A Tale of Two Crossbodies

My search for the perfect crossbody has ended. The problem? I'm having a love affair with two bags, but only one is in my possession.

He is just perfect, practical, fits all of my size and safety requirements, is soft and buttery and has come home with me.



Marc Jacobs Classic Q Natasha Crossbody in Marigold


She is allusive, a bit cheaper, fun and tasseled, soft and buttery with an edgy demeanor. She is a crossbody but can double as a clutch or shoulder bag. She is for daytime, but can moonlight with the best of them. She is slender and sleek and therefore, less practical for me. I love her, but had to let her go. She remains on my mind and I wonder, will I forget her?





Rebecca Minkoff Classic Multi Zip Clutch/Crossbody in Metallic Taupe

A Replenishing of Sorts

Do you all have that problem when everything runs out all at once? It seems this happens to me often and I can't seem to break the cycle. Shampoo, conditioner, foundation, eyeshadow, etc etc. The cycle goes on and on..


This Sunday, I'm heading off to SD for a much needed shopping trip alone (hubs: that doesn't mean I won't miss you or want/need your expert advice at some point, but I am just looking forward to being free as a bird for just a short while). Anywho..I have many items to replenish and I've already started a list.

Here are a few of the items that I will be perusing the isles for:


MAC's Tinted LipGlass in PopMode: looks much more plum in the picture, when actually it has a much lighter pink tone to it.



MAC's Mascara ProLash or Mascara X: love this stuff . Doesn't flake or clump.

MAC's Brush Cleaner: I use this stuff every day on my eyeliner brush. Must have!

Undies!! Yep, you got it! I need undies and a bra or two. Although I haven't actually run out (that would be an unfortunate turn of events), husband tells me its time to retire some of my old favs (and by old, I mean: worn often, not old as dirt old). Does everyone have favorite underwear that they gravitate towards more than others or is it just me??

I got measured at VS last summer for a new brassierre, shortly after having the kid and was disturbed at how much the girls had changed (and not in the good kind of way). Now, that new smaller size is getting too big! Time to get measured again and buy a few more. Hopefully there won't be any more shrinkage after this!

Crossbody Bag: I need a cute, Goldilocks (not too small, not to big, but juuuust right), functional with some visual interest, good for all seasons, crossbody bag to take on some upcoming trips (Seattle in a few weeks, Napa at the end of July and Wales in September). I've looked at this one online at Anthro and another by Tory Burch but will need to see both in person. Have any suggestions?





I also have a list of items to try on at Anthro and a TON of returns (oh, how I feel for the poor SA that gets stuck with me)! I will save that entry for another day!!

Cheers and Happy Friday !

xoxo

My Plate is Full and My Cup Runeth Over

Hello Ladies (and Gents? husband). I hope all is well with you! I took a little hiatus from blogging to take care of things going on here in good ol' Arizona. However, I was not completely absent from the blogging world as I did stalk read through your blogs almost daily. I even tried to comment on a few, but had the stupid issue with adding comments, that luckily Jenni posted the fix on. Thanks Jenni!

Anywho... as my first *day* back, I'm not going to have any inspired OOTD's for you or a list of my latest Anthro purchases. I'm just going to update you on my exhilarating, never dull, rather normal life that has had some exciting events happen in it.

Hmmm...where to start! I guess I'll start in April, since that's where I left off! (don't worry, I won't make this a novel...I lied, it's a novel. Sorry!).

1) Easter weekend we went to the Railroad Revival Tour in Tempe, AZ to see Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. Although I had only really listed to M&S, I'm now a fan of all bands. Old Crow and Edward Sharpe are a little 'folkier' than I'm used to, but I have to admit, my toe was a tappin! I left there on a high that was induced by all of the marijuana smoke around us fabulous music and a great time with friends!

2) We sold our house. In this market. For the price we were asking!! Woop Woop! We thought we had until the end of May to find a rental and get out...BUT, on Tuesday May 10th, we were told we were closing on Friday, the 13th and that the owner wanted to take possesion right away. WHAT? SCRAMBLE SCRAMBLE (that's us on the phone, desperately searching for a rental home that would accept our dog, cat and 6 month lease requirements that wasn't a big $hit hole, cockroach infested dump). DING (that's us finding a two story home of a Dr (he's in Chicago) in a gated community, across the street from my oldest childhood friend, and within budget!). Yay...So Friday the 13th, we packed up and moved out! House didn't actually close until the following Weds (shoulda known it never closes on time), BUT we were thankful it was over with.

4) One week later, we headed off for a much needed 10 days in our most favoritest place on the west coast: Durango, CO. Boutiques, art galleries, fabulous restaurants, mountains, greenery, NICE PEOPLE, specialty grocery stores and a most wonderful rec center that caters to children. Sigh.....we look for land every time we go and...dream. Some day, we will live there.
Sunday we drove back in some herendous wind (the entire 10 hr drive) with 50 mph gusts. It actually almost ripped the truck door off it's hinges at a pee pee stop. It did bend the door a bit and gave us some noise and a pissed off husband all of the way home, but $100 later, door is fixed and husband is happier.

5) The build on our new home is set to start soon. We've picked out most of our fixtures, cabinetry, etc and I'm SO excited. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to some of things we've found with similar kitchens, etc. I've just started using Pinterest, so I don't have a lot on there, but will be working on it more now.

I feel TRULY blessed by GOD with my health and everything going on, esp during this time of tornadoes, wars and the shooting here in Yuma yesterday that killed 6 people. In a small community like ours, it was a huge, sad, day. I didn't know any of the victims but know people who do. It has been a rough month for our community. A few weeks ago, two Border Patrol agents were killed when they collided with a train while chasing illegals/drug smugglers. This was less than 24 hours after our President was mocking the border and those asking for better border control. I will not go into politics on this blog and I respect everyone's opinions, although I may not agree. I will just say, that being this close to the southern border (5 minutes) gives one a perspective that some may not completely understand. More needs to be done and our agents need to be supported. Nuff said....

On a much happier note, I'm super excited for next week's Anthro Event in San Diego. I'm so looking forward to meeting the ladies from In Pursuit of Pretty Things, along with other fellow bloggers. I'm sure there will be a ton of pics and blogs about it.

I hope you all have a wondeful weekend!

Weekend Purchases and Reviews

Happy Hump Day to Everyone! I just can't believe how quickly these weeks fly by.. seems just yesterday I was training myself to write 2011 instead of 2010 and now we're already in April!

As mentioned in my last blog, the hubs, kiddo and I headed over to San Diego on Saturday for some fun and shopping at Bloomingdales, Anthro and Nordy's, amongst a few others. The hubs is a sucker for Bloomingdales, but other than bedding, I don't usually buy much, unless it's on sale. I tried on some jeans, but they didn't have the sizes I needed so off to Nordstroms I went and had a very helpful SA named Kate who knew her denim products like the back of her hand. I ended up leaving with two pairs instead of the one that I had intended.

I don't have dressing room pictures of all the products I tried on, but I will give a quick run down of the items that did NOT come home with me.

Brickwork Tee: size S, Gray. This tee was okay. Comfortable and nice print that would go with many things, but even the small was a little loose and the hubs said I needed something more form fitting. I guess I could've gotten the XS, but it really wasn't worth it in the end. Maybe wishlisted for sale?

Silver City Top: size S, Black. YUCK! Not only did it have the same 'too big' factor, it reminded me of the old ladies that roam these parts in the summer. I guess I was hoping for something more... not sure what it is that made me pick it up. I'm sure it will look cute on someone else, but to me, it looked like a top I can get 5 minutes away across the border and haggle for $5.

Amplified Stripes Blouse: size 4, Orange. The hubs brought this back with him to the dressing room, but it was one of his few fails. Again, it was too boxy for my shape and did nothing for me. I think it will look amazing on the right person as it's nice material and well made.

Go For the Win Bermudas: size 12, Pearl. These were far too big for me. I could have sized down to a 10 or 8. I actually really liked the print and length and so did the hubs. They print is pearlescent without being overdone or tacky. I almost wish I would have gotten them. They could be dressed up or down and they are very lightweight, which will be great for the AZ summers. Wishlisted!

Now, on to the fun part! Here is the list of items that came home with both last month and last weekend:

San Diego Purchases by Peacockmeg featuring vintage jeans

March Purchases by Peacockmeg featuring cotton skirts

Finally, here are some pics of how they actually look:

The items/pictures are pretty self-explanatory. I think they all work on my pear-shaped body (but some of you may beg to differ and that's okay, I don't really care because I'm comfortable in them!!). The shorts are "No Name" shorts from Anthro that I got at the Fashion Valley store on Saturday. I can't find them online yet, so no links yet. They are super comfy and a good length for me.

The skirts don't have the "poofy bubble butt" look that a few of the other Anthro skirts lately have had, so that is a big bonus. The Eureka is a size 6 and will fit a little better once I get a few more lbs off.

After seeing these pics, I realized I'm in desperate need for some self-tanner. YIKES!

P.S. The top I'm wearing with the Eureka Cargo is a Leiffsdotir blouse I scored two (?) years ago for like $30.. I love that I'm finally able to fit in it again~!

Sorry for the long post. I will have some more reviews for you later, but I thought that was good enough for now!

Weigh-Ins, Foodie Favs and Weekend Travels

Good Monday Morning Everyone! Hope you all had a wondeful weekend! We headed over to San Diego on Saturday (a short 2.5 hrs away) for a quick getaway. Living is a small town often leaves much to be desired, so we try to get out of town a few times a month.

We're on the hunt for some dining room chairs, Louis XIV preferably, like these, but are having a hard time finding some in our price range with a dark stain. Ethan Allen has what we're looking for, but WAY beyond our budget, so the hunt continues...

Before heading off, the morning started with a 4 mile run and a WW weigh-in. I lost a little over a pound this week, weighing in at 145. I was hoping for a bigger loss, but I had eaten out both Thurs and Friday night, so I also wasn't too suprised. This week is all about discipline and exercise and cooking at home. Especially b/c I picked up this little goodie while were in SD. I've been wanting a mortar and pestle for a while for herbs/rubs/garlic, etc so I finally bit the bullet and got one.


Before leaving, I also had to pick up our Bountiful Basket, which is a fruit/veg co-op. Each week, you order a 'basket' of conventional or organic produce and each Saturday you pick it up. You never know what items you will get, but it is made up of local (as local as they can get it) produce. It costs $15 for the conventional (non-organic) and an extra $10 for the organic. It is great quality produce and you couldn't get the same quantity for the same price at the grocery store. They have pick-ups in the following states: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, OK, OR, TX, UT, WA and WY. I highly recommend, esp if you can't always make it to a local farmer's market. This week our organic box consisted of: oranges, pineapple, pears, sweet potatoes, cabbage, golden beets, romaine, tomatoes, zucchini and apples.

I'm super excited about the golden beets. A few weeks ago, I made this Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese salad for the first time. I'm in love and think I will add some chicken breast or thigh to it to make it a full meal and substitute some golden beets this week. Here is a pic of the first night I made it for the hubs birthday dinner that I served with Roasted Leg of Lamb and Roasted New Potatoes with rosemary. I didn't care for beets too much before having the Moroccan salad at CPK, but now I'm a fan. Anyone else have some fun beet recipes or healthy salad ideas?



That's it for now. We did make a stop at Fashion Valley mall and of course, went to Anthropologie, Nordstroms and a few other places. I got a few items and will post those later. Have a great Monday!

Anthropologie and the Mother-in-Law I Never Met

It was November 24, 1988, RP (the hubs) was 16 and in a swim meet that would decide whether he could compete for Wales and qualify to train for the Barcelona Olympics. Not wanting to tell him, his father tried to hide his sadness as he met RP in the locker room shortly before the meet. RP knew something was wrong and probably knew instinctively what it was. He convinced his father to say it...it was her...she was gone.

She passed away that day of ovarian cancer that she had been battling for the past few months. RP swam that race for her and won. Unfortunately, it was decided by the family that olympic schooling was not the plan for RP. A mother and a dream were lost that day.

Her name was Katharine, Kay, for short. Our daughter's middle name is Katharine after her. Although I was not fortunate enough to meet her, the stories and memories told about Kay are numerous and full of love. I almost feel, at times, like I lost a mother-in-law, like I missed out on knowing a very special person. In the 60's and 70's, Kay and RP's dad lived in Colorado with dual citizenship as teachers. They helped start the first Outward Bound program in the U.S. and were avid climbers and outdoorsmen. Adults loved her, children loved her, animals loved her and RP loved her.

RP's dad has since remarried to an old college sweetheart that both he and Kay knew at Cambridge University in Great Britain. J is a wonderful woman and a great mother-in-law, but RP's dad still admits that Kay was the love of his life. The void is present, the pictures of her that light the room are still around and a son misses his mother.

As I peruse and window shop on Anthro's website, I keep coming across a gingham blouse that to the average looker may appear to be the typical blue/white gingham button-down. I look to the right of my monitor and there she is..smiling with RP's dad as they cross-country ski in the Colorado wildnerness, lighting up the room. She is wearing an almost identical blouse. Should I get it, I ask her? You obviously like it. Will RP think I'm crazy taking fashion cues from his mother, a woman that's been gone for almost 23 years? I hope not, but the verdict's still out.

Dad and Kay, Colorado 1962

Cissus Button-Up Gingham Blouse - Anthropologie

Sushi and the Lincoln Lawyer

Carambola Peasant by Peacockmeg featuring beading earrings

Good Monday Morning!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! We had a warm weekend full of the fair and fun. Yesterday we went to church where we dropped the kiddo off at the church nursery for the first time. **GASP** I know this sounds like small potatoes for everyone else, but this child has not been in the care of strangers...EVER. Since I work from home, she is with me 85% of the time and is with my parents/family the other 15%, so this was a step for us. I'd say, less for me than the hubs (b/c let's face it, I'm the one that has the deal with the little monster most of the time, so a reprive is NECESSARY). He was a bit hesitant, but we both knew it was the best thing to do if we were to get anything out of the day's message. All was going well until we got a little page and found that our little angel had pinched her little finger in a door jam. So much for the nursery this week...

Anyway, later that afternoon and kid free, the hubs and I went to sushi for lunch and to the movies to see The Lincoln Lawyer, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Nothing like a nice date-day to rejuvinate a relationship!

The above polyvore set is what I wore all day yesterday. I wasn't really interested in the Caramobal Peasant top online or in the store, but the hubs grabbed it, so I thought I'd appease him and try it on. At first I thought it was just this spring's run-of-the-mill peasant top with a nice print, but not for my pear-shape..but thought I'd try it belted anyway. I ran outside the dressing room, found this Sliver Belt (myself b/c the SA's left a lot to be desired at this Anthro location) and WA-LA **LOVE~heart goes pitter patter***, it was transformed! We didn't take any pictures, so this polyvore set will have to do, but I'll take some pics for you to see later. Some might wonder if it's too short once belted, but mine is a size small and I think is still plenty long. Did I mention it's super lightweight, so it will be a great shirt to transition into our summer months and 100+ degrees?

One thing to note...the Sliver belt is not a sliver, nor is the color pink, as described online. It's a light corally-orange color and works perfectly with the orange in the shirt. I think anything purple would go too...

Here is a pic of what I ended up wearing to the fair on Friday afternoon. Sorry for the bad pic...this is the best I have, although it gives me motivation to stick to the diet and exercise regimen this week b/c ugghh... look at that PIG!! Oh, I mean the real pig.. just kidding! (but I obviously do need to do a bit of arm work and fix my bangs..what was I thinking??) Anywho...I decided against a long necklace for fear that the animals would think it was a tasty morsel and I'm glad I did. The goats were all over us and would have nibbled on the beads for sure!