Back To School 2012: Fashion For Kids

It's that time again!

All the stores are starting their Back-To-School sales, and we start to think about what our kids will be wearing.

If your school shopping experience is anything like mine, it usually involves arguing over what's cool vs. what's affordable.

My kids want whatever's in style, no matter the cost.

I want to not have to take out a second mortgage on my house in order for them to achieve that "cool look".

I've done a little research on what's "in" for this season, and that way, you can be on the lookout for a good deal.

That way, we ALL win!

For Girls, the trends are:

Plaid, Bright Colors, Argyle, Anything that sparkles (think sequins and glitter!), Peace Signs, Animal Prints, Dresses and Leggings, and cutesy graphic tees.

Check out my 'Back To School For Girls' Pinterest Page for samples of some of these looks and where to find them:

For Boys, the trends are:

Plaid, Skater Style (think skinny jeans, and tees), Argyle, High-Top Shoes, Military/Camo, Layering, Fedora Hats, and Graphic Tees.

You can also check out my 'Back To School For Boys' Pinterest Page for samples of these looks, too.

Here are a few tips to help you as you shop:

• Take note of the styles that are in, and then look for them at discount places like Target or WalMart.  They may not have as big of a selection of "in" styles, but even if you can just get a few pieces there, that will help!
• Try to find jeans, khaki's, and other basics at places like Goodwill and second hand shops.  I always get lucky and find tons of Gap and Old Navy jeans at my local Goodwill!
• Try to keep from buying sweaters, coats etc. until later in the fall.  Even though they are out now, kids won't wear them for a while, and by then, the prices will be much better!
• Shop armed with coupons!  Gymboree often sends out 30% off coupons, and they also have a loyalty card.  Gap and The Children's Place do the same.  Save those for the few items that you really want that you know you won't be able to find someplace else.
• Set a Budget and stick to it!  You don't need to buy everything all at once.  Most likely, your kids can and will be wearing most of their summer shorts and tops for the first month or so.  Time is money and you can be saving for more items while they are wearing those.
• Shop Online when you can!  Often, you will get a better price for the same items as in the store!

I hope this helps you as you set out to keep your kids in style this season!

My Husband Doesn't Like What I Wear

I read an online article the other week that was something like, "10 Things Men Don't Like That Women Wear". 

It made me curious because I didn't really think that men paid much attention to what women wear. 

Some things that made the list were harem pants, Uggs and anything neon.

It made me question if there were things I wore that my own husband didn't like.

But just as I thought, my husband loves everything I wear.

Ha!  Did you believe that? 

Nope, turns out he does have some opinions about what I wear, or how I wear my hair etc.

Fortunately for me, he usually keeps them to himself.  But when I ask, he is honest, (in a kind and sensitive way, of course!)

Turns out, his main pet peeve is when I wear my hair wavy/curly.  He says that it looks unkept and he prefers that I take the time to straighten it. 

my "unkept" hair...

He also isn't a fan of boots...especially my cowgirl boots. (Obviously, he doesn't know a great thing when he sees it!)

photo link

Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don't.

Because while I like to look nice for my husband, and appreciate it when he thinks I look good, I dress more for myself than anyone else.

So what about you?  Do you dress for yourself or for your husband/others? 

I Love My New Shoes

While at Blissdom, the blogging conference I went to, I received a free pair of Dr. Scholl's shoes from Famous Footwear.

Now, I know what you're thinking, (because I thought it, too).

"Isn't Dr. Scholl's some kind of orthopedic shoe for old people?"

Yep, I had that same thought.

But, no, apparently, they're not!

I was surprised when I saw them, that they were actually really cute.  In fact, I had been wanting a pair of similar shoes for a while.  This is the shoe we received:

source

Peeps, I am here to tell you that I AM IN LOVE!

These shoes are sooo comfy!  They feel like slippers, they're so comfortable.  And they are cute also!

Because I loved these shoes so much, (seriously, you just have to try them to know the level of comfort I am talking about!), I decided to check out the Dr. Scholl's site and see if they had other cute shoes, or if this was a fluke...something just made to grab our attention at a blog conference.

But I was super surprised to see lots of cute shoes, especially these fun little wedges:

source

All moms know that it is hard to find cute and stylish shoes that can keep our feet feeling great even after hours of pushing a stroller and running after our kids.  But ladies, I think we may have found a winner, because Dr. Scholl's is no longer your grandparents shoe! 

Oh, and also, just want to clarify that while I got the one pair of cute shoes for free, I was NOT asked to blog about them, and I was also not given anything else for free from Dr. Scholl's or Famous Footwear.  I just REALLY love these shoes, and want to share this great find out with all my other momma friends!

If you want to read my full disclosure page, feel free to do it here!

Some Stuff About Me

Okay, so today I am linking up to a couple of Blissdom blogs so that those lovely bloggers who will be going to Blissdom can get to know me better!

SO WELCOME!!!

And also for those who may be new readers of this little blog...I hope that you feel like we're old friends once you finish reading :)

So here's some random stuff about me:


-My name is Ricki.

-I am a mom to 2 silly, sweet, funny, smart, and energetic little girls named Addy (8) and Faith (5).

-My fantastic husband and I have been married almost ten years, and I am even more madly in love with him today than the day we married!

-I am a Stay-at-Home mom and I think it is the best and most challenging job in the whole world.

-I LOATHE cleaning.  My husband is the cleaner in our relationship, and that *may be* the secret to our success.

-I love cooking and baking.  But I am a good cook, and, well, I do my best at baking :)

-I enjoy taking photos but I wish I had a better camera.

see what I mean...

-Fashion is one of my many passions.  If I were young and single, I would totally be living in New York trying to work in the fashion industry.

-I watch way too much TV...mostly reality.  I should feel guilty about it but I don't.


-I am a cheer coach to 1st and 2nd grade little girls.

-I have been on a diet since I was about 6.  It's not going very well...

-I am very outgoing and get my energy from other people.  But sometimes, when I first meet people, I can be shy.  I've been told it sometimes comes off as stuck up or uninterested, but it's truly just my insecurities.

-I love bright colors but mostly wear black and grey.  I have no idea why.

at least I put a yellow flower on...

-I like all kinds of music including hip hop and rap.  In fact, I'm the mom driving around in her minivan, bass pumping, and singing along to Will. I. Am. and Jay Z.  My kids are gonna be sooo embarrassed some day, but right now they think I'm cool.

-I love to travel and really wish we were able to do more.  My favorite family vacation place is Disney World.  I'm obsessed!!

-I like to sleep in and I am NOT a morning person.  I need at least 8 hrs to feel human, and in fact, my husband was always the one to get up with our babies because he could handle sleep deprivation much better than I. 

-I have some of the BEST girlfriends in the world!!  God has truly blessed me in that area of my life and I am soooo thankful!!

3 of my closest friends and I at a birthday party...yes, we're all crazy!

Those ladies who have been in my life a loooong time and I Love them!

-I love to read and right now I am into The Hunger Games series.  It's REALLY good!

-I have 3 sisters.

My 3 sisters, my mom and I.

-I like playing board games and cards.  Especially Euchre.  But I'm not that good.

-I have a gazillion ideas for books I would like to write, (novels), but I never write any of them.

-I love to dance!!!  If there is music, I will dance, and I don't care at all what I look like.,  (Okay, maybe I care a little.  But I don't let it stop me)

-My mom and father-in-law are both battling cancer right now.  It's tough, but we're getting through it.

-I love this little blog of mine.  I startd it about a year ago and it's kind of my escape.  It's so fun to share all of the craziness of my life here.

-planning fun activities for my family is definitely one of my passions!  I get so much happiness out of seeing them have a good time.

Our family in Chicago

-I am really nervous and super excited to be going to my first blogging conference in just 2 weeks!!  I hope I make some new friends, have a fun and relaxing weekend, and learn some stuff along the way.

-My most important relationship is with Christ.  I'm His and He's mine :)

Well, there you go.  That may be more than you ever wanted to know, but it's all true and it's all me!

Things I Love Thursday: Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss

I had a Mary Kay party for a friend back in the fall.  And while I wasn't really a Mary Kay customer, she was just starting her business out and I wanted to help her.

During the party we got to experience lots of their product, and I must say, I was pretty impressed.  They have a TON of good stuff, and it's affordable too, so that's a plus.

But I MUST tell you that my absolute favorite thing is the Nourishine Lip Gloss!

Now, my favorite color is Sugarberry, which has unfortunately been discontinued, (BOOOOOOO!).  In the bottle, it looked purpleish, so I was hesitant to try it out. But it actually looked more like a neutral when it went on.  I have heard that the Berry Tart color is similar, so I'll probably try that next.

I love it because it goes with everything, stays on for a long time, never feels heavy or clumpy, and always gives me that perfect glossy shine!  And while Sugarberry was my favorite color, ALL the colors are gorgeous...I really don't think you could go wrong.

I am a hard sell and can be pretty cynical, (especially when it comes to home party kind of stuff!), but I am now a believer in Mary Kay, and this lip gloss in particular. And did I mention that it's only $14 and lasts for a really long time??!!  That is a great deal for a great product!

If you have never given Mary Kay a try, I encourage you to check it out.  Pretty sure you'll love it as much as I do!

I will be linking up with Things I Love Thursday over at The Diaper Diaries.  be sure to check out all the other stuff getting blog love today!

Mix It Up Monday: Boots and A Skirt

There is this fashion rule that I try to follow most of the time.

That fashion rule is: Just because it's trendy doesn't mean it will look good on you!  Wear what looks good, not what everyone else is wearing!

But I have to admit that sometimes, I look at a girl in a something trendy that I'm pretty sure won't work for me, and I am SO jealous!

I just wish I was one of those girls who could pull off any look...but I'm not.

And when everyone started wearing skinny jeans or leggings with boots, I was screaming, "WHYYYY?" in my head.  Not because it doesn't look good, but because I didn't think it would look good on ME!

First of all, to find a pair of boots that will fit up over my large calves is almost impossible.

And need I explain the skinny jeans or leggings?

I didn't think so.

But after and eternity a while of watching everyone else pull off this look, I was determined to try. 

And by golly, I think I found a way to make it work.

Sweater: Garage Sale, Skirt: Goodwill, White Tee: Target, Black Shirt: Old Navy, Gray Leggings: Gap Outlet, Black Boots: Avenue Online

I still don't think I can follow every trend, (and actually, this may be the only outfit I can wear these boots and leggings with...but what the heck!), but it's nice to know that if I am willing to adjust a little, I can feel a little trendy too!

So tell me, what fashion trends have you tried lately?

I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS, and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.

Mix It Up Monday: Halloween

Instead of posting the boring everyday outfits I wore this week, I am posting some of the costumes that I, (and a few friends), wore this past weekend to the 2 Halloween parties that we went to!

The first party was Friday night and it was a Music Mania theme.  Jeremy and I channeled Rock Of Love and went as Bret Michaels and one of his "ladies", (I use that word loosely).

And my friend, Amy and her husband went as Sharon and Ozzy...don't they look awesome?!  They win the costume contest ever year.  Overachievers!

And here's me with my friend Carrie (aka Cindy Lauper) and Amy.  Carrie is the crazy lady who throws this party every year.  Sooo thankful for these fun friends!

On Saturday, we went to my sister's annual Halloween costume party.  There was no theme for this party and I was DYING to wear my 'Flo The Progressive Girl' costume!!

My husband decided not to go with a costume change.  BOOOOOOOO!

Some of my favorites from the night were the Sock Monkey's.  Super Clever.  They had monkey ears and a monkey tail and socks pinned all over them.  

And this couple never disappoints.  This year she was a drugged out, toothless, skanky looking girl and her husband was a thug.  They played the parts a little too real if you ask me :)

And this is my friend Vickie.  She looked awesome in her Madonna outfit.  I was waiting on her to belt out some "Like a Virgin', but no such luck.

I hope you all have a great Halloween and that you too got to put on some fun outfits and be silly for a night. 

Speaking of which, what was your FAVORITE costume growing up? 

Mine was a witch when I was about 8.  I had a long black dress and my older sisters did my face in green makeup and teased up my hair really good.  It looked so great that people were asking me to come in their houses to take pictures of my costume.

As always, I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS and The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday!

Mix It Up Monday: Finally!

I know, it has been a while since I've done a fashion post.

But it's hard to remember to take pictures all the time.

Plus, my husband thinks I'm crazy when I ask him to take a picture of me all the time.

Maybe I need to invest in a tripod??

Anyhow, here's a few from this week. 

Hanging around the house and errands:

White Tank and Black long sleeved tee: Target, Red Cardigan: Garage Sale, Jeans: Goodwill, Hat: Charming Charlie

Taking my nephew for his birthday lunch (he turned 3!!):

White Tank: Old Navy, Black Sweater: Torrid, Jeans: DressBarn, Pink Scarf: ??(Super old!), Flower: Claire's

Getting ready to go to haunted houses on Friday's Date Night!:

Head Scarf/Band: A Local Festival, Black Sweater: Torrid, (shhh, same one I wore the day before!), white tank: Target, Jeans: Old Navy, Boots: American Eagle)

 At The Dayton Ballet Matinee performance of Sleepy Hollow:

Pants: Macy's, Black Shirt, shoes and cardigan: Goodwill, Belt: DressBarn, Necklace: Kohls

Running errands and going for pizza:

Black Shirt and White Tank: Target, Cardigan and pants: Goodwill, Loafers:  Elder Beerman

So, nothing really to wow you here, but it is what it is.  And FYI, my husband HATES the head scarf/band thingy, (what do you call those anyway??).  I LOVE it.  So much that I don't really care if the rest of the world hates it, I'm wearing it anyway :)

I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.  Check them out!

WIWW: I LOVE Sweaters!

Last week was kind of chilly around here, so I got to pull out some of my sweaters!!

I LOVE sweaters!!!

They keep you cosy and comfy and hide all those areas that swimsuits and shorts show off.

Yeah, I am DEFINITELY a sweater girl :)

Unfortunately, I was enjoying my sweaters so much that I forgot to take pictures of myself actually wearing them...

Except for this one:

We were going to my sisters for a get together and I remembered that I should probably get at least *one* pic for this week.

I love the layering I can do with this sweater, (and oh my.  As the winter wears on, you will see that I LOVE to layer too!), and I think the belt breaks it up a little.

And I got to wear heeled boots too!

This makes for one happy girl :)

Except it's now back in the mid 70's here...so no sweaters this week.

Gotta love Ohio weather.

I am linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS, and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW. 

Mix It Up Monday: Style Inspiration

Lately, I have had a number of people say to me,

"I just don't know how to put an outfit together.", or

"I never know what to wear.", or

"I can't figure out what looks right on my body."

I can totally relate to these comments.  I spend way too much time agonizing about what I'm going to wear when I actually have to leave my house.

Lately, though, it has gotten a bit easier for me, and one reason is Pinterest.

I know, I know.

You're getting tired of hearing about Pinterest.

But honestly, it has been a huge help to my life, and style is just one area that it has provided inspiration.

You see, I have a style pin board.  And when I see an outfit I like on the site, (or somewhere else), I just pin it so that when I am struggling with what to wear, I go to my board for inspiration.

This is an outfit I wore this week:

Cardigan: Garage Sale, Tank: Target, Shoes: Clothes Swap, Necklace: Boutique in Waynesville.

And here is the outfit that inspired my look:

Via polyvore.com on Pinterest

You see, I don't have the *exact* pieces pictured here, but I have items that are close.  So I put them together and I have an outfit that I like. 

I have loads of outfits pinned that I have started going to when I feel like I have nothing to wear.  Plus, it also gives me ideas for new outfits that might look good on me. 

If you're not interested in Pinterest, try checking out magazines, online style sites, or copying someone Else's style when you're feeling blah.

As always, I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS, and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.  You can go there now for some instant style inspiration of your own!

Mix It Up Monday: Let's Go Dancing!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I celebrated our 9th Anniversary.  We had agreed not to spend money on gifts, but I still wanted to do something special for him. 

So I got on Pinterest to search for ideas.  (Of course I did!)

And I found a GREAT one!   I planned one date per month for us that are in sealed envelopes and each month he gets to open one and we do it.

This past Friday was the first date, and it was Swing Dancing!

Now, my husband is NOT a dancer, so this was taking a chance that he would actually participate.

But since it was a double date with friends, and since it was a fundraiser for missionaries at our church, he went with it.

It was soooooo much fun!  We were totally not taking ourselves too seriously and it was great to do something we don't normally do together.

Before the evenings events, I was really struggling with what to wear.  It was a cool night here, but I knew that once we got to dancing, I would be hot.

Plus, I wanted to look cute on my date, but I still wanted to be comfy.

At first, I decided on a skirt with a short sleeve shirt and cardigan over it.

Skirt and Shoes: Goodwill, Black shirt: Old Navy, White Tank and Cardigan: Target

But this outfit just didn't seem like me.  I like all the pieces, and maybe to church or a wedding they would be fine.

But I needed something more fun.  So I changed into cropped jeans, threw on a different layering shirt and put a flower in my hair.

Cropped Jeans and Cardigan: Target, Shoes: Goodwill, Black Shirt: Old Navy, Striped Shirt: Clothing Swap (Old Navy), Hair Flower: Charming Charlie

There, that's more like me.

And my husband loved it too.  I think it's one of his new favorites :)

So this is what I wore on the first of our twelve pre-planned dates!

So tell me, what are some of your favorite dates?  AND, do you have a favorite date outfit?? 

I will be linking up with Momma Go Round for RMRS, and The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.