Now I Know

Skirt: Banana Republic...Sweater: J Crew Factory...Coat: via Piperlime...Tights: Gap...Shoes: Biviel via DSW...Earrings: Old Navy...Shades: Coach via TJ Maxx...Bag: Longchamp knock-off

I was rushing yesterday morning, so I got really crappy photos of this look, but holy poop, the fit of the whole thing was awesome. I usually avoid this skirt because it isn't a tapered pencil, it just drops straight down from my hips, and my personal opinion is that it looks less than stellar at my knobby knees. Duh, Kate. Tights. Solve that ridiculous problem with tone-on-tone tights. And back into the consistant rotation this skirt will go. Anyway, the long, slim, lean pairing contrasted with a fuzzy turtleneck and my favorite makeseverythinglookfashionableandelegant winter coat and I felt ready and confident for my second Board Meeting.

Speaking of- we hosted the meeting at an Elementary school that does a really amazing arts-based after school program every Wednesday evening. We saw one of our staff members doing Djembe drumming and another awesome art teacher doing blind contour drawing with the kids (watch the video and give this a whirl- it's a difficult skill to cultivate). Fun fact: teaching kids to hear and replicate rhythm and drumming patterns reinforces pattern recognition. What else is auditory pattern intensive? Reading. Yup- focus on patterns and rhythm with your kids. It will help with their comprehension and reading skills. No joke. How cool is that?!

Mixer

Dress: BCBG MaxAzaria via Buffalo Exchange...Tee: GapBody...Belt: Banana Republic...Scarf: Gap Men's...TIghts: Gap...Shoes: Steve Madden via Ross...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange...Bracelet: thrifted

Do you have any completely fabulous articles of clothing that you keep reaching for, but never actually wear because they seem just a little bit too fabulous? Meet my fashionable sweater dress. I'm so glad I got bold enough to wear it out of the house- I kind of can't wait to give it a whirl in the spring.

I attended my first ever Young Professionals' mixer/ Holiday party last evening. I thought I would hate it, and at first I did while some goober chatted me up and admitted that he attends them to try to meet ladies. I did a lot of holding my drink in my left hand, way up near my face. But, then I scooted around the perimeter to search for my boss, who met me there later, and I wound up being invited to chat with a very chill, nice and lighthearted group of late-20-somethings. And they were enjoyable. I'm never ever ever going to be the type to chat up a perfect stranger, but to Samuel NoLastName, thank you for being warm and inclusive and not even a little creepy.

The norm: linking up with Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday, A Little Bit of Lacquer's Work it Wednesday and Rolled Up Pretty's Whatever Wherever Wednesday. Join the fun!

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?

Sister Visit

Pants: Gap Slim Cropped...Sweater: Target...Scarf: mystery asian textile...Shoes: Circa Joan and David

Heeey, who has two thumbs and ran out of time to take photos last Friday? This guuuuy. Sorry for the crappy light, terrible background and awful framing, I just really liked the sweater and scarf combo.

So, my sister was here and we packed a lot of good stuff in over the course of a short 18 hour trip. We visited the Orange Show and I was able to introduce her to some of the lovely board members who are currently working on mosaics for the memory wall in a new park next door. We ate at my favorite burger place- Lucky Burger (we didn't decide to go for a side of fried rice, though). We re-switched my silly lamp after the rocker switch crapped out. We left my sickie husband (the clinic doc told him his tests showed that he really, really, really has the flu) to rest and went to friend day where, shocker of not-at-all-shockers, she fit right into the ridiculous humor of our friends. And this morning, we got doughnuts and kolaches, sipped on coffee and caught up, and wrapped up the visit with a trip to the Rothko Chapel and Menil Collection. Goooood use of our time together.

I'm up and away early to help herd kiddos in and out of the University's Opera House for a special field trip! It's so much fun to see them all excited and engaged by a pretty darn "traditional" art form. Keep your fingers crossed that I get a few good photos!

Family Time

I have no photo to post today... It's been a pretty packed week, my husband came back to town sick and pathetic, I strolled into work and faced a stolen laptop incident (not any of our active work computers, thank goodness, just an older laptop in need of repair... the criminal is gonna be mad when they find out). And I spent my evening avoiding my laptop, eating crappy lo mein and snuggling my blanket-wrapped dog, so there's that excuse. Anyway, I'm also excited and distracted since my sister is coming into town tomorrow! From Phoenix! The only loser member of my family who still hasn't seen our Houston home in 3 1/2 years! (Of course, this is giving my dad credit for his Sunday at 5:00 pm arrival and Monday at 8:30 departure a few years ago... we still managed to do dinner with my Guy and Bromance and see a friend's string quartet play at a gallery... not bad for an 18 hour visit.) We're going to eat at all my favorite restaurants, walk around our neighborhood, hang out with our Houston buddies since there's already a friend day Saturday going on. So, this sister visit comes right on the heels of my guy getting to see my other sister. So we can giggle and see pictures and be jealous of that visit together. Aaaand, my mom called earlier in the week to inform me that their hotel is booked- they are officially spending three nights in town after Christmas on their way back from NM to OH. Big, fat, family win this month.

What a strange week it's been. I'm so glad to have my Guy home, even if he's a snot faucet. I don't usually miss him when he's on trips, but this one was different. I'm just happy to jump out of that funk with a sister visit.

Back Again

Skirt: Target...Blouse: Target...Blazer: Express (old)...Tights: Gap...Belt: thrifted...Shoes: Naturalizer

This is from Monday, when I thought I was intended to sit in on a very big deal meeting to ask a potential big wig honoree to join our Benefit. Nope. It was 20 'til the meeting, I went to the director's office to ask about driving together or separate and she was nowhere to be found and responded to my text inquiry with a big fat "No, but wish us luck." Oh, well. At least we got the honoree's YES!

And my Guy is HOME! I picked him up late late late last night after he had a 5 hour layover in Chicago. During which he posted photos to Facebook of his trip. And my mom and I conference-called a viewing of them. He is not a photo-taker, but I'm so glad he remembered to keep the camera out and get some images of the place that maaaaybe could be our next home. I guess we'll know in early January!

Tense

Skirt: thrifted and refashioned...Sweater: J Crew Outlet...Jacket: Banana Republic...Shoes: Naturalizer...Belt: Gap...Bag: D&B via Buffalo Exchange

HA! I just realized that my shoulders are pretty much up to my ears in these photos... this look was photo'd just before my Guy left town to interview. And I was nervous. And while I'm grinning in the photos, my body language absolutely tells the story of what I was feeling all of last week.

PS, he feels like he did well, had good interaction with the Dean, had a shared vision of how to teach an integrated curriculum, was asked lots of specifics about his thoughts and opinions on certain things. We won't count on anything, but at least we know he represented himself well. And we'll hear between now and the middle of January. So, not much to do but wait until his flight lands at midnight and go to pick him up tonight. And let him work on writing his dissertation.

I'm linking up, you know, since it's Wednesday. Pleated Poppy's What I Wore Wednesday, Rolled up Pretty's Whatever Wherever Wednesday. Join the fun!

The Sad Truth

Pants: Zara...Blouse: Banana Republic Outlet...Cardigan: Target...Shoes: Circa Joan and David via DSW...Bag: Naturalizer...Necklace: Target...Bracelet: thrifted

100% honesty? I spent last evening missing my husband (who feels like he rocked his interview, by the way. We'll hear about decisions between the middle of the month and the middle of January) and watching movies on YouTube. Mostly Disney movies. Okay, just Dumbo. Twice. And I cried my eyes out watching Mrs. Jumbo waiting for, no, craving her baby as all the other mothers received their delivery from the storks. And a tear rolled down my face when he crashed into the pyramid of elephants and waved his sad little broken flag out of the flap in the fallen big top. And cried like a sap again when he goes to see her in confinement. Three themes emerge here: 1. I cry too much. 2. I need to be a mother. Yesterday. 3. Disney, in the early 40's, could illustrate more emotion and sorrow and in a faceless elephant trunk than most modern day actresses will emote over the entirety of their career. Pathetic.

Just keeping it real, y'all. P.S. I did not actually hang up and put away any clothing that's been sorted for three days now. Like I said, just keeping it real.

Zeppelins

Jeans: H&M...Sweater: F21...Shoes: Steve Madden...Clutch: grift from Katie...Bracelets: thrifted

First Holiday-ish season party! On Saturday, our friends hosted a ton of people for a night of eating Zeppelins. If you've never heard of them I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. I'll tell you about them in a minute. First up, please excuse the lousy cell phone photos of these awesome jeans (they have a double side seam and I bought them two sizes up so they wouldn't be skin tight) and absurdly awesome gold sweater. Grounded with cognac leather shoes and clutch, I think it was just the right balance for the holidays. Oh, and the sweater was oversized- this gets relevant in a minute.

Zeppelins. The simplified description is a Lithuanian potato dumpling. Imagine preparing for around 20 people. Peel around 70 pounds of potatoes. 70. Pounds. Juice the potatoes, setting aside the pulp. Pour out the potato juice once it's settled a little. Scoop the starch out of the bottom of the bowl and mix with the pulp. Now take a patty of the super starchy potato and put a ball of sausage inside, covering it completely with potato. You should have a potato-shaped potato dumpling. Boil for around 45 minutes.  Top with bacon and sour cream and stuff your face.

If you are able to make it through three Zeppelins, you're a beast. I made it through only one this year (they were oversized, for sure). If you get through four, you've tied the record. And if you over-do it, they'll sit like a starchy rock in your stomach. Just in case, I wore a forgiving top to disguise my potato-baby at the end of the meal. Aaaand, for fun, here's a song in Lithuanian about the Zeppelins.

Lame

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Tank: Target...Jacket: H&M, thrifted...Shoes: Biviel via DSW...Earrings: Target...Necklace: Target

Is 4 1/2 hours straight of catching up on shows via Hulu too much? Eh, whatever. I'm alone. And I was glued to the internet for tracking my husband's flight anyway, so...

That's all. Lame. Happy Friday!