Third Friday Whatever

Sometimes you just have to put on a polka dot top, jeans, and colorful shoes and call it a day.  I actually wore this yesterday.  Mr. Baby was napping and I was on the phone with my sister and ironing clothes.  Then he woke up, and John texted me to see if we wanted to meet for lunch.  I'm almost always happy to do lunch, but it was 12:15, and we were both in our pajamas.  I asked if we could do a late lunch, we agreed on 1pm and I took a shower as fast as I can (which isn't very fast).  This was an easy outfit to throw on, and I felt pretty cute in it.  

Yesterday was the Third Thursday, but since no theme was announced, I never thought about it.  Bri announced the them yesterday of "any outfit," so I'll join in with this one.

Also, our backyard has finally gotten the memo that fall is here. Leaves everywhere!

Top: JCF (similar)
Jeans: Loft (exact)
Shoes: Target (similar)
 

Weekend Update

Another weekend is gone, and I'm really starting to feel like time is flying by!  How about a quick weekend update?

Friday after work, John and I went out for dinner and a movie.  The weather was so gorgeous that we sat outside to eat!  I am so terribly excited for warm weather, I don't even care about being a blogging cliche!

On Saturday, I met up with a friend for lunch, and catching up on life.  Then I went to the outdoor mall and did a little shopping.  I didn't buy too much (more on that at the end of the month), but it was so pretty walking around in the sunshine!  And I may have purchased these shoes for the baby, because they were only $4 and I just couldn't help myself.  I was very brave and left behind a very cute baseball cap.

Saturday afternoon/evening, John and I put together the baby cage crib that recently arrived.  Okay, John did all of the assembly, but I helped hold things!  It's pretty cool to see the room coming together.

Sunday was church, lunch, home for a little bit, and then I went over to a friend's house for a few hours in the afternoon.  She's got a 5-month-old who is completely adorable.  So again, it's fun to think about having a little person soon, and sort of shocking how quickly they grow up and change!

Anyway, it was a fun weekend, but I didn't get much accomplished.  I'm quickly running out of weekends, so I guess I need to work on my task lists in the evenings.  Well, not this week.  I have plans almost every evening.  Maybe next weekend will be more productive?

Cardigan: H&M
Necklace: F21
Top: Kohl's Maternity
Jeans: H&M Maternity
Shoes: Target

Matchy Red

Sometimes, it's just fun to be a little matchy.  When I imagined this outfit, I was going to wear black boots, or maybe black flats if the weather was cooperating.  When I was getting dressed, I saw my red shoes and decided they would be a more interesting option.

Scarf: Christopher & Banks
Cardigan: Old Navy
Tee: Loft Maternity
Pants: Old Navy Maternity
Shoes: Target

Nautical Week - Anchors Away!

Get excited!  It's NAUTICAL WEEK!  Make sure you are following along with Laura to see how she is rocking the boat theme this week.  First up, a sweater with an anchor on it!  (said in my best Brian Fellow voice).  

It's been almost a year since I painted this sweater, and I've worn it exactly one time.  Oops!  But it's perfect for Nautical Week!  I wore this outfit on the last day of April, when it was quite chilly and dreary out.  And then a friend (jokingly) called me out for wearing white pants before Memorial Day.  Shh, don't tell that I bought these in October and have been wearing them all winter long.  We don't really believe in that rule anymore, anyway.  Right?

Anyway, Nautical Week is here, so get ready to see lots of red/white/navy in the next few days.  I do have at least one outfit that isn't unintentionally patriotic. Link up is after the jump!  

Sweater: Gap (but then painted) (Similar)
Shirt: Old Navy
Jeans: Limited
Shoes: Target

The End of Shorts Season

Since tomorrow is Third Thursday Threads time, I'm thinking ahead and doing my Pinned it and Did it post on Wednesday.  This type of pre-planning is really impressive for me, because one of my top skills is procrastinating.  Seriously, if someone would pay me to NOT do the things I'm supposed to do, that would be great.

My inspiration comes from a Loft catalog.  When I saw it, I had none of the pieces, but I just loved the look.  Fast forward to the end of summer and I have a chambray popover and some white shorts.  I still haven't found the perfect black/white striped cardigan, but polka dots are a good replacement.

I suspect this may be my last shorts outfit of the year, but maybe summer will hold on a bit longer.  I love layers, scarves, and boots as much as the next OOTD blogger, but I don't love the icy/snowy/frigid temps that generally come with the fashions!    

Cardigan: Old Navy
Top and Shorts: J.Crew factory
Shoes: Target

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

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

Little Red Corvette

Last Friday, I ran by the mall after work to get my watch sized properly.  I ended up just walking through the rest of the mall to see if there were any exciting things to buy.  I found a couple new items at The Limited, including this sweater.  I thought it super cute and kind of quirky, so I figured I should buy it.  As I was paying, the cashier said it reminds her of the Prince song Little Red Corvette.  I almost put it back.  I'm not a fan of Prince (or the symbol formerly known as the artist or whatever he is going by these days).  And now I will think of that song whenever I wear this sweater.  Thanks a lot, random mall worker!

Sweater: Limited
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Target      

Fall Frenzy

Remember this summer, when I did my first blog swap?  Well, the completely adorable Meg is at it again this fall, and (of course) I had to join in for the fun.

I was paired with Jenny over at A Full Cup of Life, and sent me a box full of fall goodness!

• Vanilla Candles
• Plum nail polish
• Candy Corn
• Dove chocolate bar
• Halloween themed towels

Special thanks to Jenny for the fun presents and to Meg for hosting the swap!

Outfit details:
Sweater, Button-down shirt, and Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Target

Closet Ultimatum #1 - Dyed Shirt

Yesterday, I introduced my "closet ultimatum" challenge idea.  So, here's my first outfit using an item from my summer ultimatum pile. This shirt is from Gap in 2009 - one of the Stella McCartney pieces.  It started out white, with the red chains.  I loved it, and wore it entirely too often. Here's a picture of the original: 

When the shirt got kind of dingy, I decided to try dying it.  I was hoping that the red would stay bright, and just the cotton would take the black dye.  It didn't turn out exactly as I hoped, but I still thought it looked okay.  Then I never wore it again.  Then I made my closet ultimatum pile and here we are.

Verdict:  This is a tough one for me.  I like it, and I think it actually looks pretty cute in this outfit.  I'm just worried I won't wear it very much, if at all.  I'm also wondering if I have some irrational sentimental attachment to it, since I loved it so much in its original form.

So, what do you think?  Keep or donate?  I don't think I should try consigning an item that I dyed!  Any ideas for other fun ways to style it?  I'm wondering if I could dress it up for work with a black pencil skirt and heels. 

Shirt: Gap (dyed by me)
Jeans: Old Navy
Shoes: Target

I'm also guest posting over at Simply Sarah today.  Go check out my tips on remixing a striped top!

Primary Colors

These pictures are from a few weeks ago, but I never posted them.  Then I wore this exact outfit to church on Sunday, so it all works out.

These little red flats are a recent purchase from Target.  They were $7, so I just had to pick them up.  I am always on the lookout for fun flats.

I feel like the red shoes and yellow purse added some interest to my outfit.  This dress is quickly turning into my standby when I don't have very much time to get ready, or am feeling particularly uninspired. I love easy pieces like this!

Dress: Gap
Belt: Francesca's
Shoes: Target
Purse: Liz Claiborne, from Goodwill, refashioned
Necklace: gift