DRESS LIKE YOU MEAN IT
Just so you know my dress is back in stock and on SALE. Under $42! This is a big summer go-to for me since it’s flattering on top and doesn’t cup and caress belly weight. It’s really well made too so don’t worry about the quality, I’ve washed mine over and over. If you’re a shorty wear it with wedges. I’m 5’6 and I’m wearing a Medium in the picture. It can double in fall with a jean jacket. I threw in some sale sandals too. LOVE the star sandals!
What I’m reading!
Washington abounds in cute little towns. During the summer Josh and I try to take the kids to as many new places as possible. The goal when we get there is to eat. We are food people. Also both Ryder and I are mean as hell if we’re hungry. I’m not talking about general grouchiness either, Josh stuffs string cheese in his pockets before we leave the house. If we start being verbally abusive, we get a cheese. If we yell, we get a cheese. If we cry, we get a cheese. I like cheese so this works well for me. Anyway, after we arrive wherever we’re going we find the food. Then we walk around and see the local charm. We always find a bookstore. I make Scarlet and Ryder use their own allowance to buy toys, but I will always pay for books. Their little faces still light up at the idea of new books and I hope it always stays that way.
This was my weekender outfit.
I found three dupe bags that are almost identical to my Chanel cross-body! They’re under twenty dollars! I also listed the dupes to my red sunglasses. And though it looks like I’m wearing a skirt they are actually shorts. I love them. The feminine appeal of a skirt with the practicality of shorts. And they’re on SALE. So check them out.
What I’m Reading and Loving!
Today was my first day back on the job! Just so you know I drink on the job. Write drunk, edit sober. I wrote the first chapter of my new novel and it’s a good thing too. I was starting to feel that dragging depression that comes when I’m not writing regularly. What am I writing next? A YA novel. Backstory: I have been sitting on this idea for twelve years!
Fashion
You should see the weird looks I get when I wear these Jeffrey Campbell slides. It’s like people have never seen an ugly pair of shoes before. I included a plus size option in today’s post. Scroll right for all of the options.
Just a midweek quickie. I ordered these heels last week and pretty much waited by the front door every day for them to arrive. I was not disappointed.
They are EVERYTHING.
The high back design prevents heel rubbing which is a problem I always run into with this type of shoe. They are comfortable! My Hudson jeans are on sale, but jump quick because sizes are dwindling. Let’s talk about wrap bracelets for a moment. I don’t actually wear them on my wrist, I wrap them around my ankle. When you’re wearing summer sandals the wrap bracelet around your ankle is a sexy and fun addition to dresses and shorts. I never take mine off and don’t notice it’s there anymore.
What I’m Reading
“I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.”
HOLLA!!!
Okay, I’ve been eyeing the shredded mom jeans for a long time. But I am a mom, so can I wear mom jeans? Do mom jeans make moms even mommier? The answer is….
I don’t know.
They’re very high waisted, so that’s a plus. They contain mom stomach, eliminating the muffin top. I felt sexy wearing them.
So I have travelled all over Europe and found that the most fashionable women reside in Italy. Last time I was there I noticed that women were wearing sneakers with everything. Everything. I was in awe. How do you make sneakers look glamorous? They do. So I came back and started buying sneakers, which is unusual for me. I’ve always associated sneakers with fashion laziness or athletics. Now, while I won’t confess to how many pairs of shoes I own I will say that I spent a year collecting sneakers. And out of all the sneakers gathering dust in my closet these Adidas are by far my favorite. They are comfortable AF, and they slip on easily. They also look good with everything from dresses, to shorts, to jeans. If you want a bomb ass pair of sneakers buy the Adidas. So worth it. I throw mine in the washing machine when they get dirty and they come out looking brand new.
What I’m reading! I loved this one. If you’re a psychological thriller girl, read this! I couldn’t put it down.
So you guys keep asking me about the wrap dress I posted on my main Instagram page. The problem is that I bought that dress last year and the exact print I’m wearing in the photo is no longer available. The good new is that the designer has multiple other wrap dresses in slightly varying style and print. I can vouch for the brand. Also, my Michael Kor sandals are on sale and that price is a steal. So here is a little wrap dress offering for you. Remember to scroll right to see all of the options. Hope you find something you like!
It’s a really odd adjustment when you have children from a previous relationship and then get married to someone new. I know a lot of you remarried, dating divorcees feel me right now. And who dreamed of this as little girls, you know?
One day I will grow up to have a dream wedding, and then get divorced, and have another dream wedding!
Yikes
I still struggle with the word: divorce. I still struggle with the fact that I failed. But so is life, and for the first year my reality was that of two worlds colliding. How do I make this transition smooth for everyone involved?
Love
When Josh moved in over a year ago I found myself stretched to max, trying to make everyone in the house feel like the most important person. I was building a new relationship with a man, essentially starting from scratch, while trying to raise two children to be well adjusted, confident, kind humans. It was a hard lesson in which I learned that I am indeed only human. And that if hearts are pure things have a way of working themselves out. I was trying to get as much alone time with Josh as I possibly could, while simultaneously creating these beautiful family moments where we could bond. I would not want to return to that first year where I tried too hard, burned myself out, and often felt defeated.
Josh loves kids. Kids love Josh. He’s very good with them, and not just mine. All. Of. Them. And so while I was stressing out about family time, alone time, one-on-one time, Josh was already bonding with my children. I was just too busy stressing to notice. Kids are not even a little bit stupid. Adults are stupid. Kids are pure and unfiltered. They know when someone likes them, they know when someone has a pure heart. He reads to them every night, from the chapter books they loving choose together at the bookstore. Sometimes Scarlet reads to him and I find him sitting against a wall in her bedroom while she walks circles around her rug, reading. He does a lot of one-on-one time with them, taking Ryder to sporting events, and Scarlet to the bookstore (her favorite place). And he teases. This weekend we took a trip to Portland for one of my family getaways/bonding time. He convinced both of them that Portland doesn’t allow children under the age of six in the city and told Ryder he would need to tell people that he was eight in order to be allowed in. Ryder spent the weekend telling strangers that he was eight, only to find out it was all a Josh scam. He laughed pretty hard when he found out he’d been conned once again by his stepfather. They have this tone in which they say Josh’s name.
Juh-ooooosh!
I just wanted to share this little bit of my life. And to tell you that if there is love things will work themselves out. You don’t need to control everything, and you can’t create perfect family moments; they happen organically.
Links to my Portland outfit below. This dress is such beautiful quality. it’s heavy without being heavy. And I finally bought new Ray Bans after someone stole all of mine out of my car. They’re a different style. Square framed and very lightweight on the face. Happy Fourth!
What I’m reading!
