Fashionista Statement: Monday, May 10

May 10

I bought this dress from J.C.Penney's last weekend because I had a $10 off coupon. The dress was originally $60 but 50% off. Love the square neckline of the dress and the puff sleeves (which are currently covered up by my hair), but of course, my absolute favorite thing is the color. "I would rather wear a barrel than conservative apparel." Paired with black flats.

Fashionista Statement: Friday, May 7

May 7

The entire ensemble came from Target:

Skinny jeans (actually leggings but with a front button and back pockets; the zipper and other pockets are just a facade) that are my absolute favorite thing I own right now. $20.

Teal boyfriend tee $8.

Long semi-sheer cream sweater $15 on clearance rack. (I have a black one like--best $30 I ever spent. I get so much use out of them especially because I have SO many dressy dresses and this "dresses them down."

Scarf from Target $3 on clearance.

Fashionista Statement: Wednesday, May 5

May 5

I got this gypsy-style strapless dress from Target for $30. I rarely spend $30 on a dress unless it's for a special occasion because I own so many of them, especially every day dresses for work. I wasn't sure I'd really have enough opportunity to wear it because I never go sleeveless and it seemed so casual.

The first time I wore it I paired it with this sweater (also from Target) and discovered it appeared much dressier than I had imagined. Now I always wear them together. Cannot for the life of me remember where I got the scarf but I want to say Wal-Mart.

You can't see them but I'm just wearing black flats.

Fashionista Statement: Tuesday, May 4

May 4

I have had this dress since high school. It originally came with a matching cropped yellow jacket that tied below the bust. The jacket never really fit me well and yellow is a terrible color on me--my absolute worst color, especially pale yellow. I swapped the jacket with a lavender sweater I got from the Gap and paired them with white flower sandals I got from K-Mart for $14.

Another closer view.

Fashionista Statement: May 3

May 3

This is the shirt I wore on my first day of lead teaching during student teaching. Back then I paired it with pale pink tweed pants that are waaaay too long. I once had patience for that, but I no longer do (one of the main reasons I wear skirts every day). I have a pink skirt that would probably match better, but I like the blue. It felt springy, and like Stacy and Clinton say, it's good not to be too matchy-matchy.

The shoes are my favorite pair of shoes I own. I got them in Paris in 2007 and they are near and dear to my heart. They have witch points at the toe as well as giant flowers on the toe. They are sling backs with kitty heel, and they make me feel so pretty and feminine that it makes up for the blisters they give my little toes for three days after I wear them.

As for jewelry, I'm wearing a gold chain with my initial and big brown earrings that you can never tell I'm wearing because of my hair. Oh, well.

Fashionista Statement: April 28

April 28





A new favorite dress! Brown dress with empire waist and gold beading at the top. I love the unusual straps on the dress. I pair it with a brown shrug which shows little pockets of skin below the shoulders.

Fashionista Statement: April 27

Tuesday, April 27


One of my favorite dresses today!



Teal dress from Target.
Brown glimmery sweater.
Long brown and teal necklace from Spain (Gracias, Mamacita!)
Brown espadrilles with a flower on the toe from Paris (my favorite shoes!!)






I got this dress to wear to a bachelorette weekend in Portland and then, as the story USUALLY goes with me, I never ended up wearing. Typical!! But it's not a waste because I do love this dress! I've already worn it to work three times since I got it at the end of February which is a LOT for me!

Fashionista Statement: April 26

Monday, April 26



Black fitted to with keyhold in the back
Gold shimmery skirt
Gold flats with a kitty heel


(Check out the straight hair!!)



The gold skirt is very fancy. I solved this problem the first time I wore it by pairing it with a black T-shirt and boots. Now that it's spring, I thought I'd try sandals, but that did not look good at ALL, so I went with the flats. However, then it looked very fancy so I tried just another black T.

Fashionista Statement: Thursday, April 22

Thursday I wore one of my favorite dresses of all time!

White sundress with black sketches of girls in Paris doing Parisian things (like walking their French poodles past the Eiffel Tower. You know, Parisian things.) from Maurice's.

Black cami underneath the dress (a little lowcut).

Black cardi from K-Mart.

Black flipflops from Payless.

Black choker from Claire's.

Black ring from Target.

Fashionista Statement: Wednesday, April 21

April 21 was our Community Clean-Up Day, so I knew I was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and comfortable shoes!!




Dark green thin zip-up hoodie from ??

Pink New York City T-shirt from NYC (courtesy of sister)

Dark blue jeans rolled up four inches at the hem

I accompanied the outfit with turquoise aviator shades.

Here's another shot to really appreciate my $4 pink Converse sneaks from Target (thank you, little girl section).

Fashionista Statement: Tuesday, April 20

Tuesday, April 20




White T with flowers on the neck from Target

Black flowered skirt from Target

Black flip flops from Payless

Black three-string necklace from ??

Also tried a shot with the jean jacket

I enjoyed this outfit much more than I expected to! It looks very nice in the pictures, even if I do look like death in a white t-shirt.

Fashionista Statement: Monday, April 19

Monday, April 19



Hot pink skirt with black belt from Maurices

White mesh long-sleeved T from Target

Hot pink tank from Old Navy

Eiffel tower necklace from Marc Jacobs

Black earrings from Target

My 28th Birthday

The best birthday I have had in several years! I was actually EXCITED about the day--last year I was excited about turning 27, and while the day itself was fun, there was nothing truly memorable about it (much like my last four or five birthdays).

This year the celebrations seemed to last all week and I was truly jazzed about my week!

Sunday: Birthday celebration for the bff Nicole, with her husband, son, and family at Ultimate Pizza Place. We played mini-golf, video games, Ski-ball, etc. and ate lots of food at the buffet. Very fun--first birthday "party" I'd been to in a long time. Afterwards back to her place for cake and ice cream and touch football. I was truly, truly awful at the football.

Tuesday: Birthday dinner celebration with Nicole and Jean. Mexican--yum! I had enchiladas plus lots of chips and salsa and cheese dip, and a strawberry daiquiri that had waay too much tequila in it. Then off to the movies: The Bounty Hunter. Jean gave Nicole and me bottles of wine--Moscata d'Ati (my very favorite wine!! Hooray!) Very fun!!!

Wednesday: my actual birthday. Lots of celebrations at school--kids singing and wishing me happy birthday, lots of fun! I kept telling them not to sing because it's always so embarrassing. They did anyway and I said, "I'm just going to awkwardly hand out candy like a moron!" (Blow-Pops!) Traci took me out for birthday ice cream. Karen and I went to Fiss after school. Celebrate!!

Friday: Birthday celebrations with the fam. Lots of high spirits as we took pictures and drank Smirnoff and ate Zeno's pizza--yum! Presents and Oreo ice cream dessert after eating--delish! Game of Trivial Pursuit with the whole fam minus Mom--I was in the lead the whole game but couldn't manage to get in the middle for the final question, so Brennan won in the end. Traitor.

Saturday: Lovely day outside! Whole fam (minus Mom, of course) outside petting the neighbor's dog (so cute!), then inside having McDonald's (salad with chicken for me, yum!) and lots of high spirits. Movie in the afternoon: Date Night with popcorn and drinks. Fun!!

Sunday: Back to Altoona after birthday weekend with the family. Dinner at Cheesecake Factory for Jean's birthday. Carpool with Nicole with a quick stop at the mall to pick up a present for her (B&BW).

Summer Plans

It's April. That's not too early to start thinking about summer, is it?

1. Rewatch Robin Hood Seasons 1-2
2. Watch Robin Hood Season 3
3. Watch Party of Five Season 1
4. Watch Party of Five Season 2
5. Go to Denver for Ashley's wedding/Fourth of July
6. Get recertified as a WSI
7. See many, many movies!!
8. Read Sense and Sensibility
9. Read Pride and Prejudice
10. Read Emma
11. Read Persuasion
12. Read Mansfield Park (okay, not sure that this one will happen, but I'm putting it here anyway)

New Year's Resolutions

New Year' Resolutions:

1. Write one paragraph a day.
2. Take a class over the summer.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Pay off credit card!!
5. Take a trip.
6. Go to at least one concert.
7. Reread Pride & Prejudice
8. Reread Sense & Sensibility
9. Reread Persuasion
10. Read Emma
11. Read Mansfield Park
12. Read Jane Eyre
13. Read four nonfiction books.
14. Read four new Agatha Christie books.
15. See 25 movies in the theatre.
16. Read 80 books.

Masterpiece Classics

Obsessed with Masterpiece Theatre!! Here are the Masterpiece Classics that I have watched the last couple weeks:

1. Jane Eyre (4 episodes)
2. Wuthering Heights (4 episodes)
3. Cranford (4 episodes)
4. Little Dorritt (14 episodes)
5. Lost in Austen (okay, not technically a Masterpiece Classic, but a miniseries AND practically a Jane Austen, so it still counts)

Future Masterpiece Classics I am looking forward to:
1. Return to Cranford
2. Emma
3. The 39 Steps

Top Songs of 2009

3. I Gotta Feeling/Meet Me Halfway by the Black Eyed Peas
2. Fireflies by Owl City
1. Don't Stop Believing by the cast of Glee

Movies Seen in 2009

January:
1. Persuasion 1 January
2. Mamma Mia!
3. Penelope 3 January
4. Runaway Bride 4 January
5. Cold Comfort Farm 11 January
6. Valkyrie 11 January
7. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls 17 January
8. Lost Season 4 22 January
9. New in Town 31 January
10. Fool's Gold 31 January


February:
11. The Nanny Express 6 February
12. He's Just Not That Into You 14 February
13. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 14 February
14. When Harry Met Sally 14 February
15. He's Just Not That Into You 17 February
16. Coraline 18 February


March:
17. Taken 15 March
18. Inkheart 18 March
19. Slumdog Millionaire 19 March
20. Last Chance Harvey 20 March
21. Jumper 20 March
22. Nora Roberts's Sanctuary 21 March
23. Nora Roberts's Northern Lights 22 March
24. Nora Roberts's Blue Smoke 23 March
25. Nora Roberts's Carolina Moon 27 March
26. Nora Roberts's Montana Sky 28 March
27. Nora Roberts's Midnight Bayou 28 March

April:
28. Duplicity 11 April
29. The Skulls 12 April
30. Nora Roberts's High Noon 12 April

May:
31. Anne of Green Gables 1 May
32. Anne of Avonlea 2 May
33. For Love of the Game 2 May
34. Cold Mountain 8 May
35. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past 11 May
36. State of Play 23 May
37. That Darn Cat 26 May
38. Out of Time 31 May

June:
35. Then She Found Me 1 June
36. Return of the Jedi 5 June
37. Ice Age 24 June
38. He's Just Not That Into You 26 June


July:
39. The Taking of Pelham 123
40. The Proposal
41. Sister Act
42. Journey to the Center of the Earth
43. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
44. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
45. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 14 July
46. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 15 July
47. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 18 July
48. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 25 July
49. The Hangover 30 July
50. The Ugly Truth 30 July
51. Alias: Season 1 30 July

August:
52. The Jane Austen Book Club 1 August
53. Alias: Season 2
54. The Moving Finger
55. Alias: Season 3
55. The Time Traveler's Wife (16 August)
56. Mad Men: Season 1
57. Armageddon
58. Mad Men: Season 2 (17 August)
59. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (15 August)
60. The Great Debaters (22 August)
61. Alias: Season 4 (22 August)
62. Mad Men: Season 2

September:
63. 10 Things I Hate About You (4 September)
64. Echelon Conspiracy (6 September)
65. Ghost Town (7 September)
66. Love Happens
67. Alias: Season 5

October:
68. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
69. Murder on the Orient Express


November:
70. Rent
71. Deliver Us From Eva
72. New Moon
73. Mamma Mia

December:
74. You've Got Mail
75. Love Actually
76. Sleepless in Seattle
77. Elf
78. While You Were Sleeping
79. While You Were Sleeping
80. Vantage Point
81. The Africa Queen
82. He's Just Not That Into You
83. The Family Man
84. Pride and Prejudice
85. Home Alone
86. Sherlock Holmes
87. Mamma Mia!
88. Did You Hear About the Morgans?
89. Lost In Austen
90. Persuasion
91. Jane Eyre

Books Read in 2009

January:

1. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
2. Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
3. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
4. A Little Scandal by Meg Cabot

February:

5. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
6. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
7. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer


March:

8. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
9. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
10. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
11. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
12. The Far Sweet Thing by Libba Bray

April

13. Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie
14. Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie
15. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
16. Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie
17. Welcome to Temptation



May

18. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie
19. Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
20. Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark
21. Silken Thread by Patricia Ryan


June

22. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
23. 4 Bodies
24. 5 Bodies
25. 6 Bodies
26. It Only Takes a Moment
27. Deadly Love
28. Too Good to be True
29. Gotcha


July

30. The Chicago Way
31. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone
32. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
33. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
34. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
35. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
36. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
37. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
38. Holly's Inbox

August:

39. Catch of the Day
40. Fools Rush In
41. Finger-Lickin' Fifteen
42. Murder on Waverly Place
43. Secrets of a Lady
44. The Moving Finger
45. At Bertram's Hotel
46. A Pocketful of Rye
47. Foxtrot book

September

48. A Caribbean Mystery
49. Foxtrot book
50. Foxtrot book 2
51. Foxtrot book 3
52. Foxtrot book 4

October:

53. Foxtrot book 5
54. Tears of Pearl
55. And Then There Were None (school)
56. The Mousetrap (novella)
57. A Raisin in the Sun (school)

November:

58. Victoria and the Rogue
59. The Finishing Touches
60. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist


December:

61. Night (school)
62. Sovay by Celia Rees
63. Obsessed by Karen Robards
64. Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
65. Pursuit by Karen Robards
66. Walking After Midnight by Karen Robards
67. Bait by Karen Robards

For my sistah because I know she gets tired of my lack of posts...

While playing Apples To Apples:
Sister: I got something and I don't know what it is.
Brother: Well, you'd better ask your doctor.


Student: Hey, Miss A, it's not premarital sex if you never intend on getting married.


After I described The Scarlet Letter to my eleventh graders:
Student: That sounds really good!
Me (to myself): I told it ... wrong!


During class debate--the situation is You are a soldier in the Middle East. You've been ordered to cover your troop from higher ground while they make their way down a mountain. Your C.O. orders you to shoot anyone who looks suspicious. You see an old woman all by herself a few hundred yards from the rest of your troop. She is not walking but does not appear to be a spy. Do you follow your CO's orders and shoot her even if it turns out she may be innocent?
Student #1: You shoot her first, ask questions later.
Student #2: That's ridiculous. You can't just go around shooting people.
Student #1: Why not?
Student #2: Well, because then you're just Dick Cheney.


While watching Mamma Mia, one of the characters asks another, "Why haven't you ever gotten married?"
Mom: Isn't it obvious? She's a lesian.