Q & A Monday: Getting To Know You

Hey, y'all!! Another weekend has come and gone.  I need at least two more days for Sean and I to get more stuff done this week.  Isn't that usually the way?

Sean and I ventured out to the Portland Bloggers Meet-Up to learn some tips on Social Media Strategies.  This is the very first meet-up I have attended, so it was one of those times I was super nervous.  I had a hard time even thinking about speaking to people.  The fellow bloggers that did talk to me were very friendly and nice, and I even met someone who reads my blog! (Hey there, Pechluck's Food Adventures!)

After the meet-up, we ate an early dinner, ran a few errands, and raced home to freshen up before heading to Bunco Night at my sister-in-law's house. 

Sunday was super lazy and awesome.  We were so busy last weekend that we barely had a moment to relax.  Instead of house-hunting, we chose to sit on the couch watching my NKOTB Fenway DVD, This is 40, and Game of Thrones.

I feel good.  I feel rested.  And I feel like being productive.  This week I will be doing recaps of birthday fun and outfits. Plus, my usual non-blogging stuff like working on projects, cleaning, cooking, and the like.

I hope you all have a great week!!!

It is time again for Friend Makin' Monday.  If you have a blog, I would like to invite you to answer the questions as well.  Leave me a comment here, so I know you are playing.  Then you can also leave a comment over at All The Weigh, so other folks can check out your answers as well.  It is a fun way to connect to other bloggers.

Getting To Know You

1.  Have you ever been skinny dipping?  
No way, no how.  That is something I have no desire to ever do.

2.  If you could choose an exotic vacation destination today, where would you go?  
Tahiti, Greece, New Zealand, Morocco, Egypt,...

3.  Do you prefer to live in the city or the suburbs? 
I prefer the suburbs.  In fact, if I could choose, I would be a little outside the suburbs with a big house on a big lot so I don't have people too close to me.  I enjoy my privacy and quiet time in my older age.  The city just seems too hectic and overwhelming to me now.

4.  If you could paint, draw or illustrate any masterpiece in the world, what would it be? 
The Taj Mahal, St. Basil's Cathedral in Russia, or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (if they were real).

5.  What is your favorite dish to cook when you’re cooking for one?
Hmmmmm, when Sean hangs out with friends or has something else going on, I usually opt for a baked potato with sauteed onions and mushrooms.  Or a salad.  If it is just me, I'd rather not have to cook.

6.  Who has recently influenced you in a spectacular way?  
Neil deGrasse Tyson.  I thoroughly enjoy hearing him speak on any topic.  I love his humor and his obvious passion for science.

7.  Have you ever considered dating a person who’s younger than you?  If so, how young would you go?  
I've never really considered dating someone younger than me.  I always preferred slightly older guys. That being said, I am EXTREMELY picky, so most of them never really had a chance in hell. 
It really depends on the guy because I've met guys in their 40s who act like children and guys in their 20s who are very smart and mature for their age.

8.  What do you typically wear when you’re at home with no plans to go out?  
I am usually in pajama pants (or some other comfortable knit pants or capris), a t-shirt, and slip-on house slippers. 

9.  Do you prefer a shower or a bath?  
I prefer taking showers.  I know baths can be relaxing and nice, but I would want to be in a giant tub.  Those are hard to come by. lol

10.  When you meet strangers are you outgoing or more introverted?  
 For me, it depends on the situation.  I am just naturally very shy, anxious, and socially awkward.  There are times when I am very outgoing and friendly and do my best to be as sociable as I can be.  And other times, like this weekend, I am plagued with fear of talking to people I don't know, feel so anxious I almost vomit, and wish I was invisible until I felt comfortable enough to introduce myself to someone or ask someone a question.

Now answer the questions on your blog or in my comments section, link-up with Kenlie, and have a very Happy Monday!!

Sartorial Medley: Bold Colors

Welcome to the fourth installment of Sartorial Medley, a monthly fashion challenge hosted by myself and Aislynn of Couture for Curves.  (Did you miss the January, February, March, or April fun?) We welcome participation from anyone, regardless of your dress size.  From now until the 25th, email me your photo and link to your blog post at diva@divinemrsdiva.com.

Now on to this month's theme: Bold Colors.

When we decided on this month's theme, it didn't take long for me to figure out what I was going to wear.  A couple weeks ago I ventured into Lane Bryant to use my Rewards Check and found this fantastic skirt.  I love the fun print and beautiful colors (it makes me think of Greece or the Italian Riviera).  Plus, it is a fuller, flippy, fun skirt (with a lining!) that puts a pep in my step and makes me want to dance!

I paired the skirt with a royal blue Battenberg lace tank, a coral cardigan, and my fuchsia tasseled sandals that I didn't get to wear last summer.  And since I wore this outfit on my birthday this past Sunday, I donned my rhinestone headband in place of my tiara.  (I really wanted outside photos in the city, but it was raining on Sunday and the wind was terrible!  I had to hold on to my skirt tightly in order not to flash my undergarments to traffic. lol)

Battenberg Lace Trim Tank - Lane Bryant
Conversation Print Skirt - Lane Bryant 
Coral Cardigan - Lane Bryant (Fall 2012)
Tassel Sandals - Torrid (Spring 2012)
Rhinestone Headband - Ulta

 

I went with a pretty gold eyeshadow for the day.  It is my favorite gold, BareMinerals True Gold

For my birthday, we had a very tasty dinner at P.F. Chang's and then headed to Powell's Books for Marc Maron's book signing.  Marc is a comedian both my husband and I enjoy.  He read a few chapters of his book before taking questions and then meeting everyone who wanted a book signed.  He was very nice and I finally got a picture with him!

Share your Bold Colors with me and join in the Sartorial Medley fun!!  Email me a link to your blog post or a photo of your outfit and I will include it in this post!

Q & A Monday: Questions and Answers

Hey, y'all!!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!  It was my birthday weekend, so the last three days have been super busy and tons of fun!

Friday, we ate a tasty dinner at a fish place in Portland and then went to a comedy club to see Chris Hardwick perform.  After cleaning the house a little bit, Saturday included checking out Crafty Wonderland (a craft fair of mostly local artists) and having friends over for my birthday party!

My birthday was Sunday and was much more low-key compared to the other days.  I was able to sleep in until Sean made macadamia nut and coconut pancakes for me for breakfast.  We hung out a little, called his mom to say Happy Mother's Day, and then headed to dinner at P.F. Chang's.  After dinner, we walked over to Powell's Books to hear Marc Maron talk about his new book and get the book signed by him.

I have so much to catch up on, post about, and do this week.  Let's start it off with a new Q & A Monday!!

It is time again for Friend Makin' Monday.  If you have a blog, I would like to invite you to answer the questions as well.  Leave me a comment here, so I know you are playing.  Then you can also leave a comment over at All The Weigh, so other folks can check out your answers as well.  It is a fun way to connect to other bloggers.

Questions and Answers

1. Do you use coupons? 
I try to use as many coupons as I can.  Usually the food ones that come with the mail are for really crappy food that I don't eat, so I don't use those.  But I use coupons for toiletries, cleaning products, home items, clothing, etc.  Costco, Lane Bryant, and other online codes are probably the ones I use the most.

2. How often do you weigh yourself?  
Maybe once a year.  I don't let some number on a scale dictate my worth



3. What was your favorite TV show as a kid? 
How young of a kid?  When I was really little, I loved The Monkees, Mr. Ed, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, etc.  As a slightly older kid, I loved cartoon shows like Looney Tunes, David the Gnome, and tons of Nickelodeon.  Entering my teens, Full House, Saved By The Bell, etc. were my favorites.  My all-time favorite show is My So-Called Life, which came out when I was about fourteen.

4. How often do you drink alcohol?  
I have wine a few times a month and usually at social gatherings I will have wine or some kind of alcohol.  In all, it is about a handful of times a month.

5. Have you ever met a celebrity or public figure that you really admire? 
Absolutely.

6.  If you had to choose between only your cell phone or only your laptop all week which would you choose?  
Laptop.  It is more of a useful tool to me and the things I need to get done in a week than my phone.

7. What is your favorite brand of detergent?  
I use Gain with Febreze or Tide with Febreze, plus Downy Unstopables.

8. If there was a movie about your life, who would play the role?
Well, I would want to play me.  If I couldn't do it, I would choose Melissa McCarthy or Queen Latifah. :-)

9.  What book are you currently reading? 
Well, yesterday I went to a book signing for Marc Maron's new book Attempting Normal, so I am going to start that one.  I also need to start on Saying Goodbye To Your Angel Animals about dealing with the grief of losing a pet.

10.  If you could spend one day on vacation anywhere in the world, which place would you choose?  
Ireland.

Now get to it, y'all!  Answer the questions, let me know you are playing along, and link up with Kenlie!  Happy Monday!

Early Birthday Present

My birthday is this Sunday, the 12th!!  It is a pretty busy week for me doing all my normal tasks, plus prepping for all the fun of this weekend.  I have a To Do List a mile long.  Sean has taken to saying "#HaileyProblems" from time to time.  It is pretty funny.

I knew my sister mailed off a present for me, but I was shocked when it arrived on Monday!  I recorded a quick video of me opening the box so she could see my excitement.  It is always nice to do videos back and forth because we don't get a lot of time to talk on the phone or FaceTime.  She lives about 3,000 miles away and I miss her dearly.

Anyway, I opened the package and found A COACH PURSE!!!!!  I was floored.  Speechless.  It was so unexpected.  It seems that my sweet sister and my thoughtful stepdad joined forces to get me a special gift this year.  They know things have been pretty tough on me emotionally for a while and wanted to show their love.  (The purse is a beautiful shade of pink that I wouldn't have normally bought for myself.  It fits my big upper arms, has a long strap, and is big enough to hold most of my stuff but small enough that it shouldn't get too heavy.  I absolutely love it!!)

Coach Classic Stripe Convertible Hobo

I love this purse, but their kindness and thoughtfulness and love mean more to me than anything.  So not only did I want to show off my new (and first ever) Coach handbag, I also want to say how grateful I am to have such wonderful people in my life.  Unfortunately, I am not one of those people with kind, supportive, and loving blood-related relatives who love me and encourage me no matter what.  (My grandmas are sweet like that and they keep in touch, but others not so much.)  My immediate family (minus my little sister) have all abandoned me for reasons out of my control.

Having a family that loves me sometimes seems so foreign because it isn't something I necessarily grew up with.  I don't think I can ever find the words to express how much it moves me to know that I am loved and considered family by people that don't have to be tied to me if they don't want to.  I have a saint of a husband, amazing friends, a wonderful sister-in-law and her incredible family, and my husband's family that I consider part of my own now. 

I'm still trying to forge a better relationship with my little sister.  We didn't grow up together at all, so it has taken more time to come to a point where we can talk about everything.  I definitely look forward to many years of sharing things with her.

Then there's my sister Crissy (technically my stepsister, but we don't care about that.  As far as we are concerned, she's my sister.) whom I have known since I was 12.  She's been a friend, a confidante, a shoulder to cry on, a partner in crime, an ally, and most of all, a sister to me for 64% of my life.  She's my best friend.

And while my stepdad and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye (to put it mildly), we have become closer over the past decade.  That is something that has been extremely important to me.  I don't think living with my mom was really easy on either one of us.  Being able to catch up with him on the phone or go out to lunch when he is in town have been very helpful for me.  I appreciate his love and kindness more than I have ever put into words, I suppose.

What was going to be a short blog post has turned into something far greater, but I don't want to start rambling too much.  I guess what I am trying to acknowledge, albeit not succinctly, is that I am a lucky gal and grateful and humbled by the love of my family and friends. So Happy Birthday to me!

"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs, the ones who accept you for who you are.  The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter what."

What I Wore: Purple in Portlandia

I don't usually go out on a week night.  It throws my whole system off because I start thinking it is the weekend.  Sometimes though, you just gotta make an exception.  Sean's coworker friend is in a Celtic/folk/punk band called Kilty By Association.  They perform at various locations in Portland, Oregon.  It had been a while since we saw them perform live and wanted to show our support.

This particular night, we were surprised to hear they were performing in a bike shop, called Velo Cult, after hours.  When we arrived, the band was setting up on a small raised stage against the wall in the middle of the bike store.  The back half of the store looked like any normal shop you would walk into except the lights were down in that portion.  I could still see racks of bike clothes and other assorted gear.  In the middle of the front half of the shop was a long picnic-style table.  To one side of the table were a handful of bike repair stations with a wall full of various tools and a high shelf housing lots of bicycles.

On the opposite side of the store was a full bar with four taps and a long bar with stools.  We grabbed a couple beers and sat at the long table to watch the band perform.  It was a lot of fun! People watching was lots of fun too.  It was very Portlandia.  In fact, I don't know how much more "Portland" this experience could have been. lol

Most people were in black or other muted shades of clothing, so I felt really out of place in my wonderfully bright tank and shrug.

The tank is a Twist Tees tank from Torrid with a little ruffle at the top.  I have this style of tank in three or four other patterns as well.  (See the floral version here and the polka dot version here.)  Obviously, I love them.  The shrug is from SWAK Designs.  I have started to collect other colors of this shrug style as well.  It is just so comfy and soft and goes with so much!  (Note about the fit of the shrug: This one is a 3X and fits great, but it is a little shorter than I would have liked.  I ordered a red one in a 4X.  It fits well also, but is a little bit longer.)

Someone requested better photos of the back of my jeans and pants to see the look and fit, so here you go! 

Rhinestone Leg Sophia Skinny Jeans - Torrid
Twist Tees Multi Animal Ruffle Babydoll Cami - Torrid
Purple Amber Shrug - SWAK Designs
Studded Flats - Lane Bryant (Spring 2012)
Chain Necklace - Maurices (Similar, Similar, Similar)

This photo with my Sweetums turned out so cute that I just had to share!  Do you like going out on a week night or do you prefer to save your fun for the weekend?