Archive for January 2015
Pink & Blue
Posted on: January 29, 2015
- In: Gratitude | pink | Winter Looks
- 2 Comments
Today was Home-School Bowling Day!
I love Wednesdays!
I was in the mood to wear the pink Old Navy sweater today…
It looks like my pink version is sold out..
I originally thought I would try this with a black and white striped blouse underneath, but my Chambray shirt also from Old Navy caught my eye and I thought, “Why not pink & blue?” and then instantly my lovely ADD brain joined in the fun and the next thing that I thought was “blush and bashful” … I love Steel Magnolias…
I seriously contemplated wearing my blue ankle boots , but decided with my sciatica acting up, that I would be much better off sticking to the flatter black ones… I really am loving these black flat boots.. If you had suggested that last year winter when I first discovered wearing cute heeled booties with dresses, I would have absolutely said , “No way, this petite gal loves heels!” Funny how practical you can become when back pain flares up…
There really are so many ways to wear a chambray shirt and
I know I’ve just scratched thee surface in that arena…
Dear Readers, I have been eating very well so far this week. I have to say I watched with both interest and some disgust a show “Fat and Back” about an English woman who was fed up with the government paying for weight loss surgery and even knee surgery for overweight patients and the threat of bankrupting the healthcare system. She decided to gain 43 pounds in 3 months eating 6500 calories and then proposed she could easily get it back off. She was rather harsh with no filter and no compassion, which disgusted me and I loved it when a psychologist called her on the lack of compassion. The value that I saw in her journey was that she started a Fat Club and gave them all FitBit type devices to record their daily steps suggesting that they make sure to get in the recommended 10,000 daily recommendation. In addition they did workouts 3 days a week… All lost a decent amount of weight. I bought a FitBit right before Christmas and would love to add this into my daily schedule in addition to workouts, as it’s easy to miss that amount of movement in a day as a stay at home mother.. I think it’s also probably something most people who sit at a desk all day don’t succeed in achieving as well. Just my take away , but could be beneficial to you my dear readers…
Do you think you succeed in getting in 10,000 steps daily?
Gratitude
I am grateful for a fun day bowling and the conversation with other mothers..
I am grateful that I talked to my best friend and finally heard about her Canada trip.
I am grateful that yoga stretches and wearing a back brace helped my pain tremendously today.
I am grateful for the possibility of snow in our upcoming forecast ( a big deal for an area that doesn’t see much)
Skirted Leggings…
Posted on: January 26, 2015
- In: Black & White | Boots | Gratitude | Green | Homeschooling | Trends | Vest | Winter Looks
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On my favorite fashion Forum, You Look Fab,
a lot of the members have been trying out a skirted legging
This one is by Eileen Fisher at Nordstroms and the one the members are loving
It’s out of the price range I would spend on such a piece at $138, but no worries.
QVC to the rescue with several versions Here by Legacy for around $30
I ordered a patterned one and a black one from QVC last week,
and was inspired to go to my closet and mimic the look..
I chose a thrifted skirt that still had brand new tags on it.
It’s a great 2 layers with the top one being sheer with circle design, a skirt with fun movement…
Straight skirts and ones with more volume like this all work for this trend.
I paired it with my new Just Fab Vest and my statement necklace by Susan Graver via QVC
Mine is no longer available as I bought it on clearance, but Here is her current ones…
This outfit really made my heart sing as it fit my love of Ying/Yang
with mix of feminine and flirty , yet structured and edgy..
I loved wearing the flat strappy boots rather than heeled ones..
This outfit really gave me that sassy feeling I love…
I swear I just heard the tinkle of my mother and father laughing in heaven in agreement of my spunky and sassy side, which they both found endearing and greatly nurtured that part of my spirit…
It’s now a week after I began the post and I have my new Legacy skirted Leggings..
When I put this look together , my son took one look and told me I belonged in Ireland..
I had to laugh as I definitely think this look would play well on the streets of Europe…
As you can see this skirt is definitely shorter than my faux look from last week…
I don’t mind the shorter version, but do think I will mimic the look with other skirt options as well.
The weight of these legacy is such that it will work well into Spring…
So Dear Readers over to you… What’s your take on the skirted leggings trend?
I must say that not all skirted leggings are equal and some are very mini and not as appropriate for my age group… I think the Legacy ones are border line length for my age group, but it works for me. Keep in mind that although I am petite height I have longer legs and don’t wear petite bottoms.
Check this variety on Amazon for different lengths as well as great prices…
I actually tried to find more examples of this trend on Pinterest to no avail…Angie from You Look Fab did write a feature on them you can read and see pictures Here..
Is this really a way that my peers over 40 can cheat and wear skirts above the knee without being judged?
Not that I care about that judgement myself… I wear skirts above my knee, just not minis..
This is look being worn with boots and booties now, but will work with flats in Spring.
Gratitude
I am grateful that my daughter called me from Boston and chatted with me for over an hour about the goings on there regarding the blizzard and her readiness preparations…
I am grateful that I went to the grocery store today, and was craving junk food, but resisted buying it… I literally circled past the aisle three times debating it and talking myself out of it..
I am grateful that I hard boiled eggs yesterday and came home from the grocery store today cooked up veggie soup to keep me on track this week.
I am grateful that I listened to my “angel voice” nagging at me to take my blood pressure last week and that when I saw it was high, that I stopped taking the sudafed 12 hours and Nyquil and that it is now in normal range…
I am grateful that my husband is taking time tomorrow to get our son private bowling lessons for some extra help before the first competition in April…
Hump Day…
Posted on: January 22, 2015
- In: Boots | Gratitude | Grey | Mom On the Go | Outfits with scarfs | pink | Purple | Winter Looks
- 4 Comments
Wednesdays don’t usually feel like hump days for me,
that day you have to get through to get to the short time for the weekend…
That’s because it’s time for our teen home-school bowling
Well, not just for the teens as we parents bowl as well…
I began with jeans and my blue boots from Ireland ….
It’s funny how outfits come together and this one began from the bottom up…
Since my Jeans are really Diane Gilman straight leg jeggings,
a longer top was in order (it has a faux fly I like to cover)
My Old Navy sweater was a blank canvas for a scarf
I wanted to add a vest too so, the purple one worked best with my scarf choice,,,
ta- da an outfit creation…
I love this scarf with the pinks purples and blues that was a gift from my son a few years ago.
It’s a good thing I am not a serious bowler, but do it for the fun and camaraderie with other parents.
I usually don’t get gutterballs, but today I think I had a record for the worst day of them…
No worries I have fun regardless of my scores…
Dear Readers, Are you competitive by nature? I am not and never have been… Often times I’ve wondered what that would be like , but I actually like my more laid back way and just enjoying the experience .
If you are competitive is that something you enjoy about your nature?
If not is that something you appreciate not having in your character?
I think we are all hard-wired differently and can’t imagine myself any other way…..
Gratitude
I am grateful that I succeeded in calling one of the mom’s by her own name rather than her daughters, LOL…
I am grateful for a fun break mid-week to count on, as a stay at home mother, it’s priceless…
I am grateful that we have made plans for two more parents night outs in the coming weeks.
I am grateful that my son called me today, he reminds me so much of my father with his confidence and compassion, so much so today that it brought me to tears.
I am grateful that my photographer and I had a great laugh at our shock of how cold it got between our coming home from bowling around 1pm and our photo shoot at 4pm… our expressions and antics were hilarious and mutual…
Shades of Brown…
Posted on: January 21, 2015
- In: Boots | Brown | Homeschooling | Neutrals | Thrift store finds | Weight Loss | Winter Looks
- 2 Comments
Tuesday was our first Homeschooling Parents Night Out for our Teen Group
I knew right away that I was going to wear a dress or skirt
I opted to make it more casual by adding riding boots
and an aztec print thrifted jacket.
The parents night was just what we all needed…
We laughed so hard when we exchanged stories and realized all of us that are not single,
protected this as a girl’s night out when the men in our lives questioned about it….
We planned another one for next month….
I really enjoyed this outfit today as browns have always been a strong color in my wardrobe…
I’ve worn this dress twice now and kept it with all browns both times…
Here’s the last time I wore it…
By the way this dress was purchased on Jane .com
I love this site for great casual day dresses…
The inventory changes quite frequently as items sell out quickly.
Dear Readers, I succeeded again today in meeting my exercize goal and did a workout with hand weights..I love doing strength training and my fluidity ballet bar because I feel the burn after those workouts… Cardio on the other hand has never thrilled me, but is something I need to do 3 times a week for my heart. so that’s the plan for tomorrow…I think I am going to do Rockin Body by Shaun T as my option since dancing is more fun than the treadmill… A few years back I joined the Y and went three days a week to water aerobic, deep water and finning classes and loved the pool workouts, but as a homeschooling mother, I can’t spend 3 hours at the gym three days a week… Alas maybe I’ll do that again in the future once homeschooling is done, in 4 years…..
What’s your favorite Cardio exercize?
Gratitude
I am so grateful for the Parents Night Out as it lifted my spirit and was something as a homeschooling mother that was much needed…
I am grateful for the laughter and fun each of us bring to the conversation…
I am grateful that I get to hang out again with these Mom’s tomorrow at Bowling.
I am grateful that my daughter called and booked her flight for her Spring Break – she’ll be home in less than 6 weeks!
I am grateful that my son did lessons on the piano today and seems to like it…
I am grateful for a wonderful sunny 60 degree day!
Mondays, Mondays, Mondays…
Posted on: January 20, 2015
- In: Black & White | Boots | exercise | Gratitude | Homeschooling | Thrift store finds | Vest | Weight Loss
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It seems like Mondays are the hardest days…
Especially as a homeschooling mother of a teenager…
Today, I went very comfortable, cozy in polka dot leggings and layered tunic tops….
Flat riding boots finished off the comfy feel…
I added the pops of red, to boost my Monday mood..
Both the striped tunic and quilted vest are thrifted items..
The striped tunic wasn’t long enough to wear with leggings, so
I added in an extra long t-shirt to make sure I had the proper derriere coverage necessary for leggings..
Besides wrangling a teenager to home-school, I spent the day planning out my new exercise and eating programs, as this lady is hell bent on getting back into shape. I said before that I wanted to get to a healthy weight and a solid exercise routine to maintain before I reached 50, which happens in just 8 months… So time to get moving, as I’d like to be there long before Summer… I also went grocery shopping and picked up a few things to keep me on track…Tuna and celery to be exact, as another lunch option for the week… My goal is not only to lose the ten pounds I’ve gained back, but to lose a total of somewhere between 15 and 20 lbs.. I am going to gauge it by how my body feels as I get closer to those numbers… I tried the goal weight of 140 and it didn’t quite suit me , so going a little lower since that is the high end for my height.
Gratitude
Can I cheat and say I am grateful that this Monday is almost over?
I am grateful for a beautiful seasonably warm and sunny day , which I thoroughly enjoyed on my walk to the store…
I am grateful for a trip to Goodwill on Sunday , in which I bought just two items pictured below..
I am grateful that I feel ready to face the weight and get this thing going…
I am grateful that my smart son, thought to e-mail himself transcripts of his lesson and use his phone to write them, allowing me the computer to do my blog, so now I could care less how long he takes to do it!
I am grateful for something to look forward to, tomorrow, with our first home-school parents night out.
This cute dress for Summer…
I loved the Chevron design and the soft colors…
I can’t resist another Loft skirt…
especially in the ‘swingy’ style that provides the movement I adore
because it makes me feel spunky and sassy…
Super Casual Weekend Wear
Posted on: January 19, 2015
- In: Boots | Gratitude | Grey | Neutrals | Winter Looks
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The plan for the day was to go bowling for an extra practice for my son…
We had lots of rain and our yard was over-saturated and quite squishy to walk on…
It was a good day to sport rain boots…
Funny that the rain stopped right at the time I was to leave for bowling and the sun came out..
I went with an orange blush and lipstick today and liked the change
A super comfy look with jeggings and a tunic length top with my utility jacket..
If it hadn’t been raining, I probably would have kept this sport and worn my grey puma wedge sneakers.
Dear Readers, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend?
Did any of you do anything fun with friend or family, you’d like to share.
I love comments , so do a blogger a favor and join in….
Gratitude
I am grateful for a day of fun, especially on a rainy weekend..
I am grateful for how far my son has come with bowling and how he accepts messing up with grace, as he use to get quite upset , almost to an embarrassing level..
I am grateful for how confident my son is, even giving pointers to his father and me…
I am grateful for the fun of the party next to us, when one girl asked me if I was any good, and to bowl her turn for her..I just told her to forget looking at the pins and try to aim for the markers on the floor… she did so with great success after a gutter ball on her first attempt… It was fun to see her keep up with her friends and how much taller she stood…
Trouser Jeans
Posted on: January 15, 2015
I’ve been feeling kind of stuck in a rut with my skinny pants,
especially since I’ve had a ten pound weight gain…
To boost my self today, I opted for my Diane Gilman
black trouser jeans.. I haven’t worn them in quite awhile
and really do love the elongating look and the way they balance out my hips…
Using the same color top creates a column of color that also helps to elongate my petite height.
I must add that I should have done pics at another location rather than in front of the puddle, but it’s become a habit where I stand, especially on a day like today that was cold and with my nasty sinus pressure headache….
I tried this look with a statement necklace ,
but didn’t like how it competed with the red-orange tipping in the sweater…
I love this sweater that I found over the summer at Burlington…
I highly recommend Burlington for quality sweaters at great prices..
I was quite happy with my changing up the silhouette of skinny jeans to these.
Hey, that’s twice this week with my boot leg cords…
I did wear skinny jeans for bowling yesterday,
but came home and had a headache and just never got pictures done..
Dear Readers, Changing silhouettes keeps me going and happier in styling outfits, this makes sense of a blogger who sees outfits as her artistic expression. I use to do a lot of crafting to keep that element of expression in my life, but homeschooling makes that less possible. I am very much looking forward to my daughter’s Spring Break at the end of February, as she is depending on me to help her create her dream Elsa costume for an Anime convention in Boston this Spring. You wouldn’t believe the number of materials she’s explored and rejected… I think she is set with two patterns, because the top and this and the bottom of that didn’t suit her desires… I am so happy that she has this convention to look forward to as she really works so hard at school and is very focused , not great at creating the balance that I dream of for each of my children… I keep talking to her about tools for happiness and I think it’s starting to sink in… This parenting thing really doesn’t ever end, and I quite enjoy taking a back seat to feeling responsible and just offering advice to be taken or not… I feel so blessed to have one girl in my life and cherish every part of our journey together.
Gratitude
I am grateful that my daughter sent my youngest text pictures of the lake she walks by daily…(It’s so important to me that the older children keep in touch with their younger brother)
Here they are..
She loved the ice and water mix that she saw on Tuesday,
she described it with wonder and awe as I was on the phone with her…
This was taken on Thursday of the same lake after the snowfall…
For a girl born and raised in Virginia Beach, this is not something she takes for granted..
I am grateful that my daughter is in awe of nature and quite often refers to the beauty around her.
I am grateful for a call from my son, even if it was about missing mail, his voice made me happy despite my sinus pressure headache..
I am grateful for the Dr. Phil show today, talking about Mama’s boy, and the conversation with my 14 year old, wondering why any mother would want that for their son. I am proud that he sees that I want to give them wings to fly!
I am grateful for my strength in dealing with my son’s reluctance with homeschooling this week, he’s gonna be mad when he has to homeschool this weekend, but gotta nip this in the bud!
All last winter I longed for a pair of light colored boots…
I have a creme moto jacket and other cream tops and wanted to be able to bookend them
with boots in that shade and I am glad I added them this season.
It felt great to switch up from skinny or straight leg pants today…
These are bootleg Cords from Chadwicks, this color is not available, but
Here is their current offering…
Today was a very quick photo session…
It was much colder today, in fact I spent the day in the open weave
sweater inside with no problem.
Going outside to get mail, I came back in and layered a creme long sleeve t-shirt underneath.
It helped for the photos , but my young photographer had no appreciation for the cold
winds whipping him and did rapid fire pics without his normal advice or care…
So of course my scarf is not what it looked like the rest of the day…
And putting my hand on my hip resulted in seeing the layered t-shirt.
My creme boots are knee high and sold out now, as is my sweater.
It really did feel great to get out of the skinny pants and vary the silhouette rut I’ve been in..
And now for the fun happening this past week…
My husband’s new car… Can you believe when a friend on Facebook asked if he got a new car, that he just so happened to be driving past this scenic area and stopped by for a photo to post?
It’s a Lincoln MKZ and something this hard working guy deserves since he spends so much time in his vehicle.
The best part is that he will stop hurting his hip , as the 15 passenger van he’d been driving was hurting him every time he got in and out of it… That’s thanks to a distracted driver in the Home Depot parking lot turning a corner and running into him as he was walking… Yep, a few years back he was hit by a truck!
With the recession and kids in college this guy is long over due for a car. I must pat myself on the back as, I am a master and somehow with the holidays and kids home managed to save for his down payment, which wasn’t easy…
In the last two days as the car transaction was going through his van said, I need a break as the heat went and other issues popped up.. So funny, but we will get that baby fixed cause it’s great for moving college kids and kayaking…
That’s what being the salesman of the year gets you!
As a woman who fully embraces her femininity,
I love wearing dresses and skirts for every day wear…
On this rainy Monday, I opted to spunk up my mood with a dress..
A super casual way to wear a dress…
A zippered hoodie and flat riding boots…
Perfect for this rainy but warmer day near 60F…
I would love to tell you where this jacket is from,
however it was a mail ordered Christmas gift and I have no idea..
My young photographer wasn’t happy until I smiled better and turned my head..
Here is a dressier way I wore this dress with Navy blazer and Navy suede boots.
I definitely felt more spunky in this version…
This casual version was something I never would have done before blogging…
I’d have stuck to wearing heels and not paired it with a zippered hoodie either.
It’s wonderful to be so much more versatile and adapt my love of skirts and dresses for
My Mom on the Go Lifestyle…
Dear Readers. Today was the first day back to homeschooling after out 3 week break to match his college siblings being home… Getting a teenager of 14 back into it is not easy… I knew that was going to happen and am very proud of how relaxed I was despite his stalling tactics for the day.. There is still residuals from his years in school with the reading, despite my success in solving his lack of phonetics and his new skills, he just hasn’t built up the stamina to read in courses like Biology (His IEP while in school stated that all subjects had to be read to him as he was a fantastic verbal learner)… The real problem has always been with writing, so note taking is still a struggle.. He is getting much better and since the lessons are all videos, he only needs me as back up when taking quizzes or tests to ensure he read it correctly. This is the first year, I’ve enforced note taking and our 3 week break while I was in Ireland set that back. I am just taking it one day at a time and predict by mid February that he will be much more independent. I think taking responsibility for his own education is so important as I watched each of my older children get to that stage and delighted in their maturity. I look forward to that stage for this child as well and can see that we have moved so much closer and am quite proud of what we’ve accomplished these past 3 1/2 years.
Gratitude
I am grateful that my daughter called me on her walk back from Boston College today, as I miss her already…(she just went back on Sunday)
I am grateful that my son discovered he left his running shoes here and we were able to overnight them to him before he had PT for his ROTC on Wednesday…
I am grateful that I took a walk in the light drizzle to the grocery store as the quiet house was getting to me.
I am grateful that my homeschooling son eventually accomplished his tasks for the day.
I am grateful that this morning we revamped his weekly schedule.
I am grateful that I accomplished a lot of straightening up around today around supervising homeschooling.
I am grateful my dear friend sent me a text with photos of the outfit she wore to church with items I gifted her for Christmas. (she’s a single mom, so I thrift and find bargains all year and give them to her for her birthday in May and Christmas, it brings me great joy!)
I am grateful that my other dear friend who is visiting family in CA texted me as well and I am looking forward to her return at the end of February…
Inspirational Sayings
Posted on: January 9, 2015
I didn’t get blog photos today,
cause it’s Cold Outside!
I hope you are all staying warm and
enjoy a little inspiration to begin the weekend!
Kindness is my choice,
as I value liking my reflection at the end of the day…
The masses are mediocre,
choose to stand out..
Talk is cheap,
It’s what we actually do that makes a difference
My Gratitude Journal has certainly taught me this ,
some days it’s a huge stretch , other days is flows in abundance..
The value is in the days when it doesn’t come easy, but I persevere…
I thought with so many New Year’s Resolutions
flying around that this was appropriate..
This one is close to my heart as I send my daughter and son back to college on Sunday…
Dear Readers, I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of family, laughter , love and fun to recharge to do it all over again next week… Next week I get back into homeschooling after a 3 week break… Not going to be easy , but I am prepared..The tricks up my sleeve are Gum ( helps him concentrate and never ceases to make us giggle about how lucky he is to be homeschooling), an indoor trampoline ( for a jump break if he is feeling stressed), Yoga pose break, ( if he is feeling overwhelmed and needs a break) , Compassion (in empathizing that this week is tough to get back on track), My sense of humor( saying something silly to lighten the mood or perhaps breaking out in a silly made up song- he creates his own songs too – so funny!) and Patience (its hard being Mom and teacher, but I am Mom first and foremost).
Gratitude
I am grateful that last night when our electricity went off for a minute , that we remained unplugged and for 3 hours just chatted and acted silly instead of turning the computer and tv back on… precious quality time!
I am grateful that the electricity didn’t remain off for long, since we are having record low temps and I like heat!
I am grateful for the love, support and compassion in my children.. I am so blessed to have these amazing children in my life.
I am grateful that we decided to hibernate today due to the cold and put off our errands for tomorrow…
I am grateful that I still have two more days with my children before sending them off to Virginia Commonwealth University and Boston College.
I am grateful that I chose to share my Gratitude journal when I began blogging, as it helps keep me accountable!
Versatile Style by Tracey 