Friday, September 30, 2011

Turband

During one of my mindless wanderings through blogs, I found a tutorial for making a turband out of a scarf.  By an adult woman, who looked stylish and not like a hippie.  So I did it.  But I did feel like I was testing out a hippie costume for Halloween.
But I stuck with it.  Because when I commit, I mean it, dammit.
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Scarf: left over from a dress given to Goodwill long ago
Tank: J.Crew
Vest: NY&Co
Belt: F21
Pants: Target
Shoes: (not pictured) Sam Edelman via Nordstrom

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Already?

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artwork courtesy of my little sister, Danielle.
I thought I had a while before Emberly threatened to run away.
Wrong.
Well, she wasn't originally threatening to run away, but it sort of evolved into that.  At first, she just wanted to go on a plane ride somewhere.  On our way home from the Summerlin Art Festival, she was pretty sure we were headed to the airport.  Quick plane rides sure beat long drives, she observed.  She wanted to make a pit stop in LA to visit her cousins, and then she'd head to her Nana's house.  Where she would share a bed with her aunt.
For 8 months.  Until her birthday.  Then she'd return to us.  Because she knows we'd miss her.
I told her that she didn't have a plane ticket.  No problem.  In her mind, the possession of a piggy bank pretty much means you're loaded.
And strangers?  Well, most of them will just smile and be on their way, because people like her.  But should anyone try anything fishy, she'd tell them that she is a super hero.  They'd be scared and leave her alone.
"Don't worry, I'll keep myself safe."
She was eventually pretty bent on going to the airport.  When pressed for a reason, she declared that she was tired of us making her eat vegetables she doesn't like.
"Your "yummy" dinners are not good!"
{It's possibly my fault that she has mastered sarcasm.}
Even when we passed the airport and arrived home, she took that as just an opportunity to pack a good bag.
This all culminated in a meltdown before bedtime when her bubble was fully burst.  But, not before I took a couple pics.  Enjoy.
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Girl Time

A couple Sunday's a month Emberly and I trek over to the Farmer's Market.  Now if you live in California (or anywhere else green and fertile), anything Southern Nevada is calling a Farmer's Market would make you ROTFL.  But I like to pick up this bomb salsa and fresh roasted coffee.  And I like going with Emberly.  She's always game for samples, friendly people and getting to carry her own bag.
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Monday, September 26, 2011

The Weekend

Saturday we went to a birthday at Chuck E. Cheese (as much as I dread being inside a Chuck E Cheese, I do love seeing the kids have so much fun) and then Sunday we went to the Summerlin Art Festival.
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Hope you had a wonderful weekend too!  Thanks for stopping by ;)

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fall Favorites

I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_I want_
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Both of these tiny pics are my J Crew covets; cord blazer and bow waist hutton trouser

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MICHAEL by Michael Kors sequined knit dress via Nordstrom

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Cape, Frenchi via Norsdtrom
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Leopard detal handbag, NY&Co
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Fall colored denim, Delia*s

Stay tuned for my fall wish-list for the kids!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Feels Good!

At our house there are two areas where we tried to rush people through before they saw too much or keep the door closed.  The laundry room and the master closet.
Last week I took all of my stuff out of our closet (Damon has 2/3 of it because I haven't had to go to an office in nearly 5yrs so I actually have way less clothes). Got rid of the things I hung onto the last time I did this that I still haven't worn, and hung everything back up in an organized fashion.  Except I didn't have enough hangers.  And the shoe situation...  It still looks pretty crappy.
BUT, my laundry room.  That's complete and all good.  It's still a plain boring little room, but at least it's no longer a disaster area!
Before...
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My plan of attack was to A) toss all laundry in a hamper.  No sense in trying to sort through what was actually clean or not.  B) Throw away all the original paint paraphernalia (did I really think I was going to reuse it???) and any other trash.  C) Move wayward decorations to their proper place.   D) Place all cleaning solutions into a basket. E) Place all household tools in a basket. F) Wipe down washer and dryer surfaces. G) Ask husband to sweep and swiffer in there.
Voila!
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{the piggy bank doesn't really belong in a laundry room, but it's the only place we've successfully kept Emberly from dumping out her money on a daily basis, so there it stays}

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Life is Grand.

I've journaled for over 10yrs.  It's always interesting to go back and remember the Amber of whatever-year.  I think about the hands we're dealt, the miracles that happen and how we're changed by the people that love us.

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Have you ever kept a journal?  Do you go back and read it?  Are you where you thought you'd be?

{PS, that quote is from The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams}
{PPS, my outfit inspiration here.}

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fake Tailgating

One of my girlfriends (remember Niki?) moved to San Diego.  She loves it there.  But who doesn't?
She came back to Vegas to attend the UNLV v Hawaii game because she grew up in Hawaii and so it was a great opportunity for her to come visit all her Vegas friends.
We were going to go the game, but it didn't even start until after Bauer's bedtime.  Yeah, no.
But we did go tailgating.  Or at least I thought hanging out of the tailgate of one's vehicle eating food before a game was tailgating.  I was informed that real tail gating is when you set up tents and chairs and grill.  Silly, ignorant me :D
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{PS, this striped vest I snagged @ NY&Co is one of my fave new pieces}
tuedaloo!
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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Go wash your hands and stop touching your face.

I've been having mommy time.  Rather than sulk about missing my friends back home and my seeming inability to find locals I relate to (that live on this side of town, don't have crazy demanding jobs with crazy schedules, or freaking move away) and make new friends, I would just gallivant around Las Vegas by myself.  Kooky loner chic, that's me.
Last week I shopped by myself.  I leisurely browsed racks and tried on a ton of stuff.  Quite relaxing.
Today, I went to see Contagion.
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I thought it was great.  Points of note:
1) It made me think a lot about what I'd do if I suddenly lost my family.  And the unethical things that otherwise ethical people do because of fear and good intentions toward loved ones.  And everything we touch, a million times, every day. {go wash your hands and stop touching your face}
2) The musical score.  It really set the pace/tone for the movie.  I noticed it a lot, but not to the point of distraction, I liked it.
3) Marion Cotillard.  You might remember her from Inception.  I know actors don't really dress themselves in films, but I loved how she was dressed.  Easy style, though under-accessorized for my tastes (but I don't guess epidemiologists amidst a crazy scary pandemic really worry about earrings and bracelets and scarves, huh?).  So I looked her up when I got home and found pictures like this and this.  Is she effing fantastic, or what?

So, what does a kooky loner wear to the theater?  Well, wouldn't you know, a kooky loner isn't afraid to ask a stranger-casino-worker to take her picture outside the theater either, just so you could see ;)
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Shirt: H&M
Shorts: Rubbish via Nordstrom
Sandals: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom
Bracelet: H&M
Necklace you can't really see: Target
And then later I was actually lucky enough to get to hangout with a friend from back home that was in town.  All is not lost! LOL
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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Heat Relief

Kind of.  The highs are only in the 90's lately.  Which means that in the morning and evening, in the shade, it's actually bearable to be at the park.
I LOVE taking the kids to the park now that Bauer can walk and climb.  You can practically see the cogs spinning in his head as he watches his sister, plotting to do everything she does.  And Emberly can barely contain her excitement showing him everything the park has to offer.  Though usually everything she shows him is followed up with "but it's not for babies."
Here are some of my favorite shots from one of our recent visits.
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So, we'll be having lots more of that.
Have a great weekend!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Student

I've been tiring of my standard hallway self-timer shots for outfit posts.
You know who wants to take my picture on location?  Emberly.
But her height doesn't make for the most flattering angles.  And somehow she manages to get the camera to focus on my surroundings, leaving me blurry.
But she's so cute when she's trying.  She'll be an expert soon.
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{i took this, testing the auto focus, since all of Em's shots were blurry...}
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Necklace: H&M (i think)
Top: NY&Co
Belt: Target
Shorts: J. Crew
Shoes: Nordstrom BP

And BONUS!  I thought I'd share that I made a liar out of myself from this past post.  Turns out that I do have a patterned top that I like paired with my floral shorts.
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Thursday, September 15, 2011

"Loft"

KB Homes generously calls the large landing atop our stairs a "loft."  We are using the space as a little mini office area, but I think it can be customized so much more to maximize the space.
Of course, as always, I have such "lofty" ideas, but teeny tiny wallet.  I found this office space in a guest room clicking around decorpad.  I'd really love to do something similar, just a bit smaller; floating shelving, "L" shaped desk.  Awesome.
Source: decorpad.com via Amber on Pinterest

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

So Loud!

We've been having some of the noisiest thunderstorms.  I mean windows a-rattling, monster's-gut type rumbling.  The sky opens up, it pours, and then it's like it never happened in usually less than an hour.
Maybe my colored pants EBEW challenge outfit isn't that loud, but, honorable mention, at least.

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Blouse and Trouser: thrifted $7
Belt: Target $?
Loafer: ???
Necklace: Express $?
Colored Pants | Everybody, Everywear

Monday, September 12, 2011

Delay

My bathroom got painted!  Sherwin Williams "Intellectual Gray."
But... there wasn't enough for the whole bathroom (probably my fault, because I don't know if I was clear on wanting the toilet cave painted during my consult), so above the sink was undone.  Best possible area to be left as it required no squatting or taping!
But... I still had to get to the paint store.  I still had to paint.
I got that done.
And then there was hanging the mirrors.  I was going to go with white frames, but decided on cream ones with silver accents to play off the beige of the marble pattern and the silver of the fixtures.  I got them at Home Goods, unaware that I would have to install the mounting hardware myself.  Boo. {and in the photo, notice the babe handprints on the mirror, due to Bauer's 'help' while I put on the mounting hardware}
The new hand towel rack.  Had a screw hole and screw so tiny, none of our tools could get to it.  So it's precariously teetering there, just for the picture.  I did make it by Lowes today though for a "precision" screwdriver, so I can get securely installed soon.
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So, what's left?
1) More towel racks, so we can stop hanging them over the shower.  The current one is over the tub.  Who walks across a room dripping wet to get a towel??
2) Mustard towels.  Because I like gray and mustard.
3) New fixtures.  I kind of hate the dressing room style mirrored light fixture.  I also want fancy-pants faucets.  Something kind more modern than the came-with-the house.
4) Tiles.  Huge ones.  Or maybe subway style.  Possibly in a black and white herringbone pattern.  I don't know, but we won't have the money for that any time soon, so I don't have to make up my mind yet!

What do you think??