Here are the finds for this week:
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Friday, July 26, 2019
Friday Finds
Happy Friday!! After a crazy week of having plans every day and night, we're looking forward to reeling it in a little this weekend. We're meeting our friends' new baby and having Jeff's family over for dinner, but besides that we plan on doing a whole lot of nothing. Lots of baby cuddles and giggles please, before she starts daycare on Monday!
Here are the finds for this week:
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Here are the finds for this week:
Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Try Ons
Woo hoooooo, my full NSale order finally came! I should have sprung for next day delivery, but you know, I can't ever bring myself to pay for shipping so I waited. Good news is, a lot of this stuff sold out right away but now is back in stock! I honestly can't believe that all but one thing I bought is still available for you!!
I also am surprised by how much I like everything I ordered. I ordered way too many things, so that makes it tough for me because I'll have to decide what to return! Good for you though, because I have a lot of gems to show you.
So let's just dive right on in!
Dress - Halogen, wearing an XL. Currently $65.90, after the sale $99.00. Still available in 3 colors/patterns. I love this style of dress because it's one of those things that will work for so many occasions. You could wear it like this for date night, church, or a wedding. Toss on a jacket and it would be perfect for work. Or you could add sandals and a denim jacket and wear it out to brunch or running around on the weekend. The micropleats in this are so cute, they start smaller at the top and are bigger at the bottom. It's a loose, swingy cut so you could drop down a size if you prefer it to fit closer to the body. I like it at my normal size though because it's really comfortable. Definitely a keeper!
Pants - Leith, wearing an XL. Currently $45.90, after the sale $69.00. Also available in tan. I have been wanting more dress pants because I currently only own black skinny pants for when I need to dress up. These are a little hard to photograph but they're really pretty in person. They are high waisted, which doesn't always work on me. You just have to find the right top to pair them with - something simple that lets the pants shine! Online and in this photo they look more eggplant, but I thought they were a bit closer to brown in real life. I think I will be keeping these.
Jacket - BlankNYC, wearing an XL. Currently $58.90, after the sale $88.00. Available in 3 colors. I freaking love this jacket. It's a faux leather that's really light and not bulky, and the lining is super soft. I love the cut, it's really flattering. I have a black moto jacket that I bought nearly 10 years ago that's a cotton twill, so I'm excited to replace it with this!
Skirt - BP, wearing an XL. Currently $31.90, on sale $49.00. Almost sold out, just this color. I used to own a bunch of skirts like this so I'm glad to have a new one in my closet! It will be great for transitioning into fall weather, and the brown is a pretty neutral that will go with a lot.
Sweater - Caslon, wearing an XL. Currently $38.90, after the sale $59.00. Not in stock in blue, but in two different stripes and a yellow. This sweater is going to be a great basic for fall and winter. It's a really pretty color, it's got a good high-low length that will work great with leggings too, and it has a tulip rounded split hem that's really flattering. I can definitely see wearing it for work or the weekend!
Skirt - BP, wearing an XL. Currently $31.90, after the sale $49.00. Almost sold out, just this color. I used to own a bunch of skirts like this so I'm glad to have a new one in my closet! It will be great for transitioning into fall weather, and the brown is a pretty neutral that will go with a lot.
Booties - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $79.90, after the sale $119.95. Available in 8 colors. I always am on the hunt for a good inbetween bootie/sandal, that will work in weird Chicago spring and fall weather. This is the pink color ("Precious Suede") and they actually look less pink in person, they're actually a pretty good nude for my skin tone. The heel isn't too high, and they have a velcro closure so they're easy to slip on and run when the baby is screaming at me. I haven't walked too much in them so I'll have to make sure they meet my impossibly high bar for comfort, but so far they are keepers!
Sweater - Caslon, wearing an XL. Currently $38.90, after the sale $59.00. Not in stock in blue, but in two different stripes and a yellow. This sweater is going to be a great basic for fall and winter. It's a really pretty color, it's got a good high-low length that will work great with leggings too, and it has a tulip rounded split hem that's really flattering. I can definitely see wearing it for work or the weekend!
Boots - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $159.90, after the sale $239.95. In stock in 3 colors. These were the thing I was most excited to get in the mail, and I am so bummed because the shaft height doesn't work on me! They hit right at my knee, which means they're uncomfortable to sit down in and look super awkward with skirts. I have crazy long legs though (I wear a 35" inseam in pants I want to hit the floor, 33" for skinny jeans) so on most people they would hit over the knee and be fine. They are really comfortable though and have only a 2.5" heel so I'm super bummed to be missing out!
Sweater - Topshop, wearing an XL. Currently $44.90, after the sale $68.00. Still in stock. I ordered this thinking it probably wouldn't work on me, and I was right. It just isn't very flattering, especially in person (I actually think it looks fine in the photo). It is really warm and soft and cozy though, so if you aren't as busty it may work on you.
Boots - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $159.90, after the sale $239.95. In stock in 3 colors. These were the thing I was most excited to get in the mail, and I am so bummed because the shaft height doesn't work on me! They hit right at my knee, which means they're uncomfortable to sit down in and look super awkward with skirts. I have crazy long legs though (I wear a 35" inseam in pants I want to hit the floor, 33" for skinny jeans) so on most people they would hit over the knee and be fine. They are really comfortable though and have only a 2.5" heel so I'm super bummed to be missing out!
Fleece - Patagonia, wearing an XL. Currently $89.90, after the sale $129. Available in 3 colors. I have a bunch of pullover fleeces, but I wanted something zip-up that would be easier to toss on over things. It is so soft and cozy, and really warm. I don't love the white on me though so I think it's going back.
Jacket - Patagonia, wearing an XL. Currently $199.90, after the sale $279.00. Still available in 3 colors. My work teased me last summer by giving me this jacket and then took it back and said our team was supposed to get a different black jacket that they were ordering. I still haven't gotten the black jacket, but the tease of the white one made me realize I wanted a white coat to wear in Chicago when it's 40 degrees in May. This is a good weight that I think I'd wear down to 25 or 30 degrees. I love that it has a hood, I always want to wear something hooded when it rains or snows so I don't have to worry about an umbrella. It's super cute and cut well so you don't feel like a snowman.
Pajama Top - BP, wearing a 1X. Currently $25.90, after the sale $39.00. Currently available in 3 colors. I bought the 1X because it was the only size available when I ordered. It's a little big but actually not that bad. The matching shorts are sadly sold out, but I would actually go down two sizes in these, they are cute as a part of the set but look weird by themselves. While the shorts are sold out, there are still matching joggers available.
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I also am surprised by how much I like everything I ordered. I ordered way too many things, so that makes it tough for me because I'll have to decide what to return! Good for you though, because I have a lot of gems to show you.
So let's just dive right on in!
Dress - Halogen, wearing an XL. Currently $65.90, after the sale $99.00. Still available in 3 colors/patterns. I love this style of dress because it's one of those things that will work for so many occasions. You could wear it like this for date night, church, or a wedding. Toss on a jacket and it would be perfect for work. Or you could add sandals and a denim jacket and wear it out to brunch or running around on the weekend. The micropleats in this are so cute, they start smaller at the top and are bigger at the bottom. It's a loose, swingy cut so you could drop down a size if you prefer it to fit closer to the body. I like it at my normal size though because it's really comfortable. Definitely a keeper!
Pants - Leith, wearing an XL. Currently $45.90, after the sale $69.00. Also available in tan. I have been wanting more dress pants because I currently only own black skinny pants for when I need to dress up. These are a little hard to photograph but they're really pretty in person. They are high waisted, which doesn't always work on me. You just have to find the right top to pair them with - something simple that lets the pants shine! Online and in this photo they look more eggplant, but I thought they were a bit closer to brown in real life. I think I will be keeping these.
Jacket - BlankNYC, wearing an XL. Currently $58.90, after the sale $88.00. Available in 3 colors. I freaking love this jacket. It's a faux leather that's really light and not bulky, and the lining is super soft. I love the cut, it's really flattering. I have a black moto jacket that I bought nearly 10 years ago that's a cotton twill, so I'm excited to replace it with this!
Skirt - BP, wearing an XL. Currently $31.90, on sale $49.00. Almost sold out, just this color. I used to own a bunch of skirts like this so I'm glad to have a new one in my closet! It will be great for transitioning into fall weather, and the brown is a pretty neutral that will go with a lot.
Sweater - Caslon, wearing an XL. Currently $38.90, after the sale $59.00. Not in stock in blue, but in two different stripes and a yellow. This sweater is going to be a great basic for fall and winter. It's a really pretty color, it's got a good high-low length that will work great with leggings too, and it has a tulip rounded split hem that's really flattering. I can definitely see wearing it for work or the weekend!
Skirt - BP, wearing an XL. Currently $31.90, after the sale $49.00. Almost sold out, just this color. I used to own a bunch of skirts like this so I'm glad to have a new one in my closet! It will be great for transitioning into fall weather, and the brown is a pretty neutral that will go with a lot.
Booties - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $79.90, after the sale $119.95. Available in 8 colors. I always am on the hunt for a good inbetween bootie/sandal, that will work in weird Chicago spring and fall weather. This is the pink color ("Precious Suede") and they actually look less pink in person, they're actually a pretty good nude for my skin tone. The heel isn't too high, and they have a velcro closure so they're easy to slip on and run when the baby is screaming at me. I haven't walked too much in them so I'll have to make sure they meet my impossibly high bar for comfort, but so far they are keepers!
Sweater - Caslon, wearing an XL. Currently $38.90, after the sale $59.00. Not in stock in blue, but in two different stripes and a yellow. This sweater is going to be a great basic for fall and winter. It's a really pretty color, it's got a good high-low length that will work great with leggings too, and it has a tulip rounded split hem that's really flattering. I can definitely see wearing it for work or the weekend!
Boots - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $159.90, after the sale $239.95. In stock in 3 colors. These were the thing I was most excited to get in the mail, and I am so bummed because the shaft height doesn't work on me! They hit right at my knee, which means they're uncomfortable to sit down in and look super awkward with skirts. I have crazy long legs though (I wear a 35" inseam in pants I want to hit the floor, 33" for skinny jeans) so on most people they would hit over the knee and be fine. They are really comfortable though and have only a 2.5" heel so I'm super bummed to be missing out!
Sweater - Topshop, wearing an XL. Currently $44.90, after the sale $68.00. Still in stock. I ordered this thinking it probably wouldn't work on me, and I was right. It just isn't very flattering, especially in person (I actually think it looks fine in the photo). It is really warm and soft and cozy though, so if you aren't as busty it may work on you.
Boots - Vince Camuto, TTS. Currently $159.90, after the sale $239.95. In stock in 3 colors. These were the thing I was most excited to get in the mail, and I am so bummed because the shaft height doesn't work on me! They hit right at my knee, which means they're uncomfortable to sit down in and look super awkward with skirts. I have crazy long legs though (I wear a 35" inseam in pants I want to hit the floor, 33" for skinny jeans) so on most people they would hit over the knee and be fine. They are really comfortable though and have only a 2.5" heel so I'm super bummed to be missing out!
Fleece - Patagonia, wearing an XL. Currently $89.90, after the sale $129. Available in 3 colors. I have a bunch of pullover fleeces, but I wanted something zip-up that would be easier to toss on over things. It is so soft and cozy, and really warm. I don't love the white on me though so I think it's going back.
Jacket - Patagonia, wearing an XL. Currently $199.90, after the sale $279.00. Still available in 3 colors. My work teased me last summer by giving me this jacket and then took it back and said our team was supposed to get a different black jacket that they were ordering. I still haven't gotten the black jacket, but the tease of the white one made me realize I wanted a white coat to wear in Chicago when it's 40 degrees in May. This is a good weight that I think I'd wear down to 25 or 30 degrees. I love that it has a hood, I always want to wear something hooded when it rains or snows so I don't have to worry about an umbrella. It's super cute and cut well so you don't feel like a snowman.
Pajama Top - BP, wearing a 1X. Currently $25.90, after the sale $39.00. Currently available in 3 colors. I bought the 1X because it was the only size available when I ordered. It's a little big but actually not that bad. The matching shorts are sadly sold out, but I would actually go down two sizes in these, they are cute as a part of the set but look weird by themselves. While the shorts are sold out, there are still matching joggers available.
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Striped Shirtdress
Dress - LOFT / Sandals - Target / Earrings (similar here, here, and here) - Vineyard Vines / Bag - Clare V
Oh heyyyyyy! We've been so busy lately, it's been hard to pop into this little space!! I'm not even sure where to start.
My brother's family is in town for just a couple more days (they currently live in Asia so they typically do marathon summer visits) so we've been trying to squeeze in as much family time as possible. We had everyone over dinner at our house on Monday and I ended up grilling everything by myself since Jeff was at work! Grill master over here haha. Really, what happened was it was so windy that the flame went out without me noticing so I just had meat sitting on a cold grill for ten minutes - whoops! I did manage to relight it and get everything going again without blowing myself up so I'm considering it a win. Did you ever read the comic Foxtrot? Well the dad was always singeing off his hair and eyebrows, and that's what I was picturing for myself while I was lighting it ;) I also whipped up some watermelon frosé (from my favorite food blog!) which was so good and surprisingly easy to make. Such a fun night! Mia and I also drove up to the suburbs yesterday and last week to hang out with everyone, and we're heading up again tonight for one last dinner.
We've also been going a little crazy over here because Mia is starting daycare next week. I swear I cried a little bit typing that. The daycare situation in Chicago is a little crazy - you put down (non-refundable) deposits at a bunch of places just hoping that one of them will have a spot open up around when you need it and that there aren't 10 other babies in line in front of you. I was starting to get worried Mia wouldn't actually get into any of the daycares and we'd have to scramble to figure something else out. But, two weeks ago we ended up getting a call that there was a spot opening and she needed to start right away to hold the spot! I ended up negotiating that back a little, so she will be going part-time for the next month until I go back to work. I'm super sad about it - partially because she's starting so much earlier than she needs to, and partially because I don't really want her in daycare at all. I just can't quite imagine that someone else will be with her all day, and I'll just see her for an hour before bedtime. Seriously going to cry just writing about it. I know it's what makes sense for our family right now though, so we are at least going to try it and see how we do. I'm sure Mia is going to happily fly right into her teachers arms every day and I'll be the only one freaking out ;)
The Outfit
So, anyway, should we talk about this outfit a little bit?How freaking cute is this little dress? I added it to my cart on a whim, thinking it was most likely going back, but the second I tried it on I knew I had to keep it. The stripes and the cut are just so flattering! And it's not often that I find a button down dress that works on my figure without pulling. I also love that it's nursing friendly. Oh, and this is a weird one, but a lot of dresses have too large of arm holes for me so my bra ends up showing out the side - not here! I apologize for how long it took me to show this one to you because there are just a few sizes left, so snag it while you can! The only bad on this one is that the fabric wrinkles pretty easily. It doesn't really bother me (I'm just excited to be dressed at all these days!) but it's something to keep in mind.
And I'm still freaking loving these sandals. They are from Target (yes!) and were only $20 and are surprisingly comfortable! I actually only brought one pair of sandals with for our 10-day trip to Minneapolis / Wisconsin and these went with everything - my rehearsal dinner dress, my shorts and tee shirts, and my swimsuit. Win win win.
These earrings have been my favorite this summer - I love the natural rattan + white combo! But Mia just got really good at grabbing this week (she ripped my glasses right off my face!) so I think it's time to retire the big earrings for a while. My aunt showed me her ripped earlobe when I was a kid and the thought of it still freaks me out to this day. Bye earrings, I'll miss you!
Dress - LOFT / Sandals - Target / Earrings (similar here, here, and here) - Vineyard Vines / Bag - Clare V
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Friday, July 19, 2019
Friday Finds
Happy Friday!! We're especially excited for the weekend because Mia's grandparents are babysitting on Saturday so we can go on a cruise of Lake Michigan! I don't think I've been out on the lake in years, since my previous company took us out every year for our summer party. It would always turn into a complete shit show, but you know, in a good way 😉
Here are this weeks' finds:
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Here are this weeks' finds:
Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
A Few Vacay Pics
Ready for a photo overload?
Your family may fly to cool destinations or hit the beach for family vacations, but mine has always headed north to spend a week in the woods on a lake. The days would consist of swimming, canoeing, fishing, campfires, boat rides, board games, and lots and lots of reading.
When we were all younger, my dad would pack us in for a 14+ hour drive to Ely, MN for fishing and canoeing in the Boundary Waters. But now that the kids are all adults we all revolted and said we needed a closer destination, so we have been heading to the Hayward, WI area for the past few trips instead. It's beautiful, it's quiet, it's secluded, and the mosquitos, while plentiful, somehow only make tiny, barely itchy bites. I literally only went into town on the way in and the way out, and it was so relaxing and peaceful (besides the baby screams, which were plentiful since we decided it was a good week to try crying it out! 😂😂).
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Your family may fly to cool destinations or hit the beach for family vacations, but mine has always headed north to spend a week in the woods on a lake. The days would consist of swimming, canoeing, fishing, campfires, boat rides, board games, and lots and lots of reading.
When we were all younger, my dad would pack us in for a 14+ hour drive to Ely, MN for fishing and canoeing in the Boundary Waters. But now that the kids are all adults we all revolted and said we needed a closer destination, so we have been heading to the Hayward, WI area for the past few trips instead. It's beautiful, it's quiet, it's secluded, and the mosquitos, while plentiful, somehow only make tiny, barely itchy bites. I literally only went into town on the way in and the way out, and it was so relaxing and peaceful (besides the baby screams, which were plentiful since we decided it was a good week to try crying it out! 😂😂).
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Monday, July 15, 2019
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks
Oh hey, did you miss me?! I was out of town with Jeff's family for a wedding two weeks ago, and then in Wisconsin with my family last week. I was planning on checking in at some point, but really it turned out that I liked vacation waaaaaay too much to step away to my computer ;) I'd like to say that it was because of the internet being weak and going down a few times, but really, I was too busy catching fish and taking Mia swimming!
So, in case you hadn't heard, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opened to cardholders last week, and will open up to everyone this Friday. I took a look through literally everything that's on sale to find my favorites for you. To be completely honest, I wasn't wowed by this year's sale. Most of the things included are basics I already own or slightly different versions of items that were available in years past. In my digging though I was able to find a few gems, and of course, I still managed to order a bunch for myself and a few things for Jeff too!
A lot of influencers are creating hype to buy now and fast if you want something. I've found a few things that sold out, but really don't feel pressure to buy something if it isn't something you love. Remember, it's just a sale, and a lot of this stuff will be back on sale later in the fall.
If you are shopping, here are my top picks:
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So, in case you hadn't heard, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opened to cardholders last week, and will open up to everyone this Friday. I took a look through literally everything that's on sale to find my favorites for you. To be completely honest, I wasn't wowed by this year's sale. Most of the things included are basics I already own or slightly different versions of items that were available in years past. In my digging though I was able to find a few gems, and of course, I still managed to order a bunch for myself and a few things for Jeff too!
A lot of influencers are creating hype to buy now and fast if you want something. I've found a few things that sold out, but really don't feel pressure to buy something if it isn't something you love. Remember, it's just a sale, and a lot of this stuff will be back on sale later in the fall.
If you are shopping, here are my top picks:
What I actually ordered:
Items I already own and love:
Shoes:
Bags and Accessories:
Work Clothes:
Casual Clothes:
Men's:
Babies:
Home:
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