Creole Wisdom

Easter weekend 2013 | part 2

Saturday was so fun, I am glad I filled it with time with friends. Sunday came, and I was ready to make it a day about faith and family. I got up early to get ready and was glad for the extra time. I don't like feeling rushed. A few weeks ago dad offered to take me shopping to find a new dress to wear for Easter. It was so incredibly sweet and out-of-the-blue of him. I'd love to have the money to buy new dresses every holiday, but I don't. I am so grateful for his generosity :)

{Sunday Morning}

We thought we were beating the crowds by getting to church a half hour early. Wrong! It was so crowded we barely got a seat in a pew. I've never seen The Basilica so full, every pew and over flow seat was full. People were standing just to be part of the service. I have to say though, how awesome that a church is packed? I missed Substance a bit, but I love attending mass on big holidays-- especially Easter!

The service was pretty long: an hour and a half and I really admired what the Bishop had to say. After church I walked around and took a few photos. The Basilica is just gorgeous!

{Sunday Afternoon}

We headed back to dad's and I enjoyed reading some blogs on my ipad and had a snack. Usually we cook on Easter, but every few years we go out. After throwing two showers almost back to back, mom and I decided we should go out. This is the second Easter brunch we've had at Cafe Maud. Had to enjoy a bloody mary:

I couldn't believe how delicious my crab cake benedict was. I could of taken a photo, but I was more excited about eating it. We ended up ordering some blood orange cheesecake for dessert; it sounds a bit strange, but again, delicious. Cafe Maud just knows how to do it.

I have to admit, it was fun to wear a brand new outfit for Easter. Both my dress and cardigan are from Anthropologie. I can't quit stripes, they are my favorite :) Here's a photo of mom and I; we had a high of 39 degrees so Easter outfits in Minnesota mean tights!

What a great day! I spent the afternoon napping, catching up on the news [so depressing, so glad I don't have a TV at home!] and reflecting on the week ahead of me. Most of all, I tried to keep Him at the center of my thoughts:

lion and the lamb

Well, March is my least favorite month. It straddles winter and spring. March in Minnesota is melty, hopeful days and then a giant blizzard the next. Everyone is spent and over it. I love January and I guess February, too. It feels like March drags on forever then I wake up and it's August already.

What's on my mind today...

Dad is in New York City for business and I wish I was there with him. I could use a trip to Crumbs and scarf shopping on the street.

I'm so looking forward to Arizona and the fact that I get to meet a few blogging friends like Beth and hopefully Jenna. I can't wait to take photos of cacti and marvel at citrus that grows on trees. I am beyond ready to get some Cafe Rio in my mouth!!!

I found the perfect dress for the pre-wedding dinner and am on the hunt for a dress for the actual wedding. Whatever it is, it needs to match Jacob's military uniform. I can't wait to celebrate Karen and Conor.

Tonight some friends and I are getting together. I think Mary put it perfectly a while back, but this is such a nice group of women: we all come from different backgrounds, varying ages and there is no gossiping or meanness. I am so glad that the women I call friends [from college, Bible study, co-workers] have such good character. I appreciate that stuff way more than I used to.

I'm sorta living vicariously through Maggie right now. She found the greatest new place not far from me and it is an incredible, blank slate. I can't wait to gift her some photographs to hang up. I love her courage to find a new apartment and do so in the winter!

Lindsay wrote a beautiful blog series about her daughter's birth. I'm pretty sad we don't live close to one another. I really need to meet my god daughter!

I'm sewing a quilt... more on that soon :)

Lastly, this has really been sitting with me:

"We act out what we believe, not what we know. Our actions, our lifestyles, and our decisions are all reflections of our belief systems. We may say otherwise, and, intellectually, we may know better, but we will live out what we truly believe." -Beth Moore

found it/instafriday

I really wanted the perfect summer dress. I wanted a white one. I love white. I can't believe I found it. Right at Gap, how easy was that?

Oh, and their sizing is so incorrect. The extra-small was a little big on me. What? I am many things, but too small for the extra-small is not one of them.

Just another reminder of what is wrong with our world/culture.

I still love this dress, though!

I hope you had a splendid Independence Day, I did :)

wardrobe rant

I think I need to be more deliberate about my wardrobe. I don't like hardly any of my summer clothes and most of them are on their last legs anyway. I'd rather save money for new lenses and such, but the time has come for me to get real and realize some shopping is in order.

Mostly I need some new work clothes, which can also be play clothes because thank God I'm not a lawyer who has to wear a power suit.

But, here's what I realized I do need my clothing to be:

Modest. I bend over, move around and need to be comfortable while working. I'm representing The Magazine and myself. Ya know? Granted this is very personal. We all have our own standard about what "modest" is and certainly it's more about what's inside than out. Of course it varies based on where you are and what you are doing. Modesty is not about what other people are wearing it is about how comfortable I am in what I am wearing. 

Ugh. I just want it to be fall, then I wouldn't have to think or deal with this. I think what frustrates me so much about summer is that unless I'm in a pool I'm going to be hot, no matter what. I am totally not comfortable in super sexy clothes, some people can pull that off but I cannot and look like a prostitute in shorts. It's a losing battle. I can never win with summer clothing.

Thoughts? Advice?

crown braids

I admit I am obsessing over crown braids. I love them for multiple reasons:

1- They are so easy to do (I did mine in the car!)

2- They look elegant and messy at the same time

3- They keep hair off your neck during the oppressive summer heat

I never thought I could french braid my own hair, but I do it in the mirror and that helps. I can also braid other people's hair. I should probably sit out on my front step and start charging money to do this (ya right.)

How do you wear your hair in the summer?

tardy to the party

I am beyond late, I'm tardy in fact, to the Tom's phenomenon. I've wanted a pair of Tom's for yearrrsss. I have no idea what I was waiting for. They are everything I like in a shoe.

And, check out their amazing packaging:

I kept my boxes for two days before recycling. I just love the photos on them!

What took me so long?

what I've worn lately

I know I could step it up in the wardrobe department. I get dressed everyday, but I could be better. Per Jen's request here's what I wear in the winter here. I think I do a pretty good job considering I live in the tundra. When I see these fashion bloggers who live in places like California I kind of laugh. I'd like to see them try to look cute when it's -30 degrees outside :)

I love this dress. I've had it since my sophomore year in college, it's from Target and super worn. Those boots are also on their last legs, I just love the buttons :) Leggings and a long sleeved black shirt always my layering basics for winter. I love black.

My friend Jana gave me this dress. It's from Provence in France, and of course I love it. The belt is from Primp and I can't quite quit those boots from Target. They are my favorite pair to wear.

I love black... like I said. I wore this little outfit to Church a few Sundays back. Those tights are my new favorites. The dress is BCBG and so much prettier in person. Are you wondering if I ever wear pants, why yes, yes I do.

I have two pairs of premium denim and they are probably the only jeans I can stand to wear now. Isn't that terrible? You know you live in a weird world when good jeans are almost $200. Oh well. I just don't care :)

I love my teal cowgirl boots, even in the winter. That belt is my mom's and I can't get enough of it. I wore this little number when I photographed a local politician who told me she liked my outfit.

What about you, what have you worn lately? Will you do a post for me? I'd love to see them!

thanksgiving report: friday

So, did you survive Thanksgiving? You know it's a lot of family time and that can be so good and sometimes a little bit bad. Aside from people not listening to me and bringing their own serving utensils for their dishes or forgetting half the stuff for their contribution or getting my toe stepped on my Thanksgiving was thisclose to perfect!

Let's be real: so I like to have things just right and planned all my dishes ahead. It's just what you have to do with the smallest kitchen in the midwest. I had my deviled eggs all prepped and put the empty egg halves into the refrigerator overnight. I woke up Thursday morning and half the eggs are frozen. Yes, frozen. I guess that was the clue to turn down the temp :) Don't worry, I salvaged them with steam from my red kettle.

Now, onto the photos and enough about my less-than-perfect Thanksgiving parts.

daily attire: pears + apron•three batches of cornbread dressing ready for the oven•mom's cranberry chutney in my milk glass•my spray painted halves•lion house rolls rising in the oven•place settings•greeting on the chalk board•the perfect plate•view from the couch•my rescued eggs•rolls are done•recipe book is open•dad and a pumpkin•the buffet patterns•cousin Ann + I•mom's dessert tray•Target at 1230am•more centerpieces•teas at the Starbuck's Target•mom+stepdad

It was so delicious and I can't wait to eat leftovers for days on end. Thankfully Maggie agreed to brave the Edina Target at 12am with me. I found these red pants that I can't live without. Haha.

found

These are the treasures I found while visiting Hastings and Red Wing on a little weekend trip I took over Labor Day Weekend with my mom. I've been searching for Santa Mugs for forever. I think they are so sweet, even though some people remarked that they scare them. For now my antique glass bottle collection is complete, so many of these I found for simply $1. After all, they're just glass bottles! These dessert cups are perfect for ice cream or whatever else (er... wine) Then- seriously, had no idea that I could wear clips ons and they wouldn't hurt. I love those little leaves and big pink flowers.

what luck

I went shopping on Saturday. It was so hot. I actually think I got dehydrated. But, one good thing happened. I found this perfect top. I love it.

My guess is that it's from the 60s-70s. It's not cotton, but I'm not sure if it is polyester, either. I took it home because of the perfect shape, detailed smocking and the embroidery. I paid a fair, reasonable price for it at the most lovely new boutique.

Oh, and thirty-forty years ago I was a large.