A Little Perspective...

Sometimes you just need a little perspective on life. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed (and, to be frank, sorry for myself) lately. You know, woe is me...I have to buy more Christmas presents, I have no time, I got a ticket for expired tabs (let's not go there), I have to wrap presents, I still haven't done Christmas cards, Our TV crapped out, blah, blah, blah. So, there are often people with signs at the exit I take to get to my house. The one yesterday was a woman with a sign that said (something to the effect of) Mom of three - everything helps. Whenever we see someone in this situation, BooBoo says, "Oh, that poor man/woman - he/she's hungry. Mom, give him/her some food." Well, snacks are something I am rarely without - cash I am rarely with, but kid food is pretty much a constant. So, I pushed down my window and offered her two packages of cookies and some fruit snacks and said something like, "There, one for each child." Her reply was, "Oh, wonderful. Now I've got stocking stuffers." I could have cried. Here I was feeling sorry for myself because I had to go out and get just the right movies (at $20 a pop) for my girls' stockings and there's this woman standing out on the corner, relieved to get some treats for her kids' stockings. I think nothing of these treats - we've got them all over the house. I said a silent prayer of thanks and drove my sweet daughter home.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. God bless you and those you love. Pray that I remember to renew my tabs on time next year. Peace.

Back to my (important to me, but not important in the entire scheme of the universe - perspective, you know) wardrobe. Oh, first my Christmas presents part II: workout bag, towel, socks, shoelaces, water bottle, $100 gift certificate toward new athletic shoes, mixed nuts & wild rice (my employer); lime-y green super-soft bathrobe (J to the H); plaid pajama pants and coordinating slippers (J to the B). I am blessed with the best friends, family and co-workers.

Wednesday: white tee, pink fleece hoodie, medium rinse jeans (S & B), fUggs
Thursday: (work Holiday Party) black 3/4-sleeve scoopneck sweater, lavender pleated silk skirt, black pearl & diamond necklace, gold hoops, black tights, black patent peep-toe platforms, midnight blue Kate Spade handbag

PS - Shout out the The Schma - See, your babies will always need you. Hugs and Kisses.

Christmas Cheer

I got this from my friend Anna in Colorado and thought, What better way to share my vastly important and entertaining thoughts with the maximum number of people? So, here goes...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I spent one Holiday Season wrapping gifts at then Marshall Field's, now Macy's and forever Dayton's, so I use the occasional gift bag, but I prefer wrapping gifts and do so in a completely anal fashion.

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Faux.

3. When do you put Christmas tree up? Usually Thanksgiving weekend or the first weekend in December.

4. When do you take the tree down? Some time after Epiphany (January 6th), but hopefully not too long (as I have done in the past).

5. Like egg nog? Not one little bit.

6. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

7. Favorite gift received as a child? My Barbie Town House.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The Cheap Chick.

10. Worst Christmas gift? I got a hideous sweater from my college boyfriend's mom - the year was 1993, the sweater was an off-white mockneck tunic length acrylic creation covered in 3-D shapes in neutral tones. The shapes included curlicues, swirls, grapes and other such lovely things.

11. Mail or email a Christmas card? Mail.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Grinch.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December 26th, Baby!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.

15. Favorite food to eat on Christmas? Cream wafer cookies.

16. Clear or colored tree lights? Either way - just not all blue or purple.

17. Favorite Christmas Song? Highbrow: O Holy Night or the Alleluia Chorus from Handel's Messiah Lowbrow: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town as sung by Springsteen or Jingle Bell Rock

18. Travel during Christmas or Stay home? Stay close to home.

19. Can you name Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph.

20. Angel or Star on Tree top? Angel.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve with The Blonde One's extended family and Christmas morning with our immediate family and my extended family. Other opportunities as they occur.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People yammering on incessantly about how busy they are during the Holidays and how they can't do anything else this time of year.

So, I've gotten a few gifts already. A Starbuck's gift card (name draw), three angel pins (Aunt & Uncle), bookcase and baskets (Schma & Padre), small midnight blue satin Kate Spade handbag and handmade stained glass business card holder (Boss Lady), bottle of red (Boss Man) and large midnight blue velvet Nine West handbag and teal/chocolate/lime argyle socks (The Cheap Chick). Now I need some midnight blue shoes and a new dress (or two) to show off my fabulous handbags. My handbag from The Cheap Chick was actually on TV today, as The Cheap Chick was on KARE11 talking about her $20 spending experiment. My handbag is famous!

Tuesday's ensemble - white v-neck tee, olive corduroy belted blazer, dark rinse jeans (Mossimo), silver & brown earrings, brown high-heeled boots

Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes

So, I ordered my Schma a pair of black mary jane kicks from Cutesy Shoes for Christmas. For those of you who don't know Cutesy Shoes, they're a fabulous website full of inexpensive shoes and they offer free shipping for orders over $50. Since the Schma's shoes only cost 28.00, I could either pay $10 for shipping or buy myself some shoes and get free shipping. Which do you think I chose? I ended up ordering three - count 'em three - pair of shoes for less than $52! I am so excited for my shoes to come - I got a pair of camel peep toe platform pumps and a pair of totally retro turquoise and yellow hidden platforms. I cannot wait to pull out these totally funky shoes. Merry Christmas to me!

Monday - eggplant long-sleeved tee, wrap-y, cape-y thing in shades of blue, green and purple (it's cute, trust me), knee-length jean skirt, turquoise jade drop earrings, black cableknit tights, purple and pewter suede wedges.

Sometimes You Just Have to Rack It!

So, the other day at work one of my quotes came back to me. Usually when that happens it's something inane that I said, like when I told The Blonde One very earnestly, "You get what you receive." Yes, yes you do. Sigh. Anyhoo, at work on Tuesday, my friend BOASt (that's Boobs On A Stick, but it's meant in the nicest way possible), complimented me on my ensemble. I made some mumbling comment about my cleavage and BOASt replied, "As my good friend (The Material Girl) once said, sometimes you just have to rack it!" I laughed out loud. It's true, though, sometimes you do. Keep in mind that I spent the first 28 years of my life without much rack to speak of (I was a modest 34B until becoming pregnant with LooLoo). I have spent the last 7 years (due to pregnancy, nursing and excess adipose tissue) as a 36C or D. I realize that a 36C is not exactly porn-star sized, but it's definitely cleavage-inducing, which is still a foreign concept to me. I've never been one to go without a bra, but now I can't. And, there is a definite difference depending on the bra I wear, as push-ups now actually have something to push-up and they do it with a vengence. It can actually get a little bit horrifying.

Continued from two weeks ago:
Tuesday - red v-neck ribbed sweater, black pants, black pointy-toed stilettos
Wednesday & Thursday - nothing worth writing home about - probably a long-sleeved tee, definitely jeans and fUggs

Last week:
Monday - light blue camisole and long-sleeved wrap shirt, khaki cords, silver hoops, silver and shades of blue necklace, brown high-heeled boots
Tuesday - nude camisole with gold flecks, red wrap shirt, oatmeal cardigan, black skinny jeans, black belt with gold buckle, shades of red bead necklace, garnet studs, black pointy-toed stilettos
Wednesday - teal old-lady tracksuit, as I was home sick
Thursday - some sort of long-sleeved shirt, dark-rinse jeans (Old Navy), brown belt, brown suede fUggs

The Essential LooLoo and BooBoo

This is one of my favorite pics of LooLoo and BooBoo. It's just so them. LooLoo is running gazelle-like, hair flying in the wind, and BooBoo is stopping to explore (and probably get into something messy).

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Moms

Unfortunately, I tend to be an all-or-nothing person. Therefore, when I am good (about blogging) I am very, very good and when I am bad (about blogging) I am horrid. I have the best intentions, but life just seems to happen around me sometimes.

Last week's wardrobe choices were tragic. I actually wore athletic-type shoes every day of the week. And I wore warm-up pants twice. (I have to admit that my new maroon warm-up pants are about the most comfortable pants I have ever worn and I want them in every color. Mossimo from Target for only $17.99, but I got mine on sale for $12.99. Fabulous!) We have training at work this week, so I decided to start off my Monday looking relatively decent. I gotta tell you, though, high heeled boots and large snowbanks are not a fun combination. I really need to wear practical shoes outside and change inside, but I never do.

Monday - pink v-neck tee and fleece hoodie, dark pink warm-up pants and pink mary jane sneaks.
Tuesday - beats the crap out of me, but it wasn't great.
Wednesday - black cashmere sweater, dark rinse jeans, black kicks.
Thursday - brown long-sleeved tee, oatmeal cardigan sweater, maroon fleecy warm-up pants, olive Skechers.

Today (Monday) - red cowel neck 3/4 sleeve sweater, black tulip hem corduroy skirt, black tights, tall black boots with silver buckles, silver hoops.