Preggo Style: Stretching Your Wardrobe

A lovely lady commented on my last post and made me realize... this is what I should have said.

Moms, we all have HUGE, major, big deal jobs taking care of our kids. Raising them to the best of our abilities. Taking care of the little things like runny noses and scraped knees and taking care of the big things like surgeries and first days of school. 

Not only is our job as a mom a big deal. It can be tough.  It's hard to be sleep deprived, whether you stay home with the kids or not. It's hard being pleasant with whiny children, whether you stay home with them or come home to them after a day at work.  It's hard work, raising these children.

We're all doing our very best for our children, day in and day out.  And yes, it is incredibly rewarding to feel their little arms wrap around our necks. It's incredibly rewarding to hear them whisper, "I love you so much, momma." It's incredibly rewarding to feel so much love towards those little people that your heart feels like it could burst.

But it's tough. No matter what your job is, no matter what your title is.  It's a tough job being a mom. It's a busy job being a mom.  It's exhausting being a mom.  

And without a doubt, we all rock.

That's what I should have said.

Dress: Merona - Target

Boots: Shoedazzle

Blazer: maurices

And now I'll tell you how you can stretch your wardrobe to fit your growing bump. Basically, it's a simple formula. 

Stretchy dresses + blazers or cardigans = regular clothes that work on the preggo body.

26 weeks and 3 days... not that I'm counting.

I am loving my Jamberry nail wraps! They last on your fingers for at least two weeks, but I've been changing them out every 7 to 10 days because I want a new look. They're just so much fun! Have you heard of them?!?

Nail Wraps: Mint & Gold Stripe, Raspberry & Creme Dot & Vintage Chic

Necklace: Premier Designs Jewelry

I'm linking up today with The Pleated Poppy, I Feel Pretty, What I Wore to Work and Passion for Fashion.

Preggo Style: Dress & A Jean Jacket

We are wrapping up Day 2 of a Snow Day. And guess what? We've got another one tomorrow. Now, I'm not ecstatic about snow days, but not for the reasons you might think. We're actually having a good time. Baking cookies, playing games and reading books while my kids enjoy the dusting of snow on the ground. I'm also happy that our school district is thinking about the safety of our kids. I mean, the roads have been incredibly slick and icy and us Floridians don't know what to do with that! What I dislike about snow days is that I had my week all planned out at school and now I have to rearrange those plans. I'm supposed to test third graders on fractions when they get back to school, but after having three days off right in the middle of the week, how can I do that? If they're anything like me when I was in third grade, all thoughts of numerators and denominators and fractions greater than one have flown right out of their sweet little heads.  So, although I've had a good time with my kids this week, I'd love it if we didn't have any more unplanned days off.

And now that I've rattled on and on about our snow days, let's get down to business. You know, the business of how I'm dressing this bump that is growing by leaps and bounds.

Just a mere two days before the temperature dipped into the 20's and Florida got attacked with ice and snow, we had a beautiful day with highs in the 60's. That is my kind of winter. The kind of winter that allows for bare knees and light denim jackets.

Dress: Target (clearance! You might still be able to get your own for only $13.98)

Denim Jacket: Thrifted

Boots: Shoedazzle

Socks & Belt: Target

Jewelry: Premier Designs & Target

Funny story about this dress. I actually bought it for my mom. Then it hung in my closet for a day or two and I couldn't stop looking at it and thinking how pretty the colors were and how my mint polish would match the stripes so perfectly… So, then I tried it on and well, it kind of fit. So, um, I'm keeping it...  And I bought my mom something else. 

Here's my 22-week belly.

And here are a few of me with my crazy kids.

I hope you're all staying warm wherever you are! I'm linking up today with Three-fer Thursday, Passion for Fashion and Watch What I'm Wearing.

Only in Florida . . .

Only in Florida, do you get to wear a tank top in December one day . . .

Tank: Old Navy

Chambray Shirt: Old Navy

Skirt: Target

Shoes: Gift

And a sweater layered over a long sleeved shirt the next.

Shirt: Old Navy

Sweater: Target

Jeans: NY&Co

Boots: Shoedazzle

Okay, if I'm begin honest, I didn't actually wear these two outfits on consecutive days. But I very well could have! On Friday, it was 75 degrees. On Saturday, it was 46. Don't get me wrong, I love love LOVE the cold weather in December. I just don't like the crazy weather changes! That's how this preggo ends up sick.

And because she said so, you get this.  I mean, when she says to do it, I do it. Because she's that cool. ;)

Making: plans for a fabulous Holidays Around the World segment with my third graders

Cooking : (in just a minute) fried eggs, sausage and toast . . . because big breakfasts on Sunday mornings make me happy.
Drinking : white chocolate macadamia creamer, with a little bit of coffee
Reading : Christmas books with the kidlets by the Christmas tree. I mean, not literally right this second, but that's what we've been reading lately.
Wanting : to pair my new red skinny jeans with a black & white striped shirt and my new white puffy vest. Yes, I did a little shopping. =/
Looking: forward to next weekend. The kids will be with my parents for the weekend and I get two solid days of . . . silence!
Playing: Mousetrap. My Little Guy loves it.
Wasting: time on Facebook. I think I have a problem.
Sewing: nada. This momma can't sew. =/
Wishing: that I could sew. There are entirely too many "easy" projects on pinterest.
Enjoying: sleepy cuddles on the couch this morning, while the kids watch Curious George
Waiting: for my new red skinny jeans to arrive. 
Liking: my third grade class so very much this year. 
Wondering: how long this quiet, peaceful cuddle time will last
Loving: that my kids are currently not fighting. They've been quite the little bickerers lately.
Hoping: that maybe, just maybe, we'll get snow in Florida this year
Marveling: that at 14 weeks, I could tell baby Daisy already looks like her big sister
Needing: to go for a run, but I'll put it off to tomorrow
Smelling: my delicious creamer coffee
Wearing: jammies (I love lazy mornings.)
Following: lots of pincers that are doing all kinds of amazing Christmas crafts and feeling a little inadequate that we've yet to do a one.  But I did buy an adorable Ninjabread kit from World Market yesterday. Little Guy will love those!
Noticing: that the kids are starting to get restless. 
Knowing: that I better get moving before they get to bickering.
Thinking: about the massive, unhealthy breakfast that I'm about to consume.
Feeling: 30 weeks pregnant which bodes really well for the next 25 … Grace couldn't have said it better.
Bookmarking: slowcooker soup recipes… because homemade soup is the best on a cold night.
Opening: a box of chocolate covered cherries. I know it's only 7:30 am, but I'm obsessed with these little gobs of deliciousness.
Giggling: at the faces Avi is making because Gabe currently won't stop watching George and walk her into her bedroom to get her blanket off of her bed. I mean, her room is literally 15 feet from the couch, yet she is unable to get their by herself. 
Feeling: perfectly content. Favorite day of the week, during my favorite time of year, with my favorite people in the world. Yep, life is good.

You should do this too. It's fun and it wastes all kinds of time. =)

Finally, here's a great 14 week belly shot for you. Seriously, tell me that belly doesn't look about 25 weeks pregnant!

I'm linking up today with Passion for Fashion, Watch What I'm Wearing, Monday Mingle & Still Being Molly. I hope y'all have a beautiful Sunday!

Happy Thanksgiving! (With a dose of family fashion)

Happy Thanksgiving from my clan!!

This post is for those of you who are like me. You're finally sitting down after a busy day and you're relaxing a bit, browsing the internets while your kids build a fire outside. Wait, my kids aren't building the fire. The husband is while the kids play. Then we're all going to make s'mores. No better day to wrap up this thankful day, right?

It's fuh-reezing in Florida. Literally. It was 25 degrees this morning when I went running. So, the only thing we know to do is put on the layers. Which is why each and every family member is wearing a sweater and a shirt. But that seems like a reasonable thing to do when you're attempting to bundle up and still maintain a bit of style.

Shirt: American Eagle (Husband's)

Sweater & Leggings: Target

Boots: Shoedazzle

Belt: Aldo

Necklace: Rue 21

My key to a successful Thanksgiving? Leggings.  Yep, that band that just keeps on stretching as I eat is the way to go. Oh, and my husband's giant shirt. Trust me, this little belt you see here? It lasted about 30 minutes. Then I took it off and let the food fill my belly. I think baby was pretty happy with that.

Speaking of baby… there she is. Or he. I haven't a clue what this one is.  You know how some moms have an idea? I never do. I just feel pregnant.

I'm linking up today with Perfectly Coutured and Everyday Fashion and Finance for Three-fer Thursday and with The Pleated Poppy, and I Feel Pretty.

Why I Do This...

Recently, I was all flustered and embarrassed when talking to a friend about this little ole blog of mine and asked myself the question... Why do I blog? And not so much why do I blog? But why do I blog about my clothes?

Top: NY&Co

Pants: Kohls

Sandals: Shoedazzle

Note to self... Find another pose. This looking down thing is making your hair look rather poofy.

There are several reasons, I guess. Initially, I started blogging because I was bored at work. Yes, I did the majority of my blogging at work during my lunch break or when the workload was slow. Now, I can guarantee you there is never a dull moment in my line of work! Teaching third graders keeps me constantly on my toes... quite literally. It's incredibly fun, rewarding . . . and exhausting! So, yeah, no time for blogging on the clock.

I also first started blogging about my clothes because I needed something to pull me out of my wardrobe slump. I was about 9-ish months post-partum with my youngest daughter and was feeling like a frumpy mom of two. Knowing that I'd be snapping pics of my frumpyness helped me to see the clothes hanging in my closet (or more often than not, on the floor of my closet) in a new light. And it helped me to put a bit of effort into my outfits even though I was sleep deprived from one or the other of my kids getting up constantly throughout the night.

Then I really got into it. I mean, how much fun is it to meet people not just all over the country, but all over the world?!? And I liked sharing a little bit of my creativity with the world.

Necklace: Jackie's eBoutique

Bracelet & Ring: No idea...

But let me tell you... do I enjoy preening in front of the camera? Um, no. I'm especially uncomfortable when someone walks past right as I'm posing all prettily.  Can we say... AWKward! But it's fun to put my outfits out there on the world wide web and be critiqued.  I don't think it's vanity or being self absorbed... I certainly hope it isn't!  I tried blogging about a few things that are close to my heart, but that isn't my talent. Laughing at myself I can do. Talking about something serious and important... I just don't have the ability to make it sound as important as it really is.  So, instead of trying to talk about important things, I keep my posts about the superficial and hope that maybe some flustered mom out there will look at my blog and think... Well, if she can get dressed in an ensemble that is somewhat put together and stylish on 4.5 hours of sleep, then maybe I can too.

Okay, in reality, I'm getting more like 7-ish hours of sleep these days. But trust me, there are times when I get much less.  Ear infections, sore throats, nightmares, early morning runs... they all interfere with the perfect 8-hour night of sleep.  You know how it is!

Finally, my last reason for blogging is to ask for advice. There's often something that I wear over and over again . . . in the same way! So, I ask you how you would wear it and get all kinds of outfit inspiration.  Which brings me to my question of the day...

How else would you style these sandals? I'm stuck!

I'm linking up today with Monday Mingle, Still Being Molly, Sunday Style, Passion for Fashion and Watch What I'm Wearing.

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While you're here, don't forget to swing by and enter to win your own personalized Road ID bracelet! You only have until Wednesday!

Having Fun in The Rain

I hate rainy days. The humidity, the clouds, the overall gloominess... it just gets me down. So, when this particularly rainy day arrived, I threw on this fun red blazer that I recently got from Kohls.

Blazer: Kohls

Shirt: Thrifted

Skirt & Belt: Target

Boots: Shoedazzle

I couldn't wait to snap a few pictures of it to share with all of you, but the rain simply wouldn't let up.  After I picked up my Little Guy from school, the rain gave us a bit of a reprieve. I asked him if he wanted to help me out and we made our way very quickly to my little garden where he helped me with the photo shoot. It was drizzling a bit and as we snapped away, the rain drops began to get bigger and bigger, which caused my Little Guy and I to laugh and laugh.

I guess the lesson is that you can still enjoy the rainy days even if you don't love them.

To help you all have a Magnificent Monday, Kohls has offered my readers a coupon code for 10% off of your purchase. You can even stack this code with one other code if you wish! Simply enter TENFORBLOG when you check out! 

I'm linking up today with Still Being Molly and Monday Mingle. Swing by their blogs to see how other ladies are getting dressed these days.

I'm back, baby!

Well, I'm back... for the moment, anyways. I literally have 22 messages waiting for me on my voicemail and a massive stack of files in my inbox, so I'll be brief. =)

Chambray Shirt: Gap, Thrifted ($4)

Turquoise Jeans: NY&Co ($30)

Purple Shoes: Shoedazzle ($20)



I had such fun teaching last week!  I can't wait to start interviewing, land a job and spend time with those cute kids every single day.  It's like my own little dream job. =)

All accessories: Target

What's your dream job?  If you could do anything in the world, what would it be?

I'm linking up today with the lovely ladies behind Monday Mingle!

Don't forget... you have until Thursday to enter my eShakti giveaway!!

Me & My Chambray Shirt

I have something to confess, y'all. My Chambray Shirt and I kind of having a little something going on. I don't know if it's true love that will last forever, or only a little crush, but I kind of want to wear it all. The. Time.

Here are the ways I've worn it in the past few weeks.

It's just such a versatile piece.  I would go so far as to say that your wardrobe isn't complete without one!

Chambray Shirt: Gap, Thrifted ($4)

Skirt: LOFT, Thrifted ($4)

Shoes: Shoedazzle ($20)

Belt ($4) & Bracelet ($4): Target

Okay, I admit it. I think it just may be true love. =)

Do y'all remember a week or so ago when I asked you to pretty please go vote for me in the April M Jewelry Style Contest? (Huh, I just realized I was wearing a very similar outfit that day.) Well, I won and received the beautiful Carolina Garcia Copper Necklace in the mail!!

Necklace: won in contest April M Jewelry

It arrived earlier this week after an incredibly long day at the office. 

The cute packaging and sweet note immediately brightened up my day!

The necklace itself is a beautiful piece of jewelry.  It has a nice weight to it and feels like a piece that will last forever! Even with two kids pawing at me all the time. ;)  Thank you, April M Jewelry, for such a beautiful necklace!!

I'm linking up today with All Things Chic for Fashion Friday!

What I Wore Wednesday - My Cool Mom Clothes

These jeggings are becoming a staple in my cool mom look. lol  Last time, I wore them with heels, but this is a short work week, so we're allowed to dress down. The office is like a ghost town, not too many clients calling or stopping by, so being casual and laid back is the name of the game. 

Jeggings: Target ($4)

Top: Target (Can't remember...)

Shoes: Shoedazzle ($20, I got them when they had a 1/2 off sale)

Jewelry: My Sisaroo's =)

This is typically the type of outfit I wear on the weekends. Can't you just see me chasing two wild kids around in those comfy flats, all while looking totally chic and cool in my tunic and jeggings? I think I just really like saying that word, "jeggings." ;)

So, has anyone noticed that my poses are getting a bit repetitious?

 Seriously? Will my feet not do any other type of pose?  My mission in life is now to find another way to pose! lol

And I'm leaving you with a picture to prove to you that we do have fall, even in Florida.  The leaves change colors and fall off the trees in a matter of minutes! ;)

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!! If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, go enter!! I'm picking the winner of a $50 gift card to Maurices on Friday!

Linking up today with the following lovely ladies:

Monday Mingle

The Pleated Poppy and 

Real Momma Real Style

Brain Dead

I literally sat here for about 15 minutes trying to think of something clever and catchy to use as a title. But I've got nothin'. I could blame it on the fact that I'm currently playing three Words With Friends games, while drafting a few pleadings and thinking about the assignment that I have to turn in this afternoon for school after I help my mentor teacher grade papers and prepare for next week.  Yeah, I'll blame it on that.

When I woke up Wednesday morning, it was freezing cold in the panhandle of Florida. And by freezing, I mean a frigid 54 degrees! So, I dressed accordingly and broke out my new birthday boots. =)

Dress: Maurices ($10)

Shirt: Charlotte Russe (Borrowed from Sis)

Belt: Target, perhaps? ($4-ish)

Wooden Bangles: Borrowed from Sis

Boots: Shoedazzle

Two things... 1) I hate that my photo editing skills are so crappy that I can never portray the pretty olive green shade of this dress! I've worn it here, here and here, and it always looks black. 2) What is that weird line on my right knee? It looks like my leg is about to split in two!

I hope y'all have a great weekend!!