Sunday 10 December 2023

My Holiday Wish List Under $50


 

What's on your wish list for this holiday season?  This is my actual wish list and links that I shared with my husband and girls.   Simple and reasonable priced, all priced under $50.  


Where are you with Christmas shopping?  How are you doing?  What's on your wish list?


Monday 4 December 2023

Holiday Dresses: Borrow, Rent or Buy?





 Are you ready for holiday parties and formal events?   I love a good event to get all dressed up for but honestly it rarely happens so I get extra excited to get all dressed up.  This year my dad is officially retiring from his work place, and they are wanting to give him a formal goodbye at the company's annual holiday party, so they have  invited us to join them.  If you follow me on IG, you know in early fall I was invited to join my BFF for a formal awards event in our city and I was seeking help on picking my outfit.  I loved playing dress up and deciding what to wear.  This deep blue, silk dress was the winner!  When it comes to fancy dresses, I own a few, but it's a good idea to trade with friends to get more wear out of them.  This dress was borrowed from my sisters closet.  It  flows beautifully, it's a little bit sexy with the slit and I love the way it showcases my shoulders and arms.  The halter top also means that you don't need a statement piece around the neck, and I kept things simple with dangly earrings and stacked bracelets.  I added a shawl to wrap up in case of a chill and I was good to go.  I truly felt beautiful and although I will not be wearing it to my dads event as it's been returned, I might be choosing one of the other three options below.











What should I wear for my next event?


Shop this post:

(similar less formal and on sale Dynamite)



Wednesday 15 November 2023

Ageless Style: Fall Layers




I am back with the ladies of Ageless Style, styling fall layers.  This prompt is brought to you by Mireille of Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom.  

Here in SK, our falls are usually short and sweet, and we dive right into winter come mid to late October.  However, this year we've had unseasonably warm days into November, although some of our province has snow already.  These photos were taken in October as we enjoyed a hike with our pup on a warmish fall day.  I love a good puffer vest for fall/spring hikes.  It's the perfect layer over sweaters, long sleeves and even light jackets.  I can causally style it with leggings, runners, or pair it with jeans, a cute sweater and some accessories like here.  I've had mine forever, like they were in style, then they really weren't, and now you see them back again.  I'd love to invest in a longer one but I just cant' bring myself to when I still love the looks of this one.  I guess what I am saying is that it really is worth an investment if you don't have one in your closet! 








What are you favorite fall layers?  

Link up your own post below or go check out what the other ladies are wearing this month.  Next month we will be taking a break, but come January we will chat all about jeans.  



Joanna ~ My Slice of Life

Blog


Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Blog | Instagram | Facebook | 
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Blog /Instagram
Bo ~ Bo's Bodacious Blog

Rosemary ~ Distinctly Southern Style

Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After

Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |


Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sunday 29 October 2023

Come on Barbie Let's Go Party





Welcome to What I Wore: Halloween Edition!  To be correct, it's what I'll be wearing tomorrow to school!  This year my admin partner and I are going to do a duo costume and surprisingly he was a good sport to go along with Barbie and Ken.  The kids will love it and I enjoyed putting my costume together.  Bless my sweet, real life Ken, for helping me create the boxes.   If we ever need a couple costume in the future we are going to do this for sure.

I went with "Sporty" Barbie as I could create the look using the Smash & Tess Barbie jumpsuit in my closet, the pink converse shoes lent to me by my teen, this suprisingly good quality wig, and this little baseball shirt I found at Urban Planet!  Side note,  I am totally going to be styling this baseball top way past Halloween.  I had so much fun getting this outfit pulled together and I am grateful that I have a work environment where everyone gets dressed up.  One of these years I am going to host an adult only Halloween party!

For past Halloween costumes see this post.










Do you dress-up?  If so, what are you going to be?  Do you host a Halloween party, tell me more?  


Shop This Post:

Smash & Tess Barbie Romper (Poshmark; for size reference I wear XS)

Pink Converse Hightops

Urban Planet Baseball Jersey (sold out; see Barbie items)

Blond Wig




Wednesday 18 October 2023

Ageless Style: Birthday Party Attire



Welcome back to our monthly Ageless Style!  After taking last month off from blogging, I am back with the ladies of Ageless Style and this months prompt is brought to you by our October baby, Marsha Banks of Marsha in the Middle.  Happy birthday to Marsha!  I don't know about you but for the most part we and our friends keep birthdays pretty low key nowadays unless its a milestone birthday.  We usually get together for a dinner/appies and drinks, which for most of us in the parenting years is a night out with the adults!  Woot, woot!  

A night out with adult friends is a treat and I always like to put a little extra effort into looking and feeling good.  I wore this outfit this past weekend when we went out.  Full disclosure, I've wanted to wear it since last winter but feel self-conscious.  Am I too old?  Should I be showing my midriff?  Does it seem like I am trying too hard?  Is it appropriate?  And on and on go the questions.  My 16 year old was like, yes it's cute.  I don't understand why you are so unsure.  She honestly had no idea what was going through my head.  Isn't that AWESOME?!?  I love that she confident!  That she is sure of her clothing choices.  Something I didn't have at her age and am still working on at 41.  Regardless I took the chance and went for it and the longer I wore it, the more it felt like me.  Sometimes we have to go through the uncomfortable for it to feel more comfortable.  

Anyways you can see this crop top paired with it's matching knitted skirt  here, which I had not doubts about and absolutely LOVE!!!  I paired it up with pleather pants from my teens closet, and decided to throw on my vegan leather shacket over top to play with the browns and textures.  Top it off with bold red lips and you look confident and I am of the mind 'fake it, 'till you make it" and by the end of the night, I made it.  😉








Shop This Post:

Tinsley Fuzzy Tank (sale)

Leather Pants (sold out; Shein similar)

Vegan Leather Shacket (sold out; Dex similar)

Maybelline Red for Me Lipstick



                                 Now off you go to check out what other ladies are wearing!


Joanna ~ My Slice of Life

Blog


Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Blog | Instagram | Facebook | 
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Blog /Instagram
Bo ~ Bo's Bodacious Blog

Rosemary ~ Distinctly Southern Style

Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After

Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |


Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom




You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sunday 15 October 2023

Falling into Running

Crossing the half marathon finish line with my best friend and training buddy.  Best feeling in the world!

YES YOU CAN!!!


It's been a busy and active fall for me!    It's been years, exactly six, since I've trained and entered a half marathon.  Due to chronic back and hip pain and discomfort, my body just couldn't take the training.  After trying so many different things, chiropractor, massage, shockwave therapy, yoga, rolling/stretching, cupping, etc, I found dry needling along with stretching to be the combination for me.  This year I was able to train and do a 62 km road bike race, a 10km fun run, and 2 back to back half marathons.  AND I got a PB last weekend as I crossed the finish line of a half marathon in Victoria, BC which also was my very first half marathon 15 years ago!!!!  Age 26 time was 2:13:12 vs. age 41 at 2:00:11.  Can you believe it?  I can't tell you the joy I feel that I can move my body in such a way once again without chronic pain.  I am so grateful to have my health, to feel strong, to have the ability and health coverage to do the treatments that help my body stay healthy and strong.  I am also grateful for my husband and best friend that support and helped me train this year.  I am literally on cloud 9!  I want to encourage others to find an activity that you love.  Make it a daily habit. Find a friend to be accountable to.  Find something to work towards.  Celebrate your success and the progress.  Don't get caught up in the finish but be proud of the journey.  I never anticipated a personal best, although such a wonderful surprise, the fact that I could do that training again is truly the a gift.  Being able to try something new (biking), encouraging my two girl friends to do the triathlon with me, my BFF to do her first marathon and to see my husband achieve his personal best in a 10km, that is my celebration!    These are my happy moments.  And it's also nice to see myself at 41 kicking my 26 year old butt, LOL.  Next year, I am going to do a duathlon which I've never done, and a whole lot more of this,  I hope.

Ladies of the 80s at our first triathlon.  2024 will even be better!



Ages 40, 41 & 42.

We were all smiles after the Step-Up for Mental Health race.  


15 or 16 km into the half.

Candle Lake Fun run with the best lake neighbors.


My very first half was the Royal Victoria Marathon 16 years ago at 2:13:12 and by Personal Best was there last week at 2:00:11.

Pure joy!

My sister was waiting for me at the finish line, yelling "you got your personal best.  you did it!!!"



Post race treats!



Now, let's talk fall running.  Fall is one of the nicest seasons to run outdoors.  It's not too hot and not too cold.  It's also one of the prettiest seasons to run with the changing colors, the glowing sunrises and sunsets.  It's also the season when many of the races that you've been training for happen, as the outdoor running season comes to a close for many parts of the world and many runners, although I will argue that really doesn't have to happen as I run through our harsh winters with proper gear, see here.  Regardless, of whether you choose to run or not through winter, fall is a season that should be taken full advantage of and requires only a few additions and switch outs to your running gear.  




My staples for fall running are:

Swiftly Long Sleeve Shirt from LuluLemon (early fall and excellent for layering under a run jacket in winter; on sale!)

Rulu Run Half Zip (later fall)

Swift Speed High Rise Crop (early fall and excellent for spin class; on sale)

Fast & Free Tights (my favorite anytime of the year, in classic black)

Flip Belt (phone & keys; never moves; I have a size small)

Water Belt (for those longer runs)

Garmin Vivoactive HR Watch (this is an expensive purchase and there are many Aps that you can download for free to track your pace and distance.  I love my watch but you don't need it!)


Tell me what is your favorite way to keep fit?