Winter Remedies

Winter is tough. No sun, cold fingers, the flu, high energy bills...I am such a summer, I-don't-care-if-it's-100-degrees-I'm-happy-as-long-as-it's-not-February sort of person that I've learned I have to take serious precautions to get through these months.

We all feel like this bird.

1. I've been doing this thing where I pretend I'm sort of an alcoholic, or at least have a drinking problem (stay with me here) and whenever I get a little annoyed or tired and come home at the end of a work day and the first thing I think of as I'm unlocking the door could be pouring a big glass of wine....I drink a huge glass of water instead. It's kind of amazing how quickly I start feeling better. I have a big purple plastic cup that I leave by the sink that I swear makes me feel extra hydrated. Don't worry, I swear the only drinking problem I have is not drinking enough water throughout the day.

2. Burt's Bees = great. Right? But even better than the original crack is their Honey Lip Balm. I think I stopped using it for a while because David thought it smelled funny when I'd go to kiss him, but now I say 'screw that noise'  because I found a tube in a coat pocket and started using it again and ohmygoodness, the stuff works. I can honestly see and feel a difference that lasts so much longer than anything else I've been using recently.

3. This sounds funky, but I promise it's awesome - I've been "washing" my face with oil. I mix evoo with almond oil and a touch of jasmine essential oil, rub it all over my face (not missing my eyelids, lashes, lips, and neck) and then I get a washcloth really warm and lay it over my face for a minute before wiping the oil off. No harsh soaps and hot scalding water. My skin feels so soft and looks radiant and toned and I haven't had that feeling of "my skin is so dry I'm going to start crying" yet this season! (Here's the oil cleansing method from SimpleMom.net)

4. Not showering. Ew. But I have my dad's dry, Minnesota winter skin, and in the past I have developed such horribly dry skin that I can't do anything but cry about it while lathering on the lotion. This year I've been practicing not showering and washing my hair every single day, as much as I love that scalding hot, moisture zapping water, and I'm disgusted proud to say that this morning (Sunday) was the first time I showered since Thursday morning. GROSS. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

5. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand lotion. The end. Look no further.

6. Hot Toddies (is that even the plural for toddy?) - bourbon, honey, lemon, Celestial Seasoning's Bengal Spice tea.

'tis the season

Oh my goodness it's been a long time. Here we are, and December is tomorrow! Which means I've got Christmas on the mind. Here's my list this year: 

Georgia Varidakis knot ring (again!)

Re-released "Forever Changes" by Love - vinyl

Everlane silk blouse

Kansas art from Etsy

My parent's house is still under construction and my brother is apparently going to be selling fireworks in the south over the holidays, so this will be a bit of a hodgepodgy Christmas. Not that we've really ever had too many traditions, anyway. We're a flexible bunch! But I look forward to new traditions with new people and making new memories. Happy December!

SF: Last day first - Uniqlo

We stopped in Uniqlo's new store in San Francisco just before heading to the airport to go home. My thought process went from "so this is kinda H&M-ey" to "holy heather sweater and camel cardigan, why didn't I know more about this place and save all my money for it?" in a matter of minutes, and only got stronger on the 3 hour flight eastward (read: away from Uniqlo). I bought a few things: a pair of green jeans for $10.00, a polka dot scarf, and this cute Orla Kiely dress that kind of makes me look a 12 year old wearing a nightgown, but which I think will look slightly more mature with a belt and boots. Also, I won't lie, it's a little fun being maybe the only person in Kansas City who has it. (I doubt it, actually, but y'know.)

{via}

 David snagged one of the mags created for the opening of the new store and as I read it on the plane, I realized just how awesome Uniqlo is. I mean, Novak Djokovic is their "cultural ambassador" or whatever. Duh. But mostly, their "Made For All" campaign really speaks to me as someone who has a lot of difficulty feeling both comfortable and semi-stylish in most clothing. The majority of the pieces I saw in the store were obviously not concerned with being "trendy" as much as they were about being accessible and reasonable. I'm kicking myself for not buying the smoky blue silk smock dress or this red one, or the polka dot (!) vest (!!!). Oh well - there's always next time!

California 2012 starts tomorrow

Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow. Vacation vacation vacation! The day before going on vacation, especially if that day is a Monday and you have to work that day, is horrible. So since my concentration level is at nil, here are some things we've been up to lately (via Instagram):

won a corn maze

sold lavender at the Farmer's Market

found fall and a sunset

 

got my "walking around San Francisco shoes"

dyed my dog's head with blueberry compote

West Coast, here I come!

work in progress

I'm trying really hard (and actually doing a really good job) to not buy anything unnecessary, seeing as how expensive moving always ends up being (someday I might have time and energy ((and internet)) to post about all that!) and that we go to San Francisco in just under a month, but I've been dreaming about bags and purses so much lately! Totally unnecessary necessities, my favorite.

Etsy - treesizeverse

Etsy - Timberline Treasures

Cuyana

Next stop: making a house a home, or at least a multi-roomed structure sans boxes.

aaaaand Friday.

A smirk from Harrison to end the week.

Giddyup, these next few weeks are going to be a bit mad.

1951

Elizabeth Taylor as a ballerina

The Other August

...and just like that, the weather breaks - the mornings are cool, the afternoons breezy, and the evenings are for sitting close and holding hands.

August

My cousin's grandmother told us that when she was young, in the summertime her mother would lay a white sheet out in the yard, sit the children on it and tell them to "play quietly." There's really nothing else you can do in the kind of heat we've been having. I've been veering toward long and three quarter sleeve shirts rather than tank tops to keep the sun off my skin. Bailey just looks at me like "you want me to do what?" when I try to take her outside. I wish everyone could experience the deafening sound of the cicadas that takes over in the evening. I mean loud. The grass is all brown, but there are still flowers blooming and thriving because they were made for this kind of weather - zinnias and sunflowers and morning glories and hollyhocks.  I like to think I was made for it, too.

Nice things to come home to

I had a little bit of a breakdown yesterday - tears, sobs, gasping for air, I-will-never-stop-crying-ever kind of breakdown, but it only lasted for a few minutes and I was good. I think I needed it. Afterward I took a shower and went to bed and slept like a rock. Good thing it's Friday! Here's my list of things to do this weekend:

1. Laundry

2. Buy a box of wine

3. Watch Olympics.

Repeat.

David's brother is the sweetest guy ever. Ladies, he's single. And he teaches second grade. And he runs marathons and teaches swim lessons. And can play piano.

Bailey being the strangest snugglebug ever. "Just let me sit on you. No?  Well I'm going to do it anyway."

We're a few steps closer to finding a place to live. I'm so excited. Fortunately I don't really know what my tasks are at work so I have plenty of opportunity to sit around and make lists of moving-related tasks and items. Heaven.

all the balancing

First two days of work. I'm half living in Kansas City, already losing track of what outfits I've brought with me and whether I've lost or merely misplaced my favorite belt. I don't have my beloved clock radio with me, and waking up exclusively to my iPhone's alarm is a little jarring. I still find myself reaching for the orange-capped key to unlock my apartment, home for the last five years, instead of the one with the black cap that opens the front door to David's. 

 But the cicadas are still deafening. Bailey still turns in a full circle while jumping backwards, so excited she is when I walk through the door. She doesn't care what door I'm coming through, as long as she's on the other side. I'm slowly building up my stock of yogurt and fruit and granola in a fridge that mostly holds condiments and shredded cheese and half-drunk cans of Pepsi. I (hypothetically) get out of work at 4 which means I can make it in time to the happy hour at Glace, Kansas City's, nay, the world's, greatest ice cream store. I get to tell David about my day in person, instead of on the phone, every day, and kiss him goodbye every morning, even if he doesn't remember it. 

Figuring it out.

Last day on the job

It's here!

Almost 3 years since I was asked if I knew anyone who might want a secretarial job, and I snagged it up for myself right away.

I'm so glad I did. I've learned so much, about law, human nature, and myself.

I'm really going to miss it, but I'm so excited for the next step!

grams from the last few years:

desk accoutremont and shadow Jayhawk

courthouse and desk bamboo decoration

loading up my personal items on my last day, and a client's dog who likes to visit

desk buddy hiding in the bamboo and some legalese

"antique" treasures and the Kansas seal

illustration of my boss and the same guy, decades later

office jungle and basement jungle

briefs and books

my shadow when the light is just right

Children Will Listen

Color me excited. And a little bit in shock!  Yesterday I bought a ticket for me myself and I to see Bernadette Peters when she comes to town in August. I've missed so many shows recently: Steve Martin and Mandy Patinkin with Patty Lupone, to name a few. There's no way I was letting Bernadette come anywhere within 100 miles of me and not go.  I'm already so excited I think I could cry.

The first musical I remember seeing was Into The Woods when it aired on PBS. My mom taped it and I watched that thing over and over and over...and over...and over.  After that I was hooked.

Kauffman Center

Muriel Kauffman Theater

If she sings 'Being Alive' I'm going to absolutely lose it.

J.Crew Sale helpmejesus

I lurve the J.C, but can rarely afford (or justify) buying anything full price there. Also, I'm a sucker for a sale. So when the sales girl told me all the sale items were an additional 40% off, I got a little excited. I got really excited when I saw the Jardin Maxiskirt I drooled over in of the catalogues earlier this year. (The one I got is in dark blue.)

It disappeared from the sale site immediately after I found this image, so, no link.

 And since the scuttlebut is that August is going to be worse temperature-wise than July, I got the most comfortable little red and white striped dress (pictured below in (obviously) different colors) which I'll most likely be wearing non-stop until October at the rate we're going here in the Midwest.

Shoreline-stripe dress

All for under $60!

Jonathan Adler bookends

I saw this bookend at Barnes and Noble earlier this spring when I absolutely could not shop for myself, but I haven't forgotten about the adorable book-hugging doxie! I looked it up last night and found out there's a B&N version and a rather more expensive version.

Barnes & Noble {$39.95}

Jonathan Adler {$150}
I almost think it's worth it. Is that insane? Oh yeah.  Maybe they'll go on sale!

I can't decide which one looks more like Bailey. Regardless, I think these need to be in my house!