Just add pearls...

*Ahem*

Baby B helped me with my pictures today, so I blame her for the semi-action shot...

 

...which actually turned out better than any of the other photos I managed to take. She was messing with the tripod, and as I was running towards the camera, I hit the button on the remote. Apparently, the beeping freaked her out a little, and she stopped shaking the equipment long enough for me to freeze for the picture to be taken.

This may just have to be my go-to technique from now on.

Dress: Calvin Klein

Cardigan: Express

Necklace: Christmas gift from my MiL

Black and white and red all over...*

I posted about this on my family site yesterday, but if you don't follow me there, or if you just missed my little announcement, I will now be posting every Tuesday at Style Lush, one of my favorite blogs ever. The fantastic writers over there cover every topic, from make-up to clothing to kid's toys to household decorating ideas, and when I'm looking for gift ideas? For anyone? At all? It's the first place I go.

So, yeah. I'm just a little bit excited.

(Yesterday, I talked about B and her latest obsession, if you're interested....)

Sweater: Banana Republic

Pants: The Limited

Scarf: Express

*So, I totally ripped off Tiffany's blog title today, but I couldn't help it. It was just too obvious. And also? I'm too lazy to come up with one of my own...

Sorry, Tiffany!

Maroon is the new black...

I've been wanting to change things up on the tights front for a while, since black is getting beyond boring. And even though spring is in the air, Atlanta still has one or two 50-60 degree days up her sleeve, so leg covering is a must.

And I don't really do dress pants. So tights it is!

Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how to pull off brightly colored tights. I mean, what is appropriate for an office environment? And what is appropriate for a 31 year-old mother?

After much debate, I ended up with maroon, olive green, and rust colored tights. I'm still on the fence about whether I can pull of the rust and green tights, because they might be a little bright for me, but the maroon ones? A little bit of color, but understated enough to still be office appropriate. They were perfect.

I. Am. In. Love!!

Dress: WHBM

Sweater: Banana Republic

Tights: We Love Colors

Boots: DSW

Weekend Fun

Brigid and I went to the outlet mall on Friday with my mother-in-law, as well as Steve's aunt and cousin, who were in town from Cincinnati for the weekend. Outlet mall trips aren't as much fun when you're not shopping, but I did manage to offer my MiL plenty of options, if she's looking to buy me any gifts in the coming weeks.

Because I am nothing, if not helpful.

Sweater: Old Navy

Jeans: Gap

Boots: DSW

On a completely unrelated note, today is the day of the final weigh-in for the Biggest Blogging Loser challenge. When I started this challenge, I weighed in at 148.5lbs. 

Twelve weeks later? After changing my diet to include more fruits and vegetables, more whole wheat, more lean proteins, less processed crap? Slowly increasing my activity levels from sloth to at least slightly active?

Today, I weighed in at 130.5.

Yay, me!

Sunglasses Recommended

Every year, I resolve not to expose my palest of pale white legs to the world until I can get some kind of color on them, be it real sun, spray tan, or some very, very good bronzer. And every year, I fail miserably.

This year, several days of 80 degree weather in Atlanta, combined with my general laziness in all matters of tanning and my temporary distaste for tights after months and months of wearing them, finally broke my resolve.

You've all been warned.

Dress: Forth and Towne

Sweater: J Crew

Shoes: Nine West

Mango Tree

You know how I know I made the right decision when I decided to marry my husband?

I mean, beyond the whole loving him and wanting to have his babies thing?

I have the best in-laws. Ever.

Case in point?

My mother-in-law watches the Today's Show every morning, and every so often, they have a segment on called Jill's Steals and Deals. While the deals aren't always something to write home about, every so often, they throw in a really, really fantastic one. And a couple of weeks ago?

My  mother-in-law called with one of those fantastic ones.

Mango Tree bracelets are hand-carved, hand-painted, and made of organic mango tree wood. They usually price at $18-$22/each, but through the Steals and Deals, they were offering three for $20, and I, of course, jumped all over that. Unfortunately, the limit was also set at just the three (well, for the deal anyway...I'm sure I could have bought as many as I wanted at full price...), which was sad, because the website?

So. Much. Fun.

Seriously.

There are a ton of colors, in three different shapes, and they have an arm feature on the site where you can "try on" the bracelets to pick the combination you like best. I head over there on my lunch break when I'm bored, and plan the combination I want next, if they ever go on sale again.

(And yes, I realize I sound like a walking advertisement, but I can't help it. One of my favorite purchases, ever. I want one in every color! I just don't want to spend $20 a pop...

I'm definitely adding these bracelets to my 'when I win the lottery' list.

Oh, who am I kidding. I'm totally getting more when Lent is over...)

Sweater: Loft

Skirt: Banana Republic

Boots: Something from DSW

Bracelets: Mango Tree

Cheap Date

This is a big week for me, friends.

A haircut (to be introduced tomorrow, although it was just a trim, so don't get your hopes up for anything spectacular...), some new tights (ordered before Lent started, delivered yesterday), a few new accessories (ditto), and the conclusion of the Biggest Blogging Loser challenge (I will post a recap of the competition next week, complete with before and after pictures, so stay tuned!).

 So, yeah...rereading the last paragraph to myself now...that doesn't seem like anything too exciting, does it?

Ok, then. It felt like a big week for me, up until I actually listed it out for this post. Now I just realize it doesn't really take much to get me excited.

That's totally a good thing, though, right?

T-Shirt: J Crew

Sweater: New York & Co

Skirt: The Limited

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: Old Navy

Nitpick

I had high hopes for this outfit. It just looked so good in my head.

And then...

Well, I don't know what happened to it in real life.

For one thing, the pants turned out to be baggier than I thought they would be. Not in my mirror, mind you, just in the photos and in the mirror at work. So that annoyed me off and on throughout the day. And the blouse is sheer, so I needed to wear a camisole under it, which I fully expected when I bought the thing. But it's also really long, so I kept trying to pull the camisole down to match the length of the blouse itself, and that was not always successful. Plus, the neckline kept falling lower than I intended, and I was so tired of trying to keep my underthings from showing that I eventually buttoned the cardigan and called it a day.

Oh well, it definitely wasn't the most successful outfit of all time, but I guess you chalk this one up to 'win some, lose some', and move on.

(I know, I know...could I be any more whiny today? Oof. I kind of want to kick my own butt. I promise to change my tune tomorrow!

In the meantime, who has something nice to tell me about themselves, to remind me to lighten up sometimes?)

Blouse: Old Navy

Cardigan: Gap

Pants: The Limited

Shoes: Nine West

Luck of the Irish?

We took Brigid to a St. Patrick's Day festival last Thursday evening, and my original plan was to take the camera with me so I could get some great outdoor outfit pictures, with Brigid coming along for the ride. But I ended up working later than I'd originally meant to work, and by the time I met Steve, Brigid, and various other family members/friends at the festival, I had forgotten the camera at home, and all I really had time to do anyway was feed B a piece of pizza before taking her home and getting her into bed.

So...foyer it is!

Shirt: Old Navy

Jeans: Gap

Boots: Something from DSW

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

excuses, excuses...

So, yesterday was a DAY, in the best possible way. My new position was officially announced to both the team that I will be managing going forward, as well as the team that I will be leaving behind. Well, not leaving behind, so much, as we all still report up through the same director, but I’ll be based out of a different office for a time, so they will all miss me terribly.

Right?

Right.

Anyway, after all of that announcing, which took up most of my morning, I actually had work that needed to be done (imagine the nerve of them, giving me a promotion and expecting me to keep working while all of this is going on…), followed by evening plans with my old college roommate, where we relived the good old days by catching our university’s Glee Club on their spring break tour stop in Atlanta.

(You know what’s really depressing? Those boys looked like babies compared to us.

Even more depressing? This actually marked the 10-year anniversary of the Chicago spring break concert we hit up back in the day, the one that was followed by a late night of bar hopping and a really long/really early flight to London, my eventual spring break destination for that year. That just sounds more fun than being in bed by 10:30 and up at work the next day.

Ah well.)

So, basically, this is just a long way of saying that I ran out of time to take outfit pictures yesterday. Try not to miss my bright, shining face too much today.

My substitution?

Things that make me happy at this moment:

1)      Revlon Just Bitten lipstain and balm – Guys, it’s a lipstain, with a balm on the other end! I’ve been hooked on the Cover Girl lipstain for a couple of months now, but I thought I’d give this one a shot, since it’s two-in-one, and I am a marketer’s dream. Wouldn’t you know it, I like this one better. Go figure.

2)      CBS Sports’ free iPhone app that provides live streaming of all NCAA tournament games – This girl right here was born and raised in Indiana, where this weekend was practically a state enforced holiday for all citizens.

3)      Cadbury Caramel Eggs – Hoo buddy…those things are a-MAZING!

4)      Springtime – It’s supposed to be 80 degrees this weekend. I may have just shed a tear of joy.

5)      My husband – Last year for Mother’s Day, he bought me a spa gift certificate. Guess who’s finally cashing that in on Saturday?

What’s making you happy today?

Change is in the air!

Tomorrow (well, it will be today when you read this, since I always write after the baby goes to bed and pre-schedule my posts to hit the next morning), I start my new job. I will be meeting my director at one of our company's satellite offices at 9am to be officially introduced to the team I will be managing. I am beyond excited for this new opportunity, but if I'm being completely honest (and it's my blog, so of course I'm being completely honest), I'm also a little nervous, because these are people that I've worked with as a peer for two years, and now they'll be reporting to me. And while I'd like to think they'll take it well, you just never can tell.

So, yeah...wish me luck!

Tank Top: Banana Republic

Cardigan: Lands End Canvas

Skirt: The Limited

Shoes: AK Anne Klein

Black and White

It seems like that title would work for two thirds of the outfits I post here, because to say that I'm in a color rut these days would be a bit of an understatement.

But I'm working on it, and that's all I can ask for, I guess...

Anyway, the story behind this dress?

For Christmas, this past year, we went to Steve's parents' house, and before we left, I asked my dear husband if I needed to pack anything in particular for the trip. Steve said no. I said I'm packing jeans and sweaters and that's it. Steve said that's fine. So that's what I packed.

Then, I found out that everyone was dressing up for Mass on Christmas Eve. And I had nothing to wear. Because my husband told me there would be no dressing up on the trip. And even though my in-laws only live an hour and a half away from us, I was not driving three-hours round trip to pick up a dress. So, I told Steve to drop me off at the Saks outlet five minutes away from his parents' because I was due for a shopping spree.

And I found a dress. Or three. Whatever.

I blame Steve.

 

Dress: Calvin Klein

Cardigan: Express

Boots: Something from DSW 

Why yes, this is another outfit planned around another new accessory. And also? That new accessory may just be one of my most favorite scarves ever. Love the material, love the size, love how warm it keeps me in my 20 degree office.

And I especially love that I got it for $6.

Fun times.

(I am a little annoyed with the color on these pictures, because it looks like I'm wearing all black, when really, the dress is maroon, the cardigan is navy, and the tights/boots/scarf are all gray. Any advice on camera settings that might improve the color of my pictures??)

 

Dress: Banana Republic

Cardigan: Gap

Boots: DSW

Scarf: Lands End Canvas 

May Flowers...in March!

The one good thing about instituting two shopping bans in back-to-back months? Getting the chance to blow your monthly budget in one fantastic weekend.

In addition to the dress I wore yesterday, I added another dress, a tunic, three pairs of tights, a couple of tops, and several pieces of jewelry (all on sale, of course!)

Included in my little shopping spree? This little day brightener...

I will MAKE spring show up early this year, I swear. 48 degrees and raining?

Not in my mind.

Dress: White House Black Market

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: Old Navy

Bracelets: James Avery/Alex and Ani

A brief break...

Yesterday marked the first day of Lent, and as I've done for the past several years, I've given up what I enjoy the most...shopping.* And since I'm just now coming off of the 30x30 no shopping rule, this year is going to be especially tough.

But since I cheated a little during the 30x30, maybe it won't actually be any different than normal...

Anyway, taking advantage of my brief break between self-imposed bans, I made an appearance at the Macy's one day sale last weekend and picked up this little dress on deep, deep discount. Hopefully, it can tide me over until Easter.

Dress: INC 

Cardigan: Express

Shoes: Nine West (via Shoe Woo)

*On a side note, I donate the money I'd normally spend on myself to various charities every couple of weeks until Easter, and while I have one or two in mind that I plan to give to this year, I'm also open to suggestions, if you have a favorite in mind.

Short Stuff

So, my mother-in-law bought me this skirt for Christmas, and I loved it.

I loved it so much, in fact, that the minute I opened it, I started planning my NYE outfit around it.

And once NYE was over, it went back into my closet, never to be heard from again.

Ok, that might be a little dramatic, but this is kind of a hard skirt to style. It's a little short for work, but I don't dress up for much else, so if I wanted to wear it, I had to try to make it work appropriate. I went with a looser sweater, shorter heels, and my typical tights, and all in all, I'm pretty happy with the way this came together.

And I'm thinking flats and maybe a long cardigan or a loose fitting tee might just take this into spring. Thoughts?

Skirt: Banana Republic Outlet

Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft

Shoes: Bandolino (from Shoe Woo) 

PS: I don't normally do this, but this was an outtake I just couldn't pass up...it's just a good thing this is a still picture, because you don't want to hear how shrill I got when Riley came at me and my tights!