Monday, February 27, 2017

Weekend Update + The Oscars

How was everyone's weekend? I'd rate ours an A+. No really...the weather was perfection, and the weekend ended with the Oscars. That's a winning combo for me!
 
Friday night we had dinner at a favorite local spot and sat outside, savoring the strange February weather. Side note: I'm loving how warm and spring-like it is now, but what does this mean for our summer? Temps in the 15os? I'm nervous! Dinner was great, though, and the girls ate their weight in curly fries.
 
I worked on Saturday and had a smooth day with some sweet patients. In nursing you really can't ask for much more. :)
 
Yesterday we spent the majority of the day working on some spring cleaning both inside and out. We hung some springy wreaths on our front door (which I will probably tire of by May 1), and we hung two pictures in our living room. I'd been on the hunt for a large piece of art for a blank wall we have in there but didn't want to spend a fortune. Etsy to the rescue! I found two really cool watercolor prints that were shipped all the way from Poland! I love Etsy! I'll share pictures of the wreaths and art soon.
 
Before I get to the Oscars, below are a few pictures from our weekend.
 
 
 
The girls watched the red carpet arrivals with me. I asked them to pose like a movie star and below is what I got. How funny!

 
 
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And now for the Oscars. What did everyone think? I thought it was a really good show. I like Jimmy Kimmel and thought he was mostly hilarious. I know the political cracks were too much for some, but they were right up my alley. ;) And there were some zingers, but I personally think they were all pretty deserved. I mean, you can't Tweet that Meryl Streep is overrated and just expect that to go away!
 
I hadn't seen any of the movies that were nominated (because #kids) so I didn't really have a rat in the race when it came to the winners. Was everyone pleased with the results? Viola Davis's speech was incredible and gave me chills. And I loved the fact that many took the time to address the current political climate. To me, why not use your voice for good?
 
 
And then Iranian Asghar Farhadi winning Best Foreign Language Film but boycotting the awards due to the travel ban. Powerful stuff.
 
Before I get to my favorite gowns, I can't not address Envelopegate. What the frick was that? How does that happen? And who is going to be fired today? But major props to the cast of "La La Land" for being so gracious in an extremely awkward situation. I don't know if I would've handled it as well!
 
And please tell me some of y'all had this same response?
 
 
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OK...the best part of the night (duh) is getting to watch all the glamorous ladies and dapper men making their grand entrances while we sit at home in our sweats. Right?
 
 
My hands-down favorite:
 
Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton. Like a flamenco dress but in black. Just really cool but still feminine and lovely. And I love her no-fuss hair and makeup.
 
And my other favorites from the evening:
 
 Viola Davis in Armani. That deep red on her dark skin is just stunning. And I love the neck and sleeves.
 
 Brie Larson in Oscar de la Renta. Adore the deep neck and the ruffling down the dress (it's probably not called "ruffling" in the fashion industry, but y'all know what I mean!). ;)
 
 Emma Stone in Givenchy. Could her skin be any prettier? And who else wants red hair because of her? This dress just screams Oscars, and I love everything about it.
 
 Nicole Kidman in Armani Prive. Just flawless.
 
 Auli'i Cravalho in Rubin Singer . I didn't know who this young lady was when she appeared on the red carpet, but this dress was in my top three for sure. I love a white gown.
 
 Hailee Steinfeld in Ralph & Russo. This was a close contender for first place. It's just so unique and ethereal. Looks like something a fairy would wear.
 
 Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Simple and elegant. And I wish I could pull off that haircut.
 
 Taraji Henson in Alberta Ferretti. If you've got it, flaunt it, right?
 
 Kirsten Dunst in Christian Dior. A black dress with pockets. Can't get much better.
 
 Karlie Kloss in Stella McCartney. Loved the all-white and the cape was such a pretty addition.
 
 Leslie Mann in Zac Posen. Loved the mustard color. The poofiness at the bottom of the dress was too much for me, but it was very Oscar-y.
 
 Emma Roberts in vintage Armani Prive. So pretty and sleek.
 
Felicity Jones in Christian Dior. She looks like a ballerina. So lovely, and I adore the length of her gown.
 
And the worst? Surely we can all agree on this.
 
Scarlett Johansson in Alaia. The colors in the dress are pretty, but the top portion does nothing for her figure, in my opinion. And I do actually like her haircut/style, but it just doesn't go with the dress. Yikes.
 
And then this hair. What in the world? It's a grey wig poorly plopped on top of her head with the hair underneath showing. Just why?!?!
 
Helen Lasichanh in an awful wig.
 
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So that's my wrap-up. Agree? Disagree? I want to hear!
 
Hope everyone has a happy Monday. After I drop the girls off at school I'm headed to get four new tires. Argh. Is that the worst way to spend money or what?
 
 


Friday, February 24, 2017

Loving Lately

Raise your hand if you're ready for spring! I'm raising my hand over here. It doesn't hurt that spring clothes are everywhere, and I'm seriously loving almost everything. I've had fun rounding up some of my favorite items so far. What are y'all most excited to pull out with the upcoming warmer temps?
 
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Love these Birkenstock-esque sandals from Target. The price is right, and the rose gold shade is just perfect.
 
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Such a lovely, feminine top. I'd save this for date night or dinner out with the girls.
 
 
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A cute twist on a basic sweatshirt, and I love that you can wear a regular bra with it.
 
 
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I have Easter on the mind and am looking for something for myself to wear. How pretty are the colors in this dress?

Print Sheath Dress
 
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Just adore this cold shoulder top. Also comes in white, which I think would be so pretty in the summer.
 
 
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Love the colors in this necklace. Would look so cute with a white or black tee.

Multistrand Beaded Necklace

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Sweet ruffles dress up this simple tee.
 
Ruffle Front Tee

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How darling are the scallops on this pair of shorts? Plus, the shorts have an elastic waistband!

Scallop Hem Pull-On Shorts
 
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Make + Model makes the softest loungewear. I'm tempted to try one of their tees. I'd wear it out of the house and would reserve my Hanes T-shirts for loungewear!
 
 
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Another Easter dress option. I especially love the flouncy sleeves.

 
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Can y'all tell I'm all about a tee taken up a notch? This reminds me of a short-sleeved version of one of my favorite Zella workout tops.
 
 
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Can you get any cuter than these flats? I have a pair of ankle-tie flats, and I just adore them. I love the rounded toe of this pair...makes them more feminine, in my opinion.
 
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I love a good tote. The blush colors in this one are just right.
 
 
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Another pair of pull-on shorts with an elastic waistband! I'd wear these with a white tee and black Birkenstocks!
 
 
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Such a pretty tee that could be dressed up or down.

 
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Any trends y'all are hoping to try for spring? I'm loving all the light colors and feminine touches. My legs need a little color before I pull out the shorts, though!

Hope everyone has a happy weekend! See y'all back here Monday where I plan to have an Oscars recap! Will anyone else be tuning in?

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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Lily's Birthday

Lily turned 6 on Saturday, and it was such a magical, special day for all of us. Six is a big deal, right? You now have to hold up two hands when someone asks how old you are!


We've had small/low-key family parties to celebrate birthdays in the past (except for her 1st and 2nd birthdays where I thought they had to be Pinterest-perfect), but Rob and I agreed that once our girls hit kindergarten, we'd let them choose what kind of party they wanted. Lily wanted her party at Pump It Up (a local bounce house), and she wanted a Trolls theme. When I say Lily and Hadley are obsessed with that movie, I mean it. They love everything Trolls, and we're listening to the soundtrack on repeat over here.
 
I wanted the party to be fun for Lily and her friends, and I also didn't want to wear myself out making everything "perfect" for little children who are only interested in eating cake and playing with their friends!
 
We kept things really simple...I purchased disposable tablecloths, plates, and napkins from Party City. The party was in the morning, so there wasn't any need for a lot of food. Bugles, cake, and Capri Sun were served. The cake, by the way, was from Wal-Mart, and it was every bit as delicious as the cakes I used to purchase that cost an arm and a leg. And side note here: does anyone really like the way fondant tastes? And do kids really care if their cake is tiered?
 

 
Anyway, I did make some fun centerpieces for the party tables because I haven't fully given up the Pinterest-free persona yet! :) I thought they were so fun and colorful and fit the bright, rainbow Trolls theme perfectly. I spray painted some terracota pots a light purple shade and used foam sheets to make the flowers that adorn each side. I wanted them to match the flowers on Poppy's headband in the movie. Then I just hot glued those to the pots. The rainbow poms were an Etsy purchase from this shop, as were the Trolls cupcake toppers (from this shop). I added tissue paper and Starburst candy to fill the pots in.
 


 
I was on team #nopartyfavors for the longest, but when I found Trolls blind bags on sale for $1, I jumped ship. It was all downhill from there, and I ended up adding Trolls stickers and candy to each goodie bag. #sorrynotsorry
 
I found the invitations on Etsy (from this shop) and had them printed at a local Office Max (which, FYI, copyright issue...but I've learned being nice can get you almost anywhere. The sweet lady who helped me told me because I had been friendly and patient she'd print them for me!).
 
 
I also ordered a special shirt for Lily to wear at her party, and I thought it was just darling. I found it here.

 
And now, picture overload! I think you can tell by the size of her smile that she had a very happy birthday.

 
 
 
 
 
With two of her very best friends from school. She has the sweetest little friends.

 
At home opening presents. She was so excited to get another Wellie Wisher doll.
 
 
Well there you have it...Lily's 6th birthday round-up. At the end of the day as I was tucking her into bed, she said, "This was the best day ever." I'll take that. :)
 
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Hope everyone has a happy day.