A Shirtdress

Hi friends!

Guess who took these photos using the manual focus? My 7-year old son! Not bad, right? All I had to do to coax him to take these was let him play around with the camera for a bit. Technology will get him every time.

Now that I'm sitting here actually looking at these photos, I am realizing that our porch is really dirty. Need to add porch cleaning to my chore list, which makes me realize that I need to have a chore list. Hmmm.

I wore this dress with these leggings last here when I was 30 weeks pregnant. I love clothes that look great during pregnancy and also afterwards.

Dress - Aqua - hand-me-down Similar for only $10!

Leggings - Express - $1

Flats - Gap - $7 Similar for $19

Roller Skating Like It's 1985

Today the children felt much better and we decided to do something crazy - like, meet a few other homeschool moms at the roller rink. It is raining today and this is such a great activity for a rainy day. I have fond memories of roller skating at roller rinks as a child and hope my children appreciated it as much as I did.

 I even got little toddler roller skates for Cassi. She loved it!

Isn't this the coolest roller rink ever? They allow strollers!

 My new-to-me Canon DSLR arrived yesterday. I'm so excited about taking family portraits and better selfies with this baby!

Sweater - Old Navy - $7 Similar for $34

Leggings - Nordstrom - $12 Similar for $18

Booties - Target - $8 Similar for $69

Scarf - H&M - $6 Similar for $12

Addicted to Heels

My husband and I were out perusing at the mall on Monday and when I showed my husband this t-shirt he said we absolutely had to get it. I can't imagine why.

T-shirt - Express - $6 (similar)

Cardigan - Calvin Klein via Goodwill - $4 (similar)

Fleece lined leggings - Wal-Mart - $5 (similar)

Wedges - Michael Antonio - $9 (similar)

Scarf - H&M - $6 (similar and only $4 and free shipping!)

Let It Snow

I spent last week in MI at my parents house while my husband had a work trip in Boulder, CO. I packed up my kids, all of CJ's school books, our snow clothes, and drove up there as soon as I finished the school, laundry, and packing on Monday. The change of scenery, the warmth of my family, and closer access to shopping was just what I needed to change my perspective on my life. Between postpartum hormones, winter blues, extreme temps, and my husband being gone, I was starting to feel a little low and a little lonely. But being away from home always gives you a fresh appreciation for it and I feel so refreshed and contented now. 

I am so blessed to live in my beautiful antique home with my loving kids and husband. I am so blessed to live in a safe community in a state that experiences all four seasons in all their glory. The snow looks so beautiful and it won't last forever. I need to enjoy it while I can. 

That being said, I'm learning to embrace wearing my snow boots just about every day and being sure to wear lots of layers. This is what I wore today for grocery shopping, then taking my daughters to a cafe while my son took his karate class. No amount of snow mounds threatened me dressed like this.

Hat - Target - $6

T-shirt - Gap - $3

Sweater - Target - $6

Fleece lined leggings - Wal-Mart - $7

Knit pencil skirt - Old Navy - $6

Boots - Target - $25

Puffer coat - Wal-Mart - $10

Bag - Dooney & Bourke - hand-me-down

Dressing for Sub Zero Temps

How am I dealing with sub zero temps? I am wearing two pairs of leggings, one of which are fleece lined, two pairs of socks, two t-shirts under the jean jacket, snow boots, and this scarf. I'll add my puffer jacket, gloves, and hat right before stepping out the door. 

Below 0 Temps and Cabin Fever

This Winter is going to be a long one. We've been having temps at 0 with wind chills way below that, and our ten day forecast doesn't look any better. Thankfully our house is nice and warm, but looking outside at the frigid air and our quick trips in it to and from the car requires me to bundle up.

The kids have cabin fever, as do I, so we're heading over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house today . . .

Scarf - handmade by my Mom

Sweater - Calvin Klein via Goodwill - $4

Boots - Michael Antonio - $9

Leggings - Nordstrom - $12

Beaded t-shirt - Calvin Klein via Goodwill - $3.50

Tuesday

Today I learned something. Never go for a run in fashion leggings. They may look like running leggings, but they aren't. Not at all. I did said activity yesterday morning and it was a disaster. I spent 1.5 miles holding up my pants while I ran on the treadmill, not even able to finish my run. I'm sure I gave many a gym member a good laugh that morning.

Top - Goodwill - $3

Leggings - Nordstrom - $12

Boots - Jessica Simpson - c/o eBay

Laugh Lines and Bulky Sweaters

Yesterday I had a moment. I noticed the slightest start of a laugh line on the corner of my eye. I have this tiny bit of skin that shifts upward right at the corner of my eyes and it occurred to me that I’m getting the start of laugh lines. For the first time I am not upset about finding that I'm visibly aging (like 31 is so old! ha!). I smiled big. Laugh lines are such welcoming and beautiful wrinkles. In that moment of staring at my make-up less, starting-to-wrinkle-eyes, I just thought they were beautiful. Those laugh lines were earned through so much loving. How special is that? The more they grow the more I will be proud at what they represent. 

This sweater is perfect for the low winter temps we've been having here. I can't wear it if I'm going to be too active, because it easily overheats me, but for going out or visiting, it keeps the chill off and I love it.

Sweater - BCBG - thrifted for $4

Leggings - Nordstrom - $12

Boots - Jessica Simpson - c/o eBay

Hat - Banana Republic - $6

Three Weeks Postpartum

I wore this last Friday when I was exactly three weeks postpartum. I didn't bother posting it while my sister and her daughter were here, though. We were having too much fun chatting, cooking, shopping, and babysitting.

 

 

Sweater - BCBG via Goodwill - $4

Jeggings - Target - $5

Boots - Michael Antonio - $9

Tweed cap - gifted

Back to Leggings

 

Started out my day with my flat boots and my bangs clipped back . . .

For an event I had this evening, I added the hat and the wedge boots. There's nothing like a 4-inch heel to make you feel more dressed up.

Today is election day. I actually packed up all three of my kids in the van and headed out to vote this afternoon. I felt like such a good citizen setting such a good example to my children, only to find out once there that I forgot the name of the one of only two people I had planned to vote for, and the person I forgot was a write-in! Argh! This is not one of those situations where you can say it's the thought that counts. Oh well, serves me right for being so arrogant. ha ha

 

Sweater - Goodwill - $2

T-shirt - Gap - $3

Jeggings - Target - $5

Flat boots - DSW - $20

Wedge boots - Michael Antonio - $9

Hat - gifted

Hopeful

Had my OB appointment today. The Dr. said this baby is ready, so she stripped the membranes, hoping that would speed things up. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but they are.

 

Sweater - thrifted for $2

Leggings - Dillard's - $12

Clogs - Macy's - $21

Cuff bracelet and watch - gifted

Where's The Baby?

You may be asking what I'm asking, where's the baby?

 

 

Unfortunately, she's not here yet.

 

 

 

I am only 1 cm and 50% effaced. I don't think labor is any time soon, so I've decided to go on a work trip with my husband and the children. It's a local trip - only a 90 minute drive, so if I were to go into labor, we could make it to the hospital just fine.

 

Sweater - Express - hand-me-down

Leggings - Gap - $6

Boots - Michael Antonio - $9

Made it to the finish line

 

Yesterday was my due date, so this baby can arrive any day now. In the meantime, I have an OB appointment today, a work trip with my husband tomorrow through Friday, and a baby shower for a friend on Saturday. All great distractions to get me through this week, no?

 

Top - hand-me-down

Leggings - Elle via Kohl's - $7

Boots - JCPenney - $9

Watch and cuff bracelet - gifted

Fall-ish Weather

It was actually somewhat cool yesterday when I wore this, not even reaching to 70 degrees. That means I can wear boots, right?

Top - Liz Lange for Target - $5

Leggings - Gap - $7

Sweater - Target - $5

Necklace - eBay - gifted

Boots - DSW - $20

Watch - Bulova - gifted

35 Weeks

 

This is what 35 weeks looks on someone who has gained 37 pounds since February and is only 4'11.75". Feeling large and trying to remind myself that I still have more than a month to go and will probably gain even more weight. We're getting closer, though, and I am getting pretty excited about meeting this little girl. I'm finally starting to pick up a few things here and there for her wardrobe and have spent a lot of time daydreaming about what she is going to look like.

 

 

The last time I wore this top I was 40 weeks along with my second.

 

 

Top - Express - $9.99, Leggings - Kohl's - $5, Flats - Mossimo - hand-me-down

 

Saturday

I was in the ER last night for my husband who I thought was having a diverticulitis flare up (he was recently diagnosed with diverticulitis). Apparently, what he had was merely viral. I was relieved. To have a subsequent flare up at so young an age when colon cancer runs in the family is risky business. Praising God that there was nothing. Now to recover from this flu bug that seems to keep coming back this week.

 

Top - Motherhood - hand-me-down

Leggings - Kohl's - $7

Flip Flops - $3

Earrings - gifted 



30 Weeks!

I labeled this post 29 weeks because I wore this yesterday, when I was still 29 weeks . . . however, today I'm 30 WEEKS! I'm so excited that I'm in the 30's now! Only 10 more weeks to go, but who's counting, right? ha!

 

I thought I'd wear this as a dress by itself because when I first tried it on about two months ago, I was still small enough that the dress wasn't too short in front. Now that my bump is this large, dresses are getting quite a bit shorter on me, so I had to add the leggings. It only got up to 68 degrees yesterday anyway, so the extra coverage added much needed warmth.

 

Decided I'm pretty much rocking an 80's hairdo these days. I'm growing out my bangs and layers and desperately trying to get my hair to fall towards the back of my head instead of all in my eyes. Teasing and hairspray accomplishes that task - hence the big hair and high bangs.

 

Dress - Aqua - hand-me-down

Leggings - Express - $1

Sandals - Nine West - gifted

Comfy Knits

How did it get cold here again? It was 50 degrees this morning! It warmed up to 70, but I couldn't bear bare legs when I had to leave the house at 8AM for appointments.

I wore these leggings a lot during my last pregnancy and had hoped I wouldn't have to pull these out until the Fall. They came in handy for this cold June morning, though.

Top - Target - $3

Leggings - Kohl's - $5

Sandals - Nine West via DSW - gifted

Necklace - Target

Cuff bracelet and Bulova watch - gifted

Winter

Temps got SO low last week. This was one of my outfits from last week. These fleece lined leggings are the warmest pants I have. Paired with knee high boots and some layers on top, and the 15 degree weather didn't phase me! It was a good thing, too, because I locked myself out of the car at a gas station half a mile from my house and ended up having to run home in this (plus a wool coat and gloves) to go get the spare key!

 

Leggings - Target - $7

Sweater - L.L. Bean - thrifted for $4

Boots - JCPenney - $9

T-shirt - Gap - $3

Arm candy - gifted

Scarf - courtesy of Maurice's

A couple of more outfits

Sweater - NY&Co - handmedown

Jeans - 7ForAllMankind - free

Jewelry - gifted

Shirt - Banana Republic - thrifted for $3

Bulova watch - gifted

 

Sweater - Target - $8

White t - NY&Co - thrifted for $3

Jeggings - Target - $5

Boots - Aldo - $20

Scarf - gifted

Leather jacket - gifted