so I took off exercise for 2 weeks.  I'm back on track this week.  I won't call it a success, but I don't feel too bad about failing, since I have a good reason/excuse.    
3. Tackle a project around the house - good thing this says "tackle" and not "finish!  I have started preparing to paint the bathroom.  So far, I have picked out a color of paint, and started taping around the trim/doors/counter.  I'm hoping to start actually painting this weekend.  
4. Cook a "real" meal at least 3 days each week.  Same story as #2 - I was on track with this until I got sick and then I was in no shape to make dinner.  I'm getting back on track this week.  
5. Stick to a clothing budget - I did pretty good this month.  Just $10 over my budget.
6. Read 50 books in the year - I finished 3 books in January, and I am about halfway through another one.  I'd say I am on track for the year.    

All in all, it's not as bad as I thought it might be.  I just need to get back on track and stay motivated.  I'm going to keep the same goals for February, and hopefully stay healthy enough to be successful this time!

Tank, Tee, and Jeans: Gap
Cardigan: J.Crew Factory
Shoes: Converse