Thirty Two

Today I turn 32.  The big Three Two.  Do I feel older...not so much.  Do I feel wiser...absolutely not.  But what I do feel is stronger.  Stronger in my beliefs, my goals, my convictions.  I don't feel like I'm intimidated by much (except other mom's....still gets me sometimes), and I feel very secure in where my life is headed.  Sometimes I look back at the past 7 years and can't believe I went from a single California girl working her way up in the design world, to a married New Jersey mom of 2, working on 2 blogs and working to grow a little business in her Etsy shop.  It's really kind of hard to believe.  And I can say with 100% conviction...that I would not change a thing.  Times have been tough...but I feel a change in the air that mine and my family's life are only going to get better from here.  So bring on being "IN my thirties"....it'll be the best decade yet!

The Deets:

Top: Target

Skirt: Old Navy

Shoes: Macy's

Necklace: Forever 21

Busy Little Bee

So sorry I've been M.I.A. the past few days friends!  There has been a TON of stuff going on...most of which do not include looking cute.  The first and foremost would be that I just ran a marathon on Sunday

Clearly this is before the race, where I am still standing.  JK...I actually did quite well for my first race!  Yes...first race.  No 5k, 10k, or half marathons.  I'm an all out kinda girl.  I'll tackle the hardest one first and then do all the "easy" stuff!  

I've also been super busy with my Etsy shop going on.  Have you guys ever visited?  You may want to check it out!  The name just got changed to the cutest name ever.....LemonSqueezies!  I just love it!  I do just a little of everything...as it comes to me you know?  Boys ties for boys, knit hats and baby shoes and such, and tote bags and more!  Like I said....as the ideas come to me...things go up in the shop.  Soon to come....picnic blankets for summer!  Super fun!

And along the same lines of the knitting and sewing...I created this totally awesome hat for one of my favorite kids ever!  My best friends son is turning 3 and he LOVES his super heros.  So, for summer, he gets a reversible super hero hat.  Go Iron Man and Hulk!

These look totally odd when they aren't on the head of a kid...but it's awesome.  If anyone is interested, since they aren't in the shop yet, I can make one for your kids!  Just let me know!  (yes i shamelessly advertised my services and product on my own site.  I ain't to proud!  :)  )

So now I'm just on the couch trying to recover from running a whole crap load of miles.  My body has succumbed to the pain, so as soon as I get some feeling in my legs back and my feet stop throbbing, I'll be back, good as new!  Hope you all are having a busy, yet fun, spring time!  Love and kisses!

A little bit Country

Clearly I need to do one (or all) of 3 things:

1) Find a good pose besides "skinny butt pose."  I cannot be bending over all the time.

2) Get those pasty stems into the sun.

3) Learn how to smile when not wearing sunnies

On the other hand...if you have not been blinded by my white legs, please notice my pretty crocuses that are popping up.  I planted the bulbs in September (first time doing that!) and didn't touch them.  They are bringing me such joy and I basically ignored them for 6 months! Oh how I wish that could happen with my children!  What? Who said that....

Lastly, please try on clothes in the store.  I insist.  This skirt looked about 3 inches long on the rack.  I don't even know why I grabbed it besides the fact that I really liked the print.  I thought it would be a bootie buncher for sure...and it is surprisingly the perfect length!  And SOOOOOO comfy!  I love it.  New favorite.

The Deets:
Shirt: Old Navy
Skirt: BP at Nordstroms
Boots: Steve Madden
Necklace: Vintage (from my momma's closet)
Watch: D&G

A lesson on Fit, Flattery, and Forbearance...

Happy Leap Day, y'all!  Anyone watch the leap day 30 Rock?  It was hilarious.  The gist was that leap day was an actual holiday, complete with a patron saint and official colors

Damn my embedded video isn't working.....anyway.....

So, because it's leap day, I wanted to dress in full holiday regalia...blue and yellow, blue and yellow.  Yeah-yah!  So here's where the lessons come in.  First...FIT.  This is the outfit I initially went with today, having full intention of wearing this today when I took the pictures

I thought I looked pretty good in the mirror...but then I took these pics.  First of all...don't I look terribly uncomfortable?  That's because I am.  And I wanted to wear my hair down...and because it's so long it's just not happening.  But that's under the lesson of flattery...let's get back to fit.  These pants were ones I bought when I was (unknowingly) 3 months pregnant with Jagger....my second little nugget of love.  So that means I had lost the baby weight with Hunter and was again 3 months pregnant.  They fit...just not well.  They are still just that LITTLE bit of tight that makes your back hurt a little.  Anyone else know what I'm talking about?  Anyone?  So the lesson here is no matter how much you WANT to where something...make sure the fit is correct or else your going to show it ALL OVER your face all day that you are completely uncomfortable.  And no matter how much makeup you put on, you can't cover up a constipated look because your pants are pinching just a little.

Anway,  I had to change...which brings me to flattery...and to this outfit (I just noticed my puppy Pepper photo bombed my picture)

Do I not look about 20 pounds thinner...no joke.  And not that I am like "oh look at me I'm so skinny!" because I'm pretty far from that point...but this picture is more true to form (or at least what I see in the mirror) than the before pic.  Let me break it down on why I think this outfit is WAY more flattering.  Right away would be the pants.  They fit.  I do not have to suck in to button them, or worry about anything twisting, turning, bunching or falling.   Then, the cardigan.  I think it perfectly skims my body to create a leaner line..and I'll be real, it's still way to cold to have my arms exposed. And lastly, the hair.  My face does not do well with extremely long, non-layered hair.  I say non-layered because I've had long hair before that had great layers and I loved it...but right now my hair is blllllaaaahhhhhh. So off my face is best right now.

I mean...look how much HAPPIER I look!  Because I feel good in what I'm wearing...not trying to feel good in pants I really really want to wear.

So my last lesson.  Forbearance (which is a synonym for patience...but I need another "F" word...ooooooo....."F" word......).

I really wanted to wear those striped pants.  SO badly that I picked an extremely poor outfit to wear.  So poor that my posture was bad, my hair was bad, and I just looked....bad.  My whole personality changed when I changed my clothes.  I am more confident, and happy, which in turn changes how I look completely. I often get hung up on the fact that I am not losing weight as rapidly as I did with my first child as I am with my second.  By Hunter's first birthday, I was already down to my pre-pregnancy weight, and 3 months later (when I found out I was pregnant with Jagger) I was still there!  With Jagger...we're approaching his SECOND birthday and the weight just isn't coming off as easy, despite the fact that I'm training for a marathon.  Don't even get me started on diet.  

The point is patience.  Things don't ever happen the way that you think they will, and it's hard to come to a realization that  you can't compare your situations with anyone else...or with your own!  What happened with Hunter unfortunately didn't happen with Jagger, but I'm on my way.  I've lost 6 pounds and have about 10 more to go...and its taken about 3 months....but it's going.  Just not as fast as I'd like.  And in this fashion blogging world, it's terribly difficult not to compare yourself to others.  You wonder how the heck girls have fit back into their skinny jeans and you're still rockin' your "big jeans."  But, it's important to realize that you are not like those girls (um...rock on to you ladies that do that BTW....I'm jealous...but applaud you) and that you are just YOU.  And, if you dress for how you fit NOW and not how you want things to fit...you will look your best for sure!  I'm so glad I took pics of myself and saw what I was doing....I just FEEL happier!

Cheer up, Chawlie...

Alright...I'm back.  And ready to rock.  I don't know what the heck was wrong with me yesterday...but you guys were so great in cheering up a whiny little self pitier like myself.  I DO NOT know why a couple of raised brows got under my skin (raised brows about fabulous boots no less)...but they did.  I do not typically care what others think of me...really I don't.  And even less about what people's opinions are about what I'm wearing as long as I love it and am comfortable.  But ever since I became a mom...it's like a whole different level of the typical girl jealousy, behind the back talking, and cattiness.   Not only does it involve YOUR personal character...but you feel like it involves your children too!  Like if they think A, B, or C of me....am I projecting that onto my kids so THEIR friends think of them in a different way?  BUT NO MORE, folks.  NO MORE.  I'm totally over it.  Yes in a day.  I was so pissed at myself for letting others get to me that I just put my foot down and in not such nice words said "forget you!"  So this is for all the raised eyebrow peeps who jusdge me by my BOOTS (so stupid...so stupid by the way)

"Screw you haters...I am totally over you"

"Yes you managed to pull me down into your spiral of insecurities...and I'm totally ashamed to say that you succeeded.  Applause, applause for your ability to make me feel low...you're super talented like that"

"But I'm turning away from you now because I am totally beyond that.  I wear heels to drop my kids off.  I wear patent flats to play with them outside.  I wear nice clothes to the grocery store and Target.  And I even wear pearls with flannel....so freakin' what"

"I am a rockstar no matter what because I AM ME.  You?  You have your hatred to keep you warm.  Congrats.  I do not envy you."

"Are you still there?  I definitely can't hear you...and can barely see you.  If you are still there....thank you for supporting my blog.  But you shall be mentioned here no more."

"And this is my 'small butt' pose....jealous?"

"So...now I'm done with you and going back to my happy self.  Goodbye negativity.  You will no longer be apart of me and there will be ABSOLUTELY no more self pity on this blog.  Peace out"

P.S.: I seriously did not set up the photos to write this....i just captioned the ones I took and it all kinda worked out.  That...my friends...is positively fantastic!

The Deets:

Flannel shirt: Hand me down from friend 

Tank: Target

Sweater: Express

Jeans: Old Navy

Flats: Target

Necklace: Coach

Earrings: Gifted

Typical Day

There's is nothing fancy about a sweatshirt and jeans...but sometimes it's just what you need to get out the door.  I've been having a little bit of trouble lately with personal style.  My birthday is approaching and I'm going to be (gulp) 32.  For some reason...32 is hitting me.  30 didn't feel like much, perhaps because I was pregnant and didn't really get to enjoy it, but 32 is getting to me.  I know there are things that I should be doing to "improve myself"...I don't mean plastic surgery or anything...just taking better care of my skin/hair/clothes/etc...yet it's hard to find the time.  I want to dress "my age" without compromising who I am.  So...I guess I'm in a bit of an identity crisis.  To add fuel to the fire...for some reason...these boots got the eye from a couple mom's when I went to drop Hunter off from school...and I just don't get that.  I like platforms, and heels, and I really don't like wearing running shoes unless I'm, well, running!  I feel like in the environment that I'm in (the mom world) the plainerI look, the more accepted I am.  And I'm just not a jeans and tee kind of gall.  See my crisis?  Any advice would totally be helpful!  So for today...I wore my sweatshirt, fishtailed my hair...but wore my new favorite boots.  So PLEH!

I like this picture...it makes my butt look small....be prepared for many more poses like this :)