Inspires Me

I don't think it's any kind of a secret, that Paul and I travel a lot! Paul has a busy career. And we're very grateful, that Matilda and I, get the chance to travel with him. It means so much to us!

With that comes a lot of expectations. I need to actually look nice, when I attend events. I need to put in an effort. It's a good think though. Especially being a new momma. Because let's face it, in the early days of mommyhood, I was just grateful to take a shower. :) But traveling with Paul, gives me a reason to do my hair, put on some makeup, and look for a cute outfit.

But if you want to get honest here, it's tough. I don't go shopping a whole lot. Even when I go, I'm not really inspired. And lean heavily on friends. Like when we went to Dallas recently. I totally took advantage of Lola and Vi! I'd been saving money, and used it on a nice little shopping trip with my friends. Asking them a million and one questions. I hope they didn't mind! But I just had to. Besides, Lola has amazing taste!!

Now that we have a "schedule" again, I'm tying to remember these little things. Like making an effort in my appearance. Not only do I want my husband to be proud of me, but I want him to know, that I'm making an effort for him. He does so much for Matilda and I. Getting dressed up a few times a week, isn't a huge deal. But Paul's smile, when he opens the door, says it all!

It's funny how I've been thinking about this. And yesterday, Jamielynn posted this. Everything about this post, has inspired me!



First, I just LOVE all these colors!! And this style. Casual, but put together. Not too fussy. But a whole lot of fun. Best of all, if you read this post, you know it's all affordable.



This happens to be my favorite outfit of Jamielynn's. It's so fun! And colorful. Perfect for Spring and Summer. And now, I really want to go shopping. And not just for Matilda. Momma needs a few new outfits too! Between, isn't Jamielynn the cutest. And all those tulips, make me want to plant a whole bunch, for next year!

I really want that pink purse. And that pink ruffle shirt. So I tweeted Jamielynn today. I hope she gets back to me. Even if she doesn't, I'm still so grateful for her post. It's given me the inspiration that I need! I know that not every day in the mommyhood, has to be spent in workout clothes. ♥E

Veggie Tote

Isn't this the cutest little lunch bag? I kind of wish that I still worked. That way I could buy it. You can find it here, for $19. There are 2 other styles. But the tomato is my favorite. I really do wish I had a good reason to buy this cute bag. But when would I use it? ♥E

I Might Be Crazy...

Today I went looking for a baby shower gift for my friend Sandy. She's expecting her 1st baby, a girl, in July. And I found this, and bought it. Not for Sandy. But for me...

An up close view of "Love Bird."

And the entire set.

And before anyone asks, no we're not expecting. We're not even trying to get pregnant. Mom, please don't get all excited. I'm not sure what came over me. But I spent $250 on this cute set. Because I liked it. And with my luck, when Paul and I do decide to try for a baby, we'll probably just have boys.

The only thing that makes me feel real good is, I got a super good deal. Because there was a great baby sale going on. But now what? I guess I'm going to have to store it away until we decide to grow our family. But isn't it adorable? ♥E

Bubble and Brown

First off, I don't ever get to watch the Rachael Ray Show. Not because I don't have time. But because our local NBC station carries it. And the station has a horrible signal. Since the entire change in signal during the summer, well there has been no NBC signal in the area.

I never, ever get to see The Rachael Ray Show. And I kind of miss it. I didn't really watch it in Florida. But it was there if I wanted to. But recently, we were somewhere were I was able to watch the show. And I really do enjoy it.



I also seen this set. And I checked online. It's $40. And I love it! It comes in a variety of colors. But I really do like the blue. And I can see myself using it for a variety of reasons. Now, I just need to bring myself to order it. When I was talking to my mother-in-law about it, she told me that they sell Rachael Ray products at Sears. I'm going to check the next time I go to the mall. ♥E

More Scarves

I'm pretty sure that I've become addicted to scarves. Or at least YouTube videos about scarves and scarf collections. I really want to go shopping for more scarves. They're just a fun accessory. And so incredibly easy to wear. I must confess, I went to Wal-Mart and picked up a few of their $5 scarves. They are a nice addition to my wardrobe. ♥E

Shopping

Of all the things I could miss about Florida, I miss the shopping. There is nothing around here. We live in a small town, 5 minutes away from a slightly larger, college town. Where we went to school. And there is a large city about an hour away.

But there is nothing around here. I miss H&M the most. Recently, they opened up a Forever 21...an hour away. The closest stores to us are Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target. We have no TJ Maxx. No Nordstorms. No Outlets. OK, there are some about an hour away. But they are small. Not really anything good there.



I miss the Outlets in Florida. I miss the cute boutiques. And the shops like H&M, Charlotte Russe, etc. I would think, they would have shops like that here. Based on the local economy. But nope. So I sit here, and miss Florida. For the shopping. Something I never really appreciated when we lived there.

Even with both of us working, we didn't have this kind of money either. We're not rich. But we're definitely more comfortable, than we were a few months ago. Honestly, I feel like going on vacation to Florida. I really do miss the stores. Why can't we have decent stores in the desert? We don't even have a MAC store! ♥E

This and That

There is so much going on lately. There is a local Children's Home that is asking for little things for the kids. Things like crayons, bubbles, and small toys. So Paul and I decided to spend $100 on things for these kids. You know, it feels better to do something for someone else. And we can both do without a present or 2 for Christmas. This is much more important. If you want to help out, just send me an email and I'll send you the information. Now I just need to go shopping.



Paul and Antonio had to split up the guys dogs. The BBs are in Las Vegas. And we agreed to watch their dogs. That's 2-3 dogs a guy! Wow! Can you say "Dog City" around here? But it's been fun. I've been trying to spend 2 hours with them in the morning. We go outside and run around. Or they run around and I try to workout. Then Paul runs around with them when he gets home from work. Let's just say, our dogs are having a lot of fun with their visitors. :)

And we're trying to get ready for the holidays. It's been so busy around here. I've been doing some shopping on and off. But we really need to schedule out a day to go shopping. I have a list. And slowly but surely, we're making our way through it. And I'm even managing to keep up with the wrapping. I think we're doing pretty good. How are you doing on you holiday shopping? ♥E

I Want to Go Scarf Shopping

I found Trina and her videos a while back. And I love them! I also found her blog. Again, one of my favorites! She is such a sweet and stylish lady.

This video is one of my favorites. I adore her scarf collection. It makes me want to head to the store immediately! I want to buy a bunch of scarves. And I really wish we could go shopping with Trina. Have I mentioned how stylish she is? And how much I love her style! That last scarf is my favorite! I went searching high and low for it, but I never found it...

Lola is someone else who loves scarves. And she always has a cute one on. I'm telling you, I need to go shopping. It's so super cold out. So unusual for this area. And I'm starting to really miss the Florida weather. But I think I just want to go scarf shopping. :) ♥E

Houndstooth Scarf

I'm a fan of houndstooth. I have houndstooth peacoat, that I begged Paul for, when we were still in college. And I've managed to collect some other items over the years. But while we lived in Florida, there was not a whole lot of Houndstooth around. Or winter wear for that matter.



But here, I've seen some nice items. Unfortunately, every time I go to buy a scarf, they're either stained or torn. I really want one. I guess I just need to keep my eyes peeled. Maybe I should start looking online too. ♥E

Forever 21 Sizing

I'm just wondering if anyone else experiences sizes issues with stuff that they buy at Forever 21. I regularly wear size 3-5. But I find that at Forever 21, I have to go up 1 or 2 sizes. I have some issues at Charlotte Russe. But nothing like Forever 21.



I always leave the store feeling bad. Because I have to buy such large sizes. I know, in the back in my head that the label means nothing. But what does that tell you about the brand? It just makes me wonder. And if I feel this bad, and I'm a confident woman, what does it do to teenage girls? ♥E

Vanity Set

I really like this vanity set. It's from Target! And is about $170. I really want to buy this. I've always wanted a "real" vanity table. In Florida, I used a small table. Almost like a TV tray. And I had a rickety chair that we found when we moved into that house.



But now, I want something nice. So Paul and I are going to go look at our local Target. I hope they have it. I don't want to have to pay the shipping if I don't have to. If not, maybe the big city, about an hour away, has it. I just hope so! ♥E