Life is not a box of chocolates...

I wish that life was a box of chocolates... or a bowl of cherries... both of those things imply that it's full of sweetness and goodness with a moderate amount of the unexpected. But sometimes, life throws a nasty curveball at you. And you are left completely shocked. It's bitter and sour. It's not chocolate and it's sure not cherries. It's just life.

It wasn't suppose to be like that.

It just wasn't.

This wasn't the plan. 

That's exactly where I am right now. Life is NOT what I expected. It's not full of new and exciting things like it was just a month ago... the excitement has turned to fear. Just as I was getting comfortable, too. Isn't that the way it goes?? You think I'm finally there! I finally figured out this whole "adulting" thing and maybe it's not so bad after all. 

I know at some point, life will reveal why at this time we have had to walk through this at this time. It sure feels like I'm alone, but then at the same time, I have had an amazing amount of people who have rallied behind us. The people who call to simply say "I'm thinking of you" or send an encouraging text.  

I am grateful for my faith, because there is just NO way I could deal with this depression and anxiety without some sort of faith in God. Even if I'm struggling to understand his will and the next step, I have been covered in his grace and mercy every step of the way. I know that at some point he will turn these ashes into something beautiful. 

StitchFix #7... Brought to you by the number $8...

So, this StitchFix box came at a bad time for me. I really shouldn't be spending any money on extras right now, but I had been so busy that I had forgotten it was scheduled until it was too late to do anything about it. As it is, it came and I want to share with you all the lovely things I got! 

Melinda was my stylist once again, and even though I only kept one item, she did a great job sending me things that were within my scope of interest! :) If you are reading this, THANK YOU! If you are some random new Stitch Fix stylist, you have big shoes to fill! Let's begin!

Ignore my hair. Because, it's kinda all over the place.

Stitch Fix Collective Concepts, Katelynn Polkadot Dress, $88

I really wanted to like this Katelynn Polkadot Dress. I wanted to love it in fact. And maybe looking at this picture again, it wasn't as frumpy looking as I FELT like I looked in it. It was lightweight and would be easily dressed up or down. But like I said, I kinda felt frumpy in it. The print was fun, and it totally worked with my desire to have some more black and white pieces. However, my need for black and white has ended and I just didn't LOVE the dress. So... it went back.

Kut From The Kloth Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean $78 & 41Hawthorn Lana Lace Detail Blouse $58.

If you look in my closet, you'd know- this chick LOVES a sleeveless top! However, that's the problem with this top. It's sleeveless. Needing to keep myself in a reasonable budget and thinking about the fact that we are officially into must the dreaded cold weather season... it had to be skipped. Bummer. Because I really liked it. I think this picture makes it look more royal, but in person it is slightly purple-y looking. It's beautiful.

I have been LONGING for a pair of Kut From the Kloth jeans... and I finally got them. They fit PERFECTLY. Except... I don't like cuffed pants really. And I REALLY don't like distressed jeans. I hate the pose here, because you can't see that they were distressed more on the left leg. I'm sorry. My bad! They really are AMAZING jeans. I hope that Melinda can find me some cleaner looking KFTK Jeans for future fixes.

Kut From The Kloth Siena Cropped Pant $58 & 41Hawthorn Moni Geo Print w/Camisole Blouse $58

I have received the Moni top before (That would be in Fix #5!) and I wanted to love it- but that shirt fit funny through the shoulders. I saw this on my list again and I was hopeful that maybe this would work better for me. Sadly... it did not. I loved that the sheer shirt came with a cami and this cami had adjustable straps- WIN! It fits perfectly, as long as I don't raise my arms at all. So sad, because I really love the look of this shirt. 

And last but not least- these amazing Kut From The Kloth Siena Cropped Pants!!! LOVED these. The fit is perfect and they are a great color that I don't have in my closet right now. They fit just as great as the Kate Jeans, but they are a lightweight chino material. Perfect fall and early spring piece for SURE! So, thanks to a credit from a friend starting her StitchFix journey, I bought these pants to add to my wardrobe. You can see with my short legs the "cropped pants" are really more ankle length, but I think it still works. 

So, that's my latest Stitchfix! If you are interested in signing up, please feel free to use my referral link! 

Another 5/5 box!

I can't believe that I just purchased EVERY item from my StitchFix! Seriously, this box is great. Forgive the pictures, I was alone and had to set the timer on my camera and I didn't take the time to fix my hair or makeup. You get the real deal me! Haha. 

This Papermoon Pendleton Keyhole Blouse is great. Purple is my F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. color ever, so this is awesome. I feel like the keyhole is a little low, so I wear a tank under it (I'll show you that later). 

I love this color of this Pixley Maydee Pleat Detail Blouse. It's fun and not something I would typically pick out for myself. This is a funky pose for me here... I apologize. 

Okay, we have two things going on here... The Just Black Dean Skinny Jean (in a deep purple) and the 41Hawthorne Queensland Dolman Jersey Top. I really didn't expect to like the Dolman top, but this one is fitted around the bottom, so it still gives you a figure. 

The jeans are a little snug, but they are skinny jeans and suppose to be snug, right? haha. Anyway, I am trying to lose some weight, and they do fit, but it will fit BETTER in a weeks I think. But anyway, I like them and the color (PURPLE!) is great.

I love a skirt, so this Gilli Melanie Printed Swing Skirt is so perfect. It's a black and tan. I tried it on with the Dolman top- but I plan on wearing a more fitted style shirt in the future. 

I'm so glad I have stuck with my Stitchfix, because I'm getting to the point where I can mix and match pieces to create some great styles! I'm wearing my paper moon top with a tank I got as a layering piece several fixes ago and my Emer pants. Super cute outfit!

I know so many people have struggled with the first fix, but I'm here to tell you if you stick with it and get a good stylist- Shout out to Melinda! You are awesome!- you will be so happy with Stitchfix!

Please consider using my referral link to sign up for your own fix if you haven't already done so! I do get a $25 credit after your fix box arrives, but I am seriously in love with this service that I would promote it even without the credit! 

If a couple buys a house...

The children's book "If you give a Mouse a Cookie" is probably one of my favorite stories to read. Because it's just so darn true. You rarely can just do one small thing without it snowballing. Not that it's a bad thing- but it just shows you that one small action can lead to more and more. 

For me, this was never more evident than when we decided to buy a house. I mean seriously. The whole storyline works VERY well with this adult context added:

If a couple buys a house, 

then they are going to want some furniture.  

And if they want some furniture,

They will probably want a lamp. 

And if you give a family a lamp, 

then are going to want a place to sit. 

And if the wife sits down, 

she may notice the walls need to be painted. 

She will start to question all of the lighting options. 

And she will want some pictures on the wall to look at. 

And if you paint the walls, 

the wife will realize she needs an area rug. 

And when you get to Home Depot to buy a rug, 

the husband will need a grill cover for the new grill that he bought.

And if buy a grill and cover, 

then the couple will have to invite friends over... who are also buying a house. 

Thanks to my good friends Merry, Jenny and Shayna for contributing to this blogpost. And be sure to check out Shayna's blog, Faith, Trust, & Disney Dust! She's a CASTMEMBER at the Walt Disney World Resort, working at Disney's Hollywood Studios Park. 

I never want to move again.

Okay, so that's not necessary true. But I never want to pack and load my own crap again. We were suppose to have a moving company come and take care of everything for us... but simply put, it fell through. We had been told it would be covered and then less than a week before the move, we suddenly had to pack ourselves. 

I wasn't prepared for that, because while I had been purging some distinctly unorganized areas of the house, I wasn't really PACKING those areas. Suddenly, my focus had to be shifted and there was just not time to get the house fully ready. One of my best friends was awesome. She came over to help pack and she likely trashed a good bit of stuff when my head was turned. LOL She spent several evenings at my house and was SUCH a godsend. 

So, with limited time to deal with it and pretty tight schedule, we packed and loaded our stuff onto a truck from Old Dominion. Using Old Dominion Household Services was really nice. They dropped off the trailer and we were able to load it ourselves and then we just called when we were done. OD sent a driver to pick it up. And the price for the truck was very reasonable when you consider they would be hauling AND storing it for us until our closing date. No need to deal with the logistics of getting two cars to our new location. 

The hard part was that we had to pack and LOAD it by ourselves. Please. If someone you know is moving. OFFER to help. Hands in the house would have made a big difference. We had one former student and a good friend church show up to help for a few hours, but it could have been so much easier had we had just a few more hands more consistently.  Another one of my girlfriends came to help pack and clean as my husband and I loaded boxes on the second day. 

Luckily, I have the College Hunks Moving Company to help us UNLOAD the truck when we arrive in Nashville. I am looking forward to having them come and help! 

Thanks EIU, you will be missed!

Our time at EIU is coming to a close. When we moved here in 2012, I was so scared of living in a tiny town. Where there was no good places to eat and the closest Target was an hour away. I couldn't imagine raising my children in such a small community. But now... I'm looking back and I can't imagine the future without this small town. 

It's hard to imagine not wearing blue on gamedays and helping my guard girls get ready in a classroom of Doudna. Fighting over hair bumps and straight or curly hair. Glitter or no glitter. Exploding hair spray bottles. 

Me and my Guard (and Twirler!) girls! 

It's going to be hard to not listen to the fight song echo through the campus as the Marching Band makes its way towards OBrien Stadium from Booth Library. 

It's going to be tough to not have the university president excited to see the band and eagerly try his hand at conducting. It will be equally hard not seeing the smiles on the students faces knowing that the leader of their university cares so much about the school that he would wear a big blue wig and sit in the middle of the student section. 

I'm not sure how to handle the idea of my children losing some of the freedoms that come with a close-knit community. Playing with all of the band kids and enjoying running over to bounce during the long second quarter.  How the EIU Cheerleaders and Pink Panthers always took my girls in as one of their own. 

I'm not going to have explain - for the hundredth time - that the words the band is singing is "You don't want to go to war, with the Panthers- don't start no stuff, there'll be no stuff" to people. 

But the future and the past, at least for right now are very different. There are so many changes going on at EIU. The years we have been at Eastern can never be duplicated. It wouldn't be fair to hold the next director of EIU up to what we have done- because it's not fair for us to hold the students of Vanderbilt to the the students here at EIU. All we can take forward is the beauty of our memories and remember the good times. 

While I know that there were some that didn't like the way things were handled at times, I feel like Corey, the girls and I always handled everything as well as we could. You can never make all of the people happy. I'm sure there are a select few that will believe that our departure will make things better- and perhaps they are right. Perhaps they misunderstood out goals and dreams for this band and these students that we have so loved. We will never change their minds. But that's okay. I'm not taking that baggage with me. 

The moments we have had at EIU will always be so precious to me and that will ALWAYS hold near to my heart. While I still may not know every student by name, they called me Mama Francis, and that fills my heart with such joy and love. I wish each of you nothing but the best. There will never be another group of students that I love like the students I have met here in the last few years. Thank you. Thank you for becoming our family. Thank you for embracing our dreams. Thank you. 

#5 is fine!

Welcome back to another StitchFix review! 

First things first, lets review that we will be moving and that means a NEW school to be cheering for on game days! Anchor Down, Vanderbilt University, here we come! So, I asked my stylist for clothing that would work for an SEC Football game. She definitely gave me some great options, so let's check them out! 

Time Out! If you don't love the SEC, then you might be a little lost in some of my post today- I apologize now! I am a HUGE Georgia Bulldogs fan, but now that we work for Vandy, I will proudly wear my black and gold! 

I LOVE this dress! I am keeping it, even though Houndstooth is a big Alabama print (Thank you Bear Bryant!) I still think it's a great option for game days and I can see myself wearing this with tights and boots later in the fall as well as with sandals or flip flops in the summer. It's lightweight and comfortable! LOVE!

 Collective Concepts Ash Houndstooth Dress  

I was SO excited about the shirt, but bummed about the jeans. In a previous Fix I had received a pair of Henry & Belle jeans and I had returned them. Yeah, they are nice, but they are PRICY. So, I was a little concerned about getting another pair. And once again, I was not blown away by these jeans. And you know what else? The pockets on the front are FAKE. Which means there is NO way I was going to like these jeans. They just aren't mom friendly. 

41Hawthorn Moni Abstract Chevron Stud Detail Blouse/ Henry & Belle Abana Ankle Length Skinny Jeans 

This top. Ya'll. I really want to love this top. I love the pattern. I love the gold studs. But I'm thinking the problem must be that I need a large and this was a medium. Sigh. I'm just not thrilled with the way the top pulls across the front and then it pulls on my arms funny. Worst part was it was hard for me to get off myself. :(  But it really is beautiful. Maybe I will request an exchange? 

Print of the 41Hawthorn Moni Abstract Chevron Stud Detail Blouse

But I FINALLY GOT MY EMER PANTS!!! I have seriously been upset at myself ever since my first Fix for sending back the Emer pants that I got in that box. They were plain black, so it wasn't what I was looking for long term... so it was the right decision. BUT. I wanted these pants. I'm SO incredibly excited to have them! They fit perfectly and they will be PERFECT for game days! I just need to find a cute gold top. Any suggestions? 

41Hawthorn Moni Abstract Chevron Stud Detail Blouse/ Margaret M Emer Printed Cropped Straight Leg Pants

Print of the Margaret M Emer Printed Cropped Straight Leg Pants

My stylist also sent me a beautiful necklace- which is hard for me to get past, because I really am more of a silver girl. But the Vandy colors are Black and Gold, so momma needs some gold jewelry! I dunno. I'm trying to decide on this... 

Bancroft Leighton Metal Bauble Necklace 

So, here it is! Fix #5! I really wish the jeans had been a more affordable pair, but even after my current credits and the "buy 5 discount" the total for this fix is $249.50. WAY more money than I'm ready to spend. So, I think I'll just be keeping the dress and the Emer pants! 

Wine & Paint

I have wanted to a wine and paint party for SUCH a long time. When my friend Sarah shared a photo on Facebook from The Art Party Studio I knew I had to sign up!

I was super excited to get to the studio and make my ballerina! When we came in, each place had a canvas with the top penciled in, a plate with the paint, 2 brushes, a large cup of water and one paper towel. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I don't like my food to touch on a plate- so you can imagine my surprise and sadness when they literally refused to give a second plate to mix colors. I thought it was a really odd thing to be a stickler about- but if I go back to this studio, I'm seriously bringing in my own paper plate. I'm sure others will think that this isn't a big deal, but it really bothered me. 

We painted  background. My color turned out a bit more purple than the instructor's, but that's okay, I liked the color. 

But then she had us cover with a blue. This is where I started kinda going on my own. I decided I did NOT want to cover up all my pretty purple and in fact, I think I wanted more pink at the bottom.

 She had us add a green color to the top and that made me pout some more. I instantly didn't like the green. What can I say, I'm an individualist. Haha. I blended it in as well as I could and moved on... 

We got to the FUN part! We started the skirt. I had SO much fun with this! I made my skirt VERY full and created lots of layers! We also, went in and painted the top part white- this took several layers to cover up where I had crossed my pencil lines- the instructor had said that wasn't a problem... but I felt like I had to do quite a bit of painting to really cover those lines.

We then added in some blue to the skirt and made swirlies around the waist and were the flowers would eventually go with the icy blue that we created. As I put in the blue, I realized... I didn't like that too much, so I added some pink to my skirt. With this hanging in my daughters' bedroom, I knew they would want it to be more pink than blue! 

 After the blue swirlies we made small swirls with a light green. 

After the green, we did a brown in the middle of the green. I trusted the instructor this time, but I didn't like it. I knew we were layering, so it worked out well in the end. 

On top of the brown, we placed the white, yay we covered that yucky brown. It did add the dimension needed, so I guess it wasn't a bad thing. 

At this point, we mixed just a little pink in with my white and going back over the white. We also added some random white lines in around the flowers coming up off of the skirt. I added a few more last minute pink spots to my skirt and I was done! 

We had SUCH a good time. Even if I'm a rebel and totally changed up some of the things the instructor wanted us to do just made my painting better in my opinion! I'm super glad I finally got to go and this painting is hanging in my daughters' play room. They LOVE how it turned out! 

Stitch Fix Bummer

So, earlier this week, I got another Stitch Fix box. Of course, I was looking forward to it and couldn't WAIT to get home and try everything on. I was so bummed because this box was just NOT working for me. :( But I want to share the items in case anyone else sees something that they like. 

This was the note from my new stylist... Danise... Let's just say I missed Melinda. :( I'm not sure what a "jean challenge" is- but I said I loved the last pair just wanted something a little more affordable than $200. Loved that she looked at my notes though. I do think she tried- but she missed the mark. Gave me lots of bright colors... just not in things that were my style. 

This top had a cute pattern, but I didn't like how high-up the neckline was and it was just a bit short. It hit at an odd spot and when I lifted my hands, it would lift up a bit. Also, it was sheer but had lace details along the bottom. If I wore a tank under it, you'd miss the lace detailing. 

19 Cooper Farrah Crochet Trim Blouse ($64) & Just Black Johanna Distressed Skinny Jeans ($78)

These jeans... Sigh. Okay, so they were a little tight, but my biggest complaint is the distress on them. I have never been a big fan of distressed jeans. I know some people love it, but I nearly ripped them in half when my foot went through the knee holes! YIKES! It's just too much. 

Just Black Johanna Distressed Skinny Jeans ($78)

The denim was incredibly soft and I think I would love a pair that had a cleaner look.

Just Black Johanna Distressed Skinny Jeans ($78)

Okay. This top... Sigh. I am 5'3"- kinda on the short side. So, I sometimes wear petites. Clearly, I don't need petite tops! LOL This shirt was WAY too short for me! I'm not sure I loved it anyway, but it certainly wasn't being purchased! 

Collective Concepts Mufasa Tie-Front Top ($58)

Muffin Top anyone? 

I'm a mom. I need a mom bag. If I go on a date with my husband, I make him carry my lipstick in his pocket. I have NO interest in clutch bags. I need a handle. It's not the size- it's the fact that I need to be able to put it on my shoulder when I'm trying to wrangle kiddos. But I suppose this bag is cute enough. Just not practical or worth the money for my lifestyle. 

Urban Expressions Adelade Woven Fold-Over Clutch ($48)

It did open up quite a bit...

Urban Expressions Adelade Woven Fold-Over Clutch ($48)

I wanted to LOVE this dress. But I'm not sure how the stylist thinks this would be able to be worn more casually. It's a fairly heavy and well constructed dress. I just felt like it was a bit more formal than I wear on a regular basis. Oh and it was on the hanger, because it was pretty snug through my hips. I figured you'd get a better idea this way. 

Andrew Marc Brodee Dress ($98)

I still love StitchFix, but I had to send EVERYTHING in this box back. It is a bummer, but I'm not wasting money on purchasing something I didn't love. I also think it sends the wrong message to the stylist when people purchase something only to sell it. 

Stitch Fix #3!

Have I mentioned that I'm totally loving my StitchFix? I'm loving that more of my friends are getting fixes and we can share our experiences! I was in retail for years- so I know how important it is for someone to suggest something for you to wear that is outside of the typical choices for yourself. Sometimes that out-side-the-box thinking is just what you need! 

This box... well, I know it's not a 5/5, but I'm not 100% sure yet what pieces I will be keeping. Maybe by the end of writing this post I will know? We will see. I don't want to lose my credit that I have since a friend signed up- that's $25 FREE towards a purchase. Happy birthday to ME! 

I do know for a fact that my stylist, Melinda (If you read this- HI!) is looking at my pinterest board, and that's awesome! However, I think I need to be more careful about what I pin. How do I know that? Because I have pinned two maxi skirts- but more because I liked the tops in the pictures and not the actual skirts themselves... but I'm never quite sure how I feel about Maxi dresses/skirts. 

Melinda suggested these two items to go together. I think if I was taller, this look would work- but I feel a little frumpy in this. I like the top okay.. 

Manna Tie Front Knit Top and Marilyn Mix Striped Maxi Skirt 

I love this top. It's totally my style and I love the colors. Funny because someone on a Facebook Group mentioned that they were disappointed with getting this shirt in their fix. I think the print is fun and it's so soft! 

Edmond Chevron Print Henley Shirt 

The jeans... oh these jeans. I actually really like them. But I'm NOT paying $178 for a pair of denim capri's. I just can't. They are very soft and comfortable. The fit was pretty good- I could probably go up one size and feel a little better. But $178? Nope. I can't even justify the cost... 

Kent Cuffed Carpi Jean

THIS top is probably my favorite. I'm pretty sure this is my birthday present to myself! (Seriously, it was my birthday this week!) It's a great summer color, the chevron print is fun and it's going to be great layering piece. 

Papermoon Cordelia Chevron Tank 

So... maybe a 2/5? No firm answer from me yet. I'll update and let you know! :) 

Oh yes, StitchFix!

Oh yes. This is going to be about my new LOVE AFFAIR with StitchFix. Seriously! 

A few months ago, my friend, Cluttered Mama found StitchFix. After seeing her lovely clothes and how easy the process seemed to be, I decided to jump in and sign up for my own StitchFix. Seeing that I am in the middle of nowhere and hardly call Walmart a "good" choice for clothing, I thought it was well worth the $20 sign up fee. 

My first box wasn't a total bust, however- I didn't LOVE any of the items. Here's the deal. StitchFix isn't cheap. But it's not suppose to be cheap- these clothes are good quality and classic. However, I decided I would only purchase items that I loved and I would use the items that I liked as a starting point for actual shopping trips in the future. So, here is my first box- I apologize now, for not having the names of the items. I think I actually threw away my first set of cards. 

Loved this sweater- but I already had one almost identical. Also wearing pants that I loved but decided not to keep them- since they were really expensive for a basic black pant when I have a dozen pair in my closet. Emer Brocade Print High Waisted Cropped Pant & Heubert Space Dye Open Cardigan

LOVED this top, but Navy? Meh... Colibri Sleeveless Top

Liked this scarf, but not in gray. Emily Lightweight Chevron Infinity Scarf

I kinda liked this shirt, but I wasn't crazy about the color combination. (Pomelo) Priya Graphic Chevron Print

So, all in all, it wasn't terrible. I am still thinking I should have kept the pants... but I just couldn't justify another pair of black pants for almost $100. 

Today, my second box came in and I'm SO glad that I stuck with it! I'm keeping the whole box. EVERYTHING in this fix is perfect. I just cannot wait to wear this stuff! 

Each fix comes with these cards that help you work the pieces into your wardrobe. 

Holden Scoop Neck Blouse- how CUTE is this Navy and Hot Pink shirt?! 

Ernesto Striped Fitted Dress- This dress feels so nice and comfortable. The pattern is fun and makes the basic black and white NOT basic! 

Colibri Paisley Print Sleeveless Top- AHH! I was SO excited because I loved the one from my first fix, but I wanted a brighter color. My stylist delivered! 

Leanne Infinity Drop Earrings- Might not have bought this  on it's own, but I do love them.

I also got the Daisy Mini Skirt and I love that as well. However, it came in a Large and it's just a little snug on me right now. Hopefully, it will give me the motivation I need to start working out some so I can get into it and feel comfortable wearing it. It sits higher up on the waist and the length is still past my fingertips, so it's not too short. I think it will look GREAT with my Holden hot pink top as well. I will go ahead and tell you that after my $20 credit (the styling fee you pay to get started is credited back to you on your first purchase!) and the discount for buying all 5 items, my total was just over $150! I'd say that was a GREAT purchase for these items that I am going to be LOVING this summer! 

My tips are the same as anyone else that has done a StitchFix! Be honest in your questionnaire, build a good Pinterest Board (feel free to check mine out!) and communicate with your stylist on their website. It's so simple and I just can't tell you how fun it is to receive these clothes. Being a mom it's nearly impossible for me to really take my time to shop for myself. I love having someone else pick out the items and ship them to me. It's totally worth the investment and I'm happy to recommend this service! Please, feel free to use my referral link! When your friends use your referral link, YOU get a $25 credit towards your next fix- this is really a win-win!