pictures and movies

The more lovely pictures I see from becoming familiar with Blogger, the more I realize I completely stopped taking any of myself! I was actually kind of surprised--aside from every couple of days when I use my webcam to snap some quick hair growth progress pictures, or maybe using my iPhone to take shots of clothes I'm trying on and need to send to friends for opinions, I don't really take that many pictures of myself anymore. It's certainly been months since I took the time to take any "cute" pictures! (I use that term really loosely.)

It was a slow day today, though, so I thought it'd be fun to take a couple of new pictures this afternoon. I've shared my favorites with you, though I have to admit I'm even a little bit self conscious about these! Is anyone else ever kind of surprised by what they look like on camera, even if you've seen it before? I'm always a little bit unsure of what to think. This was fun, though! My mom and I had a really successful shopping trip a few days ago and she bought me this adorable shirt from The Limited as a little present. We scored a 50% off coupon together, so it was a great deal! Now I can't wait to go back! I have a huge chambray thing right now--I don't know what that's about! Something about the soft blue just seems so classic and comfortable to me.

In other news, Marcus and I had a date night! Of course, I forgot to take any pictures (I think I'll have to start getting better about that if I want to have a regular blog) but it's okay! I had fun being in the moment. Besides, it's pretty hard to take pictures in the movies. We love going to the theater together, but not a lot's come out lately that really piqued our interests. Yesterday was kind of a down day for me, so we got the idea to find the worst-looking movie out there and have fun watching it anyway. After watching the trailers, Marcus picked Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (I sincerely apologize to anyone who loved this movie, but the entire theater must have had the same idea because everyone was giggling a little bit!) I think it's sometimes hard to take some of the dialogue they come up with in these teen paranormal romance movies seriously. We had a blast watching it, though, and we went for some coffee afterwards. We hadn't done any of that in awhile! Now that Marcus is working and I'm looking for a new job, hopefully there will be a little bit more opportunity to go out and about together.

We like spending time at home with my family too, though, so that's nice!

Oh--and one last thing! I made my first sale on Etsy! I'm so excited!! I'm going to make my first made-to-order bow this weekend and ship it first thing after Labor Day! I hope that maybe getting a few good reviews here and there will maybe boost my store's ratings, and who knows? Maybe someday I can make lots of bows for lots of people!

How do you feel about taking the time to get some new pictures of yourself? For me, it feels almost like a fun treat! What are your favorite ways to keep your pictures interesting and fresh, even if you have limited space to work with? And, of course, has anyone seen any good (or awful) movies?

:)

wishlist wednesday!

Hello, everyone! It's been a little bit--I'm trying to decide how best to spend my time. So far, most of it's still devoted to being master of the house: chores, shopping for groceries, cooking, you know. I love it, but it's also left me kind of tired! I haven't gone out shopping a whole lot lately, which I used to really enjoy. Yesterday, though, my mom and I spent a day out--I thought it'd be fun to talk about, and share some fun wishlist items at the same time! 

We started off by going to the post office, where I mailed a dress out for swap. I was really bummed to let it go.

Wouldn't you be? I actually got it from another swap awhile back, all the way from Canada! I waited on it for weeks because I was so excited about it, but it was totally wrong for my body. :( I'm not quite tall enough to pull it off! Hopefully the new owner gets more use out of it. As for me, I can't wait for my new prize! Pictures to come...it has bows on it. 

Anyway, then we went off to the mall together! That's one of our favorite things to do when we have time. Trying on clothes is my favorite, and if it's a good day, I can get my mom to try some things on too. Looking back now, I wish I'd taken more pictures of the things I put on. Some were pretty bad (to be fair, I was hoping the lobster dress I found was going to look nicer) and others were so good, I was sad to leave them behind! 

At a store called The Limited, I tried on these beauties: 

Is it pretty obvious I have a chambray thing going on?! Sadly, I had to leave most of those behind, though my mom did score a 50% off everything coupon and was nice enough to get me the light blue shirt! :) I'd been looking for one like it forever, and with that sweet deal it was even cheaper than some of the lesser-quality ones I'd seen at stores like Forever 21. I learned that I enjoy stores like The Limited because I'm not huge on embellishment--they specialize in classic, simple pieces (like colored pants and basic sweaters!), which I tend to gravitate towards. I totally get that for some people, the more bedazzled the better, but I'm just not as into it. For me, there's nothing worse than spying a cute dress from across the room, only to get closer and realize that someone added studs or zippers or cutouts where there didn't really need to be any. (If you're ever at the mall and hear someone lamenting that perfectly good pair of mint pants that was ruined by a thick zipper up the sides, it's probably me.) 

My mom ended up picking up a nice pair of black pants for work, but we both secretly wanted to take it all! 

Later, at Express, I tried on a red dress that looked pretty cute: sadly, the back was cut extra low and it was so stretchy you could see everything through it. Ever tried one of those on? I'll keep looking, though, I love red dresses. If this one was still in stock on Modcloth, I'd get it! 

After the mall, we went to Target really quickly to pick up new kitchen supplies. At the mall, we looked at some of the more upscale shops for fun (who doesn't love to do that?!) but the prices made us want to cry! Some really nice-looking kitchen things were ON SALE for $800! Until one of us wins the lottery, we figured we'd better head someplace that gave us more realistic options. We'd been talking about replacing our ancient cookware forever--it was all scratched up and breaking, and since I cook every day, I needed better things to work with. We debated on several different sets before we settled on a nice-looking one that was pretty affordable!

That one.

I don't know what it says about me that I'm this excited to have a brand new set of cookware, but I'm over the moon. I can't wait to use it. We also got a new egg pan, since my family's all about the eggs. Maybe now I can start sharing some more recipes! 

I'm really excited about my new shirt and my cookware! I love finding one thing (or ten!) that you've been searching for forever, and then bam! There's the perfect one! I have a huge list of retro-classic items I'm hoping to slowly acquire by fall, but I think I'll share that one next Wednesday...I'm still having that issue where I know what I'm looking for, but I haven't seen any pictures of it on store sites or magazines yet!

Am I the only one who gets that feeling? Like there's the perfect item I would just draw up for myself if I could? Does anyone else have those things they've been looking all over for but can't quite find? A couple more of mine include some classic a-line skirts, sturdy oxfords, cute button-downs in soft colors (long and short sleeve, preferably with lace!) and simple cardigans! What's on your wishlist that you haven't been able to track down yet?

- Katie

{ etsy experiment! }

Hello, everyone!

After thinking about it for awhile, I decided it might be fun to try opening my own Etsy shop! I've been working on my own special hair accessories, mostly bows and headbands. My little bows have earned me quite a few compliments--a lot of people have stopped me to ask where I get them and how I make them! As such, just for fun, I think I'd like to see if opening up a shop for them pans out. As I expand my interests, I'm very excited to share my new ventures with all of you!

Of course, my little shop is still under construction. I'm experimenting with prices and styles to see what works best. After less than an hour, I can't really say for sure whether I've chosen successful options, but time will tell. I've been browsing Etsy for similar listings to pick fair prices and learn how to list items in an appealing way; if my shop becomes more successful, I'm sure I'll just have to start coming up with even more creative things to do with it!

If you'd like to check it out, Darling Mine is now up and running! Let me know what you think--pictures, prices, etc.! If by any chance you see something you like, please tell me! I'm not sure how successful a business model I'll have by being eager to make people deals all the time, but I'm hoping I'll become successful enough to offer lots of coupons and bundle deals. (So far, it seems like 3 for $10 is a pretty standard group price?)

Thanks for stopping by! Hopefully I'll have more updates as time passes!

{ an outfit and an outburst }

[ warning: this post is long, and expresses a lot of annoyance and anger. if you prefer, you may simply skip ahead to the pictures or ignore this particular post; i hate to bring anyone down just because i'm having a rant! ]

I've been looking forward to doing my first outfit post! Unfortunately, all I have for you today is some subpar camera-phone pictures (they're not all like that, I promise!)

It was done sort of hastily because I wanted to make a point. To make that point, I have to share a brief story about my day.

In my house, I'm basically resident cook. I love putting together the grocery lists and shopping for my family. I'm responsible for dinner most nights, and I'm usually baking treats on weekends. That's all fine with me!

Today is Wednesday--at my neighborhood Sprouts, that means double the discounts. Everyone goes on Wednesdays. I enjoy Sprouts for their wide variety of affordable health foods; with a diabetic brother at home, I have to get creative! There I was, meandering around, sampling the free coffee and generally enjoying my day. I'd just come from signing paperwork for my new job (!) and I felt pretty excited, so naturally, I was in a good mood!

When I brought my items to the checkout, the woman in front of me wasn't too friendly--she scooted my bar over when I tried to start adding my items and glared a lot, but I figured she was probably just having a busy day. The cashier also didn't seem very interested in talking to me, giving short answers and avoiding eye contact. At one point, though, she looked up and suddenly seemed attentive.

"Where do you get those bows you put in your hair?" she asked. I answered happily that I make them. She followed up with more questions about how to put them together, which I was only too glad to answer. I was in the middle of explaining the clips I used (all while my items were still being scanned) when suddenly, I was interrupted.

"You do realize that those little bows make you look like you're about thirteen years old, don't you?" she said, in a tone I didn't consider to be the most friendly. I was at a loss for words, as this was the second time this week someone had so rudely commented on the way I looked (which I'll get into in a second). The cashier and bag boy both started laughing, at which point the cashier said, "yeah, I didn't know how to ask without being rude, but how old are you?"

"Twenty-one," I answered, trying very hard not to let my weariness at this question show.

"So you're legal and everything and still walking around dressed like that?" the lady behind me pressed. The laughter continued from all sides. I don't really remember anything else--I didn't answer back, I think I just smiled and tried to laugh politely. I paid for my items as quickly as possible before leaving to go find my car.

Let me explain a few things, because this situation comes up a lot. The responses I get are always the same, and I'd like to address them.

"Just say something rude right back! Tell that old bag her outfit made her look about twenty pounds heavier and see how she likes it! That'll shut her up!" 

I'm not the kind of person who will genuinely say something rude. I try very hard to maintain the politeness I was raised with. Even when I can think of anything truly snappy, nine times out of ten I won't say it. The woman behind me was wearing a very garish leopard-printed suit, and the first thing that came to my mind out of anger was that someone ought to tell her those hadn't been relevant since the 70's. Even as she was drawing all of this unwanted attention to me, I immediately felt bad for thinking so harshly. Obviously, she liked her outfit enough to wear it out, so who was I to judge? For all I know, this style is completely fashionable. I don't claim to be the most modern, and I probably don't know what I'm talking about anyway.

"Just take it as a compliment! You'll be thankful for those kinds of comments when you're forty!"

I hate this. I'm sure this is true to some extent--my grandmother and mom are living proof that this isn't going to stop anytime soon. However, the fact of the matter is, I'm not forty. I'm a twenty-one-year-old who has accomplished things I'm proud of. I consider myself to be fairly intelligent. Despite being occasionally down on myself, I know I have nice traits to offer. I don't think I should take someone's blatant rudeness as a compliment, especially when they don't mean it to be one.

"Don't take it so seriously!" 

I dislike this even more. For some reason, comments like this are written off by others, and I'm expected to simply ignore them. However, I don't see why it should be acceptable for anyone to take the time out of their day to interrupt what another person is doing just to say something negative. The only time I go out of my way to speak to someone I don't know is to compliment them. It's a foolproof way to make someone's day better. You're almost guaranteed a more friendly response if you say something nice. While many prefer to dismiss my feelings as dramatic, I feel that this is a form of harassment, especially if you continue with it despite visibly making the other party uncomfortable.

"Well, what do you expect with the way you dress? If you want some respect, lose the bows and put on some makeup!" 

This is my least favorite response of all. It completely shifts the blame from the person who was deliberately being hurtful to the person who was trying to happily go about their day. The fact of the matter is, I like  how I dress. It's true that I don't wear any makeup, and I will continue not to as long as I like. Am I better than other women who enjoy makeup? No! Am I worse? No! It's a personal preference, and I feel uncomfortable wearing it. Why would I change that just to please other people?

I enjoy the fact that I only own two pairs of pants and that all my dresses are printed. I'm proud of having a collection of patterned tights and being able to make my own hair accessories. I have a huge appreciation for vintage styles, and having fun emulating the colorful styles I admire so much is my favorite pastime. Your style is how you choose to express who you are--we've all heard it on What Not To Wear, and it's true. I don't blindly clip bows I make by hand into my hair and think, "goodness, I hope nobody realizes that I like cutesy things!" The truth is, I have this newfangled notion that you deserve the same amount of respect no matter what you look like. I can't stress this enough. Someone could be running around the store naked and you still wouldn't have the right to judge them on how they looked. You simply wouldn't, because it has no bearing on who they are. I shouldn't be any less deserving of respect because of what I was wearing. That's the mentality that you see all too often in more upsetting situations--victim-blaming. "Well, she was assaulted for no reason, but what was she wearing?" "Well, you were harassed while you were out enjoying an evening with your friends...but what were you wearing?" It doesn't matter. This is a very unhealthy mentality that too many people seem to share. Call me over-dramatic all you like. I refuse to perpetuate the idea that anyone deserves to be treated as less because of how they look.

This is becoming a serious problem for me, as people have always thought I looked young. You may or may not realize from looking at me that I'm actually a college graduate who's going to become a diplomat someday. You may not realize that I've been known to curse like a sailor on shore leave. You may not know my struggles or insecurities or wishes or favorite books. You'll never know unless you learn to ask me instead of going off of appearances alone. I can't help it if I look young forever--that's half the reason I refuse to turn to makeup. I don't want to force something that isn't there. Thousands of women I know have perfected their usage of products to enhance their already pretty features, but for me, personally, it would serve as more of a disguise and less as a complement. And that's okay.

What isn't okay is being expected to choose between being taken seriously and changing who I am.

It took a long time to get here! I'm not going to erase all of it and start over just because some people think that printed dresses and hair-bows make me less worthy of respect. For anyone who's encountered the same problems, don't let it make you change, either. I think some people are truly intimidated by the bravery it takes to be your true self. Who knows?

For anyone who's wondering, this was the offending outfit.

Bow: Handmade proudly by yours truly.

Shirt: Forever 21 (it has bunnies on it! How can you get angry about that?!)

Shorts: Forever 21 (I bought these on sale a long time ago)

Shoes: Old Navy 

I'm sure that woman didn't realize that I made my bow at the same time as I made a matching one for my dear long-distance friend. She probably didn't consider that my mother had picked this shirt out while we were shopping together one day, and she'd been so excited about it that I had to buy it. It always reminds me of her. Of course, I don't expect strangers to be mind-readers, but doesn't it make sense to assume that if you're going to criticize someone you don't know, you may be insulting them on a deeper level than you realize?

I plan to post countless more outfit pictures over however long I keep this blog. If my style ever changes, it will be because I decided it was time for something different, not because enough people finally made me realize I looked like a young teenager. The people who matter love the way I look--and, what's more, they love me. 

I'm sorry this turned into such a novel. Anyone who has had similar experiences can attest, however, that it only becomes more disheartening with time. It can truly be unfortunate how many people feel the need to go out of their way to bring others down.

Has a similar situation happened to you? What did you do? How do you feel about this kind of thing? I'd love to hear! 

{ opinions: on department stores }

Does anyone mind if I talk about this for a minute?

Because my views on clothing have completely shifted over the last year or two, and I think it's really interesting to examine the fashion world and their products as a result.

It's no secret that if I had it my way, my whole closet would be made up of one-of-a-kind, vintage-inspired, printed garments that were predominantly skirts and dresses. I find great joy in accumulating clothes that are versatile enough to suit the workplace or a day out--while I can certainly respect the fact that a lot of places require formal business-wear, I see nothing wrong with wearing colors and exciting patterns, especially if they're made suitable for a workplace! Really, how can you complain about a knee-length printed dress with a solid cardigan and cute heels? Maybe some pretty curls on the side or a nice updo? Even if you can complain about that, you shouldn't. That's adorable and it shouldn't pose any threats to someone getting their job done.

I digress.

I love getting outfit inspiration from places like Modcloth or Anthropologie. I frequently troll sites including wwzdw.com (they have exact matches and similar alternatives for all those cute New Girl outfits!) and frantically await new episodes of Once Upon a Time so I can try to scope out more Mary-Margaret styles. I can't be the only one! The thing is, those people are highly paid actors, and they can afford those gorgeous brand-name clothes with no problem. It's certainly possible to find similar looks for less money, but not probable, and you have to get pretty lucky.

With that in mind, yesterday I visited the mall for the first time in awhile with my mom. I had a list of silhouettes and styles in mind, and I hoped I might find clothes along the lines of the ones I have bookmarked in a list longer than I care to admit!

I hadn't been to a department store in years; for awhile, stores like Forever 21 and American Eagle were my go-to shops. In my teens, places like Macy's or Dillard's had seemed too "old" or "high-end" for me. Maybe it was time to give them a try! After all, the commercials made them look so classy and glamorous!

Sadly, I have to report that my personal experience was quite disappointing. I quickly found the junior's dress section, but the selection was limited. (It's harder than you'd think to find simple a-line dresses, with or without sleeves!) My mother picked out a few for me in mint, royal blue, and red. I was excited to try them on after selecting what should have been my size--however, I struggled to get each dress up over my hips! (Generally, if a dress is my size, this isn't an issue). Following that, it was an effort to zip up the garments--I could hardly breathe! Even in two or three sizes up, the fits were less than favorable.

I couldn't understand why this was the case--thanks to a newfound interest in modern-vintage shopping, I have a really good grasp on my measurements and how they should translate into clothing sizes. Obviously, depending on whether specific brands run large or small, you want to size up or down, but it's typically going to be pretty consistent. I can say with pretty good certainty that, on average, I'm a small, but I found myself floundering in department stores, unsure what would work at all. In some styles, a 00 drowned me--in others, even an 8 was quite tight. Also, my biggest issue at my height is always having to hem things. I've slowly become more accustomed to longer lengths (think knee-skimming or a few inches above) as casual wear, with some exceptions. I'm not against shorter styles at all--my shorts are all high-waisted, and about half my skirts are too--but even I felt a little limited in movement with these dresses. That was certainly a first!

No wonder so many people hate shopping for clothes! Once you start gravitating away from the "younger" stores, as I've heard them called, there's a whole new sizing standard, and it can make finding things you like much more difficult. Being 21, I find myself in an awkward spot where Forever 21-esque establishments (I understand the irony fully) are too young for me, but shops like White House/Black Market, Talbot's, or even Anthropologie are still a bit overwhelming and don't exactly carry the modern-vintage styles I'm after.

Obviously, your personal taste and individual body type will determine where is best to get your clothes. I have issues finding things because I'm hourglass-shaped and short, which contradicts a lot of today's styles. Along with that, I have very simple preferences, and am often frustrated to see what could have been a perfectly cute red dress ruined by rhinestones, studs, unnecessary zippers, glitter, or strange cuts in the fabric. I haven't bought a plain blouse or cardigan in months because I just can't find any! (If you know of some good, affordable shops, let me know! ;) ) I'm not against department stores. Not even a little bit. However, this vintage-loving girl was personally a tad disappointed with the experience. I wasn't actually able to find anything on my list, and the things that came close would have been cheaper to buy on sale online anyway.

(That's actually one more thing that's changing about me--I used to pride myself on being THE bargain-hunter, and refused to spend over $10 on any one item. Now, upon going through my closet over the years and realizing how many things I bought solely because they were cheap, I've decided I'd rather spend a little more on fewer pieces I love. I was shocked to see that the cost of these items I used to purchase without really loving added up to far more than I spend now. I'm still getting used to that--a lot of my friends will raise an eyebrow when they inquire how much I bought my new dress/skirt/shoes for. However, I'm pretty proud of how I manage my money, and I still utilize plenty of discounts--and, at the end of the day, it's your business when it comes to how you spend your resources!)

That said, do any of you encounter similar issues when shopping in stores? I enjoy going out and browsing around, but more and more lately, I find myself happier to save up for choice pieces online and read at home instead. Where is your go-to place to get clothes that suit you perfectly? Do you prefer to shell out more money for less things, or do you find that method flawed? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

{ saturday: baking scones! }

One of my favorite things to do in the mornings--on weekends especially--is bake special treats for everyone to wake up to. I've been thinking it would be fun to try sharing some of my most-loved recipes with all of you, because who wouldn't want to try making scones at least once? I don't have the cutest vintage kitchen with matching accessories like some of my favorite bloggers (yet!) but I still thought pictures might be fun and help illustrate the process for those of you who might not be too familiar with baking just yet!

I have to go ahead and credit this recipe for what I'm writing about today--it really lives up to its name. It's an excellent base, and you can adapt it literally any way you want to. I would pay special attention to the reviews, because I did find that reducing the amount of butter and baking powder yields a more favorable result. However, it's entirely up to you, which is why this is one of my most-used recipes.

The original uses currants (which sound delicious, but I've never actually seen any around here...) but so far I've tried blueberry, raspberry, chocolate chip, multi-berry lemon, and now, as of today, blueberry chocolate chip! I'm sure there's a whole other realm of savory scones I have yet to try, but that's for another day.

Scones can seem kind of daunting. Marcus and I used to go to this bakery in Flagstaff every Sunday for these huge ones that we had to split with a glass of milk. I always wanted to try making them, but they seemed to easy to mess up.

Not the case!

I went ahead and outlined the basics of how these scones are made, but for exact measurements, visit the instructions I linked above--I wouldn't want to steal all the attention away from the original author who was generous enough to share such a successful recipe!

You need basic ingredients for this:

• Flour - I haven't tried anything so far except basic white all-purpose, but I'm really curious to experiment with wheat or coconut flour.
• Sugar - what's really nice is that you don't use a whole lot, but you still get just the right amount of sweetness!
• Butter - the recipe calls for five tablespoons, but I've always scaled back to three and they're still pretty decadent.
• Baking powder - again, I'd consider using a teaspoon less than the recipe calls for.
• Salt - pretty standard for baking.
• Milk and sour cream - I actually always use plain fat-free yogurt in place of the sour cream, and it works wonderfully.
• Any berries, chocolate chips, or other such toppings you desire! 
• There's also an optional egg wash that includes one egg and a little milk. The idea is that you dust it over the scones before baking. However, I've tried it with and without this, and don't notice much of a difference either way. Up to you!

Here we go! A brief demonstration, because who doesn't like pictures?

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl together: flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Make sure they're mixed well!

My personal favorite part: adding the butter! It seems to work best if you place your block of butter in the freezer, then grate it into the dry ingredients. It's really fun, and it looks really cool. Am I the only one who loves the color of butter?

Throw in your toppings. The recipe calls for something like 1/2 cup of currants, but I always end up adding more. Today I used blueberries and chocolate chips, and I think I might have just skipped measuring! ;)

Mix everything thoroughly. It's important to distribute the butter evenly so that every scone achieves maximum fluffiness!

Combine the yogurt and milk in a separate bowl. I like to whisk them, because it gives me an excuse to use mine. (Not a whole lot of recipes seem to require whisking anymore, which is really too bad...)

Pour the wet ingredients into your dry ones all at once, and mix them well. The recipe cautions against over-working the dough. So far, that's been avoided on my end, but I'm always a little nervous about either over-mixing them or risking leaving chunks of flour just sitting there. Eventually it'll all combine into one huge ball--and a lot of my berries exploded, turning the dough blue in some places!

Pull the dough apart and shape them into little balls on a baking sheet--I try to make them vaguely triangular, but you'll see that they never really turn out that way. It's best to let them rest for about 10 minutes to let the baking powder activate--I use that time to wash my dishes! Afterward, place those babies into the 400-degree oven!

After about ten to twelve minutes, they should be about done, but I know it depends on the oven. When they stop being squishy and start getting golden brown on top, you know it's almost time to enjoy them!

My household in particular enjoys them plain with lots of milk, but you can also serve with clotted cream (never seen that before, either, but it sounds delicious) and jam. My brother tried it with the jam once and decided it was only so-so.

There you have it! Scones are actually really easy and don't take very long at all. Chances are you'll try making them and immediately want to whip up another batch with other toppings. I know I'm looking forward to fall so that I can do pumpkin or cranberry! 

Let me know if you try this great recipe, and tell me how it turns out! What kind of fillings did you use? 

-Katie

i always did like yellow...

Ignore my silly face--I was excited because I enjoy wordplay, and this is the closest I've ever come to seeing any on my own name. Starbucks makes good novelty coffees. 

So here's my fun story that probably isn't as interesting or humorous as I think it is, but, anyway. Earlier today, I visited the digestive doctor, because my primary seems to think something suspicious is occurring with my liver. (Spoiler alert, it isn't.) This specialist did mention that I have a fun condition called Gilbert's Syndrome. All that means is that my liver has weird enzyme habits, which equals me being vaguely yellowish. To be honest, I'd always just thought that was my complexion--we're largely Spanish and Filipino, and I've had my skin referred to as "olive" enough times to just assume.

But, no, I actually have glorified adult jaundice, I guess.

I can't tell if she was trying to be humorous, but the doctor let me know that there wasn't anything I could do about it--I would just have to be vaguely yellowish forever. She suggested bronzer if I was self-conscious about it. I felt really bad for wanting to laugh, because she looked serious, so I politely thanked her for the advice.

My mom thought this whole exchange was hilarious, and she asked me later why they couldn't just put me under the "special lamp" like they apparently did when I was born. I've been jaundiced since forever, it turns out!

To celebrate, I promptly went to Starbucks with my mom and ordered a caramel coffee.

When you're told you're going to be vaguely yellowish forever, you have to be a good sport about it, after all.

:)

Modcloth is having a spectacular sale! Click here for some great deals!

Today, I thought I'd post a link to one of my favorite sites--Modcloth! I recently became an affiliate, and hopefully I'm doing this correctly--if you click through this link, you'll be taken to their site to shop their wonderful sale items! Most of them are about 50% off, which is a great deal!

Let me know if you see anything you like!

{ vacation: san diego }

It's been a little bit!

That's mostly because this past week, my family, Marcus and I were all getting ready to go on a great trip we'd been planning for awhile! Mom's been wanting to go back to San Diego forever--last time we went was probably about seven or eight years ago. While that in and of itself was a fun experience, it had been a long time and my poor mom was pretty tired out from her job. She'd been saving up vacation time all year!

The four days we were there went by too quickly, unfortunately.

While we were there, we:

• Enjoyed some good food, including breakfast time at the hotel's Waffle Spot and their dinner joint, Amigo Spot. (They're big on spots there, I guess). My youngest brother, Tommy, had especially missed these restaurants. I suspect it was a nostalgia thing. 
• Visited the Gaslamp District and shopped around some shops I'd dreamed of seeing, mainly including the Bettie Page store. Pictures to follow.
• Of course, went to the beach! We visited Mission Beach for the day at the beginning of our trip, and we technically went to La Jolla, even though it was just the parking lot. I guess Saturday evenings in the summertime aren't the best choice when visiting a beach, because we had to turn around and go home! :( 
• Spent a day at Balboa Park--this day was sort of mixed, because the original plan had been to go to either Sea World or the San Diego Zoo. Neither of those things happened, mostly due to lack of planning, so the day ended up being sort of up in the air. We went to go explore Balboa Park, and we also went to this science museum that was supposed to be the coolest thing but was actually kind of not. (I think it was really geared toward kids around six or seven years old). Unfortunately, it cost so much to get in that we couldn't have gone to the zoo or Sea World anyway! Oh, well--Jack ended up getting to visit a natural history museum that made his day, and mom and I went walking around the area.
• Following that, we ran into two separate groups at the Pavilion having weddings, along with a family reunion and a quinceanera. We enjoyed looking at everyone's outfits and discussing what we did and didn't like about wedding themes. 
• Played some games in our hotel room and enjoyed the swimming pool and Jacuzzi.
• Went walking with my mom every morning--we'd stop at the coffee machine in the lobby and take a walk around the Hotel Circle! It was some great bonding time! 
• Spent a lot of time watching early morning Disney Channel (I think we all really like Sophia the First now?) and Hell's Kitchen. There was a marathon one night, what else were we going to do?!
• And I got a job! There are more details to follow, but while on vacation, I got a phone call with a job offer! I'll save that for later so that I don't get too carried away in one single post.

And now, here are a couple of pictures! I probably have more around here somewhere, and I forgot to take pictures of some things I wish I had--like walks or certain foods--but these are my favorite parts of the trip!

This thing was in front of the Amigo Spot, but it always froze when we tried to take a picture!

My mom was super psyched.

They enjoyed burying Marcus in his huge hole, but he didn't have too great a time getting out of it!

This beach was REALLY crowded!

Here was the progress of this aforementioned hole! I bought him a shovel at one of the stands near the beach and he was a huge fan!

My brother was nice enough to get me a little stuffed mammoth from his special museum! He felt bad because I hadn't gotten to pick anything that day--very sweet of him! (Also, he bought me that latte. Ladies, he's a very generous boy!)

All week, I wanted some waffles, but felt they were too unhealthy...the solution? Mini waffles with some of Marcus's strawberry topping! They were so cakey! 

This volcano cake was beyond delicious. It was really tiny, and the four of us demolished it while Mom enjoyed some vanilla ice cream.

Here are just a couple of outfits I tried on at the Bettie Page store! I've wanted that green skirt in the middle forever--someday, I'll get it!

This was fun to try to get out of...

We had a really great time! Like I said, I might have more pictures later, for anyone who's interested! (I doubt too many people look on this blog regularly, but I still love to post about things like this!)

Now, I just wish we could all go back!