Baby First Shoes

I bought my grandson's first pair of shoes today.  Actually I bought 3 pairs!  I think it is only fitting that I (the avid shoe lover in our house) be first to supply him with shoes!  Aren't they cute!!!

In honor of his birth in 3 1/2 months I just had to buy me a pair too.  (please no eye rolling)  I had to...when he comes into this world I will be one of the first people he sees and being that I am the shortest person in my family at 5'2 (besides James but he is catching up fast...) I need the extra 3-5 inches so he can see me over all the others peering in at his beautiful face. 

I can picture it now...our eyes will meet.  And he will smile and think wow, she is prettier in person - my grandma!!  LOL...now you can roll your eyes.

 Shoes:  Payless $27.99  Purse:  Thrifted $1.00

 Shirt: Thrifted $2.69  Skirt:  Thrifted $1.00

The skirt is actually way prettier than the picture shows, it has two pleats in the front and the back is straight and it also has vertical lines through out.  I just love it!!

 You can see the pleats better here.

Necklace: Papparrazi Jewerly $5.50

Kierra also got some new shoes and new glasses.  She was amazed at how well she could see with them on.  I am amazed at how beautiful she is!!

My Baby Girl is all grown up!!



June - Off To A Great Start!

This has got to be my "good luck/tender mercies month".  It is off to a great start already, My oldest daughter Makayla (age 19) just received Employee of Month - I am so proud!!  She received a $100 bonus and a paid day off.  Then Hunter (15) started his first job at Ace Hardware for the summer.  He said so far they have him putting together all the displays.  I love it...now when Christmas time comes and James gets new toys, Hunter will be a pro at disciphering the instruction manual.  I told him he is getting valuable training for when he becomes a father.  (He rolled his eyes and was like...yeah ok mom.)  Kierra (14) has started soccer practice with FHS Scorpions and is tired and sore.  They are learning ball controlling techniques and she is in loving every minute of it!  She said something about playing volleyball and only being able to use their head and feet - no hands.  Little James (3) is swimming his heart out in his new pool and helping Nana do yardwork.  He is a ball full of energy.  Wednesday night at our youth activity he was running around while all the kids played Ultimate Frisbee.  He ended up falling and cut his mouth open.  When he saw the blood, he panicked and so I said, " let's go home and clean you up and put some ice on your mouth".  He said, "No, Mom...Ice cream is better."  We stopped off at Sonic on the way home and after eating his ice cream cone he was again off and running. 

As for me, I have a few sewing projects in the works.  (Pics to come)  I am currently working on finishing an A-line Skirt, and then a shirt refashion from a maternity shirt. Yesterday I picked up the cutest 70's dress with a scarf-like tie at the neck - can't wait to modernize it.  Unfortantely it fits alittle snug so I might have to wait a couple months when my early morning weight training has taken effect.  It will be my incentive to lose my first 10 pounds! 

This week's tender mercy moment:  My air conditioner on my house is the orginal from 30 yrs ago when the house was brand new.  I am replacing it this year and we are doing duct work to each room.  The unit only blows are from one central  location - the hall way; at night we about die from the heat.  After looking at my budget I only had enough to cover the supplies but not he labor.  Thanfully, my ex-husband is willing to do all the labor for free.  What a blessing is has been to be able to forgive and become friends with my ex- husbands.  Once again, the Lord has taken care of me. 

Boyfriend What???

I have 3 favorite fashion blogs I read every morning:  Pink Peonies, Wearing It On My Sleeves, and For All That Jas.  (Links listed below)
http://www.wearingitonmysleeves.com/
http://forallthatjas.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/


 I have noticed posts about Boyfriend Jeans...I am like boyfriend what??

So I did alil research and here is what I found:

Spring Trend: Boyfriend Jeans

http://www.collegefashion.net/trends/spring-trend-boyfriend-jeans/

Photo by ldhren.

This season, fashion isn’t only about wearing stuff from your own closet. One of the hottest trends involves stealing.. from a guy’s wardrobe. That’s right – menswear-inspired fashion is hot for Spring 2009, evidenced by the recent popularity of boyfriend jeans.
What’s a boyfriend jean? In a nutshell, it’s either literally a pair of guy’s jeans, or a pair of jeans that looks and fits like it was borrowed from a guy – loose fit, low rise, cuffed hems. Of course, this look doesn’t exclude single ladies. There are plenty of budget-friendly boyfriend jeans available for purchase in stores everywhere – no boys required.
Want to know more about this hot trend? Learn all about the boyfriend jean, the best ways to wear it, and where to buy it with the tips below.
Boyfriend Jeans – what they are and how to wear them:

Katie Holmes first started the boyfriend jean trend last summer, sporting a pair of loose, cuffed jeans with flats while out in NYC. Since then, it’s caught on in a big way (especially with celebs like Rachel Bilson and Victoria Beckham), and is now one of the hottest jeans trends for spring 2009.
Now obviously, depending on your size and your boyfriend’s size, you don’t have to literally steal a pair of jeans from your guy to rock this trend. Instead, you can buy this style of jeans in a store, or pick up a pair of smaller guy’s jeans at a vintage shop. To save money, I recommend buying these vintage or stealing from a guy, because this is such a trendy item that will be out of style fast. No point buying new “boyfriend jeans” if you ask me!
How to Wear Boyfriend Jeans:
Here are some tips on the best ways to wear the boyfriend jean for that effortlessly chic look.
Roll up the cuffs. If your jeans are short enough, you won’t need to do this, but if they’re super long, you’ll need to cuff the bottoms. Roll them above your ankles if you’re wearing heels, or just below if you’re wearing flat sandals. Having your jeans drag along the ground is never a good look.
With ballet flats, sandals, or heels. These jeans are made to show off your ankles and feet, so don’t wear boyfriend jeans with boots or sneakers. Instead, wear ‘em with a pair of gladiator sandals, flip flops, high heels, or ballet flats to add cute details.
Keep the rest of your look relaxed and casual. Boyfriend jeans look best with a plain tee or tank and minimal accessories. It’s a look that’s very low maintenance and informal, so don’t try too hard with your top and accessories.
With a leather belt. Since boyfriend jeans are usually really big and baggy, you’ll probably need a belt to keep them up. Even if you don’t, a belt makes a great addition to the outfit. Bonus points if you wear a plain leather belt that looks like it could have been borrowed from a boy too.
Cute (and budget-friendly) Boyfriend Jeans:
If you don’t want to steal from a guy and thrifting isn’t really your thing, here are some cute and affordable pairs of boyfriend jeans you can buy online right now.

So what do you think?
I’m sure you’ve all seen boyfriend jeans around. Is this a trend you’re into, or will you let this one pass you by? ....Written by Zephyr - CF Editor


Well there you have it...the Boyfriend Jeans, and I for one love them.  However, for a bigger more curvous girl like me, do I really need to look baggier...nope!!  So - I will love you from afar until....drum roll please ....  I can lose twenty pounds!  I will be hitting the gym tomorrow at (Oh this is gonna kill me) 4:30 a.m.  I have determined to turn 40 in January at much smaller but older Me.  So tomorrow it is, I already signed up at the College Fitness Center and now I just have to not hit the snooze button and get moving!

I also need to give credit to today's topic...Rachel with Pink Peonies has an awsome blog post about how to create a faux for the "boyfriend jeans" for a more accentuating look - Keep Reading!!
http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/

Wish upon a Shoe

During my lunch hour today, I went flat view shopping.  (My version of window shopping on my computer.)  The internet is a beautiful thing!!  Here is my summer WISH UPON A SHOE  LIST.  Since I am a bargain shopper I only looked at Sears, Payless, and Target.  Take a Peek!!

Gotta have these ones!

Loving you!!

These were made for me!!

I bought these last week on sale for $20 - Payless

I am a drooling fool when it comes to wedges.  Not that I need anymore shoes!!  If you were to have a fire in your house and had less than 2 minutes to grab your favorite shoes - which ones would you take?  Me...

I would burn trying to carry them all out!!

Tender Mercies

I recently read an article on the Tender Mercies of the Lord....have you noticed the hand of the Lord in your life?  I am not talking about big things, but little everyday things that we might pass off as "lucky".  When in all reality it is the Hand of the Lord touching our lives and showing his love for us.  When we realize how well He knows us and is willing to bless and express His love, those "lucky" things become true miracles from a Loving Father in Heaven who is always reaching towards us, his children. 

This past week, I have tried to make a mental note to take notice of those precious moments with my Father.  Like shopping at Ace with my mom, when we got out of the car my phone rang.  So I pulled it out and as I did, my entry key card for work slipped out of my purse unnoticed.  We walked into the store and spent a good 20-30 minutes looking around.  On the way back to the car I noticed an upside down plastic card lying on the ground infront of the vehicle.  I walked on by and as I went to reach for my door handle, I felt promted to pick it up.  I stopped and thought well I could turn it into Ace, someone might come looking for it - it might be a driver's license.  So I went back and picked it up and as I turned it over, I was shocked...it was my picture entry ID for work.  Our building is on lock down so if I had left it there, anyone could have used it to gain access to our building.  I would have been responsible for compromising the safety of others.  Or on Wed when I lost my keys and had to be at Young Women's Activity.  I searched the house everywhere and enlisted my two older kids to help.  We tore up the house searching to no avail.  Finally, I said, "Kierra say a prayer that we will find them, because we are so late and I am incharge."  She asked that the keys be found within the next few minutes.  I went back to the living room and had the thought look in the box of the game James had been playing with.  He had put the keys inside the box and we had even asked him if he knew where they were.  Nope he said and kept on playing.   

The times I know for sure He is aware and is talking to me are when I am having indecision in my life and I will read an article from a Conferene Talk or the Ensign and it has inspiration directly dealing with my problem.  Or when I am need of something to spice up a Young Women lesson or activity and amazingly I will wake up around 4 a.m. filled with wonderful ideas on how to make things work.   So look for these precious moments in your life and don't just think you are having "a good luck day".  Now instead of smiling and going on forgetting all about it or passing it off as a chance happening, I look up, smile, say thanks, and look for opportunities to do something nice for someone else.  It has really made my life much more joyful and fulfilling!!

By the way...here is what I wore on Thursday, Sunday, and today:

 Shirt:  $1.00 thrifted, skirt: thifted $4.00, belt: thrifted $1.00

 (The black blur behind me is my dog, Isabella.)

 Shirt: Thrifted $2.00, Skirt: Thrifted $4.00, Shrug: Thrifted $1.00, Necklace: Papparazzi $5.50

I love this skirt, it has so many colors and I can compile a ton of different outfits using it!

 Purse:  Payless $16.00 - this coral color is amazing!

 My favorite part of the entire outfit - Shoes:  Thrifted $5.00

 I actually made this jacket.  I took a tshirt that was getting a lil snug across the chest and cut it straight down the middle.  Then I took strips and made ruffles and sewed them around the edges.  I chose a more colorful material for the ruffles so that I could accessorize with more outfits.

 Necklace:  Papparazzi $5.50

Skirt:  Thrifted $1.00, slip extender: thrifted $1.00
I added a thick lace to the bottom of the slip to make a nice feminine addition to the skirt.