Everyday Casual

 This outfit, or variations of it, has been my everyday mom uniform this winter. On casual days, I've reached for these soft black skinnies and tucked them into a pair of boots. And on top it's been a whole lot of layering, mostly button up "boy" shirts worn with sweaters. Comfortable but still put together. 

I'm itching to ditch it all though! So ready for spring dresses, pastel jeans, linen blazers, light stripey scarves, chambray shirts. Sigh. 

Dear winter, how much longer?

{button up - H&M, striped shirt - Gap, pants & boots - T J Maxx, bag - Goodwill}

Also wondering, with the promise of warmer weather approaching, if it's time to go in and get my hair did again? I haven't been this brunette/natural in a long time. I like it but I also love change. What do you think? Stay the same or spice it up a bit?

DIY Paper Background

 I finally set to work on this little shadow box that I picked up at our Goodwill about a month ago. I found some cute vintage inspired papers (on sale!) at Hobby Lobby and cut them out to size, placing them inside the little holes for a fun collage effect. A simple project that has made such a sweet impact on little E's wall! 

Sunday Best {dress as blouse}

 Ooa - ooa! Ooa - ooa! 

This is what we chant in Zumba class when we think we're super cool! You do too right? This is normal? This particular dress-into-a-blouse effort was a sufficiently cool moment and I thought deserved a good exclamation of some sort. Hah!

I'm so fond of this purple bird print dress but you can only wear it to church so often before people start remembering. So I thought I'd layer over it. Not a bad idea huh? You should give it a try ... and show us a pic (how about here on Facebook).

{dress (as top) - Fossil, tank - Forever 21, skirt - Express, shoes - Jeffrey Campbell, ring - J. Crew, purse - Old Navy}

Sweet mommy story to tell - 

My first grader, Parker, has been sharing much more with me about what he does (or specifically loves) at school. He said that they've been listening to music by Johann Sebastian Bach and that it's a very sad and eery song. We spoke a while about Bach and he wanted to know which songs I knew. Thankfully I had a couple up my sleeve (from ballet class I suppose) and so I didn't seem like a total nitwit. He's also "singing" this precious little song in sign language, usually as he's tucking in for bed at night. It's the cutest thing you've ever seen. And he finally brought oodles of art home from school, something I'd been waiting for as they'd been so few and far between. There are several sweet pastels that I want to frame and they're all named - "The Forest of the Sun" and "Pastel Pond" etc. So very fancy, it makes me smile. His school doesn't have an emphasis on art and I'm completely fine with that (our other preferences won out in the end) but when I do hear about that side of his eduction it makes me a little giddy. It's obviously an enormous part of my life and so it's become part of the kid's lives too as they're surrounded by it everyday. It's just nice to hear that Parker loves it too. When he was younger (around 3) I wondered if I was pushing it on him and if he was acting interested to please me. Seems that whether that was true or not, he genuinely loves it now. So awesome. 

Oh So Sunny

Happy Friday friends! 

I've been so busy today that I've had to make a bit of time to get this post out before this lovely day comes to close. The huz and I are headed out on a date quite soon! Our little E LOVES babysitters and has specifically requested his Ms. Abby for some time now, so we've made it happen. It's rough when your two year old kicks you out the door for a date night, isn't it?

I received this mustard sweater as a gift last week (thanks Christine!) and had a bit of fun spicing up an otherwise plain ol' outfit. 

{shirt - Gap, sweater - gift from friend, skirt - Target, shoes - Aldo}

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

My New and Improved Life {as a mini chef}

I know I've said this about eight hundred and twenty-seven times now, but I LOVE Pinterest and for so many reasons. The most important of which is it has single handedly turned me into a bit of a chef, I'm not bragging or anything. Seriously, I did.not.like.cooking before I met Pinterest. I was intimidated by it, the same way I am by my sewing machine, and I really thought there was no way I'd be good at it. I just didn't know how to throw good things together and following a recipe with precision was such a downer when too often my attempts failed to please. So I stuck with my uszhs - spaghetti with meat sauce, tacos, anything on the grill (though that was husband's doing so can't take credit), the occasion chicken enchilada casserole, and a Olive Garden-esque Italian sausage soup that was my finest dish. Pretty boring stuff.

Moving on. I found that dear, long ago friends were all about pinning recipes. At first I ignored it but then I noticed that they would often write things like "Best tortilla soup ever!" or "Easiest and most delicious crock pot beef stroganoff" and I thought, "Hey, I like a good strog, maybe I should give this a try". I soon noticed that every recipe I tried from Pinterest was a smash hit at home. Unbelievable! I think it's the fact that you're cooking the "best of" recipes, already hits in someone else's home. It certainly helps that crock potting is so very popular now as I seem to have a knack for it and really, it's the easiest thing imaginable (what woman wouldn't want to simply stick her food in a pot to cook for 6 hours while she rules the world). Finally, there's something about having it all there in one spot, just a click away from a recipe. I love a good recipe book but it just seems that cooking from a laptop works wonders for me. I'm obviously a terribly lazy chef.

So these are my favorite new meals, all tried and true, with my personal pictures to match. Not saying they tasted quite as smashing as the original but they were pretty stinking good all the same.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken from Jamie Cooks it Up

 (We really, really love this one. Kinda made my heart melt a bit when I first tried it)

Chicken Tortilla Soup - a friend pinned it here

(Really great and super simple. Even little E digs this soup)

Crockpot Beef Stronganoff from The Crockstar

(unbelievably good!)

 Grilled Bruschetta Chicken by Jamie Cooks it Up

(Absolutely divine every time. Must try it!)

 Honey Sauced Chicken from MMM...Cafe

(tasty, light flavor but needed a bit of something so I added the broccoli) 

 Crock Pot Meatball Minestrone from Jamie Cooks it Up

(really delish and something a little different)

Burrito Casserole by Jamie Cooks it Up 

(not absolutely perfect but still tasty)

Mushroom pasta sauce by Sweet Paul

(I love full flavor and hoped this would be richer. Wanted the sauce to be a little creamier in the end though it was still yummy)

 Pioneer Woman Beef Stew

(I messed this one up but I'm sure it would be awesome if a true chef worked his/her magic!)

Hope to continue finding more delicious meals via you all on Pinterest, so please keep sharing!

Black and White

 I love this sweater! I think it'll work well even in the spring time layered over a floaty tank and a pair of cut offs. And though it has the potential to be a disaster with it's angled cut higher in the front and dipped down in the back (hello hips!), I find that wearing it with looser layers underneath creates a flattering shape. I originally saw this style at Free People, a store I love way too much and one which is often the cause of some unusually brash decisions (check out these puppies, oh and these boots too!). If I ever consider indulging in a purchase it'll likely be something from this place. Doesn't happen often (I love deals and thrifting more than anything, as does my budget) but it seems that perhaps I have a shoe fetish after all, if I had to pick one beloved grouping in my closet, as it's the only thing I'll spend the bucks on. Though ... I suppose I might have a bit of a bag fetish too.

 {necklace, sweater & skirt - Forever 21, blouse - J. Crew outlet, boots - resale from Plato's Closet (GB)}

One Line a Day

February:

13th - Little E loves to call us on the phone at bedtime if one of us is missing, a conversation filled with "I love you"'s and "night night"'s, often ending abruptly when his nose hits the end button after all those smooches. 

14th - It's so sweet to see the excitement that ensues with handing out and receiving Valentines (though I wonder how soon this might change, particularly with boys?).

15th - When I ask Elliot to help me clean up a mess (put on his shoes, brush his teeth, etc.) he says, "No, I busy!" .... always (usually gabbled while in a prone position, utterly un-busy).

16th - Parker is giving a presentation on his favorite animal, the giraffe, today and though we've practiced saying the lines while making eye contact with his audience I have a feeling he'll be glued to his papers when he gets up there. 

17th - Lost 5 points for lack of eye contact and another 5 for penmanship (still a 90 though!) - surely handwriting this messy must mean that I have a future doctor on my hands! 

18th - Both Parker and Monty LOVE going to the dentist, completely unexpected and pretty odd really, though "whew!".

19th - I love the way Monty wakes up in the morning always so warm and gushy, just like a little puppy. :)

Sunday Best {jeans!}

 Happy Monday friends!

I was a little dressed down yesterday, not too typical for me on a Sunday. It may have been serious and sleek on the bottom but it was all party and frills on the top! This lace jacket was a antique market find some time ago (it actually came with a matching dress = perfection) and though it's not exactly easy to "wear with anything", it's just such a beautiful piece. For me, pairing it with denim is my favorite combo.

 {blouse, jeans & belt - Gap, jacket - Somewhere in Time (GB), bracelets - Forever 21, purse - H&M, heels - Dillards}

So very happy to meet many new faces from A Beautiful Mess! Hope you'll stick around. :)

Pretty Picks {and a winner!}

Today's pretty picks are all about beautiful patterns and textures. 

 {a stunner of a building in Scotland - here}

 {Lulu Frost - here}

{behind this door magic surely awaits - here}

{a chevron quilt in the most beautiful of colors - here}

{bohemian glam - here}

 {pattern soup - here}

 {adorable littles + those skates! - here}

{the prettiest cake you'll ever meet eat - here}

 {something I'd like to wear, again and again - here}

 {a street in DC, overlapping in spring - here}

And the winner of a custom canvas from Etsy's Ruby Merle Designs is MimiDeb! Congrats to you. Please send me an email so that I have your contact info and we'll be in touch - kirstyloug@gmail.com.

Thanks so much to all who entered! Have a fantastic weekend! 

Pretty Picks {and a winner!}

Today's pretty picks are all about beautiful patterns and textures. 

 {I stunner of a building in Scotland - here}

 {Lulu Frost - here}

{behind this door magic surely awaits - here}

{a chevron quilt in the most beautiful of colors - here}

{bohemian glam - here}

 {pattern soup - here}

 {adorable littles + those skates! - here}

{the prettiest cake you'll ever meet - here}

 {something I'd like to wear, again and again - here}

 {a street in DC, overlapping in spring - here}

And the winner of a custom canvas from Etsy's Ruby Merle Designs is MimiDeb! Congrats to you. Please send me an email so that I have your contact info and we'll be in touch - kirstyloug@gmail.com.

Thanks so much to all who entered!