Winterize it!

Happy Thursday!

 

 

Hello-- today I am linking up with Bri for the Third Thursday Threads.  

 

 

Her challenge this month was to winterize a summer piece.  I loved the idea of this challenge, because I feel like I have been wearing the same black and gray trousers and buttondowns to work every day, so it was exciting to reach for something on the summer side of my closet.  This butterfly sundress from Target didn't feel too summery.  So I paired it some Target leggings, some boots from Amazon, and a black cardigan from Old Navy.  The bracelet was a gift from my sister and the scarf was a gift from my grandmother. 

 

When I walked out of the house this morning, I felt vaguely maternity-esque with the babydoll waistline of the dress combined with the leggings.  Evidently I wasn't the only one who thought this look read "maternity" because the cleaning lady at school commented that I was really starting to "pop".  I must have looked confused and then I had to clarify that, no, I am not actually expecting, I am just chubby.   Two whomps. This was followed up by me walking to my car parked on the street and getting cornered by a huge SUV driven by one of my student's parents who basically wanted an impromptu conference about their child's progress on the street corner.  Just when you think you've seen it all. 

 

In other news, I have added two books onto my 101 in 1001.  Sybil Exposed was sitting in the clearance bin at Barnes and Noble.  It caught my eye, so I sat down in a comfy chair in a patch of sunlight and thirty pages later I decided I wasn't leaving without it.  I'm a psychology nerd, what can I say?  I also discovered randomly at the library one day that there was a Jennifer Weiner book I had somehow overlooked.  Then Came You was an easy read that I enjoyed.  I have been choosing my reading material from the large print section of the library to avoid the waiting list.  I grow closer to being a full blown senior citizen every passing day.

 

Have a great day!

so....

I bought some great new shoes for my brother's upcoming wedding.  I will be wearing a fabulous navy and coral color blocked dress.  Since I'm *not* a bridesmaid, I wanted to go all out for shoes with something cute as well as comfortable.  I have a closet full of stilettos that I can't even bring myself to wear anymore, so I was on the search for some wedges.  These little darlings fit the bill. 

(please excuse the messy floor)

 

You can always count on Charlotte Rousse for fabulous shoes.  They were having a buy one pair of shoes, get another for 12.50, so I got a nice pair of grey flats for work too.  And they are perfect for Marion Berry's lace link up this month. 

 

Happy Wednesday!

Baltimore or bust

Last Saturday after we officially bought the new van, we couldn't wait to take her out for a real spin. We had debated a Smithsonian trip but since we got a later start than expected, we switched our plan to Baltimore.

It was an unseasonably warm day, sunny and beautiful and the Inner Harbor was filled with folks who were out enjoying the sunshine and scenery.

We squeezed in a quick trip to the aquarium.

And followed it up with dinner at the Hard Rock. It was a fun day trip and got our new van all broke in for our upcoming road trip to Disney. Woot woot!

Random Thursday: Pet Peeves

Better late than never, right?

1.  Blogging from the iPad.  I need to find the cord to the laptop.  This is tedious and annoying.  I have so many things to blog about but I can't bring myself to do it yet.

2.  Parents who want YOU to punish their kid for them.  I have one every year: a parent who sends in a note wanting their kid to lose recess or field day for behavior that happened on THEIR watch.  No thanks.

3. Texting during the movies.  Sooooooo distracting!  Also, people who bring young kids to r rated or adult content movies.  Come on!

4.  People who use the word gay to mean "lame" or "stupid".

5. People who write checks at the grocery store.  Why????  It's 2013 people.  

6.  People who let their big dogs jump and bark all over you and then laugh and go "He wouldn't hurt a fly."  OK great but I still don't want him on me and will probably kick him viciously to reclaim my personal bubble of animal free space.  Just being honest.

7.  When people use the term "feminazi".  Women deserve to be empowered and have equal rights to their male counterparts.  That does not have anything to do with a group that perpetuated genocide.  It's a term designed to shut up a woman who has probably just told told a man he is being sexist.  Plus the term was popularized by Rush Limbaugh and he is just the worst.  So let's retire that word, PLEASE.  

8.  Katy Perry.  Just everything about her.  

Hang in there!! It's almost Friday!!!

Ten on Tuesday: Chocolate Cravings Edition

1. Isaac came home from school missing his other front tooth yesterday.  It has been hanging on by a thread for a while.

 And how weird is it that the gap in his teeth looks like the Batman symbol?  My friend Joe pointed that out.

2. I know I blogged about it last week (and, let's be honest, I will continue to obsess and perseverate on it until Memorial Day) but I am getting sooooo excited for our family getaway to Orlando this year. Disney World, here I come!!  Personal days away from school, here I come!!!

3. I lost Ryan's laptop cord and my work laptop is being serviced (don't ask) so that leaves me to blog from work or my phone. Both options kind of suck and are putting a damper on my bloggy enthusiasm. I wish I didn't destroy all technology that I touch.

4. Isaac's church teacher made him this adorable candy lei in honor of his baptism. How cute is this?!

5. So if you have been keeping up on my recent posts you know I have been rolling in my new minivan. It has been quite an adjustment getting used to driving a bigger and wider car and just a new car in general. This morning I was running late for work and it was raining cats and dogs and I hit a button on my key fob and raced inside. Turns out I actually hit the button to throw open the back hatch and I left it wide open with rain pouring in. Fortunately a coworker spotted it and closed it before random homeless people took shelter in my car. I am ridiculous.

6. I am OBSESSED with the game Ruzzle. It helps me be even more antisocial in the lunchroom at work. Look me up if you play: midwaydancer.

7. So what did we think of the all ASL episode of Switched at Birth? I liked it, although with all of the subtitles I couldn't multitask (read: play Ruzzle obsessively) like I usually do. I feel bad for Bey though, as hard as she is fighting for Carlton, she will never be accepted there. Also, I know it is so wrong but it cracked me up when she had to be like "The cops are here".

8. I have been craving chocolate like crazy lately. I may or may not have foraged through cabinets and the pantry last night until I unearthed a bag of chocolate chips that I promptly scarfed down.

9. Ryan found one of the cats in the dryer the other day. With the door closed. Thank Goodness it wasn't running! Only at our house...

10. Pretty much...

Happy Tuesday!!!

New car

I said good-bye to a good and faithful friend on Saturday.  My beloved Alero.  My first major purchase.  The car I drove to my first real job.  The car I snapped an infant car seat into.  The car I drove countless times to and from the Jersey shore.  Alas, with nearly 200,000 miles and a backseat that can barely squeeze three, it just wasn't practical to keep her around anymore. 

So we traded her in for this bad boy...

I guess there is no denying that I am in full blown middle aged soccer mom mode now.

Oh well.

Happy Monday everyone!

P.S. Some of you asked for a wedding post.   I was going to wait until I had some pictures back from the photographer, but I will try to do a little recap with some pictures I have cobbled together from friends. Stay tuned.



Ten on Tuesday

1. This is an oldie but goodie that I haven't put up on the blog yet..

2. I have been trying to get back into card making again.  Here's a few cards I made recently (within the past few weeks)

3.  I test drove a Chrysler Town and Country last night.  The price is right, so I will probably buy it.  I did have a little mini breakdown afterwards when we were leaving the dealership.  I really love my Alero and it has been the car of my 20s.  It will be so sad to give it up and start driving a mini-van....

 

4.  This also means I have to clear out the Alero.  I keep my LIFE in there, so it will be quite an undertaking.  Blankets, jackets, chairs, random water bottles, and of course a ton of other junk.

 

5. We celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday Friday at school.  These are my coteachers in third grade.  I was lucky that Ryan happens to have a "thing three" shirt.

6.  Seeing that picture reminds me to blog that I got a major haircut.  Here is a quick selfie...

Now that the wedding is over, I was ready to chop off all my dead tangly ends.  It is a teeny bit shorter than I thought it would be (the girl assured me that I would be able to put it up in a ponytail, but there is NO WAY that can happen), but I was happy to donate my hair to Locks of Love.

7.  I am making this soup for dinner.  So ridiculously easy and so yummy. 

 

8. Anyone watching The Biggest Loser?  I am not feeling this season.  First of all, the episodes are two hours long now, which seems like an eternity.  Second of all, all of the characters are whiny babies.  Yesterday was makeover week and Ryan and I realized we still don't know some of the contestants names, even this late in the season.   Not feeling it.

 

9. We are getting amped up for our Disney trip in May.  Ryan's sister is going to be an internship down there so we are excited to visit her (and the fact that she is hooking us up with some Disney tickets doesn't hurt either!).

 

10.  Snow is in the forecast for tonight.  I am crossing my fingers for a two hour delay.  It would be so lovely! 

 

Have a great Tuesday!