New J Crew Loot

Thank you Canada Post for my new duty-free J Crew loot!

Here is what I got.

Merino Lea Cardigan in snow. This is the last one I am ordering; I swear.

Printed silk twilll boatneck top. I thought I was ordering this print.

But this is what I got.
This is much brighter than something I would normally wear. Maybe it will turn out to be a good thing and force me more out of my comfort zone. I might have to get it tailored a tad bit. It flares out a bit at the bottom and that irritates me slightly.

Taffeta A-line skirt in champagne.
I love this skirt. I love that it is silk, but yet sturdy . I feel like it is not going to get heavily wrinkled in the course of a day like the silk Dupioni skirt.

And last, a swing skirt in bright poppy. I ordered this skirt about a month ago in a medium pewter. I love it but it is a bit big on me. I sized down for this one and it is a much better fit. This will be great for summer days, when a skirt and tank are my daily uniform.

Overall, I am pleased with this order. J Crew currently has an Extra 30% off promotion so I am going to try to score some more Final Sale gems tomorrow. I've got a few more purchases in mind. I'm thinking about the Victoria ruffle cami and the Linen-cotton Wendy skirt. What do you think; should I or shouldn't I?

Playing with Polyvore

Yesterday, I had good intentions of playing Polyvore and making some outfits with some of my recent acquisitions. Unfortunately, Mother Nature dumped 32 cm of snow on us and we were without power for 9 hours! I had a hard time existing without my internet. Without the internet, I was forced to try on my outfits to see if they looked well together. It was while digging through my closet, that I made the happy discovery that I have lost weight. My skinny pants fit! I also tried on some dresses that I do not normally wear due to the revealing nature of the cut. But, using my new-found layering skills, I was able to match a few dresses up with other pieces that make a wearable outfit!

Here are some of the outfits I came up with.

Neutral Tuesday - by KDot on Polyvore.com
Reitman's gray pinstripe pants (my skinny pants)
Unlisted brown tank (from Costco - not as pictured but close)
J Crew Grosgrain Bow Cardigan
Long pink pearls that I doubled around my neck.
Gold and pearl bracelet that I picked up at flea market.

I wore this today and had originally planned to match it with my Pearl Cluster Bracelet from Forever 21. But when I went to put it on, the clasp broke. I have never worn the bracelet before. Good thing that I have some jewelry making tools and can fix it.

Next up is the outfit that I plan on wearing tomorrow as it is suppose to be warm and sunny (Wacky Maritime weather again. Warm, snow, warm; the weather is always changing.)

Untitled - by KDot on Polyvore.com
The dress is a burgundy sheath dress from Martin and Osa. This was the closest picture I could find. I'm pairing it with my new Merino Lea Cardigan in black, black tights, my black Joe Fresh ribbon necklace, and if my feet can handle, my tall "bitch" heels. They are the tallest heels I own. I may have to take a lower pair with me in case my feet give out mid-day.

Snow day!

We have some wacky Maritime weather today. We had a beautiful weekend with warm temperatures above +10 C. The whole neighborhood was out doing yardwork and barbecuing. Today, there is a snow storm with 10 cm of snow predicted. Usually that is not enough to close down the schools but when freezing rain is added into the equation, the schools are always closed. There is freezing rain in the mix today! Yay for a long weekend for me! So today I am hanging out around the house in my Juicy's doing some cleaning.

My father was up last week and I put him to work. I have a great computer dork husband but he is not so good with the handy work. Luckily, my father is handy-man extraordinaire. He re-did our computer room last week. He painted, added new baseboard, door and door trim and installed new lighting fixtures. He also brought up a new desk for me that he built! I have been looking for a simple big desk for years. I like very clean lines but wanted enough room so I could spread out my scrap booking and not have to use our dining room table. Dad just threw together such a thing for me using scrap wood. I am one spoiled girl. Unfortunately, my dad is a very messy home renovator so there is lots for me to clean up today.

I was also glad to be home for when the Canada Post lady came knocking at my door; my J Crew package had arrived. Unfortunately, unlike my packages that were delivered last week, Canada Post charged me duty. The order was small, only two Merino Lea Cardigans, but the duty was $29. Ouch! But because Canada Post doesn't catch every single order, it is still a better alternative than shipping with UPS. Here are the newest additions to my Lea cardi collection.
My black Lea that took ten orders before it actually shipped. J Crew gave me free shipping for the inconvenience. I think I will be wearing this one a lot.
The Lea in citron yellow. This one, I'm not sure what I'll wear with. But I think I will do some playing around with Polyvore this afternoon when my chores are finished. I'm excited to add both of these to my closet.

Hubby is home and he brought presents!

DH arrived home from San Franscico late last night. He goes away to work conferences about twice a year and always comes home bearing gifts. I think this is partly to stem my excessive whining that he is going away while I stay home. He always buys me something I would not normally buy myself. This time he really spoiled me.

I have always wanted a Burberry purse. On our last U.S. shopping trip, I told myself I WAS going to buy one. We go down to the States twice a year to go outlet shopping. When push came to shove, I couldn't bring myself to make the big purchase. I am by nature a very cheap person and I couldn't do it, even with the discounted outlet prices. I had a feeling that DH would buy me a bag while he was gone, but I was expecting a very small handbag. This is what I got.

Isn't she pretty? I LOVE it. I still fell guilty though because I know how much he spent on me. I know that he was talking about buying a Burberry present for himself but chose instead to spoil me. What a great husband I have.

Kitty also enjoyed this present but for different reasons. I think this is the nicest box she will ever sit in.

Back to the fashion

I had a few J Crew packages arrive this week but haven't really felt like trying on my new items until today. This week's packages were delivered through Canada Post instead of my usual UPS. I will be sticking to Canada Post from now on. The packages were actually sent through Express Post so they took about a week to arrive, the same as my UPS packages. The best part was that Canada Post didn't charge me any duty. Goodbye crazy UPS brokerage fees.

The first item was my favorite Merino Lea Cardigan in desert brown. Although I love the Lea Cardigan, I'm having a hard time deciding what to pair under this cardi. The brown is such a faded, muted brown, nothing seems to look right with it. Tonight I paired the cardi with dark jeans and a bright pink tank. It was ok, but not awesome. Any suggestions on colors to pair with desert brown?

My next item was the Pique Hoodie in poppy. This will be great popped over a tank for running around the house. It is also super comfy.

My Marcela Blouse in nantucket fog was next in the box. I was a bit disappointed in this one. Even though I sized down, this blouse is still a bit too loose.

I was also disappointed in the Grosgrain-bow city tee cardigan in champagne. I guess I didn't read the product descroption very well because I wasn't expecting the thin material. I'm also stuck on what to pair with this cardi. I need some color as the champagne tends to wash me out.

The disappointing trend continued with my Cotton Taffeta Nicky Skirt in bright fuschia. For some reason, I ordered this is my normal size, 8, instead of my usual J Crew size of 6. It's way too big for me and just packs on the pounds to my chunky thighs.

I also got a couple of Solid Washed Favorite Tanks (in citrus lime and bright rhubarb). These are great little tanks, great for layering now and for casual summer wear later.


I have a couple more orders coming on Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully I will have better luck with those items.

My fur diva

Thank you everyone for your kind words about Jasper. It does get easier everyday. I had a talk with a co-worker today and it really helped. He is also a cat lover and therefore, he could understand what I am going through. I don't think non-animal lovers realize how big a part animals can play in our lives.

I feel like I should give equal airtime to my little fur diva, Kitty, who is missing her brother this week. Kitty is 6 pounds of demanding diva. But she is my little angel. We adopted her from a shelter in 2003. Kitty and I immediately bonded and she has been my shadow ever since. I have heard that cats are independent creatures but mine are not. Kitty is always near me. When my alarm goes off in the morning, she jumps on me to say, "Let's gets going Mom". And for the rest of the day, she is always near me.

Here is my little girl.

Having a rough week

I've haven't been blogging much this week as I am having a rough week. I miss Jasper so much it makes my stomach hurt. This week is also a sad one at work as my school is dealing with the tragic death of a student. It is sad at home and at work.

I started going through our many pictures of Jasper. I am so glad we took so many pictures of our "big man." Here is some of Jasper's cuteness.

Jasper as a kitten. He used to have this pop-up tent that he loved to sit in.

Peeking out from between the sheets.
He didn't play with toy mousies; he devoured them!
My handsome man.
Jasper; with us from August 31, 2004 - March 22, 2009. I love you Jasper Doodle.

Jasper

I am having a rough day. Our cat Jasper passed away yesterday. He was only five.

Yesterday morning, Jasper looked fine. He was in bed with us early in the morning purring away. I remember that when my husband started to get out of bed because he had to go to the airport, I wouldn't let him crawl out of my bed on my side. Jasper was on the other side and wouldn't move either. DH had to crawl to the end and hop off that way!

We left the house at 10 am. Jasper was sitting on our big leather ottoman in the sun. There is a basket on the ottoman that I bought to hold our many TV remotes. Jasper claimed it as his own long ago. It was a little too small for Jasper's girth so when he curled up in it, there was always a stray paw or two sticking out. Jasper was sitting straight up in this basket when I left. He looked right at me and I said goodbye and that I would be back in a few hours.

I dropped off DH at the airport and drove to my parents' house, about an hour and half away. My dad and I came back in the afternoon as my dad is staying with me this week. I don't do alone time very well. I came in the house first as Dad dug through the trunk to get his bags. Jasper was lying in his basket right where he was when I left him but he was stretched out with his head resting on the edge. It looked like he was asleep but he looked different. His eyes were really closed. I called his name and he didn't move. It was really weird because he always runs to the door to greet who ever is entering. I walked up to him and touched him on the stomach. Then I knew; Jasper had died.

The vet doesn't know what happened to Jasper. He was only five and appeared fine. I am comforted by the fact that he fell asleep in his favorite spot in the sun. There was no suffering. He didn't have to make a stressful trip to the vet after suffering through an illness. We will never know what happened. To have an autopsy done, we would have to send Jasper to another province and they would not send his remains back. We have chosen to have him cremated so upon my husband's return, we can say goodbye to our "big man". Together.

It was so hard to call my husband on his layover in Toronto and tell him the news. Jasper and DH had a strong man bond going on. Jasper was his shadow, always by his side. Jasper would wake DH up in the middle of the night by licking his hair. Jasper loved to take care and groom his "dad". I know this week will be so hard on my husband, even though he won't show it. He said the flight from Toronto to San Fransisco was so long. Everything that he brought to entertain himself, movies and games, couldn't distract him from the fact that Jasper is gone.

I'm home today. I took a sick day to deal with the logistics of what to do with Jasper. I'm so glad my dad was here to help. As I sit here in my living room, I look around and can see Jasper everywhere. I can see him stretched out of the floor in front of our fireplace. I can see him perched beside the window keeping guard over the neighborhood. I can see him trotting happily to his food bowl at supper time. I miss my Jasper Doodle so much.

I am comforted by my Kitty, who knows something is wrong with her Mommy. She hasn't left my side all day and is giving me lots of cuddles and kisses. I was worried that whatever happened to him will happen to her. We closed off all areas where Jasper might have gotten into something, mostly our basement. I moved Kitty's litterbox into my bedroom so I can make sure her bathroom habits are normal. She is eating and drinking. She is talking a lot. Before Jasper came to live with us, Kitty would talk a lot. She was lonely. When Jasper came, she stopped talking. She must be lonely today.

Testing out Forever 21

In my daily blog reading, I've been seeing a few ladies wearing items from Forever 21. This week, I placed my first order as a test to see how I like F21. I ordered the Pearl Glory Bracelet and Faux Pearl Cluster Necklace on Wednesday. I came home today to find a Purolator slip on my door. My F21 order had arrived. That was quick! After the long, long drive out to the Purolator depot, I had my new pearl jewellry in my hands.

First off, let's start with the Faux Pearl Cluster Necklace.
This was $9.80. I wouldn't pay any more than that for it. I like the look of the necklace as it is a replica of the much pricier J Crew version. However, the gold feels and looks cheap. But, overall, I am fairly pleased with this purchase.

The Pearl Glory Bracelet was also $9.80. This bracelet is just an ok for me. The bracelet is actually two strands that are only attached each other at the clasp. As a result, it hangs in an odd way on my wrist. But at only $10, it's no big waste. I'll give it a try with a few outfits and see how it works.

I'm not sure if I'll order from F21 again. The shipping was quick but expensive. The items were cheap in cost but it shows.

My Joe Fresh Finds

I was out at the grocery store picking up some milk today when I swung by the clothing section. Old habits die hard. I used to be a huge fan of the Joe Fresh line but have since realized that the saying, "you get what you pay for" is true. I find that the fit of Joe Fresh clothing is really wonky sometimes and poor fabric is used. But the prices are great. Now when I buy Joe Fresh clothing, I know that it will only last a few months before it falls apart. I also know to try it on in the store because the return policy is really strict.

Anyways, I tried on some clothes tonight but couldn't find anything that gave me a "wow" feeling. I wondered over to the cosmetics section to find some top coat nail polish. It was there I found Joe Fresh's jewellry line. It is a new, exciting discovery for me (I don't get out much). I found these little earrings there for only $7.
Then I spied this necklace which reminds me a lot of a J Crew necklace.
It was $19. I had $30 of PC Points saved up so it's almost like I got these for free. Woot, woot.

How many merino lea cardigans can a girl have?

Is six too many?

I love J Crew's Merino Lea cardigan. It all started with one if my first J crew purchases; a lea in melon. That lead to the discovery that I could layer! I had always though I was a simple dresser who didn't have enough fashion sense to layer. With this cardigan's low v-neck, I was forced to layer. I discovered that the cardigan looks great with a blouse and pearls and a tee and jeans. And the buttons,they were oh so pretty and shinny.

Next came the lea in navy. The button were more subdued, but still just as nice. This one looked great with camis, green tees and crisp white dress shirts. But I still needed more. Dark peony came next. It had a small tear in it, but I didn't care. I loved it so much, I would fix whatever it needed.

In the last couple of days, I have ordered the lea in desert brown, citron yellow, and the elusive black. This will be my 10th attempt to order the black. Let's hope this bad boy ships. I have to wonder, when will it be enough? I think I'm still hankering after the gray, white and green. Will people start to wonder about me when I start wearing the same sweater in different colors everyday? Oh Lea, how you complete me.

Refreshing an old stand-by

Many years ago, after I had graduated from university (the first time) my mother and I were digging around in the Sears Bargain Basement for deal, a favorite weekend pass-time for us. She found a suit for me and proclaimed it would be a great interview outfit. It was a sheath dress, pants and jacket, all in a black pin-strip. I bought the set and wore it to many interviews. Ultimately, because I had a history degree and no real skills, I ended up wearing my suit to the only job I could find at Sears. How ironic.

Anyways, I was digging around in my second closet today when I found my old suit. My second closet is for the clothes that I don't really wear but am not ready to part with. It's like the midway point between wearing them and donating them. When I found my old suit, I decided to try it on and see if it still fit, and it did. I love it when old university clothes still fit especially when I think about my fat self three or four years ago. I almost hit 200 pounds back then (yuck). Looking at my suit with today's eyes, I can see that it is lacking. The suit jacket is long and sad looking. It does not "lock and load" as Stacy and Clinton would say. The pants have an awful elastic waist and give me a front butt. But the dress, it's still pretty cute. A simple sheath dress never goes out of style. I popped on a J Crew cardigan and decided I was going to bring the sheath back. So I will be wearing it tomorrow.


Refresh a sheath - by KDot on Polyvore.com

Sears back pinstrip dress
J Crew Merino Lea Cardigan
A whack of pearls
Chaps black and white wedges
Black tights

I always like to plan my Monday outfits with special care. Partly because I am too dead to the world Monday morning to see straight and partly because dressing well helps me get through a tough day. Mondays are usually tough. Hopefully this outfit will do the trick.

Making a list and checking it twice

DH is off to a conference in San Francisco in one week. He has agreed to go to a few stores for me that we don't have here. Today I am making a list for Sephora. He went there for me last year and came back with lots of treasures. What a man I have. This time I want him to get me Philosophy Hope in a Jar and Nars Blush in Orgasm. Are there any other great products at Sephora that I need to try?

DH is also going to stop by Lush in the airport to restock my supply of Mask of Magnaminty. And if he has time to find J Crew, he will go there and pick me out a few treasures.

Knowing that he will come back with presents always makes it easier for me to say bye. I hate being away from him for a night and this will be a whole week. I get a bit bitter when he talks about all the neat things he will be doing (Napa wine tour!). His boss treats him so well.

Saturday Shopping with the Hubs

Today DH and I hit the mall so he could take advantage of the Gap's Friends and Family sale. We had a great couple of hours; drinking our Tim Horton's coffee, shopping and finding great deals. He found two pairs of pants at the Gap, a dress shirt at a local men's store and a Lacoste long-sleeved golf shirt. The Lacoste shirt was the deal of the day. It was marked down from $150 to $25!

I found a few little things, one being this brightly colored necklace at The Bay.
I spied it a few weeks ago but it was not on sale. I rarely buy anything that is regular priced. Today it was 40% off so it came home with me.

I also found these moccasin inspired shoes at Naturalizer.
Naturalizer has great sales. These were originally $100 but were marked down to $19.99. I've been hankering for some moccasins for a couple months and I think these will do nicely. They are leather and wide width so they fit my honking feet. They also have a little heel, making them great work shoes. I find it hard to teach all day in flats. I'm so glad DH made me take back the cheapo mocs I bought from Old Navy. He said they looked awful and looking at these today, I realize how bad the ON pair was. I'm so glad I have a husband with good taste.

Here is what I wore today. It's pretty simple, but I don't usually dress up on the weekends.

Gap jeans (thank you F&F sale)
Banana Republic tee with great puffed sleeves
Coach purse
Joe Fresh brown flats (cheapo, but I usually am cheap with my flats)
I topped it off with a beige blazer and red scarf. It is still a bit too cold to wear my spring clothes but I'm starting to anyways. I can't take the heavy, winter clothing anymore and don't mind suffering with a bit of cold. I'm only outside for a few moments anyways, as I dash from my car to inside.

M&O Rage = JC $$$

Yesterday I received an email from Martin & Osa stating:

Dear KBear, We have received your merchandise return and issued a credit for your order as follows:

ITEM(S) RETURNED AND CREDITED:

Moody Rose Silk Shift Dress SKU: 4010341875 Class-Style: 1752-2915 Size: 6 Stretch-Satin Shift Dress SKU: 4010316455 Class-Style: 1754-2853 Size: 6

Funny thing is, I sent those items back to be exchanged for another size. So I called M&O to see what is up. Their response; they don't do exchanges for Canadians. That's fine, but they should tell their Canadian customers that fact at some point before they send items back for an exchange! When I originally received my two lovely dresses that unfortunately did not fit, I called M&O for instructions on how to return them in exchange for another size. The customer service agent I spoke to, never once did mention that Canadians cannot exchange. The form I filled out and sent back with the dresses did not mention the fact either. If I had known Canadians could not exchange items, I would have ordered the right size immediately and waited for my refund. Now, several weeks later, I find out this out and the items I want are no longer available. Boo, M&O. Guess I won't be taking part in your extra 20% off promotion.

So instead, I spent my money at J Crew. I recently found out that I can ship my J Crew items through Canada Post and not UPS and therefore, save the high UPS duty fees. I filled an order this morning as a test to see if I will save any money. I find that Canada Post is often slack in collecting duty fees. It will also be nice not to have my J Crew packages chucked on the doorstep like UPS does. I found lots of goodies on J Crew this morning including my favorite, the Merino Lea Cardigan. I have it in navy, pink and purple and snagged one today in desert brown. I also found some great tanks, a hoodie, the Nicky skirt that I've been eying for awhile and few other pieces. Hopefully, Canada Post does not take too long to deliver.

I want you on my feet

I spied these Coach ballet flats tonight at Winners. I love and greatly covet them. They feel soooo nice on my feet. But at $120, do I really need them? Le sigh. I hid them on the bottom shelf just in case DH decides to spoil me and goes back to get them.

Martin & Osa - 20% off

I just received an email from Martin & Osa announcing their latest deal; an extra 20% off. With free shipping and returns, this is mighty tempting. I have had my eye on this dress for the last month but I think I will wait until the item is at a higher discount, especially considering the damage I know I will be making this week at the Gap and Old Navy.

Any bloggers out there taking part in this promotion? In case you decide to, the code is 32264788. Happy shopping!

I heart Gap

I've been looking forward to the Gap Family and Friends sale for a few weeks now. I have held off purchasing anything for the last two weeks in preparation. The sale is an extra 30% off anything in the store. I received the offer in an email and a paper copy that a student always makes sure I have. He work at the Gap and knows how often I am in there. Today the sale started. I looked forward to it all day and hit the mall soon after school ended. Here is what I found.

Belted Trench in Blue Bell
I've been hankering for a bright coat for a couple of months. I saw these trenches today and kept on coming back to them; the pink trench really caught my eye. Finally, I tried on the beige, which is what I would have bought in the past. Beige is a nice safe color. I tried it on and it looked cute but boring. I think I would quickly tire of the pink so that wasn't really an option either. Then I spied the blue bell version. Ding, ding! We have a winner. I think I will get lots of use out of this trench, I can see pairing it with jeans and flats as well as my dressier school clothes.

The New V-neck Cardigan in Black
I've needed a black cardigan for awhile. I have several sleeveless sheath dresses that I would like to wear in the winter. A black cardigan is what I need to make it weather appropriate. I tried nine times to order my beloved J crew Merino Lea in black but have not had success. I thought this cardigan would fit the bill of what I was looking for. I bought it, took it home and tried it on with my dresses and decided it's a return. The buttons just don't do it for me; they're so ordinary. I do love the pretty Merino Lea buttons. I found that the arms were too tight on me and the look too casual for what I was going for.

I also found a beige merino cardigan on the sale rack. I got it for only $11! On the same rack, there was a cute pink tee with a large flower on the bottom. Both items must be older items, as I can not find pictures on Gap's website. I also stocked up on some underwear. I love Gap's under-roos and at three bucks a pop, I couldn't go wrong. My last purchase was a pair of curvy jeans. They are a little shorter than my usual length so I think they will be great with ballet flats.

Tomorrow I will be hitting Old Navy to se what I can find there. I will be returning to the Gap with DH, who will want to check out the sale. I'm still debating if I should get two more items.

I think this skirt is super cute but worry that it will make my bottom half look chunky. I carry all my weight down low. I usually stay away from horizontal stripes. At the store they had it paired with a white tee and a long cardigan the exact shade of J Crew's Merino Lea in bright fucshia and it looked sharp.
I also love this dress. It is too short, however, for work wear. I worry I would not get any use out of it. Outside school, I usually don't dress up. Maybe it could be my reason to get out of my Juicy pants.

Beauty Must-Have: Green Beaver

They sound like a naughty product but Green Beaver products are a beauty must-have for me. Why are the products so great? They are 100% natural, with no harsh scents and are easy on my sensitive skin. The more I age, the more sensitive I become to scents and beauty products. Anything that isn't hypo-allergenic and scent-free turns my skin into a red, itchy mess. Green Beaver makes my skin feel soft and smooth. The products do have a scent but because they are made with natural ingredients, it is a slight scent. Here are a few of my favorite Green Beaver products.

Daily Facial Cleanser with purifying grapefruit & soothing aloe
This is my everyday cleanser. It has a grapefruit smell and is gentle on my skin. When I first started using this product, along with the blemish mousse, my breakouts drastically decreased. That was fantastic. It is embarrassing to teach 14 year-olds and sometimes have more pimples than they.

Facial Exfoliant with gentle bamboo micro-fibers, purifying grapefruit & soothing aloe
I use this badboy a few times a week as my exfoilant. It is gentle enough to feel like I'm not ripping my skin off. Again, it has that great grapefruit smell.

Blemish Mousse with antibacterial lemon extracts and soothing witch hazel
This product is Green Beaver's true star. It has made my pimples go away without drying out my skin with harsh chemicals. I used it to replace the old Clear N' Clean toners I've been using since high school.

I also use Eye Make Up Remover with soothing aloe and vitamin E. I have not had any horrible reactions to it, so that's makes it a winner in my books. I can tell you horror stories about what Avon make-up remover did to my face. The Day Facial Moisturizer with soothing aloe & anti-oxidant green tea was too rich for my oily skin so I use it as a hand moisturizer instead.

Each of these products cost around 15 dollars and are found in many health food stores. If you are looking for natural, gentle facial products, I highly recommend trying this line.

What I'm Wearing Today

Today was a long day but it was made easier by the fact that I looked somewhat spiffy. I really do need to start picking out my shoes at night when I plan my outfits. I am too comfortable with throwing on black or brown shoes as I run out the door. I do have great shoes, A LOT of great shoes. I just don't wear them. My excuse is that I am on my feet all day and can only handle certain shoes. I never seem to find any other occasions to wear my pretty footwear. Anyways, here is what I am wearing today.


White and navy - by KDot on Polyvore.com

J Crew Melanie Merino Cardigan in white (I love the pearl buttons)
Martin and Osa hmmered silk tank in navy
Gap trousers in a gray check
My old trusty black boots
Pearl and gold necklace from The Bay

I did some more shopping online today at school. What a bad teacher I am. I loaded up my cart on J Crew but didn't pull the trigger. First of all, I am still disgusted at J Crew's tax rates. I am also holding out for the Gap and Old Navy's Family and Friends sale coming at the end of this week. I have glorious plans for all the treasures I will find.

It's just another manic Monday

I knew today was going to be a busy day so I planned my outfit last night. I am so glad I did. With the time changing and the adjustment of crossing many time zones in one day, I was fried this morning. Here is what I came up with.


Manic Monday - by KDot on Polyvore.com

Gap Curvy Trousers in brown
J Crew Merino Lea Cardigan in navy
J Crew Quinn Cami in buttercup (more yellow than the cami shown)
A blue beaded necklace from Reitman's
My brown Coach purse
My brown Hushpuppies
Red patent belt from Joe Fresh

Back from Mexico

I'm back from Mexico. DH and I had a beautiful, relaxing week. Here is what I did most of the week.

I sat by the pool, read many books, and drank many pina colodas. I only thought about work a handful of times! Oh bliss. Today I was back at work and hit hard by the work load. Why did my school decide the week after March Break would be a perfet time for report cards. Eeek! So much marking to do. So much detoxing as well. All those pina colodas went straight to my hinny. I'm eating clean for the next week and breaking out the old rules that helped me lose 25 pounds for our wedding last year.