The Graduate!

Today I was supposed to go to Royce Hall to watch my fabulously talented cousin walk in her graduation cap and gown (which was compostable by the way). However,  I got a call in the morning from her asking if it would be okay with me if she skipped out on the ceremony and we celebrated at her house instead. Being someone who did not attend her own graduation, I was fine with it. In truth, I was relieved because she said the ceremony was going to be 3 hours long! The rest of her family was fine with it too, I suppose... Congratulations Taylor!!!
There was a period of time when HaHa would leap out of my arms and into Taylor's whenever she had the chance. Once Taylor and I came home after being out all day and HaHa ran into Taylor's arms when the door opened. At least HaHa has good taste!

Outfit:

Shirt: Salvation Army. This is a skirt that I have looped a tie through the belt loops to make a halter style strap. I got this skirt in high school and I am in love with the butterfly print. Seen in: V-Day! and Re-Fashionista!

Black Tank: (under) I have no idea where or when I got this. It is at least a few years old. I got it to exercise  in.

Jeans: Hand me down from friend. Express.

Shoes: Miz Moos by Gazith.

This is Taylor and her Fiance Adam! They are newly engaged and our whole family is thrilled!

Taylor is modeling her cap for us!

The best picture of my outfit did not include my face, but that's fine with me! Hopefully people won't think it's too weird.

A Welcome Escape!

Today, I got to get into the classroom I will be occupying this summer, and I got to go to a graduation party for a very promising young lady! The graduation fete was called a "Get Out of Jail" party because the young lady who was being honored did not really relish high school. That is to say, she received more enjoyment from working after school with children, people with Down's Syndrome, volunteering, and participating in theater. She realized that there was much more life to live beyond the walls of her school, than in her school, where her peers seemed concerned with shallow and trivial pursuits. And, apparently, she is not a fan of teenagers.

We have something in common.

One of her teachers was at the party and he had nothing but glowing things to say about her, so it is not that she doesn't enjoy learning and studying. There were also many other guests with praise for the graduate. It was a very fun and happy occasion, and I am so glad I got to be there. I will leave out the antics of my children while we were at the party...

On a completely different note, today when I was working in the classroom, I was trying to help HaHa turn on a computer, which she was determined to do, and she pushed my hand away and said "I do it!" It sounded like, "I'll do it", and Richard and I started cracking up! She said it again later, and I'm sure she'll be saying it again. That's my little independent HaHa bear!

Outfit:

I got a sun burn when we were at the park a few days ago, so I opted for a racer back tank today. These past couple of days my shoulders have really killed me. I wanted to be comfy so I paired it with these kick around corduroys. Of course when I got dressed this morning I wasn't thinking about the party later, but I manage to spruce up my outfit with just a couple of tweaks!

Print Shirt: Forever 21. I really can't resist a fruity print!

Brown Pants: Goodwill. I.N.C.

Sweater: Hand me down from cousin. Merona.

Shoes: Fit Flops.

Tweaked by adding:

Gold Crop Jacket: I got this for 5 buck at Walmart when I was visiting my mother in Hanson, Mass. 

Shoes: Patricia Field's for Payless  that I got for 12 bucks! I was looking for shoes for the boys a couple years ago, and I went to peruse the 10's. I saw these and snapped them up! I wish I had bought a second pair because they are soooo comfy!

Pants: I took the elastic bands I had around my wrists earlier in the day and gathered the pants at the bottom so they were more stylish, and less frumpy... At least I hope they were!

Back To Class!

Today I had to go to school to get ready for the summer session. We had meetings and greetings. I found out that I will have an assistant who is a college senior. Man, that makes me feel old! As I was talking to her and some of the other college students, my cheeks started turning red. I felt like the old person trying to be down with the cool kids. What can I say? I am a middle aged woman with four children. To college age people, I am old.

I remember when I was in high school that I thought my teachers were so ancient. When I moved back to L.A. at the ripe old age of 28, I remember seeing some of my teachers and thinking that they were so young! The decade or so between us seemed inconsequential now that we were all adults. It really tickled me. How our perception changes as we grow more mature is fascinating. When I was 10 I thought that 40 was close to death, now I'm pretty sure it's 90.

Outfit:

Camisole: I've been wanting to wear this for a while, but just never got around to it. I found it at Goodwill. I decided to pair it with black, so that it is not overly sweet. I feel like this is an homage to The Pink Ladies. Grease was one of my favorite films when I was younger. I still love it to this day!

Tank: (Underneath) Old Navy.

Black Crop Cardigan: Clothing swap. Gap.

Jeans: I got these from a Big Sunday fundraiser. Bu from Malibu.

Shoes: Airwalk.

This outfit HaHa is wearing was put together by Richard. It is all handed down clothing. When I came home she greeted me at the door in this and I thought she looked so adorable!

Happy Birthday!!!

Today I spent more summer leisure time with the kids before I head off to the office tomorrow. I haven't done summer school for a few years, so it should be fun. I also think that it will be the perfect way to ease into a full-time work schedule in the fall.

We went to the library. It was peaceful and sweet to see the boys grab books they found interesting and settle in at a table, while I looked for books for my class. HaHa was kind enough to nap during this time. We left and came home to bake a cake for my lovely friend Ayiko. She is a truly wonderful and brilliant person, and I've known her since I was 9! That's a long, long time, and I am so glad our crazy paths crossed those years ago.


Richard had to work until 2:00 a.m., so I needed to scramble for childcare this evening. For some reason, I guess because of experience, I cannot leave Jordan alone with all of the kids for more than a little bit of time. He is almost there, but not quite. I was getting paid to watch four kids under the age of 7 when I was 15, so it is hard for me to understand why I can't have Jordan stay with the kids for several hours. I just can't. Maybe soon.


Anyway, I am rambling, so let me just say that Ayiko's birthday dinner was filled with laughs, good conversation, yummy food, and cocktails! They were strong, so I only had one. And, I was lucky because Richard's brother agreed to sit with the kids while I was out. I was home by 9:45, and all three kids were awake.

Outfit:

Black Shirt: This was given to me by a friend who used to work for the designer of the shirt, Alicia Lawhon. I love the simplicity of this shirt with the rainbow detail.

White skirt: Ayiko gave this to me several years ago, so I decided to wear it today. Free People.

Black Leggings: So old, I don't know where or when I got them!

Shoes: Miz Mooz by Gazith.

Bag: I usually do not carry a purse and would do anything to not carry one, but sometimes, I just have to. I found this purse at a thrift store long ago and it was five bucks. It isn't leather, and that's fine with me. While I appreciate really gorgeous handbags and the ilk, they're just not something I covet.

Polling!

I realize that I never addressed the poll results of my "Did You Vote?" question. The total number of votes was quite low, especially in comparison with the last poll. I can't say that I am surprised. It is actually quite apropos.

When I saw the number of votes on the June 8th elections, I was shocked. In a city of millions, the votes were in the thousands. To be more precise, out of 1.6 million registered Los Angeles voters, 290,000 of them actually managed to vote on June 8th. That's fairly discouraging considering you have the opportunity to cast your vote by mail. You don't even have to get to the polls anymore...

I must say, I am not surprised, but it is a bit disappointing. How do we take our right to vote for granted? How do we not vote when the city and state is in such crisis? What happened to the overcrowded polling places of November 2008? Where did the hope go?...

I guess the hope, like everything else in politics, is going down the crapper. And why wouldn't it? Almost two years into the Obama era, and everything feels pretty much the same as before. The hope that was palpable that November eve feels lost and empty. Afghanistan. BP. Health Care. Bail outs. Our further estrangement with our "allies", Guantanamo Bay, Don't Ask, Don't Tell...

I'm not asking, but I'm telling you, something's rotten in Denmark.  

Outfit:

Thai Skirt: I decided to wrap this and wear it as a shirt while I was fooling around with what to wear today. This was one of the first gifts Richard gave to me. He got it while he was touring South East Asia.

Sweater: Hand me down from cousin. Merona.

Jeans: Hand me down from friend.

Shoes: zoe & zac.

I've included a family "portrait" that shows what I have in store for me when parenting HaHa.  She is crying because I am holding on to her while she is perched on the four- foot slanted wall. She wanted me to let go...




 

Up The H!ill

Today we spent the day at the park. There was tree climbing, riding downhill without helmets, snacking, walking through a swarm of bees, playing, climbing up a huge, huge hill, and a lot of merriment.

One of the most hysterical things was HaHa pushing me away and saying "No, mama", as I tried to spot her during her tree climbing. She is so stubborn and fearless that it is quite scary. People on the playground were watching her and shaking their heads in disbelief as she climbed a 6 foot ladder and launched herself down slides without any hesitation. They were also surprised by her heckling of much older children. "No! No!" she exclaimed as she tried to dominate the equipment. She is really something. Her desire to be like her big brothers overshadows everything. Whatever they are doing, she is doing. She is like the chihuahua who thinks it's a pit-bull. She is cray-cray.








Outfit:

Grey Tank: Urban Outfitters. I got this a million years ago and it is starting to die. I will definitely get another one of these in heather gray in the future.

Silk Dress: Goodwill. I got this to wear under things. But I thought I'd wear it as a top layer today. I wore it backwards for "ba-ba" purposes.

Print wrap skirt: Goodwill. I always love anything sparkly!

Under skirt: Thrift store. Also a million years old.

Shoes: Fit Flops. I would have worn better shoes, but I knew I was going to be doing a lot of walking today. 

Here are some moments from the day. You can see HaHa's antics as she tries to prove she can hang with the big boys. By the way, the equipment HaHA was climbing with abandon was designed for 5-12 year-olds, according to the sign...

Procrastination!

Why am I so good at procrastination? I don't know. I can't say I was born with this particular talent because, in truth, I was two months premature. I should have been born a Gemini.
Thank goodness I popped out early! Geminis are so complicated.

Just kidding! I don't really know that much about Geminis. I am sure they are no more or less complicated than their astrological brethren. But they are weird. Kidding again. If you are a Gemini, please don't leave me any angry comments...

So, procrastination. A skill I have cultivated and nurtured over the years. Always, always, waiting 'til the last moment. To start. To leave. To finish. To plan. I actually was very worried there was something pathological about my behavior until I heard a lecture by a neurologist who said that procrastination was the norm. I was so relieved. Soooo relieved. I was normal!

And now, I don't worry about it so much. And everything always gets done.

Unless, of course, I forget... But that's another story...


Outfit:

Tie: I pulled out this tie for Leo last week to wear at his culmination, but he said "No thanks". After I found it again, I wanted to wear it. But, I have learned that I have no button down shirts that I can wear ties with. Actually I have one classic collared shirt, but it is dark brown and has some detail on the front that wouldn't work with this tie. So I decided to wear it without a collared shirt. I'm going to start looking weirder and weirder as the days go on, so why not start now?
It was given to me by a friend.  It is vintage and was hand painted. I really love it and I'm glad I've kept it all these years.

Shirt: Hanes.

Sweater: Hand me down from my FRESH friend. H&M.

Skirt: George. I got this at Walmart when I was visiting my mother. I don't usually shop at Walmart for clothing, but, if you visit my mother, you will find that it is one of the only stores close to her town. So when I'm there I go to Walmart, and I find myself perusing the clothing. I was working in admissions at the time I bought this.

Leggings: Don't know where these came from, but I've had them forever. Probably about 17 years.

Shoes: Miz Moos.

Father's Day!

We had a lot of Father's Day festivities, so it was go, go, go around here. Richard's mom returned home, and we were sad to see her leave, and sad also that we apparently gave her some form of the sickness we had. Every time she visits, we get her sick. We also expose her to more noise, mess and chaos, than she probably gets all year in her lovely Northern California town. What can I say, we are a wild and crazy bunch! I'm sure it will calm down here in a few years.

I only took three pictures of myself in my outfit before I dashed off to the car, so please forgive me for the lameness. One of these days I'll get it together. Famous last words...

Outfit:

I was going back to fourth grade today- rockin' the pink and purple! I wore so much p and p it hurts to think about it!
Purple Shirt: Emma & Sam. This was a bubble shirt that I deconstructed. I am wearing it inside out because I like the effect. I will never, ever wear any bubble clothing again. It's a look I don't think most women can pull off. I call it a "nut storage shirt." Here is the original in Facehook! but it's hard to see...

Purple cami: Old Navy.

Pink Skirt: This was given to be my friend, but it turns out she got it from her amazing mother Maia. I love the movement of this skirt, and I always feel earthy in it!

Sandals: Capezio. Same as yesterday.

I'm including some family photos in lieu of writing about our day!

Take Me Away!

Today was one of those "Calgon, take me away!" days. When I was a child, I used to be mesmerized by those commercials. There was something captivating about them. The chaos and exasperation, perhaps. They gave me a glimpse into life as an adult that I could only wonder about: "Is it really that bad?"

Turns out, it can be. When it is, most of the time, I blame hormones.

I have learned in my old age that hormones are VERY powerful. I actually learned this little golden nugget when I became pregnant for the first time. I was all about my immediate personal needs, and my needs were dictated by my body. I had never been so in touch with my physical self. When I was hungry, I was ravenous. When I was tired, I was practically narcoleptic (Luckily never at my job or on the road). And, when I was cranky, I was a mega-nasty bee-otch. It's hard to believe Richard and I survived those nine months. But in truth, I was really happy for most of my first pregnancy because I just couldn't believe that it was happening. With Leo, not so much. With HaHa, I was in total shock, and I was completely paranoid that she was going to be deformed, or that something was wrong with her due to the fact I took antibiotics not knowing I was with child.

So, that's three pregnancies in 6 years, and lactation for approximately four and a half years (and counting). And, all the while my hormones have been wacko. I am assuming it's normal given the circumstances, but sometimes I wish it weren't so. Just the other day, I came up with an equation: PMS + Rambunctious children = The fifth circle of Hades.

I just can't wait for menopause!

Outfit:

Striped tank: Goodwill. Abercrombie & Fitch.

Black shirt: Hand me down from cousin.

Skirt: Thrift store. This is another skirt that used to  be a dress. I don't know why I cut it, because it was totally cute. I think I just got tired of it as a dress, but I liked the print.

Shoes: Capezio. These are so, so comfortable!

I've included some photos of HaHa bear because she has some fans! And one of Lee-lo and his shadow.

1st and Hope!

It is 11:55 p.m. and this is the first time I've touched my computer today. Crazy, huh?! Especially for one who claims to be a blogger.  I couldn't help it. My whole day was chock full. I had an eye exam, errands, and Leo's last day of school. After we said our teary good-byes, I drove Leo home and took everybody to the park. I wanted to tire them out because tonight Richard and I were going to see South Pacific at The Ahmanson, and I didn't want them to cause any shenanigans while we were out.


I had never seen the show before, so I was excited. I was also looking forward to going out to dinner before hand at First and Hope Supper Club. Richard's mom graciously offered us a night out, so I have to thank her. And Josh. Josh got us the tickets to the show, and he recommended the restaurant, which was fun. All of the hostesses were wearing different silver toned dresses, and a bevy of servers swarmed around our table.We had a restricted pre-theater menu, which was a little lacking for me, but Josh assured us that the regular menu is fab, so we'll probably go back in the future.

Anyway, it's late and I am tired after having stayed up until 2:00 a.m. baking cookies, and still recovering. Although I feel much, much better! I've included a photo of Richard, who joined in on the Country Line Dancing that was taking place on the Plaza at The Music Center.


Outfit:

Maroon shirt: Goodwill. Antik Batik. In the day I wore it under a t-shirt, and rather than change this evening, I just lost the tee, tucked in the collar, and threw a gold jacket over it!

Tee: From friend. Crowded Teeth.

Gold Vest/Jacket: Walmart. This was purchased on another one of my trips to my mom's tiny Massachusetts town where Walmart is the nearest shopping locale. This was five dollars on sale. I am sure we walked into Walmart for sunscreen and I walked out with this.

Pants: Goodwill. Next. Did I mention that I have 4 brown pairs of pants?

Shoes: Airwalk.

Shoes: My Fresh friend's mom gave me these. Nine West.

On The Mend!

Thanks to my lovely mother-in-law, I was able to sleep in today, and I definitely feel better. By tomorrow I hope to be in ship shape! Fingers crossed.

Right now, at 10:55 p.m., I need to start baking cookies for Leo's teachers. Why I am just starting now is a long story which I will spare any of the kind souls who look upon this site. At any rate, I will use my under-the-weather fatigue as my "get out of blogging free" card, and get to my baking.





Outfit:

Print shirt: Goodwill. Jones New York. I love this cheerful print. It makes me feel better! Seen in : Non-Buyer's Remorse!

Blue sweater: Clothing swap. Express.

Khakis: Hand me down from my cousin. Gap.

Shoes: Mossimo. When these die, I want to get them remade. They are super comfy, and they go with everything!

Culmination!

Today my little Lee-lo said good-bye to his pre-school years, and his pre-school. He is officially a kindergartner! He's moving on, and I would be a complete wreck if I didn't know we will be back at the pre-school in a couple of years. It is a truly special place.

I am still under the weather, and I just don't have it in me to post today. When I had to get up this morning, I would have given anything to stay in bed. I woke up damp but much improved from last night. I guess I had a fever because I was freezing, but I was also sweating.
Why am I writing this? Because my head is not clear. So let me stop.





Outfit:

Sweater: From cousin. Forever 21. I was going to wear a wife-beater, but it was cold.

Skirt: Thrift store. This was actually a dress, but I cut off the top and tucked in the zipper. I am not sure why I cut the top half of the dress off, and I wish I remembered what it looked like. I don't know if I altered it because the top was ill-fitting or ugly, or if I thought a skirt would get more wear. Whatever the case, I've had this skirt since high school, and I love the detail in it.

Shoes: Mossimo.

Lee-lo contemplates leaving the pre-school days behind...

Sick!

I am sick. I am going to bed. Will write more tomorrow. Leo has his culmination tomorrow. I don't even know what I'm wearing.

Peace out.

Outfit:

Shirt: Street vendor.

Sweater: Clothing swap. Express.

White Skirt: Salvation Army. I got it in high school.

Red Dress: Goodwill. Old Navy.

Shoes: zoe & zac