styling my new-mom-self – summer edition

Last summer is a complete blur of sleep deprivation, learning about babies, and trying to transition to a work-at-home mom. I don’t even remember what I did or how I looked when I did it. It’s crazy to think it’s been 16 months since having a baby, because I still feel very much post-partum.

This summer feels different, in that I’m actually rested enough to know what season it is. 🙂 I feel a bit more like me again. I *finally* made time this last week to color and cut my hair. I’m off the henna. It just takes too damn long! I gave all of my stash away. 😦 So I did a DIY box color during Hannah’s nap time one day, and my mom watched her while I went and got a haircut. It’s a really choppy-layered long a-line bob. It does the messy-wave thing quite nicely, and I love that style because a little heat and humidity doesn’t mess with it too much, and I can extend it a few days with just a couple of touch ups, some dry shampoo, and sea salt spray. Hooray for low-maintenance! Perfect mom hair.

Hubby and I have been talking about actually going on dates again. We need it. Well, at least I do. I need conversation without distractions and I need a break from the 24/7-ness of having a toddler. But it’s embarrassing to admit that I have (nearly literally) nothing to wear to go out. At least not in the warm season. At least not if I don’t lose the baby weight. There’s enough guilt and shame in our lives to have to apologize for not “bouncing back” immediately (or 16 months after..cough cough) after having a baby. So I’m not apologizing for it, OR making excuses for it. I’m working on it.

But the meantime is awkward. I don’t need, or have the time, to feel crappy about myself. I know it’s not so much about my size, as it is the futile attempts to look put together when nothing I own is doing me any favors. So, because my birthday is coming up, I am going to use it as an excuse to get myself something decent to wear for a nice summer date. Maybe with a reason to wear something other than yoga pants 90% of the time I’ll be a little more motivated to eat kale.

Here are a few ideas I put together (the first for casual day-dates and the second for slightly nicer evenings out) that will (theoretically) flatter my mom-bod AND keep me cool when it’s 100 degrees. (I have some items similar to a few things shown here).

For the casual styles, I basically picked belly-hiding tops with wear-to-death denim. I don’t mind showing a little leg if the upper half of my body is covered with distracting colors, prints and layers. 🙂 My favorite is probably the second from the left – floral shorts are different and fun and I have a similar vest.

For the evening looks, I picked mostly darker colors (more flattering on me and fine for summer evenings). My favorite item on this board are the shoes from the second look and the top on the third look. The third look is actually a bit too trendy for my liking – on someone else it’s great but I’d feel a little self-conscious. The last look is easiest though – I already have the top and similar sandals and earrings.

The hardest part is actually shopping for things I like – thus gathering ideas ahead of time. It saves me time when I can shop with a mission rather than wandering aimlessly. Any faves from the outfits? And any fun summer date ideas for me? I’m truly out of the loop with it all! 😉

30 Day Challenge – Day 1

For April I’m doing a 30 Days of Blogging challenge. There are lots of them out there, but I liked this one in particular because it wasn’t created by a 14 year old on Tumblr (there’s nothing wrong with 14 year olds on Tumblr except that the topics remind me that I’m old.)

It’s Day 1, and the topic is a fun one: “Discuss your current relationship.”

It’s hard to believe, but Jonathan and I will be married for 10 years this year (August 27). I’m 31, and he’s been a part of my life for half that; we starting dating when I was just 15. He was a year ahead of me and we went to the same high school, but I actually met him through a friend’s older brother, who was friends with Jonathan’s older brother. We bonded over rock music. We sat in his 1988 Mustang listening to TOOL albums. He wasn’t like a lot of guys I’d known – he was super shy, worked really hard (good at school and had a job), and looking back he’s still the same, solid guy. He’s never tried to be anyone he’s not. If I ever raise a boy, that’s exactly how I hope he would be. He doesn’t think anyone’s business is his, though he will always help anyone who asks. He’s sharp, good with money, extremely handy, and is really good at big-picture stuff. I’ve never questioned that he thinks of me as an equal. He’s a good balance to my flightiness, and he never makes even a sarcastic comment about my obsession-of-the-day tendencies.

We spent the first 8.5 years of our marriage as just the two of us. We both worked, I got my MBA, we did some traveling, raised our two fur-kids, and we fixed up two houses. So we had a lot of time to get to know our adult selves individually and as a married couple. Once Hannah was in the mix, so many things changed about our lives, but it did give our marriage a fresh start, too. It’d been us for so long that getting a new challenge and bonding experience made our marriage feel almost new again. I love seeing Jonathan as a dad. He’s very affectionate and involved in the decision-making. And as the types of decisions parents have to make will change as kids get older, I look forward to this adventure with him as we figure it out together. I couldn’t ask for a better life mate.

The picture above is a favorite of us in Hawaii in 2011 (and over J’s 29th birthday).

seven year switch.

Our seven year anniversary was last month, and our gift to ourselves was a new bedroom set. I really loved our mishmash of random furnishings before, but the bed was so uncomfortable we were sleeping on the couch! We finally decided to spring for the whole shebang, and I love it. It makes me feel like such a grown-up, having real furniture.

It’s a king-sized bed, so it definitely fills the space in the room much better than our previous queen. And because the furniture is black – husband’s choice, but I really like it – I went crazy with bedding options til I landed on this bedspread from Target. It’s called Persian Fan, I think. The warm color really helps make the room cozy.. all the earthy-tones weren’t working.

The captain’s bed is a really awesome feature. The drawer space is awesome. My husband keeps all of his clothes in the drawers in the bed. And I keep mine in the dresser.

It’s so spacious! I have an entire drawer just for socks and tights. See?:

Here’s the dresser top close-up and some favorite knick knacks. I got that box at the store we purchased the furniture (a local place). The lamp was my Christmas present the first Christmas we were married. The print is of a painting a local artist did that I bought at my local Art Fest a couple summers ago. And the TV… came free with the mattress purchase. I know, so random. We haven’t used it yet because we don’t have cable.

This mirror was once black but I sprayed it ivory to give it a bit more contrast on the wall. All my necklaces hang here.

Here’s a view from the other side of the room. This is a better photo to show the color of the bedspread. It’s a light reddish/coral color. It’s a weird choice with the teal wall, but I really really love it. It’s unexpected and dramatic, but still lightens up the room a bit.

I still plan to hang some more things on the wall and get a few throw pillows with teal in them to tie the bedding to the room together a little better. But for now it’s totally cozy and ready for fall. Kinda like my closet..

..which I fall-ified this afternoon {took off early from work due to feeling under the weather} in addition to finally getting around to working on pictures and a post on the new room switcharoo.

Paisley

So, we were in Vegas for a long weekend. The trip was DRAMZZ. I have stories. Some of them I will share. haha. Later. Hubby survived his 30th {happy birthday, babe!} and despite the fact that eleventy crazy things happened, we had tons of fun and we have some seriously hilarious memories. Vegas remains a place I can’t wait to leave. I’m glad it’s weird but I’m more glad I’m rarely there.

Soon I’ll be ready to talk about it. 😛

But now there are squirmier, happier, cuddlier, puppier things going on.

This is Paisley.

We just brought her home tonight and we are already smitten. So is her big sis, Sadie, although at first she was just confused.

They are already playing. And it is so adorable. (:

I’m already sleep-deprived so it’s going to be a long week! Welcome to the family, lil’ missy.

vegas, baby

Headed to Vegas on Thursday for a long weekend and hubby’s 30th birthday celebration! On the {packed} agenda – Cirque du Soleil show, Death Valley day trip, Swap Meet, dueling piano bar, the Arts Factory, Batiste’s Hole in the Wall Italian joint, a few hours at the gym, neon museum, aquarium … phew! … and homework crammed in there somewhere for me…

I am a believer in packing light despite the random assortment of sartorial needs {thus organizing ahead of time}. Here’s all that’s coming with me {sans personal items, cameras, and probably a bracelet or 12}:

 

five years.

Time is flying. We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary this weekend. It doesn’t seem possible that 5 years ago we were on our honeymoon in Vegas.

And 2 nights ago, we were celebrating 5 years of marriage. Do we look different? 😉

Happy 5 years, babe.

delightfully tacky

I found this buried in my new favorite junk shop today – $3!

J thinks it’s kind of hideous, but he does what all good husbands should do and trusts my design sensibilities over his own. Or at least knows not to bite the hand that makes his peanut butter pancakes. Good husband, here is a cookie. The shop owner (who looks suspiciously like an aged Luke Perry) said “where’d you pull this huge bastard from?” I know, right? I had to man-handle a mid-century modern credenza to rescue this. It really is huge, too. And it’s going on my living room wall, which is going to require just a bit of editing and tweaking to not clash horribly. I heart it. And if/when I stop hearting it, I’m totally going to metallic-leaf it.

Anyway, the living room is getting a $3 makeover this weekend and it can hardly contain itself. I will be sharing.

Happy weekend, everyone.

eatin snow.

I can cross it off my list of 30 things to do before I’m 30…

I tried snowboarding for the first time last night! Go me!

We borrowed gear from several people. We went with these lovely people {Brandon and Siara- it was Siara’s first time, too!}:

And this guy {Shane}:

{Brandon and Shane are pros… Shane was on skiis but still helping me out, while he was going BACKWARDS, and guiding me, AND catching me from face-planting. Geez.}

Here’s me and JB on the lift {do I look scared? Yesss. Hahaha…. I was freakin out}:

JB is good, too, even though he’s only been a couple times. He’s naturally good at stuff like that. And maybe his P90X is paying off and he’s getting even more buff. Hee. He’s a doll for arranging the snowboarding trip so I could cross it off my list. (: I want to go again! Soon!

This is where I was most of the time. On my bum. It has bruises on it today.

Snowboarding is so hard! I knew it would be. I was pushing myself up constantly so my wrists are killing me today! My bum hurts and my knees are a bit sore. I always take like 24 hours to really feel pain for some reason, though, so I will be in for it tonight I’m sure. I have a 4-day weekend to recover though! (: It was great motivation to work out harder, the muscle groups I forget exist. I’m going to hit the lunges and squats harder, plus the tricep dips so I can push myself up easier when I fall. I spend so much time at the gym trying to burn calories, I think I forget to get in shape!

I was getting the hang of it, kind of, by the end of the night {but no photographic proof, of course. Dang it!}.

I am excited to have something to look forward to during the Utah winters, because I normally DREAD them. I want to get better so I can not HATE the snow!

t-shirt surgery

So what if my clothing stash outnumbers my husband’s 30 to 1? That didn’t stop me from stealing one of his plain ol’ white Hanes t-shirts anyway* and giving it a girly treatment via this Kandee Johnson tutorial.

Awesome, no?

*He’s totally not mad. =) HEEEE

christmas wishlists

Every year, my husband gets one of these in December: a little .jpeg collage of things I would like for Christmas. I feel a few minutes of guilt every time  for our materialism, but it’s one of my favorite things about this time of year… making a little want list, editing, prioritizing, and laying it out all pretty-like for his shopping ease.

What’s on your Christmas wishlist?