Playdate

It's really fun to have a baby close in age to your best friend's baby.  Our boys are about 2 months apart, so we are making them be bffs, even though they currently have no idea what is going on (like at their first meeting when they were both just confused). Anyway, after both babies were sick a lot in the first 6 weeks of the year, we finally were all healthy enough to get together last week.  This is what I wore.  

Let me tell you, it was a lot easier to let the boys "play" while we talked back before Mr. Baby was crawling all over the place.  Now I'm like "so, how are things going?  MR BABY!  Don't go over there!  Stop stealing toys from your bff!  You cannot eat their tv remote!"   I'm sure it will be even more crazy when both of them are crawling, which I suspect will be any day now.  

My kid just stole that ball from his best friend.  And he's proud of himself!

I also realized while putting this post together that I'm almost entirely wearing Old Navy.  My shoes are from Gap, but everything else is ON.  This is my new $1 shirt, and I really like it!  My hair and cardigan is blocking the lace yoke, which is pretty cute.  I think it would have been a good purchase even if it had cost $8 like the tag said!

Cardigan: ON
Tee: ON Maternity
Jeans: ON Maternity
Shoes: Gap outlet

New Hairstyle: The Frun

In the last month or so, I keep hearing about the "hun" hairstyle, which is just a half-up bun.  But sounds stupid and disappointingly has nothing to do with Attila.  So I invented a new, even dumber sounding and looking hairstyle, called the "Frun."  It's a bun, but with SO MUCH FRIZZ!

Seriously, I didn't realize how bad my hair looked until we took pictures.  This is a risk you take when getting yourself ready at the same time as a 4-month-old.  I thought the bun was higher, and less frizzy.  More like this one.    I'm sure taking pictures in front of the white garage door made it worse, too.  Maybe in a few years, I'll be able to wear my hair down all the time again.  

Anyway, it's the next big thing!  Tell all the movie stars and bloggers!  A quick google search assures me no one else has invented this hairstyle yet, so I'm pretty sure I'll be famous.  I also learned that Frun is the definite singular way to say lady or wife in Swedish, and is also a Star Wars thing.

Necklace: Limited (similar)
Top: Loft outlet (similar, fancy)
Jacket: JCF (similar)
Skirt: Macy's (similar)
Shoes: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Bachelorette Party

My sister-in-law is getting married in a couple weeks, so we've been busy with various celebrations recently.  This is what I wore for her bachelorette party.  

I just went to the dinner portion of the evening and then headed home, because it was past my new bedtime and because I was missing my kid like crazy!  Someday I will be away from him for more than 3 hours, but not yet.  

Here I am with the beautiful bride-to-be!  She's in high heels and I'm in flats, so we are almost the same height!  Have I mentioned that I'm a giant compared to the other women in John's family???

Necklace: lucky b boutique

Top: Gap

Skirt: Gap factory

Sandals: target

Elephants

Well, apparently I'm really into animal prints right now (I may have ordered this tee shirt from Loft, too).  Here's my elephant scarf.  I unfortunately don't have a picture of myself feeding elephants to share (mostly because I don't think I have ever fed elephants).  So it will just be a boring post of outfit pictures.

It's May!  That's crazy!  I'm supposed to have a baby in May!

It also means the April Top 10 Remix is over, but since I'm always about a week behind on posts, I'll continue to share the outfits that I wore in April with the remix items.  But Sarah is recapping and doing a link up today, so I wanted to mention it.  This challenge was super easy, but I think helped me get dressed in April when I was feeling sort of blah about my options.  And since I didn't really do the real challenge, I'm tempted to try it for real in a few months.  We shall see.

Anyway, happy Friday and happy weekend!

Scarf: gift
Jacket: JCF (top 10 remix item)
Tee: Target Maternity
Pants: Old Navy Maternity
Shoes: Target

Staying Home

So, I need to tell you guys something:  I quit my job.  Well, that sounds harsher than it ought to.  I retired?  At least for now.  I'm going to try the stay-at-home-mom thing (although, I prefer "leave-the-house-any-time-I-want-or-need-to-mom") and see how that works out for us.  And since I knew I wasn't going to be taking an actual maternity leave, I decided to be done a few weeks before my due date, to have some time to rest up and hopefully accomplish all the crazy little things that I want to get done.  And I'm glad I did, because I have had visitors for the last 2 weeks, and it has been awesome to not have to worry about work!

Warning- I might get a little ranty here...

It's really weird to explain the "stay-at-home-mom" plan to people.  I've learned that there are very strong opinions about this decision (as with every parent-related decision: it's insane!).  A handful of women go into rants about how it's the best decision ever, and they stayed home with their kids, and they just can't believe that everyone doesn't do it.  Another subset seems to think I have betrayed all women by abandoning my career for the menial task of taking care of a baby, and won't I be so bored?  And how will I pick back up if I want to start working again???  The good news is that most people seem okay with either option, and just say they are happy for me, and we go along on our ways.

To be 100% clear - I know plenty of amazing parents, some of them stay home, some of them work part-time, some of them work full-time.  They all love their kids and are doing what works best for their own families and their own situations.  (Apply this logic to pretty much every parenting decision anyone can make).

So for me, for my family, for right now, quitting my job is the right decision.  I'm super excited that I won't have an end date to staying home with my baby.  If 3 months go by (or 3 years), and I want or need to go back to work, maybe I will.  Or maybe I will never have a job again?  I really don't know.

And I might get in trouble for saying this, but I keep seeing posts on Facebook or wherever about how stay at home moms should get paid x-million dollars a year, because they are the daycare, and the laundromat, and the cook, maid, therapist, blah blah blah.  While I do think it's important to value parents who stay home, that kind of thing annoys me.  Moms and dads who work also do the laundry, right?  Also cook dinner?  Also care for their children the majority of the hours in the week?  I mean, I've been working for the last 8 years, and no one says I should get paid extra for vacuuming the living room on the weekends.  It's called being a person.  Sure, I could hire a personal chef to cook for me, and it would cost $13000 a year.  That doesn't mean I should get paid $13000 a year to feed myself.  Right?  Okay, don't hate me for saying that!

Oh, and I still get to like weekends because it means John isn't at work.  So Happy Friday!


*this is the outfit I wore on my last day of work, a couple weeks ago.  The blog is all out of order at the moment!

Cardigan: Gap factory
Scarf: JCF (top 10 remix item)
Tee: Target maternity
Skirt: Macy's

Coral and Floral

I hadn't paired my current favorite skirt with coral yet, so I had to do it.  And you know I love mixing prints, so the stripes were also pretty much a given.  This was one of those outfits that probably just has too much going on for the average person, but I quite liked it.  And I am quite fondly looking back on those balmy fall days when I could get away with bare legs.  Don't worry, I'll run out of these type of outfit photos soon, and then I won't keep talking about it.

Cardigan: Gap (similar)
Tee: Gap (similar)
Skirt: Macy's (exact, Similar)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

Blazer Week - Coral Stripes

Let's just jump from yesterday's most expensive blazer to today's cheapest.  This one set me back $7, and honestly, I probably should have left it, because I haven't worn it much in the year since I got it.  It was right around the time when it seemed like every blogger I knew was buying that coral blazer from Gap and I loved it!  But I wasn't going to spend that much, and then I saw this one and thought it was close enough.  But something about it being coral and striped just makes it harder to style.

Today is also the Third Thursday of the month, which means it's time to link up with Bri.  Her theme this month is Fall Footwear.  I'm pretty sure Nebraska has decided fall is SO LAST SEASON, and we are firmly in winter.  But I did wear this particular outfit when we were having lovely fall weather.  I know some girls jump at the first slightly cool day as an opportunity to break out the boots, but I cling to my non-boot footwear as long as I possibly can, because I know my boots will start to feel boring when I have to wear them on repeat for 4 months straight.  So I wore my gold flats, which you can't really see.  But it was fall, and I had footwear, so it counts, right?

Blazer Week continues below!  Link up your looks and be sure to check out the other links!

Blazer: Jones New York via TJ Maxx
Shirt: J.Crew Factory (exact)
Skirt: Gibson&Latimer (similar, similar)
Shoes: Target (exact)

Blazer Week - Tweedy

Next up is my most expensive and neglected blazer.  This one came with my "grown-up" suit that I bought in a panic in May and I've worn it exactly once since then.  Not cool, Andi.  I specifically bought a suit that I thought could work as separates, but I haven't followed my plan at all.  Blazer Week was a good excuse to wear this one.

Since it's my fanciest blazer, I wanted to dress it down with jeans.  Then I stole this entire outfit from my list of ideas to wear with my black moto jacket and paired it with my ladylike blazer instead.  I think it works.  It seemed like something a 30 year old should wear.  Which I apparently am now.

I also think these shoes work perfectly for Royal Blue day with Marisa and Heidi.

Link up with your blazer looks below!

Blazer: Le Suit (similar)
Scarf: H&M (similar)
Top: Gap (exact)
Jeans: Gap Factory (similar)
Shoes: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Unexpected Visitor

I wore this outfit to church a few Sundays ago.  After lunch, we ventured into the backyard to take pictures.  John was trying to get me to go over by the tree, but I was freaking out because there was an uninvited guest that had made the tree home: 

I'm guessing this cat belongs to one of our neighbors, because it looked a little too fat and fluffy to be a stray.  We went ahead and took pictures, but I was nervous the whole time that this cat would jump out and tackle me.  I really don't trust cats. 

Cardigan: Loft
Tank: Gap (similar)
Necklace: F21 (similar, similar)
Skirt: Macy's (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

Graphic Tee Week - Cardinals

A pretty decent section of my t-shirt drawer contains St. Louis Cardinals tees.  Even more have come and gone over the years (and I'm about due for some new options - birthday hint!!).  I've mentioned before that Cardinals games were a big tradition for my Dad and me, for at least 10 years.  I wish we could still go every summer, but it's been harder since I've been a real grown-up.  Anyway, I couldn't let the week go by without working in one of these tees.  I was hoping they'd be playing in the World Series right now, but they couldn't quite make it.  So I'm voting for the Royals!

Since this is a sporty t-shirt, I decided to go the "opposites attract" route and wear my frilliest floral skirt.  I really loved this outfit, but I suspect others thought it was a bit weird.  I'm okay with that.   

Jacket: J.Crew Factory (exact)
T-shirt: some sports store at the mall
Skirt: Macy's (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

Graphic Tee Week - Do What You Love

Graphic Tee Week is here!  Get excited!  Be sure to check out Priya's posts this week, and remember you can link up with us every day! 

Most of my t-shirts are of the concert/sports team/vacation souvenir variety, but the ones I wear to work are usually of the more fashiony variety.  This particular one was a steal ($2.50) at the Gap a few summers ago.  I like it because it kind of just looks like a flowery design from far away, but if you look closely, it says "Do What You Love."  Matchy-matchy seemed like the way to go, so I played off the blue of the shirt and added this skirt, and then played off the orange/coral in the skirt to add the cardigan.

Let me just say that this might be my most-complimented outfit ever.  My co-workers were really onboard with this look.

Cardigan: Old Navy
Tee: Gap
Skirt: Gap Factory
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

A Little Bit Country

Something about a tied shirt just makes me feel like a country girl.  I'm actually the opposite.  But I did read a lot of books when I was a kid about growing up on the prairie, so I am pretty good at playing Little House with my nieces.  It's just like when I was a kid - they make me be Pa, because I'm the tallest.  Totally unfair.  And it's pretty boring until tigers attack, and then things get crazy.  Imagination games are dangerous business.

Anyway, I'm linking up with Laura for Confident Twosday!

Top: F21 (similar)
Skirt: Macy's (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

#28 - Like+Love+Bling

I recently discovered a couple seasons of What Not To Wear on Netflix and have been watching them while I do things like fold laundry and iron.  I just love Stacey and Clinton - they are so snarky but still sweet.  It's just such a fun show!  I wish it was still on!  Are there any similar makeover shows still happening?

Stacey and Clinton tend to come up with little sayings to help the women know how to shop or how to put together an outfit.  One episode I recently watched included them saying "Pick and item you love, pair with an item you like, and then add bling!" For some reason, this really resonated with me.  I want to LOVE all my clothes, but honestly, I don't love things that are super plain.  So I need to make sure I have some neutrals that I really like to pair with my colorful printed items that I love.  I think this outfit is a good example.  I love the skirt (super a lot!).  I really like the sweater.  And then I added accessories.  Pay no attention to the crooked belt.  (I should really keep a full-length mirror in my car so I can make sure I'm put together before I take pictures.)

My main complaint with WNTW is that they straighten everyone's hair.  Come on, makeover stylists!  Curly hair can be pretty, too!!!

Sweater: Loft (similar, similar)
Necklace: Limited (similar, similar)
Belt: Gap (similar)
Skirt: Macy's (exact)
Sandals: Target  (exact, similar)

 

#25 - Another Weekend, Another Wrap-Up

How was the weekend?  Mine was pretty good.  John and I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy on Friday night.  It was pretty good.  I actually liked it more than most of the recent superhero movies.  My apologies to everyone who loved The Avengers, but I didn't.  On Saturday, I had a coffee shop date with a friend, but neither of us drank coffee, because we are cool like that. Then I just spent the rest of the day doing miscellaneous things around the house.  Sundays are generally the same around here - church, lunch, housework, church, dinner.  Sometimes our Sunday school class hangs out in the evenings, which we did again this weekend.  And in an interesting turn of events, I made a last minute decision to visit my family next weekend.  I had a quick video-conference with my nieces to tell them, and they are pretty excited.  My campaign for favorite aunt continues...

And now I'm a little concerned that I need to leave town in just a few days!  At least I'm driving, so don't have to worry about airline approved packing.

Cardigan: Gap (similar)
Tee: J.Crew Factory (exact)
Skirt: Macy's (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)

#11 - Navy Week - Floral Skirt

So many things going on today!  First off, it's NAVY WEEK, so be sure to link up (after the jump) with your looks featuring one of my favorite neutrals.  But more thoughts about navy later this week.  (I know, the suspense must be killing you!). 

Second, if you have been paying attention to the 30X30, you are probably like "flag on the play!" because 75% of this outfit is not in my official 30 items post.  Well, here's what happened.  It's Danielle's fault.  Her floral skirt inspiration post reminded me that I wanted a multi-colored floral skirt.  And then she went and linked to this one at Macy's, which is pretty much exactly what I had in mind.  And it was on sale, and they were having an additional 30% off.  So I ordered it with the full intent that it would be my 30th item.  

Then, I just haven't worn either my white jeans or my anchor print tee.  I think they are too similar to other items.  I mean, the white jeans pretty much make the same outfit as the white shorts and the white skirt.  Which makes it easy, but not really interesting.  And the anchor print tee is white with navy/blue on it.  Just like my floral oxford and striped tee.  Again, great idea for easy remixing, but kind of boring.  So I was planning on dumping those items.  Which meant I had 2 open spots.  I thought about not filling them.  28X30 would have been fine.  

When this skirt arrived, I wanted to wear it the next day.  And most of my 30 items were in the laundry.  This space-dyed tank was hanging right at the front of my closet and it caught my eye.  I was going to wear my navy flats, but I felt like the length of this skirt needed heels, so I grabbed my trusty nude pumps (which have been so neglected recently).  I think they will play nicely enough with the rest of the items.  

Cardigan: Gap (option, option)

Tank: Gap (exact)

Skirt: Macy's (exact)

Shoes: BCBGeneration (similar)

October Goal Review

 

Happy Friday!  Happy November!  Oh, I have to do a goal review for October?  Blergh.  My excuses this month involve mostly birthday activities.  Here's the deal:  

• Do a project, mostly sewing - nope.
• Work out 3x a week - ummm...  I don't think so. 

• Tackle a project around the house - nope, I barely kept up with the routine chores! 
• Cook a "real" meal at least 3 days each week - Probably not.  I feel like we were busy in the evenings more this month, so we aren't always home for dinner
• Stick to a clothing budget - Success!  I'm using up my overages from earlier in the year, but I'm still under budget for Year-to-date.  Plus, I have some bonus birthday present money!  
• Read 50 books in 2013 - October was a good month for reading!  I finished 7 books, so I'm back on track for the year. 

Basically, if being a person was a job, I'd be fired.  Why can't exercising and home-making be as easy as reading books and shopping the right amount??

Blazer: Jones New York
Top: Von Maur
Jeans: Limited
Shoes: Gap

Stripe Week - Blazer

This blazer.  It's ridiculous.  I knew it was ridiculous when I bought it, but it was only $7, and I'd had a rough week, so some emotional shopping was inevitable.  And I thought a coral striped blazer would be a pretty good addition to my closet.  And then it hung in my closet for a month, because I didn't really know what to wear with it. 

Pinterest was almost no help.  I guess a white and coral striped blazer just isn't that common.  But I wasn't going to give up.  Then I saw this pin, and decided to flip the colors around to suit my ridiculous blazer.  I really like how it turned out!

I've since thought up several other outfits for this blazer.  I just had to get over the initial block.  Now I'll probably try to wear it a lot before winter officially arrives.

Remember to link up with Kate and me tomorrow with your striped outfits!      

Today I'm linking up with Pinned It & Did It, What I Wore to Work, Look What I Got, and Tres-Chic.

Blazer: Jones New York
Tank: Gap
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: BCBGeneration

Boyfriends

I'm a big fan of boyfriend cardigans and boyfriend jeans, but the names don't really make sense.  I understand that it's supposed to look like I stole this cardigan from my boyfriend.  But let's be honest - I've never known a boy who wears cardigans, much less bright coral ones.  My gray cardigan is a little more masculine, but it looks more like I borrowed it from my grandpa (and I never saw either of my grandpas in a cardigan either).    

Also, I don't currently have a boyfriend.  My last boyfriend was so cool that I decided to marry him, and he was so smart that he decided to marry me.  Sorry - that got a little sappy!

Linking up with  What I Wore and What I Wore to Work.

Tee: Banana Republic
Cardigan: Old Navy
Jeans: Jessica Simpson
Shoes: Payless

Favorite Color

As I mentioned earlier this week, I started a new adventure as an Awana leader this year.  Wednesday night was the kickoff and I can already tell these girls are going to be a lot of fun (and completely exhausting)!  When we got to our classroom, we asked the girls what they wanted to know about the leaders, and then went around and introduced ourselves, answering a couple of their questions.  Then we broke into smaller groups and I was with 3 girls (5th and 6th graders).  I asked them a few questions, and then asked if they had any other questions for me.  The most important thing:

What is your favorite color?!    

As with most "favorite" questions, I have a really hard time deciding.  I explained that I like bright colors, but my favorite is probably pink.  Their reaction surprised me:  "Ewww,   uuugghhhh!"

Then I remembered being in 5th grade.  My best friend and I were total tomboys and promised each other we would NEVER EVER wear anything pink.  EVER!  A few years later we were both regularly wearing pink things, and always jokingly acted betrayed when the other person wore pink.

I told the girls about this, and warned them that they may actually like the color pink at some point in the future.  They assured me that this was impossible.

Then they told me their favorite colors and asked me if I liked that color, too.  Blue, green, red - yep, those are all great colors!

So, what's your favorite color?

Tank: Gap
Shorts: Loft
Sandals: Love Culture

August Goal Confessions

Well, August has come and gone and I'm still just slacking on my goals.  I'm not even going to make excuses for myself.  Here's the damage:   

• Do a project, mostly sewing - nope 
• Work out 3x a week - I probably worked out 3 times total.  Fail. 

• Tackle a project around the house -Operation Closet Clean-out is in progress and I hope to get a lot done this weekend. 
• Cook a "real" meal at least 3 days each week - not even close
• Stick to a clothing budget -  success!
• Read 50 books in 2013 - I'm falling behind, partly because I abandoned a book that I had started.  I've read 30 books this year, but I should be at 32, to be on track for 50.  I'm not too worried, because I tend to read more in the fall and winter.  I'm sure I can catch back up.  

 I don't even know what to say about this.  I've got a million excuses and none of them are worth whining about here, so I'll just say I hope I can get my act together in September!  

How are you doing on your goals?  Any advice on how I can do better?

Outfit note:  I must give credit to Kate for the idea of putting a navy tee with coral/pink floral shorts.  The cardigan was necessary, because my office gets cold sometimes.  

Top: Gap
Cardigan: Old Navy
Shorts: Loft
Necklace: Dillard's
Sandals: Love Culture