My Year In Review 2012

I honestly thought I'd done a Year in Review for 2011 but I can't find it so if I did I put an invisibility cloak on it or lost the decoder ring.  

My year in review 2012

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
I online dated.  You can read about it here, here, here and here.

I, also, drove 3 1/2 hours up north.  In my car.  By myself.  It's silly I've never driven any long distance by myself before but it's even sillier that I did so in my old and very cantankerous car.  It all worked out okay (my car was a champ!) and was way worth it.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't have a resolution this year.  Instead I wrote down some goals to work though this year.  I didn't complete my list 100% but I did a whole hell of a lot better than I would have had I gone with a resolution.  Goals, update 1, 2, 3.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, not yet.  I get to answer this question with a yes next year though...yay!!

4. Did anyone close to you die? 
Yes.  Nathan (1/18) & Cyrus (10/26).

5. What countries did you visit?
Physically none, but I'm dating an Irishman so that's like visiting Ireland, right?!

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

Someone close to me not dying, especially if it's by their own hand.

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 18th, it's the day Nathan committed suicide.  Pretty much changed my life and definitely changed my whole year.

The night I walked in and found Cyrus dead pretty much seems to be sticking too.  

Death is so....so... RUDE!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I guess it would be going out of my comfort zone and trying online dating.  Actually meeting up with the *coughweirdocough* guys in person and not running the moment I laid eyes on them was a big achievement I think.

Or maybe I should say my biggest achievement of the year was online dating and NOT being axed murdered in the process.  You know, because sometimes it felt like that may be an inevitable conclusion.

9. What was your biggest failure?
A part of me feels like my biggest failure was completely being side swiped by Nathan's suicide and having no clue something like that was in him mind.  

I, also, feel I failed Cyrus by not noticing he was sick before he was super sick and not being able to get him into the vet before he died.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Does serious heartache count?  If so then, yes.  If not then, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?!
I haven't bought anything "big" this year so nothing stands out.    

Maybe Tristan Prettyman's new album 'Cedar & Gold'. It's all kinds of awesome.  Raw emotional awesomeness.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Anybody who made it through this craptastic year.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Well, obviously Nathan's.  Then there are 2 or 3 other's who I will refrain from naming.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, as always.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Jason Mraz with Karie (again!) 10/2.  And, dating an exceptionally HOT, charming and handsome 6'5" Irishman.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Restless Dream by Jack's Mannequin
Distance by Christina Perry & Jason Mraz

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder?
Sadder.

ii. Thinner or fatter?
The same??

iii. Richer or poorer?
Poorer.  

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
NOT mourning and missing those that I love.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Crying over & missing those I love.  

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with my family & Irish on the 22nd, I hung out with Nick on Christmas Eve (dinner & a movie, saw This is 40), and had Christmas dinner with my BFF & the rest of the Hills on Christmas.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012? 
Yes.

22. How many one-night stands?

None.  You know, cuz I'm just that good.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Dexter
Leverage
(Only listed my new favorites)

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hates a strong word but I definitely don't have a lot of love & respect for a person or two.

25. What was the best book you read?

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Glen Hansard
The Walkmen
Milo Greene
JayMay
Ray LaMontagne

27. What did you want and get?

A crazy love affair totally worth being written about... 

P.S.  Just cuz it's worth writing about doesn't mean I am writing about it (obviously).  That would require time and words.  Who has time or words?!  Not I.  


28. What did you want and not get?

I wanted a non-craptastic year and definitely didn't get it.  This year will go down as the crappiest year EVER.  And by EVER I mean to date.  Which is kind of saying a lot because that is 34 (just shy of 35) years of calculation.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Once, though it wasn't a film from this year.  It's just one I finally watched.

The Avengers

Happythankyoumoreplease

And, I do have to say that Breaking Dawn Part 2 didn't suck.  I hated the book but pretty much thought both BD Part 1 & Part 2 were awesome.  Even if BD Part 2 had me all kinds of pissed off during parts... those of you who watched it know what I'm talking about.  I actually got yelled at for saying "That/this is bull shit!" too many times.  Hee!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 34, and I was sick.  I don't really remember it but I do know it was the last day Nathan & I "talked".

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Not to sound like a broken record but Nathan not committing suicide would have been a good start to a more satisfying year.  

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?

I wore a lot of dresses, maxi dresses & maxi skirts & wedges.  Not sure what fashion concept that is but it's what I wore.

33. What kept you sane?
The same things as always, my 10mg's of Citalopram & my BFF, Karie.  I can add Crystal to the 'BFF & keeps me sane' list this year.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I finally got the whole Ryan Gossling thing.  Not sure if I fancied him the most but I definitely took notice.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Woman's rights and marriage equality.

36. Who did you miss?
Nathan.  We were just starting to hang out a lot.  

Crystal, Bug & Claire.  They moved almost 4 hours away so no more (weekly) hang outs.

Cyrus.  I still can't believe the little bugger died on me... especailly, before Parker.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Irish!!

and Texas... but that's all I've got to say about that.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:  
It's better to have love and lost than to have never loved at all. 

Also, to make sure the important people in your life know that they are important.  To not be afraid to tell someone how you feel.  You are less likely to regret telling someone you love them than to regret never having been able to say it at all.    

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
It's funny how the words we never say
Can turn into the only thoughts we know
'Restless Dream' ~ Jack's Mannequin

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone
Carry on
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground
Carry on
'Carry on' ~ Fun.

2012 Goal: Quarterly Update #3

It's half way through December so I'm a bit behind on my 2012 Goals update.

#1. Wear each pair of shoes I have (at least once)... 

Well, I've still been wearing shoes.  I kind of gave up on the whole documenting thing.  I got rid of a lot without wearing them to decide.  I'm ending the year with 43   shoes and 23 flip flops.  I'm not sure how many shoes I actually got rid of & how many were new this year, it's totally lame but when I was purging I never thought to write down what I got rid of.  There's about 6 more pairs I may get rid of still but I haven't quite decided yet.

Standing: Excellent.  I have less shoes than I started with, so I got rid of more shoes than I bought this year (I think I have 8 new pairs of shoes that I bought or won).  I think that's pretty dang good.

#2. Get rid of things... 

I went through boxes I've been holding onto that had things from my childhood in it or things I was holding onto that were my Nana's.  I got rid of a few things but most of them were too important to get rid of.  I cleaned out both of my closets and got rid of a lot of clothing I didn't wear anymore.  I should have tackled my outside storage closet but never got around to it.  Meh, oh well... I can try next year. 

Standing: Okay.  I mean, I got rid of SOME things.  


#3. Go on a date... 

I went on two online dates AND I've been dating Irish for 6 months.  I just wish I'd met him prior to tackeling the whole online dating thing.

Standing: Excellent.  Goal is complete.


#4. Sew a 50's style dress...  

I never made my 50's style dress.  I tracked down a few patterns in the size I needed but by the time I went to buy them they were sold.  Vintage patterns are in high demand... damn hipsters!  I may try again next year, you know, once my sister has recovered from helping me with the botched DYI dress we did (found here) or some miracle happens and someone lets me use their sewing machine to try sewing myself.

I did make a dress, "fix" said dress,  and then "trashed" said "fixed" dress and then never tried the project again.  I still want to make a maxi version of the dress but I guess until I can perfect the short version I shouldn't waste all the fabric needed to make the maxi dress.  

Standing: Good.  (See above).


#5. Finally making myself my no sew fleece blanket...  
*(Still)Nothing but cricket sounds here*

Anytime I thought about making the blanket Remington would remind me why I no longer do crafts in the house.  Also, just trying to fix things makes me want to kill him.  Mostly because I'm fixing the things he's ruined.  He's a complete moster when I try to make the bed or fold blankets so I just haven't had the gumption to try it yet.

Standing.  Bad.


#6. Get new glasses...  

I didn't get any farther than thinking I needed or should get new glasses.

Standing: Bad.


#7. Visit Bearizona...  

I didn't get around to visiting Bearizona.  

I did, however, drive to the Albuquerque Bio Park.  We (me, Crystal & brood) spent the day exploring the zoo, botanic garden and the aquarium. 

Crazy fact:  It takes less time to drive from Eagar, AZ to Albuquerque, NM than it does to drive from Eagar, AZ to Williams, AZ.  WHAT?!  Eagar to Albuquerque is 197.9 miles and Eagar to Williams is 209.7 miles.  

Standing. Okay.  Same difference, right?

Healthy Choice Baked Entrées

Finally a frozen meal that is both healthy and doesn't taste like chewing on a popsicle stick.  

Crowdtap isn't just about Old Navy and clothing sample shares... I know, who knew?!  I was selected to do a sample share for Healthy Choice.  I wasn't completely thrilled since we actually had to pay out of pocket for this sample share.  There was no FREE product this time, just a link to a coupon for a $1.00 off a Healthy Choice Baked Entrée. The coupon is almost 50% off the retail price but after receiving so much FREE product I think I'm a bit spoiled.  I haven't looked elsewhere but at Wal-mart Healthy Choice Baked Entrees are $2.18 so I only spent $1.18, which really I can't complain about.  

I shared the coupon link with a group of friends on Facebook and sent an email to some who didn't have FB.  So far no one is willing to spend money to try a frozen meal, especially since it's a FROZEN single serving meal that is HEALTHY.  Nothing says EWWWWW, GROSS! more to me than FROZEN & HEALTHY.   I've pleaded and badgered them to no avail but really I can’t blame them.  I, at least, get some compensation…even if it’s only in the form of Crowdtap Points.

There are 6 flavors: 
Fettuccini Alfredo  
Lasagna with Meat Sauce 
Italian Sausage Pasta  
Four Cheese Ziti Marinara 
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes 
Chicken & Rice

I'm not a big fan of Italian food and I was worried when all I was seeing were the Italian flavors but I managed to found one lone box of the Chicken & Rice Bake and a few of the Roasted Chicken & Potatoes Bake.  I chose the Chicken & Rice because it seemed the safest and I actually like Chicken & Rice.  Plus, it's wild rice… yes, please!  Yum!  I actually liked it.  Yes, you read that right…  I actually liked it.  A FROZEN and HEALTHY meal.  I was extremely surprised because I do not eat frozen meals.  They all totally taste like popsicle sticks to me.  If I wanted to chew on a popsicle stick I’d at least eat the yummy popsicle part first, you know.   

The Healthy Choice Bakes are perfect to take to work for lunch, especially if you are on a diet.  If you're not and you're super hungry one Healthy Choice Baked Entree won't be enough but for a Healthy single serving meal it's perfect.  It was a little bland but not too bad and it did have some flavor.  The wild rice was really good, the broccoli tasted exactly like frozen broccoli tastes (good but not as good as fresh broccoli), the cheese sauce was okay (and where I think most of the blandness came from), the chicken was pretty good (I'm usually not a huge fan of microwaved chicken because if it goes bad it goes very bad but this was pretty tasty).  I more than likely will buy a Healthy Choice Chicken & Broccoli Baked Entree again and I think I'll try the Roasted Chicken and Potatoes Bake at some point too. 

Getting Warm & Cozy

Earlier this month Crystal was chosen for a sample share for Old Navy dresses and she chose lucky me.  We like a lot of the same things but tend to go in different ways when it comes to the clothes we chose for ourselves so at the end of our dress shopping trip I was surprised when we both chose a black dress.

This is where I again mention I am only 5'4".  Crystal is TINY!

It was coincidental but we were both wearing grey boots that day as well.  So maybe our clothing tastes aren't that different after all.  

Especially when you take into consideration what we both walked away with when we did my Old Navy sweater sample share this weekend.   We both ended up with the same hooded-zipped sweater, and we both chose it in navy.

We both had different sweaters in mind when we walked in after taking a look at ON's website but our sweater selection was pretty slim.  We ended up going to two Old Navy's and the second store wasn't helpful.  Luckily we both love our sweaters, even if it wasn't the one we thought we'd be leaving with.

Crystal was torn between the navy hoodie or the button-front cardi.   I really loved the grey & black on her but since she's moved up the snow country we decided that the heavier sweater was the better way to go.  Warm clothes was the reason I picked her for this sample share.  She may be the only other person I know who goes into freeze mode in anything below 85 degrees.

I almost went with the boyfriend cardi but I really wanted/needed a navy sweater so I went where the color took me.  Although, looking back and seeing this pink color again I think I may really want/need a pink boyfriend cardi.  

Santa, if you are reading this...hook a girl up.  Please and thank you.


If you are interested in joining in on the fun, follow the link below and sign up.  It's fun and did I mention the opportunities for FREE stuff?!  

Incidentally, all opinions are my own.  I was not paid for this post (or any other post). 

RIP Cyrus

My sweet boy Cyrus passed away Friday (Oct. 26th). 

Cyrus 12-24-00. Photo was taken by our neighbor when we got home.

I'm pretty sure it was from constipation.  It sounds so extremely stupid but for 2 1/2 days he showed signs of being constipated.  He was trying to throw up hairballs (which he couldn't form, his hair was too fine & short, so he had a major problem throwing up the loose hair "clusters" when he had hair build up).  All he ever did was sleep (his preferred spot was a wooden photo tray that laid on a table in my bedroom) so trying to figure out the difference between Cyrus being lazy and Cyrus being lethargic was near impossible.  

It had been a while since I'd bought the cats wet cat food and I think between the lack of oil (or whatever) in the wet food and the fact that I was gone for a week a couple weeks ago (the cats don't eat as well when I'm gone) he ended up getting blocked.  I didn't really notice how sick he was until he was pretty sick.  I wasn't able to get him to the vet but since he was gone in less than 3 days I'm not sure the vet could have helped even if I had gotten him in.  I tried several different remedies to help his stomach and was late getting home Friday night because I stopped at Petco to pick up some different medicine to help.

4/18/2011

When I got home I found him right inside the door.  I knew right away he was gone but had to do the denial thing and all that.  To say I freaked out is an understatement.  I'm sure I gave all my neighbors a show.  I had dropped everything right where I was standing when I found him and as soon as I knew he was dead I ran outside and flipped the F out.  Unfortunately, my sister was out of town and Karie was unavailable for the night.  It felt like I called a million people before someone picked up the phone so I could talk to someone & try to calm down.  Luckily, Jessica answered her phone and after making out what could only have been Cyrus...cat....dead.... said she was on her way over.  No questions asked.  Jessica, bless her heart, was a God send and helped me deal.  I spoke to Crystal when waiting for Jessica and she helped a lot as well.  

I text my sister what happened and she called my niece and had her & her husband stop by on their way home from the airport, so they could pick up Cyrus and take him to my brother-in-law to bury.  I was all kinds of freaked out & worried about what to do with his poor body since it was late on a Friday and the places I knew we could take him were closed.  I couldn't handle the thought of him just laying there or being stuck in my apartment in a box (DEAD) overnight.  Then I was all kinds of freaked out about where he would be buried because I didn't want coyotes to get him.  Rational thinking isn't my strong suit and even less so when emotionally traumatized & upset. 

9/2011

I knew losing a cat was going to be hard but I didn't realize how hard it was going to be.  I think because it was Cyrus and not Parker.  Don't get me wrong, I will be destroyed and beyond distraught when Parker dies but I'm "prepared" for Parker's passing.  She's 18 years old and I've been talking myself into the possibility of her passing for a few years now.  Now that she's got what has to be cat dementia & Alzheimer's and is all boney and crotchety I know her time is coming.  I have a check list to insure that she doesn't get so bad that she is just in pain & miserable.  I will not let her get bad like that and I will take her in if necessary.  I've prepped myself for that.  But Cyrus wasn't old.  I mean, he was getting older since he was just shy of 12 years old (I would have had him 12 years on Christmas Eve), but aside from sleeping a lot (which he's always done) he wasn't showing any signs of aging.  He was a bit grumpier but most of that could be attributed to Remington and what a pain in the ass he is/was, especially to Cyrus.  I had not thought of him dying, that was something I was going to have to worry about after Parker passed on.

Cyrus has never really ever been sick.  The only vet visits he's had was the first few when we first got him for shots and when he was neutered & declawed.  He really was the best, no problem cat.  To have him pass before I could do anything is just hard to take.  I'm not sure I've ever felt so guilty in my life and I've felt plenty of guilt.  We have a joke how I should have been Catholic because of how guilty I always feel. 

2012

That Friday morning, knowing how sick Cyrus was, I took extra time (I was already spending extra time with him because he was sick) and said goodbye to him.  I told him how much I loved him, how beautiful he was, how much I have enjoyed our life together, how sorry I was for his pain and how I missed noticing he wasn't feeling well before it got so bad.  I asked him to please be okay and to poop for me so I could stop torturing him with trying to give him medicine and begged him to drink and eat the stuff I'd gotten especially for him to help his stomach feel better.  I kissed him and pet him a lot and then left.  I always say goodbye to the cats when I leave, in case anything happens, but that was definitely a different goodbye.  I honestly didn't think it was going to be my last one with him.  I'm so glad I took that time, even though I was sure it was unnecessary.   I did spend some time with him and said goodbye to him before we had to "box" him up but it's so different saying goodbye to someone you know isn't there anymore.

2011

I'm not really sure what Remington is thinking but he was freaked out for a few days.  I'm not sure if it was because he knew Cyrus was dead, or if my freak out got to him or if it was because so may people had been over he wasn't that used to.  Maybe it was a bit of all of it.  He has calmed back down and seems to be okay but I do think he misses Cyrus.  Sometimes when he hears something in a different room it seems like he's waiting for Cyrus or looking for him but maybe that's just me projecting.  Parker, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice.  When I was waiting outside for Jessica I poked my head in to check on her & Remi since I just left them in there with Cyrus (irrational, I know....they'd been with him all day) and she was waiting by the door, when she saw me she gave me the "give me treats" meow.  That was all she seemed to care about after everything calmed down & everyone left.  I haven't seen her go around looking for him or anything.  Maybe she knows, maybe she doesn't.  It's so hard to tell with her since so much of the time she is definitely in her own world of just pet me & feed me treats.  

I've had multiple panic attacks in the middle of the night where I wake up, touch a cat and they don't respond so I freak out, only to find the assholes were just in deep sleep.  I have massive anxiety when I leave the house now.  I don't feel it when I get home, which I think is totally backwards, but it is what it is.  

2002 Sunbathing 

I think one of the things I'll miss most about Cyrus was he was the cat who got people to like cats (and especially him) who normally didn't like cats.  I'm not sure how he did it but he did.  He was just so dang cool and my home just isn't the same without him.

Fill in the Blank Friday #20

Join here

1.  The last thing I ate was a McDouble (extra pickles) & fries.

2.  The last time I went to the beach was ummm... May '11 when Mike & Jessica got married in Disneyland.  We stopped at the beach on the way.

3.  My last vacation was when I took an overnight trip up to Eagar.  The last real vacation was our family renunion in July '11.

4. The last place I drove was to McDonalds.

5. The last song I listened to was Some Nights by Fun..

6. The last thing I watched on TV was Glee.

7.  The last time I said "I love you" was this morning on the phone with my sister.

Old Navy Cardi Party

Being a member of CrowdTap just keeps getting better and better.  I guess it's more accurate to say being a part of the Old Navy Style Council just keeps getting better and better.  I was lucky to be selected for their Cardi Party.  Cardi Party isn't even an accurate description because not only was the sample share for me and 3 (YES! THREE!) of my friends but it included for each of us a FREE cardigan, a FREE skirt, and a FREE scarf.  Say WHAT?!  Yep, you read that right.  We ALL got a FREE cardigan, skirt and scarf.  

Anyone who knows me knows I love me some FREE stuff.  Especially easy FREE stuff.  All we had to do was put together some outfits featuring those 3 items and snag some photos.  We didn't get to get as creative as we had hoped but we did what we could with what we could.  Oh, and while Old Navy, the Old Navy Style Council and CrowdTap gave me the FREE stuff all opinions are honest and my own.  I am a part of all this because I actually like Old Navy and I love the opportunities CrowdTap gives it's members so that's that. 

For my "party" I chose my BFF Karie, (Duh!), my sister Georgie, and my niece Elizabeth.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth couldn't go so I decided to invite Karie's mom Debi to even out our party.  Both my sister & Debi are the same age and rarely ever go shopping for themselves.  I've been waiting for the perfect sample share to invite my sister to and this definitely was it. She stopped smoking (WOOT!) and has finally gained some much needed weight (double WOOT!) and is starting to go out and buy new clothes.  Aside from the cardigan my sister would never go out and just buy a skirt or scarf.  She'd think about it but probably wouldn't actually go and do it.  I like that this sample share made her do so.  

We all met at Old Navy at 10am hoping to beat some of the shopping crowds.  It worked for a little while but eventually the dressing rooms began to fill up and it was much harder to take them over, which I totally felt like we were doing.  By the time we left the store was actually pretty busy.

I was a bit worried when we first started looking around because there wasn't much in the way of selection for skirts, and while there was a larger selection of cardigans there wasn't much in the way of sizes.  The one thing we didn't have a problem with was scarves.  Well, except that they didn't have the crocheted scarves, but really that may have been a good thing because I may not have been able to pick one otherwise.  It was hard enough without them to narrow it down to just one.

Just about all my favorite prints in the cardigans were out in my size.  There was an adorable peach polka dot one that I would have killed for but they only had it in XXL.  Luckily there was a ton of my other top choice... the grey animal print.  

I realized that the grey on grey animal print doesn't work but the photo we took of this outfit with the black scarf I tried with it didn't turn out. 

My sister tried the grey animal print as well, she's not one for animal print so I was excited she tried it.  I told her we could both get the grey on grey animal and be twins but she wasn't going for it. Personally, I can't blame her but don't tell her I said that.  

I, also, think the print/coloring looks way better on her as well.  Sometimes sisters are such a pain in the butt!  

When it came down to it I decided I loved the grey animal scarf the most out of all the scarves I tried so that left me trying to figure out what cardigan to get.  I really loved the grey animal print cardi but I finally chose an open front cardi in light grey (unfortunately, not shown online).  It was just too soft to pass up... it's like a hug when you wear it.  True story.

I managed to snag a pic wearing the navy version of the open front cardigan.   It was a hard choice between the two colors (light grey & navy) but I know I am obsessed with navy right now so I chose to go the other route for a change up.

By the time I decided against the grey animal cardi the store was too crowded and my phone refused to take any more photos.  I had asked Karie to bring her camera, I finally have to admit I lost mine, but she forgot it in her excited rush to get the party started.   So I had to wait until I cleared up some storage room on my phone & took my own photo's back at home. 

Debi tried on the light grey cardigan I ended up choosing, along with my second favorite scarf.  Both were cute but not totally "Debi".

Karie was more conservative on what she tried on and stuck with only 2 cardi's (at least what was documented so maybe I missed the other ones).  She tried on the classic button cardi's in black & white.

Since there were tons of scarves to choose from (both style & color) I had the most fun trying to choose my favorite but at the same time also get something that is not like anything I currently have.  None of the other girls wear scarves much so they just stuck with a couple patterns they liked. 

Scarves we liked but didn't pick...

Karie

Georgie

Debi

Me

For the skirts we had 3 different types to choose from.  The Pencil (sadly the perfect-cord pencils were not in store), the Fold Over Jersey (only black & grey) & some denim skirts (not shown online).  All the skirts we were most excited to try weren't in store.  I was the only one who found a Pencil skirt to try because they were out of every size except L and up.  Although, they weren't our favorite apparently they are popular because there were no XS, S, or M's (except in the one I tried on).  

Save for Karie, we are a short bunch, all about 5'4 and under so the Pencil skirts were a weird length for us.  The denim skirts were almost the same length but a bit shorter so they looked a bit better.  Two of us ended up with the denim skirts and the other two ended up with the Fold Over Jersey skirts.

Denim skirt: 

Me

Debi

Grey Fold Over Jersey skirt: 

Karie

Georgie 

So when all was said and done here is the outfits we took home.

Karie

Woman's Sheer Textured Scarf in Red

Woman's Button-Front Cardi in Bright White

Woman's Fold-Over Jersey Skirt in Dark Heather Grey

None of the colors Karie picked were "normal" Karie colors so I was proud of her for trying something different.  I love the outfit, and I love the color scheme, and even though it's not her "normal" it is still a very Karie outfit.

Debi 

Woman's Printed Scarf in purple not online

Woman's Button-Front Stretch Cardi in Purple Majesty
Woman's Denim Skirt not online

Purple is Debi's color.  The cardi and scarf go perfectly together and with the denim skirt I think it is a totally cute, stylish and fun outfit.

Georgie

 Infinity scarf in Black & Grey Striped not online

Woman's Ribbed Open-Front Cardigan in Black not online

Woman's Fold-Over Jersey Skirt in Light Grey

I love the outfit my sister picked.  It looks great on her.  Aside from the cardi, it is not an outfit she would normally ever wear, style-wise or color-wise.  I can't wait to see what else she pairs each piece with.

Me

Woman's Leopard-Print Infinity Scarf in Grey Leopard

Woman's Ribbed Open-Front Cardi in Light Grey not online

Woman's Denim skirt not online

I don't think anything I got was a surprise to anyone.  The scarf was the only thing I had my eye on going in but the other pieces aren't really out of my norm.  Of course, considering almost half of my closet is Old Navy, it's hard to go outside of my norm when shopping there.

Now if it would only cool down because I can't wait to wear my new outfit with my grey boots.  Come on Fall, hurry up and get here!!

Grey Xhiliration boots, Target

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Joining at The Little Things We Do

1.  My favorite grade in school was either 2nd or 5th grade.  Both were awesome years and the ones I remember the most.  Plus, the first day of 5th grade was when my best friend & I met.

2.  My favorite teacher was ...I was lucky and had a lot of favorite teachers all through out grade school and even Jr. High.

3.  The highest level of education I have completed is High School.  Lame, I know but it is what it is.

4. School lunches for me were usually time to hang out with my friends.  It had less to do with eating and more to do with gossiping and talking about boys.

5. The amount of money you'd have to pay me to go back to high school would be One billion trillion million gazillion dollars.  As in THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE WORLD TO MAKE ME GO BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL!!

6. A few things that will always remind me of going back to school are: Lunch boxes, crayons, new shoes at the end of Summer.

7.  The first day of school was always extremely stressing.  I was a very shy, nervous kid who didn't handle change well.  I think I felt like throwing up the few days leading up to school all the way through the first day or two of school once it started.