Here I Go Again

(On My Own)

Time for another outfit post! That's right, posted on a Saturday. Amazing!

Wow! I know what you're wondering - how could I find time to put up such an incredible post on my weekend? Right? . . . Right?

Okay, (obviously) this was taken in bed on my computer. You can't even see my bottom half. This day was simply exhausting, no time for pictures, and I couldn't get myself up to take any at the last minute. So I will just tell you: I was wearing jeans. Not the skinny ones, just the other, boring ones.

You're right, this shouldn't count as an outfit. And this doesn't really count as a post. I promise not to do it again, please just don't kick me off my blog!

To help appease you, here's a little bit of joy for your weekend.

Taken when I was home in Lawrence for the holidays. Look at that 'stache!

Okay, folks, I promise to have a real outfit up tomorrow - both halves included. Enjoy weekends, all!

Ease on Down the Road

Okay, okay. Last days of hubby in the country: over. Tearful good-bye, check. Radio silence on my blog: done.
It has been pretty crazy around here, what with the chaos of preparing for that departure, then actually going through it; but I'm through now. It's time to get back to the remix! Here's the next outfit picture. Sorry for the delay.

I think I began to post this outfit before, but I was pressed for time and all that, and I wasn't all that pumped about it. Obviously, the latter has more to do with it than the former. But it has got to go up or I'll never finish this silly challenge. (Note: though most people began on Feb. 1st, my first outfit post - of the challenge and ever - went up a month ago. Yikes.) So here it is.

Very shortly before I took these pictures, we obtained this neat bookshelf from Crate and Barrel. I was so enamored of it that when I chose to pose in front of it, I guess I thought, "It's so good-looking that it won't matter what pose I'm in or face I make - the shelf will make it work!" I'm sorry about the result.

Sweater: New York & Co. Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft. Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft. Tights: Target? Boots: White Mountain, I think, via DSW.

Here's to keepin' on keepin' on. Love to all, byeeeee!
Pineapple

I'll be thinking about you

So this morning the hubby and I woke up ultra-early, quickly made some Valentines, (I've been trying to get these done since about Saturday, but we haven't had time. This morning I finished one up to put in a package, from which my Honey will open one envelope at a time each month during his deployment) packed up his parents' suv, and headed out to the hangar on post where we would say our good-byes.

We sat in that huge, open space with tons of other soldiers and family members for about an hour and a half trying to keep our spirits up for our last moments together before he left and mostly, I have to say, it was awkward. Of course, I could have just bawled thinking about how long it will be until I can hold him again; I probably won't even hear from him again until he gets all the way to his FOB (forward operating base) and set up there, probably about ten days. But that wouldn't help anyone. Not his parents there with us, certainly not Josh, and not even me. I couldn't talk at all for the last two minutes before his formation, and I definitely cried some, but I tried to send him off with as many smiles as I could muster. I also could have spent the whole time just making empty conversation and jokes, but I also wanted some important hugs and pictures and kisses before he left. The hardest for me to see were the families with kids at an age where they won't understand why a parent has to leave. Why he or she won't be around for so long - I couldn't even look at those poor kiddos.

After the soldiers formation-ed-up and boarded the buses and drove away, the in-laws and I went out for breakfast (G's Pancake House bills itself perhaps a little optimistically as "a reason to wake up" but we did enjoy our pancakes and pigs in blankets) and then they took me home. This morning has been so emotionally draining that I feel like I've been through a few days since last night, but now I feel like I have all the time in the world and am just trying to think what to do to with it all. (I do have an exciting project to begin, though - two cushions for a loveseat and another seat in my Bonus Room. I'll show the fabric soon.) It's extremely odd to be alone here, mostly because it definitely hasn't sunk in yet. I keep thinking I hear Josh wandering around in the other room - maybe in the office or garage - but have to realize over and again that he's not here. I also keep thinking I need to ask him to pick up his shoes from the middle of our bedroom, or what he wants to do about silly mail that comes for him, or whatever. "I'll ask him when he gets home" I almost think, obviously imagining this afternoon, not 2012. He won't be home today. Or soon . . . this is SO WEIRD so far.

I really didn't mean for this blog to be about my military-wife-dom, I just can't really seem to write anything else until I get to what is really on my mind. If you aren't related to someone in the military, and/or have no idea what it's like, please don't be alienated. (You're just like I was about 3 years ago!) Don't feel like you have to say something deep and meaningful (of course, you can! That's appreciated, too!) or nothing at all. I mean, if you're a praying person, I sure would appreciate some prayers for the safety of my husband and his company, and for all their families throughout this year. But really, I just need diversion more than anything. So normal comments ("That outfit looks great!" or "You seem to have that on backward") would be great to get. Okay? Okay.

Anyway, it should be back to somewhat-newsy and mostly-outfit posts soon. I don't know if I'll get around to writing one before tomorrow, but I certainly may! The good news is that I got a half-day job to work this afternoon, so I'll be occupied for at least that much time today. Yay!
Take care, all. Hope to hear from you.
Pineapple

P.S. I'm really going to try to remember to post pictures of the crafty things I did at the last minute before Josh left for him.

Eat them up, YUM

Hey, recipes need trading, and this is one I love as of late.
(Posted by a blogger, suggested by another blogger, and now put up again by me. Oh, the world wide web is such a small space.)
Make some!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/make-ahead-muffin-melts/

If you didn't go to the link immediately, here's why you should: egg. Cheddar. Bacon. Worcestershire sauce. Easy breakfast mix on an English muffin, with preparation actually possible before you head out in the morning - it only has to broil for 5 minutes. Amazing! (Also, I think this would still be great with good turkey bacon and other healthier substitutions.) GO THERE NOW.

Lucky Number Thirteen

I am feeling overwhelmed.


Phew, I am glad I got that off my chest. I am currently trying to create a plan for decorating my living room and kitchen and upstairs-tv-room-area. Now, most people do this as a process over time, (and I will, too, actually) but there's sort of a push to get all these rooms to be suitable spaces for entertaining before the hubby leaves for Afghanistan (in less than a week now. Yikes!), or at least to know what we need for it all before he leaves. They don't have to be perfected, just decent. So we can both feel comfortable with me having people over without having to say, "Hey, ignore that none of this furniture looks good together and that the wall color is really all wrong. Close your eyes and imagine that it's all well-decorated. No peeking - until you leave." But the thing is, I have no idea how to go about this. I want a similar color scheme throughout the house, or at least throughout these common areas, so they feel cohesive, but I have NO IDEA how to do that. And the stuff I have is giving me no clues.

Those of you who have done this, how do you choose your colors? How do you put things together? Similar design styles? Colors? I am totally at a loss. (That's a lot to ask, readers. Don't feel like you have to answer that.)

Okay, I feel ready for an outfit post now. Venting time over.

There's my outfit! Oh, you can only see the top half?

How about now? Oh, no better? Hm.

Okay, this is just plain ridiculous.

Flower: Anthropologie. Sweater: Calvin Klein. Button-up: New York & Co. Pants: Ann Taylor Loft. Shoes: Bandolino, via DSW.

(Mystery solved: the pants are brown.)

 Note: usually my post titles are song-inspired, and I like to only choose songs I know and like. While there are songs named/including "lucky number thirteen", I don't know any of them. This is just my thirteenth outfit - boring. Sorry.

You Learn

This blog and the 30x30 have taught me a few identifiable things so far -- I added that belt that one time, I belted a scarf, I found my natural waist -- but this post shows the big chance I've taken. A remix that I would never never have tried if I were not participating in all this. I'm so proud of this outfit! Not really because it's particularly attractive (though I thought it looked okay, and was definitely comfy) but because it expanded my limits, and my wardrobe. Okay, enough talking. Time for showing.

I did my hair! Be proud.

The husband didn't want this belt anymore - my new favorite!

Do you see what did? Do ya do ya do ya do ya? (Other than not-quite get that hamper out of the shot. Whoops.) I am not wearing a skirt -- it's my white dress! As a skirt! WHOA! Big deal for me. Look some more.

Jacket: Target. Scarf: $10 store in some airport. Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft. Belt: husband's. Dress: Alex Evenings (via Etsy). Boots: Ralph Lauren.

Oh, and that little headband made my day. Thanks for putting it on sale for $8 or something, Loft. Love ya.

Oh, my. So we purchased our house from a Blackhawk pilot who also was a fabulous amateur painter - he did this piece for his son's room. So, yes, we do have a massive helicopter mural on our office wall. And yes, the walls are that dark. Ridiculous.

Dress backstory: I purchased this dress on Etsy in the vintage section because the seller thought it looked 'vintage-style'. It's not vintage. So shame on her for selling it there, shame on my for enabling her, but I LOVE this dress. I bought the dress for cheap to wear as my getaway dress after my wedding, and it was really great for that! I love the fit and look, but probably wouldn't have worn it again if it weren't for this challenge. So here I am wearing it again, and trying a dress-as-skirt for the first time in my life - I'm very proud. My wardrobe has been extended! Woo hoo!

Below is evidence of my dog's favorite type of interaction: leaning. She can never stand close enough to people, so she props her feet away from us and leans. This has knocked me over before.

Lazy Day Afternoon

Not today. Or yesterday, Blazer day. But Monday, that day was a lazy day around these here parts, and I thought I'd share:

The hubby and I lay in bed until almost noon, pretending we were still sort of alseep. (We are SO good at that.) The dog even got in on it; she would get up and see if anyone else was stirring, then realize we were pretend-sleeping and nestle back down in her blankets and stuff. We totally planned to get to the gym asap, but when we realized it was snowing really hard, we called the gym and discovered . . . it was closing right then! No-gym day! Woo hoo!

Silly picture time!

When we did get up, we brushed our teeth and all, but no one put on clothing made of other-than-sweats material. Yeah, classy. Then my wonderful man made the tastiest, fluffiest waffles we've ever shared. Mmmmmm. Want to see?

Thanks, Ann Lewis and fam, for our waffle-maker! And Mom and Dad for the mixer!
Also, I (obviously) auto-focused this, and I swear it looked focused at the time. Sorry.

There they are in all their glory. That is what I'm TALKING about!

The waffles got a healthy dose of syrup, butter, and some parts got apricot preserves on them. Dee-lish! Then we headed up to the comfy couches to watch Robin Hood - the new one, with Russell Crowe. And then I worked on a puzzle. (1,000 pieces - almost finished!) Yeah, it was basically The Perfect Snow Day, a wonderful memory for all involved.

I hope you all are enjoying/have enjoyed yours!