The way I like it

I Could Certainly Use the Release

2012-01-26T16:42:00.000-08:00

While contemplating who was inspiring me today, a Gap commercial kept running through my head.

Funny Face is far from being my preferred Audrey Hepburn movie, but I do love her beatnik dance scene.

Today started off pretty bad when the Boy pulled a table down and smashed his toe and continued with inconsolable cries and whines until about noon. Thank goodness for pbskids.org and their WordWorld games. After a much needed nap, we were all in better moods but I still needed a little release. Enter dance photo shoot.

cardigan: target, shirt: gift, jeggings: old navy, shoes: thrifted

Sometimes a girl has got to dance. It is nothing more than a form of expression.

So Trendy it Hurts

2012-01-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

The word of the day is Trendy brought to you by Right Said Fred.

I've seen a lot of rain boots/wellies making it into outfits lately, so I thought I'd try it out. The only time I've worn these boots was while fertilizing my parents garden last year. Any other footwear while manhandling bags of manure would have been uncivilized, mind you.

cardigan: target, dress: hand-me-down, belt: bella band, tights: target, socks: big 5, rainboots: target

I love this outfit, especially the bright colors. The boots were fun to wear, but Husband pointed out that my steps are much heavier in them. Boots were made for stomping, right?

I'm too trendy for this post.

So I Saw This Thing Coming Out of the Sky...

2012-01-24T22:41:00.000-08:00

Another day, another prompt. Today was a monochromatic day in a hazy shade of purple.

I drew inspiration from Purple from the Purple People Eater movie circa 1988. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it for a quality movie night. Let me break it down for you: Little Neil Patrick Harris (pre-Doogie Howser) teams up with a magical musical alien to play in a rock n roll band and help elderly people. It is tender and inspirational. And fashion forward.

This is Purple:

This is me:

cardigan: thrifted, shirt (actually a dress): thrifted, skirt: downeast basics, tights: target, flats: thrifted

Pretty sure I nailed it. Maybe I should have left this outfit for Thursday...

Ogres are like onions

2012-01-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

It is time for another spout of masquerading as a fashion blogger with another fashion challenge from Kayla. This time it is only just 10 days of prompts, the first being layers.

Maybe it was because I woke up with Madonna's Borderline in my head or that my hair was rivaling Sebastian Bach or that I miss my sister, but I needed to channel the 80s in my layering today.

Taking pictures was slightly easier than the last 2 challenges now that I have a tripod, but unfortunately I'm still just as awkward. I was bound and determined to avoid any hand on hip action, so I tried different poses. My favorite two from today I have lovely named "Teenage Angst" and "The Cabbage Patch." You're welcome.

jacket: gift, top shirt: thrifted, pink shirt: target, jeggings: old navy, purple nylons: gift, shoes: vans

Other than the obvious layering (including my modern day Members Only jacket incarnate), I took this opportunity to finally wear some amazing purple open weave ankle nylon socks that my sister gifted to me. I layered them over some opaque ankle nylons. Radical.

If this first masterpiece is anything indication of what is to come, the remaining 9 prompts are going to be awesome.

Holiday Activites

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season we focused more on activities we could do together, with extended family, and with friends instead of the presents. I can report that the Boy, Husband, and I had the most enjoyable Christmas ever. No grinching whatsoever. Here is a rundown of our activities with some pictures thrown in here and there:

*decorated our Christmas tree

*the Boy unwrapped a Christmas book every night for bed time (every book he unwrapped received the explanation of "another Christmas book!!!!")

*visited Natal Circle Christmas lights (with the largest collection of creepy Santa decorations I have ever seen)

*took Christmas card pictures and sent them out
*the Boy help decorate my parents' Christmas tree
*watched the Christmas Devotional
*visited the Mesa Temple lights and Nativity exhibit with my parents

*made simple Christmas decorations
*the Boy completed a sticker Nativity advent calendar
*bought Christmas music (seriously - this is a HUGE step from my grinching days)
*I saw White Christmas the Musical with Husband's dad

*took many neighborhood walks looking at Christmas lights
*hosted a dinner party and cookie exchange (best idea ever! check out Camille's post for more details)

*I attended the First Annual Cousins Christmas Craft Extravaganza hosted by my super talented mom

*attended the Tempe Boat parade with my parents

*Husband and I attended KTAR's production of A Christmas Carol at the Orpheum Theater with Husband's dad

*watched a few Christmas movies and Cowboys and Aliens
*unexpected trip to CA for a funeral and to see family and friends

*the Boy help decorate Husbands' mom's Christmas tree
*Science Center adventures with Husband's mom and sister (and another with a college friend and her kids)

*the Boy made cookies with Husband's sister

*the Boy made wrapping paper with Husband's mom

*saw the beach and empty tide pools
*remembered Husband's grandmother and rejoiced that she is in a better place reunited with her husband

*made (and ate) tamales with my mom

*attended Christmas Eve party at my aunt's house
*attended the special Christmas service at church with Husband's dad
*ate Christmas lunch/dinner with my parents
*slept and rested because we all had some degree of the same cold for half the month
*made Turkey soup with Christmas day leftovers

Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus!

2011-12-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Decor

2011-12-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

After years of being a grinch, I decided I was ready for the Christmas spirit. It has manifested in a few ways, one being decorations. I went simple and love the result.

Post Edit: I forgot to mention that price of this decoration - FREE! The command hooks we had on hand, the twine was in the swag bag from the home and garden event I attended in September, the clothes pins are from my mom, and the green papers are actually paint chips that I snagged from Home Depot. Cheap and simple, just how I like it.

More to Come. Much more.

2011-12-19T23:12:00.000-08:00

Holy hannah! A lot has happened the past few weeks that I need to post on: Christmas decorations, home projects, boats on parade, dinner party details, science museum visits, and a quickly planned trip to California. I am so excited to post about it all and even more excited to have a little down time to sit and write all about it. Plus I'm pretty proud of my pictures. I'l leave you with this one that I took at Tempe Town Lake in the evening using a looooooooong exposure:

It reminds me of Dante's Paradiso inspired art.

Day 29 & 30

2011-12-01T21:54:00.000-08:00

Remember how I listed a pink cardigan at the beginning and never used it? Well, I decided to swap it out for this white and black stripped shirt. And I decided that I'm either replacing the buttons on the cardigan (from faux pearl buttons) or donating it.

Day 29

me- cardigan: thrifted, shirt: h&m, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: thrifted

the boy - shirt: hand me down, jeans: hand me downs, shoes: target

Day 30

cardigan: gift, tank: thrifted, maxi dress: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

I am finally done! Wahoo! I enjoyed this challenge a lot. I have had direction and purpose behind my clothing and I didn't wear this outfit everyday. I did not learn to incorporate more accessories into my wardrobe as I intended, but did come to the conclusion that with as many layers that I am wearing these days, accessories are not always needed. I now say goodbye to my days as a fashion blogger. It was fun while it lasted, but you better believe I am excited to wear variations of the tunic and leggings combo everyday I want.

Day 28

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Introducing my 30th item and my big purchase on Black Friday - this tunic was found at Goodwill for $1. That is how I roll. Speaking of Black Friday, Husband and I also bought a new dining table and 4 chairs that day. We did so simply because that was the day we sold our old dining table set to a generous buyer. Big Black Friday sale shoppers, we are not. Frugal dressers and dining table users, we are.

me- tunic: thrifted, undershirt: downeast basics, jeans: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

the boy- shirt: thrifted, jeans: thrifted, shoes: target

Tempe Light Parade

2011-11-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday night, the boy, his friend and I, plus my parents, headed to downtown Tempe for the annual Light Parade. It was great. The boys loved the big trucks, bus, and race car. The parents and I loved that Cookies from Home gave me a whole box of cookies!

And so begins the Christmas festivities. The past few years I've been a bit of a grinch over the holidays, but this year I'm really excited about all the activities we can do as a family. I think the free cookies had a lot to do with this change of heart. That and the fact that Thanksgiving was so wonderful and chill. Bring on the Christmas cheer!

Day 25, 26, & 27

2011-11-28T14:00:00.000-08:00

My weekend got a little busy, but I did manage to get dressed everyday for the challenge and take pictures for most days. Day 26 I was exhausting and I never did get a picture, but with a little help from photoshop*, you can get the idea from an earlier outfit.

Day 25

me- cardigan: target, shirt: urban outfitters, undershirt: downeast basics, jeans: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

the boy- shirt: walmart, jeans: hand-me-downs, shoes: target

Day 26

cardigan: target, shirt: urban outfitters, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: thrifted

Day 27

cardigan: target, dress: thrifted, skirt: i made it, shoes: thrifted

*No claims for being a photoshop master from me. No, sir.

Day 24

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

The perfect outfit with room to spare for a moment of gluttony. It ended up being unnecessary because I ate just enough, but better safe than sorry, right?

cardigan: thrifted, tank: thrifted, tunic: thrifted, leggings: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T16:22:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for so much. Right now I am most thankful for a calm and comfortable holiday with family.

That is stuffing on my plate because this year we made cranberry cornbread stuffing. For a person who generally hates stuffing, I found this stuff delicious!

Day 23

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

This outfit was the reason why I put this tunic and skirt in the challenge. I think it turned out great. It is completely composed of thrifted items that cost less than $10 total. Awesome, right?

tunic: thrifted, skirt: thrifted and refashioned, sash: from thrifted maxi dress, shoes: thrifted

Birthday Food

2011-11-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday was my birthday, so in honor of the occasion I got to eat some delicious and photogenic food. I'd like to talk about it all before all the Thanksgiving festivities.

First off, the Boy and I went out for lunch on my actual birthday. I thought of all the places I have wanted to go to eat and decided on Joe's Farm Grill. And lucky me, upon arrival I learned that they give a $10 discount toward your meal on your day of birth. Score! The Boy and I shared a Sonoran dog, fruit cup, and dark chocolate malt.

After lunch, we headed next door to The Coffee Shop to get ourselves a coconut cupcake. That place has amazing stuff.

Friday, after going to the Desert Botanical Garden, I wanted to take advantage of the holiday drink special at Starbucks. The Boy and I wanted someone else to join in our celebration this time, so we convinced Dad to join in. We got Peppermint hot chocolate and Salted Carmel hot chocolate for the price of one. Then we headed over to Dunkin Donuts for some pastries. Can I just say their selection is lacking for a donut place? I needed more sprinkles and butterscotch.

That evening, Husband and I went out for dinner. While driving around (I couldn't think of a place to eat because I was distracted my regret brought on by a set of avocado Pyrex bowls that I passed up at Goodwill), I saw a pizza place that looked promising. It was fate that we found Picazzo's. We ordered their Chicken & Chipotle pizza was perfect.

The celebration ended Sunday night when Mom and Dad had us over for dinner and cake. Ever since the Boy realized my birthday was approaching, he and Mom have been talking about making a camera cake for me. I'm not a fan of cake (the cupcake mentioned above was a stretch for me), so Mom made a brownie camera for me. It was yummy and punny.

I love birthdays and any other reason to eat and photograph delicious.

Day 22

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

So remember how I wanted to accessorize more with this challenge? I think I kind of forgot that after the 3rd day. Here I am going back to that idea and wearing a scarf.

scarf: made by me, cardigan: thrifted, shirt: h&m, jeans: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

Day 21

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Another day, another outfit that is basically serving as glorified daytime pjs. When it rained at 1am yesterday morning I understood exactly why my back has been acting up. Hopefully the pain will pass soon, but I'm super excited to have a friend (who is a massage therapist) work on my back on Wednesday. Yay!

me- cardigan: target, shirt: target, maxi dress: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

the boy- shirt: hand me down, shorts: thrifted

I wore this outfit with and without the cardigan for an equal period of time. I took pictures both ways to see what looked better and Husband suggested to use them both, so I did.

Flap Those Wings

2011-11-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

Last week, the Boy and I went on another adventure with Jen and baby. This time we headed to the Desert Botanical Garden. They currently have a butterfly exhibit that will end this weekend. We went to check it out. We saw the exhibit last year, but this year the Boy was more verbal about how he felt about the butterflies. His body language made it pretty clear, as well.

He was afraid of them because they flapped their wings too quickly. I can understand that. They sure were incredible to see all lined on the netting. The Boy enjoyed them most when they went down to get a drink from the flowers.

The garden has another exhibit right now that included large wooden sculptures of various bugs. I didn't take any pictures of them, but Jen basically has them all covered over on her blog.

Day 20

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

This was a tough day for me. I woke up with back pain that continued all day long. I was very tempted to just opt out of the challenge for the day and wear sweats. This outfit was light and comfortable so it was like wearing pjs but with a little more class.

cardigan: old navy, undershit: downeast basics, tunic: thrifted, leggings: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

Polaroids on Parade

2011-11-20T14:23:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Husband and I installed some shelves to display part of my Polaroid camera collections. I found 2 sets of 3 shelves on clearance at Target for about $3.50 each. They were leftovers from the dorm room decor*. It sure does pay to have the taste of a college freshman. We used the general idea of a pin found on pinterest to know where to put the screws in the wall. It worked like a charm.

*The floor lamp is from the same line and I found some on clearance it a few months ago for $6. I bought 2.

Day 19

2011-11-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

me- cardigan: target, shirt: urban outfitters, undershirt: downeast basics, jeans: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

the boy- hoodie: hand me down, shorts: hand me down, shoes: target

Day 18

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I did not wear a skirt/dress today. That is like the first time in months. I would like to thank water aerobics for slimming my core to make this outfit possible sans muffin top. Holla!

me- cardigan: old navy, tank*: thrifted, undershirt: downeast basics, jeans: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters
the boy- shirt: target, shorts: hand me downs, shoes: target

*Officially swapping the original multi-colored stripped shirt for this one. I haven't worn the original one yet, and have no desire to wear it.

Day 17

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

It was my birthday and I celebrated by being the queen of awkward photos in easy casual*. This was the 7th photo and final photo of a string of ultra awkward poses. That is 6 too many pictures. But whatever. At least my hair looks awesomely awful from water aerobics.

cardigan: target, shirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: urban outfitters

*Totally made that term up.

Pizzeria Bianco

2011-11-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday while on an outing to the Arizona Science Center (yes, the Boy and I have been there twice within the week), I had the pleasure to eat lunch at Pizzeria Bianco. The food was reminiscent of my visit to keste pizza in New York. The food was absolutely delicious! I would recommend it for a date night, but not for a group of more than 3. The place is small and there is usually a wait for group seating. Here are pictures* of what was ordered on my visit:

Spiedini

Margherita

Wiseguy with Wood Roasted Organic Mushrooms

*I want to be a paid food photographer. Seriously.

Day 16

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Lets talk about how stinking cute the Boy is in this picture. Lets not talk about my awkward right leg.

me- shirt: target, skirt: thrifted, shoes: thrifted
the boy- shirt: walmart, shorts: hand me downs, shoes: target

"Not yet."

2011-11-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

Those are the Boy's favorite words. He says them multiple times a day when asked if he is ready to do something else. With all the fun he seems to have playing and exploring, I guess I understand.

Day 15

2011-11-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm halfway through this challenge. Woohoo!

The Boy and I joined up with Jen and her babe to explore the Arizona Science Center yesterday. As we were leaving, we had an impromptu photo shoot. I love the movement in my skirt.

cardigan: thrifted, shirt: h&m, maxi: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

Funny story about this outfit: When I first got dressed, I had on jeans and planned to wear grey Chucks. Then I decided against it and put on the maxi and flats. Also, I was going to do a side braid in my hair on the drive over to the museum (in the passenger seat, of course). When I arrived at Jen's house she was wearing basically what I had been wearing, with a side braid. Is this the first time we have been twinners? No. Will it be the last? Probably not. Anne Shirley would probably say Jen and I are kindred spirits. I say we are awesome.

"Don't waste my time."

2011-11-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

Film: In Time

Starring: Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy, and Amanda Seyfried

Synopsis: In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. One man, with the help of a lady friend, work to disrupt the system.

To be completely honest, I saw this movie for JT. It was the first film that he has been in that I thought he had a decent role to play. I was surprised to really enjoy every moment of the film. It presented a lot of interesting ideas to consider that I'll leave you to make your own interpretations when you watch it. What I want to focus on is more of the visual aspects of the film, other than JT, of course. First, the set design was fantastic. It was heavily industrial and left me aching for a more urban life, or more cement in my home. Next, the wardrobe was pretty stellar. Mod tailored suits anyone? I swoon. The dresses could have used a few more inches, but if I had Amanda Seyfried's legs and was able to walk in 6" heels, my opinion may be different. Finally, there were some deliciously composed scenes. I have tried over and over again to put what I mean in words, but it just isn't working. You just had to be there. Go see the film. Drink it in visually. I'll be dreaming of concrete bridges, skinny ties, and picture composition.

Day 14

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

What is it about the evening, nap taking irrevelant, that is making the Boy crazy? He is calm all morning and afternoon, then when dinner approaches he unleashes the crazy. He runs faster, jumps higher, and asks 5000 more questions. It probably has something to do with Husband coming home and both of them wanting my attention. You may not know this, but I'm kind of a big deal. But whatever. This picture was taken during crazy time.

me- tunic: thrifted, sash: from maxi dress, jeans: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters
the boy- shirt: hand me down, pants: hand me down

Tempe Veterans Parade

2011-11-14T18:19:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, the Boy and I, along with my parents, went to the Veterans Day parade in Downtown Tempe. As always, we enjoyed ourselves. How could we not with the marching bands, thrown candy, and old cars? Thank you Veterans for protecting our freedom!

airplanes were "in the parade" too, or so says the boy.

all my favorite cars from the parade

The weather was lovely and produced fantastic lighting for pictures. Thank you clouds!

Day 13

2011-11-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

Remember how I used to do weekly special posts*? Remember how they stopped when my crazy summer ate me alive? I think that it is time to go back to that, starting today. On the Town Monday coming right up.

cardigan: gift, shirt: target, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: urban outfitters

*see the right sidebar

Day 12

2011-11-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

Husband and I doubled on a date last night with some friends. We saw In Time. Review to come.

cardigan: target, dress: thrifted, sash: from maxi dress, leggings: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

Day 11

2011-11-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

There have been a few things that I've been looking for at the thrift store - colored skinny jeans, brown boots, maxi dress, a few belts. I know these things are readily available at department stores, but I don't want them enough to pay anywhere near full price. Plus, getting a good deal on things I need/want* gives me a high. This week I found a maxi dress! Now I completely understand how Church Pajamas came to be. Comfortable as all get out! And knowing I only spent a dollar on it makes this dress even more enjoyable to wear. Now introducing item #29 - the teal maxi dress.

cardigan: target, shirt: urban outfitters, dress: thrifted, shoes: thrifted

*I am not a hoarder.

Day 10

2011-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Layering is the new accessorizing in my book. Do I really need a belt or necklace when I've got 3+ layers on. No way, that would be weigh me down. This outfit was perfectly comfortable as I ran around for pirate education at the Phoenix Science Center, lunch at a pizzaria, Dollar Day at a few thrift stores, hosted a little play date, and attended a recipe swap. Delightful.

cardigan: thrifted, undershirt: downeast basics, tunic: thrifted, jeans: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

Day 9

2011-11-10T00:15:00.000-08:00

The 12-13 year old girls at church tonight loved this one - all 6 of them. Hollah! Because I'm a woman I appreciated the validation.

cardigan: target, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: thrifted, jeans: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

Day 8

2011-11-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

I really like this one. Unfortunately all I did while wearing this was watch 5 kids - 4 being under the age of 4 years old. They were really entertaining to watch because the conversations they had were hilarious. But they did not appreciate my outfit. Oh well, I felt stylish nonetheless.

cardigan: target, shirt: target, skirt: downeast basics, tights: target, shoes: thrifted

Day 7

2011-11-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

I may or may not have spent most of my day layering anything I could on top of this outfit to stay warm inside my house. For some reason 74 degrees was feeling frigid.

me- tunic: thrifted, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: thrifted, shoes: thrifted
the boy- shirt: thrifted, pants: hand-me-down, firetruck: gift

In other news, this photo is a sneak peek into a project Husband and I completed this weekend. Be excited, I know I am.

Day 6

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

This outfit will need to be thought out better next time. The blue tights with teal cardigan may be a little too busy together. These things happen when I'm running late for church and I really want to wear colored tights.

cardigan: old navy, shirt: urban outfitters, skirt: downeast basics, tights: target, shoes: thrifted

Day 5

2011-11-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

It appears to me that the Boy is just as much a part of this challenge as I am. He probably has about 30 articles of clothing that he regularly wears, he chooses his own clothes everyday, his combos are often interesting, and he keeps jumping into my pictures. He is officially participating.

me- necklace: mom's, caridigan: target, shirt: h&m, skirt: downeast basics, tights: target, shoes: urban outfitters
the boy- shirt: thrifted, pants: hand-me-downs, sam i am: gift

Day 4

2011-11-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

What would you wear on a day with a morning full of potty training? PJs until noon? Me, too. But once the Boy asked for a diaper, after 8 successes and 2 accidents, I finally chose my outfit for the day. This kimono tunic is my favorite top. I have 2 others (in blue and purple) that I really had to hold myself back from adding into the mix. Seriously, give me at least 7 different of these tops and 7 different color leggings/jeggings and I am set for life. *birthdayhint*

tunic: thrifted (originally from target), undershirt**: downeast basics, leggings: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

**The white undershirt is item 28. I'm committed to it.

Day 3

2011-11-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me for the low quality picture because it was dark outside, my house is poorly lit for pictures, I don't play well with the flash and only have a kit lens to work with these days. Plus I was tired and obviously had a feral child in my midst.

me- shirt: urban outfitters, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: thrifted
the boy- pants: hand-me-down

Do you like my hair? This is what an hour of water aerobics does to a braid. I love me some water aerobics. I am mighty grateful for the low impact cardio workout on my achy joints. Helps me feel young again.

Day 2

2011-11-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

I took a page out of Erica's fashion book and tucked in my cardigan. And by golly, I loved it.

cardigan: target, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: homemade, shoes: thrifted

P.S Awkward pictures are going to be another staple for the next month. You're welcome in advance.

More Hyperdirve: Lampshade

2011-11-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the lamp that Husband's dad gave us:

Awesome shape, but drab color.

Here is my inspiration:

via Melissa

And here is my version:

New-ish lampshade for less than $2. Score!

Day 1

2011-11-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is yesterday's outfit. I'll more than likely post a day after the fact.

me- dress: thrifted ($1!), shoes: urban outfitters, belt: marshalls
the boy- shirt: hand-me-down, pants: hand-me-down, sandal shoes: target, monkey lease: target

I wanted this dress back in the day when I saw it on sale at Shade, but waited too long. When I saw it hanging on the rack in Goodwill on dollar day I was super excited. Unfortunately I see why bloggers have refashioned their dresses it into shirt. It has no shape, and my dress is a size too big. This challenge will help me figure out what exactly to do with this dress.

30 for 30

2011-11-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Guess what? I'm going to masquerade as a fashion blogger again! For the next month I'm joining Jen in the 30 for 30 challenge. Jen explains that "Essentially you take 30 articles of clothing and create 30 unique outfits from those pieces." Sounds easy enough and another way to be intentional in my dress. Here are my clothing picks:

shirts

undershirts

dresses/tunics

skirts

jeans/leggings

cardigans

shoes

I only have 27 items listed because:
1. I couldn't commit to 3 more
2. There are a few items that I'm searching for that I just might find out thrifting in the next week
3. I'm a little skeptical that that AZ will let me go full force into cold weather attire

The ultimate reason to participate in this challenge is to learn to better accessorize. I learned in the last fashion challenge that I am accessory deficient/challenged. The next month I will work better, harder, faster, stronger on using accessories to enhance my ensembles.

Halloween Decorations

2011-10-20T00:55:00.000-07:00

One thing that the hello there! house event focused on big was having holiday decorations in the home. They did plan a craft for 3 major holidays, after all. The projects were cut, but just not my style. In the past, I have cared little about decorating for the holidays. It was extremely low on my priority list, especially since most decorations are too much for me. Turns out I just needed some inspiration in my preferred style. My inspiration came from Annie and her Frankenstein pillow.

This is what I came up with:

These pictures reside over my (gross) fireplace. Atop the fireplace will most likely become the permanent holiday decor spot.

Best part of these decorations is the price - $.82 total. The frames were a gift, so I only had to pay to print my photoshop creations.

Home Design Hyperdrive

2011-10-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

I attended the hello there! house home and garden event a few weekends ago. It was awesome. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, my mind has not stopped thinking about what I want to do to my house. Here is a brief rundown of what I have been thinking about:

*color scheme - found inspiration in a dress in my closet

*simple holiday decorations

*more photos, more frames, more stuff on the wall

*outdoor living with some sun shades, comfy furniture, and art of some kind

*small container gardens

*dye, dye, dye - slip cover, lampshade, and perhaps some curtains

*reupholster some armchairs

*another million details that I haven't committed to yet

As I execute each project, I'll post the details. Can I tell you I am super excited? Thinking about the possibilities just help me love my house more and more. Especially since I am committed to keep each project inexpensive without compromising quality.

Another Year, Another Excellent Party

2011-09-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm still without a camera - boo. But I did realize that I never posted pictures from my brother's birthday party last month. He was really hyper this year, so it was hard to catch good photo ops (like last year) because he was moving too fast. Haha. It's hard to say what his favorite moment was this year, but he was really excited to get to talk to other siblings that live far away. It was like they were there.

The Flash! No Way!

Talking with older bro in MI

Face time with sister in PA, and of course Amber puppy puppy.

Another I Spy cake


Complete with riddle

Hello There! House: A Home and Garden Event revisted

2011-09-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

Remember last month when I posted about Hello There! House: A Home and Garden Event? Well I'm going! Hooray! It is next weekend (Oct 7th and 8th) in Downtown Tempe and they are having a special price for last minutes sign ups - $100 for both days. Come if you can, it should be fun. I'm most looking forward to learning about urban farming, blooming in the desert, reupholstering, and outdoor living (hello dinner parties!).

A Favorite

2011-09-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

My days masquerading as a fashion blogger paid off. Not only was the 21 day challenge a lot of fun, I was featured on the favorites post! Another big thanks to Kayla for hosting the challenge. I enjoyed having a purpose to get dressed, meeting lots of other bloggers, and having a reason to post everyday.

My posts may be infrequent for a time because my camera is in the shop for the next 3 weeks, and I feel half a person without it.

Balboa Park Botanical Garden

2011-09-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

This past June I had the pleasure to go to San Diego with my church's youth group. I experienced another side of the city than I had before. Unfortunately, I did not take very many pictures for some ridiculous reason or another, but the ones I did take I was very pleased with. Oh how I want to take a photography trip again. But back to the purpose of this post, I love these photos of the plants in from the Botanical Garden at Balboa Park.

Day 21

2011-09-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

Today is just about working it. Not in the call girl sense, but in the confidence sense just to clarify. I decided to wear the skirt that I've grown to love during the challenge and the dress that I think was a shirt in another life. The picture does not do justice to how good I felt in this ensemble. It is more of an average of how I felt in these clothes and how I felt in these shoes. Because I was at church, they fit the outfit better, and it was only for the morning, I wore these dress shoes instead of the pink ones. Know that my feet were DYING because these shoes are not broken in. At least they are cute, right?

shirt: thrifted dress, skirt: made by me, shoes: target

I've enjoyed participating in this challenge. It felt good having a purpose to get dressed everyday beyond chasing the Boy around. While I think I did pretty good overall pushing outside of my comfort zone, I think I was a limited by the ridiculous weather around here. This could be a fun challenge to revisit in cooler months where pants, layers, and cardigans can roam free.

Day 20

2011-09-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

Today is about Sunday shoes. And here's the thing: most of my dress shoes are giving my feet blisters these days. Sorry, that is gross info to share, but so true. There are only one pair that don't pain me, and I bet you can guess they are my pink Urban Outfitter flats. Instead of just throwing them on and making it look like I gave no effort to this prompt, I got serious and cleaned up my shoes. I imagined I was scrubbing them up for my Sunday best (because in all honesty, Husband was embarrassed with how dirty I let them get) and got out the Oxyclean out. They look as good as new. And they are my Sunday shoes today.

shirt: thrfted, skirt: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

P.S. Forgive the lower quality photo today. My camera needs some positive thoughts as it is in the shop this weekend. I'm hoping Tempe Camera can work their magical powers on it so that I don't have to buy a new one.

Day 19

2011-09-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Can I just apologize for the frumpsville picture from yesterday? Thanks. It was just one of those days. Today's prompt is about putting something on my head. I decided a headband was best, especially since all my hats are beanies and the high was 107 today. And since I babysat this morning and was spit up on, I changed my clothes and went with comfort. Wearing this outfit is like reliving the (sometimes-not-so) glory years of high school, except I'm wearing a skirt. I never wore a skirt in high school unless I had to, had to wear it. Anyway, I realize that I wore this skirt yesterday, but like Amy said on Day 2, "Two days in a row? At least it wasn't underwear."

headband: target, shirt: high school soccer team, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: thrifted, shoes: thrifted converse

P.S. I'd show you a closer look of the headband, but the quality of my hair today has been questionable. Basically it is an elastic teal headband - same color as my skirt.

Day 18

2011-09-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Today is about statement jewelry. As I said before, I don't have much jewelry and most of it I misplaced in the move. I did however know the location of a chunky bangle bracelet that was loud and proud. A friend gave it to me at my bridal shower years ago. It is orange with big polka dots. I'm pretty sure that combo makes a statement.

shirt: target, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters, bracelet: gift

Day 17

2011-08-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today is about take an article of clothing from repair pile to wear pile. This skirt has been needing help from the time I purchased it over a year ago. I've worn it, but the blasted rick-rack on the bottom just stuck out to me like sore thumb.

It was because of the rick-rack that I overlooked it for my outfit on Day 14. My outfit today is so much more like a Kristine outfit than Day 14's outfit could ever dream about. But I digress. Last night I bought a seam ripper and this morning I started ripping. It took FOR-EEE-VER to pick. Once I got the pink rick-rack off, I realized it doubled as the hem. Well, my sewing machine is sitting in my parents' basement and the fabric is holding the hemmed shape, so I'm the leaving unfinished hem for another day. I made the repair I had set out to do and I'm satisfied with that.

shirt: h&m, skirt: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

P.S. I may or may not need a pair of TOMS to stand in for my pink shoes. I'm a little embarrassed by how much I've been wearing them lately.

Day 16

2011-08-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

Today is about menswear. I had another outfit in mind that involved suspenders, but the thrift store didn't have any that I liked. Enter plan B: this shirt belongs to Husband, therefore this is menswear.

shirt: husband's closet, undershirt: urban outfitters, shorts: target, shoes: thrifted converse

Day 15

2011-08-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today was all about doing something new with my hair. I think the intention was to have a hair style to enhance my outfit, but today was a t-shirt and jeans kind of day. You won't see what I wore today or see what my hair looks like from the front (the hair looks fine, but I look exhausted) because that is not what today is about. The focus is the fact that I French braided a section of my hair and it doesn't look terrible. That is something new.

Day 14

2011-08-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

Today is all about copying. I did not look up an outfit to copy last night. I woke up late-ish and had some lesson prep to do before church, so I couldn't really look up outfit inspirations then either. When I got dressed I looked in my closet and thought what would Kristine or Elaine wear? This is what I came up with:

shirt: h&m, cardigan: thrifted, skirt: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

I've been following both of their blogs for a while now and love what those two ladies wear, and figured my outfit was like something I had seen them wear before. After church I looked up past outfits on both blogs and found that mine was a hybrid between two of Kristine's ensembles.

source

P.S. You don't know how much I would have loved to copy a "church pajamas" outfit today. Guess I'm going to keep an eye out for maxi dresses/skirts while thrifting this month to copy that one.

Day 13

2011-08-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today I'm neutral with a pop of color. With my crazy day, I went for comfort, so my favorite go-to shoes are my pop of color. If you've paid attention, I've worn them the majority of this challenge so far. That's true to life. I bought them for our wedding, but didn't wear them because they gave me blisters. After getting married, I gave them another shot and lined the heel with moleskin. Now they are my favorite shoes. I wish I had more in every color, but Urban Outfitters isn't selling them anymore. Boo.

Excuse the disheveled look. I had a photo shoot outside in the heat, with a mini burst of dust storm, and a mostly uncooperative 2 year old. All things considered, I think I look great.

shirt: h&m, undershirt: shade, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: urban outfitters

Hello There! House: A Home and Garden Event

2011-08-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Since we bought our house, there have been a few areas that I've been needing a little extra help figuring out what to do and how to get it done. When I learned about the Home and Garden Event coming up in October, it sounded like something I wanted to be a part of. When I learned they were having a ticket giveaway, I knew I needed to jump on it. There are 3 major areas of my home that need help and I'm hoping attending this event will help me get a hold on at least one, if not all of them.

Reading Room:

This is the formal dining room that I'm turning into a reading room/library. There are a few ideas that I've been thinking about, but nothing solid. Maybe a window bench? Maybe a credenza or 5x1 expedit shelf in front of window? Armchair? Modern rocking chair? Color scheme? Who knows just yet.

Goodwill Chairs:

I bought both chairs for a total of $18 at Goodwill a while back. They have great bones and style, but are covered in original nasty velvet. Any direction on reupholstering them would be helpful, even just what type of fabric to look for would be great.

Backyard:

Husband and I have grand ideas of having lots of fruit/citrus tress in out backyard and also a garden. Since this direction would be new to this landscape, I'd love to hear options.

Here is more info on the event. Fingers crossed that I can win the tickets!

Day 12

2011-08-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Another great, simple prompt for another busy day: wear jeans. Done. With a little remix as well.

dress: thrifted (more remix), jeans: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

Day 11

2011-08-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today's prompt was simply wear a skirt. I really appreciate the simplicity of it. My day has been crazy. This morning I had a newborn photo shot, noontime lunch with Husband's dad and the Boy, quick evening family shoot, and photo prep and set up for a wedding tomorrow. The easy comfort of this outfit was very helpful while running around. This photo was taken when I came home at 10pm in the only room with semi-decent light. Do I look as tired as I feel?

shirt: downeast basics, skirt: urban outfitters, shoes: reef flip flops, but took them off

Day 10

2011-08-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

The prompt today was about wearing a normally unworn piece of clothing. My first choice was a skirt that I hadn't worn in a year. Well, the zipper broke on it as I was putting it on and then I was stuck in it until Husband managed to help me out. Guess it was getting back at me for looking it over so much. I went back into our closet and found this shirt that I usually avoid because it's color is often overwhelming. I paired it with yesterday's skirt, partly because it cut down the overwhelming color and partly because other than yesterday, I hadn't worn it in a year. Also, I wore it again because I could. So there. The shoes I don't wear often either. So, it turns out, this is an outfit of orphans.

shirt: target, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: homemade, shoes: khols

Day 9

2011-08-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Today's prompt is all about one color. Not much to say about this one, other than I have had a love/hate relationship with this skirt. This morning I hated it, but by the evening I was loving it. Hopefully my love will last. Go pink!

shirt: urban outfitters, skirt: i made it!, shoes: urban outfitters

Day 8

2011-08-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

My name is Yancy. My pants are fancy. (to the tune of this)

This August heat is really cramping my style. In an effort to ignore the weather and pretend it were cooler, I wore long pants today for the casual part of the fancy and casual prompt. The jury is still out on whether or not that was a good move. I wore silver flats, and I guess the dress, for the fancy part.

dress: thrifted, sash: aeropostale (came with pants), jeans: thrifted, shoes: target

Maybe I should have done jazz hands in this picture to make it extra fancy. There's always next time.

Day 7

2011-08-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

"I'm not playing. I'm accessorizing."

Today's prompt is about layering accessories. When it comes to accessories, I don't have many. Since we moved, I seem to have less because I've misplaced a few. This is fine for most days, but not good for this challenge. Somehow I scrounged up two necklaces that looked okay together and made it possible to participate today.

shirt: target, undershirt: downeast basics, shorts: areopostale, shoes: urban outfitters

heart necklace: borrowed from mom, other necklace: gift from foreign land

While searching for stuff, the Boy even decided that he wanted to accessorize. In a manly way, of course.

*I've been blessed to have Husband around to take the photos this weekend. It is so much nicer than using the timer.*

Day 6

2011-08-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

"Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed" - google.com

Today's prompt is about being unconventional. When I first read the prompt yesterday, I wanted to wear a shirt as a skirt. This was fine in theory, but I could not execute it. Husband only has 2 long sleeve button up shirts, and neither one wanted to cooperate. After a moment of defeat, one of Husband's short sleeve shirts called out to me and I figured a woman wearing a man's shirt in a dressy and feminine manner could be considered unconventional. Is this use entirely original and creative? No, but I am sure whoever created this shirt did not intend for me to wear it as I have. As a bonus, Husband's shirt is very breezy which is very nice in this ridiculous August heat.

shirt: prana (gifted to husband), skirt: fossil (gifted to me), belt: marshall's - came with pants, shoes: reef

Now that I have today's challenge out of the way, I am going to focus on tomorrow's beast. For most I assume it will be easy, but for me it presents a bit of an extra challenge.

Day 5

2011-08-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

If you like it then you better put a belt on it. Oh oh oh.

Today's prompt is about using a belt. I haven't worn a belt in years, so it was time to make use of one of my 3 belts living in my dresser. To execute the outfit I saw in my head, I had to alter the belt a bit and add new holes. A big thanks to Husband's Leatherman and a meat thermometer that made the alteration possible.

dress: thrifted (remix piece), skirt: rue 21, belt: thrifted and altered

Unfortunately, I don't own any shoes that worked with this look. Any suggestions? Maybe some cowboy boots?

Day 4

2011-08-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

Another day, another prompt.

Today is all about the color blocking. I can dig it. My colors of choice were light blue, black, teal, and pink.

shirt: urban outfitters, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: thrifted, shoes: urban outfitters

Day 3

2011-08-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

My dad played photographer for me today, but posing was almost harder with someone behind the camera. I've got 18 more days to master the art of fashion blogging, so hopefully my photos will blow you away by the end of this challenge.

I love today's prompt! Mixing patterns is a bit of a passion of mine. You could even say that it is something I have been dabbling in since I was little.

shirt: hand-me-down, pants: hand-me-down

Unfortunately, when I looked in my closet today I realized how much my shirts are lacking in the pattern department. Six striped shirts and the one I decided to wear. All six of those striped shirts let me down today with how much they didn't inspire me. But it's fine, they will have to make it up to me another day. Besides, my outfit today is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. And very comfortable.

shirt: forever 21, undershirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: old navy

Here is a closer look at the patterns involved.

I dedicate this ensemble to Jessica. May my participation in this challenge make you proud.

P.S. Don't you wish it were socially acceptable for adults to pose like children? I totally should have sat on the back of the Boy's tricycle with my arms in the air for my outfit post today.

Day 2

2011-08-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

This masquerading as a fashion blogger is tough stuff. Posing for the pictures is especially hard. Did I mention that I've been taking pictures myself by setting a timer and putting the camera on a ladder? Running back and forth in between pictures in the heat is exhausting. The sacrifices I make for fashion.

Today's prompt was tucking, so I tucked my shirt in. Not my favorite thing, but it sure beats a sharp stick in the eye.

shirt: downeast basics, skirt: downeast basics, shoes: urban outfitters

I'm really excited for tomorrow's prompt. Stay tuned!

Day 1

2011-08-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Remember when I pretended to be a fashion blogger? Well I'm going to masquerade as one for the next 21 days. Kayla over at Freckles in April is hosting a 21 day challenge to be intentional with daily wear, and since I want to be more intentional in my life, I thought I would participate.

The prompt for today is remix something, meaning I needed to pick an article of clothing that I would wear differently 3 times in the next three weeks. Initially I picked something else, but the ensemble was way too reminiscent of an awful outfit I wore the first day of high school which I never repeated. So you can understand why I put the kibosh on that one. It didn't take too long to come up with another outfit.

I found a dress while thrifting this weekend. It is a style that I have been praying I would find on the cheap: 100% cotton, flowy, sleeves, and just short enough to wear with jeggings. It is definitely one that I want to wear at least 3 times in the next few weeks, so it is my pick for remix.

dress: thrifted, shorts: thrifted jeans turned cut-offs, shoes: who needs them

Maybe I feel like I'm channeling some dust bowl/Great Depression with this outfit. Sometimes the AZ summer sun makes me feel like I'm living in the Grapes of Wrath, only with more heat and prosperity.

Ka-Chow!

2011-08-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last week was the Boy's birthday. He turned 3.

He loves his number 3 shirt.

When I asked the Boy what he wanted for his birthday treat, he bounced back and forth between wanting a Cars cake or a letter brownies. I made an executive decision and passed the buck to my parents. My dad was in charge of brownies and my mom was in charge of decorations. They did a perfect job.

All new cars from Cars 2.

The first time he successfully blew out birthday candles. The Boy is growing up.

Counting all the Cars, which are not only cake toppers, but masquerade as toys during the day.

One of 2 bites of dessert he ate - all of which were ice cream. He chose playing with toys over eating brownies.

The "purse" (the Boy's word, not mine) that he got to serve as a home for all his new Cars.

Baby Mila

2011-08-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

This sweet thing's mommy is one of my favorite people. Ever. It was my pleasure to meet Mila and photograph her. I'm coming to realize that I prefer taking pictures of mommies and babies together over babies solo. And to take them in black and white is that much more dynamic, in my opinion.

Pictures of the "Woodsen"

2011-07-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

I loved seeing how much this little guy has grown since his newborn shots last year. This family gets lucky with the best lighting whenever I photograph them. Plus they are a good-looking* group, so that helps produce quality pictures as well.

*I think everyone is photogenic, so being a good-looking group is something I feel about every group of people. But if someone throws in a Blue Steel, then they are really really good-looking.

Made My Day

2011-07-26T23:02:00.000-07:00

We have been married for 4 years today. That fact seems blog worthy.

still my favorite wedding picture

Here is another fact for you: I forget the exact date of our anniversary every year.

I always remember we got married on a Thursday. And that the ceremony was in the San Diego Temple in a room that could not have been filled with more natural light streaming through the windows if it tried. I also always remember being so grateful that most of my family was in that sealing room with us, none of which actually lived anywhere near the San Diego area.

And of course I remember the wedding luncheon, where someone gave me a plate of sliced avocado and I responded "You've have just made my day." True story. I love avocados.

But above all else, I remember how it felt to be marrying my best friend and knowing, without a doubt, that it was right.

We celebrated our day with my lost voice, his cold, and the Boy trying to mooch from our celebratory dinner. And since Joseph Gordon-Levitt didn't make a film of interest this year, we watched Inception for the 2nd year in a row.

we shared sushi, jamba juice (w/ immunity boost), and a box of kleenex

After all is said and done, it doesn't matter that I can never remember our exact anniversary date. I still love Husband like fireworks.

Bold Move

2011-07-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

In the past two weeks I have been to two blogger meet-ups. One was hosted by Melissa Esplin from IS-LY. Unfortunately (super emphasis here) I never took out my camera, so there are not pictures to document the event. Basically we chatted and ate delicious food from Dilly's Deli. Did I mention it was at Melissa's in-laws' fantastic modern home? I was in architectural and interior design heaven. Talking with Melissa's mother-in-law sure did help me figure a few things out about how I want to transform my home (in time).

The other meet-up was hosted my Camberley and Keighley from Fancy House Road. It was a Christmas in July themed event with a few garland crafts. There were a lot of bloggers there and it was a little overwhelming. My lack of skills in the small talk department was very apparent as I could not think of a single thing to say to anyone the first 45 minutes or so, but once I did start chatting I got to know some pretty awesome ladies. It was a fun event and I'm glad I went.

some of the garland supplies

most of the ladies that came - photo from Kayla

Other than the hosts, I chatted with a few awesome bloggers. I met Kayla from Freckles in April, Jessica from Toujours C'est La Vie, Mandy from Dash It All, and Ashley from The Adventures of Bunny and Elephant. I also indirectly met Rosemary from Hello There! House who's latest project is extremely interesting to me. I hope they have a giveaway for tickets to their conference in October and that I win, because it sounds super fun.

Now to address the title of this post - Attending these meet-ups was a very bold move for me. The past few years have torn me down, but as I'm fighting to get stronger and more self-assured, I am putting myself out there more. And it isn't easy. Because I had access to the blogs of all the ladies attending, I was a little more at ease about going to the first meet-up. The second meet-up was a little more difficult because I was more or less going in blind because lots more bloggers than I expected showed up. But I pushed through it, survived, and made a few friends. For that, I feel like a champion. Hopefully I can attend more meet-ups and improve even more.

A big thanks to Melissa, Camberley, and Keighley for letting me participate is some great social experiences. You girls are awesome.

In the Middle of Our Street

2011-07-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

Husband and I are now homeowners! It has been a long process, but so worth it. What really jump-started the process was the research I had to do for a personal finance class. While I was researching mortgage rates and insurance rates, Husband decided to see the housing prices in our area. He realized we could afford a decent-sized home, so we started looking in February. I searched online and found a short sale in our area that looked promising. It felt like home from the first step inside.
We put an offer on it immediately and waited. And waited. We looked at some other houses. Waited some more. Looked at a few more houses. Put offers on two other houses. Just when we were ready to give up on the house (our lease was nearly up) we heard that our offer had been accepted. We were given 24 days to close before the house went into foreclosure. We were worried it wouldn't happen, especially since we hit some major snags along the way. Thanks to an amazing buyer's agent and an excellent loan officer, we closed a few days early. We took a week to paint and a week to move in.

Here, in all their glory, are my favorite rooms in the house:

living room

family room

kitchen

Now before you go thinking that all the rooms look great, there is still one room of common living space that is in need of help. I guess it is a formal dining room, but that is not how I want to use it. Any ideas?

After actually living in the house for a week and a half, I'm very happy to call it home. Now to plan some parties :)

I said "It's not that easy"

2011-07-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

If I have learned nothing else from my college experience, then I have at least learned that it never goes as I plan. Just when I was certain that I was close enough to graduation that nothing could hold me back, life threw a curve ball. My stress levels were high with the deadlines for August graduation, but our recent house purchase(!) put me over the edge. After a large meltdown one Sunday afternoon, I realized that for the sanity of my family and my own personal sanity that I'll just have to postpone graduation to December. Thank goodness for having a whole year to complete independent study classes. Can I tell you how much lighter my soul felt after this decision? With this change I hope to have more balance in my life, which includes more blogging. I have certainly missed it and I have a million posts that have been floating around in my mind. And more photo shoot sneak peeks to come. Hooray!

since the move, the boy has passed the time by trying his hand at break dancing. he has found it to be tricky.

Dexters

2011-07-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek on a photo shoot I took a few weeks ago. Out of nowhere I had 5 families call me up for photos. This was the most last minute of the calls, requesting pictures the next day. I really like this family, so I obliged.

Paris anyone?

2011-06-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

Over at Oh Happy Day, Jordan is hosting a trip to Paris giveaway. I don't know about you, but free airfare and 7 days at a hotels sounds pretty nice. If you win, you should take me as your +1.

Stick a Pin in It

2011-05-18T01:06:00.000-07:00

My life is being devoured by school. Heaven help me. But there is an end in sight. I'll take a SFL midterm this week and finish that class in 2 weeks. I will not let technical writing eat my soul. I will enroll in my last SFL class today. Technical writing will eat my soul. My finish date has been moved from July 5th to July 15th to lessen the amount of soul eaten by technical writing. Have I mentioned I don't like technical writing? Because I don't.

In other news, I'm on pinterest now because I'm hip. You can view my pins anytime you want.

There are many blog posts swimming around in my head about my parents' garden, incorporating LOTS of fresh produce into our diet these days, our house buying journey (!), thrift store shopping, recipes/food pictures and more but that will all have to wait for another day. Plus I still think I owe a coupon follow up post. Keep me honest and pester me for those posts if you are interested.

Pray that we get a closing date on the house soon. And that technical writing will not eat my soul.

The Boy is still awesome. Even with sticky green sucker hands.

We are a Happy Family

2011-05-02T00:56:00.001-07:00

Although these pictures were taken "eleventyMILLION years" ago, I still want to post a few of which I just can't get enough. Thanks Sarah for capturing my family, especially the magic that is the Boy.

This last one is my favorite of the Boy. The 'tude and pot belly, oh I'm swooning. I sure do love that kid.

Multi-month recap

2011-05-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

February - The Boy and I went out on lots of field trips, and have weekly since. It helps that Husband's dad likes to go on field trips as well.

March/April - Both months ended up having the same goal. I have been prioritizing things better as far as I am in control. Last week was hard because I was waiting on a textbook necessary to start another class. Turns out the main post office wanted to hold it for 8 days for kicks and giggles. Blogging ends up being very low on my priority list, hence my absence most days.

Goal for May - Stay on schedule for school. I am a week behind and need to get caught up pronto. If all goes as scheduled, I'll be taking my last final July 5th. Figure it is the least I could do for my sister's birthday.

Easters

2011-04-26T00:45:00.000-07:00

It was a great day of celebration. After a great service at church, we all headed over to my parent's house for dinner and an egg hunt.

egg hunting is serious business

inventorying candy

proud of all the candy eaten before Dad intervened

sticker booty

Baby Harrison

2011-04-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

Taken in November 2010

Baby Carter

2011-04-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

"Don't try to find me. I am on strike."

2011-04-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

A guest post by Husband.

Film: Atlas Shrugged, Part 1.

Starring: Taylor Schilling and Grant Bowler

Synopsis: In an era of economic decline made worse by intrusive big government, a group of powerful American industrialists fight to keep their businesses and their country alive. However, despite their best efforts, their peers- the titans of industry- begin disappearing, one by one, never to be heard from again, just when they are needed the most. Where have they gone? What has convinced the country's best minds to abandon their empires, their work, and simply vanish? Who is John Galt?
(Based on the 1957 novel by Ayn Rand)

from here

I think it's important to mention that well before this movie was released Friday night, the critics and other movie-elites were panning this movie into the ground. "A lame attempt..." "Atlas Shrugged, and you might, as well" "Speechy, preachy tale" "I yawned"... and so on. The reception by moviegoers was expected to be tepid as well, presumably, because it was only showing at a few hundred theaters in the country. In Arizona, there were only two places to see it.

And then opening night happened. By Saturday morning, "Atlas Shrugged" was one of the most-searched terms on the major search engines. And now, the unwashed masses like you and I were writing the reviews. A different tone, and one key phrase in particular, now dominated. "Go see this movie." "The 12:30 matinee was sold out." "Loved it." "Solid and enjoyable." "It was sold out in Portland." "Can't wait for part two." "It's selling out in New York." "Entertaining and true to the book." "Sold out." Sold out... sold out...

And now, it's my turn. As far as I could tell, it was sold out. We got there half an hour early just in case, and it was a good thing, because we barely found two seats together in the third-to-last row. It was at the Valley Art theater on Mill Avenue, which has only one auditorium, so everyone who was there, was there for that movie. It was very crowded, but it was sort of like we were all in some secret club. Everyone was very polite, and acted almost like they knew each other already. There were people of all ages there, even some that looked only 12 or 13, which was good to see. As we left, the line for the next showing was 4 and 5 people wide, and traced around buildings all the way from the Mill Ave. sidewalk to as far back as we could see, and further.

So... the movie itself. Spoiler alert, blah blah blah, and it will help for this part if you've read the book. There were a few weaknesses, mostly due, I think, to the low budget and rushed production schedule. A few of the characters were a bit off. Hugh Akston was just strange, and nowhere near as distinguished in manner as he is in the book. Francisco was too loose and relaxed, compared to the regal and polished D'Anconia heir of the book.

The two characters I was most proud of were Lillian Rearden and Ellis Wyatt. The guy they got for Wyatt, in particular, was spot on in every way. Perfect. Paul Larkin and James Taggart were also quite well done. The two lead characters, Dagny and Hank, had the most screen time, and the nuanced, understated romantic tension between them, given the limitations the movie was working with, were just right. The fact that it was set in the near future is a departure from the book in some ways, but it gave an added relevance and even more timeliness to a story that has both of those in spades, for a 2011 audience.

Of course, things were left out, as you have to do for a movie. There is, sadly, no mention of Richard Halley and his music. There are no flashbacks to childhood summers on the Taggart estate. Major plot elements in the book are given only passing mention in the movie. Numerous minor characters are omitted. It had to be so. And, I wish it had been longer, with more room to breathe and flesh out the drama and dialogue. I would have been happy with a 160-minute version, but in just 90 minutes, it felt a little too densely packed. At the very end, there's actually a moment where I felt that way too much was given away about the subsequent events, but it might have been deemed necessary in order to suggest a sequel in the minds of the audience.

The movie's biggest strong point, by far, is the book it's based on, and to which it remains loyal. And that, not the film itself, is actually the point. People just at our showing drove to Tempe from at least as far away as Flagstaff, and there are lots of reviews on the internet from people who made similarly lengthy journeys. And frankly, unless you're a crazy film fanatic, you don't drive for hours just to see flawless cinematography, the perfect script, or top-quality plot development. Even if you did, the movie has none of those things. And yet, it still got a hearty round of applause from an enthusiastic audience.

Why would that happen? I believe it's because people are hungrier than they have been in a long time for the truth, and for principles and ideas that have stood the test of time- individual liberty, self-determination and accountability, and the fact that free-market capitalism is still the best path to prosperity for the most people. In the past two years, people have woken up to these things, to an impressive extent. The large crowds, the spontaneous camaraderie, the celebratory mood, etc., helped us all to fulfill the human need to feel the equivalent of the words, "brother, I hear you, I'm here with you, and we're all in this together." The movie was a rallying point, maybe more than anything else, and a well-suited one. It was not so much what the movie was, but what it meant, that really made the experience a good one.

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand's masterwork, was first published 54 years ago. It's not often that a book takes as long to be made into a movie as this one has. A few people over the years have tried, unsuccessfully, to make a film out of this book, but finally, one of the greatest works of fiction of all time has hit the big screen. Some might say that this is a movie whose time has come. Actually though, this is a time whose movie has come.

If you've kept reading this far, go out and get the book and read it. And, you know, see the movie when you get a chance.

Coupon Basics

2011-04-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

This goes out to all the lovely ladies that requested the post via facebook.

*Before you can get your coupon on, one must collect coupons. There are basically 5 ways to do so.

1. Sunday newspaper. There will be 1-5 packets of coupons depending on the week (minus holiday weekends where their are no packets). If this is going to be your primary source, it is best to get one paper for every member of your household. I'll explain more later.

2. Online. Check websites of your favorite products. Chances are they will have a coupon for you that is great. Sign up for newsletters from brand names items and grocery stores. Many of the companies that produce the coupons packets from the Sunday paper have websites (Smartsource, Redplum, coupons.com). A lot of the coupons from the packets are available there, but not all. The general rule is that you can print a coupon twice per computer (so if you have 2 computers in your house you can print out 4).

3. Mail. Sometimes coupons come right to your mailbox via samples and product promotions.

4. Grocery store. There are coupon down the aisles, in the grocery ads, and ones that print out at the register (catalinas).

5. Product packaging. Peel off coupons (peelies) on outside of packaging, and coupons inside the packaging.

*After you've collected your coupons, it is important to organize them. Do what works for you. Personally, I used a 3-ring binder with baseball card holders.

*Look at the ads. Be aware of the stores in you area, the sales they have, and which ones provide the food your family eats.

*Know the coupon policies for the stores you shop. Some accept coupons at face value, some double, some don't accept computer printed coupons, and some don't accept any coupons at all. Some often have special promotions for a limited period of time. Just be aware of those policies. A local blogger, Saving Cents with Sense gave a general run down on Fry's, Safeway, Target, and Walmart policies on her site.

*Match-up coupons with the sales. This can be done is a variety of ways, but I've boiled it down to three.

1. Figure it out yourself. This can be long and tedious going though all your coupons and matching them to the sales in the ads, but it can be done.

2. Use a local blog that will match them up for you. Not only will they match up sales for you for local grocery stores, but they often will post other deals they discover. Saving Cents with Sense is my local favorite (Phoenix area). I found this blog through becentsable.net. They used to have an excellent blog database, but currently this link is the the best I could find for those outside my area.

3. Use a coupon match-up site. They rate the sale prices so you know if it is a good, great, or smokin' deal. There are sites that charge a fee for their use, but I use a free one. Use the drop down menu in the top left to pick the state you live in. **Both option 2 and 3 have links to online coupons that correspond to the sale items when applicable.**

*Make a shopping list and stick to it. Using coupons just because you have them will not save you money. Using coupons on items that you need and normally buy will save you money. Don't go crazy :)

*Stock up on good sales. This is where my advice on purchasing Sunday newspapers comes in handy. Say there is a smokin' deal on pasta - on sale for $1 and you have a coupon for $.75 off or $1 off - you can now buy a box of pasta for every member of you family for a fantastic price. While every member does not need one, you now have a stock pile of pasta. In the following weeks, you can plan your meals around what is in your stock pile relieving the budget from that need for a while. Personally I try to keep my pantry stocked enough that I can put together a meal that is at least 90% items from my stock pile in the event that the week is busy, money is tight, or I simply haven't been to the grocery store yet. P.S. Stockpiling is my form of food storage.

*Sometimes there are items that don't have coupons. To still maybe save on those items, I make sure I know where the discounted items/manager specials are located. For produce it is often on the packaging in the produce section. For all else, wander until you locate it. I usually find discounted bread near the bakery or dairy. Discounted toiletries and such are on a table in one of the corners of the grocery store or on a table near an entrance.

*Experiment with different couponing tactics until you find one that is comfortable. Do what you can. I used to buy the Sunday newspaper for coupons and would save about 40-60%. I found it demanded too much time and took away from my schooling, so I am taking a break. Currently I use online coupons and 1 pack of Sunday coupons and generally save between 35-50% on my grocery bill every week and am quite happy with that. It works for our current situation.

If you are interested, I can post a rundown of a week's meal plan/grocery trip as an example of coupon basics in action. Please comment to let me know.

**I am not an extreme couponer. That show on TLC irritates me.**

I heart Burritos!!!

2011-04-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

I finally made it back to Mango Cafe for another round of with the Killer Burrito. It was more delicious than I remember. I also tried the Veggie Burrito. Avocado packed perfection. Have some pictures of the delightful burros.

Are you salivating? I am. Mango Cafe is definitely my favorite Mexican restaurant in Mesa, no question.

Make It Work

2011-04-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

Remember how my sister and I went to tried to visit Mood in NYC and they were closed? Well that sister of mine recently return to that beautiful city and made a visit to Mood during business hours.

pictures courtesy of sister

Am I jealous? You bet. Fortunately I have the best sister ever and she got some souvenirs for me. To honor the fashionista within, the rest of this post will be presented in fashion blogger fashion. Here is my "haul."

bag, 2 types of wide elastic for skirts, fudge, and shirt

And here is a "what I wore" photo complete with awkward pose. So trendy it hurts. I could totally be a fashion blogger.

shirt: American Apparel via NYC Mood, shorts: cut-off Levis, shoes: Vans

P.S. I may or may not want to live the rest of this week wearing this shirt. American Apparel knows how to make a shirt. It is a shame the owner is a dirt bag.

Dogtown Chili Dogs

2011-03-31T01:03:00.000-07:00

Last week the Boy and I went to Downtown Tempe with Husband's Dad. To be quite honest, it was pretty depressing walking down Mill. At least 3 shops that were open on Valentine's Day were completely empty. There was some silver lining to the adventure, though, in the form of a hot dog. Off of Mill, in the back of a building we found Dogtown Chili Dogs. The food was delicious!

The Boy's basic dog

Husband's Dad's Sauerkraut dog

My Mexican dog

Tamales were on the menu, too. Husband's Dad got 2 beef ones.

The Boy loved sharing the bread with the birds. And terrorizing the birds. And threatening to eat the bread once he threw it on the ground.

Dex Sisters

2011-03-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

After I was done illin', Husband got sick. Pretty sure we have served our time of colds/flus for the next 6 months/year. Fortunately, I was able to get a photo session in last week despite the germs trying to overrun my life.

Here are my favorite pictures from that photo session. It was fun and gave me an excuse to take more pictures on the pedestrian bridge.

Illin'

2011-03-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the worst cold of my life. It is just now easing up. With that said, this next week will be dedicated to catching up on things left undone while I be illin'. Which leads me to sharing the goal for March - discover a better way to organize and prioritize my to-do list. The re-caps for February and March will be presented simultaneously in a few weeks sans husky voice.

More 35mm Film

2011-03-08T13:23:00.001-08:00

While these pictures were taken in Gilbert, they leave me Jonesing for Newport Beach and some Balboa Island action. It has been far too long.

Arizona Wing of the CAF Museum

2011-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Last week's adventures with Adam's Dad took us to an airplane museum in Mesa. The Boy was in airplane heaven. There were lots to look at - large airplanes from wars past, miniatures of many military planes, war memorabilia, and a child sized toy plane.

Also, the museum is right next to/on Falcon Field, so there were planes taking off and landing in very close proximity to us. Every few minutes "Look! A airpain!" or "Uhr airpain!" could be heard from our party.

The icing on the cake was when we (me and the Boy) got to go inside one of the large planes. Adam's Dad opted out due the the eerie-ness of being in a plane that many young men died while flying. The Boy was oblivious to this and I loved visiting Alcatraz, so eerie-ness in history doesn't affect me in the same manner. It was incredible to see the size of the compartments where gunners sat. Talk about being claustrophobic. I am grateful for the men that serve and have served in the armed forces for sure.

Cranberry Muffins

2011-03-03T00:30:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas break I bought a bag of fresh cranberries to make a cider, but then I didn't because I realized it called for cinnamon*. I was relieved to find this recipe so that that cranberries didn't go to waste. Husband loves cranberries and he loves oranges. He also loves to eat breakfast. It was a triple win for the gold. Word to the wise: substitute white chips for chocolate chips. It makes all the difference.

*Cinnamon is my least favorite food in the entire world. And it pops up in every recipe during the holiday season. Boo.

Portraits of the Boy

2011-03-02T20:35:00.001-08:00

All taken with 35mm film.