Just For Fun! {Recent Moments}

Happy Weekend to you!  I hope you are enjoying yours!  Ours has been refreshingly low key.  We spent our Friday night at home, which these days are some of my favorite kind of Friday nights.  The weather was spectacular so after making stuffed shells and steamed broccoli for dinner, the kids and I took a long bike ride then they played with dirt and sticks while Jimmy mowed and cared for our lawn.  I made Trev's favorite yellow cake with chocolate frosting and while we ate it, he seriously wowed us with facts he's been learning about JFK in school.  He is turning into one smart kid! Hard to believe his kindergarten year is coming to a close soon.  

Today was surprisingly chilly and gray.  We had plans to swim and cookout at our friends house and Madi and Trev both jumped right in and happily swam until their lips were purple, despite the cool weather!  It was nice to visit and eat food off the grill and take it easy together.  I was sleepy when we came home and the sky was so dark that I took a nap, which I rarely do.  It felt so good to drift off to sleep in my green chair - until I woke up and everyone was having emotional breakdowns, needing Mommy and something to eat right that second even though I was still in a foggy delirium (which reminded me why I don't usually take naps)!

I ended up with a few minutes to myself (the beauty of grandparents right down the road), so I thought I'd share a little of this and that from the last week or two.

Some outfits are just plain happy, and this was one!  I got this top and skirt on extra clearance at a J. Crew outlet while in Maryland.  I always seem to come back around to polka dots in the spring!  

I started a couple of my mornings this week with coffee in a beautiful yellow mug from my friend Laurie, who always treats me to the perfect little surprises.

I made some of these pencil jars for a flea market I participated in and Madi wanted one so badly.  I finally made her a monogrammed one and surprised her with it after school one day!

Speaking of the flea market, it was so much fun!  I got to spend the day with a great group of people and it was a delightful new adventure.  I enjoyed the creative process and was thrilled that quite a few of my homemade items sold, including this wreath which was one of my favorites!

Our friend Linda recently threw a surprise birthday luncheon for my grandma for her 87th birthday.  The past few years have been quite a struggle for her physically and mentally, and my mom has been such a trooper as her caregiver (which is a uniquely challenging role).  The day of her party she was in great spirits and looked fabulous, and we had a good time with lots of laughter!

During one of her temporary stays at a facility, my mom kept encouraging her to join the activities.  When the subject of bingo came up my grandma (spunky lady that she is) told my mom she saw no point in playing there because they didn't play for prizes. So...at her party, we had bingo with prizes - and good prizes!  I was the first winner and won a pearl bracelet set which was perfect since I'm a pearl-lovin' girl!  There was a tense moment or two when GG hadn't won yet - but rest assured, she won both of the last two games fair and square and got herself a prize!  It was a hoot.  

Madi's class recently went on a field trip to the zoo and Jimmy and I both went as chaperones.  We especially enjoyed the giraffes, and Madi got the experience of feeding one which was fun (and progress, since the opportunity to milk a cow on her kindergarten trip to the farm wasn't as well received, shall we say).

Madi recently turned 8 and our friends gave her one of those Skip It things that you wrap around your ankle and jump over.  Madi is quite the active little girl and took to it right away, and has a personal record of 366 consecutive jumps.  She wanted me to try it after school one day so I strapped it on my right ankle and gave it my best shot. It made it half of a rotation around, slammed into my left big toe so hard it left it throbbing, broke my toenail, and took a chip out of the polish.  I think it is safe to say she did not get her athletic genes from me!  We were doubled over laughing and she kept begging me to try again.  Right then and there I accepted the fact that I will never be a Skip It record setter and refused the offer.  :)

Well, the troops are back.  Trev is enthusiastically telling me the update on my brother's volleyball team's playoff game and wants me to look up a water gun that he wants to buy soon with his money.  Madi is snuggled up next to me and just informed me she is in a better mood because Grammie always puts her in a better mood. Those Grammies! There is just nothing like them.

Love my family and friends!

Enjoying these days.

Looking forward to worshiping with my church family tomorrow.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Let's Talk About Mint Green Jeans For A Minute

So, if you had told me ten years ago that I would be wearing pastel jeans one day I would have probably just laughed a little bit.

I was a child of the outlandish and colorful 80's, but a teenager of the early to mid 90's grunge and super-plain era (think flannels and Birkenstocks, and remember Gwyneth Paltrow's boring famous slip dress that changed formals for awhile?), and a young adult in the late 90's/early 2000's tailored-classic-neutral era (I loved and admittedly still love Meg Ryan's entire black, white, and gray wardrobe in You've Got Mail).  For well over a decade there was a lot of black, white, gray, brown, tailored lines, boot cuts, and high heels in my life.  I still have and often wear many of those neutral classics.

But a few years ago things started loosening up.  And I kind of liked it.  It was sort of refreshing, these maxi dresses and billowy sleeves and loose tops and stretchy, comfy skinny jeans and ballet flats and patterns and all this color, color, color.

And I'm old enough to know the tide will turn again one day.  We will go back to black turtlenecks and gray pants and slim blazers.  And I will like it because the styles will be updated from a really neat time in my life.

But right now I'm just loving and embracing all this color and flow.

So about a month ago I found a great deal on a pair of mint green jeans and bought them.  And started digging in my closet for fun combinations.  And wearing these pastel jeans all the time.

I think I'm kind of hooked!

Who would have ever thought.

(Found that last top at Ross recently for $7.99, and it is probably one of my 

favorite items to pair with my mint jeans.)

High Five For Friday!

(And yes, it's already Saturday, but the kids had no school yesterday so Jimmy worked on his usual day off so we could enjoy a family day yesterday...we were out from early morning to late night having a ball!  Thankful for days like those!)

1) Treated myself to new pens. When my husband came home from work and saw the huge pack he teasingly made the comment that if anyone needed some Paper Mates, we had some.  To which I surprised myself by responding immediately (and a little defensively), "Those are mine." But I mean, really, you don't mess with a girl's
colored pens!  :)

2) Speaking of my husband, he is incredibly creative and resourceful and has been sprucing up the building where our youth group meets.  He imitated an idea he saw online for these awesome panels and they look amazing.  Even more amazing is that they are simply hand built, hand painted frames strung with yarn then illuminated!  He makes me proud.

3) Baked a cake for my grandma for her 87th birthday.  She has been in and out of the hospital these days and not doing so well.  But she requested chocolate cake with white frosting and she used to make the same for me when I was younger, so I'm glad I was able to do this small thing for her.  (And I have to say, it was delicious!)

4) Some days call for a big ol' pair of earrings.

5) And others (like this breezy one spent outside) call for hats and little boots.

Enjoy your weekend, everybody!

Linking up with Lauren at High Five For Friday

What I Wore Wednesday

It was off to fourth grade this morning, and off I went in an anchor top I got for my birthday this summer (growing up near Annapolis gave me a love all things nautical), an old gray skirt from the late 90's that I wore in college (we're talking Gap classic), and a pop of my very favorite color.

I tell you what, that skirt has served me well!  And yellow just makes me feel more cheerful!

Thankful for this day!

I Have A Coral Skirt! I Have A Coral Skirt!

So, like many of you, I have been loving the whole pop of color thing this fall, especially the look of a trim coral skirt or pair of jeans.  I have little to no budget for clothes most months (hence the clearance rack and "from my closet" shopping you hear me speak of all the time), but love fashion and dressing to match the season, the occasion, and my mood!

I looked at a coral skirt on the sale rack at Target a month or so ago, but it just wasn't on sale enough. So I put it back on the rack for someone else.

The past few weeks as I've been putting together outfits to suit the unique and varying Florida fall weather (more posts on that subject to come soon), I have been wanting to wear one of those bright pops of tailored color that I keep seeing on fashion blogs.

Then it hit me.

I have a coral skirt!  I have a coral skirt!

It's definitely not the "latest and greatest" - in fact, here is a flashback photo of Jimmy and me from the spring of 2004 in our pre-kids, early ministry days.  I wore what was back then a brand new monochromatic outfit to an Evangelism Explosion banquet at church. A coral, linen skirt and top set I had purchased at good old Hecht's - did anyone else grow up shopping at that department store?!  Miss that place.

I hadn't worn this outfit in a couple of years, but hadn't gotten rid of it either.  I went digging in my closet, pulled out that skirt, and paired it with a lace top, my trusty nude heels, and some accessories to give it an "8 1/2 years later" makeover!

This is the kind of thing that energizes me! A beautiful, sunny, fall day and a "new" outfit made from everything I already had, including something very old!

Everything old is new again!  

Is there anything in your closet you can make new today?

High Five For Friday!

1) Been shopping my closet for "Florida Fall Fashion"...more autumn-in-a-warm-climate inspired outfit ideas to come soon!

2) Totally challenged by this book.  Continuing on in the study.

3) Enjoyed a corn maze field trip with my little buddy and his class!  It was a nice breezy day on the farm, we had a sweet time together, and he came home with the cutest little pumpkin.  Not to mention he won a free snow cone because he hit a target with a high powered contraption that blasted tennis balls out at full force.  It was a good day to be five!

4) Received this fun little surprise (and a matching waist apron) from my mom!

5) Baked these by request.  Still need to frost them. We are feeding the cheerleading team at the church this afternoon and a few of the girls begged me to bake Funfetti Cookies again.  Have you ever made these?  They are the easiest treat to make and are soft and delicious!

Mix 3 boxes Funfetti Cake Mix (now 15.25 oz), 3/4 cup oil, and 5 eggs.  

Roll dough into balls and put on cookie sheet.  Press flat with a glass. 

 Bake 6-10 minutes in 375 degree oven.  

Will make good sized batch.  Frost lightly if desired.

Linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk.

One Necklace, Five Ways...

This summer I was at Versona and this great necklace caught my eye.  I spent around $12 on it and have accessorized everything from maxi dresses to white t's and cutoffs with it since.  Here are five of the ways I have worn this one fabulous and affordable necklace...

Life is busy, wear something fun that makes you feel energized!

How To Change Up An Outfit

On Saturday evening, I went out with some girlfriends to celebrate my friend Jennifer's birthday.  She is stunning and quite the fashionista, and I wanted to wear something fresh and fun for our girls night. I am always mixing and matching from my wardrobe, and with a mix of some older and newer pieces from my closet and a little innovation, I came up with a "new"outfit for the evening.  I love shopping my closet!  I often get questions about where I find my clothes, so I thought this may give you some insight into how I come up with what I wear.

My inspiration actually started with some craft flowers I purchased with a coupon at Hobby Lobby a couple months ago.  I had nearly forgotten I had them! I used a hot glue gun to attach them to pin backs which took all of two minutes.

I then pulled out a denim jacket I had purchased on the clearance rack at Old Navy back in 2004 (I wear things forever).  After attaching the flower pins to the eight year old jacket, it seemed like a new piece!

I then took out the comfortable lace dress from Kohl's my mom had surprised me with back in the spring when Jimmy and I had a date night to see The Lion King.

When I wore it that night, I dressed it up with nude heels and vintage inspired jewelry I already had for a soft, romantic look.  After all, it was a beautiful spring evening and I was going on a date with my man!

But when paired with my newly accessorized old denim jacket and a pair of flat sandals, it had a much more casual, yet still vintage, feel.

Same exact dress, but totally different look!  Perfect for a great dinner out with my girls! (And a great dinner it was.  Don't even get me started on the Caribbean Pumpkin Crab Soup! I may not stop talking about it.)

I have to tell you about the earrings I wore.  One of the girls in our youth group is a creative, artistic girl named Caroline.  She is also one of my piano students, and one of the things I love most about her is that she is completely and totally herself!  She almost always wears two different earrings instead of a matching set.  Last summer I was browsing the summer clearance jewelry at Belk and came across this pair of earrings.  Paris was still fresh on my mind after throwing Madi's Paris birthday party in April, and these caught my eye.  They were only a few dollars, so I channelled my inner Caroline and bought them.  I only wear them when I am feeling extra fun and free-spirited!

My personality likes change and keepings things fresh.  This includes what I wear.  I had to wear the same blue plaid school uniforms from kindergarten to 8th grade and it about did me in!!  Now I am all about variety!  I have found that by keeping and wearing things for a long time, mixing the old and the new, hunting clearance racks, and shopping my closet,  I can have a large wardrobe on a small budget.

Fashion is fun and often what you choose to put on the outside reflects something about how you feel on the inside.  Have some fun putting together a "new" outfit from your closet that puts some pep in your step!