Anticipating Spring

When you live in Texas, the transition between seasons is almost nonexistent. One day it's below freezing, and the next, it's 60 degrees with blue skies. The climate here can change faster than my hair color. (Editor's note: I have no idea what my actual hair color is. It could be red. Could be  brown... But, let's be honest, it's probably grey.)

Because of the unpredictable temperatures, it's important to me to have a few key pieces that I can wear for months on end and still create relevant outfits, regardless of the weather. 

This year, those pieces have often been red... Red denim, red tops, red shoes and accessories. This color theme worked really well around the holidays, for obvious reasons, but now I'm thinking about how to incorporate them on warmer days that will inevitably pop up during the next three months. Here's my ideal transitory outfit...

Wavy Pointelle Sweater | LOFT (on sale!)

Pixie Ankle Pants (in Robbie Red) | Old Navy

Steve Madden Buffalo Plaid Infinity Scarf | Nordstrom

Voltaire Softy Pointed Slip-On Shoes | Topshop (on sale!)

One of my favorite spring colors is mint green, and pairing it with red allows both colors to pop without competing. The black and white accessories speak well to both colder and warmer temperatures. 

I'm excited to use items I already own to create this outfit. Stay tuned for that update in a future post!

My 2015 Reading List

For the last two years, I have made a goal through the goodreads.com Reading Challenge to read a certain amount of books each year. For 2015, I have again set a goal number, although at 15 books, it's significantly lower than in years past. (I figure I'll cut myself some slack, because I hear newborns take up a decent amount of your time.) 

I usually start the year already knowing some of the books I plan to read. Below are 10 of my 15 books for 2015, along with a quick synopsis of each one (in no particular order):

1) Wild by Cheryl Strayed
I mentioned this book in my last post as a book I had already started and want to finish by the end of the month... but because I started it on December 31, I figure I can count it within my 2015 list. A young woman hikes solo across the Pacific Crest Trail, and along the way, she recounts events in her life that led her to tackle the hike.

2) I'm Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
Girls creator/producer/director/actress Lena Dunham provides a series of essays about growing up. I'm a Girls fan and love Lena's writing "voice."

3) The Understudy by David Nicholls
After I read One Day by David Nicholls, I knew I had to read more. Nicholls's second novel (and the one written before One Day), is about an understudy who is envious of the actor he is following and unfortunately then falls in love with his wife.

4) Us by David Nicholls 
Another promising novel from David Nicholls, Us was published only a few months ago. In attempt to save his 30-year marriage and bond with his son, a man takes his family on a trip to Europe.

I might have a slight obsession with British author David Nicholls.

5) Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler is hilarious. That's all you need to know.

6) Louise Brooks: A Biography by Barry Paris
After reading The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, I became fascinated with silent film star Louise Brooks. My brother recommended this biography to me, saying it was not only a great overview of Louise's life, but also a great history on that era of entertainment and film. This is the longest book on my list, clocking in at 609 pages.

7) My Life in France by Julia Child
(Hopefully the title excuses me from writing a sentence summary.) I don't know why I haven't read this book yet. I love Julia Child, I love appreciate cooking, and this just seems like one of those books you'll want to curl up with and read straight through.  

8) The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby
This story follows a seamstress named Kate who tailored many clothes worn by former First Lady Jackie O. Kennedy, including the iconic pink suit worn the day President Kennedy was assassinated. With so much focus on the suit, Kate's life becomes a bit more complicated after President Kennedy's death. 

9) A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable
An American travels to Paris to uncover all the treasures and secrets within a historic apartment, including a famous painting stored there. She becomes extremely interested in the woman depicted in the painting, and subsequently reveals some truths about herself in the process.

10) The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
This books follows the complicated lives of the staff members at an English newspaper in Rome. The journalism major in me is super excited to read this one.

Any books you're planning to read this year?

P.S. Are you a member on goodreads.com? If so, let's be friends!

The January To-Do List

Oftentimes, I like to think about things I want to accomplish in the time frame of a month. To me, a month seems long enough to meet my goals, but not too long that I’ll forget. Plus, I like to make sure I’m throwing in some just-for-fun stuff, along with the to-dos I consider necessary. I keep a little notebook in my purse and make my monthly lists as I think of them. Here’s my January list:

1)      Decide on the nursery theme.

I got so hung up on the paint colors for the nursery that I became blinded to any other aspect of decorating for it. I want to have the theme (including the crib sheets, curtains, and wall art) identified by the end of the month. If you have any ideas, send them my way! Our nursery colors are orange (light, like an orange sherbet) and light gray.

2)      View the “Producing Gone with the Wind” exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center.

The Harry Ransom Center is an amazing research library on The University of Texas campus, and I am consistently in awe of the exhibitions they create. They have a ton of documents and artifacts from the production of one of my favorite movies, so adding this to my “to-do list” is a bit like adding a reminder to eat a cookie. It’s a no-brainer.

[Image source: hrc.utexas.edu]

3)      Finish the following books: Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman, The Remedy for Love by Bill Roorbach, and Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I started three books in 2014 that I haven’t finished. … OK, to be honest, I started Bringing Up Bebe about a month after I got pregnant, and I still have about a fourth of the book to go. I don’t really have an excuse for why. … I guess all the morning sickness and gaining weight has really cut into my reading time.  

[Image source: amazon.com]

4)      See the following movies: Wild and Into the Woods

Ideally, I will have read Wild (by Cheryl Strayed) before seeing the movie, but considering I’m about 10 percent through the book and I have tickets for the movie on Wednesday night, I think that’s wishful thinking.

[Image source: imdb.com]

5)      Cook at least two new recipes for dinner.

For 14 weeks, I had this awesome legitimate excuse for not cooking elaborate meals: nausea. But my nausea ended almost ten weeks ago. So… [crickets]

What’s on your to-do list this month?

What's the Word?

Hi, lovelies! Happy new year! Can we just not talk about how long it’s been since I last posted? There’s no amount of justifying I can do to make an almost-8-month hiatus sound reasonable, so let’s just move on and say that I missed this dear ol’ blog of mine.

With any new year comes new resolutions, right? Personally, I love resolutions. I love making them, breaking them, and obsessing about them in between it all. I typically make way too many, only to abandon every single one by February 1. The trap I fall into is that I tend to have an “all or nothing” mentality. The first day I press snooze on my alarm, don’t go to the gym, or decide to eat a double cheeseburger instead of a salad, I’m more inclined to ditch my resolution, rather than recover.

So, for kicks, I decided to make only one resolution for 2015. And it’s not even a resolution – it’s more of a mantra. Instead of drafting a dozen of seemingly unrelated goals, I’m going to focus on one word to get me through the year:

I’m trying to focus my energy, my drive, and my positivity on the progress (no matter how minor) I'm going to make toward a productive and meaningful 2015. Hopfully I can use this blog to provide updates on how it's all going.

What’s your word for 2015?

Fella

Today, my fella is another year older. We're celebrating in lots of ways, but highlights include doughnuts, a road trip to Houston, time with family, and a Boston College-inspired corn hole set. It may not be too fancy, but it will be happy (just like he is).

Happy birthday, Bug! You are my #1 always.

Resolute

I'm a sucker for January 1 and the possibility for new year's resolutions. Many people (rightfully so) argue that you shouldn't need a new year to embrace change, but if you're like me, you sometimes need a reminder that it's time to reflect and reprioritize. Here are my 2014 resolutions, in no particular order:

Get organized: When we moved into our a house a little over a year ago, Christmas and our wedding were quickly approaching, so Andy and I mostly shoved unnecessary items into random closets. Let's fix that.

Get cultured: Every time I see a great film, read a great book, or actually cook a meal from a cookbook (and not from the back of a box of instant mashed potatoes), I always catch myself saying, "I should do this more often!" Here's to putting my money where my mouth is.

Get healthy: Eat better, exercise more, get on a regular sleeping schedule. It's pretty simple. I don't know why I make it so hard for myself.

Get goin': This resolution will definitely be the most challenging, but it has the potential to be the most rewarding, too. I am  terrible at waking up in the morning, but on the rare occasions that I do get out of bed and start the day early, I have noticed that I am far more productive, and actually make better, healthier choices throughout the day.

What are you resolving to do differently this year, friends?

Functional Fall

From top to bottom: H&M top, Topshop necklace, Essie nail polish in "No More Film," 

Coach cross-body purse, Levi's black jeans, Old Navy ankle booties

September is almost here, and with that comes the requisite back-to-school shopping. Even though I haven't been a "student" in any kind of capacity for years, I still do my part for the U.S. economy by hitting the stores with my wish list. You're welcome, America.

Fall is by far my favorite time of year, and when it comes to embracing a new season's fashion, I am drawn to color more than patterns or silhouettes.  I love this season's new take on army green, a more muted, mossy hue (Pantone's fall report calls it Deep Lichen Green). Paired with a couple of leathery chocolate brown accessories (again, Pantone calls this color Carafe) and a pop of deep purple (Pantone lingo: Acai), it's a subtle take on a very current palette.

What are you planning to pick up while you shop for fall? And, can I borrow it?