Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful

Frightfully warm!



Yep. It is THAT warm. I drew the line at having to give myself a fresh pedicure but I did give up and go back to open shoes.

So, HEY, it’s been like, really hard for me to get back into the routine of taking my own pictures. I miss the time with Nathan. Plus it takes longer to do it yourself. When Nathan went back to work, he was leaving much earlier than I was so I shifted my hours forward and as a result I had to adjust to getting up an hour earlier or so, and now I’m trying to get up even earlier than that to make time for self portraits. I can’t believe I used to get up even EARLIER than this when I had an actual commute to work! Who WAS that girl? That early rising, self portrait taking, outfit planning MACHINE? Anyone else taken an extended break from blogging? How did you get your groove back?



My outfit mojo is very much in winter mode right now. Even though I’m from Dallas, where we go from balmy to freezing and right back to balmy within the space of days not weeks or months, I personally have trouble switching back and forth. I get in a groove. I’m all about sweaters and leggings and leg warmers. WHAT IS THIS?



Anyone else struggle with this?



(That sounded so complain-y. I’ll make a note to be less of a complainer tomorrow. I mean hey! I don’t have to shovel snow! The streets are safe! I am not frozen to the bone! It’s not so bad.)

Cardigan, Target
Tank, hand me down from Alannah
Pants, Target
Shoes, Aldo
Necklace, self made
Watch, Swatch, gift from Nathan

Who Wants To Come In My Candy Shop?

My new camera arrived and we are slowly getting acquainted. I know most fashion bloggers upgrade from a point and shoot to a DLSR, but I like to do things a little different and downgrade from a DLSR to a point and shoot.



Yesterday I took the day off work to lounge, read and go to a book signing. One of my favorite authors, Richelle Mead was near town, up in Allen and I was super excited to get to see her in person.



I had to carry two bags as no bag could contain both all of the books I wanted signed as well as my everyday things.

Behold: the books I wanted signed:


That’s the first book from each of the series by her that I read as well as the hardback of the book the actual tour is for. She technically only signs three books person, but my girlfriend only wanted to have two books signed so she carried my fourth through the line for me.



I wore a tee shirt that my BFF Alannah sent me that I got Saturday and have already worn twice. You know how I do.



I also made a necklace for Ms. Mead based on a design that is important to the characters in the Vampire Academy series. Of course I made one for me as well. I really like that it’s subtle but also very specific to the books. I can be a fan-girl without wearing something silly like an “I love Dimitri” necklace, which might be great if I were 15, but is not so cool at 34.

(IDK what I'm doing here but I like my hair cape)


After seeing the pics, I wasn’t super excited by the way the leggings looked and changed into black and white patterned tights.

And to cap things off, a lovely picture of the super friendly and amazing Ms. Mead..



Is she not ADORABLE?

And a slightly horrid picture of me in which Ms Mead is signing my books.



I had a great time with my friends, sitting around talking waiting for the signing to start and Ms. Mead was so friendly and accommodating. She read from the new book, did a Q and A and signed up to three books for around 350 people and she did it all with a smile.

Sweater, Target
Tee, hand me down from Alannah
Shorts, Wal-Mart
Leggings, Target
Boots, Doc Martins
Black leather handbag, Steven
Book bag, gift
Necklace, self made due to extreme nerdiness

Waiting For The Weekend, So I Can Move My Body

I found these pictures on the camera card when I grabbed the pics from this weekend for the blog. I can’t really remember why I didn’t post them, but I can tell you that right before my break I had gotten to where I hated pretty much every picture we took. I was just not in a good place. I was so stressed out about the potential job offer for Nathan and what that might mean for our lives (all good things but a lot of stressful things as well) that I was just downright unpleaseable*.



Looking back at them now I feel kind of sad that I was so unhappy with them that I didn’t even post them because they are not that bad. I look tired yes, and my smile is pretty low watt, but the outfit itself is really cute.



Just a little bit about what’s going on with the blog…I have ordered a new camera. One that has a self timer, but one of those FANCY self timers what you can set to take up to like, 30 pictures in one go.



That way I’ll be able to go back to shooting my own pictures when Nathan is not available (so, basically, most days). My point and shoot passed away sometime during Nathan’s unemployment and I’m a point and shoot girl. I just am. Once that arrives I plan to get back to posting 4-5 times a week again. And as an added bonus for me, I get to start fresh, with a few new clothes you’ve never seen and a fresh perspective. I’m excited about it!

*I get that it’s not a real word, Spell Check, I am using it anyway, mkay? Mkay.

Dress, sweater, tights and shoes, Target
Bag, Rachel Nasvik
Necklace, Wendy Brandes

What’s The Point In Living If You Don’t Want To Dance?

Let’s be real for a minute. Sometimes I am pretty casual. I mean, really, really casual. Like this:



Sometimes I leave the house like that. I went to brunch and the grocery store like that and I am going to be honest, I felt pretty cute even though I was wearing sweatpants.



How casual is too casual for you? I think for me, it’s PJs and no make-up. I will swipe on a little gloss and mascara and change into jeans and a tee for so much as a drive thru run. I don’t ever want to leave the house in anything less than I would be comfortable in should I end up at the hospital or police station. You know?



And I’d wear this outfit again. I know some of you will disagree that it is OK to wander around the city in sweatpants, well, EVER. But I felt good. I kind of love those sweatpants. You can’t tell in the Sperry Top-Sider boots (which, oh my goodness, LOVE. Thanks again to both Clare and Sperry Top-Sider) but they are cropped and have a wide band so they hit mid-calf. With a pair of heeled lace up boots and an oversized cardi, they look very Cheryl Cole. Which is an excellent thing in my book. Granted they look a little less chic here but I can be forgiven for wanting to test drive those boots, I think. And they were great. I wore them all day. When I first put them on I was a wee concerned because the leather felt a bit tight (I ordered a 6 and a half. I wear a six in shoes, but I always size up a half size for boots to make room for comfy socks) but after a while, the leather warmed and stretched and molded to my feet. They were super comfortable and I can’t wait to find all sorts of ways to style them! (I am already planning to wear them with black tights, cut offs and a tee, that will be SUCH a cute look.)

Sweater and pants, Target
Tee, vintage
Boots, giveaway from Between Laundry Days and Sperry Top-Sider

Get Out Of My Dreams, Get Into My Car

But not really. I sort of hate when it’s my turn to drive. I like to drive myself to work but only because I like to be able to leave when I need to. I hate driving. I find each and every turn behind the wheel for me is an exercise in pure white knuckled horror. I’m hoping to grow out of it someday but you know, I’m 34. So it’s not looking good. But you know what makes it a little better?

A new car.


(all photos this post by Jessica Guest)

That’s right. After 12 months (Ok, maybe 11 and a half) of not having a car, I have gone out and purchased myself a brand new car. It’s my first ever brand new car, and I chose it and bought it all on my own. It is ADORABLE.



It’s a Hyundai Accent hatchback. I actually got kind of an obscenely good deal on it and in true finance guy fashion, the guy at the dealership tried to trick me into spending $4000 more than we agreed to in extra warranties and features. I said no. Several times.

He got rude.
I told him he was being very aggressive and I didn’t appreciate it.
He said he was supposed to get off two hours ago to be with his kids.
I said I didn’t HAVE to buy the car from him.
He said he HAD to have that warranty on there for the finance department to approve it.
I threatened to pay cash (I have never seen such horror in a man’s eyes as when I did that. It was crazy).

After that I pretty much got what I wanted. PLUS a massive feeling of accomplishment knowing I beat a MASTER at his own game. I have patted myself on the back a few times since then.

And I did it again just now.



Look how perfectly we go together.

I love this car.*



*I know. You can see my pettipants. But look at it this way, at least I am wearing the proper undergarments, you know?

Hooded knit jacket, Target
Tunic, mark
tights, Target
boots, Doc Martins