Cover to Cover

Cheese of the Week #3

2012-01-21T12:38:00.004-06:00

FRENCH BRIE!! Praise the Lord and hallelujah. One of the most popular cheeses, and for good reason. I will never tire of French Brie.

It's best to keep this cheese at room temperature and eat it as often as possible. I seriously can't resist taking a bite every time I pass by it. It's delicious alone, and you can also make so many different things with it, including Brie croquette.

I'm happy just spreading it on French bread, or even melting it on toast with strawberry jam as I did this morning.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Couldn't Live Without... [an outfit post]

2012-01-20T15:44:00.002-06:00

During post-Golden Globes press, a reporter asked Madonna, "what is one thing in your closet you couldn't live without?"

Her reply? Lots of fumbling around and thinking (really? you're a fashion icon, you don't know this off-hand??) and finally, "fishnets".

UGH. Eyeball roll. I mean, I'm not surprised..she IS Madonna. But really? Do you wear fishnets all the time, Madonna? Are they perfect for running errands, for going to your kids soccer practice, and also for date night?

Again, it's Madonna, so yes, probably so.

MY answer would have been boots. I wear them fall, spring, winter, and sometimes even summer. I wear them to brunch, to and from yoga, to work, to church, to the airport (so easy to slip on and off).

I have so many of them, it's hard to pick my very favorite. But I suppose I would pick the ones I've had the longest, my beat-up, stacked heel, brown riding boots. My best friend gave them to me about five years ago (or I stole them, tomato tomato). I can easily dress them up or down and wear them with any color in the world.

Also, I feel like I could really kick some BOOTy when I wear them.

Here they are with black leggings, a long green tank, an oversized comfy sweater, and leather jacket.

The day I wore this outfit, the canal downtown was being drained. So of course, I decided I needed to hop in and get a few pictures. It felt very post-apocalyptic.

Cheese of the Week #2

2012-01-17T22:13:00.002-06:00

A little late on posting this one- Pecorino Romano was actually last weeks cheese.

Very hard and crumbly, this isn't the kind of cheese you just sit around and eat by the slice. It's VERY hard and crumbly, and has a smell that's very distinct but really hard for me to describe...sort of like Parmesan, but sheepier. I'm betting a lot of non-cheese people wouldn't love the smell of it.

I tried it first grated on my scrambled eggs but it really didn't do much for them. The internets told me to use it on pasta, but I haven't tried it on that yet.

Tonight I grated it on tilapia. Just pour a little melted butter on the fish, a few herbs, a dash of lime juice, then a nice grating of Pecorino Romano before baking. I must say, pretty good!

Ciao!

God=Love

2012-01-11T08:42:00.002-06:00

I know this. If you're a christian, you know this.

What if someone doesn't believe in God? I guarantee you that they still believe in love. I bet most of them show love even better than you or I do sometimes, but that's another blog post.

So, if someone doesn't believe in God, and they ask you what Christianity or the bible is all about, do you answer automatically "God" or "Jesus" (or, God's love, even)? Guess what? From my experience, that's the end of the conversation for them, they've checked out. They don't believe in God, so telling them "God" isn't wedging that door open, it's not planting any seeds.

Next time, try answering "love" first. Just "love". They're going to ask another question. I bet you anything. Then you can tell them all about how a man showed and taught love.

If you truly believe God=love, think about showing LOVE way before you PREACH God.

Look Pretty and Support Victims of HumanTrafficking

2012-01-07T12:49:00.000-06:00

I recently read about Radiant Cosmetics, a cosmetic company who gives some of their profit to end human trafficking.

How great is that? Check it out.

[picture from RadiantCosmetics.org]

Cheese of the Week #1

2012-01-05T21:34:00.003-06:00

How does one pick the very first cheese of 2012? Especially when one has never met a cheese she didn't like...

I picked by name, of course. Ciao Angelo was just sitting there saying hello to me. Also, it was Forward Foods' pick of the week. Ciao Angelo is actually a Dutch cow cheese, despite the Italian name. Which is fitting, as one of my first big cheese experiences was at the age of 15 on a Dutch cheese farm.

Me, surrounded by cheese. I'm sure I weighed all of 85 pounds here, and was already a full 5 feet and 7 inches. All the cheese over the years has successfully filled me out, praise the Lord.

Ciao Angelo is described as a nutty, caramel cheese. I would compare it strongly to a Parmesan, but a bit sweeter. It's not something you can eat a lot of at once, but the hard crystals make it interesting. Pairs great with fruit.

Heart Opener

2012-01-03T23:16:00.002-06:00

For those of you who don't practice yoga, "heart openers" are poses that literally push the chest, and the heart, up and out.

We do these every time we practice yoga, but tonight during class we really focused on this. And more importantly, how our heart needs to be spiritually opened to love.... In general, or maybe in particular to some one or a certain situation.

Open your heart daily. Send light out from your heart to the world. We could all use a little love.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2012, a list and a couple of mantras

2012-01-01T16:33:00.001-06:00

Writing a list of resolutions seems pretty trite, so here's a list of...2012 focuses. That's different, right? ;)

First, here's my "keep it up!" list:

1. Practice yoga and continue pushing myself during practice (cadenceyoga.com, it's the best, check it out).

2. Eat healthy. I haven't had fast food (except Chick-fil-a, which totally does NOT count) in months.

3. Write notes to others, and myself. I love a good hand-written note.

And now new "focuses", in no particular order:

1. Try a different cheese every week. I just discovered you can keep a card with a list of your cheeses at Forward Foods. Can't wait to fill mine up.

2. Practice a few sun salutations every morning, and SMILE through them! Which means...

3. Get up earlier (this is on my list every year, I always wake up right in time and have to rush to get ready). Here's to hoping I can actually achieve this one in 2012.

4. Cook something new/different every other week. I feel really good about my baking skills but wish I had a wider range in cooking. That is, more than just fish and veggies.

5. Use prayer cards every morning while getting ready. I put these around my mirror, hopefully they'll be hard to miss that way.

6. Open the blinds every morning. As stated before, I am NOT a morning person, but a little sunlight always helps get me in a ... sunnier mood. Ha! Hahaha.

7. Don't cheat on my budget. Period.

8. Make notes in REAL bible (instead youversion, though I do love it). I'm pretty sure I did all of my bible reading and highlighting digitally last year and I just miss that actual, physical book.

And finally, my 2012 mantras:

Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.

Be open and actively expect transformation.

Happy New Year. :)

2011 through my iPhone

2011-12-31T17:15:00.000-06:00

The Coming of Christ

2011-12-12T23:09:00.001-06:00

If you had a good mama like my mama, you probably grew up with a little advent calendar that you would excitedly open every morning before Christmas. Our advent calendar told the story of Christ's birth, and while I loved it, I'm pretty sure at that age what I was eagerly anticipating was not Christ coming to earth. It was probably more about the presents, food, and getting to see my extended family all at once. And lights, I loved really good Christmas lights.

Then I got older, and the advent calendar wasn't cool anymore, and I was really just counting down the days until school was on break and I could sleep for hours on end and stay up late with my friends.

Now, I have actually been through enough, and have the spiritual capacity to truly realize how amazing and life-changing it is for me personally that Jesus was born. On earth. For me.

But I've realized that the older I get, the more I am either wishing for the Christmas season to be over, because it's just so busy, or I am wishing it would slow down because I'm not "ready" for it yet (meaning: haven't bought all my presents, don't know what I want to make for Christmas dinner, etc). But Christmas day itself is very important to me. For exactly what it is: the celebration of Christ birth. Not the celebration of presents, or laziness, or getting to eat whatever I want.

Recently, I've decided I need to combine the childlike excitement and anticipation of Christmas with my reverent awe of what it means.

Which is actually what advent REALLY is, the anticipation of Christ. The waiting, preparing of the heart, and hope for the future that Jesus brings.

Which to me means spending more time in prayer, and in studying each part of the Christmas story and what it signifies. My good friend Emily even had the wonderful idea to pray about what gifts to give people.

There's only two weeks left until Christmas, but it's not too late to begin your advent. Here are a couple of my favorite advent resources to get you started:

http://ac.wcrossing.org/

http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/rediscovering-the-christmas-season

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thankful for..

2011-11-23T12:59:00.002-06:00

Oklahoma weather! I love that it's freezing and rainy one day and warm and sunny the next. Partly because I would be depressed if it was grey and cold all the time but mostly because it means I never get bored with my wardrobe!

Day 1- Warm and sunny. This outfit is a little matchy-matchy for my taste, but this day was the anniversary of my sweet grandmas entrance into heaven and I wanted wear as much red (her favorite color) as possible. Red and white striped henley tucked into a red tulip skirt, grey tights, brown belt, brown boots.

Day 2- Freezing and rainy. My good friend bought this super thick, warm flannel shirt for himself at the NYC Uniqulo, didn't like it and couldn't return it...sooo Merry Christmas to me! I just love it. It's so so so cozy. Pro tip for winter: double up on your leggings. Flannel oversized men's shirt, grey sweatshirt blazer (with elbow patches), double black leggings, tan motorcycle boots.

Day 3- Sunny but chilly. I get pretty bored with wearing jeans and leggings all winter, so on warmer days I love mixing it up with shorts and tights. Chunky cream cable knit sweater, olive green shorts, patterned plum tights, tan over-the-knee boots.

I hope you find a little inspiration in these! Fall and winter outfits are the most fun for me, I think. Happy Thanksgiving!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

One Year

2011-11-15T10:16:00.000-06:00

Whoever said it gets easier with time didn't know my grandma.

The only thing that feels better is that each passing day is one day closer to getting to see her again.

I still want to pick up the phone and call her after every accomplishment, every bad day, every trip I take, every funny thing that happens, every time I think about her. Which is a lot.

I'm not the type of person to talk about my feelings that much, other than to say that it just hurts still. A lot. I'm so grateful for having such a beautiful person in my life, and as one of my best friends for 26 years. But I still wish she was with me today, and I'm not sure that feeling will ever go away.

Why yes, my office is bright green

2011-11-14T15:46:00.000-06:00

Love it? My coworker and I do! We won't be in this space permanently, so when we were asked what color we wanted it painted, we decided to go with a bright, grass green. It's lovely. Really. Maybe soon I'll add some pictures of the rest of it.

(p.s. The mirror reflects Amanda's desk in it, so thanks Amanda for letting me exploit your work area, unknowingly ;) You can see from the army helmets in one picture and Christmas wrapping in another how much our job changes from day to day. Never a dull moment.)

Day 1: Channeling Audrey Hepburn. Fancy top knot and men's tuxedo shirt a la Breakfast at Tiffany's, black leggings and black flats a la Funny Face. Hot pink lipstick because it was a grey Monday and my life needed a little spice.

Day 2: Some days you just feel like wearing a t-shirt and jeans, am I right? This was one of those days. Simply add a fitted blazer and comfy little booties and no one will know you're having a lazy style day.

Day 3: Those tights are really mustard yellow, but I think the office walls make them look more green. I always feel like a little girl when I wear lots of bright colors (yellow, navy, hot pink), but adding a tailored blazer and beat up boots "boys" it up a bit.

White Blazer Tragedy

2011-11-08T17:35:00.003-06:00

As promised, here is my first round of daily outfit looks. I know, horrible picture quality. I'll try to make time for these to be better.

Day 1- I got up late for work day: hat, vneck, oversized cardigan, favorite broken in boots.

Day 2- I got up on time for work day: grey infinity scarf, striped sweater, black over-the-knee boots, white over-the-knee socks

Day 3- Dressy Friday: winter white blazer, pale pink silk top, nude peep toes.

I wore that white blazer once before I nearly ruined it. I wore it while in NYC, so when I got back I decided it HAD to be washed. I mean, it had subway germs and Time Square germs and tourist germs on it. Now, I know my fabrics, and I knew I could wash it then hang it to dry. But when I dumped in a few shirts to wash with the blazer, a deep purple scarf snuck it's way in. My beloved white blazer came out with lavender splotches on it. After nearly crying over it, I sprung into action and spent an embarrassing amount of time saving its life with a LOT of bleach. As the above picture shows, I successfully resuscitated it and it lives to be worn another day.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ever get that feeling...

2011-11-07T14:25:00.003-06:00

There is SO much to do and not enough time to do it? I don't mean for work, or daily life, I just mean...

In general, the world is a really big place, with so many things to see and do and food to try and people to meet and experiences to have and there is just NO way to do it all in one lifetime and I waste way too much time sleeping or watching Mad Men or blogging.

Yeah, I feel like that a lot. Which is why I haven't been blogging much. BUT I figured out a way to blog from my phone so I think I'll be able to do it more, while waiting in line or driving. Just kidding about the driving part. Arrive alive.

I'm going try to bring back (by request) posting a few outfits from each week. Don't expect any kind of fancy pictures, though. We're talking phone in mirror shots. I figured out most great fashion bloggers are married to photographers. Of course.

Here's a detail shot from a recent outfit. This picture reminds me: I love love love my hair color right now but it's definitely time to bring back my natural color. Natural color = a little lighter/golder than what it is now, but darker than what it was a few months ago. My poor hair can't take much more abuse. Its been at least 5 years since it hasn't been bleached or dyed, and I'm really missing how healthy it used to be.

So, in that first picture I was going through some sort of "California girl" phase and then the second one I was apparently going through a "way too much makeup" phase. Oh to be 20-21 again.

Anyway, hopefully that hair will make a come back after the holidays. My grandma would be so happy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

You Got Lice or Something?

2011-11-06T15:40:00.001-06:00

Recent quotes from the students I tutor.

Me: What's your least favorite subject?

Girl: Science!

Me: What do you think you want to study in college?

Girl: Forensic Science.

Me: [blank stare]

Girl: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Me: I am grown up.

Girl: Then why don't you got kids?

Boy: You look like an actress.

Me: Which one?

Boy: I don't know, you just look famous.

Girl1: Lindsay Lohan! You look like her!

Me: Noooo.

Girl2: No, the Ghost Whisperer girl.

Girl1: Jennifer Love Hewitt. Yeah a mix of her and Lindsay!

Boy: No.

Girl2: When you were in middle school what did you want to be when you got old?

Me: Jacqueline Kennedy

Everyone: WHO??

Girl3: Why do you keep scratching your hair? You got lice or something?

Me: No, I'm fluffing my hair. It's a bad habit.

Girl3: White people get lice.

Me: I have never had lice.

Girl3: Then stop touching your head!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

"Poodles and Pastries" at the OKCMOA

2011-09-10T16:32:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, I went to a member's preview event/party for a new art installation at the Oklahoma City Art Museum and really just had a lovely time. Especially when the artist, wearing black and white striped bell bottoms sang out to us "Get drunk! I'll make you a deal!". He was the definition of a dandy gentleman, I must say.

He isn't some amazing masterpiece maker, but he's clever and quite the marketer. He brought thousands of smaller paintings he had painted and was selling them for $100 each. I actually have been gifted one by my mother (who is a docent at the museum) and can't wait to see what it looks like!

Of course, I certainly enjoyed all of the delicious pink drinks and hors d'oeuvres, too.

Franco has since left, but the exhibit is still there- definitely a fun one to see. And be sure to read the titles of each painting, they're pretty hilarious.

Do Something New for 30 Days

2011-09-02T00:31:00.002-05:00

Do you listen to TED talks?

No? Seriously? You should. Go to Ted.com or download the TED talks iPhone app. I'm not going to type out what it is. Do a little research, reader. Be inquisitive. Do it.

My mother, the smartest person I know, sent me a TED talk recently that I loved. It's about doing something new for 30 days (she is not only smart, but also very thoughtful). Here it is, go watch it:

If you're anything like me, you're probably always looking for a way to make yourself/your life better.

Now, I'm not saying I'm successful at this.

But, probably every month or so I evaluate my life and things I'd like to do differently. What's important, what's not important. What to add, what to get rid of.

Last month, I realized how I've been casually practicing yoga on and off for at least six years, and decided to get serious and join and a real deal yoga studio. (Cadence Yoga, check it out, OKCers)

And guess what? Now I'm hooked and happy.

Sometimes things I try out don't get me hooked. But at least I tried.

Sometimes there are things we should be doing every day whether we feel like it or not. And the start of a new month is a good time for a reboot.

There are a few things I'm going to try doing for 30 days during the month of September. Some of them being "need to's" like getting up earlier, or intentional daily prayer, or not eating out for every dadgum meal, or not being on my phone when I'm spending quality time with real-live people.

But some of them are things like trying running again (eyeball roll from the crowd for my love/hate relationship with running), or baking something new every week, or...maybe a few other things that I don't feel like sharing with everyone right now.

The point is, it doesn't hurt to try new things for 30 days. Maybe you need it, maybe you'll like it, or maybe you'll realize it's not what you want after all.

Consider your life in five different areas: work life, physical life, spiritual life, financial life, and relationships. What can you do during September to better one or each of those five areas?

"Men were not designed to have love stories “happen to them” as much as they were designed to “make a love story happen to a woman.”

2011-08-30T00:23:00.000-05:00

Don Miller wrote a couple of great blog posts recently, but took them down temporarily. So, I'm reposting them here for my reference, and maybe you'll like it, too. :)

To be clear, I don't agree with 100% of what Don writes in these posts, but do think he has the general idea written out pretty well.

How to Live a Great Love Story Vol II (For the Guys)
by Donald Miller

Any great story contains the following elements:

• A person (or group of people)

• That wants something.

• And are willing to overcome conflict.

• To get it.

A great love story is no different. In a love story, a guy, wants a girl, and is willing to fight the dragon, to get her. Or at least some variation on this theme.

If you’re like me, though, you don’t like to sit and watch romantic movies. If it’s a comedy, I can bear it, but I’m the guy who fast-forwards romantic dialogue they throw in to endear a female audience. I could care less.

That said, though, men were designed by God to live a great love story.

But there’s a difference between men and women, here. Men were not designed to have love stories “happen to them” as much as they were designed to “make a love story happen to a woman.” Do you understand. You’re the writer of the story. You’re the guy who initiates and has the character to follow through. You’re the one responsible for how the love story turns out.

I think we can all agree we live in a culture of guys who couldn’t write a love story to save their lives. Honestly, American love stories suck. If you want a girl to be crazy about you, you’ve got so little competition that it’s easier than ever.

The only thing is, it looks nothing like the sappy stuff Hollywood is selling to our current culture of women who are, perhaps, lost in fantasy. Those kinds of stories have men stuttering about feeding women’s egos by falling all over themselves and practically peeing their pants. In real life, women think those guys are losers. A woman wants a man who is confident, who knows where he is going, and knows exactly where she fits into his life. Her preference, of course, is that she fits into his life as a best friend, lover, wife, and the mother of their children. At lest that’s the case in the love stories I want to talk about in this blog.

Women do like bad guys for a period of time. Usually, this lasts between the ages of 18 to about 24.The reason is simple. Their bodies are looking for somebody who is strong enough to defend their offspring, and they mistake strength for, well, the general characteristics of a jerk.

But, as she gets a little older, a woman’s chemistry begins to change and she enters into a more mature understanding of strength. As a woman matures, she literally loses interest in the bad guys and looks for somebody more dependable. She loses interest in guys who can’t be faithful and, well, can’t seem to stop smoking pot. After that, women become interested in stable, well adjusted men headed somewhere that involves safety, security and emotional stability. That’s where you come in because the real love stories, the ones that don’t end with her bailing her loser boyfriend out of jail, or worse, catching him with another woman, happen when two healthy people finally find each other. If you’re reading this and you’re young, you might have to put up with a few years of girls chasing guys with tattoos on motorcycles, but don’t worry about that. You start down a solid career path and girls will be knocking down your door in a few years. I promise.

Most people think love stories only benefit women. But don’t be fooled. There’s a lot in this for you. A man can have sex with a thousand women and he’ll never feel as masculine as he will be leading a woman through a good love story. God designed it so a man felt his most powerful while guiding a woman through an amazing love story.

Love stories, though, are told through sacrifice, patience and pain. It may take you five years or more to get your act together, but when you do, every woman around you will recognize a potential leading man in the love story they are dreaming about.

Here are some things to work on to lead a woman through a great love story.

Want something. Every story involves a person who wants something, and you’re love story can’t be any different. First of all, you should want some kind of career or impact. You should want make the world a better place and you should be very focused and dedicated to making this happen. This means going to college, starting a company, coaching a team or teaching a class. If you want to make a woman’s dreams come true, pick up your X-box and throw it in the trash and start doing something with your life. Have you ever noticed that ancient paintings of women always have them draped over a bed or a couch, arms outstretched in rest? And yet the guys are yielding a sword or riding a horse or captaining a ship. That’s because men were designed to work. Want something. Work hard to become good at a craft. Get off your couch and move. My friend Henry Cloud actually recommends that when a father is approached by a young man asking for is daughters hand in marriage, he withholds his blessing until the man presents his last few years worth of tax records. No kidding, it’s true. It’s not because Henry believes the man should make a lot of money, it’s because the young man should be responsible enough to file taxes and have a job. How else is he going to provide for a family. All that to say, part of being a leading man in a love story is being a dependable, action-oriented worker.

Choose the right women to date. The book of Proverbs was primarily written to men, and while there is a great deal of advice in the book about work ethic and finances, a significant percentage of the book is spent warning men to stay away from certain women. Is she seductive? Stay away. Is she nagging? Stay away. Is she sexually promiscuous? Stay away. In my dating history, I’ve dated some amazing women. But on two occasions, I dated girls who were pretty seductive in nature, and I paid dearly. I lost sleep and nearly lost my sanity. I’ll never forget taking a flight to Vancouver BC one night, reading through the book of Proverbs and realizing what the source of my problems was, I was dating a girl the book told me not to date. I broke up with her immediately and sanity returned.

Now this does not mean you shouldn’t date a girl with a past. One of my all-time favorite girlfriends, a girl I consider amazing and will make a terrific wife to somebody some day, actually spent years living with a guy and has a fairly liberal standard regarding sexuality. That said, though, she’s not seductive, and she’s completely honest about her philosophy. In other words, we may not agree about everything regarding sex, but the woman has integrity. I’d take a non-christian woman with integrity over a Christian seductress any day, and I’d be a happier man for making that decision. You want a woman who is looking for a man, not a woman who is looking for men. Seriously, guys, just stay away from the woman who leads with her seductive side.

Have a plan. Did you know John Wooden, who won 10 National Championships with UCLA actually never won the championships the first 16 years he coached? It’s true. It wasn’t until he sat down one off season and created a plan that he began to succeed, and he’s of the most successful coaches in all of sports. My question to you, then, is do you have a plan? Do you know what kind of father you want to be? Do you know what kind of wife will be required to make your vision come true? If you don’t have a plan, you’re leaving your success up to luck.

Be honorable with the women you date. I made a rule a long time ago and it’s served me well. I told myself I’d never kiss a girl unless I cared deeply about her. For the most part, if not completely, I’ve never kissed a girl I wasn’t dating. Though looking back I think there were a few in there that weren’t quite defined. That said, though, I’ve never used a girl just for sex or just to hook up. I am so grateful for this, because I don’t want my conscious entangled in all that mess. While there are a few girls I’ve dated who may not like me, I think most of them think I’m pretty okay. At least that’s what they’ve told me. So here’s the thing. You can either wreck a girls heart, or build it up. You can either help her understand that she’s beautiful by protecting her heart and her body, or teach her she’s just a girl worth using for sex. To be sure, there are plenty of girls who actually just want to be used for sex, but remember, Proverbs says stay away from these women. Seriously, I’ve taken the bait a couple times and it’s a living nightmare.

Stop validating yourself with women. This is a pretty serious problem for many men, especially men who grew up with womanizing fathers or no fathers at all. Men who do not believe they have what it takes to live life well and with strength will validate themselves with women. They just aren’t sure they’re manly, so they have to test themselves all the time by trying to knock down girl after girl. Even if it’s not sexual, it can be emotional. A guy can get hooked on that feeling of having a girl like him. If you are going to tell a great love story, you are going to have to figure out how to let go of this tendency. Stop validating yourself with women. Stay focused on the one girl you’ve chosen and make it happen with her and her alone.

Stop having sex and learn to make love. I’m amazed at how many women hook up with guys and talk about how terrible the sex was. Seriously, I hear them talk about this all the time. But why? Why would a man who has slept with hundreds of women not be very good in bed? Well, the main reason is a woman wants to connect in ways beyond just a physical connection. Most “players” have no idea how to make love to a woman, precisely because they don’t even care about the woman they are sleeping with on a given night. They are so busy trying to get laid, they take no time to actually find out who she is. Essentially, sex to them is just mutual masturbation. It usually leaves the woman feeling dissatisfied and, well, disgusted and if she’s honest, a little used.

I mean sure she wanted to have sex, but she may have wanted something else, too. A woman often wants a deep, soul connection. Even though she hooked up with a stranger, she was just going through the motions of something else she really wants. She wants words of affirmation and eye contact and playful fun that only happens in intimacy. Why was the sex no good in the hook up? Because the relationship was no good.

That said, start being a man who knows how to connect with women. I’m not suggesting becoming a player. I really think you should only be connecting with a woman who is worthy of becoming your wife. But when she is your wife, make love to her heart, not just her body. As ferociously as possible, find that woman’s heart and connect with it. Learn everything about her and connect with her in as many ways as possible. Understand her story and care about her past. In fact, for the first several months, I wouldn’t even try to make a move. Just get to know her, become her friend, do things with her that she enjoys, take the relationship to the place where you smile when you hear her name. Once you get there, the sex will be great. Once you have earned the respect only a husband deserves, her body will respond in ways she never thought humanly possible, and, for that matter, so will yours.

Bring peace into chaos: I firmly believe that the job of a man is to bring peace into chaos. A man (and a woman too for that matter) can look into an empty field and see a house. He can look into a woman’s lonely heart and see how easily it could be loved. He can walk into a room and settle a group of wild children. Look at your life and ask yourself this question: Wherever I go, do I leave a trail of peace behind me? If not, then start practicing the art of ordering chaos right now. Is there chaos in your personal life? Clean it up. Is there chaos in your relationships? Clean them up. A man brings peace and order into chaos. You have what it takes to do this, I believe it firmly. You were designed to leave a wake of peace everywhere you go.

Surround yourself with good men. Years ago I asked about five guys who didn’t know each other to meet me for breakfast. I hand chose these guys. Each of them were intelligent, driven, successful and emotionally stable. We got together early one morning and I introduced them to each other. Then I did something very strange. I told them we all needed to be friends. I told them the world was in need of good leaders, and good leaders only become good leaders if they affect each other. As odd as it was, that group continued to meet for two years, and now we are all deeply imbedded in each others lives.

Lose your loser friends. This brings me to something hard. If you have some friends who are dragging you down, that is they are knocking down chicks and not applying themselves to a career, it’s time for you to invite them into something better, and then if they don’t want to come, cut them completely out of your life. I’m sorry to say it so bluntly, but it’s time for them to go.

Develop strength. A woman loves a man who can be tender with her, but believe me, while you’re holding her in your arms and she’s being comforted about her hard day, you’d better have a baseball bat behind your back, ready to obliterate anybody who tries to hurt her. Be tender to her, but be absolutely ferocious with anybody who takes advantage of her. If you aren’t a strong man, practice. Take stands, don’t be a pushover, protect the ones you love, and be willing to make a few enemies.

Okay, so what does this have to do with telling a good love story. Well, it has everything to do with telling a good love story. Women don’t just fall in love with flowers and chocolate. All that crap is fine. But what they fall in love with is dependability, strength, kindness, community, structure, strength and character. Being the leading man in a love story is, basically, about being just that, a man that leads. Be a good man, a man with character. Have a vision, lead the story, and be the man she’s been dreaming about.

"Living a great love story doesn't look like winning the lottery, it looks like training for a marathon"

2011-08-30T00:21:00.000-05:00

Don Miller wrote a couple of great blog posts recently, but took them down temporarily. So, I'm reposting them here for my reference, and maybe you'll like it, too. :)

To be clear, I don't agree with 100% of what Don writes in these posts, but do think he has the general idea written out pretty well.

How to live a Great Love Story, Vol 1 (For the Girls)
by Donald Miller

Today I’ll talk to the girls, tomorrow I’ll talk to the guys.

Living a great love story doesn’t look like winning the lottery, it looks like training for a marathon. It’s hard work and you have to do the work long before you ever meet Mr. Right, otherwise you’ll be the girl who shows up for the marathon having eaten a gallon of ice cream every night, listening to Taylor Swift songs and watching love stories about vampires. No good man can run with that girl, not for much longer than a mile.

In movies and books, there are formulas for great love stories. Not all movies follow them, but we can depend on a variation on certain themes. They go something like this:

1. Boy meets girl.

2. Boy falls in love with girl.

3. Girl is a bit hesitant knowing her heart is tender and could get hurt.

4. Boy proves himself strong enough to handle and defend her heart.

5. Girl trusts boy and they live happily ever after.

All love stories are different, of course, but these are central themes that weave in and out of the good ones. And if they don’t, the stories are normally tragedies.

Juliet does not trust Romeo right away, for instance, but he pursues her and he wins her love. The same goes with the characters in The Notebook and Twilight (I confess I labored through both) and in the great romantic novels of Jane Eyrie and Charles Dickens and so on and so on.

So, if these are the principles of a great love story, how do we play them out in our lives? How do we live a great love story? Here are some suggestions:
1. Don’t hook up: Girls shouldn’t make it too easy on the guy. Don’t hook up, in other words. A recent article in Scientific American revealed when a girl hooks up with a guy, she esteems him very highly. She may think of him as powerful or famous, somebody who is strong. But the opposite is actually true from the guys perspective. Guys hook up with girls they find less attractive and sexually easy. All they want is sex, and so if they perceive she will give them sex and then get out of their lives, they are going to jump at the chance. The girl may feel very wanted and beautiful but the truth is he’s insulting her. If he thought of her with respect, he’d sit and ask questions about her life and her family. He’d try to get to know her because he wants to develop a friendship and perhaps a romantic relationship. In other words, guys don’t hook up with girls they would marry. They marry the girls they get nervous around and are made to pursue. So, if you become a “hook up” girl you get labeled, in the minds of guys as a girl you really don’t have to fight for. And when your husband finds out you were the “hook up” girl he’s going to have to have a lot of grace, which is fine, it just puts you in the category of “charity” in his mind and not “equal” or “partner.” He may still love you, but he will have serious questions about whether you’re in the kind of shape it takes to run a marathon. Unless you get over it and move on and do a period of time where you put it all behind you, he will and honestly should lose respect for you. Respect is not free. Respect is earned. Grace is free, but grace and respect are different.

2. Make him work for it: When a guy is made to fight for a girl, he esteems her much more highly. She becomes more attractive in his eyes, and for that matter she becomes more attractive to other men, too. That said, most of the time this will backfire because lots of guys are just looking for cheap and slutty sex and for her to get lost afterward. Still, it’s your chance to weed them out. And believe me, girls, there are a lot of weeds.

3. Weed them out: Guys who are just looking for a hook up need to hit the road. By weeding them out you definitely end up with a smaller pool of guys to choose from. It’s unfortunate and that is truly bad news. But there’s good news, too. There are fewer girls with the strength to not have one night stands, and those girls become much, much more attractive to men. Those are the girls who present a challenge, and who are esteemed more highly. These are the girls guys recognize as the kind of women they want to partner with in raising a family. In other words, it’s a great strategy to be more attractive to a smaller group than cheap and easy to a larger group. Plus, the stronger guys are up for the work while the weaker guys are just trying to get laid.

4. Be willing to suffer: What this means for you is that your love story needs to have a lot of lonely crying in it. Believe it or not, there will come a day when a man will fall madly in love with you and you will have the honor of sitting down with him one special night to explain that, while you weren’t perfect, you turned down plenty of guys and and cried yourself to sleep hoping somebody would come around and treat you with respect. He will be honored by this, and he will love you and feel humbled. If he doesn’t have the same story, he will feel intensely convicted and unworthy. You’ll really be giving him the foundation he needs to love your heart.

5. Have some faith: I’ve noticed that most women who complain a good man won’t come along are actually interested in the wrong guys. They make lists of their perfect gentleman coming to rescue them meanwhile they’re hooking up with guys who have a track record of just having sex with random women. Really? Your husband won’t really care what you say, he will care what you do. We tell our love stories with our actions, not our words. Life isn’t a Taylor Swift song, with all the hardship left out. It works more like a Normal Mailer novel, with all the gritty garbage left in. Stop falling for the romantic version of life, and start realizing that a romantic story is told with an enormous amount of pain, sacrifice, suffering and patience.

6. Don’t be thirteen: Unless you’re thirteen, ladies, grow up. Many women claim that men just won’t grow up, but then you sit and talk to them and realize they haven’t grown up either. They aren’t strong enough to demand something more from their men. They aren’t strong enough to say no to a guy who just wants to use them. These are all elements of immaturity. And it’s the stuff of a bad love story. A good man will attract a good woman. And a victim will attract a predator. Stop acting like a victim. If you want a strong man who can protect you and your children, stop trolling for predators by crying all the time. Act like a dignified woman who believes her company is valuable and should come at a price.

So, if you want a great love story, start training for it today. Start suffering, like somebody training for a marathon. Do the pain, suffer through the nights where you cry in your pillow, have some faith and stop cheapening your love story with scenes you’ll never be able to edit out.

You’re love story may not work, it’s true. Plenty of them don’t. But the chances of your love story succeeding are greatly increased when, on race day, you can actually run.

So, what do you do if you’ve completely screwed this up:

1. Be honest about it. Don’t hide it. If you went through a slutty season, don’t act like you were a helpless victim, a sweet girl who got caught up. You probably weren’t. A confession and an excuse are entirely different. Excuses talk about being hurt or drunk or being lied to. Confessions start with a radical and real understanding of how bad your human nature actually is and how you were caught up in a selfish search for validation and pleasure. Don’t lie to yourself and don’t lie to him. Don’t act like the sweet girl who “accidentally made twenty-five mistakes.” He won’t trust you because what you say and what you’ve done are different.

No good man is going to marry a woman with multiple personalities. And besides that, you’d be surprised at how much unbelievable trust you can build by being brutally honest. You shouldn’t share a bunch of details, but you should definitely share you went through a slutty season and have very few, if any, excuses. But now you want more. Now you want to put that behind you and build a love story. Honesty is very rare, and an honest girl is a girl you can build a family with, regardless of her past. I really mean this, too. If you’re brutally honest about your motives (keep the details vague, ladies. I’m serious about this. He doesn’t need visual images) then you ARE BUILDING TRUST and he can love you. If you play the victim, he’s going to walk away. And he should. A victim is great material for a counselor, but not for a husband.

2. Find out why you did what you did. Why are you capable of having sex without love or commitment? What are you using sex to accomplish? When those questions are a mystery to you, you aren’t healthy enough to get married and no good man should marry you. Those questions need to be answered and understood in a way that the two of you can build on as a foundation.

3. Start training for the freaking marathon. Marriage is the hardest job you’ll ever have. It works nothing like a hookup. The sex is more sloppy and vulnerable and affected by all kinds of emotional contexts. If you’re used to one off sex acts where you’re having crazy experiences, you’re husband is never going to be able to match up because, well, he’s got to stick around and do the laundry and argue with you about the electricity bill. That’s not sexy stuff, that’s the stuff of real love stories. It feels boring in the moment, but twenty years in you’ll be crying your eyes out over this man who stuck with you through the thick and thin and who honestly didn’t care that you got fat! Why not give yourself to the one who didn’t care whether you got fat than give yourself to the one who makes you feel like you’ve got to throw up after eating a lolly-pop? That kind of love story sucks so stop living it!

4. Work through your need to be validated by men. You’re going to marry a man, not men. So cut the slutty dresses and facebook photos. Start acting like a woman a man can partner with to build a family, not a woman who would make a great romp on a drunk and emotionally foggy friday night. And stop using alcohol as an excuse. Nobody gets drunk and accidentally sleeps with a hamster. You know what you’re doing, drunk or not, so cut it out. In other words, become the woman who fits the character in the love story you want to live.

5. Don’t act. Don’t pretend. Don’t pretend to be a wholesome girl who is starting over when you’re secretly still wanting to hook up. These changes need to be internal and they need to be real. You are going to have to go through the withdrawal of using guys for validation. If it helps, just know you’ll stand before God one day and you want him to be proud of you. That’s the only thing that helped me stop validating myself with women. I couldn’t do it for Paige, but I could do it for God. Turns out God loves Paige more than I do. Go figure. Anyway, get over the acting part and start doing the real living part. Every great story demands enormous sacrifice. Start sacrificing your validation with other men to make a real love story happen.

Tell a great love story and you’ll dazzle the world. Do the work and enjoy the benefits. The world needs some great love stories, but few people are willing to do what it takes to tell them. No wonder we all love them so much.

Do you want a great love story. Do you want to run the marathon it takes to be married to the same man after fifty years. Do you want him to look you in the eyes with so much respect it bring tears to his. If you do, start training for the marathon. No good story comes easy. A great love story is still possible. Go for it!

No Pain, No Gain (or, First World Problems)

2011-08-20T01:00:00.001-05:00

Awhile ago I bought a groupon for laser hair removal, six sessions worth. Yesterday was session one.

This is my Session One story.

First of all, when you're in a waiting room of an establishment that does cosmetic surgery, the natural thing to do is figure out why everyone else in the waiting room is there. Right?... No, that's just me? I'm a horrible person sometimes. In my defense, I assumed everyone else there had the laser hair groupon, too.

Except that one lady whose face didn't move. Botox for sure.

Anyway. I would like to share something with you, reader. It's probably too personal, but here it is: I've been getting not only my bikini area waxed, but also my legs waxed, for 8 years (there is some sort of hidden Italian gene in my family). I know pain. I can handle pain. I could definitely handle a little laser on my bikini line, that has to be better than hot wax being ripped off your skin over and over.

They tell you laser hair removal is easy. Sort of feels like someone popping a rubber band on your skin. And they're exactly right.

IF THE RUBBER BAND IS 1000 DEGREES AND BURNS LIKE THE SUN.

The worst part is that they have to go over the area three times in one session. It goes something like this:

Round 1- HOLY! What the! Why!

[break] Deep breathes. I can do this.

Round 2- You're saying names of saints you didn't even know existed. Trying to remember to breathe.

[break] I can't do this again. The LEAST a person could do is offer a lady a stiff drink before torturing her. If ever I've wanted a shot of tequila, that time is now. Stop this train- You're now doing the type of breathing women do while in labor.

Round 3- This is Eve's fault. She ate the apple and now I have to get hair removed from my body by means of death lasers. A million bucks says these lasers are giving me cancer. Or killing all of my eggs... But really that part's okay because if childbirth is worse than this...

And then it's over and the nice lady in the hot pink scrubs smiles her face-lifted smile at you.

It's worth it. I've been promised it's worth it. But I feel obligated to tell you what to expect, just in case you find yourself sitting in a waiting room on a plush armchair that says "Botox saved my marriage", waiting for your name to be called so that you can look at lipo "before and after" pictures while hair is burned unnaturally from your body.

I get to do this once a month for five more months. So, I have that to look forward to.

A year ago this week...

2011-08-18T20:53:00.001-05:00

Craig Groeschel was preaching a sermon series entitled "Toxic". During one of those sermons he looked straight into the camera and said something like "If you're in a toxic situation, end it now. Do whatever you need to do today."

I had two situations in my life bringing me down, a "toxic" relationship and a job that could quickly become "toxic". I knew I could control one of those. So I ended the former immediately, and two weeks later God blessed me with a new, amazing job (coincidentally working for Craig).

God doesn't always work like this, not that immediately. But I do think that obedience to God, saying "yes" to your best possible life, is always the right thing to do. Even if it really sucks at first. Even if it means feeling uncomfortable at first.

Probably especially if it means feeling uncomfortable at first. Just saying. (Being in toxic situations can be pretty comfortable and addicting, if you ask me.)

So, I'm looking back over this year. This year of intentional obedience. It hasn't been perfect, I still have a long way to go. But this has been the most content and fulfilling year of my life, even though some of the worst things have happened.

My good friendships have gotten even better and I've grown more in 12 months than I have in the past few years. I love where I'm at in life, and look forward to it getting better and better.

How can you say "yes" to a better life?

Today God said I love you through...

2011-08-06T23:46:00.001-05:00

Today God said I love you through...

2011-08-04T23:35:00.001-05:00

This book:

"It's much easier for me to imagine a praying murderer, a praying prostitute, than a vain person praying. Nothing is so at odds with prayer as vanity."

Today God said I love you through...

2011-08-02T22:25:00.001-05:00

Today God said I love you through...

2011-07-31T23:56:00.001-05:00

"The clouds are the dust of His feet" Nahum 1:3

Today God said I love you through...

2011-07-29T23:46:00.001-05:00

My amazing friends and positive, uplifting, encouraging conversations. They truly love selflessly, want the best for everyone, and are just so joyful and fun!

Don’t try to be better than others. Be better than you are right now.

Today God said I love you through...

2011-07-28T20:56:00.001-05:00

Today God said "I love you" through...

2011-07-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

Switchfoot's latest song- Restless

Running hard for the other side

The world that I've always been denied
Running hard for the infinite
With the tears of the saints and hypocrites

...

Cause I can't feel you breathing,

I can't feel you reaching
Pushing through the ceiling
Making for the feeling
More than just a feeling
Pushing through the ceiling
Until the final healing
Looking for you

...

I'll be waiting

Anticipating
All that I aim for
What I was made for
With every heartbeat
All of my blood bleeds
Running inside me
Looking for you

By the way...

2011-07-22T21:38:00.001-05:00

I'm on vacation until Tuesday. God is showing me He loves me through all the rest and relaxation (and disconnection from the Internet) during this time. Be back next week!

Today God said "I love you" through...

2011-07-20T21:32:00.002-05:00

Meditation time during yoga. I had lots of excuses not to go to yoga tonight, but I went anyway. I'm always glad I do. At the end you're supposed to "breathe in positive energy and breathe out negative energy".

Instead, I breathe in half of my favorite verse "The Lord is my shepherd" and breathe out the other half "I shall not want". Instant peace. I'll breathe this in the shower, or while I'm falling asleep too.

Today God said "I love you" through...

2011-07-19T23:44:00.002-05:00

Life is super busy right now. And I love it.

But I don't have time to properly blog. Which means I'm not writing at all right now. Sans emails and texts, of course. I'm surprised I can still complete sentences, honestly.

You know what else I tend to forget about when I'm crazy busy? How much God loves me. And how much I love Him.

That's not a road I want to go down.

So, I recently began praying one simple prayer every morning "God, show me your glory today. Open my eyes to your love for me." Then, at the end of the day I write down one thing. One simple way that God said "I love you so much" to me that day. One day it was pink flower blooms on a tree that caught my eye. He's everywhere.

Em wrote about seeing God's glory today on her blog. Which gave me a great idea. I'm already taking the time to write that one thing down every day....I should just write it down on my blog. So here we go. A new era of my blog has arrived. I hope it lasts.

Plus, maybe it will encourage you to see God's love in every day things.

Today God said "I love you" through...

My dad. He knows car stuff stresses me out in a huge way, and I have a big problem with my car right now. And he handled it today for me. Without me asking him to, just because he loves me and wants to protect me and take care of me no matter what.

MIA

2011-05-10T17:05:00.000-05:00

I know. I've totally been absent on here. I've had a busy/rough last few weeks.

[when I'm feeling down I like to look at pictures of puppies. How can you not smile at that sweet face!!]

Here's what's going down:

I believe I mentioned on here that I had to get my stomach/esophagus scoped. I've been having LOTS of stomach problems. I've had stomach problems since I was little, but it's gotten way bad. I wake up every morning feeling yucky, have trouble sleeping due to acid reflux, and feel painfully full after just a few bites.

But I'm fixed! Sort of. I got medicine and it's been working pretty good so far.

The other thing that's been going on (besides the Royal Wedding and Thunder play-offs) is a nightmare. My "sister", Emily, had the most tragic thing happen. Her mom passed away last week and let me tell you, my heart is breaking. I can't stop thinking about Em and her family.

Read what she wrote about her mom here. And what her dad wrote here. I've known Barbara a long time (my whole life), and really can't think of better words to describe her than what has already been written.

Oh yeah, and my best friend Sarah kicked cancer's A$$!

Sorry for the language, Mom.

Amazing Race: Amsterdam Pit Stop

2011-04-14T14:12:00.000-05:00

My father and I loooove watching Amazing Race. And we would be awesome on it. We really would. My mom keeps telling us we should apply....

Last week my beautiful bike arrive!

Yes. In a box. Which means I recruited my father helped me assemble. Which is where the Amazing Race comes in.

You see, on Amazing Race, the teams race to different locations around the world, and then do a task that has to do with that particular place's culture.

So, while we were (not) reading the instructions and trying to figure out how to assemble the dadgum thing, I started thinking "this would be the pitstop for Amsterdam, and we would rock at it".

After putting the handlebars on backwards and upside down and inside out, we finally got it put together correctly. We make a good team, my dad and me. We speak the same language most of the time.

Isn't she so pretty??

Friday Favorites

2011-04-08T12:34:00.000-05:00

HOT pink is the new red, am I right? I love love love the look of a bright, juicy, pink lip. I think MAC probably has the best products for this, but if you're like me and want to try it out (cheaper) first, then get yourself some Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in "Strawberry" or "Hot Pink".

This lipgloss is everything a lipgloss should be, it's super sticky and shiny and the color is WAY saturated, unlike most lipglosses that barely show any color.

Adele. Just... listen. Two months later and that's still all I have to say about that.

Hairdresser on Fire

I'm obsessed with my hair. Yes. Ob-sessed. Not an overstatement. I could write for days about all of my hair adventures. I think I've probably been like this my whole life. I'm not sure, ask my mother. I have the trickiest of hair- fine texture, but TONS of it, and two (TWO!) cowlicks, plus I have to beg and plead and bribe it to hold any curl or shape. I'm currently in a weird bang growing-out stage, which makes me even more hair crazy. This stylist shares all kinds of amazing tips and tricks and favorite products on her blog. Recently she even posted a video tutorial on how to do a professional blow-out, which is something that I'm still in the process of mastering. Two to three times a week I shampoo my hair, then am a slave to my blow-dryer for 30-60 minutes. Because if I do a bad blow-dry, that means the next three days will be bad hair days. See? Crazy in the head about my hair.

I said all of that to simply say: I love this blog, and you will too.

Happy Weekend!

Yes, please: Innovative Pancakes

2011-04-04T16:23:00.001-05:00

Bacon pancakes! Why have I never thought of this before?? Looks easy enough.

Cinnamon roll pancakes! My life won't be complete until I have tried these. They don't look too difficult to make, either. See recipe here.

Super healthy, too.

Inspired by: A Guy

2011-03-30T15:46:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not turning into The Man Repeller.

Wait, or am I?

[Don't answer that.]

I do love this handsome young gentleman's outfit, and thought it would make the perfect lady outfit (especially for those of you who have to dress up for work, or for those of us who don't have to but occasionally choose to do so).

Chambray shirt, fitted camel blazer, cropped ankle pants, skinny leather belt, aviators, studded hot pink heels.

I added the hot pink heels to make it a little [a lot] more feminine. Plus, I LOVE those shoes. Also, that belt comes in pink if you're one of those types of people that likes for their belt to match their shoes. I actually own a bright pink belt, and I sure do love that little guy.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try to figure out how to fit those heels into my clothing budget this month.

Loubi Love

2011-03-22T14:56:00.002-05:00

Last night I posted a FaceBook status saying "I could buy one fabulous pair of Loubi's with my tax return..."

I'm a riot. I know.

I mean, I COULD buy them. I won't, obviously. Well, maybe not obviously. But I do have other things to spend my money on.

Like bicycles and plane tickets and endoscopes.

What? You don't spend your tax return on getting a camera stuck down your throat? I can only hope they send me home with detailed photos of my insides.

Get ready for THAT post.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

A fine young frenchman by the name of Mr. Christian Louboutin [btw, the following is for some of my work friends who asked what Loubi's are, so I decided to bestow upon them my extensive knowledge of extravagant footwear].... began creating these amazing shoes in 1991, they are elegant works of art, pretty comfy, and a fashion status symbol. You know they are Louboutin's because they have a shiny red sole.

They are anywhere from $700-$3000 for a pair.

Yeah.

So, my boss asked me how much money I would have to make to be okay with spending that much on a pair of shoes. [What's that? You want to give me a raise to support my shoe addiction?? How generous! Ooohhh, theoretically. Right right. Of course.]

I would say I would be okay with spending about 5-10% of my paycheck on shoes. I mean, if I am doing it on the reg [that means "regular", mom]. I could totally see myself buying one pair of Louboutin pumps as a reward for a promotion or something. Or, a pair from their bridal collection for my wedding day [as in, the day I wed, not the day I have a big wedding. I'm not having a wedding. Ahem, Emily].

So, that means I would have to make six digits. Which will TOTALLY happen working where I work. [Wait, what? We work here because we love it? Because we care about changing lives? Right right. Of course.]

And honestly, I would still probably spend my money on things other than a Louboutin shoe of the month club. Like, weekend trips to Paris. Or a winter home in Costa Rica. You know, less flamboyant things.

At any rate, I thought I would take a few minutes here to dream a little dream of shoes.

Would I rather get a basic pump that I could wear more often? Or an over-the-top style that stands out and that I just could just die over? Hard to say. Hard to say.

If I were going the standard route, I would definitely get one of these two:

Alti Pump in black, your basic black pump, really - $895

Alta Dama in Nude, because that's an every day shoe, right? - $895

If I were going to buy some that take my breath away (not that the former heels don't, I'm struggling to breath right now, actually), I would go with these:

Lady Peep Sling in Gold, because you can wear gold year-round, so really this is a season-less and incredibly practical shoe- $895

Fastissima in beige suede, God bless the animal whose skin now lives forever as this piece of art. Also, those heels are terrific for self-defense - $995

And for wedding, something blue!

Greissimo in the most beautiful color of turquoise I've ever seen- $895

All of the above shoes are less than $1000. I am such a bargain shopper.

In Love with Ikat

2011-03-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

Ikat is a near universal weaving style common to many world cultures. Likely, it is one of the oldest forms of textile decoration. Ikat is the method of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft fibers.

Ikat is popping up everywhere, the beautiful patterns remind me a beautiful balmy summer day, so I'm totally on board with this trend in everything from shoes to lampshades.

[The above items can be found from Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and Dwell Studio.]

Sunday Funday

2011-03-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

fwiends.

3 Things I Would Spend My Tax Return On....

2011-03-11T12:48:00.000-06:00

The Schwinn Network 7 bike. I may actually get this. I'm in the market for a bike and this perfectly pale blue sings of spring time and carefree times.

I am in DESPERATE need of a new camera. Ideally, I would like to imagine I'm the type of person to use one of those really fancy cameras that doesn't just fit in your purse. But, let's face it: if it doesn't fit in my bag, I'm probably not going to carry it around. This Canon is pretty darn good for a purse camera, though. Plus, it's pink.

A plane ticket to visit my girl Stef in Cali. Hopefully the storm doesn't hit. :(

Hmm.... now that I see all of those things put together, it sure would make for a nice little beach day! Only one thing missing...

...the perfect beach dress from J. Crew, of course!

Ah, but alas, student loans...

What would you love to spend your tax return on?

My Weekend in iPhone Photos

2011-03-10T12:27:00.000-06:00

I turned this....

....into this...

...and finally, THIS! Mandarin orange cake with pineapple icing. Yum!

Then, I turned this...

...into this! Devils food cake cookies sandwiched with peanut butter cream cheese filling. I could barely eat one.

I took my delicious desserts over to Elyse's for a super fun pajama party girls night.

Tabouli by Chef Elyse...

Yummy goat cheese, prosciutto, basil, sliced grapes. I could eat only this for the rest of my life and be happy.

Then, the lovely Nicole lead us in making our own all natural body and face scrubs.

Instructor Nicole.

Jess showing off her scrubs.

Ready to exfoliate!

Retail Therapy

2011-03-04T11:43:00.001-06:00

My grandmother taught me some very important things.

One was that Coca-cola was the best drink ever.

Another was that shopping cured everything.

Well, I've been missing my grandma quite a bit, especially in the days right before and after my birthday.

And so my default was to do a little shopping (just window shopping, Dad). But that made me even more sad, because I will never again get to shop with my grandma. Even when she was too sick to shop, she was the first person I would call and tell what I bought and she would always want to hear all about it.

I know this sounds trivial or materialistic, but it's something we both loved and shared. She taught me to appreciate the finer things in life, and I taught her that you CAN get cute shoes at Target for $24.99.

The week before my birthday I made a shopping list (with a set budget, Dad) of four things I wanted to buy.

One new bag. Hard to tell, but this is THE most beautiful color of purple. And it's so roomy, and has a nice long removable strap. Plus, the lining totally sold me. $54


One new shirt. Decisions, decisions! I went with the one on the left, thank you Twitter followers for helping me choose. Although it was really no contest, huh? The white shirt is just...not me. $28

New sunnies. I seriously already lost these. THIS is why I can't own nice things. $12

One accessory. You better watch your back when I'm wearing this ring. $8

Okay, so I ended up going a liiiittle over my $100 budget ($2 before tax! Holla!). I bought all of this at Francesca's in Edmond. Which is dangerously close to where I work. Good thing I have Financial Peace.

[all pics taken with the instagram app for iPhone.]

Warehouse Shoot

2011-03-02T12:59:00.001-06:00

Saturday I did an impromptu photo shoot with one of my coworkers, Adrian. He had access to this old warehouse next door to Iguana Grill that was home to lots of dust, blue walls, nooks and crannies, a Vespa, and old theatre parts and props.

Not only did I forget my good lip stuff, but I was also having a bad hair (bangs) day, and Adrian still was able to take good photos! That's talent. Email iamadrianrodriguez@gmail.com for info and rates.

By the way, Wayne Coyne drove his little green Toyota Prius right into the warehouse mid-shoot. Fun guy. I guess I thought he traveled around in his bubble everywhere...

[taken with a real-deal film camera]

Fashion Super Bowl Highlights

2011-02-28T13:35:00.000-06:00

TWO AND HALF HOURS of Red Carpet viewing, and these are the results...

Jennifer Hudson in Versace

You just lost HALF of yourself. Now is not the time to wear a giant dress! Show that body off. Work it. But, honey, tuck the girls in. Keep it classy.

Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott

This just in: Amy's stylist looking for a job. Honestly. WHAT! Why in the WORLD would anyone every put that necklace with that dress. Totally ruins the look. And the hair. High collar dress=hair up. Better luck next time.

Reese Witherspoon in Armani Prive

No, this is not a photo of Reese being a bridesmaid in her best friends wedding circa 1995. This is the Academy Awards, 2011. That's all I have to say about that. Oh, and cool hair, Barbie.

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa

Hallie said in an interview that she "helped design this dress". Let me tell you, if I was 14, this is probably exactly what I would have wanted. It's really perfect, classy but not too "old". I love the slim headband, it really makes the updo look more age appropriate. You just set the bar high for yourself, Steinfeld.

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

Mila looks like a vision in this gown. Really. A lavender vision. A lavender vision that will most likely have a "wardrobe malfunction", but a vision all the same. And being paired with Justin Timberlake to present? I was holding my breath for a SuperBowl nip-slip repeat. Glad they stayed in.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte

I have a feeling Natalie isn't exactly feeling like her normal hot self (if I had to dress up for the whole world while this being pregnant, I would have had a few tantrums and lots of emotional eating) at this awards show, but this dress is just amazing on her. You can see the baby bump but it isn't obnoxiously protruding, and her boobs are covered up. I would die for those earrings. Also, thank you for wearing Rodarte, not that there was any question. Respect. (Rodarte designed the costumes for Black Swan.)

Melissa Leo in Marc Bouwer

Thumbs down for the tacky doily dress. Double thumbs down for the tacky shoes. Triple thumbs down for the tacky acceptance speech.

Halle Berry in Marchesa

Meh. Kind of boring for Halle. Would have been better in a bolder color. But, mainly I'm just hating on her because she looks perfect all the time and never seems to age.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy

This is one of those love it or hate it dresses. And I love it. This is fashion. This is new, this is innovative, this would probably only look good on Cate. But it looks good. She looks good. Color and fit and styling are all flawless. My only qualm is that tiny bit of ~~back fat~~ sagging skin in the back. But I'm just nit-picking here.

Michelle Williams in Chanel

No one on earth will ever look as good in a pixie cut as you, Michelle. Such a lovely dress, and though I do think the color washes her out a tiny bit, overall she looks like she is glowing. And perfect choice to do an understated earring. The dress stands alone

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana

If this dress had been a different color (a deep blue perhaps), and the weird see-through-cut-out in the front had been taken care of, this would have been perfection. I really love her hair likes this, she looks fresh and sophisticated but also relaxed and effortless.

Nicole Kidman in Dior

WORST DRESSED

Bless her heart, the girl just doesn't have taste. The color is wrong for her, the shape is so OFF, it's incredibly dated looking, and red shoes? Don't even get me started on the weird bang thingys. Her hair looks like she just took a jog and some of it is coming loose while her gown makes her appear to be a fancy origami napkin.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein

Best Dressed

Wow. What a ray of pure golden sunshine. This dress is glamorous without being "glam", on fashion without being trendy, and sexy without being sexual. Initially, I would say lose the brooch at the waist , but I kind of like it. Gives the whole thing a little character. The make up is perfect, but Gwyn's lack of eyebrows have always bothered me. I would fill them in just a tiny bit darker.

[all photos courtesy of Huffington Post.]

My Birthday Weekend in iPhone Photos

2011-02-22T00:26:00.002-06:00

My sweet dad has sent me birthday flowers every single year since I was 6! Take note, future husband.

Kicked off birthday weekend on Friday with a lovely lunch and yummy dessert with Em. Love sharing my birthday month with you, sister.

Pretty presents from some very precious friends.

Gotta show off my birthday outfit and birthday spray tan!

Wonderful friends.

Watching the slam dunk comp, obviously!

So much fun.

[Helga photos by Gina King.]

Not the greatest pics, but this was from my actual birthday on Sunday. Bike riding in Norman and strolling on campus and patio eating at The Mont. Couldn't ask for a better day or better friends.

BEAUTIFUL friends, BEAUTIFUL day.

Saturday I had lunch with my mom at Cool Greens (yum, I know), and she informed me that they had received a package with my name on it that they hadn't ordered. I got SO excited, what could it be?!

It was my prescription medicine that automatically refills itself every three months.

Sigh. You know you're old when...

Take Me Away Monday- Burberry's London

2011-02-21T12:31:00.000-06:00

Fall 2011 Ready To Wear is now in London. Here's a shot from Burberry's finale:

Wouldn't it be magical to be on that front row? Beautiful clothes and lovely snow.

Keeping up with New York fashion week got away from me last week (busy bee!), so I'll be updating you on that later today/tomorrow.

Or maybe later today I'll update you on my wonderful, fabulous, amazing birthday weekend full of friends! We'll save NY shows for tomorrow.

Friends > Fashion.

Take Me Away Monday- Eiffel Tower

2011-02-14T12:05:00.000-06:00

It's Valentines Day. The Eiffel Tower is so necessary. Obviously.

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."
1 Peter 3:4

NYFW Day 2

2011-02-12T13:32:00.000-06:00

Rebecca Taylor

Cynthia Rowley

Nicole Miller

Ruffian

Rebecca Minkoff

Rag and Bone

Tess Giberson

Jason Wu

[source.]

NYFW Day 1

2011-02-11T13:43:00.001-06:00

During New York Fashion Week (Fall 2011), I'll be sharing my favorite looks from each designer, every day.

Disclaimer: I simply scrolled through each line once, and picked the one look I liked. This is not nessacrily the look most representive of their line, or even the best as far as "fashion rules" are concerned. Just the one I liked at that moment.

Also, if the line totally sucked (ahem, Duckie Brown) then I didn't include it. Fair enough.

Okay, so Feb. 10:


Nicholas K


BCBG Max Azria

Christian Siriano

Christian Siriano (yeah yeah, I chose two)

Richard Chai


Luca Luca


Steven Alan

Birthday Wish List

2011-02-10T16:50:00.001-06:00

No one really buys me birthday presents anymore, which I am okay with. I would much rather spend time over a meal with people I love rather than receive copius amounts of gifts. I guess you could say my love language is "quality time".

However, just for fun, and because a girl can dream, I have compiled a short(ish) birthday wish list.

For your consideration:

Just lovely.

Pockets. Always.

Better than your average tee.

The cut and gathering of this is flattering for anyone.

Love the cutout collar detail.

Spring!

Hunter wellies with a heel.

Everyone needs yellow shoes.

For yoga.

My favorite perfume.

Inspired by: Path of Pink Perfection

2011-02-08T16:09:00.002-06:00

I decided I liked making an inspiration board inspired by "Take Me Away" post that I did last week ("Snow Style"). So, I did it again.

Check out yesterdays picture here for where this inspiration came from. And thanks to Emily for the great name. :) And isn't pink just the perfect color for February? Surely I'm not the only one who thinks in shades of pink when picture this month of love.

M Missoni Crochet-knit cardigan, $725
Playa del Pink Top, $50
Pinking Sheer Top, $38
A Fresh Coat in Hot Pink, $93
Tory Burch Reva satin clutch, $295
Marc by Marc Jacobs Fluoro chain-link bracelet, $98
Marc by Marc Jacobs Acetate headphones, $68
UrbanOutfitters.com > Breezy Branch Duvet Cover, $78
Marc by Marc Jacobs Silicone iPhone 3G case, $30
UrbanOutfitters.com > Official Site of Urban Outfitters > Shop..., $8
Mac Pink Nouveau

Take Me Away Monday- PINK

2011-02-07T12:43:00.001-06:00

I have no idea where this is. I think I may have read that someone thought it was in Japan. Or China.

[source.]

Whatever. All I know is that the snow is ugly, splotchy grey now and it's cold and they are saying we're getting more snow and I have no idea if that gopher saw his shadow or not, but I'm ready for spring.

And I want my spring to be bright pink.

And the perfect amount of hilly for a lovely bike ride. Which means I think I need this mint green cruiser for my trip to the Land of Pink Trees.

[source.]

Obviously I would put a basket on the front and fill it with cheese and grapes and sunshine.

Where do you wish you could jet off to today?

My weekend in iPhone photos

2011-02-06T20:51:00.001-06:00

After a week of being stuck inside with cabin fever, my mother and I braved the snowy roads on Friday. I grabbed the steering wheel while she threw her snow boots in the back just in case she would need to get out and push (luckily we didn't ever get stuck...that would be a sight, and this post would have gone an entirely different direction).

Those coupon websites are pretty fantastic huh? A couple of months ago my mother bought us massages through Groupon, and so we finally cashed in on our massages!

It was my first time to ever have a real-deal, one hour, full body massage. It was pretty great, but despite the relaxing atmosphere, I wasn't able to really relax. You see, I am VERY ticklish, and have quite a few knots in my back, so I asked my lady to massage HARD. Really hard. At one point I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt like my ribs were breaking.

How does such a tiny person inflict such pain?? Goodness. It was still wonderful though, and I would very much like another one soon.

We then managed to drag our jelly muscles to Saturn Grill, our local favorite lunch spot, for our favorite dish:

Blackened salmon flat-bread sandwich with a tomato and mozzarella salad. I could LIVE off of this meal. Heck, I could live off of those little mozz balls.

Friday night was a relaxing night with Blake and Elyse, my very favorite newlywed couple. We ate a delicious meal cooked by chef Elyse and then watched a movie all snuggled up on the couch. I woke up Saturday morning to the smell of cooking eggs and sausage. Heaven.

We should have a "no phones at the dinner (breakfast) table" rule huh?

Elyse and I then got ready, picked up our fabulous little friend Jessica and headed out to meet our blog and cooking hero, The Pioneer Woman!

Waiting for hours is NOT my thing. If you ever want to torture me, make me wait for something for hours with no end in sight. I think it's the unknowing that gets me. I feel like I can handle myself in these situations if I at least know how LONG I will be suffering. Now, I know this is no one's idea of heaven, but honestly there are about a million other horrible things I would rather do than just wait.

We waited...then we listened to PW talk...then we waited...then we met her husband and kids...then we waited...and ran into one of my favorite UCO professors...and waited...

Finally, I had to leave to get to Edmond for the 5:00 Lifechurch.tv experience. After 5+ hours, I never got to meet the PW. :(

Jess and E got my book signed, though! I can't wait to start this novel!

I also received this exciting little note in the mail this weekend! It was from Jessica, asking me to be in her wedding! What an honor. I was truly surprised, and could not be more excited. Jessica is one of those girls that I haven't known long, but we were instant friends. We share many of the same loves: reading, bravo reality shows, bubble baths, and sweat pants. You know, the finer things in life.

Saturday night Jessica, Gina, Katie and I tried out a new cupcake shop downtown, Pinkitzel. I'd like to preface the following pictures by saying this: Cuppies and Joe will always and forever be my number one favorite coffee shop. It just feels like a second home.

Okay, now look at how adorable this place is! Pink, black and white damask, chandeliers, and victorian paintings.

My deer head obsession continues, obviously.

What did you do this weekend?

Home Office- Headboard Inspiration

2011-02-02T20:52:00.002-06:00

I've been working from home all week- which means my bed has been my desk. Which I am totally okay with, I love my bed.

Being in my bed has got me thinking about my dream bedroom.

Here are some great headboard ideas I've stored away...

A rather inexpensive headboard, I can't tell from this picture if these are, but I would spray paint them silver. I love the branches and wood floors mixed with the clean, minimalistic furniture in this room.

(oh, and how adorable is that little bassinet? Or is it carriage? ... I don't know baby furniture terminology :-/ )

Now, this particular "headboard" isn't very practical. It wouldn't do much good for resting your head against, but I love this idea, especially if you have a tight space. I actually have something sort of similar right now, but I'll save that for another blog post.

I'm not much for the overly Victorian/romantic look in a bedroom, but the bold mustard yellow color on this headboard tones down the design. And that bedside lamp! Very glam.

Now, my very favorite headboard is the tufted yet tailored look. And the charcoal grey color of this one from West Elm would be great for a couple. Tufted enough to be elegant, but the color and straight lines give it a gentleman's touch. My friend Taylor just got this exact one and I couldn't be more jealous.

You should check out Taylor's blog. She's way cooler than me.

Anyone else going a little nutso being cooped up? Yeesh.

Thank goodness for the internets!

Cabin Fever

2011-02-02T12:27:00.002-06:00

I don't even know what day it is anymore.

I DO know that it's February, and that means it's my birthday month.

(Feb. 20. Just in case you were wondering.)

(Don't worry, I'll probably make a birthday wish list. Just in case you want to get me something.)

Hope you're staying warm! :)

Snow Style

2011-02-01T11:41:00.003-06:00

Here in Oklahoma, we are having quite the treat. You see, usually we get just a dusting of snow every year, and a couple of ice storms. But today, we have the real deal! More than one inch of snow! So, everyone is snuggled up at home, looking out at the pretty white winter wonderland.

I would very much like to be sledding, but there are two problems:

1. I don't own enough cold weather gear to protect me from the -15 degree windchill.

2. I don't own a sled. And I no longer fit on a cookie sheet like I used to....

So, what's a snowed in fashion girl to do?

Well, make a snow day mood board, of course (see color inspiration from yesterday's post).

Eyeshadow, lamp, clutch, duvet cover, jewelry stand, mittens, coat, tunic, dress, necklace.

Take Me Away Monday- Iceland

2011-01-31T15:23:00.008-06:00

Here in Oklahoma we're preparing for the worst winter storm of our lives.

Or, at least that's what the weathermen say. Which makes me nervous. Because I'm thinking about the Christmas day snow storm combined with the many different ice storms that have knocked the power clean out. For WEEKS.

But, as long as we have power, I'm okay. Fireplace, plenty of Coca-cola, Netflix, and mom's comfort food..I'm good to go.

So, this Monday I'm embracing our impending land of ice and dreaming of escaping to...

Iceland, of course!

And now, a new Icelandic band (they're all so GOOD, aren't they??) that I discovered while previewing Anthropologie's new wedding website.

Enjoy! (and stay warm)

SAG Awards

2011-01-30T22:12:00.001-06:00

The Screen Actors Guild awards show is a bit more laid back than the rest, which kept the red carpet fairly tame this year.

No, more than tame. Boring. Saw a lot of bridesmaid-y type of dresses. I mean, they would be really cute for a bridesmaid. But for the red carpet they were pretty boring.

So, my best dressed choice was easy:

Mila Kunis in Alexander McQueen. Casual and comfortable, but the print gives this dress more depth and interest than many of the other dresses seen tonight with similar shapes.

I wish these would show up on my doorstep:

2011-01-28T14:58:00.003-06:00

Anyone else get that Amazon gift card for half off through LivingSocial? Yeah, me too. Yesterday, all of my half price packages arrived!

I was super excited about the good deals I got, but I stuck to buying somewhat practical things (replacement earbuds, for one. I swear, my purse eats earbuds).

Here are some things I wish would have Mary Poppins' themselves out of these little packages:

A feminine black dress from Modcloth. Wait...it gets better...

Love the back!

Pretty little shoes from TopShop. Because yes, I do wear flats. Occasionally.

What a great satin blazer from TopShop....

....this sparkly tee from J.Crew would look perfect under it.

This handsome boy would be nice, too!

He's part of the Spring J. Crew lookbook, click here for the rest!

Yes, please:

2011-01-26T11:23:00.003-06:00

I love peanut butter. When I was a growing teenager, my childhood friend and I used to eat it by the spoonful. I still could if I had a glass of milk with it, especially these gourmet peanut butter spreads. Flavors of interest: cinnamon raisin peanut spread, super honey crunch peanut spread, milk chocolate peanut spread, and HOT CHILE peanut spread! Yum!

Which came first, the closet or the office? Either way, so genius to work where I would feel most inspired. Surrounded by my "art", in my closet office.

I love chandeliers. And I love modern pieces. Here is a modern chandelier of sorts.

How do you think this is done? With some sort of food coloring spray? Just spray the edges of the rose design. So pretty!

I love antlers. I love baths. I love antlers over baths. Someone shoot me something with antlers this big! As I mentioned in this previous post, I would probably paint them silver. Or not. Who knows.

Brrr! Some of my favorite winter looks.

2011-01-25T15:02:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I am super ready for warm weather.

I'm at that point in the winter where I am so over everything in my closet, and I don't want to buy anything new because I feel like that is encouraging winter to stay.

It's sort of like how you decline dessert when you're on a bad date. Get me outta here!

[Sweet, sweet summer. I will buy you dessert ANYtime, sugar.]

I'm big on layering during the winter. One reason is because you can use spring/summer pieces and just add a cardigan and scarf and voila, now they are winter pieces.

Another reason is because it just looks good. Layers are interesting to the eye. So, here are some good outfits I found:

[source]

This last one I picked because it looks remarkably like what I am wearing today. Down to the shoes.

If you're really feeling like showing winter what's up, wear nice shorts or a dress with leggings or tights. That'll show him. You think I can't wear my favorite spring dress when it's 27 degrees outside? Please.

If you want to keep it simple, here's your basic formula:

Boots + Skinny Jeans + Basic T-shirt + Full Scarf + Structured Cardigan/Jacket = Looking hot while braving the cold.

Take Me Away Monday- Capri

2011-01-24T11:56:00.005-06:00

Why? Because I'm tired of being cold. And this bed looks perfect. And I have a billion books I want to read. And I really want stripey tan lines.

Okay, maybe not the stripey tan lines part, but I bet if I laid there long enough they would even out.

The One in Which I Decide Perhaps Weddings Aren't So Bad

2011-01-19T22:08:00.006-06:00

Wait.

Wedding's aren't so bad. I love love love attending weddings and being in weddings.

But I've always thought I would elope. Really. I love the idea of it. I think it's the most romantic thing ever. Even if you plan it out and tell everyone you're doing it.

When I say my wedding vows I want it to be thinking about the love of my life and God. And that's it. And I'm afraid with a wedding I would be focused on all kinds of other things.

Plus, if you know me, you know I put my own, odd spin on things. And I try to imagine a wedding for myself and just can't do it.

But then I stumbled upon THIS website. And couldn't stop looking at it.

Most of these weddings are DIY. So, perhaps I will have a wedding one day. I'll just need a few weeks off of work to "do it myself", and probably a hefty prescription for prozac.

It seems I have a thing for... antlers? Hm. I blame my father.

Yes. Except maybe I would paint them silver.

Golden Globes 2010

2011-01-17T17:38:00.002-06:00

Fashion trends follow a pendulum- deep swings. That's one of the first rules they teach you in fashion school. We go from one drastic trend to the opposite. So, while in the most recent award shows, celebrities were praised for not "playing it safe", this year, restraint was in order. Toning it down was necessary (remember some of the hideous "original" dresses worn last year...Charlize Theron, anyone?).

Many stars DID go way overboard this year and made some pretty horrible fashion choices (stomach cut-outs and fringe, January Jones?). I started making a list of worst-dressed but... there are just so many! Plus, I'm not in the mood to be mean.

I am in the mood for green, though.

Specifically, that beautiful emerald color that kept showing up on the red carpet last night. Green is my favorite color, mainly because I just look so dang good in it. Kidding. It is a timeless, classy, rich color.

After I made my personal picks for best dressed, I perused the internet looking for who "experts" decided should receive this award. There really wasn't a clear cut winner. Everyone seemed to love Anne Hathaway. I did, as well... buuuut I don't think this is her very best look ever.

It just doesn't seem very "her" to me. In fact, I mentioned to a friend that it appears the very pregnant Rachel Zoe just used Anne as her dress-up this year. This is way more Zoe than Hathaway.

A favorite dress of mine was Sandra Bullock's. It's relaxed chic, which is perfect for her since she wasn't nominated, and (to my knowledge) didn't present.

The only thing I would change about this look is her hair. Which is funny, as I cut my hair on Friday in this exact cut (Sandra, you're such a copier!). But, since this dress already pulls the eye down, I think a simple low chignon with side-swept bangs would have combated the "droopy" look some critics are complaining about.

I have two best looks from last night. Both are in Calvin Klein, surprisingly. He is simple elegance, though. It's a tie between the always stunning Claire Danes and newby Emma Stone. This is a tough one to call who wins "best" of the night. I like to judge looks from their base look. If Claire is usually a "9.5" stylewise, she effortlessly went up to this "10" look. Emma Stone, on the other hand, is more like a "7" stylewise (she's young, she'll get there), so it was a much higher leap up to the "10" for her.

Why these looks are instant winners:

1. Simple but with a shocking (and flattering) color. These unique shades of pink keep these ladies from fading into the background and the simple black dresses many celebs were sticking to on the carpet.

2. Flawless styling. Hair, makeup, and accessories all complimented these dresses with ease. No fuss hair, no distracting gawdy jewels, and both had incredible blonde dye jobs.

3. Not overly spray tanned. Imagine it: Super blonde, super tan, pink dress. Barbie. Minus the huge..chest.

4. Interesting backs. The bare back is the new one-shoulder. Also, I'm not really into tons of cleavage, it's distracting from the design of the dress. A well-toned back is just the right kind of skin to show.

[All photos courtesy of Eonline.com unless otherwise noted.]

Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding

2010-12-04T16:23:00.003-06:00

The night before Thanksgiving, my father/sous chef (or was it the other way around?) and I made Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce and Vanilla Cream Anglaise. We substituted a few of the items for things that can be found in most spice cabinets (no Whole Foods in OKC, yet).

Make your favorite pumpkin bread, then slice in half lengthwise, and then slice each half into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the cubes on a large baking sheet and bake in a 325F degree oven until lightly toasted, turning once, about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise:

2 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean (or roughly 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup pure cane sugar

Bring the half-and-half and vanilla extract to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until at the pale ribbon stage. Slowly whisk in the hot half-and-half (it's very important to do this SLOWLY and not over heat, in order to not end up with scrambled eggs).

Return the mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.

Strain into a bowl and set over an ice bath. Stir until chilled.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple juice
1 star anise (yeah right, no thank you)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
4 whole cloves (or 1 teaspoon ground clove)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Combine the cream, apple juice, ~~star anise~~, ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Strain the mixture into a clean, small saucepan and place back over low heat while you make the caramel.

Combine the sugar, water and vinegar in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook without stirring, until it's a deep amber color, about 8 minutes.

Immediately take off the heat when it's amber colored. A few seconds too long and it burns.

Slowly whisk in the warm cream mixture a little at a time, and continue whisking until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

The sauce can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Reheat over low heat before serving.

Final Product

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or about 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup pure canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons bourbon (eh, left this out)
Pumpkin Bread, toasted and cubed
Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise,
Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce
Freshly whipped cream (Cool whip!)

Preheat the oven to 325F. Combine the cream, milk, vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Whisk together the yolks, sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl.

Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture until combined. Strain the custard into a clean bowl.

Scatter the pumpkin bread cubes in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking glass baking dish. Pour the custard over the bread.

Press down on the bread to totally submerge it in the custard. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up some of the custard.

Place the pan in a larger roasting pan and pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until it comes half way up the sides of the glass dish. Bake until the sides are slightly puffed and the center jiggles slightly, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven cool on a baking rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Spoon some of the Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise into a shallow bowl, top with some of the bread pudding and drizzle with the Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce. Top with freshly whipped cream. Bread pudding is best served warm.

Days Eleven-Fifteen

2010-11-30T17:00:00.001-06:00

I'm back. Back from vacation, back from being a zombie, back on track.

I'm halfway through the Wardrobe Remix challenge! Two things:
1. I haven't been accessorizing NEAR what I normally do. I'll work on that big time the last half.
2. My posing is ridiculous. I'm trying to channel my inner model, but she's taking a vacay right now, I guess.

Enjoy!

Day Fifteen- #2, #8, #13

Grey tights- Express; feather sticking out of my bun- made by me,

Thanksgiving! I know this isn't the best picture of my outfit, but when I was looking through my photos I couldn't NOT use this one. My aunt's dog is the craziest, happiest, friendliest dog! She's that white blur. I realized right before Thanksgiving lunch that you can totally see through my blue sweater dress. So, this Thanksgiving, I was thankful for how cold it was, as it caused me to wear the sweater over the dress. Whew.

Day Fourteen- #5, #12, #20, #28

Half day at work and baking with Dad. Oh bless my heart, I look like a red-headed Farrah Fawcett in this picture.

Day Thirteen- #6, #16, #20, #30

Pink, green, and grey dotted scarf- no clue.

This outfit is a little bit "springy" for November, but it was such a beautiful warm day, and a cold front came through the next day. One of my favorite way to wear a scarf is like this, hanging down simply, underneath a cardigan, belted. It acts as a shirt when you wear it this way.

Day Twelve- #4, #21, #23, #29

Bag- H&M.

Goodness gracious, I love this bag. I've had it for years, and it is in SUCH good condition. I bet it was about $25 from H&M. I carry it everyday now, as the middle zipped compartment holds my Pro perfectly. When buying a bag, especially one this inexpensive, buy a non-neutral color. My favorite color is green, so that's why I picked this one. Stay away from the "trendy" version of a color, and stick to a more "classic" color.

Day Eleven- #4, #23, #27

Scarf- H&M.

Sunday church and Thanksgiving grocery shopping. I wore these boots in case I had to get in any fights at the supermarket, as it was the Sunday before Tday. Luckily, no fights. I'm a suave shopper in any sort of store.

Redeeming Love

2010-11-29T01:04:00.004-06:00

I'm reading this really great book called Redeeming Love, it's the retelling of the book of Hosea. And Hosea is a book that demonstrates clearly God's love for every sinner.

The gist of the story is that a man saves a prostitute from her way of life, marries her and provides a much better life for her. She eventually runs back to the brothel, but he comes and saves her again. He forgives her no matter what, and loves her unconditionally.

Everyone's life is different, everyone has different stories. I was dealt a really good hand in this life. Probably one of the best anyone could ever ask for. I have two loving parents, who have sacrificed a lot to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, and they made sure I had the best upbringing possible. I was shown the love of God through them and my church in a very real way. When I graduated high school, I was the most decorated senior, and due to my test scores I could have done whatever I wanted, and gone to school wherever I wanted. I'm not bragging, I'm just laying it all out there.

I chose to go to school in New York for fashion. Not medicine, not engineering, not law, but fashion. And my parents sacrificed even more in order for me to do so. I moved back in the middle of my 4 year study there (for reasons too complicated to list) and I let all of my dreams die. I became an unmotivated zombie, for the most part. I wasted a lot of time, a lot of money, and a lot of myself for a few years after returning from NYC. I cared about God's plan for me, but I didn't care enough. I spent a lot of time feeling incredibly sorry for myself.

The prostitute left her husband and went back to the brothel because she didn't feel like she deserved this wonderful life she had been freely given. Many of us do that with God. We know the best place to be is with Him, yet we make decisions and act in ways that would say otherwise.

It's hard for me to say I have any regrets in my life, because I have ended up in an amazing spot in my life. I love my job, I love my friends, I even loved that I moved back in with my parents. But, at the time there are many things I regretted doing. And I'm not saying I'm perfect now, but I am saying that I think the best way to live is thinking each day, if the decisions you are making (small and big) are decisions you will regret tomorrow. And when you do mess up and end up back in the brothel, don't waste any more time there. The wonderful thing about God is that He forgives and cast your sins immediately out.

What are you waiting for? Return to your God!
Commit yourself in love, in justice!
Wait for your God,
and don't give up on Him—ever!

Hosea 12:6

I May Delete This Tomorrow..

2010-11-20T01:24:00.003-06:00

Today was a heavy boots day. This might be one of those sappy posts I don't leave up for very long.


Ginny and Harry.

I can't sleep. Mainly because I saw Harry Potter at midnight last night and my sleep schedule is crazy now, but also because I my mind is racing.

I miss my grandma. But I am so grateful that I know I will see her and live with her eternally in heaven one day. People said a tremendous amount of wonderful things about Ruby today. Her love for Jesus and her servant's heart really stood out to me. I hope that I live my life in such a way that when people think of me the first thing they think is that I put God first and others second and myself third. Way third.

Hedwig and Ginny. Hedwig is Harry's gf in real life. Adorable.

I miss my friends who live far away. But I am loving talking to them on Skype! Today I spoke with my Vissie for the first time in weeks (she is busy being a rockstar in Europe). It was the highlight of my week. Technology is so cool. How are we able to cross a whole entire ocean talking through a video with NO DELAY? That is insane to me.

Umbridge (Gina) and Ginny. Best costume!

I wish I could take a two week vacation and just travel all over the world visiting all of my sweet friends. But, I am so grateful for the ones that are right here with me. For my coworkers (and boss) who came to the funeral today. For my Elyse who always cooks for me or comes over right when I need her without me even having to ask and for literally being a shoulder to cry on. For my sweet Gina who must have come to my house at a crazy hour last night after Harry Potter to leave such a thoughtful note on my car for today. For Kamber, who always always always remembers to text me on days when something special or exciting or sad or scary is happening. Little things mean a lot to me. And so many others. Those are the ones that just came to mind at this moment.

WOW I am blessed. Not only from the direct acts of their friendship, but also from the example their friendship is to me. My friends teach me how to be a good friend.

I'm reading a book right now that the guy who started Zappo's wrote.* His key point that he drives home about customer service and the success of Zappo's is the WOW moment. It doesn't have to be big, or elaborate, or super special. It's just that little extra 1% that makes customers say WOW!

We can do this as people. We can leave notes, and send encouraging texts, and give hugs. What can you do, just that 1% more every day, that will make someone feel WOW?

*[I need a new book to read. Preferably a novel. I've already read The Help and Same Kind of Different As Me. I wish Pioneer Woman's book was out...]

OH! Also, thanks to all of my new readers. I know not a lot of you leave comments, please feel free to do so! To those of you who DO comment, thank you! I'm behind on replying to new people, but I'm getting there. Promise. :)

Days Six-Ten

2010-11-18T18:31:00.004-06:00

My grandmothers passing happened during Days Six-Ten. And that was the worst day. So I skipped a couple of days. Which is why this is late.

You understand. :)

I have moments during this where I think of about five great outfits all at once and get really excited. Then, the next morning I'll wake up and not be able to think of a single one.

I should maybe start writing some of these ideas down, but that would ruin the fun, wouldn't it?

Day Ten- #3, #15, #20, #26

Kendi stole the words out of my mouth! Ralph Lauren approved outfit. Or maybe Chloe.

White crocheted beanie- Forever 21.

Light denim jacket- H&M.

Gold ring- stolen from my mother.

Gold necklace- gifted from my precious grandma.

Day Nine- #1, #17, #19, #29

This was the second day after the worst day. All I did was go to the eye doctor.
All I did on the day after was lay in bed in sweats. Day skipped.

Prescription eyeglasses- $15, Zenni.

Day Eight- #4, #7, #14, #18

This was the worst day.

Grey tights- Express.

Gold necklace- gifted from my precious Grandma.

Day Seven- #3, #16, #23, #25

Sunday, my mom's 60th birthday! Church and lunch and relaxing.

Skinny black belt- Forever 21.

Black flower headband- handmade by me.

Day Six- #3, #15, #20, #27

Saturday fun times. This is an easy outfit that is comfortable all day and all night. I switch out my black flats for heeled boots (#2) later when I went out and about to feel fancy. Should've taken a picture.

Scarf- vintage, gifted from Mister Rabbit.

The Pioneer Woman

2010-11-17T23:39:00.001-06:00

Tonight, I watched Ree throwdown with Bobby Flay. Spoiler alert: she won. Oklahoma-1, Bobby Flay-0.

My favorite part about the show, though (other than those heart-attack-inducing mashed potatoes and that delicious pumpkin bread pudding ohmygoshsogenius) was....

her KITCHEN!

Holy cow!

Ha. Get it. Cow. Cow skull.

I bet most of you loved her kitchen, too. You probably loved it for all it's cooking capabilities. I am not much of a cook.

I can bake. But...sadly...still working on the cooking thing. So, I don't appreciate things like counter tops and stoves and ovens and ... well, I don't even know what else. Sinks maybe?

I love the back splash! I love bright and shiny things. I love the whitest whites. And then to really make it shine and sparkle and set it off- add something rough and natural and rustic. Like that cow skull. What a juxtaposition. Perfect.

Did he just say...

2010-11-16T22:50:00.001-06:00

Yes. He did.

This week on The Fashion Show, the contestants were asked to be inspired by that weird, gross "Bodies" exhibit. My friend David was inspired by the female genitalia. HA! Here is his look:

Once again, his team won. How fun!

David was in town this week, and I got the pleasure of hanging out with him for awhile. He's probably one of the most charming people I know. Very down to earth, doesn't care what anyone thinks about him, and loves to have fun. And loves when others are having fun, too.

Go to The Fashion Show site and rate his look. Five stars, of course.

Ruby

2010-11-15T21:24:00.003-06:00

Usually I leave work at 4:00 on Mondays to get to class by 4:30. Today, I was taking my time for two reasons. 1. We have an event at work tomorrow that I was preparing for, and 2. It was rather cold and rainy and I simply wasn't in a huge rush to walk to class (whyyyy did I wait until years after "graduation" to take freshman biology??).

My father called me at 4:40 as I was about to drag myself into class to tell me the news.

I remember driving to the hospital in complete silence. I remember thinking that I hoped I didn't get in a wreck because I could tell my reaction time was really bad, and it was almost rush hour.

I refused to go into the room. My grandmother is a beautiful, spunky, bubbly, lady. Not the body that remained. When the nurse said, "She's ready if you want to see her now" my grandfather replied, "She isn't in there. She's in heaven with her savior".

I drove home in the rain and remember getting really frustrated that my windshield wipers weren't working. I realized tears were crowding my vision, not the rain.

I didn't know what to do when I got home. So, I took a bath. And I texted my most loved friends because they always know the right thing to say.

Em encouraged me to write. So I did. And I am.

~~Her name was Ruby. She has been struggling with health complications for about 16 months.~~

Her name is Ruby.

I have no idea what her natural hair color is because she began dying her hair red to match mine ever since I could remember.

Her favorite song is the hymn, "In the Garden". She claims that the only book she ever read all the way through was the Bible.

She ate dessert first, especially if it was chocolate. She is the only person I know who drinks more Coca-Cola than I do.

Memommie and Me, 2006.

She loves college basketball. And I loved watching any show on the Food Network with her, especially The Barefoot Contessa.

She makes the best waffles and never drinks coffee. I never drink coffee.

I would really like one of those waffles right now.

She was a child of the dustbowl era and a survivor of hard upbringing in the Oklahoma country. If she never mentioned it though, you would never know it, her face didn't show it.

She was classy and kind, generous and thoughtful.

Ruby means precious gem, brings light into lives.

There is not a single person on this earth that was more vocally encouraging to me on a consistent, daily basis than my grandmother. She was my biggest cheerleader.

She was the definition of a lady and taught me how to be one, too.

"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Proverbs 31:29

Days One-Five

2010-11-14T16:28:00.003-06:00

Do you put lipstick/gloss/chapstick after you eat breakfast and drink your tea?

I do.

But I won't be anymore, after seeing these pictures. Lipstick needed.

This week's take-away: when wearing wide horizontal striped tops, be sure to accessorize with something that draws the eyes very vertically. See: Day Two.


Day Five- #4, #10, #20, #28 Green hurricane proof umbrella awarded to me for "Best Commercial" while attending LIM. Vintage purple zebra scarf gifted to me by Mister Rabbit. Navy knee socks from a Colorado ski shop.

Day Four- #3, #22, #29

Grey outerwear from Ross.

Antique silver and turquoise watch passed down from my grandfather (because he "doesn't like Timex").

Day Three- #3, #20, #28

Black multi-chain necklace from H&M.


Day Two- #5, #23, #27 Grey striped scarf from a Nairobi, Kenya market.


Day One- #4, #11 , #20, #29 Purple three-buckle belt: H&M. Ponytail courtesy of being a victim of the iPhone daylight savings time alarm disaster.

The Fashion Show

2010-11-13T16:39:00.002-06:00

My friend David is a contestant on Bravo's The Fashion Show, which premiered Tuesday.

This was his first look.


Photo: Bravotv.com

His team was the winning team. Way to go, David!

And girl, I would look a little happier if I was wearing that beautiful dress.

Thrill of the Kill

2010-11-12T14:42:00.002-06:00

My father hunts.

Dad and I on safari in the Masai Mara, 2008.

He sits in a little, tent-like blind thing, totally silent and just...waits. All day. Oh, and he does this at crazy early hours (like 4am) in crazy weather. Cold fingers, cold toes, no talking, no reading, no iPhone. He shoots a poor innocent deer who is probably the momma deer to lots of little Bambi's. Then he comes home and skins it and cleans it and makes the meat edible.

I don't get it. I never will.

(Although, I do enjoy the meals he makes from the Bambi moms.)

My father reads my blog. He usually understands my fashionable side. However, he does not understand the point of only wearing 30 pieces of clothing for 30 days.

This is my sport. This is my hunt. This is my thrill of the kill.

Of course, there are many practical reasons. Such as, realizing what your wardrobe needs and what you have enough of, creating new outfits from old clothing, and showing how it is possible to be original and adorable (ha. I hope!) every day of the week with just a few basic pieces.

But mainly, it is to show that I can. Every new outfit is like scoring a goal, hitting the target, beating a record. It's like practice. It's creative discipline. It's the same reason that painters paint and photographers photograph, even when they don't have to.

With that said, please check back tomorrow for my first 5 days of outfits!

Separation Anxiety

2010-11-10T23:49:00.003-06:00

I was putting some of my laundry away just now and came across this blouse.

[gifted/thrifted]

I had an actual conversation with it. I apologized for forgetting about it in my Remix Picks. I apologized to it that I won't be wearing it for 30 days. I told it that I would wear it tomorrow if these were normal circumstances.

You're a good shirt.

Then I saw one of my favorite black sequin zip-ups. It's incredibly comfy and even more sparkly. And I started scheming of how I could make this jacket be within the realms of "outerwear". Unfortunately, it is not terribly warm. Nor is it weather resistant.

[H&M]

Sigh.

You're a good jacket.

My 30 Remix Picks

2010-11-09T13:36:00.043-06:00

Okay. This was WAY harder than I thought. For three reasons:

1. I have tons of clothes. And love each item of clothing equally.
2. Over the next 30 days, I'm betting the weather is going to change pretty drastically here. Which is why my picks are all pretty.... safe [boring].
3. Well. Okay. Just those two things. But, seriously, I felt like I was being asked to choose my favorite child(ren).

The rules are that you pick 30 clothing items and wear ONLY those 30 items for the next 30 days, mixing and matching them together.

Clothing items do NOT include accessories [PTL] such as scarves, belts, hats, tights, jewelry, etc.
They DO include shoes, tops, bottoms, etc.
They do NOT include outerwear. I decided that outerwear meant that if I take it off when I'm at my desk, it counts. Some of my jackets are actually not reallllly outerwear, but I put them in that category [FYI: I'll still be posting my daily looks showing whatever outerwear and accessories I wear with it that day].
Lounge/sleepwear DON'T count. I added "modesty"-wear [you know, those tanks and camis you have to wear under certain things to keep yourself respectable looking] and gameday-wear to this, as well.

Okay, so here they are!

[#1] Black leather and (Guess brand from Ross)
[#2] suede tan (Forever 21) over-the-knee boots.

[My favorite style for this season]

[#3] Black flats (Target),
[#4] brown riding boots ("gifted" from my best friend's closet, she would say I borrowed them two years ago and never returned them. Tomato tomato)
[#5] grey booties (BCBG)

[#6] Grey and white animal print pencil skirt (I heart Ronson)
[#7] dusty rose flowy skirt (H&M)
[#8] electric blue sweater dress (Urban Outfitters)
[#9] mauve knit dress (Urban Outfitters)

Clockwise from top L:
[#10] navy blazer (Buffalo Exchange)
[#11] long grey chunky cardi (Lucca)
[#12] navy/purple striped cardi (I heart Ronson)
[#13] wheat grandpa wrap cardi (The Limited)
[#14] ice blue deep v sweater (Ann Taylor)
[#15] mink v sweater (H&M)
[#16] kelly green cardi (Ann Taylor)
[#17] black knit slinky cardi (Forever 21)

Clockwise from top L:
[#18] heather green tank (Urban Outfitters)
[#19] shades of grey tank (Max Azria for Miley Cyrus)
[#20] white longsleeved tee (I heart Ronson)
[#21] blue and white tiny stripe button down (Forever 21)
[#22] dark plaid tunic (H&M)
[#23] grey loose v (Max Azria for Miley Cyrus)
[#24] navy and white striped tee (The Gap)

From top L:
[#25] denim wide-leg trousers (Lucca)
[#26] olive green stretch skinny chinos (Old Navy)
[#27]dark denim super skinny jeans (H&M)
[#28] grey skinny trousers (I heart Ronson)
[#29] black leggings (no clue)

You may have noticed that I only have 29 items pictured. That's because I ordered some tan suede booties that should be arriving ANY day now. So, they are #30. I also ordered grey suede booties, and they will most likely replace the ones pictured above.

The other BIG rule is NO SHOPPING for 30 days! [I ordered those shoes before I started so it doesn't count.] ;)

I'll put up my outfit pictures every 5 days or so... check back soon. Day 1 was yesterday!

A Different 30 Day Journey...

2010-11-09T12:40:00.003-06:00

Not only am I doing the 30 day wardrobe challenge, I am also listening to a short podcast every day by Rick Warren's wife called "Say Yes to God, 30 Day Adventure".

This was todays, it's only about two minutes long, and she really speaks what is on my heart:
click here to watch.

Basically, Kay speaks about how there are so many FAKE things in the world today, and how important it is to be AUTHENTIC.

Yes, I get the occasional spray tan, and yes I am never not wearing mascara. But, instead of focusing on what we don't have and being fake, we should embrace and highlight what we DO have. Physically and spiritually.

Be who you say you are.

30 for 30

2010-11-08T14:13:00.004-06:00

I stumbled across this blog- and now I have a serious blog crush.

Not only that, but now I actually have something to really get this blog going!

I was considering doing a fall shopping guide, but here is the thing: I'm not ready for fall shopping yet. I'm too busy, and it's not cold out yet here in Oklahoma [sorry to those of you in the North, I am loving these 70 degree November days!].

So, I'll be participating in the 30 for 30 starting today! Read about it here.

One of my favorite things is making NEW outfits from OLD clothes. So, you will follow me through my journey through 30 days with only 30 items from my closet as I remix it up.

Then, I promise, an autumn/winter shopping guide. Because new clothes DO need to happen. Soon.

Quotes I live by:

2010-11-08T13:53:00.002-06:00

"They say never to judge a book by it's cover, but isn't the cover trying to sell you the book?" Unknown

"Style is the perfection of a point of view" Richard Eberhart

"When we are wholly His we will be more ourselves than ever" C.S. Lewis

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." James D. Miles

"Being a fashion snob is over. Better to be naive and curious all of the time." Christopher Kane

"There is no greatness, when there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth" Tolstoy

Cover to Cover

2010-11-08T13:45:00.003-06:00

Well, I've been meaning to really get started on this blog again, but haven't felt a good directional pull on the right "angle".

Shopping guide? Daily picture of my outfit? Trend forecast? And what about the spiritual side of things...random acts of kindness days? Bible verses that I am currently meditating on?

So many different options, so little time. Not only am I working my [WONDERFUL] 40 hour a week job, but I am also [finally] taking my last course in college [biology- yuck], as well as doing some freelance work, about 15 hours a week or so, for the English Paper Co. , specifically the Lemon Tree Paperie site.

Oh, and I still have my social life.

But still, I want to do this blog. My passion is for the whole person. I know so many women who are so beautiful inside [and out!] but just don't know how to really highlight their outer beauty. And I know just as many women who know exactly how to present themselves in the most gorgeous and creative ways everyday but feel at a loss as to where true inner beauty really starts [from the love of the Lord].

It's about looking how you live, and living how you look.

You live with beauty, truth, and grace but you walk around looking less than your best.

Or, you look like the picture of elegance with a sweet style, but don't know how to truly OWN the love of God that says you are worth more than what is on the outside.

It's the BEST YOU- Cover to Cover.

Pretty on the inside, pretty on the outside.

Color Me Missoni

2010-10-12T18:01:00.001-05:00

I love love love anything Missoni or Missoni-inspired. This article on Apartment Therapy totally made my day:

"Home sick today, victim to the oncoming cold and flu season, I was desperately searching for something that could take my mind far away from my bed. Dreaming of Missoni works every time…

When watching Love Potion No. 9 for the third time did not distract me from my sniffles (thank you, Tate Donovan), I fell into the stripes, the vivid colors and the imagination of Missoni. How I'd love to just curl up in the beautiful bedding that is, unfortunately, out of my price range ($415-$730), or recover an old chair with vintage Missoni fabric."

Cover to Cover

Cheese of the Week #3

Couldn't Live Without... [an outfit post]

Cheese of the Week #2

God=Love

Look Pretty and Support Victims of HumanTrafficking

Cheese of the Week #1

Heart Opener

2012, a list and a couple of mantras

2011 through my iPhone

The Coming of Christ

Thankful for..

One Year

Why yes, my office is bright green

White Blazer Tragedy

Ever get that feeling...

You Got Lice or Something?

"Poodles and Pastries" at the OKCMOA

Do Something New for 30 Days

"Men were not designed to have love stories “happen to them” as much as they were designed to “make a love story happen to a woman.”

"Living a great love story doesn't look like winning the lottery, it looks like training for a marathon"

No Pain, No Gain (or, First World Problems)

A year ago this week...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said I love you through...

Today God said "I love you" through...

By the way...

Today God said "I love you" through...

Today God said "I love you" through...

MIA

Amazing Race: Amsterdam Pit Stop

Friday Favorites

Yes, please: Innovative Pancakes

Inspired by: A Guy

Loubi Love

In Love with Ikat

Sunday Funday

3 Things I Would Spend My Tax Return On....

My Weekend in iPhone Photos

Retail Therapy

Warehouse Shoot

Fashion Super Bowl Highlights

My Birthday Weekend in iPhone Photos

Take Me Away Monday- Burberry's London

Take Me Away Monday- Eiffel Tower

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4

NYFW Day 2

NYFW Day 1

Birthday Wish List

Inspired by: Path of Pink Perfection

Take Me Away Monday- PINK

My weekend in iPhone photos

Home Office- Headboard Inspiration

Cabin Fever

Snow Style

Take Me Away Monday- Iceland

SAG Awards

I wish these would show up on my doorstep:

Yes, please:

Brrr! Some of my favorite winter looks.

Take Me Away Monday- Capri

The One in Which I Decide Perhaps Weddings Aren't So Bad

Golden Globes 2010

Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise:

Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce:

Final Product

Days Eleven-Fifteen

Redeeming Love

I May Delete This Tomorrow..

Days Six-Ten

The Pioneer Woman

Did he just say...

Ruby

Days One-Five

The Fashion Show

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."
1 Peter 3:4