OTI: you-pick style

I was not planning on doing this OTI thing again, since I try to steer clear of fashion blerging, and and I do not fancy myself a particularly "fashionable person", so I don't want to be a poser. However, I made the exception today for a few reasons:

a) I saw on Grace's blog that today's is a you-pick-your-own-inspiration type of thing, so that makes things much easier,

2) I might be the most exhausted woman on the planet, thank you Mad Men/Nauseatingly early rising toddler combo from h-e-double tooth picks, so this knocks out a blog post for me in about 5.5 seconds. Take picture, upload picture and dumb captions, post=easy peasy.

3/c) When I put my outfit on this morning I had a vague recollection that I was going for something I had seen in a celebrity picture and since I do not read any celebrity stuff except for Suri, I knew right where to look and BAM, I found it:

So here you go: stripes on light pink with some pearl action

Again with the striped maternity shirt. Pregnant wardrobe is sparse. 
Shirt: Old Navy; Skirt: Gap. Necklace, bracelet, & shoes: forever 21

Also again with the looking-down pose. I figured that all the celebs who are used as inspiration in these things look like they have no idea anyone is taking their picture, so I am just going to get on that train and ride it since I take the most awkward pictures of myself. ever.

Blog post done, now go visit Erica, Kayla and Grace for other more hip interpretations while I go off to nappy land.

OTI: Grace's pick

In the spirit of keeping things fresh, I'm gonna go ahead and link up with Grace today for a little interpreting of an outfit (also I bought a skirt at my favorite thrift store the other day and have been wanting to wear it, although I may never make out of the house in it for fear of looking tent-ish).

Without further ado, here is Grace's outfit pick:

And my "looking-nothing-like-super-hot-Reese" interpretation:

Blouse: garage sale find; Skirt: St. Vincent de Paul thrift store; Belt: Target; Favorite sandals hiding in the grass: Target (**favorite Target sandals have since died due to over-wear, RIP favorite sandals); Black workout head band that completely clashes with everything: Walmart- oops

Go see Grace's WAY cuter, way more accurately interpreted outfit. Now.

Snow blogging

Alright neighbor Greg, you win. I will never again attempt to nap as you have apparently memorized our nap schedules and will only run your unbelievably loud snow blower during this time- you must know that I am behind on blogging. I am flattered, I didn't even know you followed me! But for real, I think you should get the muffler on that thing checked. Enough.

So Mike and I sometimes act like chubby college girls and make ridiculously fattening desserts at night for fun and then eat all of it over the course of the next few days. 

Sometimes meaning almost never, but we did last night and this has resulted in me eating death by chocolate for breakfast and lunch today. Needless to say this is not helping with our post-Christmas weight loss endeavors. I think we are going to work on perfecting this one though, because it is pretty awesome.

our finished product

I think we'll use devils food cake with chocolate chips for the cake layer next time and I only had light whipped cream, which was a mistake because it's "death by chocolate" and anything "light" just doesn't fit in there.

I had a lovely long morning break today and went on a little excursion to the mall with a friend to hunt for boots (thank you Hannah). I found these and words can't express the shame I feel for buying anything with the brand name "Jessica Simpson". But they were cute and soooo comfy. I may return them though on principle, we'll see.

 What do we think?

Just for laughs

Second post of the day = a weird mix of pride and embarrassment.

This post is really just to give you a little something to laugh at because I know that everyone could use a good laugh and I am always here to give the people what they want.

I keep looking down and catching a glimpse of myself and laughing and it dawned on me that you might too if you saw me.

I was awoken from my 15 nap by the worst napping children in the world, for real. And decided to dress for success:

"oh, you wanted to take my picture?"

I was hoping to workout while Naomi was in her room talking after a whopping 20 minute cat nap, but then Beezie began a marathon scream sesh and I couldn't take it.

So my plans changed but my outfit did not.

Workout shorts- Dicks clearance about 6 years ago, pretty sure they're walking shorts for old ladies; workout shirt- gifted from mother-in-law; cardi- old navy; crew socks- walmart; NB shoes- Vincent de Paul thrift store $3, that's right baby, high class

Over Christmas break my little sister made fun of me every day that she saw me about to go work out and after a few days of denial, I had to accept the fact that I look ridiculous. One day I will have money to buy expensive, cute work out clothes but until then... enjoy!

Blerggg

Well, I have officially exposed myself and my hidden guilty pleasure: fashion blogs.
I know how much you all care about every minute detail of my life, so I will go into as much detail as I can.

I mostly look at fashion blogs at the end of really, really bad days (or at least that was the case at some point). It is a great way to zone out and think about as little as possible. After a rough days of chasing children, cleaning vomit or disgusting soiled pants, holding down flailing limbs whilst wiping another human being's bottom, etc... (I will spare you all the other random probably gross elements of motherhood)- after long days like this I just want something to do that requires little to NO energy- like eating candy. Fashion blogging is candy for the eyes. It is like window shopping without the walking. Great. Right?

Except there are some problems associated with this guilty pleasure, or else it would not make me feel guilty.

Off the bat, know that I AM NOT saying that these things are problems for YOU, just me. If you can relate with the problems then yes, perhaps they are also problems for you. But you are probably just a more temperate, well balanced and better person than me. Seriously.

First problem with perusing fashion blogs: It keeps my mind focused on the more temporal aspects of this life. As a mother, I really need to try to focus on the eternal things otherwise all of those little, really gross and annoying things (listed above) start to seem extremely pointless and even crushing day, after day, after day, after day.....

Second problem: It makes me want to shop. This is a very serious financial issue. I can always tell when I have been looking at fashion blogs a lot because all of the sudden we will be making extra trips to target's sale racks, the mall (for the "play place") and local thrift stores, it is not good. We do not have money for me to be shopping ESPECIALLY for the sorts of things I am looking at on these  blogs. I consider a $20 blouse to be expensive, and that is chump change compared to the prices on so many of the pieces I so desire. They are beautiful and I am sure they are really well made, but Mike is in school and therefore the only shopping I am really supposed to be doing is thrift store shopping, and even that can get expensive.

Third:
It keeps me wanting needing more- I am never content because styles are always changing and if you want to keep up, you cannot be content. For instance for about 2 months I was on a mission to find a mustard sweater and it pretty much consumed my every thought for many, many hours of many, many days- it was a problem. Then I went on a mission to find red pants, I took many trips to several stores, spent many minutes hours online drooling over as many pictures of trendy reds as I could.
I start to be super ill contended with my own clothing. I think of the current trends that I have just discovered, I look at my closet and it just does not  measure up, I need more. This is a bit of a problem, I think.

Fourth and final (I am sure there are more, but I will only list three before you start falling asleep):
They pretty much all make me want to be skinny so that cute clothes look cuter on me. Comparing myself to other beautiful, slim women is a struggle and it makes that struggle just a liiittle bit harder if I am looking at picture after picture of beautiful slim women.

Knowing all of these problems, you would think I would cut out fashion blogging all together EXCEPT that, while I have pin pointed several negatives, I have not mentioned any positives. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best and put together- this is good. There is nothing wrong with even wanting to be stylish. There is even nothing wrong with shopping (in moderation) which is why I am trying to strike some sort of balance.

I really enjoy looking at blogs that are "in-betweenies"- where there is lots of other stuff, mommy related, home related, etc. mixed in with some fashion stuff. Grace's blog is a favorite, as well as Anna's.

Leave a comment with some good in-betweenies so that I can still look presentable without driving our family bankrupt or becoming a terrible person.

I hope I am not being preachy, I am really really trying not to be preachy.
Betty Draper signing off,
-Ana