Hepburn and Houndstooth

1. I’m so excited that it’s finally time for Independence Day!  It’s by far my favorite holiday.  I like to don my patriotic colors and celebrate.  We’re doing things a little differently this year, which normally would disappoint me.  But I’m on a new positive kick… at least I’ll be able to enjoy an adult beverage!

2. Saturday, my mom and I are taking Nick to his first movie!  Thomas and Friends Misty Island Rescue is hitting theatres!  Nick has been obsessed with all things Thomas going on 3 years now.  He is going to love this experience!

3. I have been battling ants in our house for nearly two weeks now.  I am beyond frustrated and am at the point where I’d rather camp in the yard.  At least the ants BELONG out there.

4. I am dreaming of a honeymoon with my husband.  We still haven’t had one and we need it really badly right now!  Sure, I’d love to go to Greece, Tahiti, Cabo, or NYC.  However, I’m definitely ready to “settle” for Chicago, St. Louis, anywhere in Florida, or somewhere in Texas.  I mean, seriously… I’d go on a honeymoon in the next town over at this point.

5. I’ve really been missing Orlando something awful this past week.  I kinda feel like I never gave it enough chance, since I lived there only about a year and a half.  We had a lot of tough times while living there and I think if we had gotten back to a good place, I would have been really happy there.  We had just started forming good friendships and becoming active in a church we both loved… then POOF!  We left.  I want to go back, but my husband doesn’t.

6. Again with the Facebook drama?!  This time, someone posted a somewhat political status that I strongly disagreed with.  I politely and intelligently commented with my opinion, only to be deleted from her friend list.  Wow.  And this was a middle-aged woman.  I don’t understand.  Is nobody allowed to disagree with her?

7. For what is certainly not the first time this year, I have come up with a perfect craft idea.  I won’t reveal it just yet, but I think I’m ready to get serious with my Etsy shop and starting making some extra cash!

8. Harper learned a couple of weeks ago how to blow kisses and now he has rounded it out by adding a perfect lip smack.  It is the cutest thing in the world.

9. I am about to start a new blog series that I’m very excited about!  I’m going to tell (true) stories of dating.  I have some good ones and can’t wait to share! Update: Just as quickly as I decided to do this, I decided not to.

10. I am trying to live life a little differently…to always look at the positive side of things and just refuse to be depressed!  It’s working out great.  I feel really liberated!

1. Memorial Day weekend was so great!  We had a big family party on Saturday, recovered Sunday, then cooked out at home Monday.  I am really not ready for Dustin to go back to work today!

2. Saturday served to celebrate many family events, one of those being Harper’s birthday party.  He is now one and we have now found ourselves talking about trying for one more kid.  We definitely aren’t doing it until next year, but we are leaning toward doing it at least.  I am ready to complete our family!

3. With Harper’s birthday behind us, I’m ready to plan mine and Dustin’s birthday parties.  This year is my big 3-0 and I’m going to make it awesome!  I have several themed parties floating around in my head and I’m going to choose a direction soon!

4. Through the beautiful magic of Hulu, I have discovered Drop Dead Diva (on Lifetime).  It is one of my favorite shows now!  I am almost caught up on Season 1 and Season 2 starts Sunday!  I hate being stuck here at my dad’s without cable, so online episodes save my life!

5. I feel so surrounded by unhappy people lately, but I am determined to not be one of them!  Prayer has been my saving grace.  It really keeps me grounded and focused on what’s good and I give the rest to God.

6. My always-chipper Harper has been such a crab lately.  All I can figure is that the teething is really getting to him.  His teeth are coming in so quickly now that they’ve started (4 so far).  I feel so bad for him.

7. I think I have decided what I want to do for a career.  Now I just need to figure out how to get started, and quickly.

8. At Saturday’s party, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a distant cousin I hardly knew.  Through the wonders of Facebook, we keep up with each other in the smallest way, but I think (hope) things have shifted to a closer way of keeping in touch.

9. Nick is so creative and imaginative and it makes me so proud.  He can turn anything into playtime.  Watching your kids grow, learn, and discover is really the best part of being a parent.

10. Marriage is a journey and a difficult one at that.  I am so happy that over the weekend, Dustin and I had a chance to reconnect and actually spend some time together without changing diapers and playing referee during playtime.  Long conversation is absolutely essential in our relationship and I’m happy we got some of that!

What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t give blog love to my own husband?  DaddyGeek is my husband’s second blog that has become his primary one.  He stopped really posting on For the Love of Comics, after his passion for comics fizzled a little.  Passion for being a daddy and living your life never dies!

He doesn’t blog only about the kids though.  He also has lots of geeky things to share, along with musings about life.  He’s a genius and I highly recommend you put him in your Google Reader!

There are times when I want to blog because I have so many random thoughts floating through my head.  However, a lot of those times, I can’t find a direction for a post.  Inspired by the “Ten on Tuesday” feature of The Bastows, I’m introducing Tuesday Ten.  Here I will just do a sort of brain dump of things on my mind or things happening in my world.

1. Anxiety is enveloping me today!  I am determined to go to cosmetology school in the fall and am on edge trying to figure out how to make that a reality.  Between that and looking for a job, I’m a damn mess!

2. Nick decided today that he wanted to go outside and start a leaf collection.  I went out to help him, only to find that he was taping a pile of dead, crumbly leaves onto his paper.  We took a walk around our property collecting different leaves and flowers and it was probably the highlight of my entire day.  That little boy is so smart and I love to have a conversation with him!

3. My two best friends are amazing women who stand by me no matter what.  They really get me and that is hard to come by.  Unfortunately, they also live in different states.  And… I’ve never met them.  That has to change really soon!  One of them lives in Alabama, so there is no excuse to not meet soon!

4. One of the best things I’ve done with my life is get married to my love of 3+ years, 18 days ago.  I feel so complete and I know that I am better for being his wife.

5. I am trying so hard to grow my hair out and it is absolutely killing me.  If I see someone with cute and sassy short hair, I think mine needs to be short.  Then I’ll see someone with long, flowing tresses and I know I’m doing the right thing by growing mine.  Any time I get the itch to chop, I pull up old pictures of me with longer hair.  It looks so much better that way!

6. Every day, I wake up and think, “This is the day I will start taking pictures of my outfits.”  And (almost) every day, I spend all day in my PJs.

7. I need to start spring cleaning.  Like, yesterday.  So I will start it tomorrow (right after I take a picture of my outfit. riiiight.).

8. One good thing about being unemployed (other than being able to stay in my PJs all day) is getting to spend more time with Harper.  Before, he was 100% a daddy’s boy.  They spent all their time together while I worked.  Now, I get in on the action and I’d say he’s 12% mine now!

9. I tend to take on too many projects and right now, I am finally going to admit it.  I am in over my head.  I can’t succeed at a billion things.  I need to pick a couple and do them really, REALLY well.

10. There is one thing I’d like more than just about anything right now and that’s a box of wine.  Yes, a box.  I need an entire box because I live in a dry county and I don’t know when I’ll make it to the store again! Also, Wine Cube chardonnay from Target is pretty good!

[Edited for grammatical errors, considering I wrote this post in the midst of a horrible migraine.]

I’m not into traditional weddings for myself (obviously), but there are two traditional things I love and I’m doing.  One is a plain gold wedding band.  I got my white gold beauty a few days ago, and it’s SO PERFECT.  It sits nicely beside my solitaire.  The other tradition I choose to uphold is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”  I can’t explain why, but I just like the sentiment.  I’m getting married tomorrow and I only have these four things halfway covered!

Something Old – I have known since I was a little girl that I would wear my grandmother’s pearls on my wedding day.  I wear them all the time as it is, and tomorrow will be no different.  These pearls were worn to my mom’s senior prom and in a cousin’s Junior Miss pageant.

Something New – Obviously, I bought all new clothes for this occasion, so there ya go.

Something Borrowed – ?  I will probably see what I can pull out of my mom’s jewelry box.  If you know my mom, you’re wishing me good luck right now.

Something Blue – ?  This one really has me at a loss!  I would wear blue undies, but I have to wear my control tops under my body-hugging dress. Ha.  I’m sure I can find something blue somewhere.  I just really need to start looking.  I have less than 24 hours.

Anyone have any ideas for me?

I spent the entire afternoon and evening Monday braving torrential, heavy winds, and COLD.  I was on a mission for shoes.  I needed a cardigan too, but the main objective was to find the perfect shoe to match my dress.  I wanted a round or almond toe pump with at least a 3-inch heel, in black patent (to match the patent belt on my dress).  Simple, right?  Not so much.  I went to at least ten stores, including discount department stores such as Marshall’s.  I couldn’t find a single shoe I liked under $50.  I won’t bore you with all the details of how I didn’t eat all day, was cold and wet, so tired that my eyes were sunken, and I had a meltdown in Target.  Short story: I ended up in Target where I found the perfect shoe for $20.  The problem was, there was one in my size…with GUM ALL OVER IT.  Good grief.  I gave up and went home for some sleep.

Today I lowered my expectations from “perfect” to “suitable” and set out in search for shoes.  I made a quick run into Cato where I used to work.  A lot of times, I can find some great treasures in there.  There, sitting in the clearance section for $9.99 was a pair of shoes exactly like what I wanted, except in suede.  They were reasonably comfortably, wonderfully priced, and with the shiny heel to match my patent belt, I was sold!  I haven’t taken a picture of them, but these are close:

source

I am in love with the cardigan I bought.  I found it in Forever 21 and I just know I’ll wear it over and over!

I am so excited to be done shopping for outfits!  I can’t wait to do a lookbook on our outfits, complete with budget breakdown!  Now I just have to get my hair cut (tomorrow!) and do my nails.

I’M GETTING MARRIED FRIDAY!!!!

Last week, we made the decision that after being engaged nearly two years, it’s time to get married.  Good grief, that took long enough!  Early in the week we ordered rings, which will be here in a couple of days.  We then went Friday to Mobile, AL to get our marriage license.

I have to say, I was a little nervous about the fact that we decided to just get married at the courthouse.   I was really worried that the whole process would feel very uneventful and not very special.  However, the lady issuing the licenses was just the sweetest.  She genuinely seemed to be happy for each couple that came to her window and I feel like that general sentiment will be there the day we get married as well.  A week after getting our license, on March 5, we will finally be married!!

Today we took the kids shopping and Nick, our 4-year-old got his first pair of really good sneakers.  He chose a classic gray pair of New Balance 993.  $40 later, he was wearing his new shoes and jumping and running everywhere.  I have never seen a kid so young love a cartoon-free pair of shoes so much.

But back to the best part of our shopping day – we got wedding clothes!!  After a couple hours of help from my stylist, Nick, we found a dress that was perfectly “dancy” (which is how he describes a good dress).  I went to TJMaxx and Ross, trying on lots of colorful (and a few white) Calvin Klein dresses, along with few other brands.  Most of the dresses I tried were in these discount stores for $60.  I was willing to pay that for a wedding dress, but I don’t buy anything I don’t love.  Everything I tried was too long, too poufy, or too tight (or I was too busty and too bulgy).  There was a gorgeous CK linen sheath with a skinny black belt.  However, the little pleats just below the waist were not flattering on my Mama belly.

[I liked how this one fit, but didn't like the shoulder pads(!) and the grandma-like fabric.  Dustin didn't like the ruffly part at the neck.  Nick's verdict: "Too blue."]

When we left Ross, I was walking down to Target and I spotted Dress Barn.  Years ago, I always thought DB was an old-lady store.  The mall in which I worked when I lived in Orlando had a Dress Barn.  I went in on my lunch break one day, and was pleasantly surprised!  They have some super cute stuff.  You just have to look for it!  I found this one style of dress in DB that I could not. live. without.  I just had to choose a color!

This pink was gorgeous and I just loved the fit of this dress.  I definitely was not wearing proper undergarments though.  Gross bulges.  Cute bonus: This weird, useless pocket.

However, this kelly green is my absolute favorite color and I’ve always wanted to get married in it.  You can see on my face how IN LOVE with it I am.  Just one problem:  I. Am. Busty.  And this dress had pleats right where I don’t need them.  Again.

I decided that I could deal with the pink dress, but wanted to check a couple more stores before making the purchase.  The sales associate said she would hold the dress for me and I mentioned that I loved the color of the green dress, but the style of the pink one.  She was almost certain that they had just received the style of the pink dress IN GREEN.  She said it would take awhile to find it, and I assured her I would come back to check.  I went on to Target to help Dustin find his outfit.  He didn’t have a suit and really wanted to wear one.  Well, now he was one.  From Target!  For roughly $130, he got the pants, coat, shoes, and a shirt!

He got a light grey dress shirt and black wingtips (shoes on sale for $9.98!).  We wanted to find a tie to match my dress, so we held off until we knew what color my dress would be.

After Target, we went back to Dress Barn.  I was prepared to buy the pink dress if she wasn’t able to locate it in green.  I didn’t have to settle though, because she found it!  That lady is my hero!  I don’t have a picture of THE DRESS.  It’s just the pink dress, in the color of the green one in this post.  It has a black patent belt.  I am dying to accessorize to pull it all together.  Next up, I hope to find a cute sweater or jacket to go over it and black patent pumps.  I’m undecided about one thing: tights or bare?  Please weigh in!

Dress Barn is having a sale where you buy one dress and get the second for $10 off ($70 for two dresses!).  Since I loved that dress so much, i got it in black with large white polka dots and a coral-colored belt!  That will be my Easter dress!

After an early dinner, we scurried around the mall that was closing soon in search of a tie.  Unfortunately, we could NOT find a kelly green tie!  We bought the closest thing we could find (on sale for $20) and called it a day.  We came home and tried our clothes on together and we are going to look so nice!  It’s a shame we won’t have a photographer!

The rest of our wedding week to-do list:

-Shoes for me

-Jacket or cardigan

-Paint nails black

-Figure out what my “borrowed” and “blue” will be (look for a post about that tomorrow)

-Get haircuts

-Buy a camera (lost mine awhile back and have been meaning to replace it.)

Look for more posts about our upcoming wedding the rest of this week!

I know I must!  I even had the foresight to download it now so that I can make this next week when I’m without internet!  Thanks to Creature Comforts for providing fun, free projects!

Download your PDF here.

In just a couple of weeks is that holiday – the one you either love or you hate.  I’m a lover.  I know it’s a highly commercialized, “Hallmark” holiday, but it’s fun!  I’m in love with love and a complete girly-girl, so what’s not to love for me?  This year, Dustin and I have a lot going on in our relationship and otherwise in life.  I’m not sure what our status will be in a couple of weeks, but for now our plans are to have a date night, probably on the 12th or 13th.  We are going to go see the movie Valentine’s Day, which looks like it’s going to be really good!  We’ll also go out to eat, I’m sure.

I probably won’t go all out on the Valentine-y, clothes, but this dress from ModCloth is so freakin’ cute!

I’m more likely to wear a modern heart necklace, like this one from Etsy seller Luluka.  In fact, I’m pretty much in love with it!!

I will admit to being a holiday dresser, though.  I wear pink and/or red on Valentine’s Day, green on St. Patrick’s Day, and of course, red, white, and blue on July 4.  For Thanksgiving and Christmas, I go the more subtle route by merely dressing festively.  Do you dress holiday-appropriate?  How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?