Thrifting, Genetics and Pinwheels

In true "game of threes" fashion, I am happy to share the story behind this outfit. However, it is safe to say that these 3 randoms are actually very much connected. Read on, my lovelies for an installment of fashion feature a la Monday. 

First and foremost, with the exception of the accessories, this outfit is thrifted from top to bottom. AND it all came from the same Deseret Industries on the SAME day!!! It was a glorious day. On Mother's Day weekend I told myself I would have a completely selfish weekend because I was burnt out and needed some me time. So I had what I deemed a "freedom adventure" weekend. Day 1 was spent thrifting. The MuuMuu turned awesome outfit was from that day too! Like I said it was glorious. One thing that is always completely ridiculous, frustrating and funny at the same time is how genetics get in the way of outfits looking like they're supposed to. You're probably thinking, "duh, nothing EVER looks like it does on the model." My biggest body issue is called long torso. Well long torso, broad shoulders and "ladies" that just make it difficult to find tops that work. And so I usually spend a good portion of my dressing room time rolling my eyes and saying, "oh what a lovely tunic that has a tag that says it's a dress." This outfit was just such an occasion and I had purchased another top in the last couple of weeks that was CLEARLY a dress and on me it's a tunic. Super. How do I make it work? I create a two-piece outfit look. Generally, the best way to make this happen and look good is with a straight skirt on the bottom. And with this outfit I made sure to include a belt so that I accentuated the smallish waist line and drew the eye to the curves and not the imperfections. 

Along with being a completely gorgeous and sunshiney day, today is Memorial Day here in America. Memorial Day is a day for us to remember our loved ones who have passed on as well as the men and women who have fought for the freedoms of America. This spring my mom told me that my great-great grandma, Maud Ellen, was buried in the Ogden Cemetary. This is a significant bit of information because this woman is my hair sake. I am the ONLY one on both sides of my immediate family who has the exact color of my hair. As a child it bugged me when people asked me where it came from or the side of the family. Then one day my great-grandma said to me, "your hair reminds me of my mother. Her hair was that exact color and I love it." It made my day/life and I've always felt a serious devotion to this woman. I make a lot of trips to the cemetery now just to feel the peace and connection with this woman. There have been tears but there have also been some really spiritual experiences between a girl and her grandma. From feisty redhead to feisty redhead. And the genetics that I referenced above come from this woman's side of the genetic line. BONUS! Or something like that. It was truly an honor to make the trip to the cemetary after church yesterday and see flowers already at her and my grandpa's grave (meaning other family members had been there) and to leave my signature memoral item: a pinwheel. I hate fake flowers and real flowers die so I leave a pinwheel. And somehow the beauty of a pinwheel as it is hit with a bit of wind is symbolic of life and of death and of the process of grieving. And so it is. My game of threes which are oh so related. 

The moral of the story: we are blessed beyond measure to have generations that came before us with the will and drive and super genetics to make our life possible. 

Until next time, my lovelies! 

-R

Put on Your Service Shoes & GO!!!

Fashion Feature - Sanuks

It’s been a mentally taxing week in my world which is why the blog has been a bit quiet.  If you read my previous post you know that I was out of town last weekend for a family event and I’m always a bit of a zombie when I get home from travelling.  Laundry-sort of done, sort of not folded, kitchen – sort of mopped, dishes sort of not loaded in the dishwasher, floors – sort of vacuumed, but sort of not.  You get the picture.  But, I’ve had more important things on my mind.  Service and the Friday fashion feature go hand-in-hand this week. 

Last week, my dear friend had the gut and heart wrenching reality of a child who attempted to end her own life.  This family has become some of my dearest friends since moving to the ‘hood and this particular child has been one whom I have loved from the beginning.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE all of them, but for some reason she is just fabulous.  But she definitely has her struggles.  It is so hard to witness because I do get it, from all sides, on a very small scale.  As I was driving out of the state last Friday, I received a message that the decision was made to admit her to an in-patient scenario due to the severity of the situation.  I have an extremely empathetic heart and I feel pain for other people regularly.  It can really get the best of me and I have to keep it in check, but it is how I’m programmed.  I thought about my friend’s family all weekend and prayed that all would be well when I returned to Utah.  When I rolled into town on Sunday evening, there weren’t a lot of answers and everything was VERY uneasy.  At minimum her stay would be 5 days which would put her coming home on Wednesday.  Monday afternoon I was sitting in my office trying to decide what to do next (mostly busy work) and I took a peek at my Facebook for a minute.  My friend had posted that she needed help with something she couldn’t do.  I sent her a message and this was her reply, “I need to clean her room so that it isn’t harmful in any way when she gets home and I just can’t bring myself to do it.”  Pit in my stomach.  BIG PIT.  Breathe in, breathe out.  I dropped what I was doing, left work early and sent a message that I was on my way with dinner for the other kidlets.  My friends are my family and this was absolutely necessary.  That night was one of the most humbling experiences I’ve had in a really long time.  It was one of those moments when you have to say a LOT of prayers just to get in the car.

So…. Here’s the FASHION part….I put on my big girl panties and my services shoes….my trusty Sanuks.

Last year I was introduced to Sanuks at the Ogden Marathon.  I purchased a pair of flip flops from a local vendor and I could not stop wearing them.  HELLO, comfortable.  When I pulled up their name on Amazon I soon found that they had all sorts of styles and I needed some more!!  I found a polka dotted pair (WINNING) that looked more like hippie, surfer shoes, but they were on sale so I couldn’t help it.  That’s my answer for a lot of things.  *DISCLAIMER -- bad idea* 

According to Sanuk’s website, “we strive to make products that are as much about fun and funk as they are about function. We've found that our feet are happiest when they tread the road less traveled- so we design our sandals accordingly! Because “Sanuk” is the Thai word for fun and happiness, our name is also our mantra.” (www.sanuk.com)

Well, there ya go!  Fun, funk and function.  Those are three things that are almost always and should be involved when service is on the agenda.  Volunteering our time is always a big sacrifice, but also donating our heart and energy to a cause that is probably less-fortunate that our own is taxing too.  But, we know that with a good pair of shoes we can accomplish ANYTHING!  In the last 2 months I’ve had the opportunity to wear my Sanuks for a number of different service events and it just makes me happy!  My tootsies are comfy so I can serve more.  Bonus!

I will add that as of blog composition (Thursday-ish), my friend’s daughter is still in the hospital and life is still very uneasy, but they are coping and conquering every day one-at-a-time.  Life is hard.  Life is a cluster of a few too many “what the hell" moments, but it is also FULL of sunshine and opportunities to serve others.

The moral of the story:  We can do ANYTHING, bring sunshine to others during our own storms and hippie surfer shoes, with a funny name, have superpowers at my house.

Until next time, my lovelies!
-R

Come Together. Right now.

I spent the weekend with my crazy wonderful family in Idaho. My lovely cousin, Mya, married her sweetie in a gorgeous outdoor wedding. It was a whirlwind weekend that was a Mötley Crüe of families from multiple marriages and the common denominator was our Mya. It was pretty awesome. 

One of the things I cherish most about this side of the family is how simple we are. We don't need a big production to make memories. Really all we need is a boatload of hot dogs, a camp fire and a swimming pool. The photo above was taken by my cousin, Allie. I couldn't have done a better job. This pool is the center of our family. My great-grandparents had it and my mom and her brothers learned how to swim in this pool. My brother and I were fortunate enough to have some swimming lessons with our incredible great-grandpa before he passed away. And now, the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren continue to enjoy great moments in the pool. On Friday night we were in the pool well past sundown and we laughed and shared stories and bonded. Again. That night as I was laying in bed I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my simple, redneck, loud, loving relatives. We party like rock stars and we know it. And then I read this status update by my Allie. "Mya gets married tomorrow. So what do we do? Have a giant get together and roast hot dogs and swim. Who needs a fancy rehearsal dinner when you have an awesome family like this?" I will never feel comfortable in a big production hoopty-doo setting. I hate it actually. If there has to be brovado we aren't trying hard enough to really get to know each other. 

I also want to say how blessed I am to be the oldest cousin and really the "mostly aunt" to so many little people. I remember being so bent as a kid that I didn't have cousins my age but now I am overwhelmed with the pure JOY that I experience with these cousins. I can't get enough of them. The kisses and the teasing and the sweet baby smiles keep me going. I was especially touched when I was leaving my aunt and uncle's house on Saturday night and my darling cousin ran out the door and yelled, "I love you!!" And then she fell asleep in my lap the next day at church. Adore her. Adore all of them. 

The moral of the story: the memories we make with our family are critical. They don't have to include fancy places or fancy decorations, but they do need go include lots of laughter and "I love you." 

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R

Fashion Feature and Two Bits to Boot.

This weekend a big event took place here in the ‘hood.  The Ogden Marathon was on Saturday.  Because Ogden is awesome and the race is a Boston qualifier, our little home sweet home entertained a lot of people from all corners of the country and world in the course of 48 hours.  I decided that Friday’s fashion feature needed a little O-town history and I upped my game on the photos for my outfit to support this effort.  Historical 25th Street is the road that runs directly in front of Ogden’s historical Union Station.  When the railroad was in full force, H25 was called, “the red carpet of Ogden.”  Because of that it has always been known for its eclectic group of shops, galleries and restaurants.  And you don’t have to dig around too much to find out that it has had its fair share of “good stories” including bootlegging during prohibition, prostitution, and a myriad of other dicey events.  But, it is our history and our story and there are some incredible business owners on the street who do everything they can to preserve the culture, history and natural beauty of our “red carpet.”

This week’s feature outfit is one of my new favorites (I feel like I say that each time).  And the top reason is because it made me laugh when I realized, in the dressing room at D.I., that the very best way to dress this vintage moo-moo up was by coupling it with a Michael Kors belt and Calvin Klein wedges.  Bet ya money both of those incredible designers wouldn’t see that coming.  But, ‘tis so and it is just FUN!!!!  Similar to last week’s feature, this outfit is also epic because it went from total grandma to total awesome with some good accessories and sass.  That is the beauty of repurposed fashion.  Additionally, I feel very strongly that if a piece of clothing can stand the test of time and be modified at any given point to mesh well with the current styles, then it is worth buying and holding on to forever.  Along with that, one of my “tricks of the trade” is asking myself how many outfits I can create with a piece of clothing before I purchase it.  I know lots of women who shop in outfits because they’re afraid to try new things.  Or they just don’t ever shop because they don’t know what looks good on them or can’t think of ways to wear stuff when they are in the store overwhelmed with all the choices.  I get that, but it’s really limiting.  It’s kind of like picking a hairstyle that only looks good when the hair dresser does it and then looks semi-mullet or perma-bedhead when done at home.  If we focus on buying pieces of clothing that stand the test of time and can be coupled with at least 5 things that are already in our closet, then the return on our investment is worth it.  Obviously, there is always an exception to the rule (a hot pink pair of Jessica Simpson cork wedges come to mind), but overall, if we can shift our way of thinking to “how many outfits could I create with this?” it will save us time and money and we will be happier.

The details on this outfit are as follows:
Dress: Deseret Industries (Made in Hawaii)
Necklace: Deseret Industries (Handmade)
Earrings: 8th Avenue Thrift (Instagram Shop)
Belt: Michael Kors (purchased from TJ Maxx)
Shoes: Calvin Klein (purchased at Macy*s)
Bracelet: Chic Style (South Ogden, UT store)

Last, but not least, I want to sincerely thank my fabulous friend Sarah Boucher, future published authoress and educator extraordinaire, for humoring me and going with me to Union Station on Wednesday night and snapping these photos.  She’s a pooped inner-city kindergarten teacher by Wednesday, especially this close to the end of the year, and I really appreciated her getting off her couch to help.  It didn’t hurt that I fed her, but truly, she is such a good friend and sport.  And if you think I’m funny, look her up on Instagram @sarieboucher and on her blog/website www.saraheboucher.com.  We were blessed with good lighting and I didn’t have to do too much editing to make something simple, yet awesome for all of you.  Good friends are my blessing right now.  Well, always, but especially now, I have felt the unconditional support as I’ve had some frickin awesome curveballs.  Even last night we were an hour late for leaving because I needed a mental time-out and then I dropped an earring down my goopy bathroom sink drain.  UGH.  Life.  I tell ya.  And no offspring to blame it on.  But, lemons to lemonade and we made it and had lots of carbs and tasty dishes at Union Grill afterwards.

Moral of the story:  Ogden kicks ass, moo-moos look cute with fancy accessories and I have great friends.

Until next time, my lovelies.
-R

Happy Auntiversary!

I recently celebrated my 5 year auntiversary. It's hard to believe that it's been that long since I laid eyes on the little person who would change my heart forever. 

I'm the oldest of four and when my brother got married and I was still single, it was hard. It's a lot of pressure to be the oldest sib who is single in a culture that is centered around family and babies. 

The year neph #1 was born was probably one of the toughest in my career. Well, the first of a few. I was laid off from my job and had spent 3 grueling months looking for something new. However, because I was unemployed, I had the ability to go and stay with my brother and SIL for a week. Those days are some of my most treasured. We arrived at their house quite late and it just happened to be feeding time. My brother brought me that little red butterball and when I looked at him for the first time it was love at first sight. I am so blessed to be the aunt of three little people who are just fabulous. We have great fun and their little personalities crack me up. And it's fun to see my brother interact with his kids. And I'm not going to lie, I giggle to myself when they do something "naughty" that they totally get from him. He'll have his chance for that when I'm a mother, but in the meantime, I just sit back and laugh inside. My SIL is such a good mom and amazes me with the fun parties she throws for them. 

And when it's all said I done, I MELT when handwritten thank you notes land in my mail box. Kiddos being raised very well. 

I hope that we can all appreciate those sweet simple moments when sloppy kisses are better than anything and can carry us through the tough days. 

Until next time, lovelies!

-R

The truth is ....

This weekend my lovely sister and best friend graduated from college with her Associate's degree. It doesn't seem possible that my L cakes is grown up into a truly lovely and delightfully quirky woman. I mean seriously, she is just gorgeous!  There is a 13 year age difference between us so she was itty bitty and toddling when I was in high school. She was also learning to talk. One of the FUNNIEST games she would play was the game of threes. We would drive home from church and she would say stuff like, "trees, trucks and bananas." Oh ok! When a two year old is saying it, it is super cute. We loved encouraging her as older sibs would and at times it would bug our mom. (Even better). So in honor of my newly educated random sis, I present mine. Tulips, trains and naked feet. 

TULIPS: I love tulips. Like a lot. They are a sign of winter being over and when they finally make their debut it means we are almost done with dreary lameass winter. They are an interesting creature too. They are a bulb flower and have to be planted by October. If they aren't in the ground before snow hits then it isn't going to work. They have to sit there and they can withstand it allllllllll winter long. The other funny thing is how finicky they are about weather. First sign of frost and good bye. But I guess they can be that way after being cooped up in the dirt all winter. And the last funny thing is they keep growing even after they are cut. And a LOT! I've bought tulips for myself over the years and they literally go completely crazy with growth within a few days. I guess you could say I relate to them. But then that makes me sound crazy because I relate to flowers and maybe talk to a wooden spoon in my spare time. Anyway.... 

TRAINS: No I am not the female version of Sheldon Cooper from the CBS hit series, "The Big Bang Theory." I grew up in a town that was along the Burlington Northern train route in Southeastern Montana. We heard the train going through town at ALL hours of the night and day. It is truly a sound of home. I will never forget the first night away at college in Virginia when my mom and I sat on the porch and heard the train. I looked at her and said, "now I will be ok." So it only makes sense that I've landed in the town of trains as my home sweet home. Ogden is a railroad town to the core and still has a very thriving and functioning rail system. And I LOVE it. And my favorite place to be in Ogden is the gorgeous Union Station building. It is JUST magical. I can stand in the main lobby and imagine the history that has taken place. In the early days of Ogden you couldn't get anywhere via rail without passing through Ogden. Last week I had lunch at the restaurant located in Union Station called Union Grill. Before I left I snapped some photos. And they were the kind that I basically was standing on my head to get a cool edgy angle and then it happened. Magic. Just plain magic. And tulips. Hot. Pink. Tulips. 

I am also pleased to report that I was featured by two different Instagram feeds for my photos of Union Station that day. So thank you very much @wowutah and @ogdenonly for in a roundabout way recognizing a girl's love for trains and this incredible community landmark.

NAKED FEET: I hate socks. And I love showing off my cute tootsies. And I hate laundry. That is all. The end. 

The moral of the story: we can relate to anything and be random and still find such sentimental value in things like trains to keep a piece of home alive in our heart. Annnnd life is always always always better in flip flops. Always.

Until next time my lovelies. 

-R

Happy Mail From The 'Hood

In her book, “Persuasion”, the great authoress, Jane Austen said, “let us never underestimate the power of a well-written letter.”  This quote is also a climactic moment in the movie, “The Jane Austen Book Club.”  The last time I watched the movie, this particular quote and the events that followed it really hit close to home for me and made me think about something that has always been close to my heart: sending and receiving handwritten letters and cards.  

When I was a little girl, my paternal grandmother NEVER forgot a major holiday.  She had VIP status at her local Hallmark Gold Crown store because she spent hundreds of dollars each year buying cards for each of her children and grandchildren.  I always looked forward to the Halloween card, the Valentine’s Day card and of course the birthday card with a check for the amount in which we were turning that year.  Those are sweet sweet memories.  Recently my mother found a handwritten letter in pink ink that I had sent to my grandma in the 90’s and it just made me smile.  1.  My personality hasn’t changed much, 2. I’m still in love with pink ink and 3. It reaffirmed my appreciation for that gesture of love that came with something handwritten.

In this new age of texting, email, and direct message on Instagram I feel like there is a disconnect to reality.  The reality of effort.  Effort that is put forth when we pour our heart out in a letter.  My grandfather was a decorated Air Force pilot during World War II and he and my grandmother exchanged many many letters while he was overseas flying in Europe and she was teaching school in Idaho.  That interaction solidified their relationship that lasted for 50+ years until she passed away from cancer.  And even after she passed away we still knew we could count on handwritten birthday cards from Grandpa. My maternal grandmother has also been incredibly thoughtful with handwritten cards and letters over the years. I may be an adult, but I love that I have a Grandma who sent me a handmade valentine this year. Xoxox from Grandma is just wonderful.  

The older I get the more I start to see the traditions I've set in my life that stem from the examples of my family. One of them is handwritten sentiments in the mail. I am not very good at remembering ALL the friends' birthdays, but I have recently implemented a little thing called "Happy Mail from the Hood." Why the 'hood? Well, Ogden has a bit of a rep and people who don't live here often give me crap about willingly choosing to live here so why not have a bit of healthy mockery. What they don't know is living in Ogden has inspired me to think more outside the box thus this little mail ditty. 

Initially it started out as a funny way to send encouragement back and forth between my friend and I while she lived in Seattle. Below are some examples of cards that I received from her over the last couple of years (yes, I've saved all of them)

As I started to develop friendships with my lovely, courageous Instagram followers I decided to broaden the audience. Each card is hand picked at a locally owned card store and the sole purpose is to be random, hilarious, and completely irreverent, but encouraging. That's pretty much how I approach life so why not gift it to everyone else. So far Happy Mail from the Hood has landed itself in Wyoming, England, Colorado, Utah, New Zealand and Illinois. For each card sent, the timing has been impeccable and the same goes for happy mail I've received. It just lands in the box when it's needed most. It has been so much fun and has taught me to keep thinking outside of myself because usually someone else needs a card with a flying fairy and her exposed underpants more than I need to lay in my bed and feel sorry for myself after a crap day. 

Moral of the story: write it out. Tell the one you love the most by making the effort to put pen to paper. 

Until next time, my lovelies!

-R