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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

For The Love Of Thrift Stores...

 Ok...I'll admit it.
I used to have this...thing.  A quirk, if you will.
I wouldn't shop at thrift stores or garage sales.
The thing that "weirded" me out...was not knowing the home the item came from.
"You can wash it," my mom and sister would always tell me!
My mom always bought all kinds of amazing gadgets and household items from thrift stores.
My sister (whose fashion sense I admire immensely) always shopped thrift stores.
I did pop in a couple times, but never found anything.
"You have to go all the time because you never know what you'll find or what they have," my sister told me.  Well, I finally "kind of" got over my quirk...and allowed myself to buy household items.  I found a brand new tin of mini cookie cutters (retail $7.99) for 50 cents!
That kind of got me started.  I also went to a few garage sales this past spring with my mom and sister...and bought some shirts and leggings!  Yes...I got past my "quirk".
I am now a garage sale/thrift store lovin' momma!
 Last spring when I went shopping with my sister, I got some amazing deals and clothes at Plato's Closet.  LOVE that store!  This weekend, I thought I'd try my hand at Goodwill.
Boy was I ever glad!  I got these cute little sweater dress/tunics!  The one above was $2.99 and the one below was $4.99.
 I'm thinking legging with both will be adorable!
 This is a light-weight knit top...not quite a sweater, but heavier than a shirt.  Perfect for fall.  It's a black/white speckled blend and I love it.  I have the perfect scarf to pair with it!
 This button-down cardigan is a Liz Claiborn and I scored it for $3.99!
Skinny jeans and boots, maybe?
 I'm wearing this seafoam green sweater today with gray jeans (love colored denim) and my peacock necklace and ring.  It's so warm and cozy!  Another $3.99 steal!
 LOVE this one.  Can you say COLUMBIA?  Yes I got this Columbia sweater for the ridiculous price of $3.99!  I have some brown jeans that I plan to wear with it.  I think it's going to be a great combo!
 I can't wait to play with this sweater.  It's another Liz Claiborn.  It's...different.  A little eccentric.  But I'm thinking it would be really cute with black skinnies or leggings and boots?  Some quirky jewelry?
 Oh, here's that seafoam sweater I showed you above, and the peaock necklace I'm wearing with it.  Sorry, my eyes are tired and it's a "glasses kind of day".  I hate wearing my glasses...much prefer my contacts, but I stay up so late and get up so early, my eyes are always tired.  My hair is really growing.  It's surprising even me!  My hair grows slower than...EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FREE WORLD.  Yes really.  But, I am actually encouraged by its progress this time around!
 On top of all my thrift store finds this weekend...Payless had their BOGO 1/2 off sale going on.
I really needed some fall shoes.
The sales gal says, "Can I help you find something?"
"Um...I need something brown...and maybe black...flats...and maybe heels..."
She laughs.
I'm so indecisive.
 I ended up purchasing these brown heels...
...and these black flats.  I think both will be great this fall.
Do you enjoy garage saling or thrifting?
If so, where are your favorite places?
 

Monday, October 28, 2013

The ups and downs of middle school...

Middle school has been full of ups and downs for my youngest son.
More ups than downs, thankfully.

Nate is a big kid.  Probably the tallest in the middle school.  Actually he's taller than most of the high schoolers on his bus as well!  But he's very quiet and reserved at school.
I like to refer to him as my "gentle giant".  He's a friend to everyone, doesn't like conflict, he's my "mellow-fellow".
So the day he came home from school and said to me, "Mom, I stood up to a bully today"...I was intrigued.  He proceeded to share this story with me:
"I was eating lunch with O and this big kid came by and smashed O's chips!"
I asked what he did.
He said, "I stood up to this kid and firmly said, KNOCK IF OFF DUDE!"
I asked what happened next.
"The kid took off running and the lunchroom monitor gave me a thumb's up sign!"
I was pretty proud of him.

In other news...
He recently decided he'd like to try out for the basketball team. 
I have to say...like I mentioned earlier, my youngest is VERY tall for his age.
I'm talking "off the doctor's charts" tall for his age.
Thus, he's always been a little...awkward.
So when he said he wanted to try out for basketball, I really had to give him credit.
He's never really been the "athletic" type, but he's always one to try new things.
I admire that about him.  He is so brave.
He doesn't care if other people are better or what people say.
When he makes up his mind to do something, he's going to do it.
He practiced all month.
He'd come home from school and go out and shoot hoops.
Needless to say, he didn't make the team.
He was crushed for the afternoon.
But it was nothing a little "I'm so proud of you for trying anyway" treat couldn't fix, LOL!
My husband always has a soft heart...and thought our little buddy needed a little encouragement/reward for trying so hard anyway.
We had a special dinner out and ice cream.
I have to give him credit...he's WAY more brave than I ever was.
I'm so proud that he's always willing to try new things no matter what!
Way to go buddy!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

First Trim...(Growing Out The Pixie)

Well, I finally got my first "trim" since deciding to grow out my pixie.
When growing out a short 'do in the past...I always tended to avoid the hair stylist.
I think we all know too well, that feeling of not wanting to get ANY new growth cut, as it takes so long to get there.
But...we must.
It is crucial to get that nasty "mullet growth" off of our necks, get the bangs trimmed, and shape up the rest of the growth.
You'd be surprised what a tiny little trim can do!
I had NO CLUE just how much my hair had grown until I got it trimmed!
I thought the reverse would be true.  I thought it would feel really short all over again.
But nope!
I actually see a lot of new growth!
And...I got lucky!
My pixie is already growing in the direction I am headed and want it to be!
An angled bob.
Yes...my sides are already starting to angle and grow in that direction.
My stylist shaped it up a little more and we're headed on the right path.
I really liked it after she cut it.
However I still have good hair days and bad hair days.
It's all a part of the growing out stage I guess.
Continuing my obsession with headbands, clips, accessories, etc.
 

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Moving Right Along...(hair growth)

Growing out the pixie...
July...
August...
September...
October...
Yes...I told you my hair grows slower than EVERYONE else in the world's.
But you didn't believe me, did you?
Can you seriously believe that this is ALL it's grown?
Well, honestly...I'm not too discouraged.
I have to tell you, I've only had a couple days that I've felt like giving up.
And they were both short-lived.
I hung in there.
Walked right past the mirrors.
And ignored my ugly hair.
Now mind you, I have had trims.
And some of those trims, PROBABLY took off more than they should have.
Next time I go in...she is getting STRICT instructions...
1. Only the bangs...
and
2. Only the neckline.
Once I see some real growth on the sides, I'll have her start shaping it into an angled bob again.
And while I know it still may look VERY short to the average person..."I" can actually see a lot of growth!  Yay!
And that is inspiring me not to give up.
The top is growing a LOT.
So...with the help of headbands, scarves, clips, and pins...we WILL get through these ugly stages!
WE SHALL OVERCOME!
Stay tuned for next month's picture!