unintentional statement

I made up a new outfit to wear to the BYU Choirs' concert last night, but didn't have time to run it past Jordin. (I usually review newly orchestrated ensembles with someone else to help work out minor kinks.) When I got home, she had a couple things to say.

1. "Who else wears those?" (Referring to my scarf.)

2. "You look sort of like a pilgrim. But a stylish one." (I think the loafers contributed most highly to this effect.)

So there you have it. A stylish pilgrim.

spontaneous dinner group

I rarely cook for and sit down to dinner with anyone other than Jordin. Thanks to conflicting schedules, my roommates and I have never had a dinner together. Being the case, I had that idea while at church to invite a couple friends over and make a night of it! I was already planning on trying out Michelle's Pasta with Carrot/Shallot Sauce tonight, and it made the evening so much better to try it out with other people.

[From left to right: Becca, Melissa, Nichole (roommates), Jasmine, & Hayley (neighbors)]

Sunday afternoons at home are very cooking-focused, so spending the three-and-a-half hours after church making french bread, Divinity, and the pasta was a very familiar, enjoyable experience. I loved setting the table with matching silverware and coordinating dishes. I iced the glasses and had a butter plate. And the food turned out great! It felt like a family dinner, which are such a prominent part of Sunday's at home.

The triumph of the evening was that my Divinity, which initially dropped into these unappetizing puddles

set up in time for dessert into these! Not perfect, but not a failure either!


As a side note, I've been discovering lately that I love hostessing. This trait comes from a lifetime of watching my mom and grandma, the two best hostesses I know. Hostessing tonight gave me a good dose of domesticity that I crave so much.

inspired by laundry day

Today was laundry day, which always gets me thinking about my wardrobe. I rarely see it all together, but when I do, I like what I see.

Seven pairs of skinny jeans--five dark indigo, one gray, and one plum. A pair for every occasion.

Many many cardigans, blouses, skirts, jackets, and dresses. Solids, stripes, polka dots, plaid, and prints. And ruffles. Always ruffles. I love them all.

My wardrobe is the result of years of bargain shopping punctuated by coupon-assisted splurges. (Mostly on Gap jeans. I believe that good jeans are the basis for a strong wardrobe.) My wardrobe has depth, given to it by generous contributions from Susan and Grandma. I love that the pieces come from many different places and many different people.

My clothes have power in them. When I wear a piece made for me by my mother or made by Grandma years ago for herself, I feel special. I feel loved. I feel beautiful. My wardrobe has grown and changed with me, and I have seen only improvement. Its identity has developed as my own has. And I like where it's going.

12 on the 12th--First grid ever! edition

Thanks to the beautiful and talented grid-making Charlotte, I have joined the ranks of the "12-on-the-12th-ers."
1. Laura took me on a much needed Target run. I had to check out the deals on the soda aisle.
2. My Target cart, full of necessities that I've been holding off on purchasing until I could make it to Target. Blessed day!
3. SP snapped while riding home in the amazing weather.
4. I didn't get a fountain drink. That was big.
5. The clear weather made me want to run away to the mountains.
6. Instead, I spent the entire afternoon/early evening doing homework.
7. My favorite textbook. If I have to read textbooks on Saturday afternoon, tax is a pretty good one to be reading.
8. I missed several points on a homework quiz due to rounding error. This is answer I should have come to.
9. At this point in the Office episode I watched, Dwight mentions something about Dunder Mifflin's lease. My immediate response was to wonder whether the lease is capital or operating and how the company accounts for it. That was a sad moment.
10. I bought a large bottle of green Dawn dish soap at Target to honor Grandma. Green was her favorite variety but she rarely bought it because it was more economical to purchase the giant bottle of blue Dawn at Costco.
11. I snacked all day on the heart-shaped angel biscuits I made on Friday night.
12. My roommate Nichole rented the third Twilight movie and my day ended with a healthy dose of horrible acting, dysfunctional relationships, and men who look like women.

fashion statement tuesday

I spent about forty-five minutes last night constructing an outfit around Grandma's pink knit tie. Today proved once again that a good outfit makes for a good day, especially when the outfit incorporates ruffles and a very large bow.

rehearsal

I am pathetic at getting out of bed. I play the vicious game of "how much time can I shave off of my routine in order to make it to class or other obligations on time." On the weekends, when I have no set obligations, this game can go on for hours. It's pathetic. And the problem has only become worse as accounting has progressively drained me of energy. I hit rock bottom a couple of weeks ago and felt like such a loser because I am incapable of stepping out of bed before absolutely necessary. I am so sick of having just enough time. I want more time to do good things. So I took my issue to Google.

I searched "how to get out of bed on time" and came across a suggestion which is sending me well on my way to on-time-riser-hood. I'm so excited.

I now practice getting out of bed. Before it's time to get of bed. The logic behind rehearsing getting out of bed is sound. I now take about ten minutes before I go to bed to train my subconscious how to wake up when the alarm goes off. Charlotte laughed when I told her that I've been practicing getting out of bed. I laugh at myself too.

Rehearsal goes something like this:
1. Climb into bed and turn off the light.
2. Set the alarm for 1-2 minutes later.
3. Turn off the light and pretend to be sleeping.
4. The alarm rings
5. Routine commences: Push back covers, hit alarm, turn on light, jump down from top bunk, high-five Harry Potter wand that is by the bedroom door. (Yes, I am training my subconscious to high-five a fake wand as soon as I get out of bed. I feel it starts my way in style.)
6. Repeat steps 1 - 5 about four more times before going to bed for real.

And the best part is that this works! As soon as my alarm rings in the morning, even though I am tired and foggy, the routine immediately begins. It stills takes some effort for me to climb down from my bunk, but I have made it up on time for two days in a row! (This is a big deal for me.)

So yeah, I am turning into a punctual riser. I'm excited.

*What is the silliest routine you have had to practice?

be mine

In lieu of paper Valentines this year, I made cookies. 99 to be exact.


My favorite part is the colors. They look like conversation hearts. If only I had the time and talents to pipe words on them. I'll save that for another year.

Happy Valentines day! If you find yourself in Provo today, stop by for a cookie!

geek

I read a feature in InStyle magazine about the "geek glasses" trend. That was over a year ago, and thanks to Susan--style maven and the woman whose style stamp of approval leads me to accept most any style--I now have a pair! They are charcoal, plastic, and without useful function. And I like them.

Granted, I look mildly cartoonish, (especially when they pick up glare from light bulbs and camera flashes) but again, I like them. I don't wear them everyday, but every so often, they make my day.

Jordin and I also decided today that paired with this particular hat (also courtesy of Susan) today, the glasses make me look like a character from a children's book. "Susie Four-Eyes." (Patent pending) What do you think?