Fancy Dresses, Side Ponytails & Weddings In Your 30's & Link-Up

Hi everyone.  I am joining the sweet Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood again this week for a winter wedding look.  I was actually hoping to re-shoot this little dress but it just didn't happen with work being crazy, winter days being super cold and then my little one had tonsil surgery, so it just wasn't going to happen.  So instead I am re-posting this post form a wedding we attended while it was still winter here in good old Saskatchewan, and spring everywhere else.  Scroll down to see all the other great looks!

 

Last April we were honored to celebrate the union of my husbands longtime friend Chris and his beautiful wife Jill.  Chris and my husband Logan grew up together and he was the last of the three amigos to tie the knot.  We have enjoyed getting to know the lovely Jill over the past couple of years. She is intelligent, kind, hard working, independent, beautiful on the inside and out, and most importantly she makes Chris happy.  My hubby was extremely honored to stand by Chris' side on his special day. 

 

Being girls we took the opportunity to get gorgeous together.  We didn't plan on in but we all ended up rocking a version of the side ponytail and matching pretty well.  The girls were able to re-use their dresses from the holidays and I spoiled myself with a new addition which I fell in love with upon first glance.  I saw the dress at a local department store two months prior to the wedding, and then waited to see if it would go on sale, and scored it at 50% off !  Sometimes the wait is just worth it.  My oldest snapped a few pictures for me and then we selfied it and kind of had a blast doing it.  It was a really nice occasion to share with just the girls and we all felt pretty in our attire. 

The best man got me thinking about the differences of going to a wedding in your early 20's to  celebrating in your mid-30's.  This is what I came up with. 

 

1.  Weddings tend to be much fancier.  When Logan and I tied the knot at 21, we paid fully for our big day and we were minimalists, plus we only had 5 months to plan the big event.  NO I WAS NOT KNOCKED UP. 

2.  Kids!!!!  Seriously they are everywhere!  Hahaha.  You eat last because you serve the kids first.  You go to the bathroom twice as much because of kids.  Your conversation is interrupted constintly because someone is talking, crying, whinning, or has spilled food on you or themselves.  If you have little kids you are at the mercy of their schedule.  We are thankful in the stage of our lives where are kids not longer have strick shedules, bedtimes, eating routines.  We are also over being the "perfect" parents, so they basically just run wild and we take the title of "irresponsible" parents willingly.  But in all honesty,  it warms my heart to see all my friends, their little ones and our little ones creaking  their own bonds and friendships with one another.  A new generation of friends. 

3.  Dancing all night is a full on aerobic exercise routine.  Yep,  in your 30s dancing all night equals a checkmark for working out  because lets face it you have to squeeze it in somewhere and it won't be tomorrow.  Tomorrow is a rest day, trust me.   Remember dancing all night at the bar and then working out the next day? 

   (FYI, I love dancing and I shut the party down still wearing my heels) 

4.  Paying for it!  This brings me to my next point, you no longer can function the next day if you went hard the night before.  Depending how hard you went, you may be a lost cause for a couple of days, resorting to the only parenting techinique left, allowing your children to be babysat by the Disney channel or some  other form of crappy entertainment and snack food for beakfast, lunch & supper.  The good news, your kids will think they hit the JACKPOT and they will love you more than ever.

5.  You buy real gifts.  Now that you have a real job, you need to man up and actually buy a proper gift, or in our case give $$$.  People getting married in their 30's  likely have enough crap and would like to upgrade their crap or help pay for the wedding/honeymoon. 

All in all we had an absolute blast at the wedding surrounded by friends we've had for years.  In the craziness of life, I am so thankful to still have these people always in my corner.    Not much in life can be better than that. 

Check out all the other ladies and link-up below!

BOJANA Bo's Bodacious Blog "Join me over at Bos Bodacious Blog for a lighthearted look at what weddings in your later 30's and with kids in toe  look like.  "

AMBER Avec Amber "The holidays are a magical time of the year, bringing families and friends together to celebrate the season. Holiday weddings also hold their own magic, and are a perfect time to wear richer colors like burgundy, emerald, and navy as well as richer fabrics like velvet or brocade!"

SHELBEE Shelbee on the Edge "For my Holiday Wedding outfit, I chose a simple black and white tweed dress but added tall burgundy velvet boots for a holiday feel.  Some pearls, a flower headband, bow gloves, and a furry clutch complete this wintery wedding look. I am comfortable and on trend all at once!"

ADA Elegance and Mommyhood "I actually went to a wedding this November and wore an adorable lace emerald dress but then when I saw Jennie's and Monica's Outfits I decided to show another dressy, fancy outfit that would be perfect for a Holiday Wedding. I mixed an A-Line Leather Midi Skirt with a Pretty Red Top with a touch of black lace. Added some sparkle via my glittery shoes and gold sequined mini clutch and voila!"

JENNIE A Pocketful of Polka Dots ""I selected an evergreen velvet swing dress styled with a burnout velvet kimono to wear to a Holiday wedding. The addition of a tassel necklace and criss-cross tights add festive touches, while velvet block heel shoes insure I will be able to dance the night away in comfort."

LAURA I Do deClaire "The holidays are a magical time of year that friends and family come together to celebrate so I can see the allure of getting married during this time. It can be a a fun opportunity to add some festive touches to your outfit, too! I played up the burgundy in my skirt with the lace top and accessories as a nod to traditional holiday colors!"

MONICA Jersey Girl, Texan Heart "I've been wearing a lot of black lately, especially to weddings.  I would have worn black to all of the weddings I went to this year, but the one that I was in required a certain type of dress and color.  I don't know why but I feel like black is just so classy, and it can be gloomy to some people, but if you dress it up right you're good to go!  I mean, at least I have fun colored shoes on right?"

An InLinkz Link-up

Fall and Winter in One Outfit

First off, to my U.S. followers, happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.  I wish you a wonderful weekend celebrating and reflecting with the people you love.  

Just one month ago this is what autumn looked like in my part of the world but since then winter has arrived with it's frigid cold temperatures and some white stuff to keep us busy and fit shoveling it off off our walkways and driveways.  Needless to say just last weekend I placed these favorite culottes away for warmer days in hopefully the spring.   

What I didn't have to put away though is this cozy, embroidered sweater that I received last year for Christmas.  Sweater weather is my favorite and  I have big plans for styling this one over and over again  this winter.  The colors present in the sweater allow you to pull together so many different color combinations and the ones I am most excited are the casual jean look on repeat from last year, here, oxblood corduroy skirt I recently picked up at ON, and pairing it up with my trusted suede skirt for the office, just to name a few.  Stay tuned.  

Also, white booties!!!!  Mine are OLD and really need to be replaced but I love how white booties just make a statement on their own so I am really hoping to replace them through JustFab this winter.  

What pieces are you excited to add to your closet?

Shop This Post:
Coulettes (old; similar RW & Co, sale $45)
Guess Sweater (old; similar Chickwish)
Boots (old; JustFab wish list item)

Mommy Diaries: Mama Elephant

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

A number of months ago , my two daughters, aged 12 and 8, were asked to pick an animal that represented me. They searched through a basket of miniature toy animals and within seconds pulled out a mama elephant. They agreed that I had the characteristics of a mama elephant because I was strong and walked with my head held high. They also said that I was very protective of my children and would use my strength to look after them at all costs. They described me as determined and committed just like an elephant. 

This fall, I became a different kind of mama elephant. I underwent emergency surgery for a perforated ulcer at the beginning of September and ended up in the hospital with an NG tube hanging from my nose. I looked like I had an elephant's trunk and this was something that we all laughed about! I earned the nickname Mama Elephant. 

What I learned about being a mama elephant in the hospital and the magic in being part of a herd, has powerfully changed the way I look at life and parenting.

Here's what I read about elephant herds:

"OUT IN THE WILD new-born baby Elephants are very vulnerable creatures and are constantly fussed over, not just by their mothers, but by the entire family.

It starts at the moment of birthing, when the older females of the family form a circle around the mother to protect and assist her delivery of the baby, deposited on the ground and immediately washed by many solicitous trunks. Until mother and baby are imprinted on each other, the “grandmas” and “aunts” are in constant attendance, watching that the infant doesn’t wander off and gently nudging it back to mother when it does start to stray.

Should there be any hint of danger, the family immediately forms a protective layer around the mother and child. The radiated warmth of the collective ring of bodies also helps regulate the calf’s body temperature, which in the first few weeks it can’t do itself." 

- Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy

My kids are no longer babies but they are still young and in my care. When I got sick, they were here with me. Calling the ambulance was scary for them. Thankfully grandma dropped everything to come and support us. Grandpa joined in and the circling of my herd began when my parents made sure that the girls felt safe and had everything they needed for life to feel as normal as possible. 

I reached out to many friends and family after my surgery and their love and support helped me to feel as if a circle of bodies were gathered around my girls and I. Their many acts of kindness enabled me to care for my girls once I was home from the hospital and recovering. From flowers, texts and messages, visits, a hand massage, cleaning, rides, books, meals and even having my hair braided and toe nails painted, my herd came through for me and helped me rise up and walk through the world again with my head held high. Without my herd looking out for me and my babies, we would not have gotten through this time the way we did.

What I learned from this experience is that having a herd and nourishing the relationships with each member of the herd is extremely important. Even in a busy life that is full of work, commitments and obligations, making time to be with my herd is critical. Connection, community and caring for each other teaches my children that they can rely on other mamas and trusted friends when the going gets rough. They see that reaching out for support and receiving care from other people makes us stronger and is not a sign of failure or weakness. Most importantly, they see the joy that passes between members of our herd- they hear the laughter and feel the excitement when people who care for one another come together. I want them to learn from my friends and family and I how to form their own herd. 

I'm thankful for this experience and for the love and support we received.

Comfort & Style for Black Friday: A Holiday Series Collaboration

Hello and welcome to the Holiday Series by my sweet Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood!  Please scroll to the bottom to see how all my sweet fashionista girlfriends have styled the Black Friday outfit!!!!  Here are my thoughts on the whole Black Friday thing and what I would wear.

I find the whole idea of black Friday quite underwhelming to be honest.  EEK, sorry if that rubs you the wrong way.  Maybe because I am Canadian so Black Friday isn't quite as hyped up, though in recent years it's been a bigger event here as well.  Maybe it's the idea of the crowd and the $$$$ bills flying straight out of my bank account, or maybe I am a Grinch.  LOL.  In any case, I don't think it's just the Black Friday, I think for me it more about the idea of fighting through the crowds and making snap decisions.  I am really not good at shopping under pressure so there are a few things I do to prepare so I don't miss a good sale. 

1)  I have the kids wish lists created and presents already picked out ahead of time.

2)  I figure out what the current price is and if it's reasonable I just get it ahead of time.

3)  I choose what big ticket items I am really looking  for  on that day.  This year I am simple keeping my eyes open to see if flights to San Diego go down in price.

4)  I shop online as much as possible to avoid the rush.  

Online shopping is sooooooooo easy and made for me.   Click, click, click....ding-dong, it's here!  

 

Sometimes it's coffee and sometimes it's wine.  

I do like wandering the stores ahead of the Christmas rush to get inspired and check out new displays in the stores.  So last weekend we went to the mall as a family without any pressure to buy or find anything in particular.  We just grabbed some coffee, hot chocolate and hit up some local stores and then made our way to Toys R Us (for the kids) and the mall.  Anya added a few items on her wish list from Toys R Us, and Halie and I found some things we liked at Bath and Body Works. 

Jeans, boots, poncho comfort are my weekend jam.   The poncho kept me cozy and warm, and my hands free while waking through the mall (I despise having to carry my coat around in the mall).  The outfit was pretty tame so  I added a little bling with these new Stella and Dot chandelier earrings.  Love how it all came together and how the daylight cooperated for these pictures.     

Hint, hint, Santa.  Please place one of these in my stocking.  -Love me.

 

Fell in love with this mirror/door and  would absolutely love to have it at the cabin.

What are your Black Friday thoughts and plans?

ADA Elegance and Mommyhood "I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week and then Black Friday, which means the Holiday craze has started. I am one of those 'lucky' ones that has to work all day on Black Friday, because the company I work for deals with sales among other things. For the small portion of the day when I do not work, you will find me bundled up in layers like my Abercrombie henley, Abercrombie fleece jacket, ponte skinnies, sneakers, the softest fleece scarf and a fleece beanie. And yes without realizing it, I wore yet another leopard hat. Happy Thanksgiving week, babes!"

BOJANA Bo's Bodacious Blog "Jeans, boots, poncho comfort are my weekend jam.   The poncho kept me cozy and warm, and my hands free while waking through the mall (I despise having to carry my coat around in the mall).  The outfit was pretty tame so  I added a little bling with these new Stella and Dot chandelier earrings.  Love how it all came together and how the daylight cooperated for these pictures. "

SHELBEE Shelbee on the Edge "I will be working all day on Black Friday: at the consignment shop from 10 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. then heading to the mall to work at Torrid from 5:30 until 10:30 p.m.  So I need to be comfortable while donning my battle gear! I found this graphic tee which says “My coffee needs coffee” to be perfectly appropriate for working 12 hours on Black Friday.  To be battle-ready, I went for a camo cardigan and plaid combat boots.  Wish me luck! 

LAURA I Do deClaire "I don't normally head out on Black Friday. It's too chaotic and my introverted self gets overwhelmed with all the crowds. I like to be home, nice and warm and cozy, recover from Thanksgiving, and do some light online shopping if I have a chance! What could be better than overalls and a soft cardigan for a day at home?"

AMBER Avec Amber "I know that many people have a four day weekend and roll right from Thanksgiving feasts to Black Friday shopping! My Black Friday outfit idea has this in mind with pieces that are both comfortable and cozy for the dropping temperatures...and leggings instead of pants, because real pants the day after Thanksgiving is just too aggressive."

JENNIE A Pocketful of Polka Dots "When it comes to Black Friday shopping I am all about staying warm, being comfortable, and wearing things that are easy to get in and out of. A plaid vest layered over a simple sweater keep me warm and slide on sneakers make trying on clothes easy, while also helping me walk the distance. The great thing about wearing basics like a sweater and jeans is they work well while trying on other pieces, because if you are anything like me, Black Friday shopping inevitably means finding things for myself, too. ;)  Gotta take advantage of those sales for All the important people on our list!" 

LINDA A Labour of Life "My Vanheusen Dot pants are so very comfortable and perfect for Black Friday Shopping.  For me I will be working (aka Canadian) but comfy at my desk and surfing for awesome deals."

MONICA Jersey Girl, Texan Heart "Can y'all believe that it is already that time of year?  The madness of Black Friday shopping is upon us!  I usually don't go out shopping on Black Friday, but whenever I do, I'm always there later in the day in something super comfy, because I'm still stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner the night before.  Here is my winter uniform!  A sweater, some comfy pants, boots, and a hat."

CHERYL Cheryl Shops "Normally I'm down in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving—and California has been having unseasonably warm, dry weather—so this is what I'd wear on Black Friday. It's kind of half summer and half fall, but these are some of my favorite pieces that I've featured this year on Cheryl Shops. The accessories are key for Black Friday bargain hunting: the crossbody purse allows you to go hands-free, and the low-heeled boots are comfy enough to be on your feet for hours. Happy shopping!"

October Sentence A Day Addition

Oct 1st brought us snow. Too soon.  

Oct.2 We welcomed 100+ dedicated literacy teachers for another great year of collaborating and learning.  Working with dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate educators is my favorite part of my job.  

Oct.3 Welcome our newest nephew, Otto Bourdon.  

                                

Oct.4th Pulled the trigger and bought a puppy.  The girls don't know but we are getting a little lady to join the family.  Now to somehow plant the seed of what we want her name to be, yet make Anya think it was her idea.  :)  

Oct.5th Bowling and sleepover with Anya's new friend from school.  If you are a regular reader you know we were all a little anxious about the move to the new school but it's going super well!!!  

Oct.6, 7 & 8 Thanksgiving weekend brought lots of baby snuggles with baby Otto and lots of play time with Cooper.  The girls also enjoyed getting outdoors in nature, hotubing with awesome friends and 🦃 meal with family.  

Oct 9th Back to the grind after a nice long weekend.  Tanner got a haircut; handsome man.  

Oct.10 Came home to a random act of kindness by the students from our local public school who raked and bagged our front yard.  

Oct.11th Appointments, appointments, appointments.

Oct.13 Bit cold but we got outdoors anyway. 

Oct.14 Epic day of cleaning, meal prepping and getting laundry done.  I am heading into a really busy week and wanted most of the food prepped for minimal cooking.  I made fried fish, rice and salad for two meals.  I also prepped veggies and a roast for a meal later on in the week, and made a huge pot of Sicilian chicken soup.  

October 15th Forgot to reflect.  No memory of this day. 

Oct.16 Worked with a small group of primary teachers on some planning.

Oct.17 Went to a planning meeting for our local conservatory,  that will be attached to our new children's museum.

Oct.18 Best Day Ever!  We had our kindergarten community meeting and went through a process that encouraged us to grow our cultural competence, literacy and numeracy understandings together.  This group of teachers lifts me and inspires me beyond words.  

Oct.19 

Oct.20. Welcome to the family Oreo.  We had a big surprise for the girls  and they were shocked!! 

                        

Oct.21 We celebrated my cousin's birthday and went to a Halloween party.  First time playing lazer tag for me.  

Oct.22 Late night working on a literacy syllabus at our University for the College of Education.

Oct.23 Oreo learns to fetch. (Video)


Oct.24 It was Halloween decorations went up.   My girls and husband did it all!

Oct.25 Halie's first band concert.  She decided to try the clarinet and has come so far, you know from "noise" to actual notes, in a short amount of time.  #proudmama

Oct.26 TGIF.  Its been a long two weeks of work, two more to go.

Oct.27 Felt completely inspired by the work of our teacher colleges from British Columbia.

Oct.28th Enjoyed a quite 10 km loop by myself.  Felt recharged.

Oct.29 Iced 50+ cupcakes for the girls school Halloween parties.

Oct.30th My neck totally seized on me and am having trouble sleeping, shoulder checking and just doing life. 😪

Oct. 31st  Halloween!!!!