Winner Of The 18th Blog Giveaway and Cravings

Congratulations to Impracticalinnorth for winning the gift card to Nordstrom Rack! I hope you get something good! : ) Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway! You have me so excited for fall with the things you are looking forward to wearing. It has been in the 100s here in my neck of the woods and it is hard to see ahead to cooler weather. But I am trying…

I am on a clothing shopping ban for September (and since I had unexpected expenses arise, October’s clothing budget is looking bleak as well). This is okay, because quite honestly, I have enough clothes. And it is so much fun pulling out items I have stashed away for this changing weather. This, of course, does not mean that there are not items I am drooling over and waiting patiently for sale on:

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H&M’s Short Dress. I love the blank canvas of this dress. The mustard color is rad. The price is great. So many patterned tights would look fantastic with it. I also think the shape would look good on a variety of body types.

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I all ready have this Free People’s Shadow Hacci Top in grey. It is one of my favorite tops (a sneak peak of it styled can be found in this post). It layers over slips and fun bras beautifully. Over long maxi skirts, jeans and leggings. I want it in navy, too. It is great. Beware, it snags easily. I typically wear a small in Free People and a medium in most other brands. I tried both the small and the medium in the grey color and kept the medium for a looser fit.

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I am in desperate need of some black boots. My other black boots are going on twelve years old. They are a size nine. I wear a seven and a half. Needless to say, they do not get worn. I see a donation in their future. I am really picky about black boots. I want a small heel made of brown wood and a rounded toe. I am leaning towards these Frye boots at an incredible sale price in most sizes (there is also a wide calf version here).

I also love the Dolce Vita Amoux Boots at Anthropologie. Of course they are all sold out, but they are my favorite.

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I think the best thing on Anthropologie’s site right now is the Ruffle-back Sweater Dress (besides this dress I own and this vest I drool over in grey). It looks beautiful online. I cannot wait to see it in real life.

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For the home, I will be watching these pillows until they hit sale.

Edited on 9/30/2014: I removed a craving due to an experience with customer service. Thank you for your understanding. : )

What are you craving this month? Besides rich chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream oozing over the top, melting faster than you can scoop it and bring it to your mouth. Or is that just me? Ahem.

Keepin’ It Real: August 2014

So, to tell you exactly where my mind has been this month (or how much sine wine was consumed before writing this oos5 post), I actually wrote 2004 instead of 2014 at first, for the title of this post. This month has been equal parts flying by and equal parts molasses. Maybe I should describe it as flying through molasses?

August summed up:

Kids started school. Son turned eleven. Daughter got braces off. Bought tickets to see Def Leopard in the fall (whoot! Now what to wear?!). Went over budget. Darn popbacks. Darn fabulous markdowns at Anthropologie. And darn you, Free People for your sales. Bought way, way too much during all of these amazing sale promotions, including this dress, this dress and this top. Spanked self. Cannot even look at a single sock in September. Started saving all of the 5’s and 1’s accumulated at the end of each week for kids’ college in addition to the monthly stipend we deposit for each child. Will be curious to see how much it adds up to at the end of a year. Tried a new pub. Liked it. Have been going twice a week to the chiropractor after migraines revealed neck injury from ten years ago has manifested itself into a neck that no longer curves. Reveled in Genevieve’s Renovation on HGTV and then wondered if anyone else was watching. Became addicted to Jersey Belle after swearing off any more reality t.v. (but she might adopt a baby from a woman she met on the street). Wrote letter to TV Land because I can no longer function without my nightly dose of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Cursed at the television after True Blood’s horrendous series finale. Apparently I watch too much t.v. Went to every Albertson’s in a thirty mile radius (as a date with my husband. I am a good time) and bought all of their discontinued frozen manicotti (check a store near you. This stuff is fabulous for a quick meal. Just throw in a pan with a jar of sauce and bake for an hour. Located near frozen garlic bread if the store still has it. Sorry peeps near me. You’ll just have to come over for dinner). Now need a stand alone freezer for my hoarding tendencies. Apparently stopped using pronouns.

I am obsessed with funny Family Feud moments found on Pinterest. Oh my goodness! You must read this one about Honey Boo Boo’s family.

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I gained ten pounds this summer and have found it ridiculously hard to care. I also took some awful pictures having nothing to do with the weight gain and everything to do with my face.

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On Friday I went to the chiropractor. He was having this young man shadow him… The hottest young man I ever did see. My husband said he could be the poster child for doctors (he was with me). I learned I am still smooth with my moves at the age of thirty seven because when he walked down the hall towards us, I hit my head on the wall behind me loud enough for those piercing blue eyes to find mine as I screamed in pain after the resonating bang of the impact had everyone look up, so startled was I by gleaming white teeth and perfect genes. Then I impressed him by having my chiropractor show him my xrays of the ribs growing from my neck.

I know how to impress a man.

Isn’t that how it is done these days? Forget cleavage. Pssst… You wanna see my neck ribs?

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Then my husband (ahem. Sorry dear) and I went to breakfast but as we were walking up to the restaurant I heard a dog whimpering and barking in a panic in a locked car. It was all ready ninety degrees outside. The windows were rolled up with just room enough for a flat palm to pass through one of them equating to no breeze. So, I waited to see if anyone was going to come out of any shops. Long story short, they didn’t and I called the authorities. I found the couple sitting in a restaurant (after asking every table.) finishing their breakfast completely carefree. I had a few choice words for them, especially when the woman told me it had only been thirty minutes as she lingered over her coffee. I told her, “You are a mean, mean person to be that cruel.” The authorities (a cop car and animal control, because it is illegal in California to leave your dog locked in a car) were waiting for the couple outside surrounding the car along with a crowd of angry people. There had been other people who had seen and heard the dog as they passed by and were waiting to see if they needed to break a window to get it out. I hated that it had to come to that. I left before the confrontation. I felt bad for calling, but I really did not want the dog to die and I want them to know that they cannot do that. I did not stay to see the finale because I know the end result would have been me in tears possibly in handcuffs when I tried to snatch the dog (it was a Murphy dog). I was shaking for hours afterwards from the situation.

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I made a chocolate cake with an unexpected ingredient and I cannot wait to share it. And oatmeal chocolate chip bars!… I do not know why I gained ten pounds this summer.

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I purchased three vials of pepper spray from a traveling salesman and do not exactly know where to keep them. Or how to explain to my husband I bought a vast amount of pepper spray from a traveling salesman.

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Books I am currently reading. And why I am sometimes behind in my comments. And emails. And life.

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I cannot believe it is almost fall. In Southern California it is hard to keep track of the seasons. It is hot, hotter, not as hot, then cool but not cold. As someone who chronicles outfits this can be tricky. But I am started to get excited for the changing weather, however slight or extreme it decides to fall. I have enough boots and jeans. The staples I am looking for, on clearance, will be a leather jacket and black boots. I also want to add in some more pencil skirts because my husband likes them so much. And I am loving this vest in grey and purple.

September Posts I have in the works:

Pee Wee Herman Ruined My Singing Career
Bohemian Girl Means Business
Where’s The Gnome?
Creamy Green Chile Enchilada Casserole
It’s A Golden Age Eyelet Believe

What was your favorite part about August? Was your month molasses or flying by? Did you participate in any Labor Day Sales?

*If you missed July’s Keepin’ It Real, you can find it here.

Winner of the 17th Blog Giveaway and August Cravings

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Congratulations to Heather from the fabulous blog, The Peacock Fairy, winner of the $30 Amazon e-gift card! I hope you get something awesome! Thank you for entering, reading and for being you. I appreciate it! And thank you to everyone who entered. I just really cannot express in words or emotions (’cause you can’t see them) how much it means to me when you stop by and sit a bit. I love the connections I have made here. I cannot imagine my life without all of you.

It is August and with this sweltering summer month, comes back to school shopping. It was odd, because my daughter ended up shopping with my son, because apparently I do not know what the kids are wearing. If you still have some back to school shopping to do, I have some quick tips:

1. Anytime I am at the mall, I will go up to the information kiosk and ask if they are having a promotion. At our mall, they often do a promotion once a month or so. It is usually not advertised. You have to ask. I asked at the end of July and knew that between August 4-10, if I spent $200, I would get a $25 gift card to the mall. $400 or more would get me $40 (with two kids that is what I spent). So, I earned a gift card simply for doing something I had all ready planned on doing. I know our mall is not the only mall that does this, so be sure to ask in case your mall does promotions also.

2. Famous Footwear is where I always buy my kids’ back to school shoes. Their B1G1 1/2 off coupled with 20% off coupon is great. And because I am a reward member, that one shopping trip typically earns me a $20-25 reward in December which I always use to get one of the kids a free pair of shoes.

3. Staples is the place I go to for back to school supplies. Their door busters (you have to usually go on Sundays to not miss them) cannot be beat. It takes multiple trips, but the money saved is huge.

I think that is it. And now for my cravings. When I was at the mall, I stumbled upon the cutest boutique selling amazing clothes. Both of my children coerced me to go in to try on a skirt on the 70% off stand, because “it’s so you.”

“But we are here to shop for you.”

“But try it on! You cannot not try it on.”

Imagine those good and bad shopping devils on your shoulders from cartoons and now flick off the good one and replace it with another bad one. Those are my children in my ear when I am shopping. Except they are solid and real. And much louder.

So, of course I tried it on. And then I found a line of clothing that was just the coolest. It is called Luna Luz. Have you heard of it? The store was having a huge sale and I bought two dresses from the brand Luna Luz at a big discount. The kids made me. They made me get the skirt, too. Sigh. Needless to say that I am not buying anything else this month because I had also splurged on this dress. I still have my gift card waiting for The River Fade Dress if it hits sale any time soon. But unless something popsback for less than $20, I cannot buy anything.

But I can dream. Free People is killing it this season. I love almost everything in their new arrivals. Here are things I am watching:

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The Anthropologie Azure Lace Dress tops my list right now. Although the petite size I had been wanting is now sold out, so it might never happen on sale for me. I reviewed it here, in case you missed it.

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Free People’s Emma Love Tee is so good. I can see it paired with leggings and skinny jeans. A giant pendant and hair in two buns. I will probably snag this in September, because I love the look and the price.

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Modcloth’s Out For The Day Dress is lovely in its simplicity. I can picture it being sweet with bare legs or black tights and boots. Or spiced up with some mustard or fun fuchsia tights this fall. I have a black dress almost exactly like this one, but this dress is a high craving for me.

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Free People’s Dreamweaver Dress makes me want to skip through the streets as I swing my basket full of apothecary medicine towards the nearest village and clasp my dragon repellant in my other hand. It is perfect.

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Okay, “dress” is not the right name for this item, at least not for me, but I love the berry color (I would hope it would translate well in real life). The sleeves are so adorable on The Arosa Dress, too. I am not sure how it would be worn as a top. It is definitely too short for me to be worn without pants. Petite girls would be amazing in this.

What are your cravings? If you have kids, are you done back to school shopping? Do you know if your mall offers promotions?

Also, I have fourteen outfit posts I have to get out soon. I took too many pictures. This is going to result in more outfit posts than usual in the next few weeks. Sometimes I might have to have two posts on a single day (only one will be an outfit post). I hope you do not mind. I want to clean out my summer backup before fall arrives.

*this post contains affiliate links. Clicking on a link will result in a small commission for dragon repellant this site.

Being Batman

It was noon on a Sunday at Comic Con. And I was done. I was hot. I was tired. And if one more person pushed themselves into me, I was going to scream.

I collapsed on the floor against the wall and watched the people walking by. Some of them were in costume. But most were not.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Batman. He was in a form-fitting black suit with the familiar pointy ears and long cape. His chin was covered in grey and black stubble. He was being followed by people wanting his picture. The crowd stopped in front of me and I watched as he posed for twenty minutes with stranger after stranger.

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Finally they left him alone.

He had a respite. He lowered his head and I was overtaken with a feeling of sadness at how weary Batman looked.

He looked around him to make sure no one was watching.

Then he ducked underneath the purple curtain and sat down. I saw him remove his mask.

I saw Batman.

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He was older than I had first thought he would be. His features different. A man that for one day got to be someone else. Because at Comic Con, he was not Joe The Accountant. Or Steve The Bartender. He had no bicycle or beat-up pick-up truck. At Comic Con, he WAS Batman. There was no doubt.

This was not Halloween. Or some kind of delusion. This was simply the magic of a convention where people truly believe.

It was the purest form of human acceptance in the weirdest form or place.

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He rested for merely five minutes before he put his mask back on and stood up.

Immediately people flocked to him.

He stood straight and tall. Children ran to him. Hugged him. Women in scantily clad costumes threw their bodies against his own. Men stopped and hooted and hollered at seeing the hero in person. Even the security guards were thrilled when they shook his hand.

For one day this man had complete power.

It was breathtaking.

These moments would probably carry him through the year. Maybe as he waited for a train, someone would push him, but he could remember Being Batman a week before.

Maybe his lover would leave him but he would know months before he was Being Batman.

Maybe he would get a raise at work but it would not compare to Being Batman the previous year.

I saw the man Being Batman.

And in that moment he was just Being… Himself.