Style: A Small Attempt

Here it is, guys. An outfit post. I know I am going to look back at this and cringe big time. Ha!
Part of the reason I started this blog is because I have been a big fan of blogs for a long time. I got into fashion blogs in 2009. I stumbled across the idea of blogging after browsing through Chictopia (anybody remember that?) There were a few girls on Chictopia that I loved to check out regularly so when I found out that they had their own sites, I just cut out the middle man. Sorry, Chictopia. One of my earliest follows was A Clothes Horse. She was and still is inspiring. I never knew people actually dressed like that! Her vintage style and plethora of dresses was so different from my normal fair of jeans and cardigans. It was eye opening.
Her style is always adorable but what is more amazing is her photography skills. She takes most all of her own photos using a tripod and a self-timer. I am constantly blown away by her skill level. Some of her shoots are editorial quality. I can always count on her for inspiration.
While my photos are not nearly as amazing as hers, I really enjoyed taking them. It is so nice to carve out a little time on a gloriously sunny to do something creative. I'll be back at work cleaning out the freezer here soon, but for a little bit I got to play. Hopefully, this playing will eventually turn into something cool but as for now, I am just going to revel in the dorkiness and go with it.

Bits and Pieces

This weekend felt like it flew by. It's already Tuesday, for goodness sake. The rain has FINALLY stopped. The sun is out and it is glorious. I am 95% done with my Christmas shopping which feels amazing. Now I am researching and brainstorming Thanksgiving recipes.
Here are just a few snapshots off of my phone from the past couple of days.

Friday Wrap Up

(via pinterest)

Another week in the books. It started off kind of crazy with some pretty heavy rain. I thought I was going to need a boat to get to work. Thankfully, it has passed and we are left with just a drizzle. Work was crazy but good. I cleared a ton of stuff out of our bedroom, which has been on my to-do list FOREVER. Yeah, for progress!

So let's wrap this week up, shall we?

1. I have not bitten my nail for THREE WHOLE WEEKS. I did so well earlier this summer but I fell off the wagon when I started back to work. I have been trying to kick this habit my whole life and I think I am finally making some headway! The trick so far is keeping my nails painted as well as repainting often. I seem to slip up when the polish starts chipping and I am tempted to pick it off. It eventually spirals into biting so I have to keep my nails fully lacquered 24/7. Hopefully, I'll get to point where it is no longer an unconscious habit and I won't be constantly painting my nails. Till then, maybe it means I need to treat myself to new color every once in awhile?

2. Speaking of rain, I have wearing my Bean boots constantly. They are the perfect shoe for nasty weather. I would love to add to my cute camp sock collection. Just something fun to spice things up. J. Crew always has really cute ones. 

3. I may be the only one out there saying this, but I love daylight savings. I love the dark evenings. It makes our house seem so cozy and inviting. I may change my tune come January but as of now, I am going to enjoy it. 

Have a great weekend!

Give Thanks

Now that we are officially in the month of November, it is time to turn our focus to Thanksgiving.  If you thought I was going to say Christmas, you don't know me at all. I feel like Thanksgiving gets overlooked. It's not as flashy as Halloween or Christmas. There are no presents associated with it. Other than eating a big and delicious meal and maybe watching a parade, there really isn't much that happens on Thanksgiving. It is an important historical holiday but it can also serve as good time to recalibrate. Setting aside a day to be thankful is a great to maintain perspective. Thanksgiving is aptly situated right before Christmas, a time of year heavily marked by consumerism. Would our shopping patterns and Christmas lists be different if we spent more time counting our blessings on Thanksgiving? Maybe or maybe not. It probably wouldn't hurt, though.
So to get myself in the mindset of thankfulness, each day I am going identify something I am thankful for and pray about that thing. For me, as a Christian, it is important to recognize that all good things come from God and He deserve my thanks and praise. It is not a radical notion but I hope it will do me some good. It is something that I really should be doing every day of the year. Maybe it will stick after doing it for a month.
Join in, if you would like. I probably won't be putting it out on social media, at least not everyday. I don't want that to become my driving motivation. This is mainly just a chance to be mindful and intentional about the everyday things in my life.

It's The Little Things

I think the reason I love the changing seasons is the opportunity to appreciate different things. I was driving home the other day, listening to my podcasts, not really focussing on the scenery per say, when all of a sudden the colors of the trees just hit me. It was slightly foggy and gray which gave the little wooded area a solemn Brontesquefeel. The scene felt more special than just a piece of woods outside of my subdivision. There was some sort magic about it.
Every season has those little magical moments. The first snow of the winter, flowers blooming in the spring, the vibrant blue sky of summer, and the multicolored leaves of fall. Often, I find myself on autopilot, not paying enough attention to the little things or giving myself time to "stop and smell the roses." But every once in a while, when something like a pretty leaf captures my attention, all of the specialness and beauty rushes to the forefront of my mind. I don't think it is possible to be aware of it all the time. Life is hectic and there is no way around that. It's just important to not let those special moments become few and far between. So go outside and look for pretty leaves, guys. You won't regret it.

Melancholy

Maybe it's the rain we have been having, maybe it's the fact that it is completely dark at 5:00 pm, but I have a little case of the gloomies. I am not a super melancholy person. Overall, I have a pretty positive demeanor, but every so often I get in a little rut. It makes me want to hide away at home like a little hermit and shut out the world. It is pretty easy to do. I love being home and working around the house. I love slashing things off my to do list and feeling accomplished at the end of the day. I love the quiet of being home with just the Baby and the Lady Pup, especially on a dark, gloomy day. Sometimes that peaceful feeling of contempt turns to isolation. The idea of being around people becomes irksome. It seems like it would take a great deal of emotional effort to be social. It just seems so much nicer to be alone with just my little family than to venture out into the world.
I don't remember always being this way. When I was younger, I thought I was a lot more extraverted. I thought I thrived being around people. Now, I really don't think I am. I think I thrive on activity but now as an adult, I have a lot more activities that don't require other people. I get all of the energy with any of the social interaction. The weird thing about the isolation is I don't feel bored or alone. I have plenty to do and I feel very at peace. It would be one thing if I was holed up alone but wanting to be out. Then I think there would be some cause for concern. It is a strange feeling of contentment. There is no urgency to get out of the house or to look for entertainment.
Maybe it is a maturity thing. Maybe I am just getting old. Is it bad thing or a good thing? Is it a sign that I am content or is it a sign of selfishness?  I am not really sure what to think about it. For today though, I am going to enjoy the quiet and the solitude and the gloom.


Also, I feel like I REALLY need this shirt. 

Over the Weekend: Halloween

Hope everyone had a good weekend! Our festivities were dampened by a little by sickness, but it did not stop us from getting dressed up. For Baby's first Halloween, I decided I would try to make a cute little bird costume. He always has his frog Wubbanub in his mouth so I thought a little bird chomping down on a frog would be hilarious. I wanted to make his costume, first to save money and secondly because I enjoy the creative process. I don't know if it was much cheaper but I know I enjoyed the experience. I found the hoodie/zip up combo on hm.com for $18. The felt for the beak, eyes and feathers cost $2 at Hobby Lobby. Overall, I didn't sink too much money into the costume and I love that it gave me an excuse to break out my sewing stuff.
Since I never pass up on a chance for a costume, I was a bird watcher (every baby bird needs someone to look after it). My outfit consisted of some work pants, one of Scott's flannels and his duck hunting hat. I also had a backpack and a pair of binoculars that were not pictured.  It was all rather silly and low key but I loved every minute of it. The night ended with some candy in bed while the sick husband watched some 30 Rock. A Halloween for the record books, folks.