A sad day

Well, I am having a very sad day. At the end of today I will be taking my cat Maggie to the vet to be put to sleep. She is 19 years old, I've had her longer than I have been married to my husband. She's had a stomach tumor for some time put his has grown dramtically. She's stopped eating and drinking and last nigth it became apparent that she is partially paralyzed in the back end. She can't walk well and is dribbling urine but can't actually pee. It's time. She's had a long and lovely life but I am going to miss her.

Caved, new purchases!

Ok, so I have been so good and resisted the 30% off promo but this morning the new rollout got me. I ordered the cute striped shirt. I love striped shirts and I ordered the slate color, not the beige. I got the napolian print skirt and the double serge skirt in papaya. Then I couldn't resist this pretty print scarf. I tossed in a final sale belt and used the code to get free shipping and then used my rewards card. The damage was big but could have been worse! What do you think?

To many Balls in the Air

This post can be subtitled "I hate Being a Working Mom". I really loath it. I don't loath my job. it's interesting and I'm good at it. It also pays suitably well which is why I do it. But being a working mom sometimes to me feels like always letting someone down or letting something fall through the cracks. Example, I have 3 kids, one in 3rd grade, one in first and one in kintergarden. The kintergardener has some learning disabilities in that although not classicly autistic, he does have some behaviors on the autistic spectrum. The 3rd grader is dyslexic and has other learning disabilities relating to language arts.

When I worked part time (up until about 18 months ago) I dropped them off at school everyday and picked them up twice a week. I was on campus alot. Now I do drop them off but only at the curb and don't get home until 7. In time to yell at everyone about unfinished homework and bed time. Now, don't get me wrong, my hubby is great. He gets home about 4:30 and makes dinner and tries to deal with the homework issues.

The Kintergarden teacher called to let me know that the little guy has been somewhat mouthy in class and not his usual sweet self. In fact, he grabbed another little boy around the neck today in line. He maintains this little boy bit him. The other little boy denied the bitting and the teacher said he didn't see the actual incident. Still, clearly an issue.

Anyway, the upshot is, now of course I feel like a complete failure. Guilt rides a white horse. I don't really have any other option but to keep working and knowing this makes it worse. Just a venting post about a crummy day. Sorry for the doom and gloom.

To Tweet or not to Tweet?

I'm trying to decide whether or not I should sign up for twitter. I haven't done it yet because I'm just not sure I would use it. It seems like a case of "TMI" to me. I'm just not sure anyone would care what I'm eating for lunch or that I dropped the kids off at school. And yet it seems that if I don't, I'm missing some huge important thing. My brother in law is the king of social media and thinks it is very important and seems to always have his i-phone in hand. Do you guys tweet? Am I missing out?

What I'm Wearing

Hi, here's a quick polyvore of what I am wearing this grey and wet day. It seems like El Nino has landed here in California and it's going to rain this way for a while. It was cold and damp this morning so I grabed a black Jcrew sweater dress (from the most recent 20% final sale), ribbed tights and ballet flats. I wore the Burberry wellies on my commute and change at the office.

Am I the only one who HATES this print?

People have been talking about the new stained glass print at Jcrew. I've know a lot of bloggers love it and I've seen some cute Polyvore sets. It comes in a cardigan, a (very short) pair of shorts and a scarf. I liked it on line and hurried into my local Jcrew hoping to meet the new love of my life. I do like it when a print is great and repeated on mulitple items. There was a sailboat print a few years ago, I have the bikini, the cardi, the strapless dress and the silk scarf. If I love the print, I usually buy as many of the pieces as I can.

Well hello, disapointment! Although I suppose my credit card thanks you. I thought it looked drab and washed out. After the gray and taupe of the winter I was hoping for some clear true colors. And the shorts were way to short. As a tallish person (5 feet 8 inches) I have this trouble with many of Jcrew's darling prints. A 3 inch inseam on a short and 16 inch skirt barely covers my, well myself. I have fairly nice legs but that's to much leg to be sharing! Trust me on this.

Oh well, maybe there is a great print out there for summer just waiting for me. A girl can dream can't she?

A Question about Boots

Ok, this is a question I have been wondering about for a while. I'm hoping one of you fabulous fashiobable ladies can help me out. I've been wanting a pair of black equestrian style flat boots to wear with my skinny jeans and minnies for a while. I have a pair of brown Steve Maddens but was wanting black ones and hadn't found any that I felt were affordable.

The yesterday hubby was cleaning out the garage and I found a pair of old ariat field boots. I stoped wearing them when I got my new custom Dehners about 5 years ago. Anyway, cleaned and polished they look pretty good. Trouble is, I have ridden in them. Even polished up on the inside leg of the boot, its clean they have actually been ridden in. Is this still ok? Or is it one thing to be "equestrian inspired" and another to be actually, authentically equestrian?

Paris, in the spring time!

I know it's not spring time and I know it's not Paris but I love this shot. I think the Paris Jcrew catalogue is one of my all time favorites. That Paris is one of my all time favorite cities helps! I missed out on the sophie sweater but have the candace jacket and the piazza sweater and also have the ruffled edge tee at home. I think I am going to try and re-create this look. Maybe with coal minnies (my Candace is orange) for the winter and my british khaki cafe capris in the spring. I'll take a picture and let you know how it's going.

Great Happiness Tip

I read this in a magazine book review and I think it is a great idea. It was to act as you want to feel. If you want to feel all kick ass and confident then act that way and soon feeling that way will follow. Act happy and smile and soon you'll feel that way. I do find that if I act all cranky and upset and start snapping at folks, I feel more and more cranky and upset. So smile and act happy and feeling that way will follow! Happy Friday my fellow bloggy friends!

Things to do before I'm 40

For all of you who saw my post last week about my mid-life crisis, thanks for your kind words. I have been thinking lot about it and the approach of my 40th birthday. I recognize that 40 isn't exactly old age but it is a mile stone. A place to look back and see what I have accomplished and what I still want to accomplish as I move forward. So this is a list of what I would love to feel that I have done when I am actually at that fateful day.

1. Enjoy my family more. This seems obvious but is sometimes hard for me. I have three kids, all of whom have their own set of activities that need managing and 2 that have learning disabilities. My husband is self employed which in this economy speaks for itself and I work full time as well. There are to many nights when I get home and find myself snapping at the kids just because I am tired.

2. Take better care of myself. This seems to conflict with number 1 but as I get older I need to be more careful about eating right and exercising. I want to model healthy habbits for my daught.

3. Reduce my debt level and be more responsbile about spending. Note to self, resist current Jcrew promo.

4. Focus on the good things and not dwell on the bad. I'm sort of a stewer.

5. Re-vamp my wardrobe to keep only those things that look great on me, not just the hanger. Those ruffle neck tops from Jcrew I love but are really to fussy for me. My husband starts singing "send in the clowns" whenever I wear them.

6. Become more technologically savy. I don't twitter and can't figure out polyvore and about 90% of what my new phone does.

Just in case you are still readng, the photo has nothing really to do with this post but I saw it on polyvore and it made me happy. Love the blue swimsuit.

Do I Need the Skimmer Pant?

One thing I was interested in from the new Jcrew catalogue was the skimmer pant. Problem is that I all ready own both coal and navy minnies and white, british khakki and navy cafe capris. It seems like other than slate I've already got all the colors. Has anyone tried them on? Are they any different?

Gotta Have Hose!

First off, thanks to everyone who made me feel better about my mini mid life crisis. The most classic was my sister who essential said "yep, getting old not deal with it" Nothing like a sister for some straight talk.

Anyway todays post is about hose. I know that panty hose went the way of the dodo bird. I haven't worn them in ages. I am talking about modern hose. Black, gray, ribbed etc. I just don't understand women who are walking around in January with bare legs under those cute skirts and dresses.

Case in point, as I walked to my office from BART this morning, I was following this totally well put together woman. She had on a wool coat in a nice shade of green with a cute scarf. It looked like a black pencil skirt and really killer black patent pumps, but bare legs. Now here in SF it is not as cold as it is in some parts of the country (especially right now) but still, it was below 50 degrees. In my book, that calls for tights. For the record, I was wearing grey ribbed tights with my bright blue belle skirt, a navy cardigan, flats and my burberry trench.

What do you stylish ladies think? Are tights or at least some version of leg covering required in winter? Trust me, my legs are pasty and white right now. Not to mention covered in shin bruises. When warmer weather approaches, I will renew my aquaintance with Jergens Natural Glow and proudly go bare legged. Until then, I wear tights!

OMG! Is this a Mid-Life Crisis?

Ok, time to face it, I am going to be 40 in 6 months. Not happy about this fact. However, I never really thought of it as old until yesterday. I was invited to join the Young Adult Forum subset of a professional group my father belongs to. I filled out all the paperwork and it was returned to me yesterday. I am to old to join this forum because you have to be between the ages of 23 and 39! That's right folds, I am no longer a "young adult".

The I started thinking about it. I've always been intensely practical. After college at a preppy East Coast location, I returned home to attend law school. Did I attend a fun law school in a cool town? No, I went to law school in Sacramento. A nice place to live but hardly a hot bed of excitement. While there I met my huuby, moved in with him and 2 weeks after the July bar exam, we got married.

Then we moved to the Bay Area where we both had jobs. Did we live in San Francisco and party wildly while we had 2 incomes and no kids? No, we lived in 2 different towns on the mid-penisula becuse we each brought with us to the realtionship a different large dog. The we had 3 kids and endured a long period when Hubby was out of work and then starting his own company and I was only working part time or not at all. Needless to say money was tight.

Which brings us to now. The kids are all school aged (3rd grade, 1st grade and Kintergarden) and thriving. Hubby's business is FINALLY picking up. (don't get me started on that) and I am back working full time so money is slowly becoming less of an issue. But now I'm old. Last night I found myself thinking wistfully about going out, mini skirts and driving something other than my 5 year old mini van, like a red porsche. Ok, that sounds like a midlife crisis to me.

I've just finished re-reading this and I sound whinny. I don't regret any of my choices. I'm not leaving my husband and children but am feel like the end of an era is here, sigh. I'll cheer up, maybe I should go shopping?

Vintage Jcrew Picture of the Day

I dound another great vintage Jcrew shot that I wanted to share. It looks like fall 2007. Prime Jcrew years. I remember just wanting to be this girl. For me these types of shots are what drew me to jcrew and what I try and re-create when I go there. Style, classic and yet with a twist. Plus I am a sucker for castles!

How can it be time for resort?

I feel this way every year. Out here in Northern California, we don't get colder weather until at least November. So while everyone is starting to feel and look all fallish, it's still warm here. Then, right about now, when resort clothing is coming in it gets cold and rains like crazy. Now we need the rain, don't get me wrong, but I can't even look at shorts and shift dresses right now. Add to that the fact that 2010 streams out before me without a single vacation any fabulous in sight. Are you going anywhere fabulous this winter season? What will you be wearing?