Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Cat's Meow

I know the title is cheesy, but I couldn't think of a cute one for leopard so that's what I came up with.  I wore this yesterday to have lunch with Mr. Fantastic, go to the grocery store and run errands.
 Bracelets: T+J Designs & Kenneth Cole New York
Gold Cocktail Ring: Kendra Scott; Scarf: Zara
Dress: Gap Factory (old); Bag: Chloe Paddington
Shoes: BCBGMaxAzria
I was happy to have him home for part of the day yesterday and I have to confess that I am spoiled.  Usually he travels a great deal for work and I stay home with the kids.  When he comes back, we usually make time to be together and make up for lost time.  These last few weeks, he's been home, but we've been so busy with the kids and selling our house that he ends up working from home most nights.  I am lonely and a complete basketcase.  It was a huge treat to have him all to myself for a couple of hours.

Happy Weekend! Any fun weekend plans?

Friday, March 30, 2012

Personal Days

Tuesday I decided to take a personal day.  Back when I started working professionally I had never heard of personal days.  In the early 2000s the push for mental health started creeping in and I remember that companies started giving out additional "personal/mental health days." I used to be a super hero in my previous life and would never take these.  How things have changed! *BTW, so sorry that now you can see my rosacea!  I don't wear makeup on personal days!
Pajamas and Robe: Victoria’s Secret
Shopping Coffee Mug: Christmas Gift from Morgan
When Mr. Fantastic and I moved in together he freaked out the first time that I took a personal day.  These are days when I do NOTHING.  I stay in bed all day, I watch TV, play on my computer, call my mom, anything and nothing.  I get up to use the bathroom and find food and then come back to bed.  He thought I was falling into a deep depression and he would try to coax me out of bed.
Bedding & Throw: Z Gallerie
I finally explained that it's just my time to regroup.  Especially now that I have kids (which I didn't have during my super-hero days) I find that personal days are very important.  I know it sounds selfish, but there are times when I am completely overwhelmed and God forbid I am PMSing.  Then I just go into a rage and wind up in tears when they forget to do something I asked and I feel like they did it on purpose because I am NOT their mom!  The only super-hero around here is SuperBitch when that happens.  So I retreat and take a personal day to regroup.  That was me on Tuesday after the cleaning frenzy of last week and this weekend until our real estate photographer came by on Monday and we waited to approve everything to go on the market.
I stayed in bed and watched TV and didn't do any work or cook or take care of the boys.  It was great and I was able to get out of bed and take care of all my wifely and step-motherly duties, not to mention multiple showings on Wednesday and Thursday.  Today I am helping my hubby prepare for a camping trip they are going on and I am looking forward to brunch with friends and a bridal shower while they are gone.

Do you ever take personal days?  What do you do during your personal time?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

In Between Showings

Our house is officially on the market! Today was the first day and we already had our first showing.  This is such a stressful process for me because I am by no means a neat freak and it's hard for me to keep the house in "show" state.  In any case, I wore this today as I prepared for my school visit and drinks for a friend's birthday.
Top: Nine West: Skirt: Gap Premium Denim; Earrings: old
Ring: DKNY+BaubleBar; Necklace: old gift from Dad
Oversized Clutch: c/o ASOS
Bracelets: Marc Jacobs & Old Cruise Purchase
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Miss Boxe
The drinks plans were nixed when our youngest had some trouble in school and we got a call about a showing at the same time.  BUT, this was the first time since SATURDAY that I wore anything other than shorts and a t-shirt and did anything other than clean.  That fashion party I was going to on Monday? Didn't happen...at least not for me.
To be honest, I was really looking forward to having some adult company.  Most importantly, I was looking forward to having some adult beverages.  I think we would have made the drink commitment if it wasn't for having to deal with our child.

To any moms out there:
How do you cope with the disappointment of having to change your plans for your child constantly? Not to get overly personal, but I am a somewhat new mom (I married my kids almost three years ago) and it is still such a struggle for me to deal with not being able to stick to my agenda and having to readjust on a constant basis.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Blooming Bluebonnets

The Bluebonnet is the State Flower of Texas and in the springtime, we have thousands of them blooming everywhere.  Each spring there are hundreds of photos with a Bluebonnet background.  My brother was in town this weekend to help with the move and we decided to go out last night for dinner and drinks after a hard, hard day's work.  I made them stop so we could get pictures because I've been neglecting my blog, but my husband is not nearly as enthusiastic about taking my photos as our 11-year-old.
Dress: LaPagee via Marshall’s last year
Denim Jacket: Lauren Ralph Lauren
The last couple of weeks have been a wonderful mix of lots and lots of rain with some days of sunshine in between and it has paid off in lucious green grass and tall, tall flowers everywhere.
Earrings: c/o BaubleBar (Leap Year Gift)
Bracelet: Kenneth Cole New York
 Solitaire Necklace: Gift from Dad (very old)
Turquoise Disc: Priviledged
My dad gave me this necklace almost 15 years ago and I hadn't been able to find it for the last few months.  I kept looking for it and asking Mr. Fantastic if he had seen it and nothing.  Now that we are moving, he found it INSIDE his charging station as he was cleaning it up to pack away.
Bag: Chloe Paddington
Shoes: BCBGeneration
Thank you for your patience as I try to maneuver the move and no clothes. I am a little worried because   I am attending a fashion party tomorrow and I just realized the shoes I want to wear are already in storage.  We'll see how it works out.

Happy Sunday and Thank You so much for your patience!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Spring Cleaning: Store, Donate, or Toss It?

This week has been hectic due to our realtor advising us that my incessant hoarding will prevent us from ever selling this house.  Since Monday's walk-through, we've had contractors out to redo one of the bathrooms, carpet cleaners, window cleaners and landscapers.  The biggest change is that the house should look HUGE and there should be as little as possible of our things here.  No family photos, and only half of our furniture.  And the closets should look like there is tons of room for people to picture their own things here.  Which brings me to my biggest problem: what to store, donate or throw out?

STORE:
Items that you wear and are in good shape, but are not in season.  For us, this means:
  • All Winter Clothes
  • My Business Clothes (because I don't have yob!)
  • Seasonal Decorations (Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, and Halloween)
  • Winter and Non-Essential Shoes (My husband snorted when he realized I kept about 40 pairs in the closet)
  • All but one swimsuit
  • Extra pillows and bedding
  • Appliances that you don't use everyday, but want to keep (like our cappucino machine and my Jewel Jet)
  • Books you re-read or reference on a regular basis - My complete Sookie Stackhouse series, The Shopaholic novels and all my Nina Garcia books.  They are reference guides!

DONATE:
Items that are in great shape but don't fit or are not your style.  For me, this is:
  • Coats from when I was a size 6 - No matter how much weight I lose, I won't be a size 6 again and those still have lots of wear left in them.
  • Clothes that have tags hanging on them that I've never worn
  • Clothes that I haven't worn in the past year - If you haven't worn them, you probably won't wear them.
  • Shoes I've never worn because they aren't my style - They will never be my style.
  • Appliances that don't work with your decor, but function perfectly
  • Dishes that are mismatched and that might work better for a 1 or 2 person household
  • Books that you've read don't want to re-read - Calculus for Dummies

THROW OUT:
Items that are worn or stained beyond repair.  This includes:
  • Clothes with yellow stains in the armpits or other stains that won’t come out.  Here are some great tips for removing pit stains from clothes. Otherwise, throw it out.
  • All pants with chub rub.  I was talking to my friend Lisa today and she must have been crouched under her desk in the fetal position with tears streaming down her face when I said, “Let’s face it, no one wants someone else’s chub rub.” She laughed so hard and for so long, I was worried.  But I only speak the truth.  This is one of my favorite articles for how to reinforce jeans with the aforementioned chub rub.  If they are beyond repair, don't burden the unfortunate any further.
  • Any tights, hose or Spanx with rips or tears.  I really doubt that Ke$ha or Gloria Trevi read my blog, so none of us really have use for torn tights or hose.
  • ALL UNDERGARMENTS - Do I have to explain?
Once we are done, I hope to be back, but in the meantime, I'm working on a very streamlined closet.  I am certainly asking the universe for a quick sale.

Do you have any tips to add to this list?  What do you store, donate or toss?

Monday, March 19, 2012

Natural Neutrals for Spring

Today was a very windy day, but we managed to get out and get some photos in between a bunch of pics of my hair blowing all over the place.  Even with the wind, the weather is beautiful and it feels wonderful to be outside.  Spring is definitely here!
Top: Ann Taylor; Skirt: The Limited
We met with our realtor to begin the process of putting our house for sale soon.  I am really excited for purely selfish reasons. This was my husband's home before he married me and even though he's given me free reign to redecorate and upgrade as I see fit, it's never felt like MY house.  Now we get to go house-hunting together and I can't wait!
Bracelet and Ring: T+J Designs; Clutch: Jason Wu for Target (Jan 2012)
I love this gold braided bracelet by T+J Designs and I don't have very many statement rings, but this one by T+J Designs also is definitely one of my favorites.  I am allergic to nickel and base metal so I can't ever wear plated jewelry, but if I remember to take off my jewelry, I can get away with some costume jewelry every once in a while.  The bag is Jason Wu for Target and I managed to get it without standing in a ridiculous line or getting into a fight with anyone during the launch in January.  I finally pulled it out because I thought the natural straw was a good addition to this look.
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Activa (S/S 2007)
These shoes are several seasons old, but I love wearing them in the spring and summer.  The cork base and heel is perfect for warmer seasons.  Not to mention that they are more comfortable than a couple of my other Louboutins.  I thought they were the perfect complement to my straw clutch and neutral outfit.

What do you wear when you want a neutral and natural palette?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Shake Your Shamrocks!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everyone!  St. Patrick's Day is my very favorite holiday.  Think about it: You get to drink all day, hang out with your friends, you don't have to necessarily make awkward family visits and you don't have to stress out about holiday shopping.
2007
Every year, we have the Annual Greenville Ave. St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dallas.  It's really more of an enormous block party and this year, Mark Cuban totally saved St. Patrick's Day for all of Dallas when he decided to fund the shortfall in revenue that is needed to put on the parade.  These are the photos of the last few years of parades.
2008 - This is Ned Nnome
2009 - Green much?
2010 - Someone stole my feather boa!

I know that I look ridiculous in these photos and I can't help you if you are going for the cute and sexy green look.  We go all out and we consider it a huge compliment when anyone insinuates we might look like Green threw up on us.  I am just fortunate that my husband loves St. Patty's Day as much as I do!
2011 - My sister.
Last year  I invited my sister and was completely delighted when she went ALL OUT for the festivities, too! She used this wig that I bought for an oompa-loompa costume a few years back and put a sequined headband on it then added her boa and bucketfuls of beads.  I LOVE HER!

How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Friday, March 16, 2012

March Madness

We are in the first rounds of March Madness and I wanted to do a quick post to show you who we are rooting for!

These are photos of Mr. Fantastic and the kids today, but only their KU gear since we would rather not post photos of them on the internet.  It's probably better to let them post things that may or may not be appropriate for mass distribution.
Rock Chalk!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Colorblock: Back to the 80's

This was my favorite color combination when I was 9.  I think I loved it again briefly during a fleeting dalliance with a sorority in college in the mid-90s, but then not again until today.  This is the first Spring Break in a long time that we didn't make plans with the kids.  Mr. Fantastic is away on business and we couldn't organize ourselves ahead of time to go with him.  So today, we hit up a bookstore to find treasures to read this week.

My hair was inspired by this photo on Pinterest.  My hair isn't exactly the same, but my little one liked it and I got use of a scarf I'd been wondering what to do with.
My bun is not as full as hers and my scarf is smaller, meh.  The kids liked it and it kept most of my hair out of my face all day.
Dress: MCM (old via Macy’s); Camisole: Old Navy
Scarf: Liz Claiborne (old)
Earrings: BaubleBar – Buried Bauble in February ($10)
Necklace: BaubleBar
Clutch: Vintage; Gold Rose Link Ring: DKNY + BaubleBar
Double Bar Cuff: BaubleBar; Grooved Cuff: c/o BaubleBar Vault
I am obsessed with everything rose gold and BaubleBar is absolutely feeding my obsession. Between the Buried Baubles each week (for $10!) and the freebies from their Vault (you earn credits everytime you spend on the site) and their almost instant gratification (FREE Shipping!) I think Mr. Fantastic wants to nix my BaubleBar membership.  As if I'd let him! My newest addition to my Rose Gold family is the link ring seen above from the DKNY+BaubleBar collaboration. I want the Coffee Chains necklace...sooo freakin' bad.  Referral Link here.
Heeled Flip Flops: Sigerson Morrison (circa 2006)
I thought I would complete my flashback to the 80's, or at least the mid-2000s with my old Sigerson Morrison heeled flip-flops that I dug up in my closet. I'd previously put them in a pile to get rid of and somehow they ended up back in my closet.  My teenager was mortified and would only communicate with me via text.  At least now I know how to get him to leave me alone for a while.

What are the things in your closet that you can't seem to get rid of?

Monday, March 12, 2012

Spring Forward

This is what I wore to the wedding shower we hosted over the weekend.  It was rainy and yucky most of the day but we took the one opportunity between rain showers to take these photos.  As soon as we were done, the skies opened again and the only photos we got were during the shower where there were many other people around.
Dress: Max Studio; Necklace: Priviledged
Except for the aforementioned rain, the weather in Texas has been so beautiful! Spring is here even if the calendar hasn't quite caught up yet.  I picked this summer coral color and paired it with traditional gold and turquoise.  I'm sure you will be bored of this combination well before summer, but it's one of my favorite "happy" palettes.
Dress: Max Studio; Necklace: Priviledged
I decided at the last minute that my dress needed a necklace, so I grabbed this turquoise and gold one by Priviledged.  This is the only photo I have where you can see it, but there is another photo of it here from last summer.
Earrings:  Taos Mercantile Company
Bracelets Left T-B: Cache (gift from a former employee); Claires (old)
Right T-B: Leslie Danzis via Ideeli; Kenneth Cole NY; DIY
Shoes: Jimmy Choo Freya
Has anyone else had any trouble adjusting to Daylight Savings Time?  I know I have.  Luckily the kids are on Spring Break.  Last night, Mr. Fantastic turned to me and said, "Is it really almost 1AM?!?" and I am so lucky he let me sleep in today.  Both the kids and I slept until almost 10AM!

How are you adjusting to Daylight Savings Time?