Monday, December 27, 2010

The day After Christmas pick-me-up!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! The day after Christmas is always kind of a let down...at least we had church to go to today to give us something to do! It also gave me good reason to pull out one of my new sale purchases from Anthro:



Details:
-Tank-Loft (early Fall 2010)
-Katelyn cardigan-J Crew (Summer 2010)
-Peppered and Striped skirt-Anthropologie
-Tights-Gap Outlet
-Ruffle T-Strap shoes-Target (Spring 2010-ish)
-Earrings/Necklace-Pac Sun
-Ring-OLD
-Bracelet-J Crew

I am sporting a lot of grey today, that's for sure, but I think it works nonetheless. I LOVE this skirt...and getting the price adjustment on it with an additional 25% off was just icing on the cake. On another note, I am truly annoyed with my hair today. It's hit that point where it doesn't want to curl how I want it to curl...the in between short and long phase. You know what I'm talking about. It's driving me nuts! Do I cut it a few inches back to where it looked cute curled? Or do I deal with it and let it grow out to where it will once again look good curled? AHHH! Being a girl is so confusing...too many choices!

We are headed out tomorrow for a little family vacation and will be back at the end of the week. We surprised our kiddos yesterday with a trip to Legoland and Disneyland this week and needless to say they're a little over the moon about it all. =) The forecast is looking better than it did last week thankfully, but we're still a little worried about it raining on us on Wednesday. Hopefully it'll just be overcast. Crossing my fingers! I may or may not check in this week so if I don't I wish you all a Happy New Year! We'll be spending New Year's Eve with Mickey and gang...well, at least till about 7:30pm. Our youngest would NEVER make it till midnight! =)

Here's to a happy, healthy, safe and budget friendly 2011!!! =)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas! We enjoyed a fabulous Christmas Eve with my family yesterday and are now having a blast at home today on Christmas Day. Activities so far have included unwrapping, eating a yummy breakfast, Nerf Gun and Stomp rocket wars, watching a movie and attempting to start cleaning up a bit. My older boys were up at 4:30am this morning getting their first glance at what the big guy from the North Pole left under the tree...thankfully after I let them take their pillow pets from Santa back to bed with them they gave us a few more hours of sleep before they were up for good. Christmas is so fun when you have kids!

Just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas...enjoy!!!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Running Around in Red

Half way through the last week before Christmas!!! Today was spent finishing up friend/neighbor gifts and then delivering them...we were in the car quite a bit. My kids are a little annoyed with me I think. They'd rather be home destroying my house...you know, they're favorite pastime. I decided to wear some more red today...gotta show some Christmas spirit at the front door!



Details:
-Ruffle front top-J Crew
-Breezy Polka Cardigan-Anthropologie
-Always Skinny Jeans-Gap
-Boots-Urban Outfitters
-Necklace-Banana Republic Outlet
-Kenneth Cole Earrings-Macy's
-Ring-Forever 21

I picked this sweater up a few months back after it went on sale...I had originally planned on holding out until second cuts but am now glad I got it when I did because they're very hard to find now and they've STILL yet to hit second cut. The old me would have most definitely felt the need to pair this outfit with black boots because there's black in the polka dot ribbon...but the me today loved pairing it with these tan boots (they match the buttons on the cardigan). I think it makes the look a little more fun.

So I snapped a quick picture of what I delivered to our friends today...here ya go:





If you've ever heard the saying "Keep Calm and Carry On" then you'll recognize that this is a little twist on that. Apparently the original phrase was coined in 1939 by the British government at the start of WWII. Signs with the saying were printed with plans to place them all over the country to boost morale in a down time but were never really used much after there was a backlash at the idea of the meaning behind it. Anyhow, years later in 2000 the phrase was brought to life again and there have been lots of creative variations of the phrase that have now come forth (one of my favorites is for Halloween--"Keep Calm and Scary On") and this is one I found for the Christmas season. I found these frames at Michael's on sale for $4.99 and then had a coupon for 20% off my entire purchase so I got them for $4 a piece. I downloaded the printable sign for free and then had them printed at my local Costco for $1.50 each. I paired it with a little treat bag full of my homemade caramels. I found a cute printable sheet of tags that said "Merry Christmas" on them to place on the treat bag...I just printed them and punched them out with a large circle punch I had on hand. All pretty cheaply done...which is what I was looking for when I had 13-14 families to make things for.

Tomorrow I don't have a whole lot planned...I'll be getting up bright and early before the sun to get my morning run in before the kids get up and then I'll be waiting for the roof repair man to show up to fix my leaky roof. It started leaking last night right on top of my Christmas tree....luckily I caught it before it hit any presents. I had to rearrange furniture and move the tree across the room which was a bit of a pain...all at around midnight last night (did you notice the background in my OOTD picture was a little different??) Hopefully they can get this taken care of quickly! After the repairman leaves I need to go deliver our last few gifts to friends and then make a run to Target for a some last minute things and then Friday we head to my parents for the day to celebrate Christmas Eve with them. Fun fun! Can't believe the month is almost over!

Well, I better get going and be productive while it's nice and quiet...hope you have a Happy Thursday!!!=)

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Anthro Tag Sale Madness!!!

Anyone else lose a little sleep Monday night/Tuesday morning waiting up for Anthro to bring their sale online? No? Just me? =) Well, I did...and instead of sale prices promptly showing up at 12 midnight, it was 12:40am before the sale gods smiled upon us. Darn them anyways. I was waiting up to see if I could snag these pretty little things:



And snag them up I did!!! For a little over 50% off at that! I picked them up in two sizes since I'm unsure which will fit...one will of course be returned. I was also super excited to see the Peppered and Striped Skirt that I bought just a few days ago go on sale with an extra 25% off with the promo...woo hoo! I went to bed a happy girl. After all that excitement could it really get any better?? Um, YES!!! Yesterday was my day off from reality as my girlfriends and I headed out (no kids allowed) to our local Anthro to check out the sale in person. I had called ahead and had them put a few things on hold for me to try on but of course I managed to find a few additional things that tempted me as I walked around the store. I snapped a few pictures for reviews...a couple things are repeats as I wanted to try things to check sizes again. By the way, how is it that 2 1/2 hours pass like a flash when you're in Anthro with your girlfriends?

1. Can't find the name of either of these items...the sweater (Small) was on sale for $99.95 and the top (small) was on sale for $29.95. I liked them both but couldn't swallow the sweater price even with the 25% off...not in LOVE enough. I did bring this top home with me though...it's a great layering piece and even a stand alone shirt as well. With the promo it was only $22.50...score!



2. Garden Rows Top (XS) and Delicate Drafts Cardigan (XS):
This tank was probably my favorite new find of the day...it's been on my wish list ever since it came out but when I tried it on with this cardigan it was love. I had previously settled on a size small in this cardigan but am glad I tried it on again because I changed my mind...going for the XS now. It just fits better all around. The last time I tried it on it was just "meh" for me, but this time I really liked it. Funny how that happens! The tank fit perfectly and wasn't too low in the front which was a plus. They didn't have a small to compare but I would stick to am XS in this. Both these items are at the top of my wish list now.



3. Striped and Peppered Skirt (size 4) and Volante Tee (XS):
As I mentioned before I have already ordered this skirt and it's on it's way to me as we speak but I'd never actually tried it on so I decided to bring it in the dressing room to see what it looked like on...and I LOVE it! So glad I sprung for it...and even happier it's now on sale! It fit perfectly hitting at my knee (bottom of it even) which is how it's meant to hang from what I can tell from seeing it on other bloggers. In my head pairing this with the purple Volante tee looked so super cute...in person I'm not sure how it turned out. I actually don't mind the pairing but like my friend had mentioned, another color may look better...but I wouldn't discount this pairing altogether. What do you think? I decided to get this top at full price...it's getting harder and harder to find and maybe...JUST MAYBE it will go on sale in the next 14 days?!!



4. Floral Frappe Top (XS) and Easy Keeper Skirt (wearing size 4 but ordered a size 2 from another store):
This is the first time I'd seen this top in person and I liked the rich green color even better in real life! It's a very flattering shirt...I immediately knew I wanted it. In fact, I may go back for the navy blue version when it hits sale! I had put this skirt on hold in a size 4 since that's what I tried on last time but this time around it just didn't fit right. It was much too big in just the waistband when I sat it high on my waist...it puckered out. I panicked because my store was out of size 2 but luckily I was able to find it at another store and do a charge send. I used my gift card to purchase both of these pieces...only had to pay an extra $17 to cover them both so I feel pretty good about that! =) Thank you to my in laws for my gift card!



5. Akome Top (size 0) and Sweater (??? name???)-size XS or small... I can't remember:
I have liked this top for a long time just from the pictures online but this was the first time I had tried it on. My normal size 2 in this top was super boxy and I was drowning in it. The size 0 fit much better but was far too short for my liking. Pass on this. The sweater was cute but there was just way too much of it for me and at $99.95 on sale it still seemed too steep. Pass.



So did I totally blow my December wish list rules? Well, here's a recap of what I picked up from the sale:

1. Striped and Peppered Skirt-from my wish list--bought on sale

2. Volante Tee-from my wish list--bought at full price--hoping for PA in the next 14 days. I can cancel this purchase out really though because my return just about covered the cost.

3. Floral Frappe Top-from my wish list--bought at full price--doubt I'll get a PA in the next 14 days---TOTALLY broke the rules on this one BUT I used a gift card to buy it so really, no rules broken.

4. Anticipation Heels-from my wish list--bought on sale

5. Easy Keeper Skirt-from my wish list--bought on sale--used a gift card to cover most of the cost.

6. No name Brown high-neck top--NOT from wish list--bought on super sale--broke the rules on this one but it was only $22.50! I don't feel too bad about this one.

7.Glowing Leaf Skirt-from my wish list--bought on sale--we'll see if I like this one in person...I've never seen it in real life before. I did a charge send for this so it should be here in a few days.

So I took out about half of my wish list with this sale...but the awesome thing is that I only spent about half as much as I would have because of sales, a return and my gift card. Since a few of the things I bought were charge sends it means some happy mail is on it's way to me!! I just hope everything arrives this week...I'm impatient. I don't feel too badly about what I purchased...I think I got some great deals and pretty much stuck to the plan...minus a few things that I of course found ways to justify. =)

Here's what I wore out on our shopping adventure:



Details:
-Polka Dot Tank-Loft
-Grosgrain Ribbon Cardigan-Loft
-Ultimate Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Shiri Suede Over the Knee Heeled Boots-Loft
-Earrings-Express
-Necklace-Tiffany (gift from my husband)
-Ring-Forever 21

So just three days before Christmas...are you ready?? I am putting some finishing touches on our friend/neighbor gifts...we'll be heading out today to deliver them. I'll post a quick picture of what I'm giving this year to post...they turned out cute! I have a few more gifts to wrap (forgot about a few things), sent out my last few Christmas cards this morning (had a few stragglers I was needing addresses for) and then I think I'll be ready (oh--still waiting for a few more things to arrive via UPS too...hope they make it)!

Hope you all have a great day...get wrapping!!!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Christmas Sunday Best with some J Crew Love

It's the end of the weekend, but you won't find any complaints here...it's Christmas vacation!!! I'm SO excited to not have a regular daily schedule to adhere to these next few weeks. Today we went to church and I dressed my boys in their Christmas Sunday outfits that I bought almost two months ago. It's a little stressful to find coordinating outfits for three boys--one in baby sizes, one in little boys sizes and one in big boys sizes. Then there's always the worry that I'll find the perfect combinations but something will be out of stock in the size I need and then the whole plan is ruined. I'm a little dramatic, I know, but you know what I mean. I used to get the same outfit for all three but I like to mix it up a little now so they are all a little different. They were all dressed in blues and greys so I thought I'd at least wear a little blue to coordinate a bit...enter in the Dot Flouncette Blouse. I picked this top up a few months back when it first hit sale because I loved the polka dots, the ruffles and the fact that it looked so cute styled with the Traversa cardigan in the print ads. Sold.



Details:
-Dot Flouncette Blouse-J Crew
-Traversa Cardigan-J Crew
-Pencil Skirt-Banana Republic Outlet-(2008)
-Leopard Print skinny belt-J Crew
-Leopard Print pumps-Style & Co.-Macy's
-Mixed Media Pearl Strand Necklace-J Crew Outlet
-Earrings-Nordstrom

Here's a close-up of the necklace I referred to in my last post...one of my three December purchases (so far). =)



And here's a little shot of me and my cute boys before they got back into their pj's...I honestly can't believe everyone looked at the camera and smiled at the same time...I set the timer and only took one picture...this NEVER happens! The picture gods were smiling down on me today.



After church I glanced into my closet to see how else I might be able to style this blouse...and came up with this:



Possible date night outfit? Maybe? I pretty much never tuck things into pants so it felt a little awkward to do so, but I actually think it looks pretty cute! The pants have a bit of a shine to them but WOW did the flash pick up on it times ten! I promise they're not really that shiny in real life.

Well, I wrapped all my presents last night and made two batches of my homemade caramels tonight after my kids went to bed to wrap up and give away this week to family and friends. Making progress! Someone asked about my recipe the other day in the comments so I thought I'd share it with you...they're pretty fool proof and SOOO good (and addicting)!

Caramels:

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional--I never put them in)
1 cup butter (two cubes)
1-16 oz package (2 1/4 cups packed) brown sugar
2 cups half and half or light cream (or one-14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk--that's what I use)
1 cup light colored corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Line a 9x9x2 pan with foil and cover edges of the pan (so the foil hangs over the edges). Butter the tin foil very well. Sprinkle on the walnuts (if desired). If testing the caramel with water instead of a candy thermometer get out several spoons and bowls.
2. In a heavy 3 quart pan, melt the butter. Add the corn syrup, brown sugar, cream (or sweetened condensed milk); mix well.
3. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan (if desired). Reduce heat to medium, stirring frequently, until caramel reaches 248 degrees (firm-ball stage). Alternatively, drop spoonfuls of caramel into cold water and test the hardness. The hotter the caramel, the harder the result.
4. Remove pan from heat; stir in vanilla. Quickly pour the caramel into the prepared pan. When the caramel is cool, lift the caramel out of the pan with the tin foil. Use a buttered knife or pizza cutter to cut into pieces. Wrap each piece in wax paper or plastic wrap. Makes about 2 pounds.

*Note--Using half and half takes about 45-60 minutes to heat; using sweetened condensed milk takes 15-20 minutes to heat. Don't substitute margarine for butter.

If you make a batch and end up eating like half of it yourself, don't say I didn't warn you!!! =)

I'm off to bed soon...think I'm gonna get up early and run before the kids get up so I don't have to worry about dragging all three of them to the gym tomorrow along with a million other kids that are out of school. So much for sleeping in!

Have a great day!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Mid-Month Shopping Review...and an OOTD

At the beginning of December I posted my Anthro wish list of 12 items (well, 11 items and one to be determined) that I was going to try to mainly stick to this month when it came to my personal shopping. If any of the 12 items went on sale I was allowing myself to bite. Here we are 18 days into the month and would you believe not a single thing off my wish list has hit sale yet?! My goodness Anthro, grant a girl a wish already! I did decide what my 12th item was going to be last week and never posted it...#12 is this:

Peppered and Striped Skirt



I have seen this little gem on many bloggers and have fallen in love with it. It's a piece that would fit nicely into my wardrobe...I already have quite a few things in my closet that would work well with it. I have my Seychelles Passport Pumps in the mustard yellow color, grey pumps, red pumps, a variety of tops that would match well...it just seems like an obvious choice for #12. When I decided this would be my #12 I noticed that it was sold out online and that many people in the Anthro community are frantically searching one out for themselves. This prompted me to take action. I located one all the way across the country in NC and the lovely sales associate whom I spoke to was nice enough to ship it to me for free. In fact, she told me that her store in Durham ALWAYS ships charge sends for free. I'll definitely be calling them again! So it's on it's way to me...at full price...in hopes that it will hit sale in the next 14 days. If it doesn't, I should probably return it. I like sale prices much better than full prices. I hope it fits..I've never tried it on. I had to order by going off the reviews I read online.

So besides that have I stuck to my plan? Well, kinda. I have done MUCH better than in the past, that's for sure! I have picked up a few things here and there but have only actually kept two other things this month. It's been a month of returns. I sadly will be returning THIS because it looks AWFUL on me(I actually bought this in November so it doesn't really count). The ruffle just widens me in all the wrong places. I will also be returning the Boucle vest (no longer online) from Gap...I like the idea of it and it looks cute with some things in my closet but the store I bought it at (with a 45% off coupon) only had a small and I really needed an XS I've now decided. In the store it looked ok on but when I got it home and paired it with what I would really be wearing it with I looked like I was drowning in it. Back it goes. It wasn't really LOVE anyways..I was just mad I didn't get to use my coupon on my son's hoodie I went to purchase (it magically went on sale that day and the coupon could only be used on full-prices items that day) so I stomped off to the women's side to find something to use the coupon on for myself. All well.

So what am I keeping?? The first item I bought and kept was a necklace from J Crew Outlet I got when I was there picking up a Christmas present. It was on sale for $41 down from $70. It's a cute mixed media muti-strand with chains, pearls, crystals, etc...it's a short necklace and will dress up the right outfit perfectly. It's a piece that will be in style for years to come. I'll be wearing it with my outfit to church tomorrow so you'll see it soon! The second keeper item is a sweater that Kim from Anthroholic actually just featured on her blog yesterday (great minds think alike). See her post with the sweater HERE. The sweater is from the "Twelve by Twelve" line from Forever 21 and is so cute! I love the bow detailing! You can buy it in black online but only the store has the pink/blush color that I picked up. I saw it about a week ago in the store on a mannequin and wanted to try it on but couldn't find it anywhere (shocker). The store was closing so I figured I'd just look a for it the next time I came back. I headed to the mall yesterday to make a return and finally found it and made it mine for $32. The "Twelve by Twelve" line is a tad more pricey than the typical Forever 21 items but you can tell that the quality is better too. I was actually pretty impressed.

So that's my mid-month shopping review/confessional. Three items...one off the wish list, two random out of the blue finds. That leaves a lot of things on my wish list!!! I'm crossing my fingers for a HUGE sale next week at Anthro...the gift card I received from my in laws for Christmas is burning a hole in my pocket (do you love that I'm like a little kid and can't wait to spend it until after Christmas? I'm just as bad as my kids who beg me to open their presents under the tree at least three times a day). I took a look at my wish list of 12 yesterday and in my head have done a little editing...I've narrowed it down to a handful that I really want now. The Refined Cord Shirtdress may have gotten the boot because of this:

West Coast Swing Dress from Shabby Apple



So here's the story on this...I picked up two Groupons for Shabby Apple back in the summer and finally got around to using the second one last month. The dress I ordered didn't fit right so I sent it back hoping to exchange it for a different size. A week or so went by and I got an email from Shabby Apple stating they were now out of the size I wanted. They asked if there was anything else I'd want instead...nope, not really! I searched through their website for the millionth time and finally came across this cute red number. It's on it's way to me and if it works out the Refined Cord Shirtdress will be cut from my list. I certainly don't need two red dresses! We'll see how the Shabby Apple dress works out.

So the other items I'm really hoping hit sale next week are The Easy Keeper skirt, the Volante Tee and the Field Skirt. Of course if others off my wish list hit sale (such as the Alluring Sway skirt, Anticipation heels or the Glowing Leaf skirt) I'll have to decide if I really have a place for them in my closet. I would love to know what day this big tag sale is supposed to be so I can plan to go to the store! I live 45 minutes away from the nearest store so it takes a little planning. If anyone hears anything let me know!!

I have deemed tonight gift wrapping night. I've been avoiding it for too long. After the kids go to bed I'll head out into the garage to find all the hidden gifts and separate them into "From Santa" and "From mom and dad" piles. It'll be a late night. I'll just pop in a movie and get going on it. This is the first year that I've put wrapping off this long...usually I have it done early. I have wrapped some gifts already--my mom's, dad's and grandma's are done. Of course it's the kid's gifts that are the bulk of it though.

I'll leave you with my outfit from today...we hung out at home all day and then went to our ward Christmas party/dinner at church tonight. The kids got to see Santa so they were stoked about that. I decided to break out this red shirt I hadn't worn yet for the occasion...I was trying to be festive. =)



Details:
-Headwaters Tee-Anthropologie
-Cardigan-Old Navy (scored this for $14 this fall)
-Ultimate Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Report(R2) Clogs-Famous Footwear
-Necklace-Fossil
-Earrings-Old Navy
-Ring-Target

Did you notice I wore heels?? HEELS! My ankle is feeling much better these days. Still not 100% but I'm back to running and am loving having the option of wearing heels again.

Alrighty, let the wrapping party commence!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Changin' it Up

I was in the mood to break away from the norm today when I went to get dressed...my winter norm includes pants in some form most days. Today I decided to bring out a skirt, tights and boots instead. I have to say, I will only ever do this in the winter when I know I won't be outside much...by the late afternoon it was just too cold to be hanging out outside with only tights on my legs. I like getting a little dressed up every now and then just for fun...I mean, why not?



Details:
-Sequin Tank-Gap Outlet
-Katelyn Ruffle Cardigan-J Crew
-Circle the Globe Skirt-Anthropologie
-Snakebite Belt-Anthropologie
-Stormy Seas Tights-Anthropologie
-Perry D-Ring Boots-Loft
-Pessinus Necklace-Anthropologie
-Earrings-Nordstrom
-Ring-Forever 21
-Bracelet-Vera Wang for Kohl's

Tomorrow is Friday...woo hoo!! I feel like this week has taken forever for some reason...probably because it's the last week of school and I'm really looking forward to not having to get out of bed at 6:30am to get my son to school by 8am for three weeks straight. I'm seriously excited about Christmas vacation! Can you believe it's just 9 days until Christmas? Holy cow...I really need to get wrapping! Are you ready?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

New Pairing

Do you ever look into your closet and see two things that would go together perfectly and wonder why you'd never thought to pair them together before? That was totally the case this morning. I have worn this tank several times, and I have worn this cardigan a ton, yet I'd never thought to wear them together...duh! =)



Details:
-Tank-J Crew Outlet
-V-Neck Cardigan-Loft
-Always Skinny Jeans-Gap
-Kachiri Boots-Target
-Necklace-J Crew Outlet
-Earrings-Kenneth Cole via Macy's
-Ring-Forever 21

I love how the yellow in the tank is totally pulled out by the yellow cardigan. I'll be wearing this pairing again for sure!

Tonight I went to a cooking class/group with a few other ladies from our church and we made Christmas goodies...homemade carmels, fudge and peppermint patties...YUM!!! I cannot stop eating the carmels...they are addicting! Homemade carmels are like my favorite thing ever. I'll be making a big batch of them next week to give away to friends and family, along with a little something else...I'm still thinking about what to give this year...we'll see what I come up with. What do you like to give your friends/neighbors at Christmas? I'd love to hear your ideas!

It's getting late...time to get some sleep. Hope you all have a great day...till next time! =)

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

A big HELLO and some OOTD's

Hi there everyone! Hope your week is going good so far! So far so good on my end. We headed to pizza for dinner tonight so that made the night even better...no dishes to clean up.

Before I dive into a few outfits from the past few days I just wanted to say HI to all the readers who I don't know are reading this...especially my real life friends/family. When I started this blog I did so without really telling anyone I was doing it except one of my close friends, my husband and my mom. I felt a little silly about starting it but still wanted to go ahead and do it...for me to share ideas...for fun. In the months after, a few other friends somehow found out about it and told me they were now reading it. Every time someone tells me they've found it and read it I get a little embarrassed. It's super flattering that anyone would actually take the time to keep up with my blog let alone even read it at all! I certainly don't pretend to be an expert on fashion...quite the opposite really. I learn as I go. I've decided style is a constant evolution so I just keep at it. That being said, I hope I can somehow give someone an idea here or there for fashion as I have gained so many ideas from other fashion bloggers. That was the whole idea of doing this in the first place....to show that a stay-at-home mom can have fun with fashion too!

So I just wanted to say hi to anyone who I actually know in real life that's reading...I wonder who you are!?! I'm super curious! Don't tell me though...cause then I'll just turn red in the face when I run into you somewhere. =) HI to all those I don't know, also...thanks for stopping by! =)

So onto my outfits from yesterday and today...I've been in the Christmas spirit apparently...

Yesterday:



Details:
-Top-Down East Basics
-Roaming Frills Cardigan-Anthropolgie
-Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Dollhouse Boots-Endless
-Open Circle Necklace-Shabby Apple
-Kenneth Cole Earrings-Macy's
-Ring-Forever 21
-Bracelet-Twisted Silver (gift from a friend)

And today:



Details:
-Ruffle front tunic-Old Navy
-Space-dyed Cardigan-Banana Republic
-Rockstar Skinny Jeans-Old Navy
-Boots-Loft
-Earrings-Express
-Ring/Bracelet-OLD
-Necklace-Tiffany (gift from the hubbs)

So the sale at Anthro today was a big disappointment for my wish list....not a thing on my list went on sale for the third sale in a row. It's been good for my bank account I guess! I'm holding out hope for a good sale next week...come on Santa, grant a few fashion wishes!!! My in laws sent me my Christmas present in the mail this week and it happened to come in the form of an Anthro gift card so I'm ready to pull the trigger even more now! Did you get anything good? Disappointed like me?

Off to get the kiddos ready for bed...and then settling in for a relaxing night...just me, my pj's and my DVR...you know you're jealous of my glam life! =)

Monday, December 13, 2010

Anthro Field Scout Skirt

About a month ago I was browsing through the weekly "Weekend In-Store Post" on Effortless Anthropologie and saw a comment posted saying there were a few orange Field Scout skirts spotted hanging on the sale racks at an east-coast store for a great deal--only $19.95! I had seen some bloggers wear this skirt before and always thought it was kinda cute...but it was orange! I don't usually do orange. I looked it up online and decided that for $19.95 I was willing to give it a try...I could always return it if it was a dud. I went ahead and did a charge send and a few days later it arrived. When I opened the box and saw the color my first thought was "wow...bright!" It's definitely orange! I know it was meant to be a summer skirt but I thought it would be fun to try to winterize it up so here's what I came up with for church on Sunday:



Details:
-Grand Ruffle Tank-J Crew (Spring 2010)
-Grosgrain Cardigan-Loft (Fall 2010)
-Field Scout Skirt-Anthropologie
-Belt-Nordstrom (BP)
-Siri Knee-High Boots-Loft
-Tights-Gap Outlet
-Necklace-Fossil
-Ring-Forever 21
-Earrings-Nordstrom
-Bracelet-Twisted Silver (Christmas gift from a friend a few years ago...still love!)

I love the orange mixed with the purple...thanks to Tricia for inspiring this color combination. I think it was her outfit for her brother's wedding that I remembered seeing this same color combo. I'd definitely wear it again.

Today I'm meeting an old friend from high school for lunch that I haven't seen in YEARS!!! I'm super excited to catch up with her and meet her little ones. Also, this is the last week of school for my oldest before Christmas break...gotta make it through 5 more days...we can do it!!!

Hope you have a great day!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Old Standby's

My winter uniform includes cardigans over tanks and boots...it's a combination that never fails. Yesterday's outfit was no exception...however I did actually start out the day in leopard print flats. We went out to dinner as a family and then met up with friends on Candy Cane Lane (a local few roads that deck their houses out for the holidays) to look at all the fabulous lights. I figured since we'd be outside in cooler weather I'd throw on some boots to keep warm.



Details:
-Tiered Tank-Old Navy
-Cardigan-J Crew
-Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Boots-Urban Outfitters
-Double Torsade Necklace-Anthropologie
-Earrings-Target
-Ring-Forever 21

Right before bed last night I decided to paint my fingernails. I haven't done that in YEARS! I picked up some silver polish at Forever 21 because it looked festive so that's what I went with. It's totally throwing me off seeing it on my nails....I'm so used to just having them bare! It's kinda fun though...maybe I'll keep it up.

Well, I better get going and figure out what to wear to church today...hope you all have a great Sunday!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Casual Friday

So happy the weekend is here!
Another quick outfit post...here's what I wore today:



With my coat on:



Details:
-Striped Sequin Boatneck Tee (Pumice Stone color)-J Crew
-Skinny Cargos-Old Navy
-Scarf-J Crew Outlet (early fall 2010)
-Kachiri Boots-Target
-Ruffle Collar Coat-Old Navy
-Earrings-Express
-Watch-Fossil

I was playing the "how many colors can you wear" game when I threw on the coat...why not?! I still love this coat...and for $35! Score!

Tomorrow night we're heading out to look at Christmas lights with the kids...a yearly tradition. I'm excited for that...should be fun! Right now, however, I'm off to bed...nighty night! =)

Friday, December 10, 2010

What I Wore

I'm exhausted and out of creative title ideas...sorry. "What I Wore" is as good as it's gonna get tonight. =) Today was a fabulous day...my luncheon went great and we all had a good time. Now that it's over, onto the next item on the to-do list!

Today I went simple with a top, jeans and boots. Nothing fussy, and totally comfortable:



Details:
-Wind Rippled Tee-Anthropologie
-Always Skinny Jeans-Gap
-Boots-Urban Outfitters
-Open Circle Necklace-Shabby Apple
-Earrings-Stella and Dot (gifted from a friend)
-Ring-Forever 21
-Bracelet-DownEast Basics

I've really grown to love this dark aqua/teal color...it can totally work for summer or winter in my opinion. I read somewhere that it was deemed "the color" for 2010. Hopefully it sticks around in 2011 because I'm a fan!

I'm headed to bed...I'm in serious need of some beauty sleep. TGIF (almost!!!)

Thursday, December 9, 2010

My Muse

Since I've been on the "only buy items on your December wishlist from Anthro" plan it's given me lots of opportunities to examine my closet and pull out items that still have tags on them. Bad me. Today I went with the Muse tank from J Crew. I got this on sale a few months back and was pleasantly surprised by the interesting color that it is. It's called Golden Topaz...not yellow, not orange...Topaz. It's a unique looking color...something I didn't own anything like. I originally wanted to pair it with my purple Set the Course cardi but then I told myself to step outside my purple box and look for something else. I found this:



Details:
-Muse Tank-J Crew
-Zebra Print cardigan-Loft (Summer 2010)
-Skinny Jeans-American Eagle
-Rainboots-Gap Outlet
-Necklace-Fossil
-Ring-Forever 21
-Earrings-Old Navy

(Pardon the terrible quality of the photo...it was dark out and the lighting in our house is horrible for picture taking when it's dark)

I found a little way to squeeze some purple into my outfit afterall..in the rainboots. It was pouring buckets today so rainboots were my go-to shoe. I liked how the color palette of the outfit turned out overall...not my typical pairing but not bad.

I'm hosting a holiday lunch tomorrow for all the resident wives in my husband's department...you're asking how I got so lucky, right? haha. After the gym this morning I headed out to go shopping for food and decor. I found a very cute table runner at Target and picked up some new Christmas lights to wrap around my greenery on our staircase that I finally got around to putting up today. The good thing about hosting a holiday party is that you're kind of forced to take the time to deck the halls with all the trimmings. It's lots of work, but I love how it looks when you're done...so pretty, especially at night. I'm off to bake some sugar cookies and make a Raspberry Ribbon Pie for tomorrow...sounds so good right?! Hope it is!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Sticking to the plan and the return of the headband

Hi there everyone! So this morning brought a sale from Anthro...did you bite? I was tempted by a few things that have been on my wish list for sometime, but I didn't put them on my official December wish list so I passed. It was hard to pass, but I did. I stuck to the plan. The funniest thing happened though...I actually had a dream about the Easy Keeper skirt last night (obsessed much?)...I dreampt it went on sale and I got it! When I woke up for some reason I was fully expecting to see that it was indeed on sale so I excitedly opened up my laptop to see...BUMMER! That dream was a total fake out! For anyone that did pick a few deals up, enjoy! I'll live vicariously through you for now.

So today I have been running around...dropped my son at school, went to Ikea, went and worked in my son's class...and now were off to have a play date and dinner with some friends. I felt like wearing something on my feet other than boots today...I feel like that's all I've been wearing lately. Luckily it turned out to be a little warmer today (like 60 degrees, if you call that warm) so my feet wouldn't freeze if I wore flats. I would have loved to wear my black open-toed clogs instead but my bum ankle still isn't quite ready for those all day yet. Here's what I wore:



Details:
-Ruffled Keyhole Top-Old Navy
-Traversa Cardigan-J Crew
-Always Skinny Cords-Gap
-Flats-Target
-Necklace-Anthropologie
-Earrings-Nordstrom
-Ring-OLD
-Bangle-?? can't remember where...Express maybe??
-Headband-Target

This is the first time I've pulled out my new corduroy pants from Gap...LOVE! I ended up going with the petite length on these, and went up one size from my normal Always Skinny Jeans from Gap. The cords were a much tighter fit. Overall I really love the fit...they haven't stretched out at all throughout the day which is great. I scored these the week of Black Friday for $35 with their 40% off promo...can't beat that!

That is indeed a headband you see in my hair...it's been a long time since I've worn one! I can't wear regular plain headbands or the ones that wrap all around the head with an elastic band...for some reason they just don't work. I have a mis-shaped head or something. The only headbands that I can wear without looking super goofy are the ones that are embellished on only one side with something (like the one I'm wearing). I picked this one up at Target last year for like $8...pretty cheap. I recently saw one at Anthro for $42...not so cheap. I'll wait for that one to hit sale. Sometimes it's fun to dress up your hair too! =)

Do you wear headbands? Where do you get yours? DO tell! =)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Butterfly Love

Hope everyone had a good Monday! It was pretty uneventful around here...went to the gym, went grocery shopping, carted kids to and from school, ran to Target for a few things...I even got around to tackling the ginormous pile of papers, magazines, coupon mailers, etc that have been sitting next to my phone for about two weeks now. Feels good to get that pile outta there!!!

My outfit today consists of a few things I bought a while back and have just never gotten around to wearing yet...a cute Butterfly print top and an open chunky weave cardigan. After I bought the top I hung it up in my closet and realized I already owned a butterfly print top. Whoops! No wonder I liked it! I'm not really a fan of bird prints but butterflies I can handle. I debated taking the top back but decided it looked different enough to keep. I really like the look of a printed top under a cardigan. Here's how I styled it today:



Details:
-Element Open Chunky Weave Cardigan-Pac Sun
-Butterfly Print Top-Pac Sun
-Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Boots-Urban Outfitters
-Necklace-Fossil
-Ring-gifted from my husband (from a boutique at Squaw Valley)
-Earrings-Pac Sun

Looking at the picture, I wish I would have worn my Target boots...the taupish-grey ones. I think they would have looked better. All well...live and learn. The sweater is SUPER comfy and actually pretty warm..I love it!

Yesterday was a gloomy day...a lot of rain. I really just could not bring myself to do my hair for church so up in a ponytail it went. I was being lazy. Here's what I wore:



Details:
-Merona Dress-Target (circa 2008)
-Fish Net Tights-Kohl's
-Franco Sarto Boots-Macy's (2008)
-Necklace-Old Navy
-Earrings-Nordstrom
-Ring-Banana Republic
-Bracelet-Family Piece

I really loved this dress when I bought it...I wore it all the time! It cost me a whopping $25 I think. This is the first time I've pulled it out in forever, however. It's an easy, comfortable dress to wear. Guess I should wear it more than once a year! =)

SO...rumor has it there IS an Anthro sale tomorrow...come on wish list items!!! Can't wait to see what pops up! I'm rooting for several items, but I'd especially jump up and down if the Easy Keeper Skirt, Volante Tee or Reed Shirtdress went on sale...just saying.

Off to update the Christmas card address list...a chore I've been avoiding. Have a great night!

And the $25 Anthro gift card goes to.........

I entered everyone's comments into a random drawing and the winner was...

"M said...
I follow your blog via Bloglovin. You inspire me with your style. :)

It is wishful thinking as both my husband and I are laid off right now...but I am hoping for a Loft giftward to do some clothes shopping. I am interviewing so I need to dress to impress!

My email is mendylazo(at)gmail(dot)com

December 1, 2010 6:34 PM"


Congrats to M! I will email you today and get your gift card to you this week. Hope you are able to get yourself something fun! =)

Thanks to all the lovely ladies who entered the giveaway...it was fun to see some new faces!

I'll post again later tonight with some outfits from yesterday and today. And might there be another Anthro sale coming?? Or are they gonna keep us on our toes and go totally random again? We shall see.

Thanks again!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Date Night (Last Night)

I love going out with my husband...even after being together over 10 years I still get excited for date nights. It might also have a little something to do with the fact that the babysitter gives me a break from taking care of the bedtime routine that gets me excited (perhaps) but I really do love spending time with Josh. These days with the craziness of residency, date nights are few and far between sometimes so I really look forward to them. Last night we went out with some of our really good friends and had a great time...little bit of window shopping, great Italian food and some seriously amazing gelato. Perfection. I had a few returns to make at Gap so after I did that I popped into one of their dressing rooms to snap a few pictures of what I wore...I knew they had nice, big mirrors for picture taking.



Details:
-Printed Tank-J Crew Factory
-V-Neck Cardigan-Loft
-Ultimate Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Boots-Urban Outfitters
-Necklace-Fossil via Macy's
-Earrings-Old Navy
-Ring-Forever 21

I pulled out one of my favorite coats to wear last night...I picked it up on sale at Macy's about a year ago. It feels very Anthro-like to me:



I just love the ruffle at the bottom of the coat. Last winter I really wanted a white or cream coat and when I saw this one I fell in love. I know it's not super practical to have a white/cream colored coat (especially with kids) and I don't wear it that often but I don't regret getting it at all. It's one of those things that I'll have for years.

I'm off to go get my crew ready for church. Don't forget that my $25 Anthropologie gift card giveaway ends tonight at midnight (PST). If you haven't already entered you can scroll to the top of my blog and find a link to the giveaway post. I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow here on my blog. Good luck!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Stripey Sweater

It's Saturday! I was up bright and early to get ready for a church activity I was partly in charge of this morning...although I missed sleeping in a little (I was up at my usual weekday time-6:30am) there's something nice about being up and ready for the day by 8am. We've just been hanging out at home this afternoon, avoiding the cold weather outside. Hubby and I are going out to dinner tonight with friends...I love date nights! I'm planning on changing for tonight as I feel a little too casual in what I've been wearing all day for a date. I like my outfit, but it's only so often we go out together without the kids in tow so I gotta make it count!

Here's what I wore today:



Details:
-Striped Sweater Tunic-Kohls ($14.99!)
-Brown Perfect Long-Sleeved Tee-Gap
-Belt-Nordstrom (BP)
-Ultimate Skinny Jeans-Banana Republic
-Dollhouse Boots-Endless
-Necklace-Fossil via Macy's
-Earrings-DownEast Basics
-Ring-Forever 21

I better get going and decide what to wear tonight! Hope everyone has a good Saturday...enjoy!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Puffy Marshmallow

TGIF!!! I am so ready for Friday...after having a week off of the kid's school schedule for Thanksgiving last week, getting back into the swing of the normal routine has been a little painful this week. All I can say is hallelujah we are back on break for Christmas in just two weeks! Although the madness of my kids being home 24/7 is a little much I love vacation! So today was not quite as cold as the last few days which was nice...I thought that rather than wearing a coat I'd break out my puffer vest instead. I sorta feel like a big marshmallow when I wear it but that doesn't stop me!



Details:
-Perfect Fit Striped Boatneck Tee-J Crew
-Puffer Vest-American Eagle (a few years old)
-Skinny Jeans-American Eagle
-Boots-American Eagle (also a few years old)
-Watch-Fossil
-Earrings
-Necklace-Lisa Leonard Designs
-Ring-OLD
-Bracelet-family piece

I still really love this vest...my mom bought it for me for Christmas a few years back...it was a great gift. It's super warm too...even better!

We're staying in tonight and having a movie night...it's between The Santa Claus and The Polar Express right now...we'll see which one wins out!

Just a reminder that you can still enter my giveaway for a $25 Anthropologie gift card...you have until Sunday night at midnight to enter! Scroll up to the top of my blog to find the link to the giveaway post!

Hope you have a great night!

OOTD--the non-remix outfit

Happy Thursday everyone! Today was a crazy day. We had a play date first thing this morning, my mom came down for the day, I went to school to have lunch with my birthday boy (my oldest turned 7 today..am I old enough to have 7 year old? ahhhhh!!!), went to Target, got the birthday cake all ready and then went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday boy's big day. He requested Red Robin. Unfortunately for all the other patrons in the restaurant, my youngest was really on one tonight and screamed through half of dinner. Ah, the joys of motherhood. At least I got out of cooking and doing dishes tonight...and I had cake...yum! Gotta look on the bright side!

So I can't believe all the nice comments and followers I have received since posting my giveaway yesterday...you are all so kind! It's so fun to meet some new bloggers and check out your blogs too! Keep the entries coming! I've posted a link to the giveaway post at the top of my blog if you haven't already had the chance to enter...you have till Sunday!

Today I got up and decided to break away from the purple mode I've been in this week and move onto a different color...I sometimes (quite often) get stuck in color ruts. I actually had this outfit picked out last night surprisingly enough...that never happens! It made getting dressed this morning much easier. I've worn this outfit before actually...I really like how the orange cardi compliments the colors in the top. I did change out the shoes and necklace, so there's a little re-mixing going on!



Details:
-Top-Nordstrom (BP)
-Cardigan-Loft
-Always Skinny Jeans-Gap
-Dollhouse Boots-Endless
-Necklace-Fossil via
-Earrings-Kenneth Cole via Macy's
-Bracelet-OLD
-Ring-Forever 21

So I just got done booking a hotel for our trip to Disneyland at the end of the month...so excited! We're surprising our boys with their tickets on Christmas morning...I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces when they open them up and find out that they get to go just a few days later. It is going to be CRAZY BUSY the week we go, but I have a feeling it'll be worth it. Ever since I was a little kid I have always wanted to go to Disneyland at Christmas...it's kind of a little wish come true for me. But really, it's all about the kids. They will love it...long lines and all. Hopefully our 1 year old will learn a little patience between now and then (not counting on it though!)

Looking forward to a fun weekend ahead...I've got a date night planned for Saturday night with my hubby and some friends...can't wait! Hope you have a happy Friday!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

100th Post Giveaway--and my December Wishlist

Happy December everyone!!! I am so excited for the holidays this year and how fun that my 100th post would land on the first day of this holiday month!!! Today I have a fun giveaway to announce...in honor of my 100th post I have decided to giveaway a $25 gift card to my favorite store, Anthropologie! In addition, I'll throw in a few holiday goodies, since it is December after all.

To enter my giveaway you must do the following:

1. You must be a follower of this blog. If you aren't already simply click on the "follow" button on right side bar.

2. Leave a post in the comment section of this post telling me one item that is on your Christmas wish list this year. It can be anything...clothes, accessories, household items...anything. Please also include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

3. This contest runs from Wednesday, December 1, 2010 to Sunday night, December 5, 2010 at midnight, PST. A winner will be announced and contacted on December 6, 2010. A winner will be chosen randomly from all the entries.

4. Only one entry per person. Feel free to share this giveaway information with your friends in the blog community....the more the merrier!

5. Must be 18 years old or older to enter

*This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by Anthropologie. The gift card is being bought and purchased by the owner of Found in My Closet

Let the entries begin! Since I"m asking you what's on your Christmas wish list, I figured I'd leave you with mine.

Here are the Anthro items that MAY be mine if they hit sale this month...12 items for the 12 days of Christmas! =)

1. Easy Keeper Skirt--this is at the top of my wish list...LOVE!!!



2. Volante Tee--love this in purple and tan but purple will win out on this one.



3. Anticipation Heels--will these EVER go on sale??



4.Refined Cord Shirtdress--a great winter piece that looks so cute with boots.



5. Winter Beauty Pullover--this will most definitely NOT hit sale yet but I love it!



6. Alluring Sway Skirt--a great basic to have!



7. Field Skirt--I LOVE this in gold...come on sale, hurry up!



8. Glowing Leaf Skirt--I have a few combinations in my head for this one.



9. Floral Frappe Top--like this in green...I don't have hardly any green in my closet.



10. Akome Top--A very cute print to throw underneath a cardi.



11. Sweeping Stitch Heels--SWOON!!! Gorgeous color and super fun design!



12. Leaving this one open...I'm debating over a few things for this last spot so if you have an idea of what I should slide into spot #12 I'd love to know! =)

So there you have it...my ever growing wish list. December is the month I'm gonna be good. Hopefully not everything on this list hits sale in one week...that would be BAD! I certainly am not allowed to buy everything on this list...these are just my options.

Can't wait to hear about all the great things you have on your wish lists!