Archive for December 2013
Favorites of 2013…
Posted on: December 31, 2013
On the You Look Fab forum our fearless leader started a thread to post our favorite outfits of 2013 and this is what I posted… I was suprised at how many I loved and how hard it was to narrow down… I am proud of these final picks and think they demonstrate my love of both color and femininity!
Dear Readers, any of these you especially like?
I hope everyone has a wonderful night and a safe New Year’s Eve!
Happy 2014… the year of change for our family!
Tom starts his new job as Director of Marketing and Sales,
we will have a high school graduation and 3 children going off to colleges and graduate schools…
Plan is to make lots of memories together before that happens!!!
Tom is planning to take me on a cruise in either February or March!
And don’t forget I have that amazing Ireland Trip coming in October 2014!!!
Red Plaid and Faux Fur
Posted on: December 29, 2013
- In: Boots | Mom On the Go | red | Vest
- 9 Comments
My Dear Readers, I have not been feeling well due to my own silly mishap of neglecting to take my vitamins and the eating on the run this past month which led to anemia…
I had days of severe headache and the need to nap often which when I mentioned that on the You Look Fab Forum, a dear member recognized my symptoms… I can’t believe it didn’t hit me as I have experienced it before… I was joking about having mono…my kids were laughing….
Linking up with Visible Monday
After two days of upping my iron intake, my headache is gone ,but I am having the halo leftovers similiar to a migraine and I am not quite as tired, although I did have a nap today…Tomorrow should be even better, though it can take up to 6 months to get back up to normal…
Excuse my indoor photos with a tablecloth background (compliments of my 18 year old son). The light above doesn’t capture the pants too well, but this is the debut of my red plaid skinnies. I bought these months ago, on clearance for less than $15.
This is my new faux fur vest that my dear husband bought me for Christmas and I love how you can pull strings to nip it in at the waist. He scored this at BJ’s along with my necklace…
Here is my Ying/Yang necklace that is Mother of Pearl and Onyx. It really is much prettier than the photo depicts as it’s not showing the mother of pearl clearly.
Dear Readers, I had noticed my face being paler in some of my recent blog photos and even mentioned it to my family… I am so glad that the dear forum member reached out with her thoughts that jarred me back to reality and action. It is fairly common when eating a more vegetarian diet have to be careful…
Gratitude
I am grateful for a quick solution and turn around of my symptoms.
I am grateful that I posted my symptoms and for the insightful response.
I am grateful that my husband and kids went ahead to Busch Gardens , Christmas town last night without me.
I am grateful that my brother’s friend is grateful that my brother called the police and stopped his suicidal plans .
I am grateful that my brother is such an amazing guy that he went to his place and cleaned up so that the girlfriend who was returning the next day, didn’t come home to any alcohol or drug mess (My parents are smiling and filled with pride as they watch over us from Heavan)
I am grateful for my two sons and their help in geting these photos today!
Miracles Abound….
Posted on: December 27, 2013
Dear Readers, I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas Holiday! We had an especially fantastic one this year as we received great news the day before, when my husband accepted a promotion at his new company!
Beginning Jan 2nd he will be the new Director of Sales and Marketing!
A position he is perfect for and the best thing is that he will have hours that are even better for our family!
My tan leather is new and a gift from my dear husband, the lighting is late afternoon, so not good but it has some wonderful quilted details at the shoulders and waist.
I took my long scarf and tied the ends to make it an infinity scarf and hid the knot by covering it with the other circle at the back of my neck…. nobody would even guess…
Dear Readers, I received a few fashion related items ,but my favorite has to be the Ying Yang Necklace in Onyx and Mother of Pearl that I saw every week at BJ’s and my dear husband hunted down online when the store sold out, to surprise me. I love the black faux fur vest he bought me as well… will debut those both soon…
Did you get any favorite fashion items or accessories????
I also must confess to you my dear readers, that these past two weeks I have gained 5lbs…. aaagghh!
Gratitude
I am grateful that my husband got the final news on this job the day before he began his vacation and how over the top happy he has been ever since..
I am grateful for this holiday season and how we stop and think about what really matters in this lifetime.
I am grateful that my brother saw his friend leave something in his mailbox and went out to get it immediately as it was a suicide note and he was able to get his freind help before it was too late.
I am grateful that I managed to totally surprise my oldest this Christmas and he can’t stop thanking me….
I am grateful that we are all heading to Busch Gardens Christmas town Saturday Night!
Violet and White for Christmas
Posted on: December 22, 2013
- In: Purple | skinny jeans
- 5 Comments
Feeling very sentimental today on this amazing 80 degree day….
Missing my dear mother and cherishing memories as a child attending Christmas Services in the Episcopal Church sparked the vision of the gorgeous violet , white and gold linens that adorned the altar.
I would have loved to do gold jewelry, but opted to wear this pin of my mother’s as a pendant to feel her with me throughout my day…
The clouds were starting to roll in as I was taking my photos. so not the best lighting..
I wish you could tell the my jeans have a white pearlized finish on them…
Nature provided a sweet surprise as these were in my flower bed today!
Dear Readers, This will be my last post before Christmas as Monday and Tuesday are cleaning and cooking days. I hope you all have a Wonderful Holiday, spent with loved ones and share in the joy and laughter of the season.
Gratitude
I am grateful for this unseasonably warm day and the fun of seeing everyone out in their shorts and flip flops in my beach community…
I am grateful for my daughter who helped dump out leftover containers to get both refrigerators clean and ready to fill up with all my cooking tomorrow.
I am grateful for our Saturday night with our dear freinds and the fun and laughter we share.
I am grateful to see our dear friend standing and walking after his accident in September when he fell from a roof and crushed all the bones in both feet.
I am grateful for the wonderful success my husband has had this first month in his new job.
I am grateful that even with the new job my husband is taking off the week between Christmas and New Years!
Polka Dots and Stripes
Posted on: December 20, 2013
- In: Boots | Brown | Outfits with scarfs | Pattern Mixing | prints | Winter Looks
- 5 Comments
Lots to do and running errands that took longer than planned, left me no choice, but to take picture after the sunset…
I loved this outfit as the bronze metallic jeans added to the edginess despite my flat riding boots.
I am debuting these pants by Jennier Lopez’s line for Kohl’s that I bought on clearance in September.
I originally thought these pants would be for date nights, but realized that was silly and limiting !
I love the creme moto(F21) and my hat to lighten up the darkness of the browns.
The Loft striped sweater is a good weight and so warm. I really love thrifting things from the Loft brand as they are always in such great, like new condition.
I tied this scarf together at the ends to make it a unity scarf. I made sure to cover the knot by pulling the other circle over top of it .
I love the combo of the polka dots and stripes...
Dear Readers, I got a little scare today when my dear husband popped home while I was out shopping cause a present for him had come this morning and I had left it on the bed in my room before I left. I did cover it with a blanket and he is not a peeker so pretty sure he didn’t see it. I did tell him no more coming home without calling until after Christmas. You see his new job allows him several free hours in the afternoons and without my knowledge a week or so ago, he was texting my son and stopped by where I had a present in the shopping cart for him. Imagine my surprise when he came up and saw it… I actually teared up because it’s not often I surprise him and it was ruined… Most times he has an idea of gifts and this one he didn’t … Oh well, I’ll take this over the hours he worked at his previous job…
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and hope you have time for some fun and laughter despite getting ready for Christmas, if that’s something you celebrate...
Gratitude
I am grateful that my new stove will be here Today!!!
I am grateful that I am a cool mom and am allowing my senior in high school skip school today , as all week he’s had one class with a test and then the others just busy work or movies.
I am grateful that my senior received and e-mail today that he was accepted to his second choice school.
I am grateful that my daughter is done with the extensive training of her new job and is now going to be pulling in more money- $25 per hour, not bad for 22 year old waiting to go to grad school.
I am grateful for my daughter volunteering to bake banana bread with the over ripe bananas as I don’t have the energy today.
I am grateful for the fun and laughter my teen boys and I had watching IHeartRadio special where I danced and even attempted twerking for the first time. My boys ran from the room embarrassed, so I guess I did it pretty well…
Pinterest Inspirations
Posted on: December 19, 2013
I got so busy yesterday that I forgot to take photos…. And I really liked my Outfit
No worries, it’s just and opportunity for me to bring you words of Inspiration!
I learned this so well from observing the lives of single mothers.
For me this sounds like the words of my childhood that so inspired me in the song so many of us sang in church,
“This little light of mine, I’m gonaa let it shine!”
I chose this one personally for myself as a reminder that sometimes, it really is just that easy!
Those of us in the Western world have concentrated more on the outside than on the inside and even heart surgewons these days are recommending meditative practices. Making sure our thoughts create positives instead of chaos is key to happiness in this life!
I had a key experience in life in which I made the choice to be rich in the things that money can’t buy , so ending todoay with Christmas Gifts that need no wrapping paper or money.
Dear Readers, I have collected sayings like this beginning as a teenager and love sharing them. My goal is to be a beacon in reminding myself as well as others that happiness is ours to choose. As a woman whose parents have both passed on and a sister in law who greatly misses her btother in law, this season can be a tough one. Turning to inspirational words and seeking peace of mind is one way I handle that pain. Ensuring a wonderful Christmas for my children , sibllngs and neices is another. Writing my twice a year letter to my husband’s uncle and the one responsible for our upcoming Ireland trip next October is another. Relying on my strong faith that my loved ones are happy and that i will be with them when it’s my time.
I know there are so many out there missing loved ones this season, what helps you?
Gratitude
I am grateful for the pain that comes with this season of missing loved ones, because it offers the opportunity for memories to flood me.
I am grateful that I have amazing children who light up my world and ease the loss.
I am grateful that I have a family who delights in the holiday and that we have been planning how each family member is going to help make our holiday fantastic…We host breakfast and dinner for my siblings, so a lot of work and they are all excited to pitch in.
I am grateful to be at this fabulous stage in life with three of my four children reaching adulthood and all having great goals for themselves and staying out of troubles that can plaque this age group.
I am grateful that even with the new job, that my husband will be taking his normal week off between Christmas and New Years!
I Wore Pants to my WW Meeting!
Posted on: December 18, 2013
- In: Boots | Burgundy | Cobalt | Mom On the Go | Navy | Outfits with scarfs | Winter Looks
- 8 Comments
Early on I decided to wear dresses to weigh in for consistency as it worked for every season, as I just peeled off layers like jakets or scarves…
This morning I woke up thinking, I don’t want to get up and dressed, and then it hit me, “I am a Lifetime Member Now!
I could exercise my right to not weigh in this week, so I could wear PANTS”
I literally jumped out of that warm bed, where moments before I had been wanting to bury myself in the blankets and go back to sleep.
My newest aquisition is this blue moto jacket from F21, as the only blue jacket I had was jean jackets and sometimes I felt that was just too limiting. Now this color said it was navy, and in this photo it looks more cobalt. In reality is somewhere in between those two colors ….
I think this scarf also from F21 has been getting a lot of use lately, but I can’t help it , I love it!
I love the blues with my burgundy embossed cords. These pants were an online Kohl’s purchase in late summer for a clearance price of about $8, buying online off season is a fantastic trick to saving money and getting ready for the next season early.
Both my purse and Ann Taylor creme sweater are thrifted! Speaking of thrifting I went to Goodwill and found a great Christmas dress for my 7 year old “niece” and other items for my friend. I even found a Beatles shirt for my son… I can now say that I am no longer addicted to thrifting and missing a week or more is ok. A good feeling , as I only have so much closet space.
This side pose is my favorite one and always my last pose when taking the photos… After taking this shot, my young 13 year old son and photographer suggested I change one thing….
He said to put my hand on my hip and after taking this photo and looking at the results, declared, ” Yep!” as he skipped back into the house with the camera in his hands…
Dear Readers, this outift made me think of Jewel tones, Ruby and Saphire and I probably would have named my post that, if I wasn’t so excited about wearing pants to my Weight Watcher meeting…. Do you like jewel tones together and if so what pairings come to mind?
Gratitude
I am grateful that after writing these gratitudes for over a year now, that I can see a difference in my happiness levels and that they help others as well. Thank you to all of you who have let me know you appreciate this part of my blog!
I am grateful for my WW meeting and the support and laughter that comes with our dear leader!
I am grateful for a fun trip out with my 3 younger kids to finish some shopping for friends and getting things for my daughters work party tonight.
I am grateful my generous friend who bought a dress for my dear friend’s daughter.
I am grateful to my postman , the UPS men and Fedex men who have been delivering all the packages for this Christmas season.
I am grateful for my computer which allows me to reach my dear readers and the wonderful blogging world, Pinterest, Facebook, and to shop and pay bills from the comfort of my home!
Red, Black and Grey
Posted on: December 17, 2013
- In: Grey | Outfits with scarfs | Pattern Mixing | red | Winter Looks
- 7 Comments
I originally put this outfit together without the scarf, and was totally bored with the look.
It was ok, but just didn’t have enough flair for me…
It’s so funny that the pattern mixing made me feel complete when less than eightenn months I hadn’t even discovered pattern mixing.
My camera battery was super low during this photo shoot, so my young photographer (13) ran to each spot and said ” quick , quick, quick’ as I was getting into position, took 3 shots as quickly as possible before moving to the next location and doing it again… It was funny and the fastest photo shoot to date!
I remember last year when I found this scarf at my grocery store and thought how funny it was to snag one while grocery shopping. I ended up buying four of them last year. The funny thing is that since I now have so many scarves I ddin’t even look at them and I go there at least two to three times per week….
Dear Readers, the final packages have been arriving and my tow middle kids have been volunterring to wrap things as they love doing so and I had wrapped all the other gifts already. It’s nice when they volunteer.
Gratitude
I am grateful that I treated myself to the much wanted Navy colored moto jacket from F21 and it arrived today!
I am grateful that this is the last week my senior in high school has before the holidays, it’s so hard for him with college siblings and a homeschooling borther…
I am grateful that my oldest is so happy after years struggling to find the right major and has a great GPA and is proud of himself. Those years struggling to find his path took a toll on him.
I am grateful for a wonderful conversation with my dear daughter where she informed me that talk therapy is more antiquated and that she will be doing a style more like Dr. Phil and be able to use her talents of cutting to the core of things.
Singing Christmas Carols…
Posted on: December 15, 2013
- In: Boots | Dresses and Skirts | florals | Gratitude | Green | Mom On the Go | Orange | Outfits with scarfs
- 11 Comments
I had a wonderful Satureday, going to lunch with a dear friend and saying see you later to another who is making a move to Florida. Followed by a movie with my family, If you haven’t seen Disney’s Frozen, it was fabulous and Disney at it’s best!
Linking Up with Visible Monday
I wanted to wear my new orange scarf that I scored on Black Friday to add to my newfound love of solid colored scarves which do wonders for printed tops!
I am so happy it is no longer in the 60’s and I feel like rocking my scarves!
I love the olive with the orange hues. An easy color combo to put together in so many ways.
I wish I had taken pictures, earlier before my skirt got wrinkled…
We had Christmas music playing right before I stepped outside to take photos and I found myself singing :
“God Rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay, remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day”….and I didn’t even stop when my neighbor across the street looked at me funny… I love being a woman in my 40’s!
Dear Readers, I hope you are finding time for some fun during this time of year where so many are rushing around with lists of things to do. Do you love Christmas carols and find yourself singing during this season?
Gratitude
I am grateful that I was able to help a friend see her life more clearly and that she is now ready to stand up for herself.
I am grateful that I have a friend like me who is such a bright light and giver in this world. One example we saw a woman in Target who had 3 chidlren trailing behind her and she looked pleasant but a little frazzled. My friend complimented her sparkling top with greath enthusiasm and after seeing our smilling faces , her entire energy changed and she smiled back and enthusiastically told us to have a Merry Christmas!”
I am grateful that I have wonderful relationships with amazing women!
I am grateful that my two middle children are so involved in our Christmas happenings and are asking to help and making lists with me!
I am grateful to be making memories with my family and the love and laughter in our home!
Feeling Sassy….
Posted on: December 13, 2013
- In: Boots | Brown | Dresses and Skirts | Neutrals | Outfits with scarfs | Winter Looks
- 10 Comments
A shout out to my beloved City of Virginia Beach , which made #2 on the Best Places to Raise a Family!
I have been neglecting myself and not wearing my favorite dresses and skirts these days and decided today was the day to break that! I also did myself a favor and purchased fleece lined leggings today and am hopping they are going to be great as I’ve wanted them for awhile now.
In the first photo I was standing in the shade and I noticed that my light boots look much better here when I am in the sun, as it clearly shows that they book end my hair color.
I love sweater dresses and this one by Chadwicks is among my favorites from last years collection. I have really scored several of these puffer vests from Goodwill and loved this perfect neutral.
I had a definite spring in my step today due to sporting a dress and really am going to get back into varying my outfits and wearing more dresses and skirts.
Dear Readers, I hope you are all getting your holiday business done and are not stressing yourself out too much. I feel so relaxed this year and am proud of not stressing myself out. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Please remember any links on my blog are for your benefit and I do not recieve any compensation.
Graitude
I am grateful for a wonderful late night conversation with my best friend!
I am grateful that I scratched the itch and wore a dress and felt sassy today.
I am grateful that dear hubby had a great chunk of his afternnon free and hung out with us today!
I am grateful that my husband and I talk about everything and are so supportive of one another.
I am grateful for my practical joking family who have been moving my dress form that is now sporting a Santa costume around. The two youngest put it outside the bathroom door to shock their older brother when he came out , who in turn put it in his sister’s room sitting in her computer chair for her to find when she came home.
I am grateful that I am done with this post as it is now almost 1 a.m. , goodnight!
Versatile Style by Tracey 
