Guest Bathroom Update

In all honesty, I think I could write pregnancy/baby related posts daily for the next month and still not get all of the thoughts and ideas I have out. Is that normal? Because it is really hard to turn off the baby brain these days!

But with other projects currently going on at our house, I'll do my best to split my blogging time. I don't think you should expect a fashion related post anytime soon though...I'm in a what still fits phase right now and doing my best to buy only what is practical/necessary for the next few months I have left. Ok that's partially a lie - who doesn't get excited at the fact that the weather WILL warm up soon and want a few new spring/summer items? Plus, I'm only getting bigger, pre-pregnancy clothes will only last so long. But I am doing my best to be good about what's getting purchased. And sadly it's still freakin cold here so many recent purchases are more for my upcoming trips to Florida and Charlotte. Can't wait!

But I digress. This past weekend we picked up all of the big guest bathroom purchases we had ordered. Just call this free advertising for Lowes...other than the tile, yep it was a one-stop shop over here. And I'm totally fine with that this time. First of all, the prices were pretty amazing and the stuff met our quality tests. Second, we've seen some of these items installed and they look great! And third, the guys we worked with were so helpful - that really does deserve a mention in my book. So as I discussed in this post, practical won in this bathroom renovation. And as you can see, white, white and more white. Easy to clean, right? Let's hope.

*definitely not to scale

Besides the tile (our plan B splurge!), my next favorite piece is definitely the vanity. I knew I wanted a wood tone and loved the look of this one when I first saw it online. Well, lucky for me they carry the single vanity in stock at Lowes so I was able to inspect it. It's so warm, and a touch lighter in person. Just what I was looking for.

I'm pretty pumped about this toilet too. Why? Well see those flat sides? Yup, easier to clean my friends. 

Disregard the faucets in the picture above, those were just included in the online picture of the counter. Fixtures are next on the list. What we need to choose:

• 2 vanity light fixtures, maybe something like this? (going with recessed lighting overhead)
• 2 faucet fixtures - if we had ordered a custom vanity top like our master bath, I would go with an 8" widespread faucet fixtures. But the vanity top we went with is pre-drilled for a 4" centerset. These are my favorites so far. But I know good faucet fixtures are worth it so I'm a bit torn. Maybe give them a try and if we hate them in a year or two we'll switch them out? That's kind of the plan with the vanity top anyways...
• Shower head/bathtub/handle combo
• Vanity mirror - currently thinking a simple, big, builder-grade mirror to fill out the space above the vanity. Finding the perfect mirrors in our master bathroom was one of the most frustrating aspects of the project surprisingly. Time to keep it simple.

Then lastly it will be on to the small details that complete the look - possibly shelves, shower curtain (to go with this curved curtain rod), art, towels, etc. In the master bathroom we went with polished chrome fixtures to compliment the tiles we selected. But I think this time around a satin finish will work better with the pieces above.

via Bower Power Blog

Hopefully J can finish up the demo this weekend so we can get the plumber and electrician in here asap to get the rough work done before we put the walls back up. I can't wait to see this bathroom take shape!

Beauty Routine: Makeup

A little delay, but finally the last installment in my daily beauty routine. If you missed the previous posts, here you go: Part 1 - Skin Care, Part 2 - Hair.

And now, on to Makeup. Here's a peak at my go-to routine.

1 - On a daily basis, I use this Revlon face powder. I apply it with a brush and it provides just enough coverage to mask any shine moisturizer left behind. It is so lightweight. On days where I need a little boost, I'll apply Olay's CC cream first to add a touch of softness to my skin. The CC cream does a great job of smoothing out any discoloration.

2 - Next is eyeliner. I apply it all the way across my upper eyelid and only half way across the bottom (outside edge). I'm a big fan of this Maybelline one. It's smooth and not too thin, just enough definition.

3 - Once I've applied eyeliner, I swipe on a neutral, highlighting eye shadow. Something to brighten up these tired eyes during the week! The Mary-Lou Manizer is the brightest one I tend to use, on those real tired days. Other days I opt for Clinique's sunset gold which is a little more neutral. Lastly, I've had fun with this Smashbox eyeshadow sampler I recently received from Birchbox. Swipe across the top, dab on the inner corner, dab on the outer edge of the lower eyelid. And then smooth out any excess shadow that may have fallen below the eye with a pinky.

4 - As a last step to my eye makeup, I finish up with mascara. I'm a huge fan of this Clinique mascara. The comb works amazingly at lengthening those lashes! But I ran out of this mascara recently and Birchbox stepped in, providing Smashbox's full exposure. It is awesome. It has worked well thickening and lengthening my eyelashes. Definitely doesn't lengthen as well as the Clinique one does but the thickening characteristic is fantastic. And on the plus side, they both stay in place very well. I hate when I look in the mirror and there is mascara under my eyes.

5 - J stuck this rosy lips Vaseline in my Christmas stocking this year and I must say, it is fantastic. It smells amazing, adds a touch of color, and keeps my lips healthy in these cold, dry months. It's just enough sheen to finish off my daily routine.

What's your go-to makeup product?

If I only put on one thing, on weekends for example, it's mascara. Just a few swipes really seems to brighten up my face.

Loving Lately - What I'm Wearing

I hope you're all doing your best to keep warm during these frigid temps! We can't even complain here in Boston compared to those of you in #Chiberia (that's Chicago being referenced as Siberia for those of you who may have missed that).

I have to say, thank god for these recent closet additions! Here are a few items I received (or purchased for myself while shopping for others...) that I can't stop wearing lately.

1 - JCrew Factory / 2 - Lands' End / 3 - Nine West (via Zappos) / 4 - Lands' End 

1 - Oh this sweater. It has been worn countless times since the week of Christmas. Out with friends, Christmas dinner, a Holiday Party, etc. While visiting my sister in Charlotte she had something similar on from JCrew and my mom loved it. Well, JCrew Factory sells a cotton blend version, versus a wool blend sold at JCrew, for a great price. And personally, cotton is much more comfortable to my mom and I so I snagged one for myself when buying hers. And truth be told, there are 2 more arriving on my doorstep this afternoon, one for each of us. We love this sweater!

2 - Ask and you shall receive. Well, at least in my family. I asked my mother-in-law for a cable knit sweater this Christmas and am completely in love with this one. It is incredibly comfortable. And the heavy knit has been perfect on these colder days. You can see a peak of it in this IG photo. It was perfect for a snowy day in the office. That and my new Sorel boots (similar) from my in-laws, lifesavers!

3 - I may have mentioned to my mom that I was in the market for new black boots....these have been great. I love the back zipper and minimal details on these boots, very sleek. My staple outfit lately for a few trips to the city, Sweater #1, black skinny jeans, these boots. Solid, comfortable outfit, easy to pair with a fun necklace.

4 - Who doesn't love a good set of flannel PJs? I may or may not have lived in these flannel pajamas while sick last week. The comfiest pajamas I have ever owned. Period.

Any recent purchases or gifts you're loving? Do tell!

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Autumn:

If I've learned anything about my style from this move, it's that 1 - I have too many clothes and 2 - I keep things fairly simple.

Our bedroom has been in disarray since we moved in. Specifically my closet once it became the storage space for our contractor during the master bathroom renovation. There are a couple boxes of clothes that have yet to get unpacked. And guess what, I haven't missed much. I'm sure there are some cute tops, shorts, light sweaters, etc waiting to be discovered in these boxes. But I can't tell you what they look like! So that tells me one thing, I don't need them. Don't worry, they'll be getting donated.

But isn't it funny that mentally cleaning out my closet can lead to a few new purchases? How horrible is that?! Some Fridays at work are more productive than others. Last Friday? Awful. Hey, it was my anniversary and all I wanted to do was get to our dinner reservations! So when I decided to scan the promotional emails instead of immediately delete, it was clear to see that everyone is having sales. Major sales. 50% off JCrew Factory, yes please! I ordered #2 & #3 below and threw in a new pair of jeans for J to make him feel good about my spending. What?

 1 / 2 / 3

Then I learned that Old Navy was having quite the in-store sale (30-50% off). So somehow I conveniently ended up near one over this long-weekend and snagged a new vest and some long sleeve cotton T's. My definition of autumn this year is cozy. That's how I want to feel; bundled up and cozy. 

These purchases definitely fall under my keep it simple style. 

How would you define your style this season?

In the Spring & Summer I think my style is definitely more fun and bright. But this fall has me leaning towards more neutrals and cozy layers.


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Bathroom Reno: Lighting

Thanks to a weekend jam packed with getting things done and enjoying the last few days of summer, I took yesterday off from blogging. I hope you got to enjoy the close to perfect weather we had this weekend. I may have spent an hour or so floating around our pool yesterday afternoon, completely and utterly relaxed. It was just so nice out!

What allowed me to feel so relaxed yesterday and not guilty for taking a bit of me time? We fit our training run in Saturday morning, got a bunch of errands done, and even finally finished unpacking the office. Ahh, it felt good. It always feels good to get something accomplished, doesn't it?

Lets get back on track, shall we? With the tile ordered (and in!), the vanity on its way, and the electrical work done this weekend, it's time to choose lighting. Vanity lighting specifically. We've decided to go with two separate vanity mirrors so that we can install side lighting. (These pictures here and here were very helpful).

I failed to mention above but Saturday we also ordered all of the bathroom fixtures. First of all, I am in love with everything that we ordered which I guess is most important. But what a racket! I understand that every fixture is its own expense but seriously, I need to order 5 separate pieces for the shower head/hose?! And another 4 for the temperature gage and to be able to turn the water on/off. They seriously get you.

While all of our fixtures were ordered in polished chrome, our taste is fairly transitional. The shower design may be somewhat modern, but I was really drawn to the more classic faucets and rustic vanities. So the question is, what do I do for lighting? I'm considering straying away from a polished chrome light fixture. There is going to be a whole lot of shiny metal in the bathroom between the double sinks and double shower heads. Potentially even from the mirror hardware (also getting ordered asap).

Here are a few lighting options I'm considering between:

Vanity Lighting by talkative-tlc

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Decision to be made soon! 

Would you mix and match metals? Or go with all the same?

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Bathroom Reno: Hunting Down the Perfect Vanity

Hi friends! How was your weekend? We had a pretty great weekend over here getting things done around the house. There were many things crossed off the to-do list which always feels good, even got a few unexpected things done. But there's one thing that's haunting us. One major to-do item that is causing a whole bunch of gray hairs at the moment. Finding a bathroom vanity.

This bathroom renovation is definitely teaching us a lot. And we are going to be so much better prepared next time we have any major construction planned. Who knew that 60" wasn't the norm for double sink vanities (it's 72"), or that stores don't stock them very often (it's 4 weeks+ production)? Well maybe you did know all that, but we sure didn't. This could basically be a travel post considering the number of miles we put on my car this weekend searching for the perfect bathroom vanity.

Our requirements/wants:

• Two sinks
• Counter height (34")
• Cabinets and drawers (preferably a cabinet under each sink with a drawer under the cabinet, or a shelf within the cabinet for extra storage)
• Not too detailed/intricate wood patterns on the drawer fronts
• Stained (or possibly painted in milk paint so its a matte finish)

Not too much to ask for right? Oh, and one more important thing, we need it asap. We are learning that we could have made a few more decisions (like where we'd order a vanity from) earlier on. And that there are times when things come up and decisions are needed immediately. Ack! Doing my best to roll with it!

So yes, we drove all over Routes 3, 24, 93, 95, and 495 between Saturday and Sunday (if  you're not from the area, just disregard those numbers and note that it was an insane amount of driving!).

And what we learned in our travels:

• There are less than 3 stocked 60" double sink vanities at any one store, and none were our style
• They love placing the gorgeous, custom ordered vanity (12 weeks production, $$$) next to the half the price, 4 week production vanity so that you can REALLY see the difference in quality and REALLY want the custom one out of the price range and time frame.
• The Restoration Hardware outlet is the most amazing place on earth and you should totally check it out. (They had a 72" double sink vanity that I'd been eyeing online for 30% off. Ugh it was gorgeous)
• Don't even bother with IKEA bathroom vanities, unless you want an ultra modern look in which case definitely check them out.
• Take pictures of what you really like - you may be able to find someone local to build it for you (which we almost did - our contractor offered)

Needless to say, we were feeling pretty defeated by Sunday night. I'm sure many of you can relate to the whole champagne taste on a beer budget analogy? It can kinda suck sometimes. I didn't want to choose a vanity just for the hell of it because we needed one, and I really didn't want to spend a fortune on one either. We can't! So while I got dinner together Sunday night, J took to the web for some browsing. And thank goodness for his patience because we may have lucked out! I won't tell you what we ended up with yet (because we still need to order it). But here's a taste of what you can find with some searching....and how they line up to a few Restoration Hardware options that I love. Really, who doesn't love RH?! If they weren't side by side with the differences so obvious, would you be able to tell? I've included 72" options here for comparison (And yes, they all come carrera marble as an option! Just didn't have a picture of it always).

1 /  2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

We've decided that between the gray floors and gray/white walls, we'd like to warm up the space a little with a rustic vanity. Well, at least that's what we're currently envisioning! And while we were originally leaning towards a darker finish, these more natural stains have really caught out eye. Wish us luck, ordering a vanity in the next day or two.

What's your favorite stain or color option for a vanity? Would you ever choose a paint color other than black/white? 

We debated a gray painted vanity at one point but then found ourselves so drawn to something warm and rustic, keeping the space from getting too modern. I also think a colored vanity, like deep blue could look amazing in the right space. 

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Summer Style Shopping

As I mentioned yesterday, the deliveries have been non-stop over here recently. Mostly items for our new home...but here are the items I've picked up over the past week or so just for myself -

6.18 Summer Purchases by talkative-tlc

Rue La La got me good. I realized recently that my dress to wedding ratio wasn't cutting it. We have 7 weddings  this year, 7. I've re-worn a couple dresses already, my mom was kind enough to purchase me one for my birthday, and yet that still leaves 4 weddings. I don't always find the dress deals good enough for me on this site, especially since it's $10 for shipping, but their latest dress deals were unreal. The yellow/silver Lilly dress I snagged above was 80% off of the retail price. 80%! You really just can't beat that. And the orange Calvin Klein dress was more than 50% off. 

J.Crew factory recently had a 40% off your entire purchase deal. I've been trying to delete all store sale e-mails as they come in, but once and a while, when it's a % off the entire purchase, I'll browse. I threw in a pair of shorts for J this time too. Totally justifying my purchase right there. :)

Lastly, this cotton striped dress from the Gap is unbelievably comfortable. And flattering! I was sort-of between sizes so I went up. I liked the looser look rather than a little fitted on the rear. Especially since it's cotton. This was worn during our trip to Chicago and received many compliments. I am totally loving stripes lately. Can't get enough. We bought this for J when I picked up the dress and honestly, I love it. First of all, it looks great on him. But second....it's so soft, it's striped, it's hooded... I kinda, sorta want to see if the men's XS would fit me...weird? I hope not. 

Tell me, have you found any great deals lately? I very, very rarely buy something full price. Even home purchases. There is always a sale, coupon, free shipping code, online deal site to be found! Always. (Ok, almost always).

Any interest in a no-shop July with me? Closet remix challenge time!

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Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Random Wednesday, Wildcard Wednesday

Recent Home Purchases

Today feels so much like Monday to me. J & I spent the weekend in Chicago celebrating a friend's wedding/college reunion and didn't get home until well after midnight Sunday night/Monday morning. So I made the wise decision of taking Monday off from work.

This meant some things got done around our new home! While I sort through all of my Chicago pictures, I thought I'd share some recent purchases. I'm on a roll lately....it's bad. We showed up Sunday night to a few boxes on the front porch, and again Monday afternoon....all we could do was laugh. The mailman definitely hates us already. Whoops.

Here are the most recent purchases I've made. Many purchased just yesterday in our first ever weekday visit to IKEA. And let me tell you, I will never go on a weekend again! It was so calm, parking was a breeze, and there were no lines for checkout. If you can get to IKEA on a weekday and save yourself the weekend chaos, I highly suggest you do!

6.17 Recent Home Purchases by talkative-tlc on Polyvore

These items will be scattered around the house, but we literally need something for every room. I can't even think about pictures, mirrors, accessories yet. Too many big item to decide on first. But even without curtains, etc this place is starting to feel more like a home.

We spent last night putting together the IKEA shoe bin and sideboard (it's similar to the linked one but we built our own with their BESTA line). And it's so nice to look over and see a furnished space rather than a blank wall. We're getting there my friends!

If anyone has a good IKEA hack for our new nightstands, send it my way! These nightstands are just way too good of a deal not to pass up. Here's a recent post with a few ideas I've noted. Now, to find a free weekend to get them done!

Oh, and when I say many boxes on our front steps, I'm talking a few new articles of clothing too....what? I couldn't help it! These sales are insane. I'll be sharing those purchases tomorrow!

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What's in Your Travel Bag?

Over the past few years, I've figured out exactly what I need to travel comfortably. Whenever I travel and get to check a bag, I consider the flight my time to unwind, catch up on indulgent magazines, maybe sleep, maybe read. I like to be prepared with a multitude of options - magazines, kindle, and iphone/ipod are my staples. All which fit nicely into this birthday gift. Nowadays, I love traveling JetBlue just to watch HGTV or Bravo and catch up on some shows. So headphones are a must too.

 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

When possible, I am a big fan of early morning flights out and late flights home in order to make the most of our time. Early morning flights mean there's no way I'm putting any makeup on yet and I usually grab a coffee once through security at the airport. So even if the rest of my toiletries might be in the cargo space of the plane, my toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss are for sure in my carry-on bag. And so isn't this Clinique mascara. A few swipes when I get off the flight and my eyes no longer look half asleep. Brush my teeth to get rid of the coffee breath, throw on some tinted lip gloss, and I'm good to go. Oh, and I totally forgot this in the pic above but deodorant is a must too!

Lastly, water is an absolute must. I will buy the biggest bottle sold in the airport before boarding a flight. Planes are just so dry. Between the flight, coffee in the morning, usually coffee when I land, and if it's a vacation....drinks to follow soon, I do my best to keep hydrated when I can. 

Our next trip is out to Chicago for a wedding and I know these items will make their way into my carry-on bag. They always do.

What's in your travel bag? 

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Birthday Gifts Galore

I don't know about you, but we had a fantastic weekend over here! No complaints about the sunshine and Spring weather whatsoever. It's about freakin time! Tucker had a permanent grin on all weekend while getting to play outside in the grass with the freedom to roam.

I'm currently recovering from my Easter food coma, but wanted to drop in and share some of the awesome birthday gifts I received.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9* | 10*

*not exact model

I'm feeling particularly spoiled these days. J and I broke into the Vitamix on the morning of my birthday and I've gotta say, it's just awesome. I can't wait to start using it for more than just smoothies. And the 36 Hours book is one I've been eyeing for a while but could never justify purchasing. It's everything you should do with only 36 hours in most US cities or Canada. So neat! And a very exciting surprise to find on my doorstep last week.

Yes, my in-laws got my a nail/staple gun. Yes, I asked for it. Gotta start building up my tool set now! And this would have been SO helpful when we re-caned our kitchen chairs. Hmm....what to do first.

Not pictured - My mom and I will be enjoying a night at the Boston Ballet next month. And I am really looking forward to it. They have such amazing talent. And I love dressing up for the ballet. See, I can be both handy and feminine. 

How was your weekend? Did you get to breakout the sunglasses and flip-flops?

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Birchbox: March & Favorites to Date

Birchbox, you've done well this month. Very well.

• Miss Jessie's Original - Super Slip Sudsy Shampoo
• Miss Jessie's Original - Creme de la Creme Conditions
• Sumita - Color Intense Pencil
• Whish - Shave Crave Shaving Cream
• Vasanti - Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator
• Madewell for Birchbox - Emery Board

Way back in August, I received Miss Jessie's Quick Curls from Birchbox and I absolutely love it. It gives my hair soft, relaxed curls. So I am really excited to test out their shampoo and conditioner. The color pencil sure is intense...it's blue. I can't say I've had the opportunity to test out a blue eyeliner on my brown eyes yet....really Birchbox?

Moving on, the Brighten Up! face cleanser is awesome. I originally thought it would work really well with my Clarasonic Mia, but do not do that! The cleanser has micro crystals in it to gently exfoliate the skin, and let me tell you, I love it. It's definitely grittier than most gentle exfoliants so I can see how it might brighten up my dull winter skin. Lastly, the shave cream is super soothing. Not a huge fan of the blueberry scent, but the shea butter, green tea, coconut oil, and jojoba seed oil it contains is awesome. I'm planning to save some for our upcoming trip to the beach.

Birchbox reminded me that I've been a customer for 9-months, and clearly wants me to spend a little cash as they've offered me 20% off this month. Sweet! So I thought I'd share with you my Birchbox favorites to date. 

Birchbox Favorites by talkative-tlc 

Want to check out my past reviews?  

February, January, December, November, September/October, July/August

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Pretty in Pink

Although Pantone has named Emerald the color of 2013, I find myself drawn to pops of pink. While this outfit is an extreme example, any one of these pieces added to a neutral outfit would be perfect. A pop of pink, or any bright color for that matter, will brighten up your outfit without being too excessive. I may have even purchased these cropped polka dot pants and fuchsia loafers from Ann Taylor today...

Pretty in Pink by Talkative*TLC featuring:

Here's an example of a neutral top paired with pink. So fun for Spring!

via

The fact that there's a winter storm on its way to Boston right now makes me want to cry. It's ruining my plans for margaritas after work this week! And between today's purchases, and my new Jack Rogers, I am sooo ready for some warmer weather.

Any new purchases you're hoping to make for Spring? Tell me about it! What colors are you loving right now?

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Fun Facts Friday

1. Congrats to my sister for creating her own blog! I am so excited to see what she'll be sharing on Live, Love, Dwell, Repeat. If you saw her home tour, you know that she has impeccable taste! *Update - I had absolutely no idea what her post was going to be about today, thanks for making me teary-eyed at work Jack!

2. It's the third weekend in a row of snow here in Boston. Enough already.

3. But snow up north is more than acceptable! Heading up to Maine next weekend for a few days of skiing. I can't believe we haven't been since New Years.

4. Oh man, my birthday is in just over a month and people are starting to ask what to get me. Boy, did that sneak up on me! Here's a few options...

T's Birthday Gifts by talkative-tlc on Polyvore

5. Too many big purchases on the mind this year. I want them all.....

6. House hunting weekend #985 starts this weekend. Oy vey, we shall find it. 

7. I'm thinking this weekend, I might make very first lasagna. I can't believe I've never made one before....I guess because it's just the two of us? Well, if you have a great recipe, please send it my way! I'm thinking I'll bring one on our ski weekend next week. Yay or nay?

8. My second StitchFix comes today (first one here)! I am so eager to see what they chose! I will certainly let you know next week.

9. Thank you Rue La La for my new pair of Jack Rogers. I am in loooove with this print and gold border.

via

Ok, that's all I've got today. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Christmas Gifts 2012

Christmas is a big thing in our families. Big thing. Yes, we're getting older and it shouldn't be about the gifts, but there is something so satisfying about finding someone you care for the perfect gift. And seeing their reaction when they open it. I don't even know what to say, I feel so spoiled. Our families give damn good gifts, and boy did I hit the jackpot this year. Not one return. Everything was beyond perfect.

Here are some of the gifts I received this Christmas. I have no words other than thank you! thank you! thank you!

Patagonia Los Lobos Vest     Clarasonic Mia (in lavender!!)     West Elm Cozy Throw
Soda Stream (!!)     West Elm owl mugs     North Face ski jacket
Michael Kors crossbody bag     Lululemon gift card

Ski Season

I owe you a recap of our trip to Charlotte, I know. But I've decided to save my two posts on this for Monday and Tuesday, in keeping with the loose blog schedule I've beent attempting. Monday will be my first ever house crashing tour. Just wait, J&A's new home is straight of a magazine. And Tuesday will be our travel recap. Get ready!

I've been taking things slow since we got back. Slowly getting the Christmas decorations out, getting some online shopping done, etc.

One thing we have finalized since getting back from our weekend away is NYE! Finally, we are getting out of the city for New Year's Eve. I couldn't be more excited. We've rented a ski in/ski out house at a ski resort in Maine for the long weekend leading up to the New Year. Judging by the group we'll be celebrating with, it's going to be a great weekend.

Between our busy schedules and the warm weather last year, J & I hardly got out on the slopes. Our goal is to drastically change that this year.  We're both hoping to get new ski jackets for Christmas; I desperately need a new one. Here are a few I'm loving, as well as a great winter vest. I threw in a pair of ski and boots too, though those aren't on the wish list just yet.

Ski Season by talkative-tlc on Polyvore

I can't wait to hit the slopes this year! We've lined up another long weekend in March with siblings and plan to fit some day trips in there too. 

What's your favorite winter sport?

Work Holiday Parties

My first few years in public accounting, the firm I worked for threw an extravagant winter holiday party. And I LOVED it. It was held on a Saturday night, everyone got dressed up, enjoyed the open bar, and hit the dance floor.

Well, then the economy crashed...and the holiday party turned into an afterwork affair, significant others not included. This was fine too. But, you know I love a reason to get dolled up. So when I found out that the company I now work for goes all out, well I've been thinking about what I'm going to wear for months now!

One thing I love about the company I now work for is they certainly play by the "work hard, play hard" rules. And so after a long year of working hard, expanding, hitting numbers, etc, it's time to play. Our holiday party is a 3-day long event and co-workers across the globe are flown in to Boston. I've been forewarned about this party since I started, close to a year ago now.

So what do I wear?! I have one dress in mind that I already own. And if that doesn't work, I'm thinking about using Rent The Runway. Have you heard of this site? I've used it once before and loved it.

I used it back on my 25th birthday when we headed to the casino (and yes bowled at the casino ha)

The concept of RTR? Rent a designer dress for a fraction of the cost. Amazing right?! Here are a few I'd considered for a work holiday party.

1- Bagdley Mischka 2- Sachin + Babi  3 - Lily Pulitzer

So the middle one would probably wash me out this time of year but it was just too gorgeous to pass up for this post. Does your company throw a holiday party? Do you get to dress up?

Time to try on the dress I own to see if it'll work. Or if I'll just haaave to rent one of these beauties.