What I Wore Wednesday

Today I am linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for her fabulous "What I Wore Wednesday" meme. This meme is designed to give women accountability and encourage them to get out of their daily sweats or pajamas or rut that they're in and document what they wore each day and post it to their blogs.

It's nice getting out of jeans occasionally and wearing more of my wardrobe instead of "saving" it for an event. But I think I will always be a casual "jeans" kind of gal. I'm just having a little more fun with it now, lol!

Wednesday

Pink top: Costco
Jeans: Levi 1966 skinny jeans, thrifted
Pink shoes: Converse All Star, thrifted

You know, I never really realized how many shoes I had until I started linking up to this meme, lol! Many of my shoes are thrifted, so I got them so much cheaper than full price. It makes it "easy" to pick up a cute pair of shoes when you're only paying less than $10 for them (sometimes less than $5)!

Thursday
Black and white striped top: Walmart
B by Bullhead, thrifted
Black sweater: J. Crew, thrifted
Shoes: thrifted

Can YOU spot the m&ms in this picture?

If I can't eat my m&ms at least I can WEAR them! If you turn your computer upside down you will see the red M&M guy giving you the thumbs up!

Friday

Striped shirt: Target
Jeans: Hydraulic
Socks: Who cares?

In case you're wondering why I keep lopping my head off or hiding behind a camera, I figured it might be a bit much to see my "smiling" face in every shot. Plus I'm starting to get a bit self conscious, lol!

Purple sweater: Op

Later I threw a sweater over it. This sweater is really a bit too big, but don't you love a big sweater that just wraps around you like a hug? Then I threw my favorite denim jacket over the whole outfit as it was raining a bit.

Saturday
Gray dress: thrifted
Black tank under: Target
Black leggings: TJ Maxx
Silver shoes: BCBGirls, thrifted
Necklace: Kohl's

I helped out at our church yard sale and this outfit was very comfortable! One of the gals helping took off her shoes to get comfy and someone else accidentally sold them! So I kept my shoes with me, lol!


Here's a close-up of the dress and necklace. I love this necklace because it goes with several different outfits.

Flips: BCBGeneration, thrifted

Then I switched to these to add some "bling" to my outfit, lol! (These toes are sadly in need of a pedicure.)

Sunday
Turquoise blouse: Not sure where I got it
Denim capris: Sam's Club
Silver flats: BCBGirls, thrifted
Earrings/necklace: Kohl's

Sorry for the grainy pictures. I think part of it is the distance and part of it is poor lighting and the camera, and maybe part of it is that I may just have grainy skin, lol!

Monday
Brown/black/white floral top: Liz Claiborne
White tank under: Target
Brown capris: Gloria Vanderbilt
Leopard print flips: Walmart

It was supposed to be 80 degrees this day, so I left that morning dressed for the weather and went to my summer Bible Study class. When I came out it was raining. Raining! Do I look like I'm dressed for rain?

Tuesday
Mickey shirt: Disney World
Ice Blue denim jacket: Live A Little, thrifted (99 cents!)

Jeans: Hydraulic

I hope you'll join us at The Pleated Poppy for more fun!

Making Your Home Sing: Are You Managing Your Time Well?

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

The other day I was thinking that if someone paid me to clean my house, things would get done a lot faster. If someone paid me to fold clothes, organize, clean the bathrooms and mop the floors, I would work a lot faster. I would get more done and wouldn't skip things that I didn't want to do.

If someone paid me to clean around here, I would probably get more done in a day and I'd get it done a lot quicker. If someone paid me, motivation would be a lot easier to come by. So would energy.

I would take less breaks and I wouldn't get caught up in a t.v. show or lost in a magazine. I wouldn't pick up the phone and make a long phone call. I wouldn't stop and have a snack whenever I felt like it. I wouldn't go on the computer and read blogs and I wouldn't play on facebook. I wouldn't drop my work to go shopping all morning with a friend.

I would give my all and would work to the best of my ability. Because I would tell myself that I am a professional and I take pride in my work.

But no one is paying me.

When I worked a 9-5 job I was focused and "present" when I was working. I only took scheduled breaks, and I didn't play around on the phone or on the computer. If I did have to make a personal call I made it quick and got back to work. I did my job until it was time to take a break or go home.

I got a lot done during those hours!

Then you start to manage your time at home, and no one is watching you. No one is monitoring you and you can play on the computer for hours. Housework can take all day and never get done because you just "didn't have the time."

If I approached a job outside the home the way I sometimes approach my job inside the home I'd be fired by now!

How do you approach your homemaking duties? Are you intentional and focused? Do you take pride in your work? Are you a "professional" or is it just a "temporary" job? Are you managing your time well? Would you be fired or promoted if your performance was being reviewed?

Taking a look at how I am managing my time is one way that I can make my home sing this week!

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up

Don't Overplan Your Summer Fun!

So summer is here and it's time to fill your calendar with some summer fun. But before you do that, you may want to consider a few things.

I know we all have different personalities. I once knew a gal who said that she always felt tense and wound up inside. It was extremely important to her that her kids didn't miss out on anything in their childhood.

For instance, if they were going to the zoo, it was very important to her that they get there at the beginning of the day. It was very important to her that they saw everything or did everything. She wanted them to get everything out of it that they could.

One day we were planning an event, and she admitted she was freaking out because people wanted to plan for a rest time for the kids. You know, just grabbing some food and sitting on a blanket and letting the kids run around and play for an hour.

This caused her lots of stress as she didn't want to waste any time and wanted to run around and see everything. She didn't want her children to miss the opportunity to see all that was there. She didn't want to stop!

How many times have you seen overwhelmed and cranky two year olds pushed past the point of exhaustion and being overwhelmed with being dragged to one thing after another? I remember pushing my own child's nap time way to far in an attempt to get one more errand done.

Many times, a family event is not going to go the way you planned. You can work hard to plan a wonderful meal, and then you feel that the kids "ruined" it by fighting. You can plan a fun game night, and then husband wants to watch football, or the daughter wants to stay all night at a friend's house or the son wants to play with the Wii.

Does that mean we give up? Does that mean that we don't ever try to make a special meal or have a fun activity? Does that mean that our intent was wrong? No!

Sometimes we get frustrated because others aren't as excited about going to an event as we are. We can make our plans but maybe it would be a good thing to let the husband and older children know ahead of time, so they can be prepared to set that time aside, rather than springing it on them at the last minute.

Is it wrong to go to the store with a two year old? No, of course not! But maybe there may be a better time to go, like after nap time.

Many times we look at things from our point of view, and we don't always take into account the age or the point of view of the child. For some children, just seeing the lions and bears and monkeys at the zoo is enough! For some grownups it's enough (*slowly raises hand*)!

We just need to remember that children are still growing, are still learning, and we can't expect them to have the maturity and control of a grownup. We can't expect them to have the attention span of a grownup either.

That doesn't mean that we plan absolutely everything just for them and them only. That doesn't mean we let them be in charge and have their way in everything.

We do want to encourage them to stretch and grow their minds and their character. We do want them to learn that it's not all about them all the time. But we also want to keep their abilities in mind when we make our plans.

Ask your kids some of their favorite things to do and put them on a list (or in a jar). Then pencil in some of the activities on your calendar, so that you make them happen.

Don't overplan your summer fun! Have some busy, fast paced days but don't forget to build in some time for rest and relaxation too, and let those batteries recharge. Sometimes, the best memories are made just running through the home sprinkler and making s'mores!

What I Wore Wednesday

Today I am linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for her fabulous "What I Wore Wednesday" meme. This meme is designed to give women accountability and encourage them to get out of their daily sweats or pajamas or rut that they're in and document what they wore each day and post it to their blogs.

I did not have a stellar clothing week but at least I got dressed in something other than jeans and a sweatshirt! I think I'm going to have to start stepping it up with the accessories, but one thing at a time!

Wednesday
Grey shirt: old
Blue hoodie: Gap, thrifted
Jeans: Levis 515 bootcut

This was one of those mom-I-need-you days. I got an early morning phone call from my oldest son. He had injured his back while at work (he went in at 5 a.m.). I could hear the pain in his voice and he was struggling with tears. So I threw on some clothes as fast as I could (and some shoes) and flew out the door. I literally did not even stop to brush my teeth. I know, ewwww, but my baby was in pain and needed me!

This picture was taken many hours later after I'd taken my son to the doctor, picked up his medicine, got him settled in at home and fixed him some food (after the pain pills kicked in). He has a pinched nerve and lumbar sprain and is taking it easy.

Thursday
Brown t-shirt under: old, Costco?
Lt. Brown shirt over: Love Culture, thrifted
Brown plaid shoes: Airwalk, thrifted
Two dogs: priceless

This was my experiment with a photo collage. I can't figure out how to make it bigger. Frustrating! Any tips would be appreciated!

I am pretty positive that NO ONE wants or needs to see a big picture of my shoes. With that said, I posted one. You're welcome.

Friday
Black and white striped shirt: thrifted
Black cargo pants: Costco
Black sparkly flip-flops: ???

I actually changed my clothes a couple of times that day. You'd think I was a two year old. Got dressed for the day, then later the sun came out and I changed into swimsuit and shorts and went outside to work on my tan. I don't think I've laid out in the sun since I was 19 or 20! Later I changed into shorts and a tank to stay cool.

I changed my footwear too. These are the Poetic License shoes that I actually originally wore with the pants. Love the striped bow!

Saturday
Red shirt: Josephine Chaus, Sam's Club???
Jeans: B by Bullhead, thrifted
Red and Black Plaid shoes: American Eagle, thrifted

I finally got dressed this day, no contacts, no makeup, just glasses. Threw on some clothes so that I could do some much needed cleaning and relaxing around here. It was Saturday, after all!

Close-up of the shoes. Love me some plaid!

Sunday
Black and white dress: TJ Maxx (recent)
Black leggings: TJ Maxx
Black boots: Thrifted

This is what happens to my legs when I am focused on getting a picture. They forget that they are supposed to "pose."

Monday
Blue shirt: old, Costco
White tank under: Target
Jeans: Hydraulic, thrifted
Black shoes: Converse One Star, thrifted

Denim jacket: Gap, thrifted

Then I threw a denim jacket over it and put a silly expression on my face. It is awkward "posing" for the camera!

Yet another shoe picture!

Tuesday
Black plaid top: Target, thrifted
Black shorts: Dockers

The sun came out to play this day! Where I live the summer doesn't really start until July. So anytime we have a sunny day it's break out the shorts time. There you have it. Please visit The Pleated Poppy for more fun!

Making Your Home Sing: Victim or Victor?

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Is it just me or does Monday ever sneak up on you too? On my busy Sundays, at some point it dawns on me that the next day is Monday.

It has happened that way for my entire life but it surprises me every time.

Sometimes I am surprised with joy, because I am ready to dig in and get something done. Sometimes I am surprised with dread, because I am NOT ready to dig in and get something done.

It's all in the attitude.

Have you ever noticed how your attitude can make something easier or more difficult? Ever watch a toddler pitch a fit over having to do something, wasting time, energy and your patience (not to mention the damage done to your hearing), and after they've exhausted themselves they have to go ahead and do it anyway?

Have you ever listened to an older child complain about homework (or chores) and spend hours putting it off, dreading it, complaining about it, worrying about it, crying about it, and making your life miserable with having to listen to them.....only to have them sit down and finally DO it in one-tenth of the time that they spent fighting about it.

It's usually never as bad as it seems, is it?

Have you ever found yourself complaining about your home duties to anyone who will listen, and even to some who won't?

Have you ever put something off, whined about it, agonized over it, had it hanging over your head like a weight for weeks on end, only to finally give in and do it? Did you find that it wasn't as bad nor took half as long as you thought it would?

Do you ever want to kick yourself for wasting so much time and energy on it when it wasn't worth it? Yeah, me neither.

If a clerk waited on you in the store, or a waitress waited on you in a restaurant, and complained about her job the whole time, would you think that she was having a bad day? If she complained every time she saw you, would you think that she was unhappy in her chosen career?

You and I have a choice to make. We can choose to be happy in what we do, or we can choose to be miserable. Circumstances may be difficult, but I guarantee there is someone out there facing worse ones and coming through it triumphantly. There always is. We can be the victim or we can be the victor.

We can bless our home and bless our family with our joy, or distress them with our bad mood. We can bring sunshine, or we can bring rain. We can make our homes sing, or we can make our homes cringe.

What will YOU choose this week?

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up

Planes, Trains, Automobiles And My Uterus

Recently our son's car wouldn't start. So he borrowed our car and he and his brother went to a movie. Right before my husband went to bed he tinkered with the car. It's a guy thing. If it's broke they want to fix it.

Unless it's something unimportant like a washer, dryer, toilet, sink, fridge, dishwasher or curling iron. Then it can wait until the cows come home. Which reminds me. When do the cows come home?

Anyway, then he told me what he did to the car and asked me to relay that message to our son when he came home since he (hubby) was going to bed.

Yeah, right. I'll get right on that.

Technical car-talk goes right over my head. As I recall, the conversation went something like this:

"Tell him I cleaned the blah-blah-blah and checked the gobbily-gook and changed the wah-wah-wah-wah......It still wouldn't start for me, so tell him to blab-blab-blab tomorrow and he'll need to mumble-mumble-mumble."

All I hear is: (*insert sound of birds chirping*)

It's times like these that I want to pull out the big guns and start talking about my uterus and watch his eyes glaze over.

I mean really.

Am I seriously going to remember all those words and what he did to an automobile and do I care? Automobile talk rates right up there with football talk with me. None of it makes sense.

Has he even MET me?????

Next time I'm breaking out the uterus.

What I Wore Wednesday

Today I am linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for her fabulous "What I Wore Wednesday" meme. This meme is designed to give women accountability and encourage them to get out of their daily sweats or pajamas or rut that they're in and document what they wore each day and post it to their blogs.

I have never been one to stay in sweats or jammies all day, but I have been known to put on a ratty old sweatshirt or raggedy old tee to clean house and just never get out of it again until bedtime. So I need this meme, lol!

Thursday
(stayed home and recovered from jet lag)

Mickey Mouse Shirt: Disney Outlet Store (Florida)
Jeans: B by Bullhead skinny jeans (thrifted)
Shoes: Airwalk (thrifted. I call these my fake Converse)

I have very little green in my closet. I like green, I just don't really have hardly anything in that color. But when I saw this lime green shirt I just had to have it. It had me at hello. I am also suddenly into stripes.

Notice I am wearing my glasses instead of contacts. However, I am wearing makeup! Usually, if I'm wearing glasses I get lazy and don't put on makeup because I feel like you can't see it anyway.

Friday
(grocery shopping and errands)

Navy sparkly shirt: Polo Jeans (Costco)
Jeans: Levi 1966 skinny jeans (thrifted)
Shoes: Airwalk (thrifted)

I love this t-shirt, it is soooo comfortable. It's almost like wearing jammies. The sequins are a bit unusual for me, but thought it might be fun to add a little "sparkle" to my wardrobe. The skinny jeans are cuffed at the bottom, not that you could tell. I have GOT to get myself out of the bathroom in these pictures!!!!!! Or at least clean the mirror.

Saturday

(lunch with bff)

Olive vest: thrifted
Purple tee: Target
Jeans: Levi 1966 skinny jeans (thrifted)
Brown boots: passed on from a friend
Dirty mirror: ???????

Boots in June, I know. Some of you are cringing but the sky looked like rain.

The weird bumpy things on my belly have GOT to be the jeans' fault, because the last time I looked I did not have three "outie" belly buttons on my tummy. Now you're going to go look, aren't you?

Sunday

(Church and lunch with family and friends)

Blue shirt: Costco
Jeans: Levi 1966 skinny jeans (thrifted)
Silver shoes: BCBGirls (thrifted)

Yes, I DID wear jeans to church, and yes I am a pastor's wife! Your point? ;0) Blue is one of my favorite colors, but I will try not to wear that color to death every week. You may have noticed that I wore the same jeans THREE days in a row. At this point, they could probably stand up and walk out of the room all by themselves. My bad!


Here's a close-up of my shoes. I love wearing them, they are fun! As stated above, my jeans and shoes are thrifted. I love shopping at thrift stores and love getting a good bargain!

Monday
(Mocha Monday night)

White tunic: Target (new)
White tank under: Not sure, Target?
Jeans: Hydraulic (thrifted)
Tie-Dye shoes: Keds (thrifted)

I tucked the white tank in for the pictures and then left it out the rest of the day. Go figure. I have no idea why I am doing "I'm a little teapot" in this picture. You're all singing it now, aren't you?

I grabbed one of my sons and asked him to take a full-body picture of me. "Including the shoes?" he asked. Why yes! Especially the shoes! I heart them. They take me back to my hippie days in the 60's when I was living in a commune and.......ahem.......sorry, I got carried away a bit. The only thing hippie about me is my hips.


Here's a close-up of my shoes. Now let's all put our arms around each other and sing Kumbaya. Come on, don't be shy. You know you want to.

Tuesday
(stayed home)

Pink plaid shirt: Old Navy (thrifted)
Tank under: Target
Jeans: Levis 515 bootcut
Shoes: Kirra (thrifted)

Today my oldest said "You look pretty" and my youngest asked if I was going anywhere because I was "all dressed up." Hmmmmm, obviously I really need this meme, lol!

Here's a closeup of the shirt. I know you were just dying for one. Fortunately you can't see that my pink nail polish is chipped. If you look closely you will be thrilled to see that I have a bandaid on my little finger.


Here's a close-up of the shoes, too. I am feeling generous today with my close-ups. These shoes are really comfy and I love the plaid!

Well, I have to admit that participating this week has made be more conscious of what I am wearing and put a little more effort into it, instead of just grabbing the first thing I see! I hope you'll join us sometime soon!

I'm Back and Making My Home Sing Monday!

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Hello! I am back! I have had a lovely blogging break. Also, during my break my family and I went to Disney World for three weeks and it was a blast! My oldest has been away at college all year (except for breaks) so it was so wonderful to have him back again.

My youngest just graduated from High School so it was wonderful to be able to celebrate his graduation at the Happiest Place On Earth! The weather was in the 90's and although I thought I would melt, a couple of times, I loved every minute. My feet still aren't speaking to me, but whatever.

And now, for the awesome part. I was able to meet two bloggy friends!



I met Kim from Homesteader's Heart (in the middle) and Kathy from Blessed Beyond Imagination(on the right) Oh my gravy, what fun we had!!!! We met in the Walmart parking lot. Don't you know that everybody and their brother wind up at Walmart at least one time or another? If you don't believe me go there sometime.

We met for lunch but also went to a couple of thrift stores (which we all loved) and I was wondering how I was going to smuggle a huge gorgeous cabinet onto the airplane in my carry-on.

The highlight was when I wanted to try on a dress in the thrift store. It was brand new and the owner did not have any changing rooms, she had just opened her store that week. The four of us were the only ones in the store so the owner offered to lock the front door and let me change.

I nixed changing in the window (I am NOT that brave.....) and ducked down behind a rack and changed faster than you can say "Are you kidding me?????"

I must admit that was a first for me. However, it was very freeing......Kathy and Kim, my partners in crime, hurried to stand guard lest an errant shopper break down the door and discover my secret.

After all that, what could I do but buy the dress?

Anyway, we had a lovely time and I wish we had longer. These two girls are bff's and I said I was their bbff (bloggy best friend forever).

So, I am now back at home and Vacation threw up all over my house. College too. I have luggage, laundry, souvenirs, more laundry, and even more laundry. Not to mention the fact that my oldest is home from college and had to bring EVERYTHING from his dorm room home with him (except his roommate).

Oh. My. Word.

So, this week I will be making my home sing by trying to catch up on three weeks of laundry. I will also finish unpacking, and attempt to clean up the vacation throw-up and get my home back in order.

If you hear someone screaming hysterically don't worry about it, it's only me, making my home scream.......I mean sing!!!!!

I've been gone for awhile so I don't know if there will be anybody left around to link up but I'm going to try it anyway! Hello....is this thing on?????

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own "Making Your Home Sing Monday" Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

If you want to use your blog header or profile picture, use the "from the web" button on your right (after you click to link up). If you want to use a picture from your computer use the button on your left (unless the picture is on your blog). Please let me know if you have any problems with linking up