Brightening up this cold day with a yellow-striped shirt and warming up my neck with a new crocheted cowl…
Yellow-striped shirt: Old Navy {less than $3 on clearance!}
Skinny jeans, cowboy boots: Target
Braided crochet cowl: made by me
Necklace: The Vintage Pearl
Linking up with What I Wore Wednesday!
That’s right. We have a winter storm warning issued for this afternoon. For those of you who don’t live around this kind of weather, that means snow, wind, and COLD.
Don’t worry, I’m prepared…
I have my favorite warm GAP sweater, a cozy cowl, Old Navy Diva dark jeans, and the warmest Kalso Earth Prance Boots
And I tend to be a worrier when storms approach, so I threw on my Lisa Leonard “It Is Well With My Soul” necklace as a reminder that everyone I love is in His hands!
As a side note, did you know emerald green is the color of the year for 2013 according to Pantone? Well, as a green lover and descendant of the Irish, that just makes me super happy. I will wear my emerald green proudly!
What do you like to cozy up in when the weather outside is frightening?
{Linking up with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy!}
*This post contains affiliate links.
This time of year, I’m usually doing lots of layering with scarves and warm sweaters and the like.
This Monday, I wore capri pants.
I live in Nebraska, right?!
Trying to decide if I miss the bundling up or not…
Of course, I’m wearing my fave Old Navy tanks and comfy TOMS with those capri pants. I was thinking about getting a pair of the brand new, super cute TOMS ballet flats that officially went on sale today, but I just couldn’t stomach that price tag – ouch!
Yesterday was a little cooler – and by cooler, I mean 60 degrees for a high instead of 70 – so I pulled out a tan jacket to wear in the morning and evening. My favorite part of this outfit is the new flats I bought for only $10 on clearance at Payless! Love the neutral color and the big old flower at the front 
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Like I mentioned, I really like putting together cozy, cute outfits for the fall and winter so I’m not sure how I feel about this spring-like weather! But I DO like not having to bundle the kiddos up every time we leave the house!
How about you? What season do you enjoy dressing for the most?
Another Wednesday, another installment of What I Wore!
I really have been getting dressed every day – it’s a habit now and a GOOD one! Now, if I could just get back in the habit of taking pictures for this!
Fall weather is slowly but surely turning into winter weather so I keep piling the layers on! Must. Stay. Warm.
Here are my pics from the week…
Red sweater – Old Navy; gray scarf – DownEast Basics: Red Keens
Traveling day: Green dress – Motherhood Maternity; gray boyfriend cardigan – Kohl’s; necklace – Mercy House Kenya {you can find your own Love Mercy – Rainbow Glass Beaded Necklace at Dayspring!}; Ash Canvas TOMS
Motorcycle jacket – Macy’s; magenta tee – Old Navy; necklace – Our Daily Chocolate
And tomorrow, I will be very thankful that I am wearing maternity pants with lots of stretch as we indulge in glorious Thanksgiving food!
What are you planning to wear for Thanksgiving?
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By the way, if you like what you see over at DaySpring {where you can find the “Love Mercy” necklace that I linked to above}, you will LOVE their BIG sale going on right now!
Just click over to the DaySpring Super Sale- 30% off coupon and use the code SUPER30 when you check out! EVERYTHING is 30% off, except for 14 super specials that are between 60% and 75% off!
Talk about happy shopping – and you don’t have to go anywhere to do it! You’re welcome
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*This post contains affiliate links.
Today is my day at the Tommy Nelson blog! Head on over there to read about teaching our children that God IS good all the time, but sometimes life just isn’t fair!
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Confession: I do not miss wearing so-called “comfy” clothes all day long. Not for a second.
Just so you know, “before” I sometimes wouldn’t get dressed for the day until lunch time or later. Often, getting dressed would mean changing from pajama pants to sweat pants.
Of course, I would NEVER wear this stuff out in public, so it would be a mad scramble to throw on something presentable at the last minute just to run to the store.
And imagine how I looked for my husband and children each day – they would never ever say anything, but it was pitiful.
I don’t know if it was laziness or apathy or what, but I never want to go back to that. Getting dressed for each day has changed my daily life.
The excuse I hear the most from women about why they don’t “get dressed” and look more put together for the day each day is that they want to be comfortable.
Ladies, I promise you – you CAN be comfortable while looking put together. If I wasn’t comfortable, I would NOT be wearing these outfits. As a mom of two busy boys, I would not be able to function on a daily basis if I was uncomfortable!
Your assignment is to find the clothes that look good on you that are also comfortable and functional for YOUR day. You can do it!
The things I discovered I’m most comfortable in: dresses with leggings and jeans. Once I figured that out, I could put together outfits by adding tops, accessories and cute shoes.
I’m really excited to pass along to you the challenge that got me out of my jammies/sloppy clothes in the first place. Taking Sarah Mae’s original “Get Dressed” challenge almost a year and a half ago was what started this change for me, and I am SO happy to tell you that challenge is starting up again!
For the next month, you can join Sarah Mae and a group of ladies just like you and me who are wanting to form a habit of getting dressed each day.
This time around she’s calling it “Frumps to Pumps” – love it! You can keep accountable through Sarah Mae’s blog, linking up your own pictures each week, and on Twitter with the hashtag #frumpstopumps! It should be a lot of fun!
I may be in the habit of getting dressed each day already, but I have a few things I can work on still in this area. I need to be ready for the day by 7:30 every day. I would love to do a better job doing my hair each day – and maybe try some new things with it as well!
So I’m taking the “Frumps to Pumps” challenge for the next month – how about you?!
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And now for my weekly What I Wore post {now at 20 weeks pregnant – halfway there!}…
Yellow tank dress, black leggings – Target; black tee – GAP Outlet; black flats – Eddie Bauer; fabric flower necklace – made by me; my brand new fabulous handbag – Two Peas in a Pod {more to come on this SOON!}
Teal top, cuffed jeans – hand-me-downs; bronze flats – WalMart; multi-colored bead necklace – Kohl’s
Brown v-neck tee – Old Navy; navy knit skirt – Express; flower pin – The Pleated Poppy; 20 week baby bump – all me
Black wrap dress {had it forever, no idea where it’s from!}; black riding boots – Lands’ End; silver ball jewelry – local boutique
Olive green floral tank – Motherhood Maternity; cuffed jeans; necklace, gold sandals – garage sales!
Old Navy Denim jacket – Goodwill; black tank dress, green tank – Old Navy; black leggings – Target; black flats – Eddie Bauer; Love Mercy necklace – Mercy House
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Get yourself over to The Pleated Poppy to check out more “What I Wore” posts – lots of women staying accountable though this awesome link-up!
And tell me, is getting dressed and ready for the day a struggle for you? If so, what is your biggest hurdle to overcome?
Each and every Wednesday, I link up with the “What I Wore Wednesday” meme hosted by The Pleated Poppy along with hundreds of other women bloggers. Throughout the week, I take picture of my outfits {usually every day} and then I post them here for all to see.
Why?
It has everything to do with ACCOUNTABILITY.
“What I Wore Wednesday” is the reason I get out of my jammies every morning. It is the reason I attempt to fo my hair and makeup each day. It is the reason I try to look “put together.”
But the reason for doing “What I Wore” is for my family and myself. Being a mom and wife is my job, and while there is no dress code like there was when I was teaching, I feel much more engaged in everything I do when I have readied myself for the day!
If you look around the What I Wore link-up, you will see women of every shape and size with every kind of style, so it’s NOT about competition or looking like someone else. But I really enjoy getting inspiration every week from real women just like me!
And I find myself trying new things with what I already have in my closet which is almost like buying new clothes!
Don’t these all sound like great reasons to join the fun?
Really, you could find accountability like this with a friend if you don’t blog or aren’t quite comfortable sharing your pictures online for all to see – maybe just text each other in the morning to make sure you’re all “ready” for your day. And send a pic/email of what you’re wearing to them if you need extra motivation!
Make sure you take some time to look around over at the link-up today and think about what you might want to do differently for getting ready each day – do something for yourself that makes you feel beautiful and confident!
It’s not about vanity – it’s about being the best you and looking the part too!
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And now that I’ve rambled, here are my pics for the week!
One family baby shower for two first-time mamas-to-be…
But all five cousins there are expecting! Talk about a baby boom! That’s my little sis on the far left in the second pic – don’t you LOVE her polka dot top?!
My outfit: Brown/white maternity dress, orange ring – Kohl’s; denim jacket – GAP {thrifted}; Philippians 4:8 necklace – KraftyKash
Black hoodie, black/white striped maternity top – thrifted; cuffed jeans – hand-me-down; silver ballet flats – Crocs
With the most handsome models around…
Magenta bling tank – GAP Outlet; maternity shorts – borrowed from a friend; necklace – made by me; gray flip flops – Old Navy
Trying a new style – the strapless dress with a tee underneath, inspired by Jess at Allora Handmade in this post! I really liked how it looked but I had to keep pulling the dress up all day! At least there was a tee there to prevent any “wardrobe malfunctions!”
Green dress {that I usually wear with the straps!} – Kohl’s; white tee – Lands’ End; necklace – made by me; gray flip flops – Old Navy
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My fall clothes are so sad sitting in my closet as the temps have been in the 80s and 90s this week.
But I’m definitely thinking fall and you can read more about my take on the “in” colors of fall and how to wear them over at Denise in Bloom’s “31 Days of Autumn Goodness” today!
It’s happening…
The regular jeans are starting to get tucked away. The ones that are still out are needing a rubber band to give a little extra room.
Nobody would really say I’m “showing” yet, but I can tell and the pants are the least forgiving in the comfort department!
Magenta bling tank – GAP Outlet; black maternity capris; Old Navy flip flops; gray earrings – local boutique
Black tank dress – Target; Red flower pin – from Relevant last year {can’t remember from who – help me out?!}; Old Navy flip flops
**Here I missed two days of outfits. One was my game day outfit – you’ll see that plenty of times over the next few months, so no worries there! But my church outfit was super cute so I’m bummed I missed that photo! I’ll just have to wear it again sometime!**
Brown shrug, orange tank, orange ring – Kohl’s; dark cuffed jeans {NOT maternity!} – hand-me-downs; bronze flats – WalMart; fall-colored bracelet – garage sale!
Gray cardigan – Kohl’s; Dusky purple beaded shirt – DownEast Basics; dark cuffed jeans {NOT maternity!} – hand-me-downs; silver ruffled flats – WalMart; Relevant necklace – The Vintage Pearl; earrings – local boutique
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Now for a reader question…
Where is the best place you have found that fits pear shapes when buying jeans?
Even though I AM a pear shape – smaller on top and through the waist, larger in the hips and bottom – I struggled with this question because…
#1 – Most of my jeans are hand-me-downs and I just make them work.
#2 – I haven’t been shopping for jeans – other than skinny jeans – in a LONG time!
Thankfully, one of my friends came to the rescue. Mindee suggested the “Wendi” jean from The Buckle, saying: “A little spendy, but they make me look 10 pounds lighter!” That totally sells me on them!
I’ve also heard good things about GAP jeans, because they have several different styles that may work for pear shapes depending on just how curvy you are!
Overall, it is a good idea to get jeans that make a straight line from your hip down to your ankle as to not overemphasize the larger curves in your lower half AND to help make your leg appear longer.
And if you find a pair of jeans that fit well in the waist, thigh, & hip area, it is TOTALLY worth it to get them hemmed professionally. DON’T pass up jeans that fit well just because they are too long!
Next week, I’ll be sharing a few tips for apple shapes {larger on top, smaller on bottom}!
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Thanks for coming by today! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
{Just keeping track for myself what week of the pregnancy we’re on – 13 weeks down, many to go!}
Thanks for the great fashion questions you ladies asked last week! I am currently working on a post {or many} about flattering clothing for different body types, particularly for larger-chested and pear-shaped women as those were common questions!
I have never had the large chest dilemma {quite the opposite until having children and then only when pregnant and nursing!}, but pear-shaped is me all the way so I feel your pain on that, especially with pants and JEANS!
So stay tuned for those posts in coming weeks! And add any more questions you may think of – I’ll see what I can do!
Looking back through this week’s photos, there were some highlights and some less-than-stellar days but I DID get dressed and ready each day, so it was another winning week!
Black hooded tee – hand-me-down; green tank – Old Navy; khaki skirt – thrifted; black flats – Eddie Bauer; necklace – Mercy House Kenya
Floral top – thrifted; maternity bermuda shorts – borrowed; barefoot – that’s all me!
Blue ruffle-neck tee – GAP Outlet; light gray skirt – DownEast Basics; silver ruffle flats – WalMart
Yellow ruffle tank – Target; Cuffed jeans – hand-me-down; silver ballet flats – Crocs
Blue and white floral dress – Old Navy clearance!
Green and black tanks – Old Navy; skirt – had it so long, I have no idea!; necklace – made by ME!
Floral dress – H&M; black leggings – Target
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Ok, I’m loving wearing blues and yellows right now – they seem to brighten my mood! What is YOUR favorite color OTHER THAN BLACK to wear right now?
And please go visit The Pleated Poppy for the awe-inspiring link-up that is What I Wore Wednesday!
So I was a little more on the ball with my What I Wore Wednesday pictures throughout the week! I LOVE doing this, but I still haven’t figured out a great way to get shots of myself, so please ignore the smudgy mirror – thanks! And check out all the What I Wore Wednesday fun over at The Pleated Poppy!
And I have some fun news at the end about the Relevant Conference so stick with me…
Thursday: Game Day!!! (Huskers win!)
Shirt: No idea – college purchase!
Jeans: Old Navy (garage sale!)
Shoes: White House Black Market (only purchase from there ever and they are RED!)
Friday: MOPS
Tank Dress: Target
Green Layer Tank: GAP Outlet (I LOVE GAP Outlet!!!)
Skinny Jean Capris: Express (way back when)
Earrings: Our Daily Chocolate
Bracelet: Kohls (clearance – less than $2!)
Shoes: Eddie Bauer
Saturday: Farmers’ Market, Lunch with Friends
Yellow & Brown Camisole: Thrift store!
Jeans: Gloria Vanderbilt (hand me down again!)
Necklace: Garage sale!
Flip flops: Old Navy
Sunday: Church
White cap sleeve tee: Old Navy
Brown pinstripe pants: Target
Scarf: Handmade by my friend Kara!
Earrings: Ana Patricia Jewelry
Brown metallic flats: Wal-Mart
Monday: Errands, Home
Yellow Tank Dress: Target
Brown Layering Tank: Old Navy
Oatmeal cardigan: Kohls (the weather was very wishy-washy – needed to layer!)
Jeans: Gloria Vanderbilt
Necklace & Earrings: Kohls
Brown metallic flats: Wal-Mart
Tuesday: Dentist, Errands, Home (another day to layer!)
Blue ruffle neck tee: GAP Outlet
Khaki jacket: Old Navy
Jeans: Old Navy
Earrings: Our Daily Chocolate
Red Flats: Payless
Tuesday evening: Just being real!
Awesome shirt: Community Blood Bank!
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And now for the SWEET news about the Relevant Conference, which I leave for ONE WEEK from tomorrow!
You already know about my FABULOUS conference sponsors, Seeds Family Worship and Igniter Media.
Now to add to the fun, I get to sport some incredible clothing and accessories from…
{insert celebratory dance here}
I have been a big fan of Lands’ End for quite some time – well made clothing, timeless classics and GREAT customer service (every person on their PR team has a Twitter account! They GET social media!)
Many of you loved the shoes I wore in last week’s WIWW, and thanks to that lovely Lands’ End PR team, you’ll be seeing some more fabulousness next week!
Like these from Lands’ End and these from Lands’ End Canvas (one of my new favorite places to browse and shop!).
And there IS a good cause behind it all, which I can’t wait to share with you tomorrow!
If you want a hint, check out this cute sweater and see if you can figure it out – it will make you Feel Good!
A HUGE thank you to Lands’ End for their clothing and shoe sponsorship for me for Relevant!
By the way, I’ve never owned tall casual boots before – how should I wear them?! Would love to hear and/or see your ideas!
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And you can get connected here to keep up with all the goings-on here at Home with the Boys – we love having you here!
So I’m giving this a shot…
After Sarah Mae’s Get Dressed challenge earlier this year, my motivation to pull myself together appearance wise EVERY DAY diminished.
Then I started seeing mentions of Lindsey’s “What I Wore Wednesday” posts. And I started lurking. And loving the inspiration – both fashion-wise and motivation-wise!
So today I officially join in on “What I Wore Wednesday” for the first time!
Haven’t found the best place in the house to take the pics yet. Or the best person to take those pics – don’t exactly trust Big J (4yo) to get my best side. Although he didn’t do too bad today – just a little fuzzy!
But I’m doing it. And loving the first week. Except for the butterflies of joining in with cool cats like Lindsey and Lisa (seriously, PLEASE check out their wardrobes).
And it’s NOT all about the clothes, lest you miss my point here. Yes, the fashion part is super fun. But for me, it is accountability, much like Get Dressed.
A wife and mama who feels good about how she looks – even in garage sale clothes (my FAVE!) – is a much better wife and mama! In my opinion, at least!
So here I go…
Sunday: Church
Tank and cardigan: Kohls
Jeans: hand-me down (thanks sis!)
Shoes: Lands End
Ring: Kohls (clearance!)
Monday: Errands
3/4 sleeve top: St. John’s Bay (thrift)
Cargo Pants: Gloria Vanderbilt (garage sale)
Beads: Kohls
Shoes: Rocket Dogs (thrift)
Sticker: Local blood bank
Tuesday: At home – ALL DAY!
Black top: Hand-me down
Blue tee: Kohls
Jeans: Hand-me down
Necklace: Custom design from The Rusted Chain!
Wednesday: Grocery Store, Preschool Carpool
Shirt Dress: Kohls
Skinny Jean Capris: Express (from college!)
Shoes: Garage Sale (50 cents! Favorite thrift shoes EVER!)
Bracelet: Ana Patricia Jewelry (for a great cause!)
Whew! That was a lot of work! Hope you enjoy!
And check out the fab outfits being put together over at Lindsey’s link-up today (her WIWW will be up tomorrow but the link-up is there today)!
Join the conversation!