Happy and I Know It

close up on my red shoes!

Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy.

1. Playing in the ocean - and just being at the beach, in general
2. Really good music - and singing along if no one else is around!
3. Sleep - I think I require more sleep than the average person. I'm very cheerful on any occasion when I get 12+ hours.
4. Sno cones (it's the simple things in life, right!?)
5. Windy days - it's the Kansas girl in me, but I love the wind
6. Emails from my husband - best part of the workday!  
7. Slothstronaut - I mean, how can anyone look at him and not laugh?
8. Christmas and Birthdays - I love giving and receiving presents!
9. Funny stories/pictures of my nieces and nephews
10. Non-sporty sports (bowling, mini-golf, croquet)

So that's a pretty random list.  I'm a fairly happy person, so I'm sure I could go on and on.  What are some things that make you happy?

Shirt: Loft
Jacket: Izod
Skirt: Bass Outlet
Shoes: Target

Fitness Failure

Last night, I met a friend for Pilates class.  When we arrived, the instructor informed us that the class schedule was changed, but they just haven't updated their website.  So... no Pilates class tonight.  We still wanted to hang out, so we ended up eating dinner.  At Culver's.  My intention was to exercise and what I actually did was eat a super unhealthy fast food meal.  I'm so good at fitness.

I also realized that this has been an unofficial theme week on the blog as I have worn a pencil skirt every day.

Shirt: Loft
Scarf: Calvin Klein
Skirt: J.Crew Factory
Boots: Guess via TJ Maxx
  

Literary Link-Up #2

It's time for the Literary Junkies Link-Up again!

1. What are you currently reading? Tell us about it.

I'm about halfway through  A Feast for Crows, which is book 4 in A Song of Ice and Fire (the Game of Thrones series).  I don't even know where to begin with a synopsis, but this series is so good.  I really love how the characters are all complicated.  There isn't really a "good guy" and a "bad guy", but everyone is just trying survive and sometimes they make terrible choices.  I also like how the author will sometimes kill off a really major character.  It's not that I wanted those characters to die, but I like being surprised, and I know no one is safe.  So far, book 4 has been a little bit frustrating for me, because we haven't heard anything from a few of the main characters.  I'm worried that they won't be in this book at all.  Good thing book 5 is on my hold shelf at the library, so I can pick it up immediately!  Then I will have to be patient until book 6 is published. 

2. If you could choose any author in the world to write a story based on your life, who would you choose to be the author? Why?
This is a tough one.  My first thought was someone like Tina Fey or Jenny Lawson, because I think my life is kind of hilarious, and would want my book to be ridiculous.  Then my mind went to Malcolm Gladwell, because I really love the way he describes people in his books.  Then I thought it doesn't have to be "about me", it could just be loosely based on my life, and I started down the path of fiction authors.  Then I realized my life has been kind of boring (in a good way), and I'm not sure anyone would read a novel based on it. This is how my brain works.  I think I should stick with the funny ladies I mentioned at the beginning.  

3. Tell us about your favorite place to read.

The beach, but that might just be my favorite place to be.  On a regular basis, I enjoy reading at Starbucks, or sitting on my couch wrapped up in a blanket.

4. What books would you buy for lovers of a) suspense/mystery b) chicklit, c) comedy, d) literary fiction, e)nonfiction, f) classics? (You can choose how many of those subcategories you want to talk about.)

•  Suspense/Mystery:  Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz
• Chick Lit: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• Comedy: Bossypants by Tina Fey
• Literary Fiction: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• Non-Fiction: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
  Classics: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Have you read any good books lately?

Outfit details:
Shirt: Loft
Cardigan: Urban Outfitters
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Target

Book Review - New Dress a Day

One of my very favorite blogs is New Dress a Day, so when Marisa wrote a book, I was so excited to read it!  If you aren't familiar with her blog, she basically takes ugly clothes and refashions them into amazing pieces!  The book has a little bit of "Sewing 101" and then goes into step by step instructions for how to refashion several items.

Marisa is so talented, and she seems like such a nice person, too!  Seriously, if you aren't reading her blog already, you need to go do it.  I finished this book the same evening that I started reading it, and now I just want to go buy ridiculous items from Goodwill and transform them into fashionable pieces.  I think I might make that a goal for 2013.  I couldn't do it every day, but maybe one transformation each month would be feasible.  

Jacket: Izod
Shirt: Loft
Skirt: Gap
Shoes: BCBGeneration

Lady in Red (x3)

I wore this outfit with the Bloggers do it better challenge in mind, but then I decided to use this outfit instead.  Today's ABC challenge is "X for x2", which works out perfectly!  Here's how I recently wore my red skirt: 

Shirt:  Loft
Sweater:  H&M
Skirt:  Gap
Tights:  Steve Madden
Shoes:  Gap
 
And here's two other ways I have worn this skirt.  Apparently, I think it goes well with gray!  Maybe I'll branch out in the future and try it with another color!

Full post

Full post

Red Stripe

 No, not the Jamaican Beer! 

Saturday, I went shopping for Christmas presents, and somehow ended up in the dressing room at Loft with about 25 items to try on.  I have no idea what happened, I must have blacked out or something.  I was relatively good and just walked out with a pair of trouser jeans ($20) and this red striped top ($12).  I was pretty pumped about this shirt, so I wore it over to my in-laws for dinner and game night.

My sister-in-law said I looked like a candy cane.  Her boyfriend said I looked more like "Where's Waldo".  I don't have any idea why he thought that.  

At least I have a good idea for next Halloween!

Anyway, we had a great night, and my sis-in-law and I destroyed everyone else at Hand and Foot. 

Top:  Loft
Sweater:  H&M
Jeans:  Old Navy
Boots:  Wanted via DSW