Congrats to the Packers!
Hope you all had a great weekend full of friends, food and fun like we did. Unfortunately, this is why I am still recovering!
I’ll be back in business tomorrow – have a fabulous Monday, everyone!
ps; so many great movie trailers last night!
So the whole idea behind our 30th birthdays was that we were going to celebrate by traveling to Europe. No big parties, no big hoopla. Yeah, I always have a hard time doing low key. It’s just not my style. 
After some thought, I decided I was still going to celebrate my big 3-0 after all. Although nothing out of this world, I am planning a very fun fiesta at our home. Although I don’t have a theme per say, I will be hosting a pool party “to wash away the dirty in my 30’s,” in our hopefully (at that time) renovated pool. I want a cute and kitschy vibe going – very outdoor BBQ-esque, complete with cocktails in mason jars, paper straws, bunting, great music, hula hoop competitions and a DIY photobooth. And color, color, color!
1. 30 Mylar balloon
2. Hula hoop competition
3. Photobooth mustache props
4. Anthropologie bikini
5. Confetti System
6. Personalized cake banner
7. Fun DIY headdresses
8. Polka dot bunting
9. Paper pinwheels
10. Ice cream sandwiches
11. Mason jar drinks
12. Pom cupcake toppers
13. Mini Sofia champagne – {coupon codes}
I’m hoping to tackle a lot of DIY projects for the party and really make it my own, after all, I have 6 months to plan away! I really like the whole playful, youthful theme (guess I do have a theme after all!) for my 30th birthday, as I still feel as vibrant and full of life as I did back when I turned 21. Possibly, even more. I look back at my past with nostalgia and so many happy memories, and embrace my future with open arms, full of hope and excitement.
We celebrated the end of an exhausting work week on Friday by heading to Yard House for my coworker and good friend’s birthday party. We, well they, had half yards of delicious beer, and I learned what it truly was to suffer with Celiacs as all my friends chowed down on bread, cake and french fries, as I just looked on. Thankfully, Yard House has their own gluten free menu and were very accommodating. They also carry one brand of gluten free beer, RedBridge, which tastes great but doesn’t even get me buzzed. That night I came to the conclusion that I was just going to ex beer out completely and stick to white wine from now on. Kind of a sad reality, but one I can definitely get used to.
The rest of the weekend, I also battled with my new diet. I found myself getting very faint, as my options are always limited everywhere I go (especially at a kids party!), and I don’t get enough nutrition. I headed grocery shopping on Sunday at a local Publix that has a great Greenwise section (US-1 and 146th Avenue, for my local readers). I was able to pick up a lot of items for half the price than my Whole Foods excursion last weekend so that was a pick-me-up. However, I’m really going to have to get used to carrying snacks with me and making sure that I don’t starve my body. There really are plenty of things I can eat, I just have to be smart about it.
January 30th, 2011:
Dress; Etsy
Footless tights; Target
Wedges; Go Jane
Jean jacket; Old Navy
Mickey ears; a Disney authentic
Nail polish; Essie’s Material Girl
It’s my last day of the challenge! So bittersweet…I have to admit, it was truly a challenge. Every night, I would plan my outfits for the next day and spent many mornings rushing to the office very, very late because of my picture-taking sessions. It was also very time-consuming to blog real-time twice a day, since I have a full-time job. However, it felt really great to know that I looked my best every day this month, and that I was inspiring others. I’ve even been asked to continue my fashion posts, and although I would love to be able to do so every day from now on, it’s just not possible. But, every time I really enjoy my outfit, I’m going to try to make a similar post as to not abandon the concept all together past January.
But on to the outfit! I had to go out with a bang, so I used one of the shots from our impromptu photoshoot today at the park across from our home. The last time I wore this dress was at Epicenter while onstage with Bush, so it immediately brought me so many great memories the second I slipped it on. The hubs had bought it for me for the trip from a great Etsy seller that finds thrifted items and alters them to have a more modern fit. Absolute love! I paired it with my new favorite wedges and my trusty “cold” weather staple: the jean jacket. The ears were just for fun, but I would not bat an eyelash if I had to wear them around – they were one of the last hand-stitched ears available at Disney World. They are made electronically now, so it feels kind of special to have “vintage” memorabilia.
So how did you like my fashion posts these past 30 days? I’d love to hear your feedback!
January 29th, 2011:
Tee; Old Navy
Knit cardi; Aeropostale
Shorts; I.N.C.
Footless tights; Target
Heels; Marshall’s
Shades; Forever 21
This is the way I go to kids’ birthday parties. Yep, that’s how I roll. The minute the hubs and I walked into the party, I was told by my cousin that we “looked like [we] were going on tour.” That obviously means that I did something right, heh. Ladies, I cannot say this enough: do not abandon clearance racks! I always lust over I.N.C. products, but figured that I could never afford any of the pieces. WRONG. Patrol your local Macy’s for sales. When I.N.C. does sales, they are as serious as a heart attack. Prices are slashed left and right. Almost all pieces were $30 and less, including these adorable shorts, so you better believe I stocked up. More good news: this happens more often than you think! In fact, I should swing by the mall this week and see if there’s one going on right now!
Since I had such a rockin’ look going with the shorts paired with my favorite tights, I decided to throw on my rock star heels. Believe it or not, they are very comfortable and look so vampy – so much heart! These were another clearance rack steal at my local Marshall’s – couldn’t believe so many of these were perched on the shelves. Who would want a pair, especially at $20-some??
ps; Only one day left of the challenge! Wowza!
January 28th, 2011:
Tunic; gifted
Skinny jeans; Target
Platform wedges; Go Jane
Something really great that comes from living a digital lifestyle and plastering my favorite items on the Internets, is that all my friends and family members know exactly what to get me during holidays. This fun tunic was a gift from my mother-in-law for my birthday a couple of years back. I love the colors and the print, and how beautiful it looks paired with dark jeans. I was especially excited that it went perfectly with my new favorite pair of shoes from Go Jane! Described by my supervisor as “mummy shoes,” they are the most fun (and comfortable) pair of platform wedges I have ever seen! Don’t they look just like the Jeffrey Campbell’s that are covering all the hippest fashion blogs, but with a way more affordable price tag.
January 27th, 2011:
Tank; Wet Seal
Sparkle sweater; Old Navy
Jeans; Macy’s
Converse One Star’s; Target
Heart necklace; ??
Scarf; Old Navy
The chill is back! Well, somewhat. It was cold enough to wear a sweater and a scarf without getting strange looks, however, it was extremely short lived. By lunch time, I was ripping off my scarf and wishing I had worn short sleeves. Again, I’m sure all of you in other parts of the United States wish my quick, yet painful death. I’ve heard the snowstorms are really getting brutal!
However, over in our neck of the woods, it’s all 70’s, breezy and sunshine. Don’t hate.
But back to the outfit in hand. This sweater has always been a favorite of mine (it’s years and years old!) because of its beautiful sparkly thread. It gives such a lovely yet understated feminine vibe, which I dig (I don’t always have to be in screaming hot pink). I am also really impressed with the quality. Despite being worn to death over the past 5 years (told you it was old), it has held up great and always manages to keep me warm during our mild cold fronts.
TGIF, everyone!
January 26th, 2011:
Turtleneck dress; Ebay
Footless tights; Target
Jean jacket; Old Navy
No shoes; courtesy of the rain
No shoes…Wednesday? Well, that didn’t work, now did it.
It was a very rainy morning yesterday, so as soon as I took the dogs out for their walk, I tracked in all sorts of goodies into the house. I had to rip them off immediately, and do this post barefoot. I hope you all don’t mind.
I somehow found this great dress while randomly searching “black turtleneck dress” on Ebay as I was online shopping for some clothes for my family trip to NYC. I can’t remember the seller or the price at this moment, but I know it was a killer steal. Best part is that I didn’t wear it while in New York, but have worn it constantly back home in sunny Sofla! You just gotta love it.
On another note, I’ve tried pairing all black with bright tights, but I just cannot pull it off. I see some lovely ladies doing it on my favorite fashion blogs, but I just do not have that talent. I figure it may be because my legs are so thick – too much color on too much canvas, I suppose. So I stuck with black and looked like I was in mourning. Perhaps mourning the sun? The bright blue skies? The fact that Friday is so close yet so far?
Either way, I hope you all have a fantabulous Thursday and have some kick ass plans brewing for that so-close-yet-so-far weekend.
ps; can you believe I only have a few days left of the 30 day challenge? Where did January go?
January 25th, 2011:
Dress; Thrift store in San Francisco
Jeggings; Nordstrom Rack
Boots; gojane.com
Headband; Wet Seal
Thrifting is common practice in other big cities besides Miami, so I was beside myself when I got the chance to visit some fun thrift stores while visiting San Francisco a couple years back. I got this cute tunic, which makes me feel a little hippy dippy. And Lord knows I’ve needed a little peace and love as of late, am I right? It also helps that it is super comfortable (I admit that at times I choose comfort over fashion), so I felt nice and breezy throughout my work day. I later got my ass handed to me at a spinning class (do not ingest soup before spinning – FYI), and spent the rest of the night catching up on Conan with me, myself and the pups.
Friday afternoon I received a call from my doctor’s office regarding my blood work. I had been having some pretty severe intestinal issues for about 2 years now, but had been avoiding getting them checked out due to my doctor (aka; needle) phobia. However, the pain and general discomfort had reached an all time high and I finally waved the white flag and made an appointment. When I got the call, I knew they had found something.
And that something was Celiac Disease.
