Highlights: Birthday Week

Hello Readers,

As you may know, last week was my birthday. Last Wednesday to be exact. Since my birthday was in the middle of the week, the celebration seemed to last a few days longer than usual. Here are a few of the highlights:

Wednesday: Oh Brother, It's my Birthday
:Morning:
My actual birthday started with a bit of a bump in the road. My mom made, for me (the birthday girl) birthday pancakes. Isn't that sweet? Well, one of my brothers came across the pancakes and ate them before I woke up, thinking that they were free for the taking. When I discovered the aftermath of this deed- I blew up. Like "it's my party and I'll cry if I want to" blowing up.
I was going to wear corduroys and a cardigan... but after blowing my fuse I decided that a more feminine outfit was needed to turn the day around.

Recognize this dress? Spinning Lace is correct! And yes, I wore it to the DMV.

:Afternoon:
My mom and I went to the DMV in Peoria to get a new license for me. Thankfully, it was not busy, and thankfully the picture they took of me turned out well! I had to take a written test, which I didn't expect, but still passed with flying colors. We made a quick stop at Kroger and then my mom treated me to lunch at Great Harvest Bread Co. followed by an-almost-forgotten stop at LeBakery in the Metro Centre for my birthday cake! Then, I took a nap.

Yum! LeBakery makes the best cakes in Peoria! (well, besides my aunt!)

:Evening:
After a wonderful nap, my dad and I went on a point-and-shoot camera excursion and then went to Basta O'Neal's for dinner. After great conversation and a very delicious dinner we headed back to the homestead for cake and singing. What a day!

What a sunset!

Garnet Red!

Thursday: Lunch and Laughter
The highlight of this day was meeting with my friend Nikki for lunch at Panera to catch up on life and to celebrate our birthdays, which are only 5 days apart! The Panera we went to was super busy, as always, but we were able to find an almost quiet table where we swapped stories, laughed, and ate very tasty food.

Friday: Birthday Sleepover!
I spent most of the day cleaning my room and the basement. Yes. Why? To prepare for the arrival of two of my friends from Greenville- Lorna and Amanda! They drove all the way from Greenville to Peoria to celebrate my birthday! We went Krogering for Turkey Hill icecream and returned home for a few rounds of Mad Libs, walking around the house in our PJs and Snuggies, multiple servings of laughter, and a few helpings of somewhat deep conversation (well, pretty deep for after 2AM!)

Before my friends arrived, Sophie tried on my cardigan

As you can tell, she really liked wearing the cardigan!

Saturday: Coffee and Conversation
This day began with a warm and delicious breakfast prepared by my mom, followed by the Turkey Hill icecream purchased the night before during the late-night Kroger run. After playing with Sophie (my parent's dog) we went to ThirtyThirty Coffee (an excellent coffee shop in downtown Peoria) where the three of us hung out for a few hours before my friends headed back to Greenville.
Later that evening, my dad and I saw Stephen Spielberg's War Horse which was quite good but also quite lengthy!

Lorna stealing coffee from the Jumer's bear at thirtythirty

Amanda almost being eaten by the bear!

Sunday:
Sunday began with church at Imago Dei and ended with a birthday party in my honor! Another party? Yes! This celebration took place at my Grandparents' house and included family, a butterfly birthday cake, perfect brownies, group singing on key (this is difficult when you have a large group of people singing at the same time!), and stories from my Grandpa.

Here are a few highlights of the night:

The cake

Lights, Camera, Action!

Listening to the sweet melody of the birthday song

Blowing out the candles!

Cousins!

Monday:
Nothing too birthday-ish happened on Monday, but I redeemed a birthday present at the Riverplex: a one-month membership! I swam for nearly an hour for the first time in maybe a month. It was wonderful.

Tuesday:

A box of delicious joy

Just when I thought that my birthday celebration was over... a package addressed to me arrived on my doorstop! My dear friend Kellie sent me a box of chocolates from the UK and Ireland. I love Cadbury and Maltesers are probably my favorite chocolate in the world. Happy extended birthday to me!

An Amazing Affair to Remember

Hello Readers!

Last weekend (not this weekend, but the weekend before) my cousin Liz got married to the love of her life and it was an amazing day of celebrations- of their love for each other, God's love, and the love of friends and family.  Like I said- amazing!

Before the ceremony

Not only did I have the opportunity to attend these celebrations, I also had the honor of being a part of the celebrations by singing a song during the ceremony (thanks for asking me to do it Liz and Matt!)  I used to lead worship occasionally in high school and undergrad, but it has been a while since I sang and played in front of a large audience so I was a bit nervous but it went really well.  So well that I've been thinking about picking up the old gee-tar and singing again after I settle into my new job this fall.  We'll see. . .

Curly hair? Yes please!

Singing "Divine Romance" by Phil Wickham

Mr. and Mrs.!

My lovely cousin Liz!

My favorite part of the singing part of the ceremony was when I looked over at Liz and Matt (the bride and groom) and I caught both of their eyes and we all smiled, and then they looked at each other and smiled.  It was one of those moments of great joy that I think I will remember for the rest of my life!  Liz and Matt are each wonderful people, and they are wonderful for each other.  It was such a blessing to be a part of their wedding!


Also. . . I would be remiss if I forgot to mention how much fun their reception was!  But. . . you'll have to wait until the next blog post for the details on the fun and my outfit!

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. . .

Hello Readers!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas, and for those of you who are still on vacation/holiday I hope that the time off from work or school is going well! I know that I am enjoying this time off tremendously!

Christmas really is a wonderful time of the year for many reasons, but to me the two reasons that make the days surrounding Christmas so merry and bright are:

(1) the celebration of Jesus' birth (which, I know, probably happened in the spring time- but still the reason for the season) and

(2) family time

Here I am with my cousins Kim, Liz, and Katie (the star of this post)

Both sides of my family are fairly large in number- especially my mom's side of the family. Every year (almost) all of us gather at my grandparents' house for rich experiences of food and fellowship- but there's always something special about Christmas at my grandparents' house. Every branch of the family brings something to the table with food dishes, gifts, smiles, stories, and warm conversations. Usually the grown ups and little kids camp out on the main floor [the grown up men take over the living room to watch a game (and nap, ahem- dad); while the grown up women stay in the kitchen and dining area] while the almost grown ups and not almost grown ups [the cousins, including me] hang out in the basement. We all come together to get food and exchange gifts. Our two groups don't remain separate otherwise though, we intermingle- but these are just the tendencies.

(Here we are! And this isn't even all of us- we are missing the Quists, Uncle Mike, and Bonnie)

So, there you have it- a (somewhat sociological) glimpse of how my family celebrates Christmas. But that probably isn't why you are here today- you are here today to hear about fashion and outfits, right?

For this post, I chose the outfit that my cousin Katie wore to this warm celebration. Katie is one of the most kind, warm, smart and compassionate people I know. Katie brightens every room that she's in with her smile and charm.

Here she is with a bright smile, and a charming outfit:

Retail Details:

Grey Cardigan: Wet Seal

Grey Lace-Trim Tank: American Eagle

Sparkly Layered Necklace: American Eagle (borrowed from her sister Kim)

Distressed Jeans: Silver Jeans (purchased from Bergner's)

Black Socks: Brand Unknown, but they are microfiber socks, and according to Katie they are really comfortable.

Thanksgiving: A Time for Family, and a Time for Fashion!

Greetings Readers!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Did anyone travel for the holiday? I traveled home to Peoria on Monday afternoon and have been home ever since- reading, napping, and catching up with friends and family.

Ten years ago my family moved from Vancouver, BC to the Peoria area- a move that was difficult, but a move with outcomes that I appreciate greatly. One of the outcomes of this move, which I am very thankful for, is the opportunity to build relationships with family members who I used to see only once every three or four years. Now that I live in St. Louis, I only get to see them once or twice a month- but the time that I spend with them is very dear to me. And that is why I like holidays like Thanksgiving- because I get to spend time (quality time) with family.

Here I am with my cousins Liz and Kim at my grandparents' house

My cousin Matt, my cousin Liz, my Aunt Shelly, my Aunt Mary, me, and my Grandma

While fashion isn't an essential concern for family gatherings (well, with a few exceptions), or even for Thanksgiving, I like to put together outfits for occasions such as these. Not because I have to, not because I am supposed to- but because I like the mood and the anticipation that dressing up creates. Do you know what I mean? A cute outfit is like foreshadowing- it's like saying "hey- something important is about to happen"- and what could be more important than spending time with loved ones?

People who make us feel a bit crazy at times:

And people who bring balance to our lives:

This Thanksgiving, and every day of the year, I am thankful for the precious and powerful relationships I have with people in my life. People who continue to teach me about love, about grace, about laughter, and yes- even about fashion.

Here are the retail details:

White Rhinestone Headband: J. Crew

Necklace: Juicy Couture (on Market St. in San Francisco)

Light Blue Tee: Banana Republic

Winter White Cardigan: Abercrombie & Fitch (I recommend hand-washing this cardi)

Charcoal Skinny Belt: Ann Taylor

Navy Blue Draped Skirt: Anthropologie

Raspberry Tights: Hue

Brownish-Olivey Jeweled Flats: Via Spiga