Red Tweed Please & Thursday Moda Link-Up

 

 

My usual Fashion Friday post is coming live to you one day early this week as I co-host with the wonderful Ada over from Elegance & Mommyhood.  Ada is a mom to an adorable little girl, who takes after her mama and is well versed already in striking a pose.  Ada blogs from Europe and is a trendy working mom.  She showcases casual and dressier options so there is something for everyone.  Make sure you hop on over and check her out.

 

As for me this week, I've been super pumped to share this outfit with you.  My three top items for fall this year were something with embroidery, high-waisted/paper bag pants, and a bodysuit.  I got all three while in Edmonton in the later part of August.   

 

These Twik, red, tweed pants were an instant YES for me.  I immediately knew that I NEEDED to find a bodysuit to create a sleek, tucked-in, look, which you can also see styled with my new embroidered skirt here.  I love how this outfit came together without too much effort.  The red, beige, cognac and emerald green colors just fit so well into the outdoor fall color pallet.

 

What are your fall 2017 wish list items?

 

 

 

Shop This Look:

Tweed Pants (Simons)

Bodysuit (similar)

Hillberg & Berk One of a Kind Bracelet (similar)

 

 

On  to the link-up ladies! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Life is Better with Friends: Reflecting on Friendship

Life is better with friends. 

Nobody can argue that walking, laughing and crying through life with friends is the best.  Ashley and I met in high school and slowly over the years we continued to grow closer and closer.  As we entered University that friendship just became stronger and stronger.  Logan, Ashley and I became a trio.  It was a no brainer that she would stand by our sides at our wedding, and not only that but she played her harp to From This Moment by Shina Twain as I walked down the aisle.  She has been there for me through the amazing, the good, the not so good and the worst.  She has treaded water with me,  pulled me up when I have been drowning and at times  even pulled me up on shore. 

 

Along the way she moved to another city,  met Jeff and Kaileya, got married, added another little girl, Myalle,  to their already beautiful ,and still we continue to grow our friendship except now that includes a whole lot more people. 

 

 

The thing about old friendships is that they don't need to be tended to on a daily basis like when you are forming a new friendship and just getting to know each other.  Old friendships can whether the days/weeks that  pass by without a phone call, and they can withstand "life" that  sometimes gets in the way.   Though we don’t talk every day, heck sometimes not even every month, we do have what I feel like is a never ending bond.  I know that she is literally a phone call away.  Sure we still "work" on our friendship, because all good relationships need to be worked on and nurtured.  So this past summer we were able to do just that.  Not only did our friendship continue to blossom  but the friendship that has gown amongst our families continued to flourish.  The Roffey’s joined us for four glorious days at our cabin and it was probably my favorite four days of the summer.  Unanimously we all agreed that this little ritual would become an annual event for our families. 

 

 

 

Here are a few of our favorite moments from our time together. 

Embroidery Love Affair: One Skirt, Three Ways

You guys embroidery is everywhere this season and I am all head-over-heels in love with it all!  I have been admiring the jeans with embroidery since the early spring but since I work in an office environment it didn't seem like the best investment for me.  That being  said when I walked past this beauty at H & M a few weeks ago I knew it was going to be coming home with me.  I quickly found the possibilities with this beauty were endless.  It's perfect for the office, date night and I am pretty sure I am going to wear it for Thanksgiving dinner. 

 

Here are three very different versions of the outfit. 

 

1.  Stripes and florals.  My favorite pattern mixing duo.  I also picked this adorable jersey knit, ruffle top at the same time as the skirt from H & M.  They were just made for each other.

 

 

2.  Feminine in Pastels.  This blush pink top was passed down to me by a friend and I love the little ruffled shoulders.  How pretty is the H & B rose gold necklace and pearl combination against the light pink blouse.  This is just so pretty to take me into spring of 2018.

 

3.  Feeling Sexy.  Okay you guys, so this one made me feel sexy and who doesn't like that?!?  The reason for it?  This new bodysuit.  It's my first and it's low-cut which generally I do not wear, and obviously wouldn't wear to work, but you know what, I think I would for date night.  So this one is getting  archived so I can pull it out next time Logan and I actually get a night out on the town.  Oh, and how cute are these spruce green pumps?

 

What's your favorite 2017 fall trend?

 

Shop This Post:

Embroidered Skirt (H & M)

Ruffled Shirt (H & M)

Lace-up Pumps (Similar: 425 Fifth)

Floral Statement Necklace (Similar: Ricki's)

Edmonton Part 2: Family Vacation Hightlights

 

 

 

As you may have read last weeks post the trip to Edmonton brought a pleasant surprise for me at the half-marathon, read about here,  but today I want to talk about the amazing opportunity this little mini-vacation brought to our whole family.  Initially Logan and I were going to just drive  in for the weekend alone but then we decided to take the kiddo's along and make it a mini-mini-vacation, jammed packed of family goodness.

 

1.  Friends and babies.  We stayed with our good friends, Shaun and Karli, and their sweet littles, Will and Libby.  Karli and I have been friends since high school and the husbands totally hit it off years ago when we brought them into our circle.  We were thrilled when they added Will to their little family, shortly followed by Libby. Halie especially took a liking to hanging out with Will and playing trucks with him, reading stories, blowing bubbles and carrying him around. 

 

2.  More Friends.  We were also hosted for dinner by  our best man Nick and his family.  Logan and Nick have been best friends since primary school and we were pretty sad when they decided to move away.  It was awesome to spend  time catching up over dinner with them and to have the kids reconnect after a few years of not seeing each other.  Nick also ran the half with me, I was so extremely proud of him as he is not really someone that runs.  Kendra, his wife, is wonderful at navigating through the city closures and got us there in time!

3.  Waterpark.  Highlight of the trip for the kids for sure.  They spent 7 hours there!!!!!  They loved the wave pool the most but we also hit many of the waterslides.  Halie is a total ride junkie, while Anya could take it or leave it and as a rule of thumb doesn't enjoy the funny feeling in her tummy that you get on rides.  Logan and I did the big huge pink slide, refer to pictures, and I almost bailed waiting in line but it was such a thrill.  You stand in a tube at the top, it starts a countdown and  all of a sudden the bottom gives out and you are flying through the waterslide tunnel.  It's over before you know but it's an adventurous waterslide.   I bailed at hour 5 and spent 1.5 hours shopping by myself.

4.  Shopping.  I basically went into two stores, H & M and Simons, and bought everything there.  I was hoping to mull things over and pick them up the next day or try a few other stores, but that didn't happen.   I will post the things I purchased over the next few weeks but here is a quick shot of the embroidered skirt and stripped top that I picked up (full details on Friday).

 

 

The girls hit up the American Girl Store.  WOW!  That store is impressive and expensive.  LOL!  Since that day Halie has purchased her very own American Girl doll through Indigo.  She takes her everywhere and the girls have spend endless hours playing with their dolls.  Honestly, I am thrilled to have her hold on to some childhood play for a while longer.

Halie is obsessed with Harley Quinn.

 

5.  Ikea.  We went to Ikea with kids and actually they loved it.  How is it that you walk into that store with no real list and walk out with a $350 bill?  I love all the things I bought.  I love fresh cut flowers but since I can't always have them on the table, I splurged on this arrangement for the home of fake flowers.  I think they look really nice and I love seeing colorful colors in my living space now that the days are getting shorter.

 

 

 

Shop Ikea: white rug; cookbook/iPad stand; old-fashioned milk jug vase; flowers (lilac, snowball green flowers, hydrangea); napkins (watercolor, fall leaves; old-fashioned floral)

 

Overall an amazing get-away.   As we drove away our hearts were full from all the visiting we got in with our sweet friends and the fun memories we made with the girls.  Traveling is much easier now that we don't have nap schedules, food needs, diapers and diaper bags to attend to.