Sparkling Personality

So, yeah, I am so not Audrey Hepburn in any way, shape or form. But something about my pictures today made me think about these Breakfast at Tiffany's pictures of her. I think it's the chunky, sparkly necklace.

My outfit Friday was pretty much built around my sequin Converse shoes.

My feet have been cold at work and I wanted to wear closed toed shoes but I wanted to be sparkly and shiny, too.  Lise showed how to dress these shoes down a bit with her Sk8ter Mom look.  I decided to make them work appropriate.

So I paired them with a black tank, trimmed in satin and black/white pin stripe shorts.

 

Tank: Ann Taylor Loft

Shorts: Banana Republic

Converse: Kohl's ($11 clearance!!)

Necklace/earrings: Ann Taylor Loft

Sunnies: Tifosi

 

And then I decided I needed a little more BLING. So I added this chunky, very sparkly necklace and matching earrings.  Now one thing about this necklace. If I had to be outside for any length of time, I couldn't have worn it. It's pretty hot and humid here and a heavy, metal necklace and humidity do not go well together!

I think it ended up being a pretty good outfit to wear to work on a Friday. 

And no post about anything shiny would be complete without Captain Tightpants himself:

Have a great weekend, Y'all!!

Happiness Is......

What is happiness?  Hmmm.....

Well, I don't look too happy in this picture.  But sometimes in our search for big things in life to make us happy, we miss the small things that bring us a smile!

Oh, that's better!  See that smile?  And all it took was a bag of "Reece's Mini's"

Yes, chocolate saves the day again!

Shirt: Old Navy

Vest: Old Navy

Jewelry:  PacSun

Jeans: BR

Shoes: Sofft

Purse:  Coach

Joy took these pictures by the "Bread Basket" where we hang sometimes in the morning.  It was a gorgeous morning, and of course chocolate makes it better.  Then I look down to see......oh, yuck! LOLOL

Interesting........

A couple weeks ago I learned a great lesson from Ida (MIL).  I haven't seen her in a week and miss her terribly.  Her stories touch me, make me laugh and sometimes make me cry.  I need to spend more time with her!  But she was telling me about picking cotton again.  She started in the cotton fields about the time she could walk around on her own.  She remembers being so young that she didn't even have to bend over to do the picking!  Because of the season that cotton blossoms, she and her 10 siblings started school late so they could do the picking.  Armed with a cotton sack across her shoulders, she spent the day picking away! 

When the sack was full, she would take it over to the large sheet and dump it out before going back to fill it up again.  At the end of the day the cotton was taken to the gin.  There the seed was taken out and it was weighed.  The seed weighs almost as much as the cotton itself so it takes A LOT of cotton.  How much cotton does it take for a bale? About 1300 lbs. !!!  And Ida picked 200 lbs of cotton a day.   But she spoke of how it felt at the end of the day to lay down on the soft sheet out in the field and just rest after a very long day of picking!

Want to know her really favorite thing though?  Every great once in a while she would see the mail truck before her sisters and sneak through the fields to get the mail!!!  She laughs as she tells how it felt to hold those letters from all over and she alone got to take it to the house!  Small things, but great joys.

Do we do this?  In our fast paced world of technology, running around and working, do we remember that sometimes the things that will bring us the greatest joy and more happiness in the long run are the very small things.  Hand picked flowers from a child,  a smile from a stranger, a hug from a friend or spouse,  fresh veggies from the garden, and yes, even finding a wonderful letter in the mailbox.  Even more important, what if WE were that shoulder to cry on, that giver of flowers that brings a smile, the instigator of the hug or the sender of the letter?   And a big hug to Ida who brings great joy to all those around her.

Lisa, Lisa, Lise!

We need to meet more of you!  Why?  Because you are all pretty wonderful and I had so much fun meeting Lisa G. that I hope to meet more of you!  A while back I re-connected with a friend from high school on Facebook.  That was so much fun and we were able to see each other at Thanksgiving.  She also "introduced" me to one of her friends in D.C. on Facebook.  Lisa G. and I had a great time getting to know each other in writing and she also started reading our blog. (thanks, we love readers). 

Then she let me know she was coming to do training in Atlanta and would love to meet Joy and I!  Oh yeah!
By the way, Joy's first name is Lisa and she goes by her middle name (Joy).  Hence the title of this post.  Joy, do not kill me for telling everyone.  I had to resort to the real migraine medicine last night and should not be trusted with a pencil let alone a computer with a blog! LOL

So, Friday I am all nervous and excited and.....TaDa!  I meet Lisa G. outside the salon and immediately notice that her haircut is uneven.  So we start with a haircut.  We drove over to meet Joy and sat there talking and cutting up and all I can say is...WOW, what a cool lady!  We also drove to my house and Lisa was so gracious in meeting my MIL, Ida.   And Ida was so pleased to have a visitor!

Lisa G. has an amazing history and family and job (Spouse secretly thinks she is over the CIA now) and stories and I can't wait to see her again.  Want to see some pictures?  You got it!

How do we pose?  Honey, just have fun and be yourself!



Oh, yeah!  That's what I am talking about!

 Sweater: Thrifted ($4)
Scarf: Gifted (Joy)
Jeans: BR (Longs!)
Shoes: Target
Earrings: Coldwater Creek
Belt: BR

Lisa G., thanks for a fun time and wonderful memories!  Can't wait until you come back down again.  And for any others out there.....C'mon down! Your the next contestant on the....right...I know this is not The Price Is Right.  But, we can't wait to meet more of you out there!  Hope you are all having a great end to the weekend.  See you Monday!

PS: At this time of year when skies are darker and days are shorter, play up the sun with color!  Melons are a great choice (color, and eating).  Orange and pink are an unexpected but happy combination!  They love to hang out together!