Let's get carried away....Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that you all had a lovely Valentine's Day.  My day started off with a surprise gift from my husband, a fun-filled trip to Grandma's and ended with a delectable dessert including mascarpone cheese, dark chocolate and whipped cream.  

Tomorrow my little man will be delivering these Valentine's, complete with attached red balloon, to his friends at school.  I think they turned out so cute...if I do say so myself! 

P.S. I apologize for the lack of posts as of late....I guess I've been in a bit of a funk.  Hopefully, the nice weather this week will snap me out of it!  

It's in the bag...

Hello and welcome to the It's in the bag blog crawl organized by Ashley from A Hasty Life. 

This is what is in my bag as of right now....seriously. 

 

Pretty standard stuff, huh? Makeup...I definitely recommend the organically derived products from Physicians Formula.  Anti-bacterial wipes and gel...I'm a bit of a germ-a-phobe, plus I have a 2.5 year old boy. Keys...standard. Self-made headband...just in case. Wallet...gift from my brother and sister-in-law for Christmas, a welcomed upgrade from my previous credit card holder wallet. Toddler socks...just in case. Pens and Advil. 

This The Sak bag is what I'm carrying today...it's great for travel because the straps and rings allow the bag to adjust from large to small to clutch quickly and easily.  Plus, the copper color is super versatile.  Lastly, I've become addicted to hands-free carrying.

Thanks for taking a look inside my bag tonight, and thanks to Ashley for organizing us to all share our treasured possessions! Visit Sydney at her lovely blog, The Daybook, and check out what's in her bag!

P.S. The winner of the $50 J.Crew giftcard was #66, Helen from Helen's Corner. Congrats!  Thank you so much to all who entered and for all the wonderful well-wishes on my blog-a-versary!!!

Do you like my hat?

Well, I made it through the snow and arrived safely in Chicago today.  Even after getting up at 3:30a, I still managed to make a quick stop at Anthropologie after work...you know because I could sans child.  I even managed to make it out of the store having spent $0...that may be a first. 

 

I enjoyed wondering the streets all bundled up.  You know, I never thought I would say this, but sometimes I miss the snow and brisk cold in Chicago.

Here's what I was wearing under the coat...

Coat: Tulle

Hat and Wool Scarf: Gifts from Itatly

Silk Scarf: Talbots

Cardigan: Gap

Turtleneck Sweater and Skirt: Banana Republic

Tights: Hue

Boots: Steve Madden

P.S. I just got a hair cut and chopped off four inches...I think I look more 31.5, ugh, but that's a good thing.

Snow Delay...

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Alas, I had planned to leave the afternoon for my monthly work trip, but it seems the weather had other plans for me. 

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Instead, I spent the day watching the snow fall with the kiddo; isn't it awe-inspiring how all kids love the snow, even before they understand the concept of "snow days".  We didn't make it out of pajamas until after noon, we drank hot chocolate, watched Madagascar 2, and made a fun craft with cardboard and paint chips that I can't wait to share with you. 

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The snow was a welcomed unexpected surprise.  Last night I was dreading the impending snow as it was sure to ruin my travel plans, but today I embraced it and took advantage of some snuggle time before my trip.  The down side is that I'm now leaving at 4am tomorrow morning...ugh.  Luckily, I have a 5 hour drive to prepare myself for working in the office.

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Wish me luck as tomorrow I'm giving an important presentation that has been in preparation for one year and Thursday I'm presenting front of 200 people for 2.5  hours.  I hope they like the sound of my voice. 

I'll be back tomorrow to share some of the exciting things "we've" been working on as of late.

Enjoy the calm of the snow, if you have some...and don't forget to enter to win the $50 J.Crew gift card, the giveaway ends tomorrow night!

I'm Celebrating #1 Year of Blogging with a Special Giveaway!

 

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celebrate...

the30girl is 1 year old!

 

via jcrewaholics

I'm so excited to have reached my one year blog-a-versary!

 To celebrate, I'm giving away a $50 gift card to J.CREW because I love you and because I'm so grateful to have this little space to share a little piece of me. I'm looking forward to many more years of inspired goodness, craftiness, and memories.

...plus, you know you need a new feather duster...

baseball tee

 striped jersey scarf

 

and toothpicks,

 right?

to win

1. Comment on this post with the J.Crew item(s) on your list to help you get through the winter or to start a super early spring!

2. For one extra entry, become a follower of the30girl.
3. For one extra entry, become a follower of the30girl on facebook.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry and your email address(just on one comment) so I can contact you if you win!

This giveaway is open until Wednesday, January 12th at 11:59pm CST.  The winner will be selected using random.org and I will contact the winner on Thursday, January 13th.  

 

Tell your friends and we'll have big, spectacular #1-year party!

a wedding rehearsal

a rehearsal dinner invitation...

a bouquet from a pile of ribbon...

and a trail run...

my little brother got married this weekend; these are just a few things i wanted to share from the rehearsal. i will have more to share from the wedding day soon.

a long walk.

During the first weekend of this month, we enjoyed a nice long walk at a nearby park; we had fun throwing rocks in the lake and finding lots of bugs.  It was nice to see that the kiddo still enjoys his babypack.

Got to love summer and all its splendor, right? 

what i wore...last week.

yes, i'm over 30 and wearing jeggings. judge me not, these are comfortable little buggers and actually more flattering than you might think.  from the back, i look "lifted" if you know what i mean.

i wore this outfit for my 5.5 hour sojourn for work last week. 

my theme for work outfits last week was "menswear inspired" combined with "shop my closet". since i don't actually "go" to work very often, i can't quite justify purchasing work clothes at this point in my life.

the best part about this outfit is...the pants. i haven't fit into them since graduate school. a big thanks goes out to my son for his high activity level.

same menswear concept here. i'm proud of my light packing by coordinating shoes and accessories for the week. i love the pants in this outfit, especially their price-$7 from LOFT on clearance this past winter.

how about you...what do you think of menswear inspired looks? any favorite ways to incorporate "boy style" into your look?

p.s. i just got my haircut last night...no more long locks.

#3: How do I look?

We've come to part 3 in my 3-part outfit series this week showcasing my Ann Taylor LOFT bargains and the fact that I'm actually dressed in something other than jeans and a t-shirt.  I promise that this is the last day in a row that I will celebrate the Stormy Seas necklace.

 

Details 

Dress:  Ann Taylor LOFT, $11.93

Cardigan: American Eagle

Belt: Kohl's

Shoes: Steve Madden

Necklace: Anthropologie Stormy Seas

I really love this dress.  It makes me feel like spring is approaching even though it is still very far away. Plus, I love the soft ruffles and the perfect just-above-the-knee length.  It does require a full slip, but I don't mind...there is something so mysterious and feminine about wearing one.  

So, how do I look?

#2: How do I look?

I'm back with Day 2 of my three-day, i-get-to-dress-for-work, trip.  Today's outfit debuts another of my Ann Taylor LOFT bargains as well as the splendiferous Stormy Seas necklace.

Top: Jcrew

Cardigan: Target

Necklace: Anthropologie, Stormy Seas

Skirt: Ann Taylor LOFT, $2.93, I know I can't believe it either.

Tights: Express

Shoes: Kohl's Apt 9

I really love this skirt because a) it was a STEAL and b) it has those slant pockets that give it a cool, slouchy feel. Overall, I'm not that pleased with this outfit because I think I need a belt at the waist or something--you know to provide a slimming effect.  Plus, I really need to do iron the top.  Oh well, at least I'm dressed.

So, how do I look?

#1: How do I look?

Hello. I'm not much of an outfit of the day girl because I'm usually wearing some variation of this.  But, today is a special day because I actually have to be at work.  Typically, I work from home and hang out with my kiddo, but I travel a couple of times a month.  Although I do hate to be away, I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to "get dressed up" and have some "adult time".

I'm taking this three-day trip as an opportunity to wear my pre-xmas  Ann Taylor LOFT bargain haul.

Details

Dress: LOFT Bargain, I bought this dress for $5.93.  It's a little big, but I love it for the price.  I especially like the length.  I'm a big a fan of skirts/dresses that hit me a little above the leg--it makes me look taller and shows off one of my better features (I think at least), my lower leg.

Cardigan: Ann Taylor, on sale

Tights: Assets

Shoes: Target

Necklace: Anthropologie, Stormy Seas, also on sale-$29.95
This necklace is one of my most favorite recent purchases.  I've been longing for it, but, of course, I wanted to get it on a discount.  Isn't it grand?

Okay. Outfit with coat, scarf, and bag.

Coat: French Connection, Bloomingdales circa 2006-7

Scarf: Target

Bag: The Sak--my latest cross-body obsession

So, how do I look?