High School Reunion: Meat N Greet Picnic

The picnic portion of the reunion was on Saturday afternoon on the day of the big party.  It had already been a longer trip for me, so my depleted energy, lack of sleep, overflow of emotions, anxiety, and mild insecurity all got the better of me that morning.  I had a full-blown panic attack and just knew the day was ruined. But the people around me are amazing and kind, supporting me and checking on me throughout the weekend.  They gave me encouraging words so I could gather myself and get on with my day.

So I present you with a little photo journal of the picnic portion of events!

What I Wore: 90s-Inspired Style

Inspiration can strike at any moment.  I've been getting requests to put together a 90s-inspired look for quite some time.  While I certainly wore jeans and flannel and Converse in the 90s, I wasn't really "grunge".  And I was never confident enough to wear things that weren't baggy and oversized. (And I'm talking early 90s here, like through '95-ish.)

I was down in South Carolina for my high school reunion recently, where my friend Brandon gave me a t-shirt with his own album cover on it.  I'm so proud of him and really wanted to put a look together to wear his tee here on the blog.  And then inspiration struck with this look that feels both out of my comfort zone but like me in a surprising way. I am LIVING for this look!

Photo Journal: Grand Prix of Portland

Back in September, Sean and I joined my mother-in-law, Sharon, and friend, Nigel, for a visit to the Grand Prix of Portland.  I've never been the kind of girl that has been into cars or sports or racing of any kind.  It just isn't my thing.  But Nigel has been an Indy car fan for decades and wanted me to check it out.  In today's post, I'm taking you on a little jaunt through my experience at the races!

Reviewing Kiyonna's Gabriella Dress + Cara Velvet Wrap Dress

Today's post is a big one with not one, but two, beautiful dresses from Kiyonna!  The Gabriella Dress is a lovely jersey knit number that can be casual, work-friendly, or easily dressed up for night, while the Cara Velvet Wrap Dress is holiday-ready with shimmer and shine.  Keep reading for my reviews of each below...

Reviewing Simply Be's Joanna Hope Beaded Maxi Dress

The holidays are upon us!  I have long loved feasting my eyes on all the latest holiday fashions - from beading to sequins, satin to velvet, and accessories to match.  I love luxe looks, festive frocks, and anything super shiny.  Often times, this is when I stock up on those special, shimmery pieces I want in my wardrobe year round - be they fancy or casual.

Simply Be recently reached out to me and sent me the Joanna Hope Beaded Maxi Dress.  I was unsure about how it would look on me, as it is a style and look I haven't tried before.  I was out of my comfort zone, but I ended up feeling like a shimmering goddess.

KATU Afternoon Live: Holiday Party Style

This month on Afternoon Live, I showed style inspiration for a variety of holiday parties.  I wanted to show more than just dresses, and more than just fancier partywear.  While I do have a couple of fancy party options, I also provide you with style inspiration for work parties, ugly sweater parties, and comfy pajamas for relaxing and gifting.

With Black Friday sales starting or just about to, this is a great time to make a list of things you need for your wardrobe, for upcoming events, for gifting, etc.  I've included some information about deals for the week from a few of my favorite brands.

High School Reunion: Homecoming

The holiday season is upon us, and I am a stressed out mess.  This week and next are extremely busy, but I feel like I haven't really had time to breathe since I've been back home from my trip.  Along with cancer check-ups, shooting a new KATU segment, Outlander Craft Day with the OFWA group, and a dentist appointment, I also have multiple photoshoots, an endo appointment, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Bunco, Black Friday, and blogging to contend with.  (And that's just this week and next week.)  Like the title of Michael Scott's future book, somehow I'll manage.

In today's post, I am continuing to catch you up on my trip to Georgia-Lina for my 20-year high school reunion, with a look at meeting my friends for dinner and attending my high school's homecoming game..  You can check out the Savannah leg of my trip from a previous post.  As with that post, I will include outfit photos up front, before going into the photo journal portion of the post.

Photo Journal: Hiking at Mt. Hood

Back over Labor Day weekend, Sean and I decided to get out of the house and take the boys for a little road trip.  We've been wanting to make more time for a little hiking, so we ventured out towards Mt. Hood for a scenic drive and walking amongst nature. It was fun to breathe the fresh air, look at the glorious scenery, and take photos along the way.

Fall Style with Catherines

* This post is sponsored by Catherines.  It features gifted items that I selected.

While many people think of spring as a rebirth and new start, I find that fall makes me feel like hitting the refresh button.  The transition from summer to fall feels more like a new beginning to me as we venture into colder weather, the holidays, and moving into a new year.  So I take this time to push myself out of my comfort zone, to try new things, and regroup my mindset in preparation for the coming months.

When Catherines reached out to me about a collaboration, I was really excited.  I've previously worked with Catherines as a Style Ambassador and during their Denim Debut and Art of the Mix campaigns. I found some great go-to pieces that I continue to purchase from them - no-wire bras, girlfriend jeans, Bermuda shorts, maxi dresses - just to name a few.  So in choosing a look to review on the blog today, I decided to branch out of my comfort zone in honor of fall.  And boy, am I glad I did!

KATU Afternoon Live: Utilizing Summer Dresses in Fall/Winter

My latest Afternoon Live segment is now online!! While I don't have a huge post to go along with it, I wanted to make sure to get it on the blog ASAP.

I chose the topic of making use of summer dresses in the colder months.  I've been pushing myself more to utilize the tips I shared in the segment because I also want to be able to wear my summer dresses all year round and make use of my wardrobe.  Often times we get stuck in our ways, which includes wearing items in our closet only one way and never branching out to try new things.  It is really important to push yourself out of your comfort zone once in a while (in fashion and in life) to challenge your ways of thinking and learn more about yourself.  I find the times I push myself or challenge myself to be incredibly educational times of growth.  The more you try new clothing on (JUST TRY IT ON!), the more you learn about yourself, your likes and dislikes, and what works for your body.

Check out my segment below, with tips for a positive try-on session, and a few blog examples of layering summer dresses.