Fun Beach Reads

Summer is the season for reading...well, actually I love snuggling on the sofa under a cozy throw by the fireplace and reading in winter, but I'm just as likely to take a nap. To me, summer is all about fun beach reading. It doesn't have to be deep, it doesn't have to be shallow, it just has to be fun. You should not be sitting at the beach/pool/lake/chaise lounge on the back patio struggling to get through a book (unless of course, it is required course work for whatever you are doing and in that case, sorry, but it will be so worth it in the end). Save the painful books for winter when you can offset the struggle with a cup of hot tea.

So in addition to the usual stack of magazines, here are a couple of my summer reads this year:

#1 - Driving Sideways by Jess Riley. I would like to thank Stephanie of Sea Glasses for posting this one on her sidebar. When my book club was looking for a book for June...er, July (we're a bit tardy with setting the date), per my suggestion, we decided to go with this one.

Sample dialogue from early in the book that I fell in love with:

Instead I say, "I'm fine. You've got to trust me. I wouldn't do anything stupid." Which was, of course, probably the same thing Katie Holmes said to her manager before her first date with Tom Cruise.

I finished it at the Lake and was sad when it ended, since I wanted more of the story. So I wait hopefully for Ms. Riley's next book! Very interesting read, very entertaining. I love her style of writing - it's so clever and so conversational. I was laughing out loud at quite a few lines in the story.

#2 - Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else by Clinton Kelly. Some rather colorful language, and a fun read. I am about 2/3 through this one. (I started it, but set it aside when I picked up #1 above.)

Sample dialogue that I fell in love with:

You might be asking yourself what gives me the right to tell you how to speak. The answer is simple: 40 grand, roughly how much I spent on my master's degree in journalism. So suck on that.

It's not going to solve all the problems of the world but it's a great little reference book, and who doesn't want to be more fabulous? And grammar is more fun when you are talking about drinking gin or someone who is dating the same guy as her mother. I'm just about to start the How to Eat chapter, and the reviews on Amazon indicate that his 4 recipes to know by heart are supposed to be fantastic.

#3 - Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich. My mom & I are huge fans of the Stephanie Plum series - the number ones not the interim ones with "Plum" in the title. The newest in the series always comes out at the end of June. Why? Because, duh, summer reading. This one came out last Tuesday but I haven't picked it up yet. I will probably try to nab it before heading to the river on Wednesday so that I can pass it to my mom when I am done. This one hasn't gotten great reviews so far, but I'll read it because hey, it's summer, that's what we do. The series is supposed to end at 16, so my OCD side feels compelled to finish it out.

What are you reading for summer?

3 Skirts

I really haven’t done much else in the way of outfits, but I do have a few skirts and such to share with you from shopping. And yes, I took these as successive shots in a white tee & sports bra, which is clearly not how I will be styling IRL. Ok, maybe a white tee, but a bit more put together than this…I hope. :)

First of all, IRL pics of the ATL tiered knit skirt that I posted on before we left. (Just for you, Patina.) Totally worth the $24.50 on sale price. This is the navy (deep sea blue, I believe), but I have the (saddle) brown as well. It also comes in white, black, and green. I am wearing it right at my waist because it sits there easily, and then it’s above the knee. But I have also worn it lower on the hips, which makes the length at or just below the knee – there’s flexibility here. I will note that the length of this surprised me. I have an extra-long femur (it’s where most of my height is), so for a skirt to be this long on me…well, I can just imagine how long it would be on someone with normal height.

I have worn it with my tissue bf tees (albeit a bit better styled than the pic at left, like I said - sports bra, no jewelry, etc). It was also way cute with the striped ringspun cotton cardigan and a tank underneath.

Second, my Boden skirt that I ordered arrived. So excited about this! It’s their Button Through Mini. What a great skirt. Medium weight denim – perfect for year-round wear. Light enough for summer. But heavy enough to wear with sweater and tights in the winter. It has pockets and buttons up the front – big, chunky brown buttons that match the stitching on the skirt. And it even has front pockets, with the cute stitching trim. So I am no officially a Boden fan. The only thing I wonder about is if the skirt will look silly with a cardigan if it has 2 different rows of buttons going up the front. Maybe an open cardi? And now I can submit sets to Dina’s Polyvore group, Boden is Bodacious. (Best PV name ever.) And by the way, Boden is having their summer sale online now.

Third was a purchase here at the Lake. I went to Danbury Fair Mall with my mom & E earlier in the trip and hit the J Crew store, of course. Didn’t get a lot done as E was with us and a bit cranky – well, tired, really. But I finally got the Silk Charmeuse Pencil Skirt in pewter (#11652, orig $98, curr $29.99). I have tried this on multiple times and eyed it many more. I know, I know, the wrinkles are just *appalling.* Please pardon me – it has been sitting in a bag in a corner of my room as I really don’t have plans to wear it this trip, you know? And you know I hate ironing unless absolutely necessary...

I can’t say I would recommend ordering this online unless you are sure of sizing. I will say that I got it in a 10. I usually go with an 8 in skirts, but I wanted it to be a little loose and not hug too much…the whole point is comfort, not having to wear Spanx with it. I am planning to wear with a tissue bf tee and sandals this summer, maybe even a white blouse. And in fall/winter, I’ll trade the tee for my black cashmere shell or a turtleneck. The fabric feels divine. I also picked up a gray beaded stretch bracelet – never got it at my B&M and it sold out, but picked up here on sale for $14.99, yay! And, a fab silk scarf – large square with pewter border and bronzed twig center square – for $9.99. The tag says Spring 2009. Anyone remember such a scarf? I guess I was on a total gray kick at JC that day.

Lake Update

We are still up at the Lake, but my internet access has been limited to the BroadBand Access in my BlackBerry which is not nearly as fast as the at-home wireless, and since I’ve been spending enough time online for work, I just haven’t been able to carve out the time for the blogging, and blog-reading. I will catch up, I swear. And I’m not complaining about work – I would rather be here doing some work than sitting at home doing everything at the kitchen table. Like I said earlier, the view is better. But I am on Day 10 of being here and I will be ready to head home on Monday.



What I miss most about home – the appliances (dishwasher and washer/dryer) and my bed. (makes a difference when hubby is here – king vs. double…oh yeah, getting cozy!)

What I will miss most about being here – The view is so beautiful Life is just simpler. Nature is so close. And when the weather is good, it’s just so much fun. It’s fun even when the weather isn’t great but cabin fever sets in after a while. But when we get to hit the beach…here’s me – in my usual hat & shades. And I’ve been able to wear this coverup that I don’t usually sport at home since it’s long sleeve and terry. I got it at Old Navy 3 or so years ago and still love it. Perfect for 77-degree sunny lake days on the beach.

And here’s a tip I picked up from my mom while she was here: Every morning she takes a nice, long walk. And, of course, Lucy & I accompanied her. So anyway…when she puts on her sneakers, she does it standing up. I always sit on the floor or step or whatever. But when you stand while doing it, it’s a both a balance exercise and a balance test. Bonus points if you don’t have to put your foot on the floor to get the heel in the shoe. I’ve been copycatting and doing the same. And all I can think about is the slogan “Achieve…New Balance”. Of course, I’m wearing Brooks.

And one more tip – self-tanner for the face. As you see above, my head is so shaded when I’m out in the sun. I actually have to pop down the shades occasionally with new acquaintances at the pool as they don’t always recognize me in my “disguise.” And even with my SPF 70 faithful applications, I still do tan. But my face is white. Not good. So to even things out, I try to stay in the shade more…and I use self-tanner on my face. I had tried a few and not really been happy until I tried one by L’Occitane – Self-Tanning Veil. It’s a gradual tanner, but works well. It does have oil in it, which I normally steer way way way clear of, but this one doesn’t seem to impact my skin poorly. It is noncomedogenic. Worth a shot for a little glow, no?

Polyvore Garanimals

I have quite a few Polyvores, but have been totally neglectful with getting pictures. All of these are working within my Garanimals formula (see last post) for packing for the Lake trip.

Trip up. White shirt, yes – and it actually stayed clean, in spite of the monsoon we drove in – I realized that I really love my puppy when I was willing to stand in pouring rain waiting for her to pee for 10 minutes. Yep, 10 minutes, in the utter downpour, because puppies love to smell everything and there are so many smells to smell. I was so drenched, it was unreal. My cute little LL Bean windbreaker that I tossed on to be outside? Works *great* as a light rain jacket...not so much a full rain slicker.

Traveling Clothes - 6/18/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Havaianas shoes

Standard morning uniform. I am loving the RFT cardi. So glad I got it, esp at $20 (yay). I have had it on every morning. Windbreaker for walking Lucy and RFT cardi for the remainder of the morning until we shower / get ready / get going / get a clue about what we are doing.

Mornings at the Lake by HeidiGblog featuring Crocs shoes

Ice cream outing. There is the cutest ice cream store here in New Fairfield, called Sprinkle. Yum yum yum… Finally put on my new ATL tiered skirt. Really need to get a pic of this soon to share. But love love love.

Ice Cream Shop-6/19/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Father’s Day. Yep, we dragged my dad to Target on Father’s Day. This is just so wrong. But we didn’t make him go into Walmart or the grocery store. Finally wore my ringspun striped cardi. Perfect weight for the day – kept me warm, but not too hot when it got muggy.

Wearing Today-6/21/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Of course, the one pic that I do take…um yeah, no makeup, no jewelry. But comfy and happy. This is my version of Summerilla’s Jaspe sweatshirt and leggings – not quite as glam, though. I spent most of Monday working, but considering the flexibility of my job, I’m not complaining at all. I love that I have that flexibility that I can come up here or be at the River and still work so that I’m not chained to the kitchen table at home. More fun for all of us. And hey, I had a great view while working...which I will be enjoying again today on a couple of conference calls. And much as I love my fellow team members because they are fab, none of them are quite as pretty at the Lake view.

And since I figured out how to do the IRL pics, you would think I took more, but sadly, no. Polyvores are much harder to do when your accessories are limited to a laptop & phone. And I only wore the Havaianas outside.

Wearing Today-6/22/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Havaianas shoes

And Polyvore from yesterday.


Wearing Today-06/22/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

My mom’s cousin visited, with her boyfriend and her black Lab, Cooper. (So you *know* Lucy had fun.) We went to this really fun restaurant on the other side of the Lake called Down the Hatch (pic below). I love being able to sit on a restaurant porch by the water. The food always tastes better. And, um, yeah, still no IRL pics of the skirt. Will work on that, I promise.

And I wore the Library Shawl cardi on Saturday with my matchsticks...but haven't you seen that one before?

Loving the Lake

So we are up here at the Lake in CT. A little background…the house – well, cottage, actually – is on Lake Candlewood. My grandfather (mom’s dad) had the cottage built in 1950. The cove here has 3 houses – all owned originally by family members. When my grandmother passed away this past fall, the cottage went to my mom. Our little family joke right now is that we had to get it appraised because the cost basis is about $2000. (fun for you accountants and property lawyers).

It’s not big at all – 3 bedrooms (1 of which barely fits a pulled out trundle) with 1 bath, a galley kitchen and a living room. It’s rustic and it’s beautiful. It’s not luxurious, but it’s a lot of fun. And it boasts a great view (from picture window in living room – this is what we see when we sit at the table).

I have been coming up here since I was 6 months old (December bday – this is not a cottage for winter – definitely just a summer cottage). IMO, this is one the best places to be a kid – true when I was little and now that I have my own little ones to bring. This is our little beach (big beach for community is next door). Shallow water, lots of room to run around – fun, fun.

It goes without saying that Lucy is loving being able to run all over the place without a leash. And dang, she is fast! And…she is 6 months old today! Happy 1/2 Birthday, Lucy! (caught in the act of....something here)

Biggest drawback – no washer/dryer (there is a Laundromat close by in town). But that gives us girls an excuse to overpack right? Here is my Polyvore of what I brought. It’s my Garanimals theme – jeans/skirt + cami/tank + tissue bf tee + cardi/sweater + sandals. And some leggings/yoga pants for hanging out. And a couple of bathing suits…and hopefully it will be warm enough in the next few days for me to swim.

Wearing for 12 Days by HeidiGblog featuring Crocs shoes

I have some more PVs to post, but this is getting long enough for one post.

Heidi’s Beauty Bag – Walmart Field Trip, Plus a Little Splurge

So last weekend, we were in NC for the niece’s HS graduation and hubby’s grandparents’ ashes dispensation (I’m not sure if there’s a better term for it, but have you seen Lady Button’s post on what some people do with ashes? Ewwww.)

With some extra time to kill, I tagged along on a trip to Walmart for my SIL to buy the kids’ some games for their birthdays (1 in May & 1 in July, so by gifting in June, on average, it was on time). So here are my finds:

1 – Ok, not exactly a beauty item. But 3 sports bras for $10? Great deal. Granted, I don’t have *that* much to support and I’m not going to run a marathon in these or do 500 jumping jacks, but I might do 50. They had several color combos and racerback or spaghetti strap styles. I just got the all white pack. I will layer these under tanks & dresses in the summer instead of a bra. Much cooler, temp-wise. And I guess you could say it’s beauty related, since a cooler, comfier me is bound to look better than uncomfy, sweaty me. (This is the link to the gray/black/white pack, but you get the point, right?)

2 – Clean & Clear Morning Glow Moisturizer, SPF 15. Ok, so after the niece’s grad party, I was browsing the latest issue of Seventeen. (don’t judge – yeah, I know, 17…plus 20) But who is going to be a better expert on reducing oily T-zones? So they were suggesting this moisturizer and it was under $10, so I figured it was worth a try. Especially since my beloved Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation (thinner than anything, lighter than air, but my skin looks so good) is getting a bit shinier on the T-zone in the warmer weather. I picked up this moisturizer and actually peeled the back to look at the ingredients and sure enough, second to last, was corn starch – which we all know is a mattifier. I am really liking it so far. And, bonus, I am even putting the lotion on my nose, which is the icky-icky-oiliest part – and here’s why – it can use mattifying, it can use some extra SPF, and with oily skin, if you never moisturize you can exacerbate the situation because skin will create more sebum, thus oil slick. I think this will be a good under-makeup and at-night moisturizer for the summer. (No worries – major sunblock application if I am planning to actually be out in the sun for more than incidental exposure.)

3 – L’Oreal Infallible eyeliner in Brown. First the back story – I hate sharpening pencils. Actually the only pencil I will use that needs sharpening is my YSL eyebrow pencil (Dessin des Sourcils). Trust me, the first time I ran out, I tried to find a self-sharpening replacement. I went through multiple department store brands and finally realized that it was the best one for me, and it merited sharpening. So regarding eyeliner, the same rule applies – I hate to sharpen. I was using Chanel’s Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting eyeliner. And it hasn’t been performing that well lately. Ok, maybe that’s because it is 12 months old and needs to be tossed? Um, yeah, will do that. I will say, it has an impressive color selection.

In one of the mag’s I was reading (can’t remember which one) they mentioned the L’Oreal Infallible eyeliner as a “steal.” So far I am really liking it. It lasts quite well and isn’t hard to apply. Not too hard to make the line thick or thin as the mood strikes. It even has a smudger on the other end, which is good, because I often like the smudgy look. The downside is that it appears to come in 4 colors only – black, brown, black brown, and carbon black. I did not make that up, I swear that’s what they have.

4 - This wasn't part of the Walmart outing. I have one recent splurge to share…well, call it a mini-splurge. Some of you will probably think “that’s too much”, while others will be like “that’s nothing, I like in Chanel makeup.” I was at Sephora browsing around, and swung by the Smashbox display…and got another lipstick. Except it’s not a lipstick. It is the Smashbox Tinted Treatment Lipstick with SPF 15.

Last time I checked, Sephora online only had the non-tinted on their website, but they definitely had it in my store, which is not particularly large. It’s $18, but the Smashbox website currently has it on sale for $13.50. I got Beam, which is described as a pink nude. I love this. It may be my summer go-to lipstick. You know, the one that I keep in my purse because it’s always perfect. I do have it in my purse now, but I am thinking about clearing out the other lipsticks as this one just rocks. Maybe it’s my summer version of the Smashbox Photo-FinishLipstick with Sila-silk in Delightful (a sheer berry), which is my purse lippie in fall, winter, & spring. Back to the Lip Treatment – the color is very sheer & subtle, kinda like the Makeup Alley expression, YLBB (your lips but better). Per their description:

This vitamin and antioxidant-packed sheer lip color has it all - a treatment
core with SPF 15 to protect, vitamins A, C & E to revitalize, shea butter,
jojoba and avocado oils to nourish, and chamomile and aloe to soothe. Honey
provides extra moisturization and a deliciously sweet flavor and scent.

The formula is way moisturizing and actually tastes good, probably due to the moisturizing honey in it. (No, I don’t eat my lipstick but we’ve all tried lippies that just tasted blegh on the lips, and I won’t wear those.) They also have the lippie in Ray (sheer berry) and in an untinted formula, also with SPF. I may try the other color at some point as well. Love love love this lippie!

Do you have any beauty steals you want to share?

Why I Love the Loft

You know I love J Crew and Target, but we all need to mix it up occasionally. And, um, ok, I’ve said before that I have had some issues with Ann Taylor Loft. I used to get a good portion of my summer wardrobe there because I had an Ann Taylor Visa (relic from the 90’s, I believe) and I got reward certificates. Loved that. I used to get so many dresses there – it was one of my fave places for dresses, esp cute summer knit dresses. Then they discontinued the Visa card because they had their new relationship with Mastercard and I was bitter. I’ll admit it. And when asked if I want to get the new card? Um no, thanks. Will wallow in my bitterness for now.

But I was lured back in by the promise of Jackie-esque cardigans and I got one with a 30% off on a sale and it was $17. And I liked it. And then in my quest for a summer knit skirt, since the JC Esplanade just did not work on me, I noticed they had some cute knit ones. So I went yesterday (you know, kiddies' last day of school) and fell back in love…and got 2 of the skirts, 1 dress, and a not-exactly-Jackie cardi in white. I think the Loft items mix really well with J Crew.

So here are my scores. I will post IRL pics when I have them.

Tiered Knit Skirt (curr on sale for $24.50) I got this in deep blue and saddle brown. I also saw it in white, green, and black in store. This is so comfy! And while tiered, it’s not so full that you can’t wear it with a slouchy tee (yes, J Crew tissue bf tee, of course). It’s great with a tank, too. This is not a super short skirt. I wear the waistband right on my waist (since I never tuck in, you know) and it hits me right above the knee. If you wear the waistband lower, you can easily cover the knees. I also tried on the white, and while I didn’t get it, I can vouch that it is not very sheer – it’s a great white summer casual skirt if your are looking. I took an M. You could size up a bit and wear it lower. But I anticipate wearing this all the time this summer. It is also a nice knit – substantial without being too heavy, perfect for a summer skirt.

3/4 sleeve Crewneck Cardigan (curr on sale for $24.50). I had one in dusty teal, I think. I just got one in white. It is similar to the J Crew Jackie, but it’s a bit longer. I got this in an L to allow for shrinkage, because I have had them shrink on me, and it didn’t gap at the buttons while closed like the M did. But I have the shoulders to do it, so size as you please. I think a lot of the JCA’s have partaken of these. And the pic I’m posting is of the shocking pink because the online pic of white and teal is, quite frankly, pretty cruddy. AT Loft definitely is not the best at styling their clothes (as has been discussed in the blogosphere before), but that means that you have a decent shot of the clothes looking as good on you and sometimes better.

Sleeveless Dress with Front Twist (curr on sale for $29.50)
I got this one in black. It's a thin knit, but the black makes it work. It would be too flimsy in a light color. I love the silhouette on this one. (sorry, link is not great but that was the best I could do) If I recall, my store had this in black and brown, not sure what else. And a regular bra fits just fine underneath this. (say it with me... yay!!)

Sparrowsandsparkles has been posting some way cute Loft finds lately, too, so check her blog out if you haven’t before.

And….I actually started a Polyvore group, “I Love the Loft”. Original name, I know. Anyway, feel free to hop on the Loft love train. It’s a fun ride!

Here is my opening Polyvore. I actually own all of the items in the top 2 rows, so that’s a good start. (ok, 4 of them were purchases yesterday)

Why I Love the Loft by HeidiGblog on Polyvore.com

Yesterday's Wears + Some New J Crew Items...featuring Stripes!

What a weird weather day yesterday. And today is even stranger. I can tell you right now that it is doubtful I will be posting today's outfit as I sit here in grubby sweats and haven't even showered. (go ahead, say it, ewwwwww) Don't worry, I will clean up, but right now I am trying to do this post in the midst of all the laundry.

Update: Just realized I totally neglected titling my post. Like I said, midst of laundry...

See, tomorrow the kids, puppy, and I are headed up to my grandmother's Lake house in CT along with my parents. They'll leave next Thurs and hubby will come up through the following Mon. It's actually my mom's house now, since my grandmother passed away this past fall. I'll post some pics while I'm there - it's such a fun place. But today I am doing laundry and packing, along with actual work...oh yeah, and the kids are home today.

But this is what I was wearing yesterday. Shorts are J Crew from Spring 2006 that I didn't even put on last summer - and they fit, yay! I was curious how long the white shirt would last, but it lasted through work, errands (including J Crew below), and even survived a popsicle on the way home from the bus stop.

Wearing Today-6/16/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

But by the time I took M to an afternoon birthday party, I realized I would need to change since it had gotten windier and chillier. So this is the Polyvore for the rest of the day, which was E's last soccer game and pizza & s'mores at friends' to celebrate the last day of school. But I did at least keep all the accessories, including Danielles (again - so glad I kept these!), and just went with white tee, jeans, and cream sweater jacket. Yes, it was that chilly last night - so glad I had a sweater!!

Wearing Later in the Day-06/16/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And then on to the J Crew purchases yesterday. Note that these are the *exact* same shorts and shoes in the above pics. I was not styling here, just throwing new tops on over what I already was wearing.

First of all, not that you need a picture, you've seen it ad nauseum a million times before, but all the vneck boyfriend tissue tees are on sale for $15 in store. All of them. Time to stock up, fellow bf tissue cult members. Surprisingly, I only picked up the white one. I may get a gray one, too. But yep, just one.

Then we have the Baby Rib Stripe Boatneck (not online) that 3-Penny Princess posted and J'Adore These Stores posted already. The top is $29.50, and is also available in white/light gray stripe. I love this top. I feel very chic, very Paris, in it. The biggest issue for me is that I like the ability to wear a cami or tank underneath to smooth a bit, but the neck is really wide. (I know, boatneck, duh.) With a cami, it just looks like bra straps to me. So I opted for a tank. I am actually still trying to decide if I am going to keep this or not. I would love it with a cute skirt, shorts, jeans, white jeans, khakis, the red ON pants that I never got that Gigi has. Lots of options. Under my navy Atelier jacket. But I don't know that I love it as much in the pics as I did seeing it in person, so I'm on the fence. Please feel free to weigh in here.

Next, the Striped Heavy Ringspun Cardigan (#16283 per the catalog, also not online, except in solid, striped is $49.50). I got the navy/white stripe. And I am totally blanking on the other stripes - there was gray and white, which is in the new July catalog, page 33, but I don't remember if there were any other in-store . But I literally saw it when I was about to check out and ran over to grab one and try it on. I got the M, and like the fit. In fact, I like the fit of this one on me better than the boatneck tee - although yes, I realize they are 2 totally different styles of top. But I am definitely keeping this one and packing it for CT whereas the boatneck may stay here. (Or it may go, since Danbury Fair Mall does have a J Crew.) Back to *this*top - the sleeves are 3/4 and the length is long. I could very easily layer a real tee or just a cami/tank. I think it will work with skirts, jeans, shorts, khakis...yeah pretty much everything the boatneck works with, but on a more casual level.

And finally, I have joined the club, I now have a Rumpled French Terry Cardigan. I didn't like the fit of this one as much as the Library Shawl Cardigan. But, at $19.99, it works for me! And I can shrink the L in the dryer a bit. The M was too short in the sleeves. And I even gave you the more from the front, less flattering pic, but I still like it. Not sure if it will make it into the mega-loads of laundry today, so shrinkage may have to wait. But this will be perfect for CT this week!

So that was my fun last-day-of-school-for-the-kids outing at J Crew. (AT Loft outing to be covered in another post)

And the summer begins...with loads of laundry. (short term pain, long term gain)

Wearing Today and New Nail Polish

Ok, so I am finally slogging through all the blogging I missed over the weekend, and it's slow-going, since I love to read everything. I'm partway through my list. :)

So today I had to do errands, pick up Lucy, bathe her, and do some actual work. It's M & E's 2nd to last day of school - and the last full day, so I wanted to make the most of it. I was so glad to pick up Lucy today - she really is the 5th member of our family and the kiddies are so excited to see her this afternoon. And now she smells very pretty.

So in the AM, I wore my sunbleached flower crinkle tee in caspian blue (aka the "swirly" tee), and as I rightly suspected, I love it with white jeans. And I have on the J Crew braided rope rose-gold bracelet (#17753, orig $48, curr $29.99 online, very pretty)- which I love as well. But I was a little stumped about earrings. I went with a darker gold in earrings. And it will be great with my fireball necklace. So tell me...what colors do you wear with rose gold?

And I would like to thank J Crew for making their bracelets perfectly sized for my freakishly small wrists. My wrists are seriously the thinnest part of my body and so many bracelets - especially bangles are so large on me. JC - Love you, mean it.

Polyvore for today:

Wearing Today-6/15/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And, um, yeah, when it was puppy bathtime - that was outside, with me in a bathing suit, and then I just swapped out for sweats. But I am in fitted, neat, not-sloppy sweats, so hey, it took a teeny bit of effort. But way too lazy, I mean busy, to update pics & Polyvore.

And then some new nail polish...

This is Looking for Love, by Essie, spring 2008 as part of their Mod Collection. Remember how I said that most Essie polishes do weird things color-wise on my yellow-y skin? In this case, it's a good thing. They describe the polish as "a fun alluring pop of sheer lavender." I have on 3 coats here (and yes, took the pic Wed night right after doing the nails, so I haven't cleaned up my cuticles or anything). I love the slight sheerness of the color - it softens the color. I think it's actually paler IRL.

I personally would rename this "cloud" because it can go from blue to lavender to gray like the clouds change, but it's always a soft, subtle color. Not screaming neon pastel. This is going to be a favorite this summer, I can tell already. If you haven't dipped your proverbial toe into the blue/gray polish world, this may be a good way to start. Soft subtle pedi, maybe? Well...I'm loving it.

Update..finally back

Well, I can't say I feel great today, but I felt bad enough to actually take some medicine and admit that I am sick, instead of just trying to sleep it away. (Mucinex-D, I love you, and it's possible that today I love you even more than cashmere). So the medicine is making me feel better.

Ok, so I have some catching up to do. First of all, J Crew new arrivals. I hit the store to do returns on Tuesday and I did *not* buy anything. The gorgeous white with navy dots dress was only available up to size 6 and it wasn't worth asking if there were any in the back since my energy was low low low. (maybe that's a good time for me to shop?) I did fall in love with 1 top - a 3/4 sleeve knit bateau neck tee in white with thin navy stripes (also available with thin gray stripes). But the bateau neck was really really wide, and it was very close fitted so I would want to wear something underneath, but cami straps made it look like my bra was showing and the tank straps left me undecided about whether they looked cute or dorky - and like I said, no energy, no decision-making ability, so I left it there. (yay me!) It did make me look way skinny because the top was long and the stripes were so thin and I felt like Vanessa in Paris, so I may be going back to check it out. Oh, and the knit was WAY soft. Cute cute cute.

Tuesday, feeling cruddy, decided to go with my bright yellow tee to up my energy level a bit. I love this tee - especially since I only paid $15 for it. And then just some jeans rolled up and some sandals. I love the turquoise necklace with this (this was one of the necklaces from my grandmother's "junk" jewelry that I snagged from E). I will say that the tennis ball bag is a wee bright with this tee - it looked weird to me when I had it on my shoulder, but ok if I was carrying it in my hand since the green and yellow were separated. (kinda like how the Polyvore set looks better when they aren't right next to each other) Is that weird?

Polyvore set for Tuesday:

Wearing Today-6/9/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Nine West shoes

And then on Tuesday night, we had the lovely PTA Chair Person dinner. I'll be honest, I really really really just wanted to bail and go to bed early. But it's such a great group of glaydies. And it was at one of my fave restaurants, Cafe Mileto. And I didn't have to drive (thanks, MB). But seriously - what to wear? We had insane - I mean totally insane - thunderstorms that evening. And it was warm & muggy outside but likely cool in the restaurant. So, same white jeans from earlier in the day, tank, and pretty yellow & white tunic from Chicos last summer. And silver sandals from Target last year. I don't have a Polyvore because I haven't found a good dupe for this top on Polyvore. Ok, let's be honest, I haven't really spent much time looking. I guess I will now though. And I don't know that the Chicos crowd usually Polyvores, you know? Dinner was fabulous and I am so glad I went. Lots of fun.

Photo credit to Snap Happy, since I didn't get pics before I left.

Wednesday, feeling cruddier (is that a word?) I was on a conference call in the morning and then had to do errands in the afternoon, since Father's Day is Sunday. So boyfriend tissue tee and comfy white jeans. And after posting about the Havaianas, I am actually wearing them more, because I love the thought of walking on marshmallows, per lcsmom (her phrase to describe how comfy they are). I mean, seriously, who wouldn't want to be walking on marshmallows all day? It beats nails and gravel. And it also totally cracks me up, and you all know I like to be amused. It's kinda like a private joke to myself now when I wear them. Wow, the medicine is probably making me loopy. Or I need another cup of tea.

Polyvore set for Wednesday:

Wearing Today-6/10/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Havaianas shoes

So today, I have to drop Lucy at the kennel. Still haven't done it, but am planning to do so right after I post this and have a little cuddle time. Sniff, sniff. But she will be fine, I am sure. It's just me with the issues. :) We are headed to NC for my niece's high school graduation tomorrow. So I want to be comfy for the car ride, but also have on pants since we are picking up hubby at work and he will be in jeans and no doubt want the car frigid. (see? I am learning....) Navy bf tissue tee and linen-cotton seaside pants are perfect for today. I was inspired by A Bigger Closet's sparked up version of navy & khaki yesterday, so this is my version. Ok, hers was golden cypress pants, but whatever, close enough. So I have on Dina hoops, fireball necklace and Danielle sandals in warm blush to spruce it up. And, bonus, these are the accessories I plan on wearing all weekend (along with the Havaianas). So less to pack. Can I just say that I love these sandals and I am so glad I kept them? Love the color - so pretty, so fun, but so almost-neutral-it-goes-with-everything. It's funny to me that my hair is down because there's about a 1% chance that it will still be down and not in a ponytail by the time we hit the road.

Polyvore set for today:

Wearing Today-6/11/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And you see all the accessories repeated here - Polyvore for packing:

Wearing Tomorrow, Saturday, & Sunday by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Update on Lucy

Ok, so I’ve been away-ish for a couple of days with a cold, trying to get everything done and get ready to head to NC for niece’s HS graduation this weekend – technically we are leaving Thursday afternoon, so I am working on some last minute laundry so I can pack. But I am headed to bed soon. Plenty of time to pack tomorrow and I’m usually pretty quick at packing, especially for a quick and warm weekend, as we go to the river so often. The sad thing is that I have to drop Lucy at the kennel tomorrow because we can’t take her with us and I am utterly depressed at the thought.

Speaking of Lucy…here are her updates (quicker than mine, I promise, I’ll post mine tomorrow and respond to comments):

1 – She is losing her baby teeth. And M & E wanted to leave them in her crate to see if the tooth fairy would bring her anything – and of course, in this house, the TF only delivers to humans. So the next night, M & E left 2 dog treats in her crate and took out the 2 teeth they found. How cute is that? (what was not cute was their need to show me the teeth)

In case you are wondering, Lucy sleeps in her crate which is right next to my side of the bed…which brings me to update #2

2 – We couldn’t find Lucy tonight around 9:15 or so, and looked upstairs and downstairs…then I opened E’s door to find her on the floor asleep with Lucy laying next to her. E snuck Lucy in her room when we weren’t looking for a slumber party. Too cute.

But the funniest is…
3 - M & E asked if they could dress up Lucy this evening. We said ok, but if she wants out, you have to let her go. They were so proud of themselves and called hubby & me to come down for the Lucy fashion show. See below. (Skirt by Cinderella, belt from E, top by Snow White, Fairy Wings, and veil by Ariel. Sorry, no Polyvore set.)

Hubby took pic, Lucy’s looking at me because I’m the only one for whom she’ll stand still. Good puppy! I promise I’ll take all that off… just one more picture…