Giving Thanks 2022

Happy Thanksgiving Canadian friends!  A day to reflect and give thanks to everything good in our lives, and even the challenges in our lives are put there to teach us something.  There are so many things in my life that I am extremely grateful and thrilled to be able to experience but ultimately it all comes down to the people and the relationships with those people.  Here are my top 5 things I am grateful in life.

1.  My family.  Both my husband and my girls, but also our extended families.  They are there to support, celebrate and cheer us on.  My husband continues to be a strong and collaborative partner, and I am so grateful for that as we enter a season of parenting that we find difficult.  There I said it! Parenting teens, although the girls are wonderful in so many ways, has been hard for us as we find the balance of letting go, but also still wanting to connecting with them and continue to invest in our family.  It's a season of learning for us and I hope that other parents of teens know that they are not alone in these times change, growth and learning.  Regardless of the challenges I am so thankful to have two healthy, happy, children that made me a mom.

2.  Our friends.  Like family, our closest friends do the same for us as family.  I always think of my friends as the family I got to choose.

3. Our cabin.  A piece of haven, right here on earth.

4.  My career and the team at work.  People at work, the students, families, and most importantly my collegues, make going to work sustainable and usually a place of joy.  

5.  My heath and my body.  It keeps me going and doing all the things that I love to do.  

It's a simple list and I could get really specific but it really does boil down to these daily interactions that make me happy and healthy.  

It was a small Thanksgiving for us, as Logan got COVID and his last day of COVID jail was yesterday. Since our plans with family fell through it was just the four of us but I still decided to make a big meal to enjoy as a family.  I also, got dressed up because it made the day more special and cooking in the kitchen all day seem separate from the actual meal.  I put on this lightweight, flowy (so I could eat all the turkey, buns and pie), accordian pleated dress from Aritzia, and accented it with gold jewlery.  I love how olive and gold work together and I finally dug out my favorite boots from last year to pair with them.  I think I am actually going to wear this exact same outfit this week for our admin meeting.   

 

Shop This Post:

Wilfred Daydreamer Mini Dress

Boots (old; similar at Nordstrom or these Cowboy boots)

H & B Jewlery: Necklace (similar); Earrings; Bracelet (similar; matches necklace)

Fall Wedding Season

Love!  I love being witness to two people committing to each other for life.  Mid-Septembers we were lucky to be invited to a family friends beautiful wedding. It was a charming ceremony in which they gave each other the promise to love, respect and fight for one another for the reminder of their lives.   I don't cry or anything at weddings, but watching two individuals choose each other is beyond beautiful to me.  Maybe it's because I still feel like I would stand up there and look at Logan like that and do the promise all over again after 19 years.  Anyway, I didn't take a lot of pictures to be honest, because I was just  in the moment, but I did snap a few here and there.   Anyway, we enjoyed reconnecting not with the groom,  his bride, and his family, but also with good friends.  Once again, this was a first for many of us to gather since before COVID and many of us are busy with our own families, work, lives, but when we gather together it's like no time has passed at all.  I love lifelong friends more than I can say.

Since it was an absolutely gorgeous day, I wore my dress that I purchased in Italy for my 40th birthday and I have to tell you, I feel like the most beautiful woman when I wear it.  It gives me confidence in myself, where I am in life and  in recently turning 40.  What more can a woman want out of a dress? Obviously, it's not the dress, it's the growth I've done over the past 25+ years, but I do love it oh so much.  And, not only did I score on the dress, but I also splurged and got these studded, high heeled sandals that I adore.  I used to wear high heels all the time and you know what, I am so glad I didn't get another pair of "sensible" shoes or pumps, although I'll tell you these babies were relatively comfortable.  I was in them from 1 p.m., through the ceremony, mingling, dinner and then I danced until the early hours of the morning.  Not a problem.   I did have a light shawl to throw over during dinner, and if I was to go in the later part of fall, I would pair it up either with a leather jacket for an edgy look or a sleek trench coat.  My jewelry was  Hillberg and Berk in their merlot color that I get a ton of wear out of, so it's totally worth the splurge for me. 

I am so happy we had a chance to attend this wedding, as we are past the time of weddings these days, but it was wonderful to get a night out to celebrate a couple we truly believe in.

Do you have many weddings in this season of life? 

Shop This Post:

Guess Dress (wearing an xs; sale alert)

H&B Merlot Large Hoop Earrings  & Merlot Pendant Necklace

Heels (from Italy; similar from Shein)

Tween & Teen Gift Guide 2021

Tween and teens can be tricky to buy for especially if you are not looking to spend a million dollars on the newest technology trends out there, which sometimes Santa can help out with.  Each year my girls, currently almost 12 and almost 15, compile a list of items that are reasonably priced to give ideas to grandparents, aunts and uncles.  We don't like getting a bunch of stuff that will either be returned, donated  or tossed in a few months time.  Although usually your teens have a hobby that they are also really interested in such as dance, horseback riding is a big one for us, snowboarding, etc, this list is more generic to suit most teen girls go-tos for this holiday season.  Some of the items are old favorites such as gel polish that can last for up to two weeks, or candles, while other items are HOT this year such as the Oodie (see #3) or the Sunset Lamp (#1).  Also books are always a personal choice but I've linked two different YA sets that both of my girls have enjoyed and To All The Boys I've Loved Before has been made into a movie, while Shadow and Bone is a Netflix show!  Hope this is helpful to you!!!

Would you like to see anything else or different included next time?  Who is the hardest person to shop for on your list?

1 .  Sunset Lamp (Amazon $25)

2.  LED Strip Lights (Amazon $21)

3.  Harry Potter Oodie ($125); Urban Planet Oversized Hoodie ($20)

4.  Red Carpet Gel Polish Lamp Kit (London Drugs $80)

5.   Gel Polish Set  (Amazon $43)

6.  Candles from Bath & Body Works  ($25 for 3 wick or $15 for single wick)

7.  Colorblock Oversized Crew (Garage Clothing $40)

8.  Shadow & Bone trilogy ($39 or $13 for each book)

9.  To All The Boys I've Loved Before book set ($44 or $15 for each book)

10.  Rings  ($15)

11.  Hillberg and Berk Sparkle Balls ($50 - $80 depending on size)

12.  Airpods 2nd Generation (Amazon $150) 

I hope this helps you out this holiday season.  I also going to link-up a few past shopping guides for kids below.  

Gift Guide for 6 -8 Years Old Girls

Tween Girl Gift Guide

Tween & Teen Gift Guide

Ageless Style: Styling Booties for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is officially upon us and what better way then to kick it off with a holiday style outfit idea!  This months  Ageless Style prompt was booties and I couldn't wait to share these white ones with you all!   Recently Mr. and I finally went out on a date night and I was excited to finally pull out my pair of white booties.  Last winter/spring I searched all over the place for a pair of white booties but had no luck locally, so this year when I stumbled upon these online on major sale I snagged them up quickly.  I love booties and have several pairs including black, navy, snakeskin, burgundy,  and now white.  More than any other style, the bootie is my favorite ranging from low ankle to more mid-calf like these ones.  I love them paired with skinny jeans, leggings and a oversized sweater/sweater dress, or with a maxi or midi-skirt like I am styling here.  I adore how this outfit came together and I was able to shop my closet for everything other than the new booties!  This metallic print skirt has been one of the best pieces I've purchased because it elevates any outfit and it's perfect for the holiday season.   I've styled it multiple times in various seasons including summer, fall, and winter, see HERE and HERE.  Since we don't go out a lot, I went all out by adding all my sparkly jewelry from Hillberg and Berg including these rose gold earrings and stackable bracelets.  

What did we do for date night?  We went on a double date with good friends to the Imagine Van Gogh exhibit in town.  At first I wasn't sure that I wanted to spend the $ on this event but I am so glad we did.  It was an incredible experience and I truly would recommend it.  It's an immersive experience as you place yourself in the middle of a large space and watch Van Gogh's art come to life as projections on oversized screens.  We ended up watching the show twice from different parts of the space to have the chance to take it all in.  Before entering the art exhibit you have a chance to read and learn about Van Gogh's life and the ups and downs that he went through in his short 37 years of it.  A very talented man haunted by  schizophrenia, and in the end he ended up taking his own life with a revolver.  His work depicted how he saw himself, the people around him, and  the various places he visited and lived in his life.  He found so much beauty in his observations and feelings of day to day life.  As this is a traveling exhibit it's likely going to be near you if you live in Canada or United States and I would highly recommend going.  

Now make sure you hop over to see everyone else styling their booties in different ways across the country with the ladies of Ageless Style!

Shop This Post:

White Boots (sold out; similar at Vero Moda  & Aldo)

Gold Metallic Maxi Skirt (old from RW & Co; similar at Shien

White Sweater (old from Bebe; similar eyelash sweater Free People;  or RW & Co. on sale!)

Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits

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Bo ~ Bo's Bodacious Blog

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Carrie ~ A Simple Lovely Life

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Daenel ~ Living Outside the Stacks

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Joanna ~ My Slice of Life

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Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style

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Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After

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Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle

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Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom

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Robin ~ Hello I am 50ish

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Transitioning into Spring with a Sweater Dress

For many people spring is literally around the corner, but the white fluffy stuff hangs on a bit longer here in Saskatchewan, but the temperatures do tend to let up and nicer weather outweighs the cold snaps for the most part.  But like the the rest of the world, I yearn for spring like pieces and a wardrobe change, while also remembering that "baby it's STILL cold outside".  That's why I love a good sweater dress, especially in a lighter color such as beige, white or gray.  It's warm and cozy, but the lighter color says brighter days are  ahead!

                           
                           

In order to add a little contrast  to a fairly plain dress, I added the cutest headband, sparkly stud earrings, and layering necklaces.  My OTK boots are getting pretty worn out but I've decided that I am not going to replace them this year, but rather wait for next fall to see what the trends are.  I am finding it's slim pickings in the stores and even online for boot options this year, so I'll just hold on to my $$ and maybe invest in a few other spring transition pieces like white booties that I've had my eye on.

As warmer temperatures increase and the sun shines brightly, we can trade in our parka coats for a lighter coat, as I did above, or if it's really nice you can shed the top layer and just wear the cozy knit on it's own.  If you are lucky enough to live in a climate where the snow is melting away and the temperatures are well above zero, not here for a couple more months, I absolutely love the idea of pairing the sweater dress either with some booties and bare legs, or with little sneaks!  Both of these are darling and I hope to wear them out in the near future, but until then I am keeping my leggings on for an extra layer of warmth.  

Insiration #1 from Julia's blog.

Inspiration #2 from Pinterest.

What are your favorite pieces to style and transition from winter to spring?

Shop This Look:

Sweater Dress:  Marshalls; similar Vero Moda ;  similar

 Aritzia Wool Coat (old); Aritzia (similar)

Jewelry:  Hillberg & Berk

Headband (FabFitFun):  Simons (similar)

NYE 2020: Casual Looks with Ada & Link-Up

Moving into 2021 is exciting.  Although I know we are clearly not finished with this way of life, I am excited by the prospect that at some point in 2021 we will be vaccinated (thank you scientists and medical specialists for working around the clock on this for the almost a year), and hopefully get to see family that don't live nearby.  Also, I want real hugs from friends and family.  Hahaha.   I want to visit my grandmothers without a mask and I want to smile at strangers at a grocery store.  Its the small things I've learned to appreciate to be honest.  BLOGGER friends the other thing I would like to do is collaborate and connect with you more with other in 2021, so if you are interested in a coloration  or have a fun idea shoot me a message here or through IG.  

Speaking of collaborations todays post is brought to you by Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood, make sure to check out her bio and outfit  link below.  We decided to feature a fairly casual NYE look because likely most of us are staying at home, it's still fun to make it a special evening.  In Bosnia, where I grew up until I was 10, NY is a big celebration and actually when we received our gifts as children.  For me it represents a fresh start and also a time to reflect on the previous year.  I love both of these things so I love celebrating on New Years Eve is important to me.  It will be just our little family and our plan is to make appetizers, play games as a family, maybe have a dance party, take out special treats and enjoy some specialty drinks for adults and children alike.  I have been saving this bottle from a trip Mr. and I took a couple of years ago, and we plan on cracking it open this year.  It seems like the perfect time to reflect and acknowledge that we live a really good life, as well as how excited we are at the prospect of 2021.  I also, always keep my tree up until after the New Year as I find it more festive and I equally love Christmas and NY for  their own perspective reasons.  

What about you, tree up or cleaned up before New Years?

My outfit today is a cozy sweater dress from my closet, you can see it styled here with some OTKB and a faux fur coat.  You can never go wrong with a sweater dress in winter and I'll be featuring another one in an upcoming post.  I love this one because in it's threads it has sparkle woven  into it somehow.  It's casual but also put together and most importantly its cozy.  I added a simple initial rose gold necklace and a pair of matching sparkle balls that I received from Santa this year, and it wouldn't be NYE without tacky dollar store party hats.  

Whatever you are doing, or not, I am wishing you a healthy, prosperous and joyful 2021. 

 

        Now make sure you check out my friend Ada's look  here  and join our link-up below!

Hi, I am Ada - a Midwest blogger from the Metropolitan Detroit area - and I have been blogging at Elegance and Mommyhood for 8 and a half years since I was pregnant with my beautiful daughter Vivian. She has grown with this blog and through all the changes I have had between different jobs, living in two continents (first in Europe and now back in USA), marriage, divorce and with my evolving and sometimes-changing style, too. That's why I named my blog "Elegance and Mommyhood because it's about good style that is affordable and looking put-together on a budget, as I raise a strong daughter as a single mother and dabble with everything that is involved with being a mom. In the last couple of years I started posting poetry on the blog too - since I have been writing poems from my tween years - and it is something I love and enjoy. So you will find some of my poetry and a dose of prose in the blog, as well. You can also follow me on Instagram and you can find me on Facebok. I would love for you to follow me and to connect together.  Thank you Bojana and Bojana's readers for having me today. Wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, healthy and happy New Year 2021! Let's leave behind a year that was tough and sad on so many levels, as we cheer and pray with hope for a new year of new beginnings and lots of joy! Welcome by. 

Shop This Post:
Sweater Dress old:  Old Navy  or R. W. & Co (only $20 right now!!!)
H & B Rose Gold Sparkle Ball Earnings 
H & B Rose Gold Initial Necklace & Charms

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