Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays!!!

I love Christmas!!! (and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you are having a wonderful wintery holiday season). I am about to leave to head to a family dinner, but I thought I'd show you what I was wearing today.

1) Excuse the mess on the floor.

2) I am extremely proud that I curled my hair (it happens maybe 2-3 times a year), and did a full face of makeup. 

3) I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! 

Sweater: Forever21

Denim Shirt: Levis

Leggings: Marshalls

Boots: Target

Necklace: not sure- I stole it from my mother

Plaid

I don't know if I've told you all this... but I LOVE plaid. It makes me so happy. 

Picture 1: Yes, that is a pile of Christmas presents already wrapped on the floor. (I am SUPER prepared this time of year.)

Picture 2: Sneak peak of the classroom. 

Skirt: H&M

Shirt: Forever21

Tights: H&M

Booties: Forever21

Jacket: Target

Watch: Fossil

Sparse

Hey Em! Sorry my lack of posting, we just moved our booties down to our basement apartment and it has been crazy. We're listing the house for rent today. I don't have my mirror hung up quite yet so here's a picture David took of me last month on our way to a family dinner I think.

Since then I've gotten a hair cut and some highlights so I'll have to take a picture of that soon. 

Shirt: My Sister's Closet

Jeans: Old Navy

Boots: Charlotte Ruse (weird right?)

What Jacket Dilemma??

Dearest La,

Sorry you have a jean jacket dilemma. I on the other hand, do not.

Sincerely,

Em

It makes me laugh that Laura and I have very similar buying habits. Jean jacket from Old Navy? Yep, I have one too. 

Not going to lie, I am amazed I pulled this look off at 5:30am on a Monday morning. Normally I just pull on some jeans and a cute top, because, who likes Mondays?

Dress: TJ Maxx

Jacket: Old Navy

Flats: Target

Belt: Target

Watch: Fossil

Yellow

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of yellow. It's too bright or something. However, I do have a yellow sweater and a yellow belt that need to be put to use occasionally. So I tried to cut the bright with some neutral black and white.

I also mixed stripes and polka dots- baby steps right? haha, if you have to think about your outfit does that disqualify you from being considered stylish automatically? 

Shirt: Khols

Sweater/belt: Khols

Skirt: Old Navy

Flats: Target

Older Men

Today is my fiancé, Justin's, birthday. He is about two years older than me, and I always joke with him that I date such an old man..... I don't necessarily know how much he likes that joke but oh well. I actually took the entire day off to go shopping with my mom and sister, it was a much needed "personal day." We went to the outlets and I got a new watch, which I am in love with. I loved my fossil watch dearly, but it was time for a new one.

I'm meeting Justin at his school and surprising him with donuts and a balloon. Then we are off to dinner. Yay for birthdays :)

Maxi Skirt- Target

Tank- Target

Chambray Shirt- Levis

Watch- Fossil

Flip Flops- Old Navy

Feelin' 22

I love October for multiple reasons. It kicks off with conference (a semi-annual worldwide meeting for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) which always motivates me, makes me feel more peaceful and puts my life in perspective. Then it's my birthday and then Halloween, which kicks of holiday festivities for the next few months! 

My family had a birthday dinner for me and I got this cute shirt from my aunt and an opal necklace and matching earrings from my mom :) Love my birthstone!

Fall Time!

The air is crisper, I use the seat warmer in the jeep, I'm accessorizing with scarves... you know what time of year it is! Fall is my favorite even though it precedes the worst season of the year in Utah.

I'm a California girl who probably won't ever be super happy it snows for months on end here. Though this year is supposed to be all about snowboarding so it might be pretty fun.

Anyway here are a couple quick shots of a fall outfit before I headed to work. I'm kind of obsessing over booties this year; the willpower to not purchase three pairs is slowly fading.

Besides transitioning into fall, this month was going to be my Whole 30 challenge. Basically you eat crazy clean for a month and then re-introduce certain food groups back to see how they affect you. David talked me out of doing everything (he was hyperventilating about giving up sugar, dairy, legumes, soy, and all wheat products). So I dialed it back to sugar and dairy. Sugar because I've wanted to go sugar free for a while now and dairy because I'm pretty sure I'm sensitive to it.

I haven't hit the "must.have.chocolate.now" wall yet, but I'm expecting to get there around next week.  Plus I'm only on day 2 right now so it's not that tough- haha. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

The Great Jacket Dilemma

I was browsing Pinterest and became fixated on the fact that I needed a jean jacket. Yeah, I might need to have a little discussion with myself about wants and needs #firstworldprobs.

Anyways, that led me to online shopping at Old Navy where I bought a jean jacket. Let me level with you here. I was 20+ pounds heavier in high school and even though that was years ago, I now have a bad habit of buying a bigger size than needed.

So I bought this jacket a size up, it came and now I'm at the crossroads of returning it and continuing on in search of my perfect jean jacket soulmate. What do you think? Is it boxy? Helpppp!

At first I was like okay, it's okay

Then I got this anthro dress for like $13 at a tent sale and I wanted to pair it with the jacket. Since the no jacket with undershirt looks way to mormon girl for me.

And this is where the jacket gets very '90s mom to me. 

And here we are at the end of my over analyzation and I strongly dislike it. Being a girl is so complicated sometimes ;)

Picture Day

It is so funny to me that although I am an adult, I have a profession that still requires me to think about what I am going to wear on picture day. Every year as a child, I put serious thought into what I was going to wear on picture day. Tonight was no exception. I stood in front of my closet and debated on what top would look the cutest for my picture. I mean, all my students will see this as my I.D. picture so I don't want to look lame. This was the same thought I had when I was in fourth grade.... just minus the I.D. card bit. The only BIG difference is now I have a much better wardrobe then when I was 10, thank goodness.

Peplum Top: Forever21
Pants: American Eagle
Sweater: Forever21
Trusty Wedges: Target
Watch: Fossil
Camera: New Toy! woo!!

My London and Paris Trip Wish List

I am beyond excited for my winter break! This year I am going to London to visit my older sister with my mom and younger sister. While in London, we plan on taking the train to Paris for the day. I CANNOT wait for this trip as I have never been to Europe! Since the trip is a few months away, I have started to make a wish list of items I want to take with me and here it is:

Jcrew- Double Cloth lady Day Coat (It's going to be cold in January!!)

ONA- The Bowery Camera Bag 

Forever21- Quirky Dinosaur Sweatshirt (I just think this is super cute!)

I have a few months so I know my list will grow.... But hopefully I can get everything on this list. Where are you going for winter break??

Last month of Summer

I can't believe the summer basically flew by and we're almost at fall. I don't know why, but fall gives me the new clothes itch. It's probably from all the years of buying new clothes for the new school year. 

I just snagged this dress at a tent sale for $13. I liked it because I could imagine it being easily transitioned into fall with boots and a jean jacket. But it's also nice for the end of summer. 

 I'm still learning not to be awkward in these pictures.

 Doesn't this look like I'm trying to announce something here? For clarification, I'm not and I'll return to my core tightening Pilates now- haha.

Dress: Downeast Basics
Flats: Target
Watch: Target

School Girl Dress

I've always loved preppy clothes. This dress is no exception. It's very "1950's-modernish" to me.... if that is even a fashion term.

Dress: Target

Sandals: Target

Sweater: Sidecca

Watch: Fossil

"First Day of School Outfit"

First day of teaching fourth grade all on my own. It was scary, but amazing. I love this dress. I bought it two months ago and knew it was going to be my "first day of school outfit." I made sure to not wear it till now.

Dress: Forever21

Shoes: Target

Watch: Fossil