In Anticipation

Oh, good, a Canadian Tuxedo.

Friends, I can't wait for Saturday. Over here in Suzhou, Thanksgiving is just a Thursday, BUT, many of our friends here have spent time in the USA and were really looking forward to celebrating. Rob and I are going to try to cook a turkey in our puny oven and everyone is gathering at our place to spend time playing card games and eating a gluttonous amount of food. I just hope my dog isn't a butthole, squelches his beagle-y urges to devour anything not intended for him, and just lets us enjoy the day, rather than holding onto his collar in hopes of controlling his rotten behavior.

Who am I kidding- everyone will be on guard, he'll still manage to steal something, and then the cat will tag-team with him to swipe more goodies, pluck something delicious out of a bowl and knock it to the ground to share. My pets are jerks. Adorably naughty jerks.

Seasonally Inappropriate

I have a pair of great new black skinnies (P.S.- why is shopping for jeans such a nightmare lately? Must everything be loose on my tush and sausage-casing tight on my calves?!) that have, admittedly, been on heavy rotation already. But, I just can't seem to let go of my white jeans yet. It's appropriate to wear them until the week of Thanksgiving, right? Can I then call them "winter whites" and carry on?

P.P.S. Teething is a big, nasty B-word. Slobber on everything and baby harumphs.

Chomp

I'm repulsive and I'll admit it. 

I haven't really had cravings so far in this pregnancy, per se, I've just been eating large quantities of things. Usually it's pretty normal like a big helping of fried noodles, or 3 too many dumplings, or more than my allotted half of a cart-food filled Chinese pancake. I can stand to gain a little weight, so it's not unhealthy yet. And pretty typically I eat healthfully (except for when I gobble up more than my fair share of potato chips once every three weeks, but that was a pre-pregnancy habit anyway). So, I asked Rob to bring home fruit the other day when I sent him to the veggie market to get peppers and onions for dinner prep. And he brought home a lovely bag full of tiny clementines.

Which I demolished in one sitting. Imagine one of those boxes of Cuties clementines. Half of that whole box was in this bag and I laid waste to it in under 20 minutes. The quantity was a little outrageous, but the speed was what really made me ponder my life choices at the end.

It's better than a weird pickle or smelly Chinese dehydrated fish-snack craving, I guess. I'll be sure to let you know when that kicks in.

...stretching just a liiittle too tight.

Adios, Chambray. I mean "Zaijian"

This isn't the most lovely photo, it's not even decent. But, it's kind of funny how accurate it is of life lately. The proof?
1. Dusty, disgusting mirror
2. Rumpled, filthy rug
3. Beagle furiously sniffing out all of the dead bugs unearthed in the moving around of things
4. Boxes, mostly still empty, absolutely everywhere
5. Stepstool, used daily to fish something out of a high stack
6. Empty furnishings, sad stacked dvd storage behind me, piles emptied from my junk drawer in the bedroom
7. We won't talk about the nightmare happening on top of my dresser just behind that door with the belt haphazardly looped over a knob
8. Wet hair, unbrushed, because I don't feel like it
9. Oh, yeah, and a last hurrah for some of my more attractive clothing, because I'm saving all my good stuff until after the move

Also not up for discussion? The multitude of floor-scattered sorting projects. The plethora of hangers now sadly hanging derelict in my closet since everything good from wintertime is in a duffel. Remnants of my grand plan to get gone a bunch of stuff in a garage sale. We're also without a sofa, kind of. Our houndstooth couch found a new home with our neighbors and, after June 1, the sofa we're temporarily housing for our friends, purchased from another neighbor, is going away and we'll be seat-less for a month. Lots of Hulu watching in bed and only passed hors d'ouvres parties. Mashed up with a box obstacle course in our living room.

Transition is funny. Packing our lives up into four large suitcases and carefully planned boxes of winter coats and books to be shipped in the fall is a tricky thing.

Field Trip

Pants: Zara...Buttondown: Target...Sweater: F21...Shoes: Steve Madden...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

I had so much fun at the Opera House yesterday! Hundreds of 7th graders actually engaged and impressed by some pretty killer student performances. It was awesome to catch some photos of some of these kids' first trip to a formal performance space, their first time hearing operatic voices, their moment of understanding when they realize no one was wearing a microphone. It's so rewarding to facilitate that kind of eye-opening exposure.

It's a nutty week at work- we have volunteers from the fine arts high school helping us get ready for a pretty major mailing, filing, etc. And a board meeting on Wednesday. And a site visit and evaluation on Friday.

Oh, and some benefit dinner planning. Still waaaay behind on that. What up in your weeks?

Labor Day Weekend

Dress: Target...Chambray: Target...Shoes: J Jill via Buffalo Exchange...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

I would talk about Labor Day weekend, but it was kind of a non-event. We hit the Zoo with Natalie and her boyfriend on Sunday morning, helped a friend move on Saturday, I did laundry on Monday evening and watched a lot of Wipeout and altered things. Highlights that are mediocre at best.

BTW, say adios to the fluttery skirt of this pajama dress- I altered the navy version to be more straight and I love it!

I'm a piggy- chips, avocado scooped out, sliced cheese not on top of anything, lemonade... Just keeping it real with you guys.

Chambray and White

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny Crops...Chambray: Target...Shoes: Calvin Klein via Buffalo Exchange...Bag: D&B thrifted...Bracelets: ASOS and thrifted...Shades: Coach via TJ Maxx

I leave today I leave today I leave today. Like I said yesterday, I'm a little more than excited to see my family.

This is what I actually wore yesterday (I post a day after I actually wear something) and I was so very happy I chose this. One, chambray... C'Mon. Two, I had to unexpectedly call up Boss Lady's alarm guys and had to escort them all the way up to the utility room on the third floor to check out the system (it went off and called the cops without any opportunity to shut the alarm off in the morning when we entered). And there's nothing worse or more awkward than taking subcontractors up to the third floor in heels and a skirt. They found nothing wrong, it worked properly when we tested it after a reset, but I don't really know where that leaves us.

I also found out that Boss Lady is going to have a friend come up to Idaho to drive the ladies and the truck back down to Houston. Part of me is glad, part of me wishes I was the one doing it so I could make up a new route and spend 41 (vs. the 35 we took on the way up) hours on the road to drive down through Utah and New Mexico. I love being out West, and while it would have been a real treat to drive down that way and see that beautiful bit of the country, I'm grateful for the continued "alone time" to work on my projects here at the house. We're going to be so much better off this fall when we get into planning the Gala after the filing and organizational improvements I'm working on!

I'll be sure to post what I wore today for you tomorrow, airline travel outfits and "how I packed" are always valuable, I think.

St. Patrick's Day

I don't like crowds, I don't like bars on weekends, I don't like loud music. But somehow they all uncomfortably come together tonight and because I love my friends, I will be going out for St. Patty's Day this evening following another recital (that will make 3 this week!)... I will, no doubt, be one of the few women running around wearing something other than a cheap shamrock green logo t-shirt of some sort and will be the odd man out with my lack of green soccer-style knee socks. Two years ago, my Guy and I went out with Bromance for St. Patty's (I am not joking when I say it's Bromance's very favorite holiday- better than Christmas and birthdays combined) and I was decidedly the least inebriated person for miles, way overdressed in a white blouse and that same scarf tied around my neck... I'll take it a little more casual this year, and I'll still be overdressed.

eans: Gap Always Skinny...Button-down: Target...Cardigan: Gap...Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Piperlime...Scarf & Earrings: thrifted

Mop Top

Bedhead, it's a wonderful thing. I know that's not the normal notion, but I love how wonderfully lumpy and wavy mine gets after I sleep on it after an evening shower. Is that weird? I feel as though my hair in Houston is more difficult to manage than anywhere else we've lived, it feels like it get greasy faster, humidity doesn't make my wavy hair "big," just limp, volumizing shampoos make it feel weird, clarifying shampoos make it stringy. I guess the frustration of never knowing how it will look to start out the day and how it will end up, either frizzy or limp, is why I like bedhead updo's so well. A little wave, a lot of volume, and it doesn't feel icky, mostly because it's out of my way. To top it off, I pin pack the front with 2-3 bobby pins and the back part gets swooped into a barely finger-combed bun and secured with a single claw clip. What's not to love?

Pants: Gap, thrifted...Button-down: Target...sweater: Gap...Shoes: Le SportSac via DSW...Necklaces: thrifted and Target

Emily and I promised one another we'd buck up and take photos outside this weekend since we have the same inconvenient work week schedule which necessitates poorly lit indoor photos in the morning. This one's for you, girl!

Tennis Golf Sunday

Oh, man. Beer Golf is silly business. You hit a tennis ball with a golf club around an open area (Rice University is our location of choice) and try to knock something within a random number of strokes while dragging a cooler of canned beer behind you. Long Drive challenges or a losing a round may incur a beer chug penalty. (And we figure we're relatively accepted around campus- a different Rice U tradition is called "Baker 13" during which shaving cream smeared nekkid goons from the Baker Dorms run around campus on the 13th of each month- we're tame in comparison)

The dog and I kept score and cheered everyone on and the rest of the group each did their fare share of knocking divots in the University's lawn and ricocheting tennis balls off trees and archways. Beautiful sailing shots that actually went somewhere rather than getting stopped by a tree limb were few and far between. It was a fun day.

My guy and I also ran around our neighborhood for a while this morning scouting locations for a new headshot for his website. So, I have a goodie for you all today: OUTDOOR PHOTOS. I'm still sooo very nervous and weird about scuttling around outside on my own to do timer shots. I'll gain confidence, maybe one day it'll become a regular thing.

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny...Buttondown: Target...Sweater: J Crew, thrifted...Blazer: Gap...Shades: stolen from My Guy...Shoes: Sperry via DSW...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

Aaaaaaaand:

Season Opener 

Long Drive Challenge

Deceptive Weather

This is actually my look from Saturday early morning. Texas has been deceptively pleasant the last few afternoons and the yesterday morning fell right in line with my assumption that fall was on the way. So, I got up, got out of the house by 7:15 and got to the Honda dealership for an early AM oil change. I was in and out in under an hour and by the time I was through, I was HOT. The heat hit me in the face hard as I walked outside to my car from the AC in the waiting room.

Needless to say, I did not wear this outfit long. Which is too bad, it was nice and fall-ish.

Jeans: Gap Real Straight...Button down: Target...Sweater: J Crew...Shoes: Le Sportsac via DSW 

Lookin' Good for Tennis Golf

My Guy's bromance exposed us all to something dangerously addictive: Tennis Golf. Well, we call it Beer Golf, but here's the details:

Whack a tennis ball with a golf club to an agreed upon target in a field. Give it a random par. Drag a cooler of crappy canned beer and drink. Repeat until you're feeling done.

Let me preface all of this by mentioning that this group of friends and fellow golfers are Grad students and Doctoral candidates at an institute of higher learning ranked in the top 20 in the States. And we putt tennis balls around campus like a bunch of tipsy goobers.

Naturally, it was the final day of the 21 Day Challenge and I needed to both look my best and remix one last time. For the first day in AGES, we had a reprieve from the heat with spits of rain, so I was weirdly chilled- return of my teal cardigan! I am a jeans and oxford button down girl at heart, so I went with what makes me feel most comfortable in my skin today. I may not have been dressed to my fullest potential, but I felt good.

Button down: Target...Cardigan: Gap...Jeans: Gap Real Straight...Shoes: Nine West Outlet

Earrings: J Crew Outlet... Oh, hi Frizz.

My Guy's "adopted" little sister, Roo.

Tomorrow we are heading over to Roo's place for the Composer Party to kick off the new school year. I looooooooove cookouts and potlucks.

See you all tomorrow evening, with drool all over my face and coleslaw on the front of my shirt. Because I'm a glutton.

Stolen Ideas

 And now for something completely different: Replicating another fashionable woman's outfit.

Let me preface this whole outfit by saying two things: 1- I have never owned a chambray shirt. I wasn't able to find one that didn't flap like bat wings at my armpits. 2- I have never owned a bright floral skirt. It draws attention and is the only red article of clothing I own. Mid-20's and I don't own red.
Anyway, I was immediately drawn to the summery look of these ladies and knew I had to go for it when I found the chambray shirt at Target last week. It fit, it was $17 and it was mine. I am not sure this look will become a staple for me, but it really is good to try new things.

Kendi Everyday: this outfit and Mint & Mellow: this outfit

      

Here's my rendition:

Shirt: Target...Skirt: Kimchi Blue via Urban Outfiters

Reverse french braided bun

I needed to house sit for the last two nights and so this bun saved my butt today. I showered yesterday, put my hair up and slept on it and am still not in bad shape for today. Kate-1, hair-0.

I am so grateful this weekend feels like it's lasted for at least 5 days, and I still have all of today to enjoy! My Guy may end up choosing to spend his day at school finishing a movement of his string quartet, so that sounds to me like an open invitation to spend my day wandering around Marshalls or something. See everyone tomorrow.