Favorite Combo

Sweater: Target (gift); T-Neck: Target;

Jeans: LOFT; Booties: Sam Edelman (gift);

Necklaces: Lord/Taylor, Ann Taylor;

Ring: Piperlime; Sunnies: Target

Saturday afternoon I had a date with my husband and we spent it watching Breaking Dawn Part II! I know he was as excited as I was to see the last installment! You could just see the joy in his eyes....said dripping with sarcasm. But, he did it! Such a trooper.

I wanted to dress comfortably, it is a movie after all, but I also wanted to pay homage to the saga. I reached for my red jeans because you have to wear something red to a Vampire movie, right? The sweater choice was a different story. I started out with my Michael Kors fisherman sweater but the look just wasn't right. So, I opted for a more blanket style and finished it off with my new leopard ankle booties. I've been dying to wear these guys and red with leopard is one of my favorite combos! 

I added a fun manicure as well. Blood red nails with black tips. I used OPI "I'm Not Really a Waitress" and Chanel's "Black Satin". A little dramatic and  super chic.

 

Other Ways I've Worn Red and Leopard!

 

Anna Karenina

On my list of 40 before 40 stands Anna Karenina. She is number 34 on the list and I haven't a clue if I will actually finish. I am on page 17, of 817, so only 800 to go! And let me tell you, those 17 pages have taken me forever. I find that I re-read several sentences just to make sure I understood what he wrote. A friend and I were talking about it just this morning. She's tried to read it a couple of times and gave up for this very reason. I told her I didn't think I was smart enough to read the book but she told me "sure you are" but to keep in mind "that those writers wrote in almost a different language and for people who were used to imagining everything (no tvs), so they tend to be long winded." Long winded indeed!

However, my take away from the book will be the fashion. Have you heard they are making a movie starring Keira Knightley? Apparently the clothing will take center stage. And to prove it, Banana Republic has designed a collection in honor of the movie/book. There are some simply beautiful pieces and some that are equally dramatic. Worth browsing to buy. Just see the window displays below!

As it turns out, I've been channeling the likes of Anna Karenina for years! Fur is my fav, I love lace, I own tons of sparkle and simple sheath is a closet staple! Here is a look back on my take of the 19th Century.

  

Have you read the book? If so, how long did it take you to complete? And, was it worth it?

Correspondence

Remember when the only form of communication was written? I am probably aging myself, but that's how we used to correspond in the old days. And by old days, I'm talking about even the early 1990's! Shoot, I didn't have AOL dial up until roughly 2000 or so. Again, aging myself.

My grandmother, Meme as I call her, called me on my birthday and by the end of the conversation I was in tears. Not because of how the call went but because I felt so guilty for not reaching out to her more. Hence number 28 on the list of 40 before 40. She is 85 and living in assisted living in East Tennessee. She sounds incredibly happy when describing all the things she does within the facility. She sings in their choir, attends their dances and other activities that they have on the calendar. And family who lives close by stop in often to make sure she has everything she needs.

To make a very long story short, I decided right after I hung up the phone that I needed to make a better effort of sending her cards and letters. When my dad talks with her, she usually asks about me but always about McKinley, so in my letters I plan to keep her up to date on all of his happenings and send photos of his adventures. 

But she's not the only one that I need stay in contact with so I purchased some beautiful cards from Hallmark earlier this week. Their Signature collection is gorgeous and I could have browsed the section all day! Instead, I opted for these three. Aren't the lovely?

To help keep writers cramp at bay, everyone needs fancy pens! And to keep my thoughts flowing, I am armed with a tasty fall beverage!

I also pulled out notecards that I've collected over the years. Some were gifts, thanks Carolyn, others just acquired.

 

Now matter how you look at it, antiquated or thoughtful, who doesn't love to open their mailbox and find something other than bills? I know I do so I'm hoping to grace others mailboxes with little notes of love and friendship!

Fall Colors Mixed with Denim

Dress:  Target; Cardigan: LOFT;

Belt: Banana Republic; Tights: Hue;

Boots: Steven by Steve Madden;

 Bracelets/Ring: Silpada; Necklace: Baublebar

Fall is by far my favorite time of year. The colors, the smells, the festivities and the amazing clothes! My closet reflects this as well. I've been playing around with my personal style this year and I really like how I've re-shaped my look. This is an outfit I wouldn't normally wear. I felt like the proportions may be off since the dress wasn't terribly long and the cardigan longer than most. The belt helped add shape and the brown was a nice contrast.

See below how I've paired pieces from the above look over the past year.

 

Dress/Scarf/Sweater: Styled Several Different Ways:

I love the little stars necklace. It helps to remind yourself that you can be star!

Just the Two of Us

Jumpsuit: BCBG via Gilt; Belt: LOFT;

Shoes: BCBG; Bracelet: Banana Republic (gift)

As you may know, last Friday was our 10 year anniversary. We had dinner with our son at Red Robin and came home to exchange gifts. We are ones to go by the traditional anniversary gifts and ten years represents tin or aluminum. I kept pushing modern, which is diamonds, but he insisted we stick to traditional. Actually, in his words, "I'm not getting you a diamond." Well, I got the coolest gift from my husband. He gave me 10 tin red roses!

In honor of the big day, I gave myself a special manicure to show off my engagement ring and wedding band. And, once I got the rings cleaned, they shined "like the top of the Chrysler Building"!

On Saturday night, we put on our finest and hit the Plaza for dinner at The Melting Pot. What an amazing experience and flavorful dinner! If you haven't been there, you must! I wasn't sure what to really expect. Those of you who have been there simply said, "Oh, I love that place" but never really said why. Well, I can tell you why. The atmosphere is chic, especially when seated in Lovers Lane. Our table was in a small corner of the restaurant and so secluded. It felt like it was just the two of us at dinner.

First, we were met with a sweet card from the staff wishing us Happy Anniversary followed by drinks. You gotta love a personal bottle of champagne and a beerita that comes with a glow stick!

Next up was a four course meal! We started with a cheese fondue that came with several bread samples, a bowl of veggies and apple chunks. Our salads were a small iceberg wedge with bacon, blue cheese crumbles, sliced tomatoes and ranch dressing. There were three main courses to choose from and we decided on the meat and shrimp mix. Filet, shrimp, buffalo chicken and pork were cooked in a broth at the table. Along with that, we were provided with six different dipping sauces that really enhanced the flavors.

 A staff member was kind enough to take our photo. Love Instagram!

 

Dessert anyone? This is was the moment I had been waiting for all evening. Chocolate fondue with all the trimmings. We were served two kinds of marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, pound cake, brownie bites, cheesecake and rice crispy treats. Who would have thought that the rice crispy treats would be our favorite! AMAZING!

 

We had a wonderful meal, great conversation that didn't revolve around Elmo, Super Why or poop and a lovely stroll on the Plaza. The weather was somewhat balmy, which made for a vacation feel, and we drank in the evening. I can't wait to see what the next ten years have in store! 

 

A Mix of This and That

Sweater: JCPenney; Denim Shirt: J.Crew Outlet;

Belt: Banana Republic Outlet; Skirt: Anthropologie;

 Tights: Hue; Booties: Me Too; 

Necklace: Banana Republic; Ring: Silpada

Know what I love about having a birthday, in addition to cake and presents? The gift of birthday coupons from retailers I frequent! I love getting an extra 25% off here and there. Who doesn't? And I took advantage of said 25% off at Anthropologie with the purchase of this skirt. It was going to be so easy to style, said the little voice in the back of my mind, but then I got it home and was a little worried.

Sure, I can style red skirt with black polka dots, but a red skirt with navy? Uncharted territory! What I came up with is a little Anthropologie meets J.Crew! The beloved denim of J.Crew paired with a turtleneck against a skirt paired with booties ala Anthropologie. A lovely mix of this and that, wouldn't you agree? And, this look is so out of my style box. Love a good challenge.

 

 

So Happy Together

My husband and I are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary today! I honestly can't believe it has been 10 years! We had an unbelievably gorgeous day for the big event. The sun was out, the fall colors were amazing and a perfect backdrop for outdoor photos. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!

We met in the winter of 1999. I interviewed that fall at Sprint North Supply. Two women interviewed me, one of whom would be my future manager. The other was my husband's manager. After the interview, the women convened in Joel's cube to inform him that they had just interviewed his future wife. Little did they know how right they were. I started at North Supply on December 6th and we had our first date on December 30th. Two years later we were engaged.

  

I often say that my wedding day was already planned before Joel ever entered the picture. And really, for any girl, isn't that often the case? You have ideas of what you want your wedding day to be like. Our wedding day far exceeded my expectations. My mom helped me plan the most amazing wedding and THE most incredible party. So many tiny details that added up to one magical day. I remember it like it was just yesterday. I will never be able to thank my parents for all that they did to provide us such a memorable experience.

 

To celebrate, we are going to dinner at Red Robin with McKinley. Traditionally we watch our wedding video every year. Hopefully, we can get McKinley down so we're able to watch before falling asleep as well! We have dinner plans for the two of us on Saturday night. We are heading to the Plaza for dinner at The Melting Pot and possibly a stroll before heading home. I can't wait to see what the next ten years have in store. If they are anything like the previous ten, we are in for a lifetime of happiness!