POCC!

I am at the NAIS People Of Color Conference. I had a really fantastic day and I am so lucky that the school I work for believes it is important for educators to continue to learn and grow!

As I have been saying everyday for awhile, I need to get some zzz's! I arrived at 2:00 a.m., went to bed at 3:00 a.m., and had to be at the opening ceremony at 8! Needless to say, I'm knackered! I did actually take an accidental nap which caused me to be late to dinner with our group.

I do hope that I can write a more engaging post one day. By the way, this is the first time I have ever stayed in a hotel by myself in 37 years! It is also the first time I have been alone overnight since August of 2008! Crazy huh?

Outfit:

Shirt: Goodwill. James Pearse.

Skirt: Goodwill. Citron. Third wear in the last month!

Shoes: Fit flops. I packed cuter heels, but I was walking a lot...

A diagram of "Microaggression" a topic I went to a workshop on today. Very thought provoking and insightful!

The view from my window!

Late Again!

We got invited last-minute to dinner because there was a broken freezer and food that needed to be cooked and eaten. Of course that means that we got home late and now I'm off schedule and I have sworn that I'm going to get to bed early, and now it is 11:04 and I have to cook shrimp so that it doesn't go bad and I have to make lunches and shower, and I feel my early bed time slipping away as I type...

So, on to outfit!

Outfit:

Striped shirt: Friend hand me down. Gap.

Pants: Goodwill. It has a matching jacket!

Belt: Goodwill. My friend's daughter called it a "whale belt".

Jacket: Friend hand me down. Aldo.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Oops!

This is the first time I almost went a day without posting! And why, you may ask? I am still knee- deep in progress reports, and they are progressing nicely, if I do say so myself! Thus, I am going to keep it short and sweet. 

Oh. I just saw the craziest infomercial ever. It was for Pajama Jeans, the "Hot new fashion sensation!" See what you can stumble upon when you stay up late?If you have a few minutes to spare, check them out. I think they may be a new fashion low, albeit an understandable one... Yikes! I love the line that says "It's a struggle to get into ordinary jeans." Okay, Pajama Jeans, I hear you!

Outfit:

Dress: I threw this on as I had to rush out of the house. I have not worn this dress since I attended the wedding that I bought it for. Five years ago!  It was a few months after Leo was born, and I guess I didn't have anything else that fit me. I actually wore it as a skirt at the wedding, with a floaty lavender top. At any rate, I've kept it for five years for some reason, but I think it will have to go if I don't thnk I'm going to wear it for another five years! 

Sweater: Hand me down from cousin, who rocked her show last night! Congratulations little cousin! Mossimo.

Vest: EMS. Courtesy of a gift certificate I was given more than ten years ago!

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Strange Heat!

The weather is messing with my wardrobe challenge. Here I am getting ready to sashay into my fall outfits, and,-BAM! It's hot!.. East coast hot.
Desert hot.
Melt-my-head-off hot.

So, I have to stretch my summer style a bit longer than I'd like, but I guess it helps to keep me on my toes.

Today I got the best compliment I could get when I had two friends tell me that I "inspired" them to look at their closets with a "fresh eye". One on them said, and I quote, "I'm really challenging myself to find different combinations of tired pieces of clothing." The other friend said the outfit she was wearing was the direct result of reading my blog! Yay! That's what I want to hear! I was so happy! And so flattered! Especially since they are awesome powerhouses of femininity and style!





Outfit:

Shirt: Straight from my brilliant friend's company I heart Guts! Her designs are the best, and they're anatomically correct!

Skirt: I got this from a thrift store at least 9 years ago. It was a dress and I cut off the top. Silly me!


Shoes: Fit Flops.

 

The Pants!

I finally decided to break out the awesome pants from my thrift-store-leisure-suit-score of yore. In addition to them being ultra-awesome, they also have the excellent quality of being an unworn element! This makes it extra-easy for me to know that I have not inadvertently repeated a combo of clothes! I have a few of these unworn items left, and they are my lynch pins as I get closer to the end. Heaven knows I'm going to need them!

Richard and I finally went out for our anniversary dinner. Thanks to his mom for sending us, and my aunt for baby sitting! We went out early because it had been a long day. A fun day, but a long one. This morning I had the pleasure of playing "Apples to Apples" with First Graders. A little girl brought it in, and it was hysterically funny helping them navigate the adult version. 

I have to mend my prom dress for tomorrow, so I need to keep my post short! Happy Friday! Until tomorrow!!!




Outfit:

Shirt: Hand me down from talented and stylish cousin.  Old Navy.

Pants: Thrift Store. I bought this so long ago, I don't remember which one.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

263 Days!

It's been 263 days of NO shopping, no swapping, no thrifting, no sifting (through racks of clothes, that is). I have been sifting through my closet, and I realize that when my time with this project is up, I am getting rid of a TON of stuff I've been holding on to for years.

For starters, I have a lot of clothes that don't fit properly. Because I've gotten so many clothes via handing down from friends, and clothing swaps, many of them are off in one way or another. Also, I have a lot of things I've kept for sentimental value, or because they are "nice", or "I might wear them someday". Whatever the case, come January, if I don't love it, it's gone!

Now, the main reason I was sifting through my closet this weekend is because I am attending a wedding on Saturday, and I was trying to figure out what I am going to wear. I tried on a few dresses, and I realized that they need to go. They just aren't me. I also tried on a bunch of other things and I realized that they aren't right either. For a gal who plans to wear her prom dress to a wedding this weekend (clothing nostalgia anyone?), this is a good sign. I think it's time to let some things go. I will, however, keep everything I love, and everything that fits.

By the way, I have gotten rid of tons of clothes over the years. Just the other day I was thinking about all those clothes. Hundreds and hundreds of items. Why did I ditch them? And, more importantly, why did I buy them in the first place? As I start to think about my future shopping adventures, I realize that mindfulness is order. I don't want to end up here again in a few years!...

Or do I?

Outfit:

T-Shirt: I got this in NYC at least 17 years ago. I thought it was funny. Today I had band practice, so I thought wearing the optimistic rockers would be a good idea!

Shirt (under): This was a hand me down from a friend. I threw it under my Hanson's tee because it has a low halter back. Lux.

Skirt: Thrift store.

Shoes: Fit Flops. 

Fashion or Style?

My post inspiration today comes from The Sartorialist. I have been meaning to write about this particular post of his, because I think it pretty much expresses how I feel about fashion. He asks, "What is more important, fashion or style?" He follows up by saying that at the few fashion shows he attended he had seen "some very "fashionable" young ladies. But, they always come up short when compared to the young ladies doing their own thing". I tend to agree with him. Of course fashion inspires style, but there is nothing better than seeing someone marching to the beat of their own style drum. There is also nothing worse than seeing someone dressed to the nines in the latest and greatest fashion trend only to find that they look-a-like-a idiot.

Case in point: Two very stylish and fashionable ladies, Natalie Portman and Cat Deeley, sport a dress from the highly lauded Lanvin. However, the dress, as high fashion as fashion can be, looks terrible on both of them. It should have been left on the runway. I also feel ill when I see skinny jeans or bubble skirts. Very few people look good in these items, and they should be avoided. People should also be mindful of what looks good on their particular frame, and what they feel good in. Wearing something you feel good in makes all the difference.

Unless, of course, it's a bubble skirt...

When I was in New York I had a little fantasy that I would run into Scott Speedman, a.k.a The Sartorialist,  and we would have coffee and a chat. Alas, I did not. Maybe one day. Perhaps he'll be roaming the streets of L.A. soon. Scott, I'm ready for a cup o' joe when you are!

Outfit:

Green shirt: Got this in NYC at least 15 years ago. I don't remember where.

Vest: Goodwill. Urchin.

Pants: Forever 21.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

The State Fair!

We spent 12 fun-filled hours at the state fair today. It was a ton of fun once the temperature dropped a bit. We did everything from eating chocolate covered bacon to petting baby goats, and it is two a.m. now, so I'm going to do a post in pictures today!



Outfit:

I had to get dressed in a flash, and I knew it was going to be hot, so I immediately thought skirt. I grabbed this skirt and quickly looked for a top to go with it. As I had just worn this top yesterday it was close by and I thought it would do. The only problem is that it is a bubble top that I dismantled and it has two layers. What was I thinking? I was so hot and miserable with the extra layer, that I had to tie it up. That was better.

Shirt: emma & sam.
Skirt: Thrift Store.

Shoes: Fit Flops. My feet were comfy the whole day!

Sweater: I've had this since high school. One of my faves. I think it was my grandpa's.

All good things must come to an end!!!

Home Again, Home Again!

We drove back to Cali today. The kids did not want to leave, and I wish we could have stayed a bit longer, too. However, duty calls!

Arizona is muy caliente! Too caliente, if you ask me. I did not enjoy the heat. Nor did I enjoy getting into the car and burning my body and my children. I also did not like having to stay inside all day because it was too hot to play outside.

I did enjoy the clouds, the company, and going out in the evenings.

So, I need to start practicing my super-short posts, and now seems like a pretty good time considering the fact that I start work tomorrow, and it is approaching midnight. Thinking about work and starting a new partnership in a new classroom has brought out some excitement and some trepidation in me. There are many "what ifs?" in my mind, and now that I am typing I realize that I need to live "in the moment", and see what unfolds, without worrying about the unknowns. Okay.

Outfit:

Tank: Hand me down. Old Navy.

Skirt: Goodwill. Old Navy. Same as yesterday, but I wore it inside out yesterday, so the texture was obscured. Worn as skirt. See it as a dress in: Backtracking!

Shoes: Fit Flops. These were all I packed for my Arizona excursion.



HaHa had her hair did by my sister twice! She sat still the whole time, and seemed to enjoy it. Sadly, she wont be getting her hair done again for a while. It's just not my thing. Anyone who's seen this blog, and my hair, can figure that one out. Sorry, HaHa!

Here are the kids in the backseat as I filled the car with gas. They were very easy travelers, for the most part. I think they'll be more than ready when we drive cross-country next year!

Buckeye, AZ!

Why oh why do I find it so easy to stay up late? The answer may be sitting right next to me typing a paper for her "Advocacy and Mediation" class. My sister is happily clicking away as the hour approaches 1:00 a.m! Maybe it's in our genes... However, I just asked my sister if my dad stays up late and she said "No". We have different moms, so I guess my theory is bunk.

Actually, I just got a new theory: We stay up late because it's the only time we can do what we need to without the requests, or demands of our little ones. And big ones for that matter. My theory has some merit, I think, but I have been staying up late since I was a wee babe in a crib. Reminds me of a little girl that lives in my house right now...

 After our arrival in Buckeye, my sister fed us, then we took the kids to an open air mall that had a fountain for them to splash in. We enjoyed the pleasant weather, the company, and watching the kids have a fine time in the cascades of water under the Arizona sky.

Outfit:

I couldn't be too concerned about looking cute knowing I was going to spend the bulk of the day in the car. I also did not know that we would be going out. Luckily it was dark because I was looking beat by the time we stepped out. We got home at 10:55 p.m. Only the two youngest  babes were asleep!

Shirt: My mom gave this to me a long time ago. I believe I was in high school. The flowers are faded and I've dyed it once, but I can't get rid of it despite it's flaws.

Skirt: Goodwill. This was a dress, but I cut it. I got it a long time ago.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Me, My sis, and my niece!

Dr. Laura!

A few days ago Richard sent me an article about Dr. Laura and a little meltdown she had on air last week. Well, not a meltdown, per se, but she did manage to use the N-word "11 times in under five minutes". She was giving "advice" to a black woman who was asking "about how to handle her white husband’s bigoted relatives and friends." You can listen to or read Dr. Laura's "advice" on Deceiver.com, or, check out her blog for her response to the events of last week.

I have to say, I was very disappointed when I read the Deceiver article, but mostly because I didn't know Dr. Laura was not a real doctor! I feel like all those times I've listened to her disseminating "words of wisdom" to her hapless listeners are somehow tarnished (as if they weren't already). I don't really care if a person is a doctor or not if they have good advice, but I don't see why she has to pretend to be one... I guess I'm getting off subject.

When Richard and I were driving, we happened to catch a radio program in Sacramento where the host was interviewing a comedian and director named W. Kamau Bell. He has a show called "The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour." He had a great point about the N-word. He said that Dr. Laura's use of it doesn't necessarily mean that she's a racist. It does, however, mean that she's a jerk. He pointed out that some white people go crazy when they get the chance to say the N-word because it is so taboo and inappropriate.

I'm not sure I'm doing justice to what he said, but he had some excellent points about racism. I will definitely try to see his show one day. As for Dr. Laura, I really don't think I want to listen to her anymore, especially now that I know she's not a doctor.

Outfit:

Trying to come up with "new" outfits after my summer travel weeks. I came up with this little ensemble!

Shirt: I got this at some cute little knit shop on Jay Street in New York about 11 years ago.

Skirt: Goodwill. Forever 21. This is actually a dress, but I dropped the part that should cover the torso, and tied the straps behind my waist. I liked the way it worked out.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

I've included a photo of my little lovely HaHa sleeping on DaDa. I just think she is so precious!

Cargo A-Go-Go!

Today we drove back down to Los Angeles after spending five lovely days away! The Browns, always the host/hostesses with the mostest, treated us like kings, and we had so much fun. They are a truly awesome and special family! In return for their hospitality, we left them with a broken sculpture/lamp that Leo ran into, a knocked-in baby tooth that occurred during one of the many trampoline sessions, and a bunch of dirty sheets... And Richard took their Kindle when we were walking out the door.

Does anyone else want to invite us over?! We're free next weekend.

Now, onto cargo pants. I decided to wear my ever-handy cargos for the seven hour drive down. They have pockets that you can stuff money and keys into, they are comfy, and they are cool. I think I've said before that they are one of my summer staples. However, since I first broke out these bad boys on May 30th, I have worn them 7 times (and four of those were in the last two weeks) ! That's a lot of times for someone who is trying to "mix it up" and "break out" of her fashion rut. So, although I have worn the cargos with seven different tops, I am retiring them. At least for a while. I may wear them come December, but I will bid adieu to my fair cargo pants anon!

Outfit:

Shirt: (Under) Forver 21.

Shirt: (Over) Hand me down from friend. Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Pants: Salvation Army. Mossimo.

Shoes: Fit Flops. Nice for traveling. Easy on and off.

Pictures from the Jelly Belly tour. The photo that would have been if technology had not sabotaged me,  and the boys.




   

Fireside!

Right now, as I write this post, there is a very fine group of people sitting around a fire in the backyard, just a few feet away. I could write a long post about the many things I did today, but I'd rather go and sit by the fire and enjoy the company of folk I may not see for a very long time.

Before I go, a short list:

I visited The American River.

I saw three deer, wild turkeys, an owl, and a snake.

I went to a very fun birthday party.

I ate some of the most delicious and fresh food I have had in a very long time. Food just picked from The Brown's garden.

I tried Leffe beer as per the recommendation of a German bartender I met awhile back. I'm really not a beer person, but it was alright.

I sat by a fire.

I did a quick post.

I had fun.

Outfit:

Shirt: This shirt is a work in progress. I have cut the lace for the second shoulder, but I haven't sewn it yet. The lace comes from a slip I found at a thrift store many years ago that I love and have kept, even though every time I pick it up it has a new tear. I decided to take off the bottom tier and use it to help cover up the fact that the straps on this tank are fraying. Anyway, I'm sure I looked a bit crazy today, but at least I'm not repeating! This shirt was a hand me down from my old boss. BCBG.

Skirt: Marshall's circa 1988. Purchased in Texas the summer before 10th grade! I thinkI need to put it away for awhile. This is at least the 10th time I've worn it!

Shoes: Fit Flops. I wanted to make sure I could hike around the river!

Jordan took the photo's today as he was using the complicated camera!

The Hot Spot!

So, I am at the Airport, where I just added pictures to Richard's post yesterday, but, my battery is about to die!

So I guess that makes it: Technology-2, Shelyana-0...

Or, maybe I get a half a point for posting this lame bit on the run!

I can't wait to write about my final two days in New York! They were awesome, and love-filled, and bittersweet. Life is that way, no?

HaHa was the most charming amazing baby. Besides the 2 a.m. bedtimes, of course. She is really just the sweetest thing, and I am glad I got some time alone with her to appreciate all of her lovely qualities.

Okay. Gotta run. I'd like to get some food before we get on the plane!

XoXo- Shaysh

And thanks to my lovely hubby for last night!

Outfit:

Wife-beater: Target. Most other summers I would be wearing these every day. However, I can't do that this summer!

Pants: Salvation Army. Mossimo.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Neck wear: This is an old strapless bra that i thought looked like a cool collar. However, Willa, a hip, and wise teenager, was on to me, so I guess I'll have to nix this trick! Calvin Klein.




My little angel sleeps finally!!!