It may be finally, officially spring, but we were under a winter weather advisory last night. I suspect true spring will take its time getting here this year. Womp womp. But I’m still thinking ahead to spring attire!

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Old Navy’s dress selection the past couple of years. I’m very tempted by both of these, but I’d have to try them on first! Old Navy dresses that look great on the model often look terrible on me.

Two takes on black and white stripes. I’ve pinned some version of the Loft dress for several seasons now, so maybe I should get one already!

I’m loving Loft’s array of eyelet dresses (though they’re all too expensive at the moment). I’d probably choose the turquoise one. We brunettes really rock the turquoise.

This gorgeous ensemble is from the spring Ruche lookbook. I’m not into that bag, but I’d like one of everything else, please.

On the homemade fashion front, I haven’t been sewing much. A friend asked me to help her make some seat cushion covers, and I’ve been dragging my feet on that project for about a million years now. (Sorry Tessa! :() But if I ever finish those, I want to try my hand at a skirt again. I have enough skirt tutorials to keep me busy well into summer. The last one I made came out okay, but I’m not sure if it looks okay on, so I haven’t worn it anywhere. Anyway, my first warm-weather sewing project will be this Scalloped Shorts Tutorial. It’s cute, unique, and looks like it can be finished in an hour or less. Win-win!

2 Comments + Posted in: crafts, fashion

You guys, I hate to break my new routine of deeper posts on Thursdays (Soapbox Thursdays, if you will), but there’s no way I can concentrate with my Tigers playing in the NCAA tournament this afternoon. My nerves are already shot. On top of that, I have a to-do list full of high priority items, including:

–   Getting ready for a dinner party this weekend
–   Selecting new laminate flooring and tile for my house!
–   Choosing and purchasing a new TV, because mine chose the first day of March Madness to give up the ghost
–   Preparing a new blog design
–   Submitting an article to one of my favorite websites
–   Participating in Holy Week activities starting on Sunday

I’ll be sharing more about most of these things later. GO TIGERS GO!

3 Comments + Posted in: tigers

 

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic (say that three times fast!) was books you just had to buy and still haven’t read. The floor next to my nightstand is OVERFLOWING with such books, so all I have to do is survey it:

1. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I know so many people obsessed with this book, but I’m still trying to make myself read it. I regret to admit that I have a few beefs with the whole Thankfulness Movement. Blog post still percolating.

2. Men and Women In The Church by Sarah Sumner

3. and 4. Driftwood Lane and Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter (part of her Nantucket Love Story series)

5. Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women by Carolyn Custis James (This one is even signed!! Shame on me)

6. How Sweet It Is by Alice Wisler (another fluffy love story)

7. Bring Me A Unicorn by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (the first of her memoirs)

8. The Best Worst Thing: A Memoir by Kristen K. Brown

9. The Reason for God by Tim Keller

10. Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings by Matthew Dickerson

So I struggle to get motivated for heavier theological stuff AND Christian romance novels. I guess my sweet spot is in the middle? :\ Seriously, I shouldn’t be hard on myself for getting around to most of these slowly. I’m not a seminary student, even if I occasionally wish I was.

8 Comments + Posted in: reading

Last weekend, I got to see my sister, BIL, and niece for the first time since New Year’s Day! We met up in north central Alabama where Lance’s family lives. It’s roughly the halfway point between Memphis and Dothan, where Debra and Lance moved in mid-January. The visit was prompted by their closing on the sale of their Nashville house (which ended up being delayed), and my mom needing to be picked up after flying one-way to Dothan to spend the week. Whatever the reasons, I was way overdue for some hermana and niece time!

Niecy is over ten months old now, and had practically doubled in size since I saw her last. I can’t get over how tall she is. I felt like I needed to get to know her all over again! She’s crawling, standing (with help), and vocalizing (but not really saying anything yet). She also just learned to clap. :) She continues to be a generally happy baby and good sport. At one point three or four of us were following her around the living room with cameras, like paparazzi. “Over here, Niecy, who are you wearing?” “Gymboree!”

Since we only had a few hours all together, it was unfortunate that the Tigers’ C-USA championship game was on TV at the same time – AND that it went into two overtimes. It’s a good thing that Lance’s family is like family to me too, because I made a spectacle of myself in front of the whole bunch, including cousins and other extended relatives. Most of them seemed amused, though. I think Lance’s mom even got footage of me celebrating at the end of the game. :) Still, it made a too-short visit even shorter. We were all headed to our respective homes by mid-afternoon. It’s a bummer that they live so far away AND work Sundays.

I proudly hung my Tiger flag yesterday afternoon before going to Kathy and Daniel’s house to watch the selection show. We got a #6 seed, which was about as high as we could have hoped for – and also the toughest region, in my opinion. I may bleed blue, but I’m heading into this March Madness more realistically than I have in about a decade. If we make it to the Sweet 16, I will be THRILLED. Anything after that would be icing on the cake. I also like Miami (of course), Indiana, and Gonzaga. And I have a new fondness for NC State after watching “Survive and Advance,” the amazing 30 for 30 about their 1983 tournament run (if you watched it without crying, I don’t want to be friends with you). I love March Madness!! GO TIGERS GO!

2 Comments + Posted in: family, life lately, tigers

Lunching at Audubon Park

Shortish list today. I blame the beautiful springlike weather! :) It’s amazing the difference longer days and warmer weather can make.

♦ Your daily dose of cuteness: I Love Memphis’s interview with Kid President. Also from ILM: a video collection of D.J. Stephens’ greatest dunks!

♦ Sarah Bessey’s latest brilliance: In Which God Does Not Want to Use Me, and In Which Art Is Like Manna. I’ve been pondering the latter post a lot this week.

♦ Yes, Justin Timberlake’s fifth hosting of SNL was a wild success, but did you also see him repping the Tigers while closing the show? :D

♦ Carolyn Custis James expounds on one of her own passages, from When Life and Beliefs Collide, that I’ve posted about before:  Losing Plan A. I needed this reminder!

♦ Last week Emily Freeman publicly announced her upcoming third book, A Million Little Ways. Even if this was the longest post she’s ever written, I soaked up every word of it! Can’t wait for the book.

♦ Have you seen Myla Smith‘s video for her new single, “This Time I Mean It”? GO FORTH AND VIEW THE AWESOMENESS.

Along with the rest of the blogosphere, I’m confused and appalled by Google’s decision to kill Reader. Thankfully we have a few months to figure things out, but in the meantime, join in the emigration and please:

Thanks!

1 Comment + Posted in: what i'm into