TGIF!

Friday! It's Fall Commencement day here at work, which I actually welcome because it gets me out of the office for a good 4 hours or so and it make the day go by much more quickly. I just have to deal with the hens in the office running around as though their heads were cuts off, and I'm fine. I've found medicating myself with cookies seems to help. That and just ignoring them :) 
I also just found out that Gma will likely be released from the hospital after being there all week dealing with a blood clot in her leg. So, all in all, it should be a good day.
This weekend, I mostly have a ton of chores to do and errands to run. Santa Allie has to wrap her presents and get a few last-minute things. I also am planning on attempting to bake bread from scratch this weekend, so we'll see how that goes! (There will be pictures!) 

My outfit today:
I'm really happy with this outfit because it was a steal. I found it over the summer at TJ Maxx. It's Willi Smith and it is a nice woven cotton blend. I like the little cropped swing jacket because it isn't so stuffy. I was able to find all of the outfit on the clearance racks, which meant having to search for the matching pieces, but I do so enjoy a challenge. :) The best part was that I found a jacket, skirt and pants! What a deal!! These flats are the ones I found in Atl. I love them even more now. I am sooooo glad I got them. They are perfect for a day like today when I have to be somewhat dressy but comfortable too!


Jacket: TJ Maxx, Willi Smith, $15
Skirt: same, $7    (matching pants $9) Holla!!!!
Shoes: Bandolino, DSW, $30
Top: Banana Clearance, $12

 Arg! of course, the best shot is blurry.

 See the red marks on my left leg? That's where an evil vine scratched me and I can't get it to heal!

Casper was modeling my shoes for me... sheesh!

Here we are again....

Seems like I always find myself in the same spot on Mondays... trying hard to pretend like everything is going to be okay and then by about 9 am being desperate to get out!!!!!!! I just keep praying something is right around the corner. I'm thinking the first opportunity that presented itself probably isn't going to happen, so I'm just hoping there will be something else really soon. 


Anyway.... it's rainy here today and supposed to be this way tomorrow as well; I've got tons to do this week, from running errands at lunchtime practically every day to getting some good workouts in to unpacking and cleaning the house up before company comes this weekend. With so much to do, it should make the week pass by quickly!!


My outfit today:


Navy dress: Banana $35 This is a recent "cheat" purchase I got when Mom was in town for T-Giving
Sweater: Willi Smith, TJ Maxx, $10-15 I think
Necklace: Can't remember where I picked it up!
Shoes: Nine West, Clearance, $20


Technically, these shoes are grey and black, and I'm wearing a navy dress. But I think it goes! :)

Call me the grinch who stole Halloween....

So, I was out of town last year at Halloween; no clue where I was the year before... but somehow I missed the memo that my neighborhood takes Halloween quite seriously. I figured I'd just turn off the porch light (or not turn it on) and no one would bother me... So I'm finishing my workout and stretching (about 6 pm) and there are people knocking on my door. Seriously? It wasn't even dark enough to turn an outside light on! So, luckily I had some random candy still left from when the neighbors "boo-ed" me.... maybe that should've been a hint about the seriousness of Halloween... regardless, I was able to give the 2 Spider-men a few pieces of candy. Then I had to go into hiding. Luckily, the rest of the kids did heed the no-porch-light rule, but by stealing glaces through shut blinds, I realized I was not a good neighbor. All of the neighbors set up tables and chairs in their driveways and sit and wait for the kids to come to them.... which, by the way, does irk me a bit.... I mean, seriously how much lazier can we make the kids? At least make the sons of guns walk all the way to the front door!!! Anyway, there they all were sitting with their candy pots waiting for the kids. And I don't know if the kids in the neighborhood invited friends over or what, but we apparently have a lot of kids who do not get outside to play enough. (Not that they were fat, I've just never seen them before!)
Perhaps what made me sort of feel guilty last night was that other than the lack of doorbell ringing, everyone getting candy was a child, dressed in a cute outfit. I think in years past, I've been annoyed by Halloween and the 15 year olds not even in costume just looking for free handouts. But my little innocent neighborhood was doing it the semi-old fashioned way. Kind of refreshing. :) Although it did take all I had to not run outside and ask the 3 teenage girls who were "Playboy Bunnies" if they realized that the bunnies had a very strict appearance code and they clearly did not meet it.....not to mention the fact that they legitimately looked like cheap hookers and they were walking around a neighborhood with nothing but young kids trick or treating....  I'm all for cheap hooker Halloween, but not when you are not legal nor when you aren't at a party!
Anyway, I promise to be good next year.
Today I'm trying (again) to turn over a new leaf at work and brush off what I believe to be injustices and just breathe deeply and not let anyone affect how I am feeling. I should not be punished for having ambition but if that is a threat to some, I cannot control that, nor will I let it deter me. :) And that's that.

Today's outfit is comfy chic. (again, in my humble opinion)

Dress: Willi Smith, TJ Maxx, Clearance, $15
Cardigan: St. John's Bay, JC Penny, Clearance, $9
Scarf: World Market, $10 Yes, the wine and home store! They have great jewelry and accessories-check it out!
Shoes: Steven, Steve Madden
Earrings: Forever 21, $4
Watch: MK
Bracelet: Can't remember

Wednesday

Well, let's see..it's Wednesday. It's 2 days away from the weekend. It's my exercise day off. It's pretty out. What can I complain about? (Other than my job, but that's pretty much a constant.) Oh, I know. I can complain about the fact that I did my first dedicated abs workout last night and I'm feeling it today. The workout focused on the entire core and you know where I'm the most sore? My lower back. Go figure (I say sarcastically) My lower back is so weak. Every time I woke up last night I had to un-freeze my back and try to shift positions. I don't have any pain at all, it is just the weirdest feeling, almost like it just locks up on me when I'm not moving. This has been going on for awhile now, I'm hoping if I can ramp up the core workouts maybe I will strengthen it enough to keep it from tying up so much. (The back doc did say that I should focus on building my core strength....maybe I should've started sooner!) Regardless, I'm feeling good now. Just going to try to stretch occasionally throughout the day today.

Today I'm wearing a comfy Sunday-school dress mostly because I just wasn't feeling the outfit prep last night. I was going to wear some bronze heels with this but I decided I would just go comfy all around so I went with flats. Hence the over-all pentecostal feel of this outfit. :) The cardi is for function, not awesome-ness....


I'm wearing:
Cardigan: Banana Republic Outlet, $10
Dress: JC Penny Clearance, $ 8.99 (pulled tag off today)
Shoes: My go-to beat up favorite Candies bronze flats (had forever)
Watch: MK
Necklace: White House, Black Market

TGIF!

It's finally here! Friday oh Friday, I've been waiting for you all week! I have no outstanding plans this weekend, but boy am I happy it is almost that time! Of course, it's jeans day here in the office so my outfit is nothing amazing. LSU plays WVA this weekend and the game is in West Va. I'm wishing I was going on this trip because I'm guessing the scenery would be wonderful there this time of year. 
As I said, no big weekend plans. I was going to run to Sephora but I can put that off until next weekend. I need to take some shoes to the repair place, but that may or may not happen. At this point, it's looking like I actually have nothing that has to get done this weekend. That is a surprisingly good feeling! 
I hope everyone has a great weekend. As usual, if I end up doing anything worthwhile, I will take some pictures!


My outfit today:


Jeans: Kenneth Cole Outlet

Shirt: Marshalls (Notice the LSU motif)

Shoes: St. John's Bay, JC Penny (Stuffy brand, but I think these are so cute & comfy!

Hoop earrings and MK watch :)

 OK- I see now.. the camera is focusing on the lamp shade and not me... sheesh. The joys of having to take pictures with a self timer.... I'll have to fix that next week :)