Hepburn and Houndstooth

Saturday night, in celebration of Dustin‘s 31st birthday and six months married, we went on an overnight date (yes, without kids!). It was such a great time and something that we were really needing. It’s always really difficult for us to tear away from our kids, not to mention spending money on ourselves. It was a small splurge, but well worth it. When Dustin got home from work Saturday afternoon, we go dressed, dropped off the kids, and headed to Hattiesburg. Once there, we checked into the Courtyard by Marriott (second time I’ve stayed there and I love it!). I began the process of looking like a put-together lady, rather than a sloppy housewife.
 

Tank: Miley Cyrus for Max Azria | Cardigan: F21 (also worn on my wedding day) | Trouser jeans: Eddie Bauer | Shoes (hiding under my jeans): Charlotte Russe | Ring: maurices | Bracelets: old and random. Black and white is a vintage Bakelite and my absolute favorite
 
We met my brother Vernon and his girlfriend Vicki at Logan’s Roadhouse. I chose that restaurant because I have been craving their steak salad for months and nobody else had any preferences. It was so awesome to spend some time with them. We seem them once or twice a month, but we’re always with the kids and as kids do, they totally take away from any real conversation. (By the way, I now totally understand why when we were kids, the adults were always shooing us out of the room so they could talk)
 

 
We had great conversation and lots of laughs. The service and food were definitely mediocre, unfortunately. As we finished our meal, at just nine p.m., the waitstaff began sweeping all around us, rolling silverware and filling shakers at the next table. They hovered over us, talking loudly about closing duties. So. rude. Our waitress was never rude while talking to us, but she kept staring us down each time she walked by. We could just feel them waiting for us to leave. I was a server for awhile and I’m well aware that when it gets anywhere near closing time, you are so over it and want the restaurant to clear out. However, the guests at your tables should never feel it! I can’t stand that customer service seems to be an afterthought these days for most people. I was thankful for the glass of the wine that kept me relaxed rather than lashing out as I wanted to do.
 

 
We parted ways with Vernon and Vicki after dinner and went to have drinks at Mahogany Bar. We had our hearts set on chilling in the courtyard, but it was packed, so we took a table inside and kept an eye out for an outdoor table becoming vacant. A couple of beers in, a table outside opened up and we went out and drank. And drank. And drank. One of my favorite things to do with Dustin is to just drink and chill. We have the best conversations. We actually ended up discussing our exes that night, which isn’t something we usually do. I love that we can talk about things without jealousy or judgment or hard feelings. We really do have an amazing relationship.

We pretty much closed the place down, then went back to our hotel across the street. One of the best parts of staying at the Courtyard was it being in the middle of everything. Sunday morning, we slept in then showered, checked out, and headed next door to La Fiesta Brava for some Mexican food.
 

White dress: WalMart | Jeans: CATO | Belt: CATO | Sandals: CATO | Bracelet: handmade by me | Pearls: vintage, my grandmother’s
 
I was a little leery of taking my Mexican-food-snob husband to La Fiesta. He lived for years on the Texas-Mexico border and doesn’t classify a lot of “Mexican” foods as authentic. He was satisfied, though. Our food was hot, fresh, and fast, and the perfect follow-up to a little too much alcohol. We then headed to Michael’s to look for a few items I need for some half-completed projects. I didn’t find what I needed (I’m just gonna say, Hobby Lobby is way superior and they would get 100% of my business supply money if only they were open on Sundays), but got a whole bag of stuff for $5! We ended up with a few things to make jewelry, some spiral notebooks, and little foam people for the kids. I could have spent all day and several hundred dollars in there, but I wasn’t feeling too great and it was nearing time for our movie.
 
We left Michael’s and headed to the Grand Theatre, where we picked up our tickets (which we had purchased with a few taps on the phone during lunch) to Going the Distance. I had picked out this movie and was really excited to see it, but didn’t really expect anything more than a typical romantic comedy. Wrong. So, so wrong. It was such a good movie and I laughed and/or cried through the entire thing. Christina Applegate was amazing in it and as much as I usually don’t like Drew Barrymore, she was the perfect person for her role. It was a very realistic portrayal of how long distance relationships typically work. Another stand-out of the movie was music from The Boxer Rebellion, along with the rest of the soundtrack. I love a good soundtrack!
 
We headed back home after the movie, exhausted and missing our boys! We arrived just in time to see Nick swimming the deep end of the pool with arm floaties! I know, he’s four and this isn’t amazing news, but if you only knew him! He spent most of the summer on the pool steps, afraid of the unknown.
 
It was a great time away, but we were so happy to be back with our boys. Give us a few weeks and we’ll be longing for a few drinks and a dark theatre!

I have only gotten fully dressed twice since my productivity challenge.   I’ve been somewhat productive in spite of that, but I know for certain I can do better.  Today, having a lot to do and having slept late, I got up, did makeup, hair, AND got dressed… in a skirt, even!  Now, i’m not leaving the house today, so I didn’t even bother with shoes.  You may remember this skirt from this post.   I have found several things to wear with it since, but it’s really not flattering.  I’ll probably end up selling it.  I have never left the house in it.  As for my tee, I absolutely love it.  I wear it all the time.  It’s from Threadless, and if you’ve never ordered anything from them, you’re really missing out!

Tee: Threadless | Skirt: maurices

Last week, I decided to challenge myself to shower and get fully dressed each morning for a week, hoping to be more productive.  You can read more about that HERE.  How did I do?

Day 1 – Saturday

The Day’s Agenda: My mom and I were taking Nick to his first movie, followed by lunch and some light shopping.  I started on this day because I knew I would be getting up early and doing hair and makeup.

Sunglasses: CATO | Tee: Faded Glory (WalMart), iron-on transfer by me | Tank: Eddie Bauer | Jeans: CATO | Purse: Gadzooks (circa 2003) | Sandals: CATO | Nail polish: Sally Hansen XTreme Wear in Blue Me Away

Productivity: Well, I had a day out planned, so I was away from home all day doing fun things.  I think I did dishes when I got home.  This whole weekend is a blur so I can’t say for sure!  But I definitely felt motivated all day.

Day 2 – Sunday

The Day’s Agenda: It was Independence Day, with plans for swimming and BBQ.  I knew I’d be just getting in my swimsuit, and I had an eye infection, so I did the best I could to be put-together.

Lucky for you, there are no shots in my swimsuit.  Instead, I snapped (in a very off-centered way) my hair to show that I didn’t do my usual sloppy pony.  I incorporated some braids and twists to ensure I kept up the “doing something with myself” thing.

Productivity: I was productive if you count getting some sun, eating a lot, and cleaning up the mess.  I was wiped out by time we got home, but still managed to do a sinkful of dishes.

Day 3 – Monday

The Day’s Agenda: Do some laundry, jewelry making, and blogging. This day ended with a date night, which meant I’d be getting all done up in the afternoon.  However, if I really wanted to stick with the challenge, I’d have to get dressed earlier in the day.

Day – Eyeglasses: Hilary Duff | Tee: Eddie Bauer | Jeans: Converse One Star | Flip Flops: American Eagle

Night – Top: F21 (circa 2007) | Cami: CATO | Jeans: CATO | Wedges: CATO | Vintage purse was my great-grandmother’s

Productivity: During the day, I did a lot of laundry, blog work, and made a couple of bracelets.  I then had a great date with my husband where I accomplished getting a slight beer buzz and consuming a week’s worth of fat and calories.

Day 4: Tuesday

The Day’s Agenda: Grocery shop, do some things in the yard, do laundry, organize living room play area, work out.

Tank: Eddie Bauer | Jeans: Eddie Bauer | Flip Flops: CATO

Productivity: This day went nothing as planned.  It had nothing to do with lack of motivation though and had everything to do with Harper Atticus.  The little guy just wanted to be right ON me every moment (as you can see in the picture).  After grocery shopping in the morning, I came home and chased (and ran from) him until his bedtime.  Literally, all I did around the house was wash dishes and cook.

Day 5: Wednesday

The Day’s Agenda: Usual housework, plus vacuuming, changing sheets, cleaning out fridge.  Aside from housework, work on my other blog, pack some items to ship, get some writing done.

Tunic: CSA men’s XXL sleeveless tee, altered by my mom to make a trapeze dress for me | Leggings: Mossimo (Target) | Flip Flops: American Eagle

Productivity: I got a late start because I napped right after breakfast.  I did manage to vacuum, do some laundry, and that’s about where it ends.  It wasn’t because of lack of productivity.  My kids completely lost their minds in early evening and never quite found them.

Day 6: Thursday

The Day’s Agenda: clean bathroom, post on my other blog, work out.  I woke up intending to do a lot of other things, but I felt a little under the weather, so I decided to mostly focus on basic housework.

Tee: Mossimo | Jeans: CATO | Flip Flops: American Eagle | Ring: my Etsy shop, Shop Houndstooth

Productivity:  I did get some writing done, as well as a few basic things around the house.

Day 7 – Friday

The Day’s Agenda:  All I wanted to do this day was catch up on the housework that I didn’t do the rest of the week.

Tank: Eddie Bauer | Dress: Gadzooks (circa 2006) | Belt: from a maurice’s tunic | Flower pin: ? | Sandals: CATO | Necklace: Peebles

Productivity: Um.  Yeah.  I got nothing.  OH wait!  I did a load of laundry.  Aren’t you proud?

What I Learned

Cuter, more thought-out outfits, blown out hair, or makeup won’t necessarily make me more productive.  Instead, it’s taking a shower and putting on something other than PJs.  More than that, I learned (perhaps more importantly) that I physically feel better when I start the day this way.  Aside from the productivity experiment, I learned a few embarrassing things:

1. I need new clothes.  99% of the time, I’m wearing cuffed or rolled jeans and a tank or tee.  I didn’t just wear this stuff because I wasn’t going anywhere.  That’s what I wear to the grocery store, too.

2. I HAVE to lose weight.  Like, this is ridiculous how fat my thighs and tummy are.  No more excuses.

3. No matter what, I have to get a camera.  This webcam and camera phone thing is out of control.

Now that the challenge is over, where do I go from here?  I will definitely keep up the showering in the morning routine.  I will keep putting on clothes that aren’t boxers(except maybe a day or two a week).  I definitely want to do makeup and hair on weekends when I spend more time with my husband.  I think that’s a start!

I have mentioned before that I don’t look like or live the life of the woman I feel I AM inside.  I have been struggling with this and I think I have come up with a solution.  I have to look the part.  This is not huge news.  Magazines and self-help experts have said for years that you are more productive, more motivated, and less depressed if you start out your day showering and getting fully dressed.  My friend and fellow stay-at-home-mom Brandy swears by it.  She dresses down to her shoes every morning and she is something like a modern-day June Cleaver.

Aside from my desires to be Supermom, I want and need a job, even if it’s part-time.  I am working on some ideas to work at home, but I could use some time outside of the home with adults.  I’d love to have a job “on the outside.” Ha.  Experts say that if you dress for the job you want, you’re far more likely to get hired.  I’m definitely willing to test that theory.  I mean, I’m not going to dress in office attire to hang with the kids, but I’ll definitely start doing my hair and makeup more and getting out of my PJs.

I am going to conduct a one-week experiment.  Beginning Saturday (because I am taking my son to the movies, I’ll be getting dressed that day anyway), for seven days I will get dressed and do something with my hair and face.  I can not promise shoes though.  Actually, all I can really promise is that I’ll try to match and brush my hair.  Sometimes the kids really are in control, sadly. Will there be pictures for proof?  You bet.  Will I sometimes crop off my head because I skipped makeup one day?  Probably.   Will there be a picture of me in my PJs one of the days?  Quite possibly.

Let’s see how this goes!  And now, the really brave part….

Here is how I’m looking as I write this post at 6:46 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Squatting to fit into the webcam, I’m wearing robot boxers, flip flops, and a filthy t-shirt.  I have not brushed my hair (clearly) or washed my face.  After Harper goes to bed, I will shower and put on more PJs, then repeat tomorrow. I can’t wait to begin this new adventure Saturday!

I consider myself pretty fashionable and stylish, regardless of how you’re likely to catch me looking on any given day (now: pj shorts, ribbed tank, baseball cap, flip flops, none of it matching).  Sometimes, though, I really get stumped about what to wear.  Next Saturday night, I have a Girls’ Night Out with my friend Amber.  I have a skirt that bought on clearance for $4 (!) several months ago and the tag is still attached.

It’s really rare for me to find a skirt that fits properly, and this one does!  It is silver-grey satin with a tiny bit of tulle along the bottom and POCKETS!  I have a tank that looks really cute with it, but it makes it too dressy and a little too teen.  I am nearly thirty and I do like to dress fun, but I don’t want to look like I’m trying to be seventeen.  What could I wear with it for a night of drinks?  A graphic tee?  A solid tee? A jacket?  Something else?  Should I just not wear the skirt at all?  So undecided!

Friday night was my aunt’s surprise 44th birthday party, and our whole family celebrated every way that we do everything… a party in my uncle’s barn, complete with karaoke.  It was a blast, and we stayed out (with the kids wide awake!) until 3:30 a.m.  The only pants I had clean were my trouser jeans that are a little big on me now (yay for losing 4 pounds in a week!).  Those jeans are just for wearing with really high heels, because they are a mile too long for me.  I had to build my outfit around that, and it was tough when it came to comfy shoes.

How about my fat midsection?!  Note to self: Don’t wear bright colors in that area!  This is the cardigan I got married in!  I am in love with it.

I didn’t realize how big these jeans are on me until I saw this picture!  If I lose any more weight, I’m going to have to pass these on to my mom.  Will be sad to see them go.  They are my good-butt jeans.

The orange wedges are from Cato, circa 2008. They are so super comfortable, despite the 3+ inch heel!

I actually managed to get an outfit picture taken, but it’s definitely not good quality and I definitely was not into modeling.  We were running out the door to go to my mom’s for an early dinner.  My dear husband took the picture with his phone, so what you get is a low-quality photo taken in really bad light.  This outfit is nothing special, but this is how I dress most days since being unemployed.

There really isn’t anything more comfy than a boyfriend tee (which I bought on clearance at Target for $3 a few months ago and wear to death), jeans, and Chucks (this particular pair is literally 5 years old).  I’m going to a family party Friday night, so hopefully I will wear an outfit actually worth the time.