Weird Fact

Tennies: Asics Gel Nimbus 13

Weird fact #1: I wore tennis shoes and work out clothes to work today! We packed up everything at the store this morning and the movers are coming tomorrow. I can't believe the move is finally here. We have been talking about/anticipating this for a while now. I am so excited for the new space! I am so so excited about 2012 in general. This is going to be a good year people. I am telling you.

 Weird fact #2: I am already home from work and it is 3 o'clock. It is Wednesday. I don't know what to do with myself at 3 o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon if I am not at work. I already ran all my errands for the week. Hmmmmm

 Weird fact #3: It is December 28th and it is 60° outside. I am literally sitting on my back porch right now and it feels like spring. The sun is out. It is warm. The dogs are playing in the yard. It must be spring .... Except it isn't ... It is winter ...

 Happy Wednesday!

Nail Biter

Shirt: BDG
Sweater: Lucca Couture
Jeans: Genetic Denim
Shoes: Yosi Samra
Purse: Hobo

Comfortable and casual was my goal on this drizzly day spent with RT. I got this sweater and shirt for Christmas from my parents. The shirt is flannel and it is warm and cozy and wonderful. I love the oversized leopard with a touch of pink print of the sweater. Christmas morning brought me lots of fun goodies to feature on this little fashion blog of mine! We sell these shoes at the store and they are like walking on clouds. I don't wear flats all that often because my arch is too high and starts to ache after a while but these little ballet flats rule! 

RT and I have been switching Zoey to hypoallergenic food. She has been itching like crazy and chewing on her nails. She is seriously chewing up her nails to the point that they are getting really damaged. It sounds disgusting and it can't be good for her. I asked our vet and had the groomers check her and they all just say "keep watching her". Well, I have a friend, Hannah, who knows a lot about dogs (she is opening a pet boutique where I live and I am so excited!!!) and I mentioned it to her one day and she said it was probably a food allergy. I have read the same diagnosis online so RT and I decided to switch her food to see if it helps. Hannah told me that dogs are most commonly allergic to chicken and grains. We found a food that is made without any chicken or grains and we have been mixing it with her old food to gradually switch her over because I know that changing her food could make her feel sick. So, RT and I went to Petsmart to get another bag of the new food and he snapped a few pictures while we were there.

Happy Tuesday!

And So It Begins

A few weeks ago, my girlfriends and I had our Christmas get together. Katie hosted and we all brought a small gift to do an exchange, had appetizers and cocktails and then we all went out together. I went by Anthropologie to get a couple of candles (they have the best candles) for the gift exchange and I walked out with the candles AND this dress. I realized while I was in the store and staring at this fabulous dress that most of my clothes are for daytime. I absolutely NEEDED a new dress because otherwise I would obviously have NOTHING to wear. Ok not really but it is cute right?!

These boots are also pretty phenomenal. I bought them several years ago to wear with a New Year's Eve outfit but they have continued to be a regular staple in my cold weather wardrobe. They just seem to work with so many things. I cannot part with them. They have had to see the shoe repair man a couple of times already to help with general wear and tear and I bet they will see him a few more times before I finally give up on them ... like that will ever happen!

Check out my new "Nancy" necklace. I am so in love! My boss gave it to me for Christmas. It is by the same designer as the long initial necklace that I have. I am a big fan of everyday, no fuss, don't have to think about it jewelry and this fits the criteria perfectly. Thank you Emily!

Dress: Bailey 44
Turtleneck: Mossimo
Boots: Sam Edelman
"name" Necklace: Jane Basch

Tonight, after work, RT and I have a party to go to for my cousin. Tomorrow he has to work and I will head out to my parent's house for Christmas Eve church and dinner with my family. Then Sunday is, of course, Christmas so there will be plenty of celebrations going on. And so it begins...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a happy weekend!

Old St. Nick

I can't help myself. I have to show off all of our Christmas decorations. But only the inside ... even though RT really out does himself with the outside lights. They are AMAZING! 

 This cluster of trees is on our dining room table

... and santa stands up cattycorner behind

 This snowman cookie jar was a new addition this year and RT said we could only have it if we kept cookies in it. Which I did ... for the first week ... because I am the only one who eats them. He has one cookie in a week and he is good. I could have one cookie an hour and still want another

 Our tree has a huge variety of ornaments

It is so fun to have a tree that really portrays both of us

 Stockings for everyone ... including the dogs of course

Although they are really just for decoration. We have hand beaded stockings at my parent's house (that is where we all are on Christmas morning) that would knock you socks off. My great grandmother started making them and my mom, my sister and I have kept the tradition going

I saw this Christmas quiz here and thought it was a fun idea ...

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?

• hot chocolate

2. Doe Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

• he wraps what is under the tree but not what is in our stockings

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

• colored all the way!!!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

• no I do not

5. When do you put your decorations up?

• thanksgiving night

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

• way too many to list. i just love food (ha!)

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?

• my brother, sister and I used to all sleep in the same bed on Christmas Eve night. I am the youngest and so my siblings got too cool to sleep together way before I did and I was really sad when we quit doing this

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa Clause?

• honestly I have no idea but I think I believed in Santa for a really long time

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

• no I do not

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

• with tons of mismatched ornaments

11. Snow ... love it or dread it?

• LOVE LOVE LOVE it! but ... I live in TX

12. Can you ice skate?

• I have no clue

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

• no I do not

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?

• the birth of Jesus. I was in the car with my niece and nephew this morning and Janey said "Christmas is not about presents and Santa Clause. Christmas is about the birth of baby Jesus so we can go to heaven." My heart melted. Way to go Jason!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

• mmmmmmm dessert 

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

• we all still spend the night with my parents on Christmas Eve. It is the best! I hope we always do. I love waking up on Christmas morning to my entire immediate family. And it is so fun to be there with all of the kids

17. What tops your tree?

• a bunch of decorative glittery sticks ... random

18. Which do you prefer ... giving or receiving?

• giving all the way. I love to feel like I have gotten something for someone that they are really going to love

19. Candy canes ... yuck or yummy?

• yummy!

20. Favorite Christmas show?

• Elf is the best newer one. I still laugh all the way through it every time. But I love the classic claymation Christmas movies too.

21. Saddest Christmas song?

• there are sad Christmas songs? Why?

22. What is your favorite Christmas song?

• I don't have a favorite. I like them all

Berry Kiss

Dress: Vintage
Tights: Anthropologie
Shoes: Steve Madden

I can't believe Christmas is only a week away. This year has gone by so fast. It freaks me out. I can remember when I was a kid and it felt like a week was a lifetime and now I know it will blow by almost without me even noticing. 

This weekend RT and I packed up the dogs and went to Oklahoma to have Christmas with his family. He has to work Christmas Eve this year so we won't be able to be there at all on Christmas day. My mother-in-law, Sandy, has a birthday November 30, RT's sister, Raegan, has a birthday on Christmas Eve, our niece, Bailey, has a birthday the day after Christmas, and my birthday is on January 6 so we combined Christmas and Birthdays. RT and I even got to go to Bailey's birthday party at a bounce house place. I absolutely cannot believe that girl is going to be 6 in a week! She was 2 when I met her for the first time. Craziness!

It is so fun to go and visit his side of the family. We got there on Friday night and had a big bonfire out on his parent's property with his family and a couple of his friends from high school. On Saturday we went to Bailey's party and then made homemade pizzas at RT's grandparent's house for dinner. Yesterday we got up and had french toast breakfast. My mother-in-law makes the best french toast. It seriously is one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. YUM! Then we opened Christmas gifts and hung out until it was time to go. I wish we had more time to spend with his family and with Bailey and baby Avery. Hopefully we will get to go back soon.

We had to get back though because it was back to work for me and studying for RT today. It is not too cold today and I thought this dress was a perfect choice for a cheery Monday. I paired it with colored tights (I know I know I wore them last week. So sue me) and some super tall brown heels. So now I am here at work thinking about how weird it is that in a little more than a week we will close the doors to this location and never look back. Ha! 

We are moving the store and will be open in our new location at the first of the year. I am so excited about it. I have been driving by the new store on my way to work in the mornings just because I like to look at it. It isn't even really on the way but I don't care.

Happy Monday!

Micah 6:8 Project

On wednesday night our small group, RT and I went down to the local food bank to volunteer. They have a program set up to benefit school aged children in our area who are at risk of starvation. During the week the kids can eat breakfast, lunch and a snack provided by the school but on the weekends they may not get a meal. So, the food bank packs bags that have meals and snacks for the kids to eat on friday and saturday. The schools submit a list of the children to the food bank so that they are able to pack the correct number. One of the women working there told us that they serve roughly 1,700 kids a week. What an incredible cause to work for! These kids, who otherwise would go hungry all weekend long, are able to eat.

The kids get a bag at the end of the school day on fridays that they can take home with them. It is all non perishable and nutritious. Nothing has to be cooked and it is all easy and safe to open for children. This way, if their parents are at work and are not around to help them get their food ready, it isn't a problem.

This was the last wednesday before the kids are out of school for the holidays so they were also sending a little bag of toys for each child. That is what were were in charge of. Each gift sack had a paddle ball game, a hacky sack, and a disc flyer. we got a pretty good assembly line going and were able to get those all finished and still go in and help pack the boxes with the food bags in them. It was great to get to share this experience with everyone.

Who What How

I was on the phone with my sister the other day and we were discussing my blog. She told me that she loves my blog but that, in her opinion, I am not fully showcasing my talent. Audrey told me that she thinks one of the things that I am best at is helping other people dress for their body type/age.

She is required to say nice things like this. She is my sister after all.

I thought I would try it out today and see if all you lovely readers like it.

Animal print (especially leopard) is on trend in a big way so I will show how four different people can wear it. I am also going to outfit each one of us from head to toe from one store each. Oh how I love online wishing:) I am going to use my mom, my sister, my sister in law and myself as guinea pigs. A. Because they are my family and B. because we all have different styles and body shapes and are all different ages.

I will start with myself. I am 24, am an hourglass shape, and tend to have the most daring style of the four of us. My outfit is from Urban 1972.

Next is Tara. She is married to my brother and she is a doll! Tara is 27 and a mother of two precious little angels. She is tall and straight and her style is classic and structured. Her outfit is from J Crew.

My sister, Audrey, is 30 and she is momma to four precious little angels. She is a triangle shape and she likes to be comfortable and casual. She loves color and pattern (much like her sister) but her vibe tends to be more feminine and romantic (think old hollywood glamour). Her outfit is from Mod Cloth.

And last but definitely not least is my Mom. My amazing mother is 54, a mother of three and a grandmother of six. She is tall like Tara and has a contoured rectangle shape. Mom has a classic style with a little tinge of bohemian here and there. Her outfit is from Neiman Marcus.

As I was writing this post and adding the pictures I realized I don't have a single picture of just the four of us. This is not good girls! We need a picture!

Happy Thursday!

In Action

Jacket: Graham and Spencer

Shrit: Michael Stars
Tank: Scanty
Jeans: Genetic Denim
Shoes: L.A.M.B.

This is me "in action" at work. The store that I work in is a small, single location boutique so we all do it all. Throughout the day I work with customers, answer the phone and take messages. I unpack, steam, tag and put out new merchandise, and make sure things are clean and tidy. Pretty much anything goes.

I have probably said this before but, when I started working this job (four and a half years ago!!) I never thought it would be something I would do long term. Not that I didn't love it back then because I absolutely did but I was in college and I just figured I could work at the store while I was still in school and then I would start my "career."

As it turns out ... retail is my career. I don't think I could be happier in any other profession. I love getting to work with people all day. It is great to get to know the customers and really feel good about the purchases that they make. I get to help people make choices for their style that they can feel beautiful and confident about. Its awesome!

Happy Tuesday!

Confessions

Shirt: Parker
Shorts: Free People
Tights: Anthropologie
Shoes: Steve Madden

So ... I have a confession to make ... are you ready for this ... can you handle it ... just kidding it's really not that big of a deal ... ok here it is ... I am kind of a nerd. Maybe a little more than kind of if I am being honest. I am especially nerdy when it comes to books. I love love love to read. I read books during down time at work. I read before I go to bed. I even listen to audiobooks in the car. I love music but a lot of the times I get frustrated with the radio because of commercials and songs I don't like and I feel like I am constantly changing the channel. If I am listening to a book I don't have to mess with it at all.

I am one of those readers who gets stuck on a certain author. I have read every book that Janet Evanovich, Nicholas Sparks, and Robin Jones Gunn have ever written. I also love J.A. Konrath, Mary Kay Andrews, and Kristin Hannah. 

I like all different kinds of books.  Everything from mindless, sweet love stories to murder mysteries to spiritual to self help. With me, anything goes. And I am willing to read anything anyone suggests. That has gotten me in trouble a couple of times. I have read some big time stinkers in my day. And yes, I just used the word "stinkers".

So, yesterday RT and I spent a fabulous day together. We got up and met my family at church, went out to lunch with my parents and some of their friends, ran by the grocery store, finished up our Christmas shopping, and topped it all off with a stop at the book store and some christmas flavored coffee before heading home for some homemade chili. I love Sundays!

Happy Monday!

Twinkle

I feel lucky to say that I am truly able to pull inspiration from just about everything. A great song. Something beautiful in nature. A movie. A person on the street. Someone else's blog (most especially your blogs :)). Food. Family. Fun. Anything. It helps to keep things fresh by being able to see the beauty in the good and the bad around you.

That is what pinterest does for me. All you wonderful pinners out there give little bursts of inspiration every time I click on my pinterest app. Which is (embarrassingly) ALL THE TIME. I should really learn to be still and quiet but it seems like if I have a single second with nothing to do I pick up my phone and check pinterest, facebook, twitter, etc.

So today I want to share a few of the things I have pinned that inspire me. Maybe it will spark a little twinkle in you as well.

Happy Friday!

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Love the vibrant yellow color of this dress. I have been wanting a long yellow skirt but maybe a dress would be great instead.

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RT would die before we had a hot pink fire place but I sure do love it :) . It is color blocking for the home. Greatness.

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I love this color combination. For some reason it feels so romantic. The neutrals grays with the pop of pink and light cream. We are new house wishing in a big way which goes hand in hand with redecorating wishes. One day. Just not today and that's ok too. 

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Why is this so very very true? 

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 My boss is pregnant and if she has a girl I think she will need to have these adorably teeny tiny gold shoes!

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 Gorgeous bright wedges. Love them!

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 Isn't this cool?! When I get that new house I told you we are wishing for ...

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Excellent winter time layering

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When I get the new iphone (I am so very close to an upgrade!) (and another side note ... I sure am talking a lot about the things I am "going to get." Simmer down now!) I will get one of these awesome iphone cases made by one of my favorite fellow bloggers Casey Leigh