pseudo-Steampunk silliness

As I find newfound energy and interest in writing here, I am also picking up writing on my other blogs too.  So sometimes when I am quiet over her it is because I am using my blogging time somewhere else. (Sometimes in the comments on one of your blogs!) 

Just this past week I had a spurt of creative thinking about clothes again, which got me looking around on the web for ideas and possibilities--my favorite kind of shopping, since there's more pleasure to be had in the looking than in the buying. ; )  As I've been evaluating my wardrobe this Fall and Winter, I'm trying to figure out what clothes need to go, and what clothes just need a little help to be fully used and appreciated. I have a lot of hand-me-downs, and odds and ends, and limited closet space, and am in major purge mode--so whenever I have free moments and enough brain function, I've been thinking through my wardrobe. 

And yes, when I do need to buy something for my wardrobe, I still get a kick out of trying to see if I can find it the least bit neo-Victorian.  I still have my "secret" fantasies about a "Real World Steampunk Wardrobe," and if nothing else, it makes me smile inside when I am wearing something on the outside that reflects the me on the inside.

So, over the past 6 months or so, I've been trying various wardrobe pieces together, and having my Dear Husband take photos (usually after church).  Then I download them to the computer to see how I *really* looked--and am usually disappointed, and often not a little embarrassed.  Oh well.  The times when I get an outfit that makes me happy make up for the times I look at the photos and am hoping it looked better while I was in motion.  As in the old saying, "they'll never notice from the back of a galloping horse," right?

But I've just started sharing some of my "Real World Steampunk Wardrobe FAILS" over on Minnie Zephie's Steampunk Treasure Trunk.  Of course I don't expect you to follow over there--that's my little fun escape world, so completely different from the kinds of real-world things I share here. But I thought you all might enjoy the first posting in the series--Steampunk, 70's style! 

(Or is it more 80's? I could not quite put my finger on what designer and time I was channeling--all I know for sure is that it was not. at. all. Steampunk. ; )

Here's the link, if you are in the mood for light-hearted fashion talk!

It's a Fashion Show of Things to Go!

There are more things I want to write about that last topic. . . and I am setting the date for going private. . . but in the meantime, how about something not at all serious?  I'm in the mood for levity, and fashion, and cleaning out my closet--so I thought it would be fun to show you all some of the things I am finally letting go.

Let me just remind you that I am the anti-hoarder.  I enjoy nice things, but in this tiny house I have to be brutal at times choosing what nice things will earn their space, and I get so much satisfaction from letting things go (just as much as keeping only things that are useful or make me/my family happy).  So this past week when I was switching out the summer clothes in my closet for the winter ones, I realized I had some things in my closet all summer long that I never wore.  Like not once.  Clothes are only worth the valuable closet real-estate if I wear them, so I decided to take a step back and try to figure out why I didn't--and I realized that I am starting to feel the urge to dress "my age." 

So even though some of those outfits have long been my FAVORITE, I think are just too young for me now, and I wonder if I will ever enjoy wearing them as much as I did before.  This means it may be time to let them go, even if that makes me a little sad too.  But as my upper arms get saggier, and under my eyes gets baggier, I just don't feel good in those outfits anymore.

I also have never liked my legs, esp. the lower leg, and while skirts that hit above the knee are the most flattering for my leg shape (I'm pretty bowlegged from the knee down), they also flaunt my super pale, usually stubbly, starting-to-show-spider-veins legs.  Now I am not ashamed of my legs--they serve me quite well, and I refuse to let anyone tell me they are inadequate somehow because they are not tan and perfectly smooth!--but I also feel like there is no reason to put them on display when doing so does not help me feel more beautiful.  I feel more attractive in long skirts, and think long skirts suit my age better too.

**Disclaimer--please do not take ANYTHING I am writing and think these same things apply to anyone else!  I'll bet you look great in short skirts!   I am speaking only of my own style preferences, and the ways I feel about me.  The clothes I am drawn to are in certain styles, and some of them are rather unusual, and some of them I think I have outgrown.

So, enough talk.  The fun part is showing you!

Blouse and skirt both by Odille, from Anthropologie many years ago.

This outfit has long been my favorite FAVORITE.  I bought the two items from Anthropologie on sale so many years ago I can't even remember when, not expecting them wear them together because the pinks just don't match.  But. . . somehow I tried them together, and kinda liked the effect. . . and in no time this became an official outfit.  I would sometimes wear the skirt with a black t-shirt or tank too.  It is so pretty and floaty, and surprisingly practical--this was one of the few summery items of clothing I had years ago on the long road trip to Illinois and back.  I wore it driving, packing, doing pretty much anything!  I even remember distinctly having it on while hiking around Devil's Tower National Monument. : )  Pink is not my usual color of choice, so it has been fun to have such a nicely made piece to liven up one of my favorite colors to wear, black.

But.  The skirt has always been a little too big for me (like it rides on my hips), which has been convenient when I gained and lost around pregnancies.  But I am just a little tired now of having clothes that don't fit quite right.  I could have it taken in, but considering the whole bare leg in short skirts thing, I am not sure it is worth it.  Finally, I just wonder it is just one of those things I am unconsciously not reaching for because it no longer feels like "me." 

The blouse I might keep.  I just love it SO much, and it looks great with jeans.  Also, it developed a substantial tear in the fabric behind one arm years ago, and my brilliant mother repaired it so well you can't even tell--so there's real love invested in it! 

But.  I have other tops I wear with jeans and don't really need this one.  The tear behind the arm happened because it was a little snug when I stretched my arms forward, and so even though it has enough give now for most activities, it is not necessarily good for things that involve reaching forward. Like emptying the washing machine and dryer.  Like getting things out of the cupboards.  So it ends up being a blouse I put on for Sunday and then take off when I get home.  This is ok. . . but I do want to think about how much I will really wear it if I give up the skirt I have mostly worn it with. . .

A last funny story about this outfit:  I took it to IL for my 20 year high school reunion (don't we take all our favorites to those things?), and my two besties Susan and Mina and I had so much fun laying out clothes and planning out outfits for the various reunion events.  When they saw this outfit, they both vehemently said, "Uh, no."  They said the top was ok, but definitely not with the skirt.  I didn't mind their opinion--I knew it was an unusual combination, and trusted their fashion sense, and was glad for their honesty in the face of such important fashion events. ; )

But.  Back home in Santa Cruz, CA, only a few weeks later, I wore the outfit to a baby shower, and received at least three spontaneous compliments from women there.  I then received compliments at church, and elsewhere.  Every time the women did not just say, "you look nice,"--no, they specifically said how much they liked the two pieces together.  It was just cracking me up--because it was clear that while Mina and Susan knew what the rest of the world finds fashionable, they clearly did not have a pulse on our unusual area--an area where you routinely see bumper stickers with the slogan "Keep Santa Cruz Weird." 

More of my, um, "style."  I can't even remember where I bought the top, and the skirt I found either at Macy's or Ross--can't remember which.

Here is another favorite outfit--I even wore it to my sister-in-law's wedding rehearsal.  It was cuter back when I had boobs, but I still find its shape flattering.  I LOVE how it makes me look slim while not making me  suck in my tummy!  So I might keep the top, as it looks cute with brown pants. Except the only brown pants I used to wear it with have long worn out, so technically I don't know what I would put with this top except jeans.  And again, how many tops do I need to go with jeans?

The skirt is nothing special to me, and I just liked it because it was fun with the top--another mismatched yet complimentary pairing that I have enjoyed.  But I think it just looks a little too youthful for me now.  Now that I think about it, I might like the skirt with a different top, and would not feel it is too young. . . but since there's that whole legs showing thing. . . eh.  So maybe it really means it is the adorable and flattering top that is really too youthful. . .

And here's the final thing I wanted to show you:

Top I bought at a consignment store I think two summers ago.  Jeans I bought at Goodwill, which I LOVE and am wearing until they completely fall off my body.

This is another top that is a great color for me, and I thought was very flattering, emphasizing my miniscule bust and de-emphasizing my tummy.  I found it at a time when I was recovering from my last baby and really did not have many clothes that fit me, and it was just a few bucks, so it was worth buying.  But.  It is synthetic, which is just not my favorite to wear (all the previous clothes have been 100% cotton, except the black blouse which is rayon).  The only clothing items I have to wear it with are a long black skirt, which I admit looks a little outdated (call me weird, but not outdated!), and jeans.  And you can see, it's not the most fabulous on me with jeans. So even though I still like the top, I don't think I wore it once all summer.

So, there you go!  I'd love to hear what you girlfriends think of the pieces and my "too young" theory.  If there are any pieces you really like on me, please say so, because I'm still on the fence with some of them.  But please do NOT just say nice things for nice things sake--time for friendly opinions!  I'd also enjoy hearing your thoughts on your own wardrobes. Are there things/styles you have decided you are just not going to do anymore?  Do you tend to hold onto favorite things even though you don't wear them?   How do you pick your clothes? 

I'm in the mood to talk fashion, so if anyone else is in a similar mood, bring it on!

On the 9th Day of (Blogging About) Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me. . .

My best Real World Steampunk outfit to date!

Look at the so steampunky belt and jacket my Dear Husband got me for Christmas!  Ok, ok, so I did hunt them down on eBay. . . and I did bid, and win them. . . but my Dear Husband earned the money to pay for them, and was happy for me when I found them, and glad for me to buy them--and would not let me open and wear them before Christmas, and did wrap them. . . so technically they are from him.  When I finally did get to wear them I was so excited to find they went so perfectly with the blouse and skirt I have had for years, but which I really did not have things to wear with.  The boots are also something I have been meaning to share with you for a while--they are waterproof leather too, so I have one really practical and comfortable and neo-Victorian church boot!  If you enjoy fashion or want to know more,  I did blog about the outfit and boots more over at Minnie Zephie's Steampunk Treasure Trunk.

But my Dear Husband also did give me gifts that came directly from his hands and heart.  The first I want to mention happened during First Christmas (Second), when we were opening our stockings.  Some of you might remember me writing previously about a new tradition he and I started a couple of years ago--putting things in one another's Christmas stockings we find around the house that represent things we are thankful for or appreciate about the other person.  This year DH did the usual wooden spoon, representing liking me cooking for our family, and several other symbolic little things--but there were two in particular that made me cry.  First, he put in a crumpled piece of math scratch paper one of the kids had thrown away.  When I held it up quizzically, he said he was really glad I was homeschooling our kids.  Cue tears!  This meant soooooo much to me--he was a reluctant homeschool dad, and can tend to worry and be unintentionally critical, mainly because we have different expectations of "success" and "progress." So that token of encouragement in my stocking was so meaningful!  The second one was a little bit of yellow yarn--I immediately recognized it as one of the pieces of "straw" from our Advent manger, which I have previously written about here.  But what could it mean?  My Dear Husband told me it meant he was thankful for my Christmas traditions that have become our family traditions.  Cue tears again!  Esp. after what I shared in my post about the origin of First Christmas, in this post, that was such a sweet and encouraging and significant thing to say to me.

Then DH gave me another gift, after that--it was not technically a Christmas present, but it was a gift all the same, and a big one at that.  Some years ago, we started a holiday tradition by accident--my dear Becky and I had some evening event (probably a SoulKitchen core leaders meeting) to attend mid-December, and her husband was going to be out of town, so we asked DH if he would be willing to take care of her kids as well as ours for the evening.  We sweetened the deal by suggesting they all watch Christmas specials (for which DH has a particular fondness) and have pizza and cocoa and popcorn (all of which DH enjoys), which the mommies would get ready in advance.  So that's what we all did, and the kids loved it so much that the next year they begged to do it again.  So we did, and that time Becky and I went out for a rare girls' night.  Then last year I remember she and I decided to use our night "away" to hang here at my house (the Christmas special-fest traditionally happens at Becky's) and have a gift wrapping party, with a cozy fire, and Josh Groban and Loreena McKennitt playing softly in the background and mugs of Candy Cane Lane tea at hand.  She and I were both tired and stressed, as I recall, but making something we had to do into a  girlfriend event was such a good idea, and the pleasant evening was over much too quickly.

This year we just did not have a chance to do the traditional event before Christmas, much to the disappointment of the kids.  So we made sure to do it as soon as possible after, which turned out to be the Sunday before New Years.   We held the party at our house this year, and arranged it so that Becky and I got to escape for a good five hours, and this year in the company of our mutual friend "Rosa," whose daughter joined the crew here too!  And with that time away we did such decadent girlfriend things--going to see the new movie version of Les Miserables, and then having Indian food after!  The movie, as I am sure you know by now, was fabulous, and the food was great--but it was the relaxed, mind and spirit-synced conversation that I enjoyed the most.

And my Dear Husband really proved himself this time--can you imagine a Daddy having six active little girls inside such a small house for so long?! (It was a cold and rainy day, so they had to be inside--that and it was pitch black outside by 4:30.)  But from what I heard, they played with the plethora of Barbies, and the two youngest--Happy and Mini-Rosa--created a Spook House in the bedroom for the others (which the older kids scoffed at, until DH set the proper mood by turning off all the lights and playing dramatic and sinister-sounding music from the Batman movie soundtrack and then made the girls go in the bedroom one at a time armed with only small flashlights. . . the loudest scoffer of course going first).  They ate the dinner I had prepared and set aside for them.  And of course they watched some vintage holiday specials, ending appropriately with the one about Rudolph helping find the missing baby New Year.  As always, it ended too soon--well, for everyone but DH I imagine ; )--but it was such a fun way to wrap up the holiday season.

All in all, my Dear Husband really went out of his way to be thoughtful and loving and considerate and sacrificial this Christmas.  The warm fuzzies I got from all that are staying with me still.

 Our front door, as Becky and I found it upon our return--festively decorated for Christmas. . . or should that be for the Nightmare Before Christmas?  

On the 8th Day of (Blogging About) Christmas, my Mother Gave to Me

Sorry--I'm just not done talking about Christmas after all.  Originally, I thought it would be fun to keep writing about Christmas during the 12 days of Christmas, which end on Epiphany.  (I have just this year figured out what those actually were in the history of the church, and was pleased with the idea of so quickly applying that new knowledge in my own life, in my own way. ; )

Then life happened, and you all know how that goes.

Nothing bad is going on, don't worry!  We have so far avoided the whole sickness thing that seems to be hitting people coast to coast, although I am already getting smacked by some seasonal allergy, which greatly diminishes my energy and drive.  But even still, I am getting homeschooling back up into gear, and am purging, and my house is filthy, so as I go through cupboards and bins trying to purge and find homes for the new Christmas presents, I am also deep cleaning as I go.

So even if it is taking me well into the New Year and way past the window of culturally acceptable Christmas blogging, there are things I still want to share with you. All good stuff!  So, a few more days of "Christmas" to go here on O Blessed Day!

Today I want to show you all the complete fashion show of my adorable Smiley in the new outfit my mother made for him for Christmas.  As some of you may remember from previous fashion posts, like here and here and here, my mother is an expert seamstress and hand-sewing artist.  

Normally she makes things for the girls, but this year she finished a project for the boy:

Barnyard themed cord jacket and overalls! 

(These pics were taken next to my flower garden, at the front side of the house--with our neighbor's lovely seafoam-colored house behind.) 

(Double-click on any pic to see them all enlarged)

The back of the jacket. . . (and look at how my mother expertly lined up the plaid in the back of those overalls!!! That's the kind of subtle detail that really elevates her creations to the next level.)

Work it, baby, work it.  My little GQ model. 

Close-up on the lamb detail on one front pocket. 

Close-up of the rooster on the other side. 

With the jacket unsnapped, so you can see the overalls and their smocking scene.

The cutest farmyard scene!  All that needlework is meticulously done by hand, people!  And do you see how the lining on the inside of the jacket is also farmyard themed?

I rolled up the bottoms of the pants just because he was wearing his boots--they are long enough that he will get to wear this for at least another year, which is perfect. 

By the way, he insisted I button up that top button on the shirt, which cracks me up.  So little farmer geeky!

The outfit is just too adorable on him, Mother.  He loves it, and wants to wear it all the time.  Like yesterday.  And today.  

In this picture I told him to act like he was giving you a hug.  In lieu of the real thing, here you go!  

Rainy Saturday

Just another little update. Of various random things.  With random pictures!

Smiley in dress-up glasses.  They make him look years older!

It is pouring down rain.  Heavenly bathtubs upended.  I sit here typing in my little tiny house, with the rain thundering on the roof above us--with no insulation, no attic space, just the full force of nature on the other side of those boards and ancient layers of tar shingles, we hear every drop, and during a full downpour it can be so loud you have to raise your voice to be heard.  In fact, that ancient roof is one of the things the house inspectors laughed at when we bought the house--whoever put on the "new" roof so many years ago just slapped new roofing on top of the old, and it buckles in places, and has moss growing inbetween the layers, and when we moved in the home inspectors said it would need to be replaced right away.  Well, around here if it ain't broke, we don't fix it. (Ok, and sometimes even when it is broke.)  That ugly, non-conforming roof is holding tight, and when the rain is coming down in sheets outside my windows, and pounding above my head, doing its best to hammer its way into our little shelter, I marvel at how snug and good our little house is.  I think I feel most blessed when the weight of a winter rain storm is upon us and yet here we sit, secure, dry, warm.  This little unconventional house is taking better care of us than we take care of it.  Those who don't like its humble nature have forgotten to be thankful for safe shelter--but the rain drumming on my ceiling reminds me of the blessing of a good roof.

Another blessing during the rain--good dry, warm feet!  My late birthday present from my Dear Husband and my dear Becky was a day shopping up in a nice retail area in San Jose on Tuesday. It was a wet day, and I wore my new boots all day, and was so cozy!

That day Becky brought her two girls to leave with ours, and then she and I headed "over the hill" while DH worked from home and oversaw a little bit of homeschool and a whole lot of dress-up.  We ate yummy, healthy food for lunch, and then did our best to spend money, but were thwarted almost every step of the way.  Seriously--last year when we did this I found some wonderful neo-Victorian pieces in the stories; this year there was NOTHING.  Both Becky and I did find a couple of tops at H&M, of all places, but I can't even show them to you because it appears their online offerings are not the same as in the stores.  But they were two basic striped tops, one thin striped black & cream long sleeved, one thick striped black & blue 3/4 sleeve.  I have been looking for a striped top to layer under things since last year, so that was a fun find.  And H&M is very cheap, so that was good too. But hours of shopping produced no other clothes!  I think eBay will continue to be my personal shopping "mall" of choice.

I did find one thing during our shopping, however, that immediately made me look cuter than when I walked into the store, which is one of my criteria for new clothes:

This adorable scarf!  It goes with everything, and esp. looked so cute with my new boots, and so I decided it would be my one splurge of the day.  : )  I wore it out of the store, and got compliments on the scarf all the rest of the day!

The other thing we tried to shop for were boots.  Yes, I have my rainy day boots, but am still hankering for a black pair of shoes/boots to wear to church--otherwise I am afraid I have clothes that I just won't end up wearing this winter. As you know, I have been looking online, but it is hard to see cute things but not want to pay for shipping and handling and return costs just to try them out--esp. because the boots I tried showed me that I now officially have old, cranky feet, and they are just NOT happy unless they are comfortable.  Oh, and did I mention that my toes are irregularly long?  Zappos is so great, but they don't have everything.  So, Becky and I stopped in Macy's and looked at a mile of footwear--and it seems the ladies in San Jose all like fairly conservative boots, and riding boots are the latest thing, since that's pretty much what the selection was.  I did find the section of Born and Clarks and found some styles I had blogged about on Minnie Zephie, so it was fun to try those after admiring them online, but I guess Black Friday shopping had pretty much decimated the sizes available, so I only tried on three pairs of shoes total.

So, to make up for our shopping sorrows, we went to the Cheesecake factory to gorge ourselves on. . . salad.  No, we did not actually have any cheesecake, because Becky is getting over illness too, and I was feeling it coming back on, but she bought a piece for DH as a thank-you, and I bought tirimasu to indulge in the next day (remember, this was supposed to be my belated b-day celebration, and what's a b-day without cake? ; ), and was so glad I did because I woke up the next day sick again, and it was Sunny's birthday and I did not feel like making a cake and could stick candles in the tirimasu and she was thrilled that I had bought her such a fancy, special dessert and it was generous enough to cut into four small pieces and all the kids licked their plates clean and were happy. 

Have I mentioned I love how my kids are so easy to please?

We will have Sunny's official 12th birthday dinner with Becky's girls this Sunday night, when people should be all healthy again.

Homeschool charter field trip this past week to NASA!  DH took off of work to take Sunny and Merry, and it sounded like an amazing experience. Here Sunny is trying to throw a ball to a partner while they are rotating--so you have to throw the ball to where the person will be, not where they are.  So cool for the kids to experience such principles and then hear how they use such concepts in space!

Yes, the crud I had earlier came back, and has settled in my throat (swollen glands painful to the touch, chronic pain deep in my throat), and I am starting to think it is a virus that will need antibiotics to go away.  But I am waiting it out till next week.

The first round of the illness I had earlier hung over my all Thanksgiving weekend, but we still had a nice time with DH's family.  MIL was a little feisty at the beginning, but I think me being sick actually helped soothe things, because it seemed like she was trying to be purposefully more gentle and forgiving.  I even begged off the two big family bike rides, staying at their house to rest and drink tea, something which normally would not be ok, and she did not give me a hard time.  And I thought we communicated well too.  Like when I had a night where I got almost no sleep (Oma treated the kids with a late screening of the movie "Brave" before bed, and they all had a hard time going to sleep, and then Happy came in at 1 am and said her tummy was hurting but she thought it was because she was hungry, and since the girl has a sensitive stomache and sometimes throws up if she has not eaten well, we got up and went down for a midnight banana and milk snack, but at 3 Sunny came in to tell me Happy was throwing up in bed, so after I got all that taken care of I was laying back in bed and trying to figure out why I could not sleep and realized I was getting that old familiar crampy feeling--sure enough, had to get up and get ready for bleeding, and think it was about 4:30 when I finally went to sleep. And of course the kids still woke up at 7:30. . . ) and I just told MIL in the morning to please be gentle and patient with me, because I would likely be slow-moving, clumsy, thick-headed, and poor company because of it.  That might seem like no big deal, but those are all things that can make anyone annoyed, but esp. someone who is more sensitive to seeing negativity and personal affront everywhere, so for me to be able just to be vulnerable and say "I will likely be annoying you all day, and I apologize in advance for it, so please know I am doing my best" and for her to receive that and be gracious to me all weekend--that was really big, relationally.

Earlier this month the girls were in a small production of Peter Pan.  Here they are after the first performance with Opa.  Sunny was Liza the Darling maid, Happy was a Lost Child, and Merry was an Islander.

Ok, time to get the kids moving.  They have been playing happily (and boisterously) in the bedroom for a long time--but Sunny and Merry have pre-black-belt testing today.  They should both receive their black belts in Ho Kuk Mu Sul (Korean martial arts) sometime this year, but there are several testings they will go through to prepare for that big test. 

Hope your Saturdays are good, wherever you are and however you spend them!  Happy birthday too to my Dear Dad--we love you!

Update, updated

So, I'm still sick, but at least as of tonight feel like I am on the mend.  Last night I felt better than the morning, and had the energy to pull out the girls' clothing bins and get out the winter clothes and put away the last of the short sleeved/warm weather things. 

You might be wondering why I waited this long; well, I had already done it partly, putting away the really summery things and getting out things suitable for fall.  But here on the Bay Fall is often the warmest, most gorgeous weather, and can get up into the 70's and even 80's through mid November!  So I had to leave some things out for those days.  But it is also the season where the weather will go from warm and sunny to cool and rainy to cold and overcast--and the last two and a half weeks we had all three.  But with the trip to northern CA upon us for the holiday weekend, I really needed to get out the cold-weather clothes--the pretty sweaters and velour things we only really have need for about two months out of the year. ; )  So let's make the most of the opportunity to wear them!

So, last night's clothing sorting (including girls trying on things to make sure they still fit) took all my energy, and I felt worse again this morning. But tonight I am doing pretty good--and that's after a regular day of laundry (lots!), dishes, errands, the usual mom stuff, etc.  I was doing all that stuff yesterday too, but must say it is so much more pleasant to do when one is feeling better!

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

Oh, and yesterday was my birthday too.  I don't make much fuss of birthdays.  In fact, I always meant to blog about my birthday last year, because it sucked (the actual day pretty much) and I was turning 40 and that sucked too.  The trouble stemmed from remembering so vividly when my parents turned 40, and those black-balloon and crepe paper themed "Over The Hill" birthday parties were all the rage.  So 40 always seemed like the true beginning of old to me.  I realize now the grown-ups had so much fun teasing one another about being "over the hill" because 40 is still medium young.  But the idea still stuck in my head, and I had a really hard time reconciling the girl I was then celebrating my parents old age with the girl I am now, stuck in this increasingly downhill body. 

ANYWAY, so it was fine with me to be sick on my birthday.  DH worked from home so he could get new tires on our car before our travel this weekend, and he offered to take the kids on that errand.  They were gone for hours, which was lovely because I got to wash dishes and fold laundry and sweep in a quiet house. : )  It's funny how peaceful those chores become in an empty house!  And then he brought home dinner from a local organic vegetarian restaurant (how spoiled are we to have such options!) and even picked up some milk.  And he had bought me a gift too:

My favorite steampunk earrings!  Aren't they adorable?!

OK, so I told him about them one night a few weeks back, and conveniently left the page open while I stepped into the bathroom to get ready for bed.  And I happened to email the Etsy shop owner responsible for these beauties to ask if we could retroactively apply the free shipping offer she had sent me, which my husband forgot to enter the code for.  I also, coincidentally, ordered a second pair of earrings in that correspondence, to show her my appreciation for her excellent customer service:

And because I am also my own Santa. 

Anyway, it was a good birthday.  And one more good thing that came of this illness:  experimenting with the various things in my fridge to flavor all the hot water I was drinking, and discovering that fresh lemon steeped in hot water with coconut water added is delicious.  And nutritious!

.   .   .  .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

Final piece of news.  BEHOLD, my new rainboots for Winter 2012:

Not what you were expecting, eh?  To be honest, not what I was expecting either.  I read all your comments on my last post, your wise words and helpful perspectives, and had decided upon the brown Merrell boots.  But the 8.5 I had tried was uncomfortable against my ankles, as if it was a little too big there and so creasing in a wrong way, and I had Zappos re-send the original size 8 I had tried, because I remembered it being comfortable with my thinner socks, and I thought that would be a fine compromise.  Well.  Thanks to Zappos excellent free and practically overnight shipping, I had the size 8 boots today by 3 pm--and discovered they were also snug!  GAH!  Maybe my feet are swelled from all the home brews I've been drinking, but I distinctly remember the first pair being more comfortable.  It must have been a fluke of that pair.  The pair that arrived today were not comfortable.

So.  That left the Sorels, above.  But I remembered the wise musings of Susan in the last post, when she wondered if I should get a pair of boots my MIL might hate, since they were supposed to be from her.  Excellent point.  I like those boots, but was undecided enough that I certainly did not want to hinder our relationship over them.  So, I decided to let MIL decide!  I send her a link to the boots today, and asked her opinion.  Ok, I guided the asking a little, to tip it over to a favorable view--I did not just say, "What do you think of these?"  Instead, I invited her to contradict me, and expressed my thoughts that these boots were a little more "fashion forward" than I normally wore, and I was worried they were too young for me and I could not pull them off.  Well!  This led MIL to call me and tell me that I was most certainly not too old for such boots and she thought they were cute and thought I could wear them even on days when it was not raining just to keep my feet warm. 

So, now not only is the boot decision made (yay!) and I know MIL is not going to hate them (yay!), but she and I even got to  bond over the boots (by affirming one another's fashion sense and youth) so that the boot decision even had the unanticipated result of being relationship building!  YAY!

Thank you for all of your comments, friends.  I really used them to make this decision.  Terry happened to stop by today to drop off some school things, and while we chatted for a moment on the stoop, I showed her the boots and she said they were much cuter in person. : )  They really are gussied up galoshes--but isn't that exactly the need I was really needing to meet?  My feet will now be warm and dry this winter (and many winters to come), and I am content.

And the icing on the cake was getting the two Zappos boxes re-labeled and back to the UPS store by 5, so they are not sitting in the middle of my living room all weekend!

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And now, because most of this post has dwelt upon my pathetic First World problems:

May you all have a blessed time of family, laughter, love, and thanksgiving this week.  Or the closest thing to it. 

God bless.

More boot advice requested!

Ok,  I am serious.  I want to choose and be done. 

I so appreciated the comments Susan and Jessica left to my last boot post--really helped me think through that round.  I realized, thanks to Susan, that I likely don't want to have my jeans flapping around my ankles when it is raining, so I might naturally chose clothes on rainy days that are perfectly compatible with tall boots.  Looking back, I think this is true, so am running with this idea, to help me eliminate one factor in the decision making. 

I am trying two boots.  I want to keep one of these.  You help me decide!

First is one of the boots I tried before, but making sure I have the right size:

Merrell Captiva Strap

They are basic, go well with my clothes, are nicely made, and are flattering.  Maybe a wee bit on the boring side, but still attractive.  They can dress up or down. They do not call attention to themselves.  They are steampunk compatible, on the more classical end of the spectrum, which is where I fall.  In the size that fit I would not be wearing my thickest socks.  These are quite logical boots to get.


Second is a boot Minnie Zephie blogged about here, which kinda grew on me:

Sorel Slimpack Riding

These are so different.  They are unusual, and edgy, and call attention to themselves.  They are fun to have on. I can actually tuck my jeans into these, but it looks funny, so would likely just wear them with leggings.  They are not as flattering to the leg as the Merrells, but that is somewhat mitigated by wearing leggings with them.  They looked fine with my clothes.  They were really comfortable--felt like wearing galoshes.  They fit my thickest socks. They feel like me on the inside, but I am not sure they match the me on the outside.    They might be too youthful for me.  They would not look right for dressing up (I could wear them to church, but only with certain outfits).  I got to show them to Becky, and she liked them, but wondered if they were too clearly foul-weather boots and not something you would want to wear around town on fine weather days.  They are steampunk compatible, but definitely on the "punk" end of the spectrum.

So, this is why I need your help!  Please leave a comment with your opinion.  I value them all, the honest but gentle ones the most. : )

another update on all manner of things

 A general update.  Because I am sick and really don't have much brain power for doing much serious thinking. And because a few of you might be interested. 

It's 10:43 am, on a regular Monday school/work day. My husband is still in bed, and I'm not sure why.  When I woke and saw daylight peeking through the trees outside the window, I tried to ask him if he had missed the alarm--and he muttered something unintelligible and rolled over.  I don't know if he is sick too, or working from home or what.  It would not really matter except that the house was about 53 degrees when I got up; just a while ago the sun hit the back of the house for a good 15 minutes, so got warmer.  It's now up to a whopping 57 degrees in here!  Whoo-hoo!  It's so cold in here because DH and I went to bed early, both being completely wiped out, and the house was warm enough we did not think we needed a fire.   But this morning I could not find the ash bucket, so could not start cleaning out the fireplace for this morning's fire.  I have a feeling DH was so tired last night he left it outside somewhere.  I'm not about to go hunting for it, sick, in my pjs.  So I am bundled up--even wearing a knitted hat--and waiting for him to get up.  He's awake now, but has not spoken to anyone and is clearly still wanting to be in bed, and I really try not to be his mother, so I'm just chosing instead to be content.  It's helpful to have just finished my second cup of hot tea--at this temp. you have to drink it quickly!  And when the sun hit the house a little while ago it was shining on me and Smiley and Happy playing in the floor behind me, which felt soooooo gooood!   And I have peaceful music playing, and my children are all content. . . and I just think about how we were just reading Little House stories about it being 40 degrees below 0--that's 100 degrees colder than our coldest weather here on the Bay!!!--and how they would have thought their cabins so warm and toasty if they were 57 degrees.

In case you are wondering, we do have a small heater, but it is currently under the house. We bring it out for emergencies. ; )  Although if I went out--sick, in my pj's--to get it and plugged it in, that would surely get DH out of bed!  He hates "wasting" electricity with the heater.  ; )  But instead I'm just hoping that since it is almost 11 am that he is going to be getting up any moment now. . . .

In case you are wondering, we are perfectly warm and cozy in our beds.  I woke up when I heard Smiley coming--the pitter patter of his feet coming to by bed is my alarm clock, and this morning he and I cuddled in bed for a while, but finally had to brace the cold and get up. Because toys and tea and blogs can't wait. ; )

Happy had this cold first, starting on Friday.  Then I got it yesterday, and feel even worse today (sore throat, runny nose, aches and low fever).  Smiley got it today too, and his nose is running like a faucet this morning.  Sunny slept until after 10, and then came out to read in our bed.  She seems fine, but complained she felt like she was getting "eye sick," which we think is her way of describing migraines, which she has gotten every now and then since she was a toddler.  I wonder if she is just feeling this crud coming on, though.  Merry is still asleep in bed.

[Ah ha!  he's up at 11:02!  of course its another hour before the fireplace will be cleaned out and the fire laid and lit and burning hot enough to warm up the firebox and start the blower that really makes the house toasty. I think I'll be out doing errands before then!]

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Today is the deadline for dropping off Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and I have two packages I need to send, so I can't just stay here at home in my pjs all day. Again. (yes, I did yesterday, even with my FIL here again for the weekend!  But I was up all day taking care of people, cooking, overseeing the decorating and filling of the shoeboxes, etc.  But doing it all in my pj's was a compromise.   So I'd better get into the shower (so warm when you get under!  so cold when you are drying off!  why i procrastinated this morning. . . ).

But I don't have to worry about breakfast for the family this morning because last night right before bed two little pixies showed up at our door bearing a  huge pumpkin pie.  My dear Becky swung by with it--left over from the big family gathering they had just had.  : )  And another blessing yesterday was that my wonderful school liason Terry gifted us with three bags of goodies for the shoeboxes, and it was just the right amount that combined with what little I had stocked up it perfectly filled the shoeboxes and I did not have to make a run to Target for more. 

And now my Dear Husband is cleaning out the fireplace.  I'm feeling the love!

; )

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One of the boxes I need to get to send today is the "Camilla" boots.  The weekend my in-laws were both here it was rainy and I was ready to pull them out and wear them, but when I put them on before church and started racing around (instead of the careful steps I had been taking previously so not to marr the bottoms and invalidate a return) I realized they felt a little snug on both feet, so that was that.  I am returning them, and hope all goes well with the refund. 

I also spent this past week looking at boots again online, and realized I was making it too hard on myself by trying to anticipate what other uses these boots might serve (Dawn is laughing, "Duh!") and went back and just looked at leather rain boots.  I just need to have a pair of nice waterproof boots, and if they meet other needs (like looking good with my black skirts for church) then that will be the icing on the cake.

I ordered some from Zappos to try again--including some of the same ones I tried before, but in larger sizes. 

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Good thing we are done with our crazy school/life season for this Fall, so we can have a quiet lazy day like this.  It is still a school day, so we will still do math, and watch more of Ken Burns' "Civil War" series, and work on our current book project.  But other than that. . . I don't care.  Esp. with us all being sick.  I have a feeling the two older girls will do a lot of reading today, and since it will be "schooly" books, that's fine by me.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

And for those of you who remember my last, epic update, when my in-laws came weekend before the last, FIL and DH did not mention their plans to me, but just started digging and mucking about the septic "system."  Then FIL came back this past weekend (MIL stayed at home to help care for her mother) and he and DH mucked about some more, and supposedly the septic is repaired, with a new leach line/field.  Well, I'll be.  So I guess one could go through the county requirements, get experts to take soil samples and make reports on environmental impacts near a watershed, hire professionals to design and install a new system that would take months and months for approvals and completetion and end up costing $15-20,000. . . or one could just procrastinate until a FIL grabs a shovel and some plastic pipe and goes at it for a few days.  It is not a little embarassing at how easy that was.  Ok, borderline illegal, but still.  I completely understand why DH sat (ha!) on that project for so long.  It seemed so huge and so expensive and he had no idea where to begin.  So this week I am very thankful for experienced fathers who have been fixing things their whole lives and don't get overwhelmed easily.  And who really want to help. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ok, DH has the fire cheerily popping and sparking--still a while before it really gets going, but now I'll brave the shower.  My last child just stumbled out of bed.  And if DH is not going into work today, then maybe I can do these errands without kids and stop to get my overly-long and now looking crazy bangs cut before Thanksgiving.

See, so much to be thankful for! ; )

Hope you all can say the same this morning.

Boots again! Fashion opinions solicited!

So, some of you might remember last year at this time, when I wrote about looking for a pair of new, every-day winter boots.

I still don't have any.

Let me explain.  (Because I have a long-drawn out story for every topic.)

You see, Fall is somehow always my busiest time of the year, and so when MIL emailed with her sweet offer of getting me boots, I was delighted, and immediately started looking--but just didn't have much free time to do so, and had to even figure out what I really wanted in a boot to begin with.  So I looked and looked and thought and thought, and think now, one year later, I am finally ready to choose a pair.

I know.  I take some things just a little too seriously.

But really--good boots are a lot of money!  So if I am going to throw down a couple hundred bucks on boots (or ask MIL to), they had better meet all my needs, look great, and make me happy when I look at my feet.  (And if they are subtly Steampunk, that's the icing on the cake ; ).  I only have so much room in my closet, and certainly don't want a pair of boots dominating the real-estate if they are not worth it.  So it was important to me to research carefully, to find something that would meet my needs and that I would be happy with for a long time.

Here's the funny part--here in CA, winter weather means cold rain.  Guess what I have worn for at least the PAST FOUR YEARS for rainy-day winter gear? 

Without socks, because of course they would get wet.  So for FOUR YEARS I have had cold, wet feet all winter long as I was out and about--but it was kinda practical because they would dry fairly quickly once I was indoors.  And I would carry a pair of socks with me in my purse, so if I went to a friend's house, for example, I would slip on the socks when I got there and my feet dried off and then I would be warm and cozy.

Clearly not an ideal situation, though.

Now, I *did* have a pair of boots, from when we lived in CO, that I wore for years and years.  At first I wore them almost daily in the winter, then when the weather necessitated them, then got to the point when I only wore them to church and when we visited my in-laws, since those are the times bare feet in wet crocs will get you really weird looks and negative comments.  But those boots were not waterproof, and they were ugly.  No, really, I thought they were ugly when I bought them in Colorado about 12 years ago--but at the time I was just beginning teaching at the U of CO, Denver, and needed a pair of good winter boots that would get me through the snow but also be attractive enough to wear in the classroom.  I could not find any I liked, but needed something, so I settled on an ugly pair that met the basic needs.  They were kind of like black lace-up combat boots, except not nearly as cool; something about the toe shape was just a little too conservative, and they had a pebbly texture that was not my favorite.  They cost me something like $50 and at the time I thought that was a LOT of money.  So I wore those ugly, utilitarian black boots for twelve years, and frankly--to my disappointment--they were holding up great and probably could have lasted another twelve.  But when I realized last year that I had long been chosing to have cold, wet bare feet over wearing those boots--I decided I had gotten my money's worth out of them and could justify having a pair that was actually waterproof and that I liked. 

So I gave them to Goodwill.   I hate holding on to things I don't even like--that was so fun and liberating!  Release them to the world, to let them go bless someone else.  : )

And now, with my Dear Husband's blessing, I get to pick out new waterproof boots that I will actually like and wear!

Best of all, MIL offered AGAIN to buy me a pair for my birthday!  Whoo-hoo!

I spent last week making sure I knew what was out there, so knew what my options were, and just ordered some to try from Zappos.  It was soooooooo fun going back to my old posts about Steampunky winter boots and choosing some to try.  But I had to be practical and make sure I was getting boots that were actually waterproof (not just cool-looking) and boots that would work with the clothes I already own (and not some fantasy wardrobe that lives in my head).

Here are the ones I tried, and how it went:

The North Face Camryn

These were attractive enough, and very nicely made, but frankly nothing special.  They were also half a size too small, at least, I could not even get my foot in them.

Merrell Captiva High

These were cuter, and also nicely made, but also too small.

Merrell Captiva Strap

These were my favorite of the tall boots.  They were sized much better, and they were quite comfortable in my regular shoe size, albeit with a medium weight sock (I am kicking myself that I did not think to put on my usual thickness of winter socks to see how that affected the fit).  They fit me perfectly at the ankle and the calf, and looked soooooooo cute.  And in this color they are totally neo-Steampunk.  And part of the reason I really like the svelte ankle design is that I have thin legs but rather stumpy ankles--it was a thrill to see boots that actually made my ankles look attractive. ; )

The North Face Bryn

These boots were my second favorite.  They too were well made and comfortable (in those medium weight socks at least), and absolutely adorable, esp. in this "weimerander" color.  The color is not as Steampunk, and would not complement my wardrobe quite as well, but they are still neutral (so in theory would go with anything) and the color was just so perfect for the design I would probably not like them as well in a different color.  BUT I found they do some in a more classic steampunk brown at the company website.  So that would in theory be an option.

I tried all those high boots just because they are SO DARN CUTE and because I wanted to.  They are all waterproof leather, well-made, and some of them are not even overly expensive (you can find them cheaper at other sites than Zappos, but I love to use Zappos for trying things because they are so great and fast with free shipping and returns.  So if I find what I want elsewhere for a much better price, I will return to Zappos and reorder them from the cheaper place, factoring in shipping in the price of course; but over the years I have bought enough from Zappos for my husband and kids that I don't feel like I am taking advantage of their generous try-them-out-on-us policies).  But the problem with those cute high boots is that they are not as practical with my current wardrobe.  They work best with leggings, tights, and skinny jeans. 

I do wear leggings sometimes, and would be glad to wear tights and skirts with them--but my skirts are mostly full and long, and that's not what I tend to reach for on a rainy day, you know?  I do not own skinny jeans--I am thin overall, but proportionally hippy, so the skinny jeans I try just don't fit at all--if they fit my hips they are too baggy in the butt and/or too loose in the waist.  And I imagine even I did find a pair that fit right, it would accentuate those hips and not in a good way.  So, I am a boot-cut jean gal--I don't care if that style is no longer the trend, they look good on my shape.  BUT as you can imagine, you can't wear high boots with those kinds of jeans.  Even if you can get the leg of the jeans over the boots, they make the jean leg stick out all funny where the top of the boot is.

So, already knowing that would be an issue, I tried the only other pairs of even remotely steampunky waterproof leather boots on Zappos:

Pikolinos Le Mans ii

Except I realized after I ordered them that these two pairs of Pikolinos are not truly waterproof; they are waterproof treated, which would be better than what I already have, but not as good as I would want.  Also, Pikolinos are expensive because they are very well made shoes--but still, if I can get a pair that is truly waterproof and cute for less $. . . it just does not seem to make sense to pay for anything less than what will meet my need.

But both of these boots were so comfortable the moment I put them on.  The black pair did shift a little when I walked, and I am not sure if that would be a problem during actual use or not. (I remember as a kid having rain/winter boots that lefted at the ankle subtly as I walked and tugged at the heel of my socks as it did, so that by the time I had walked to school the socks were bunched uncomfortably under the arch of my foot.  I have no intentions of going there with any of these boots!)  I liked the tread of the black boots best--seemed would give the best traction on slippery sidewalks--but the brown pair fit my ankles PERFECTLY and were so perfect under regular jeans--you never saw the top of the boot competing with the leg of the jean, even when walking and bending the leg. 

Pikolinos Brujas

I also liked the low buckle detail, which peeked out from under the jean hem--I am not a fan of boots that are completely boring when you just see the toe and heel under long jeans.  But the main issue with these is that they are not truly waterproof, so I sent them back too.

Which leads me to the final pair I tried, and which I thought was the winner:

La Canadienne Camilla

Waterproof leather.  Very nicely made.  Good traction on the heel.  Comfortable with medium-weight socks.  Nice ankle shape that works well with the jeans I own.  Attractive suede and buckle.  They look boring when mostly hidden by jeans, but look cute with leggings and skirts.  They are a brand I have grown to admire and which I believe will serve me well for many years to come.  They were also the most expensive of the bunch, by far, but I really wanted to try them, so I did.  And I really liked them. 

And then I found them for almost half the price, in last year's version:

And I like the smooth leather almost as well, and it is a tad more steampunk just by the leather tone.  Score!  So I showed them to MIL, she approved, she gave me the money for them, I returned all those boots to Zappos and ordered these--and actually found the best price on Amazon.com, so I still got free shipping AND used reward points I had been accumulating from my credit card all year so that THE BOOTS WERE TECHNICALLY FREE.

Yippeeee!

But then they arrived yesterday, and I wanted to cry.  Because I excitedly put them on--and the boots were too narrow on my left foot, actually squeezing the bones and hurting.  What the. . .?!  Then I realized I was wearing my heaviest weight winter socks.  They are not THAT much thicker than my medium-weight socks, and I have several pairs of these that I love to pull out when the weather is cold and wet--but they are just thick enough to hurt with these boots.  Now I am kicking myself that I did not try on the boots with my heaviest socks in the beginning. . . and it is also likely that this pair of boots is built just a hair more narrow than the others, since they are different seasons and different leathers. . . . but I switched socks and the boots immediately felt more comfortable. 

But now I don't know what to do.  Here is my dilemna:

--I think the boots are wearable with the medium-weight sock, which is an acceptable compromise; but I still feel like the left foot does not quite have the room it should.  It is not at all painful with the thinner socks, but feels snug. I would likely be able to wear them just fine. . . but what if I try them out and about and they start to hurt after a few hours?  That is my fear.  Because then I would not be able to return them, and the goal of this pair of boots is that I can just slip them on and wear them all day running around town on any given winter day.  They HAVE to be comfortable. 

--Then again, with a little breaking in, these boots might end up being totally fine, for all day wear. I might not be able to wear those thick socks, but I need some new socks anyway, so will just get more medium weight and save the thick for cozy-at-home wear.

--Amazon will take the boots back, but I can't exchange for the next size up because it is unavailable.

--I would have to make a straight return, and I am afraid I will lose those reward points in the process.  (maybe not, but things like this have happened before--and I might not know until after I make the return. . . if I don't have to take the chance I would rather not.)

--Since the boots ended up being FREE, with the use of those reward points, and since MIL gave me money for the boots, I actually have the freedom to try these and see if they work, and can get a different pair later if I need to. . . (and I am sure I could re-sell them on eBay and get a decent bit back even if they are worn. . . )

--Or I could even go ahead and get one of the tall boots I tried and really liked, because I know I would wear them and like them, and then I would have an acceptable pair that work with my jeans and a fabulous pair that work with everything else. . . Also, I do not have any  nice black shoes at all for cold weather, so maybe should get a pair of black boots/shoes, and maybe one of these pairs of tall boots I liked I would like just as much in black and would well meet that wardrobe desire. . .

--I don't have much room in my closet, esp. not for multiple pairs of boots (and it is really ironic to go from having no boots at all to having multiple pairs) but it would be worth it not to be spending any more time or energy thinking about finding the *perfect* pair of boots.  Don't get me wrong, it has been very fun to look at boots, and imagine what boots would work with my clothes best, what boots are practical and yet a wee bit steampunk. . . I have thoroughly enjoyed the process.  But the rainy season has begun, and I just want to have a pair of boots now, darn it!

And last night I even dreamed about boots.  In my dream, I had found two pairs of leather boots that I had "forgotten about" tucked away in storage.  They were both kinda Dr. Marten style, pretty clunky and tough, and one pair was tall and the other one was a low pull on. The tall pair was green.  The low pull-on pair was red.  They both had black clunky soles and black detailing.  They were actually much more like something I would have liked in college than anything I would wear now.  But I remember the feeling in the dream of being SO HAPPY just because I had a pair of waterproof winter boots and did not have to worry about it anymore.

Which means it is time to get this all resolved and end the drama. 

This is where I need all of you!  PLEASE leave feedback and let me know your opinion!  I am specifically trying to decide:

--what to do about keeping or trying to return the "Camilla" boots I got.

--whether or not I should get a tall pair of boots, either instead of the "Camilla" boots, or in addition to.

If I decide to get a tall pair of boots, then I will be soliciting more advice on which ones.  But these two questions seem like the logical first to address. 

I formally solicit your advice!  Please be liberal with your words and helpful intentions.  Remember this is all about a pair of casual, practical, every-day winter/wet weather boots.

(After we decide this issue, I'll gladly tell you all about the dressy boot success I had earlier in the year, which I have been meaning to share for a long time!)

Thank you all! I look forward to your comments.

Minnie Zephie makes her fashion debut

So, sometimes when I am not blogging much over here it is because life is dictating otherwise.  But sometimes it is because I am blogging over at one of my other blogs, The World is Our Classroom or Minnie Zephie's Steampunk Treasure Trunk, both of which appear on the right-hand sidebar, in case you are curious.  TWIOC is a blog started by a fellow homeschool mom that has become the online forum for our local "Vintage Homeschool Moms" group.  At certain times of the year I am very busy over there organizing and orchestrating events and projects.  Any of you readers who homeschool are welcome to check it out--we post homeschool humor too, and I often write out projects step-by-step, so anyone interested can do them yourself. 

Minnie Zephie is my sorta-secret alter-ego.  She is way more fun and fashion minded than anyone who knows me in real life would ever think of me. ; )  And today she debuted in her first personal fashion segment over on her blog.  I thought some of you might enjoy it!

Hope you all had a good weekend.  : )

fun with attic diving #2

Me attempting to vamp in my bridesmaid dress from the wedding of my college suitemate Heather.  (It was such an elegant wedding, as you can see!)  By the way, I took pics of me in these dresses there at my parents' house because I was not planning on bringing them home to CA with me.  I just don't have room for everything (isn't that what Grandma's attic is for? ; )  And this dress was tailored to fit my newly married form; it fit like a glove even then, and a little more like a sausage casing now. . . (Heather, if you come by and see this, I realized I don't have ANY pics from your wedding!  If you have any extra, I would love to have one!)

I know, it is kinda a shame that I was modeling these dresses in my no-makeup, hair-not-brushed-cleaning mode, but I took advantage of the one chance I had to get a record of them before we gave them away.  This dress was my Grandma Evah's (my mother's mother) wedding dress, when she married her second husband.  I was in college, Grandma had just reacquainted with a man she knew as a child, who was now a retired veterinary doctor.  We called him "Doc." Grandma  was a widow, he was a widower, they reconnected and then married.  He was a really nice man, and she was a beautiful bride on her wedding day.  I am the only family member who is near Grandma's size (my cousin Katie and I take after her the most, but Katie is a petite little thing, while I am almost exactly Grandma's height).  I felt so tender for that beautiful dress, and it was a really tangible reminder of Grandma, who I miss.  So I could not give it away without one photo record of me in it.

(And by the way, the shoulder pads on that dress were enormous--I felt so silly in them--and yet look at what an elegant structure overall. Neo-Victorian, now that I take a second look, which is of course my favorite!)