High Five for Friday

 tank top: american eagle  shorts: jcpenny  shoes: charming charlie

1.  I debated about taking a picture of this outfit as it is far from post worthy.  As a matter of fact, when I bought this shirt a few years ago I somehow thought that having tigers on my shirt was cool.  Not so convinced any more but it is comfortable when it is really hot.    

2. The only thing post worthy about this outfit is my new shoes.  I love them! 

3. So I may not think tigers are cool, but I do still want a shirt with birds on it and a necklace with a giraffe on it, like this one.

Apparently my taste in animals have changed.
I also like elephants. 

source

It makes sense that it is sold out, because it was only $9.  

4.  I made these awhile ago but don't think I've share them with you.  

salted caramel pretzel chocolate chip cookies

Long name, but best cookies ever. 

5.  Jacob and Lauren got their wedding pictures this week and they are beautiful!!

Here's one of my favorites: 

I'll have to share when I get some more of them.

Have a wonderful weekend!

High 5 for Friday  5 days 5 ways

It's OK

 dress: jcpenny  sandals: target

It's OK that this dress barely passes the bending over test and may just be a little too short. 

Which is why I've only ever worn it with leggings, like here or here. 

It's OK that when my mom and I eat frozen yogurt we go there for lunch because we eat enough for it to count as a meal. 

(This picture looks like the cup is really half full.  Trust me. It was all full.) 

It's OK that I fail miserably at taking care of plants.  

It's OK that I got hooked watching the show Pretty Little Liars and am almost done with the first season. 

It's OK that when I was driving in the car today I thought of a perfect "It's OK" idea and now can't remember it.  I assure it was really funny and would've been my best yet. 

Linking up to It's OK Thursday

Dear Lauren,

 skirt: old navy ($8)  shoes: old navy ($1)  shirt: loft  ($8)  necklace: ?

Aren't you happy that we bought the same skirt on the same day in two different Old Navy's, one in Illinois and one in Vermont without even knowing it? 

And aren't you so happy that now we can copy Kristin Cavallari? 

I'm sure she spent a lot more money on her skirt then we did.  

I just forgot my sunglasses in my picture.  

Can you believe that I just reached 500 followers?  I'm still pretty shocked that anyone besides you and Lauren and mom read my blog.  

And not that I want summer to go any faster, but I am pretty excited that in 4 weeks we get to see you and your sweet family to go camping together for a week! 

I love you Lauren!

Love,

A scenic walk

dress & flats: Target  belt: thrifted

Last weekend Chris and I went on a walk in the forest preserve by our house.

The first few years of marriage I would often get frustrated when we would go on walks.  To me I would go walking with the intention of getting some exercise, meaning I'd want to walk at a decent pace.  Well this rarely happened, as Chris' "comfortable" pace is quite slow. 

Over the years I've learned to look at our walks more as time together and then I don't get annoyed at how long it takes us.  

Due to Chris' love for nature, as well as his ADD we often stop many times throughout our walk.  

This is typical throughout our walk: 

Those are perfect raspberries, we need to find some to pick. 

Did you hear that cat bird?  Listen. It is mimicking me. 

Taste this raspberry. In't it delicious?

Do you hear that bullfrog? We should find him.

We should pick all these raspberries and make jam.

Why didn't we bring a bucket?

Look at this (those white flowers that are old dandelions I think).  

Then proceeds to blow and throw multiple in the air.  

Guaranteed our future children will love going on walks with him. 

Currently

 dress: target  necklace: c/o Anjolee

Currently I could wear a maxi dress every day.

Especially one that has pockets.



Currently I am rocking some pretty bad tan lines.

Currently I am spending quite a bit of time watching different tv series
like 90210, Real World and 24. 

Currently I am eating left over magic monster cookie bars that I made earlier this week.
  

Recipe here

Currently I am loving this new beautiful necklace from Anjolee jewelry.

I was so excited when Anjolee contacted me to review one of their jewelry pieces.

After much debating between so many beautiful options, I choose a diamond pendant necklace with 7 graduated diamonds in silver with an 18 inch chain. Their site lets you customize your jewelry choice and I had fun playing around with different options.  You can pick your metal type, gem color, quality and size.
My necklace arrived in a beautiful wooden box and I was thrilled when I opened it.  
It is definitely one of the nicer pieces of jewelry that I now own.  



Anjolee also has a beautiful collection of diamond anniversary rings and engagement rings.
I have few pieces of "fancy" jewelry and I am really excited to add this necklace to my collection!

Hope you had a great weekend!

Still being Molly   Mingle Monday
Mingle Monday - Life of Meg

High Five for Friday

shorts: jcpenny  shoes: kohls  shirt: ?  necklace: ebay

1.  As much as I prefer skirts and dresses, I clearly don't hate shorts as much as thought, as this is the third pair in two weeks I've posted about.  

2.  99 cent Iced Coffees from Dunkin Donuts = summer love.

3. I finally organized my scarves and I love it.  I used a towel rod and shower curtain rings.
Now if only I could organize the rest of my closet.  

It's on the summer list.

4.  Last weekend we got sweet time with with our niece Gracie. 

Her 6th birthday is coming up soon and its crazy how fast she went from this

to this

5.  I spent some time making some new button links on the left side of my blog and have to say am pretty proud of how they turned out.  
 I've also attempted to up my social media and joined twitter a few weeks ago.
I am still incredibly confused and forget to look at it for days in a row.
Which maybe explains my embarrassing amount of 3 followers.

Want to follow me?  @4laurenlauren
Want to give me a twitter lesson too?

Happy weekend!

High Five for Friday  Casual Fridays
5 days 5 ways

The $15 Rule

lace blazer: kohls  shorts: loft  shoes: target  necklace: ebay

If you haven't learned by now, you should know that I am very cheap. 

When I walk into a store I walk right to the clearance racks, and rarely look at anything else. 

Usually if something is more than $15 I don't buy it. 

Which partly explains why I have so many clothes, because I get them for really cheap. 

This lace blazer was an exception by two dollars, but I am pretty excited about it. 

I think I will be able to wear it all year long. 

And just in case you're wondering, I got these scalloped shorts for $7 from the Loft, 

 these shoes from Target were also $7, 

and I've already shared about my $15 necklace.

And I have to add a big thank you for all the encouraging and sweet comments on my post yesterday.  

I know I've said this before but I really had no idea the kind of connections and relationships I could make through blogging.  Reading your comments yesterday morning and throughout the day brought me peace, encouragement and happiness - so thank you!

Linking up to:

rae gun ramblings     pleated poppy

what I love Wednesdays   rolled up pretty

The Real Deal

One day last week this is the outfit that I posted.  

I had every intention of wearing this outfit longer than an hour.  

But after I got home from running one errand I changed right into a tank top and boxer shorts and spent a majority of the day laying in bed, feeling quite miserable.

It was the farthest thing from cute or fashionable.

Honestly, the rest of the day was a pretty bad day, which you would have never known. 

This is how I looked most of the day.

It made me think.  I could be a little tricky on this blog of mine.  I can share my outfit and share my instagram pic of my caramel frappacino and how happy it made me

 (which is true, but only momentarily). 

But I can leave out how really rough my day and week last week were. 

Chris and I are in the middle of our fertility treatment.  

I was at the doctor 7 days out of 10 last week.  

I had my blood drawn each of those days, was giving myself shots every night, dealing with some rough side effects, and am in what feels like an incredibly long waiting game.

Overall that day I felt quite miserable, physically and emotionally. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with sharing just the happy or the good of my life or anyone else's.  That is enjoyable to read.  

I love blogs that are all happy, and blogs that are all real, and ones that are a mix of the both. 

You share what you want to share. 

The lesson more for me is that you have no idea what some people are going through. 

People whose blogs you read, people you see at the store or maybe even some of your friends. 

Which makes me want to have a little more compassion and little more love for others. 

Because I probably have no idea what hard things they are dealing with. 

Plus it makes me feel a little better when I read certain blogs or look at certain instagram feeds.

 I know no one's life is perfect, everyone has their stuff going on and life will always be a mix of good things and hard things, whether people decide to share it or not.

Cup 1/2 Full    On Your Heart Tuesday

I will never wear . . .

romper: old navy  wedges: shoe outlet 

I've learned to no longer say that I will never wear certain fashion trends. 

I remember in high school saying I would never wear capris.  I may have said the same thing about leggings.  I'm glad I learned my lesson because I was tempted to say the same thing about rompers.
And now I own three of them.
The only thing I really dislike about rompers is the whole going to the bathroom ordeal.
Especially in a public restroom.  It just doesn't feel right. 

Romper # 2

 H & M

Romper #3
Old Navy

I do have to say that I am pretty sure I will not be wearing floral printed jeans or jumpsuits any time soon.  

 

source                                        source

But again, I will never say never.

Are there any styles that you swore you'd never wear, but now do? 

Mingle Monday  Mingle Monday - Life of Meg
Steppin' Out Saturday

High Five for Friday

shirt: target  shorts: ?  shoes: tjmaxx

1. I've had these shorts for a really long time, but they used to be at least 10 inches longer.
really long shorts and really short legs = really unflattering
I almost got rid of them but decided to just cut them off instead.
I'm pretty happy about my new pair of shorts!

2. Ever since I made my neon shirt I've wanted more neon. 

I got this shirt for $8 at Target last week and love it. 

So much I wore it again this week.

3. I'm super happy about my new nail polish color.  I want jeans this color, but a $2 bottle of nail polish is much cheaper so it will have to do for now. 

I only wish these were my nails.  Mine more resemble the doing of a seven year,
which is why I rarely do them.  

4.  I made this orzo pasta salad a week or so ago and loved it. 

Somehow cooking with orzo makes me feel fancy. 

source

5.  Chris and I just finished watching the first season of 24 and are ready for season 2.  

I love having a good show to watch episode after episode together.  

Hope you have a great weekend! 

Part of the Club

dress: Target (little girls' section)  shoes: kohls  necklace: ebay

After seeing many bloggers and pins on pinterest of bubble necklaces, 

I feel like I am part of a sweet club now that I got my own. 

And I feel even better knowing that I got it for $15 on ebay, instead of $150 from J.Crew. 

No joke though that I spent probably 45 minutes deciding which color to get. 

Teal, coral or yellow? 

Thankfully I'm happy with my choice.

Here's some bubble necklace love and inspiration for ways to wear my new purchase:

   

source                                              source

    

source                                      source

Happy Wednesday!

Linking up to:

rae gun ramblings     pleated poppy
what I love Wednesdays   rolled up pretty