This is a cute modern day version of a tea outfit. The skirt and shoes evoke a 1950s vibe. I love the polka dot pattern! But the shirt and blazer are thoroughly modern. I love the color combination! Bright and yet subtle. And if it gets hot, the shirt had nice detailing to help it stand without the blazer. The bag and necklace complete the outfit. You always need a good bag for tea.
$82 - newlook.com
modaoperandi.com
monsoon.co.uk
scoopnyc.com
accessoryfoundry.com
Another round of thank yous...
It is said that if there were no darkness in the world, it would not be possible to see the light; if this is the case, starlight is all the more rich for its illumination of the night sky. -- Scott Fowler
This past week we returned home, dealt with Arthur's first cold, and then ended the week with our mom's group Easter Party. It was a busy week!
Likes: Rattles, playing with anything he shouldn't (i.e. mom's craft supplies or computer cords), puffs
Dislikes: Being left alone for 5 minutes (I have to use the restroom at some point during the day...), waiting for mom to make his oatmeal or rice cereal
Sleeping: After a bad Monday night, he started sleeping 12 hours straight. That ended on Saturday after we dropped J off at the airport. He woke up three times that night. We seem to have gone back to 8-9 hours without waking. I can do that.
Eating: Anything and everything. We've tried most of the baby food combos and haven't found one he didn't eat. We're also starting to branch out into regular food. He wasn't quite too sure about Greek yogurt, but he did eat a few mini spoonfuls.
Playing: In our Easter goodie bags, we included a small egg shaped tambourine and three shaker eggs (filled with rice, lentils, and beans). Arthur's been really loving the tambourine and eggs the last few days. He really loves to shake one of them while I'm shaking another. We have our own little band!
Doctor Visit Stats: Our 6 month visit has been pushed until sometime next week. Doctor had to reschedule.
Medical Milestones:
Schedule: We're down to two naps a day, but the times are still all over the place. I have tried to put him down right after lunch, but depending on where we are, it can be hard. Bedtime is the only set time of the day.
Out and About:
There's a little place in my heart for Lily Allen. And I'm really enjoying this new song.
Lyrics:
It’s 2 am so I just stopped the music I’m still swaying like I was on a cruise ship Took the words straight out of my mouth Come on everybody back to my house Take my hand now, you’re coming over It doesn’t matter you can sleep on my sofa Bring some fags and bring some rizzlers We’re gonna party like it’s nobody’s business
Let your hair down now It’s the end of the week And this is our time now Let’s forget everything And put your glad rags on Dressing up like we’re queens of the night
We just wanna dance the night away We don’t give a damn what people say We’ve had enough so turn it up Tonight we’re taking over And we will wear our drink 'til we lose our minds Wanna lose sense of space and time We’re going through, It’s how we do Tonight we’re taking over
I feel fly I’m looking kenzo I'll get high But I ain't doing benzos I might dance like your auntie I don’t care cause we’re here to party I got a quite good record collection Yeah I got everything that came out on Def jam I’ve got hip hop, I’ve got dub-step I’ll take us right through from sunrise to sunset
Let your hair down now It’s the end of the week And this is our time now Let’s forget everything And put your glad rags on Dressing up like we’re queens of the night
We just wanna dance the night away We don’t give a damn what people say We’ve had enough so turn it up Tonight we’re taking over And we will wear our drink 'til we lose our minds Wanna lose sense of space and time We’re going through, it’s how we do Tonight we’re taking over
Drink a little more and Dance a little harder Shout a little louder, if you like Move a little faster Stand a little taller Do whatever makes you feel alright
Drink a little more and Dance a little harder Shout a little louder if you like Move a little faster Stand a little taller Do whatever makes you feel alright
Go hard Go harder now Go hard Go harder now
We just wanna dance the night away We don’t give a damn what people say We've had enough so turn it up Tonight we’re taking over We will drink 'til we lose our minds Wanna lose sense of space and time We’re going through, it’s how we do Tonight we’re taking over
(Go harder) We just wanna dance the night away We don’t give a damn what people say We've had enough so turn it up Tonight we’re taking over (Go harder) And we will wear our drink til we lose our minds Wanna lose sense of space and time We’re going through, it’s how we do Tonight we’re taking over
It feels like it's been forever since I did a Sunday Sunset. We're back home and trying to get back into our regular routine, so I guess it's time to resurrect this...
Listening To: Arthur and I have been jamming out the iTunes radio Alternative Rock channel. Loving some Arctic Monkeys, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Neighbourhood.
Book finished: What Ifs of American History; Yellow Crocus; Wicked; Something Wicked This Way Comes
Reading: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
On the Nightstand: A Vindication on the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft; Thirteen Reasons by Jay Asher; Stranger Than Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
Making Lists: A project list. I need to update my never-ending large project list. I've got some good ones for the next couple of months.
Around the house: Attempting to determine what baby proofing items I need to buy... I've got to take some measurements of our hallway and storage areas. We definitely need a gate and a fence for the entertainment center. And of course I need the cabinet and drawer locks. Guess I'll be spending some time on Amazon this weekend.
From the kitchen: I tried a new recipe for Cilantro Lime Shrimp that was extremely mediocre. Probably crossing that one off the list.
Crafting: Nothing these past weeks. Once the Easter Party is over today, I plan on spending some time to craft (cards, lists, and PL spreads).
Watching:
Shopping Scores: I joined a new monthly PL kit from Take Ten Kits. And here's my first kit. I like the colors even if I'm not quite sure what to do with a few of the cards. But as an extra bonus, this kit is only $10 per month.
I also went a bit crazy on my FB PL Swap and Shop group. I snapped up a partial Happy and a partial Jade kit. Excited to incorporate these cards in my weekly spreads.
While in Indiana I had to check out Michaels. The ones by my house doesn't have the full PL line that they should have. Thankfully the Jefferson Point Fort Wayne store had all the fun things. I had a 50% off regular price item and a 20% off total regular order coupon. I snapped up some cute fabric flowers, the Amy Tangerine Cut and Paste mini kit, a MME 6x6 paper pad, and the Music, Planner, and Journal theme kits. So pretty!
Project: Today we had the Easter Party. That has been my project for the last few weeks. I'm taking a break for a few days and then I plan on picking a new project to start.
Exercising: I'm back to our twice weekly walks at Shoreline. It's getting pretty hot by the end of the walk now. We may need to change the times soon...
Picture: A halfway decent family picture. I'll take it.
Title: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Author: Ray Bradbury
Publisher: Simona and Schuster 1962
Genre: Horror
Pages: 308
Rating: 4/5 stars
Reading Challenges: NPR Scifi and Fantasy; NPR Teen; Mount TBR; Read Your Freebies; 52 Books -- W15
Few American novels written this century have endured in th heart and mind as has this one-Ray Bradbury's incomparable masterwork of the dark fantastic. A carnival rolls in sometime after the midnight hour on a chill Midwestern October eve, ushering in Halloween a week before its time. A calliope's shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. And two inquisitive boys standing precariously on the brink of adulthood will soon discover the secret of the satanic raree-show's smoke, mazes, and mirrors, as they learn all too well the heavy cost of wishes -- and the stuff of nightmare.
For a classic horror novel, I wasn't that impressed. In reality, I think I read this too late. I was reminded of newer horror writers. The entire time I thought I was reading a Stephen King novel or something of the like. The writing was a bit stilted at times, but overall I did enjoy the story. The nightmares are scary enough to get me at times. The characters are shadowy and mysterious. The twists and turns kept me interested. A good read, but I think I prefer Bradbury's science fiction to his horror.
Week 13
Family Album: Weeks 13 and 14 were all about documenting our trip back to Indiana. I loved adding the little embellishment tags and sparkly stars here and there throughout the spread. I didn't want to clutter the photos too much, but felt they needed a little something.
As to the pictures themselves, I love adding in more pictures of Arthur with other people. I got some great shots of him with my sister, father, mom, grandpa, and grandma. So cute!
Supplies:
Week 14
Family Album: The second week of our trip back to Indiana. This time I used some of my new Heidi Swapp stamps ("hello" and "together") and some great alphabets to label some pictures. I also caught some great pictures of Arthur with his Grandma and Papa, Uncle, brothers, and new baby friends.
Supplies:
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits. Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links. Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…
What I Did
8. Have a Pixar marathon -- As part of my IMDB movie month, I watched a ton of Pixar movies including their two new ones: Monsters University and Brave.
12. See all of IMDB’s Top 250 movies (61/250)
24. Keep a journal for this project
37. Pass 250,000 pages read for my 1,000,000 pages challenge (171,786/250,000)
82. Do a 3-5 km walk -- I routinely walk 6 miles at Shoreline on Mondays. I'd say that this fulfills my goal.
Overall Progress
37/101
For these Fashion Fridays, I love mixing patterns. I don't do that in real life; I wish I had the courage. Anyway, I love the almost neutral nature of the skirt and shirt. The patterns aren't so busy that they complete with each other. Instead, I think they compliment each other. I especially love the almost optical illusion quality of the skirt. For the rest of the outfit, I kept the accessories simple but still interesting. I really love the shoes. Very cute.
rustyzipper.com
Christopher Kane black sheer skirt
$810 - brownsfashion.com
alternativeoutfitters.com
forzieri.com
hats.com
Here is my randomness for the week:
It is such a secret place, the land of tears. -- Antoine de Saint Exupery
We're back from almost two weeks in Indiana. We saw a ton of people, watched some crap television, and played a lot!
Likes: Food (really all kinds); cuddling; television (he rarely gets to watch)
Dislikes: Cold weather and rain (not so fun in Indiana); being put down
Sleeping: Sleep was all over the map while in Indiana. Some nights he did eight hours straight. Others he woke up screaming after three. I hope our transition back home includes better sleeping.
Eating: We started eating lunch and dinner this past week. He's loved everything except for peas and the pureed chicken and rice. We'll try both again in a few weeks. He's also a fan of vanilla puffs.
Playing: Lots of exploring and discovering new places to get stuck. He still has his favorite toys, but he picked up a few new ones while traveling. He's really enjoying his new mini sock monkey.
Medical Milestones:
24 weeks
25 weeks
Schedule: All over the place again. Hopefully we get back to normal this week.
Out and About: Lots of new and old places visited these past two weeks. We had playdates at our friends and a ton of family members. We ate in a few restaurants. We even visited the local Target. Fun times...
More Alt Nation finds for this new music round-up.
Bastille "Bad Blood"
CHVRCHES "Recover"
Youngblood Hawke "We Come Running"
Title: Wicked (Wicked Years #1)
Author: Gregory Maguire
Publisher: HarperCollins 1995
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 406
Rating: 3/5 stars 4/5 stars for the musical
Reading Challenges: Fantasy Project; ebook; Book to Movie (or musical); Lucky 14 -- Walking Down Memory Lane
This is the book that started it all! The basis for the smash hit Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Gregory Maguire's breathtaking New York Times bestseller Wicked views the land of Oz, its inhabitants, its Wizard, and the Emerald City, through a darker and greener (not rosier) lens. Brilliantly inventive, Wicked offers us a radical new evaluation of one of the most feared and hated characters in all of literature: the much maligned Wicked Witch of the West who, as Maguire tells us, wasn’t nearly as Wicked as we imagined.
I probably read this right around the time is was released. I recall reading it in high school but can't pinpoint the year, so anywhere from 1995-2000. I recall that I really enjoyed the novel. Upon rereading, my opinion of the book has lowered. I love love love the premise! We get to see how the Wicked Witch became the WW. I always assumed there was more to the story than she was just wicked. Overall, I gravitate toward villains. They usually have much more interesting back stories than heroes. I was to learn what makes them tick. I want to see their motivations for doing wicked things. So, I love the idea of this book. I love the concept the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch were friends once upon a time. I love the idea of expanding the discussion of politics and social class within Oz.
But then we come to the actual book and most of it falls fairly flat. The story becomes a bit convoluted. I got lost in all the small details of the world that are included but don't seem to matter much in the long run. I was disappointed in the little growth exhibited by Elphaba and Galinda. I wanted to see more. I wanted to really track their paths to seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum. The side character flit in and out of the story with little to no consequence. I wanted to truly explore the world of Oz, but the choppiness of the novel impeded my ability to dive in and get lost. Upon rereading, I just didn't love this book.
The Musical
On the other hand, I adore the musical. I saw a production of Wicked in Chicago in 2008 and fell in love. Of course, I didn't get to experience the musical with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, but the actresses in the production were very good and enjoyable. The musical succeeds by narrowing the focus to the journeys of Elphaba and Galinda. It cuts out Elphaba's childhood and some of the minor plots from the book. We also contain the action to Shiz and then the Emerald City. By doing so, we get a better sense of the women's journeys and the implications of their choices. Plus, it has some great songs!
Wicked Years
I don't often write about parenting concerns here. Mostly that's because there are so many great "mommy bloggers" out there. I don't feel that I have anything groundbreaking to add to the conversation. However I recent article sparked all kinds of thoughts in my head. Note: The thoughts in this post are my own opinions. Although I do pick a side of this topic, I do not begrudge anyone on the other side.
While reading through my blogroll, I ran across this article from Huff Post written by Bunmi Laditan: I'm Done Making My Kid's Childhood Magical. Immediately, I screamed "Yes"! Don't worry, I didn't scream out loud, but it was a huge internal reaction. The gist of the article is that we don't need to plan these elaborate activities and parties and buy our children the hip expensive clothes. Providing the necessities and showing love is enough. Allowing our children to explore and play by themselves is just fine. We don't need to plan every second of every day.
I don't have a daily schedule of crafts and activities. Somedays they are left mostly on their own to play and entertain themselves. Obviously that's not quite true with the little one, but I still make sure he has time to explore (safely of course) on his own without my direction, help, or interference. Somedays I have too many chores or a massive headache and don't feel like being an "on" parent. And that's okay. I am not harming my children.
I have often felt the mommy guilt that I don't do more on a daily basis. Occasionally I doubt my ability to parent. And then I turn around see my children exploring their worlds, happily playing. I see my 11 year olds actively seeking out new information and new games. I see my 6 month old finding his independence in play and mobility. And I didn't have to scour Pinterest, run to the craft store, and spend hours making something they probably won't even remember.
For the record: I do have a kids' activities board on my PInterest account. I do occasionally pull things off of it to try. But I try to resist the feeling that I have to. Those activities are fun extras not our day to day routine.
Laditan's last thoughts resonated deeply within me:
It is not our responsibility to manufacture contrived memories on a daily basis.
Planning elaborate events, daily crafts, and expensive vacations isn't harmful for children. But if the desire to do so comes from a place of pressure or even a belief that the aforementioned are a necessary part of one's youth, it's time to reevaluate.
Thank you for reaffirming my decision to step away from the perfect mommy race and be the parent I was meant to be.
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. I told myself that 2014 would be the year of no challenges, but that didn't quite turn out the way I planned. Instead, I entered a ton of challenges still keeping the original idea of reading from my own stacks. Doing good so far. I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here goes…
Total Challenges: 0/30 0%
Total Spots: 114/521 21.9%
Individual Challenge Progress:
*Successes: Women Authors and Books to Movies at sitting at 1/2 done. Loving my progress!
**Failures (Needs Improvement): NPR Scifi and Fantasy; 21st Century Women Authors; Time Top 100; Rereading -- I really should get on these challenges.
This look is so eclectic, but I love it. I don't think I would have the confidence to actually wear this, but I love the look. The shirt and skirt have movement and remind me of fall. The accessories add even more personality. And I need that necklace.
1stdibs.com
monsoon.co.uk
Charlotte Olympia navy blue suede shoes
modaoperandi.com
accessorize.com
Rebecca Minkoff charm pendant necklace
shopbop.com
hottopic.com
Always love good Muppets video. This one is a little different...
I'm sort of intrigued (Hello Adam Baldwin!), but I have some trepidations as it's from Michael Bay.
Chvrches covering Lorde... Love it! (music starts about 3:40)
Another awesome Mental Floss video!
Another Lorde cover
To wrap it up today, I have a pretty serious video on Sexual Abuse, Consent, and Culture. Very thought provoking...
If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain as he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be. -- Goethe