Mission #46, Day 5--Jeans

Jeans.  They're a given when traveling.  No fail in comfort, can be dressed up or dressed down and pockets.   These jeans in specific made me dance for joy when I put them on on this particular morning.

They are the first pre-pregnancy non-maternity jeans I've worn in probably a year.  I can't tell you how good it felt.  And although the scale has not shown much (or really any) improvement from my working out or eating right, they do say it's all in the waistline.

It's hard to think that way, though.  You're so used to a number.  And it's definitely true that I have a long way to go in that there are many items of clothing in my closet I still can't fit into.  But slowly but surely, I can try different pairs of pants or skirts and have them zip up.

And that alone is just enough to get me out of bed in the morning when it is still dark out.  When I've been up with a baby all night long.  When I know that if I skip the workout, I can have an extra 45 minutes of precious sleep.

It makes up for all of the times that I get bummed out because I'mbustingmyassandnothingishappening!!!  It may be a small victory, it may be a superficial victory, but it is a victory nonetheless. 

 And, yes, I realize that I've worn this jacket in 3 out of the 5 outfit posts for this Mission Week.  This jacket is just another example of a) closet staples.  I constantly wear this jacket.  It seems to go with everything.  And b) that the exercising is paying off.

When I bought this jacket I was pregnant.  I bought it in a small because that was my normal size.  And I figured that a jacket shouldn't change in size whether I was pregnant or not.  I was wrong.  I forgot that being pregnant changes every aspect of your body.  And after I had Reilly, it was still a bit snug.  But now, it's starting to fit like it's supposed to.  #littlevictories

Cognac Leather Jacket-Target; Black Peplum Blouse with Leather Sleeves-H&M; Leopard Print Heels-Target; Distressed Boyfriend Jeans-Kohl's; Studded Bracelets-gifted; Pearl Earrings-gifted from Patrick from Qatar; Mirrored Aviators-Target

Mission #46, Day 4--Easy Peasy Dress and Layers

Easy peasy dress--simple.  Comfy.  No fuss.  Pockets.  It's a no-brainer.  Layers--obvi.  Jacket?  It can get cold and then hot again.  Scarf?  Easy added interest and pattern mixing.  Done and done.  

Yesterday afternoon I had an appointment to get a check up on the van.   And I knew ahead of time that it would be an hour layover.  And Patrick's mom was set to stay with Reilly as I was going there right after work.

Now going to a dealership for a check up is nothing exciting.  And technically it is a chore.  But I have to tell you, it is the first time since I believe Reilly has been born that I had a set, known time of silence.  No kids.  No dishes to do.  No laundry to fold.  And it was glorious.

And they had free wi-fi.  And free coffee.  And it was a-mazing.  Short.  But good.  It is crazy how having a kids and, in specific, a baby can make you appreciate all the little things--laughter, holidays, snowfall, little toes, sticky fingers.  But it can also make you appreciate selfish moments--quiet moments, clean floors, coffee that you can drink while it is still hot.

And, as a mom, it's very important to recognize every moment--with your children, from their perspective and those that make you selfishy happy.

Black and White Striped Dress-Target; Cognac Leather Bomber Jacket-Target; Cognac OTK Boots-Charlotte Russe; Floral Scarf-vintage; Wide Cognac Belt-gifted by Lynne

Mission #46, Day 3--#sweatpantsduh

Can we all take a moment of praise that sweatpants and general loungewear are a "thing" now?  Can I get an amen?  Because, when styled correctly, it can look pretty damn good.  And nothing beats the comfort factor of a good pair of sweatpants.

I wasn't always a sweatpants fan and it did take me a while to come around.  Growing up we were poor.  Jeans were a luxury that we could not really afford.  And I remember that we had maybe one pair of jeans each--my sister, brother and I.

The rest of our legwear choices laid in sweatpants or leggings.  I refused to wear sweatpants because I was determined that sweatpants were lazy, sloppy and just plain gross.  My brother was obsessed with sweatpants.  Namely, these canary yellow ones.  

Once, I got so mad that he continued to wear these sweatpants.  I remember reprimanding him on our way out the door to an outing.  He didn't care, however.  But I remember it clear as day.

I recently asked my brother if he remembered that.  He was about 7 years old.  He claimed he did not.  "Really?"  I asked.  "Yeah," he responded "I don't know why I wouldn't remember that.  You know what, she's right." He joked.  I love my brother's wit.

Grey Sweatpants-Old Navy; Aerosmith Tee-thrifted; Black Blazer-thrifted; Wedge Sneakers-Target; Earrings-Charming Charlie's

Mission #46, Day 2--Flats

Whether you're traveling in a car on a road trip or by air in a plane, flats are where it's at when it comes to travel.  If you're in a car, you can flip them off and relax.  If you're on a plane, it's easier in security.  Win win.  Not to mention the various shuffles that are involved in traveling.

You may have seen, if you follow along on Instagram, that somehow within a 24 hour period, our family lost three iPhones.  Kaden's fell as he tripped on the charging cord.  Conner's got sat on by Kaden.  And mine fell as I pulled it out of my pocket.

 

That phone of mine has slid out of my pocket while on more than one bike ride and slid down the street without a mark.  I took it out of my pocket to check the time, it fell a foot and a half to our hard wood floor.  Done.

And now it's the holidays.  And we just passed Kaden's birthday.  So there is no possibility of getting a new one for at least a couple of months.  

But it's fine.  I'm taking it as a sign from the universe that my spoiled ass doesn't need to rely on an iPhone.  And it still works--it's just hard to read the screen.  So I'm gonna just suck it up.  But isn't it interesting to ponder--I'd chose a jacked up, cracked beyond repair iPhone to a new, cheap flip phone.  Priorities.

Camel Skinnies-Jordache; Orange Blouse-Charming Charlie's, thrifted; Cognac Bomber Jacket-Target; Leopard Print Flats-Payless; Earrings-gifted

Mission #46, Day 1--TRAVEL ESSENTIALS!!!--Leggings

This weekend, our holidays started.  We went down to my mom's for Thanksgiving.  She will be traveling in Europe during the real Thanksgiving.  So we made the trek down to her neck of the woods for a lovely mean.  And that means we are also getting into "I'm going to be traveling" season.  Which also means "I'll be busy" wear and "I need to be comfortable" wear.  

What is more comfortable than leggings?  Nothing.  And they are vast in variety and can be stylish as well.  Not to mention, they're elastic waist.  Which correlates nicely with "I'm about to stuff my face" season.

You know what else happened this weekend?  My baby turned 14.  My baby.  14.  That means that 14 years ago, my life changed forever and I became a mother.  And I learned what it means to really love someone more than you love yourself.  

Holidays.  Birthdays.  Both call for comfy leggings.  The fact that they are pleather, is just a bonus.

Pleather Leggings-Kohl's; Black Button Down Shirt-thrifted (maternity); Fur Vest-Marshall's; Combat Boot-L.E.I.; Glasses-Bebe; Earrings-Kohl's

Dear Frannie Friday--My Favorite Corny Jokes

First of all--whoops!  I'm accidentally totally a head to toe Target ad--minus the jewelry.  Secondly, my oldest baby, Kaden, turns 14 on Sunday.  Whoa, right?  Well if you know him, you know that he is a total jokester.  He loves comedies of any and all kinds.  So in honor of that, here are some of my most favorite corny jokes:

My favorite joke that I've heard recently was this:

Why do sorority girls always travel in odd numbers?

Because they can't even. 

What does Snoop Dogg use an umbrella for?

For drizzle

And then, of course, there's this beaut of a joke . . .

 

Grey Maxi Dress, Plaid Baseball Cap, Black Leather Jacket, Wedge Sneakers, Mirrored Aviators-Target; Spiked Earrings and Fringe Necklace-Charming Charlie's

So I saw this sign while I was taking photos . . . which was weird . . .

And the associate attorney in our firm and I accidentally matched kind of in black, grey and red.  So we took a work break for some unapologetic photo shoot unwinding.

Thursday Mixer--Black Jogger Pants

Joggers got big right when I found out I was pregnant with Reilly and it was the greatest timing.  Drawstring waist, loose fit and generally low maintenance--I was in.  So I bought several when they went on major sale at Nordstrom's and it was a solid investment.

I paid $30 for this pair which is kind of pricey for me.  But I have worn these specific pair 6 times in a year--on the blog anyway.  Which makes the current price per wear $5.  And this doesn't take into account how many times I've worn the other pairs I bought.

Top Left to Right-1, 2, 3

Bottom Left to Right- 1, 2, Now 

I've told many a story on this blog about the instances I have with the general public when I take my blog photos.  I get it--a girl with a tripod, taking pictures of herself can warrant some questions.  But sometimes it leads to some pretty interesting stories.

This one will go down as one of my faves.  I was taking these photos when a couple came to have a smoke break right next to me.  And I mean right next to where I was taking photos.  Normally, I'd move, but they were smoking the MMJ and so I opted to stay.  They seemed harmless.

Well the guy (pictured in the background of the second photo in this post) had a very distinct accent.  He started talking to me about how he was from Moscow.  He told me about his travels.  He told me about his ex-wife and his recent arrests for domestic violence and how his immigration test was the next day and his lawyers.

He told me about everything.  But my favorite thing he told me about was the similarities between downtown Longmont and East L.A.  I have to say, I have lived in Longmont, Colorado a large portion of my life and I have never heard it compared to East L.A.  And I don't think I ever will either.  Wow.

Black Joggers-Wayf at Nordstroms; Short Sleeved Chambray Button Down-Style & Co., thrifted; Black Blazer-thrifted; Red Heels-thrifted; Tote-Del Conte, gifted; Necklace-c/o unCommon Goods; Earrings-DIY and gifted