Saturday, December 31, 2011

Goodbye 2011! Hello, 2012!

Looking back, this has been quite a year. Much change has happened in my life, and if it has been good, remains to be seen.

In 2011:

We moved from Miami, Florida to Lexington, Kentucky. To say that this has been a bit of a culture shock would be an understatement. I am learning what whitebread is all about.

I changed jobs, moving from a small hospital in Miami to the biggest hospital in Lexington. I miss the small hospital atmosphere, but this position will afford me more opportunity in the long run.

We lost our house to foreclosure, and became apartment dwellers. With this, we had to give up two of our beloved kitties. This whole scenario has been heartbreaking. We had our house for 14 years, and due to the poor economy and my husbands job troubles, we finally had to surrender, and let it go. I feel worse about my cats than the house.

My family has had to learn to survive on its own. We are truly an island out here. All we have is each other, and I realize that it is not enough. We need friends.

Along with my own personal issues, there have been family-wide health issues, job problems, school issues and such. I am gladly saying, "Goodbye 2011."

For 2012, I was originally going to do one of those # of things for the # of years, but when you get to be my age, that's an awful lot to do, so I decided to do 12 for 12 instead.

So, in 2012 I will:

Pay down debt. It is my hope to be out of credit card debt in 4 years. We actually had to use the cards to survive for a while. It sucks.

Go back to school to work towards my BSN (bachelor of nursing). In today's job market, that extra degree has become a necessity. I am a mid-life career changer, and I went the route that would get me working in my field of choice the quickest. I got my ADN, but now I want that bachelors.

Find a church. I need to get back in touch with my spiritual side. As a child, I loved going to church. I lost my way somewhere in my teens. I think, now, the problem was the church, not God. So, I am church shopping. We'll see how it goes.

Lay off the sodas! I drink way too much diet soda, especially on the nights I work. I want to decrease this, and increase the amount of water I drink.

Go on a real vacation. Preferably, this time, with my family. The last few vacations I have taken, I have been alone. I went to NYC alone. I went to Canada alone to visit a friend. I went to Vegas with a friend, but without my family. And, while I love to travel alone, I would like to take a real family vacation with my boys. It has been years since we have had one.

Learn to speak up for myself. I tend to clam up when I feel affronted. I need to speak up and speak out. To not be afraid to let my feelings be known, even at the risk that someone else may not like or agree with those feelings.

Reduce/eliminate meat from my diet. Starting with red meat, and eventually all meat.

Get a creative outlet. Find my passion, and express it. I would like to start sewing, again. I have been knitting, but I want the joy of spending hours in the fabric store picking out patterns, and fabric, and all the notions that go along with creating a garment.

Learn a language. Preferably Spanish. I lived my whole life in Miami, and have spent the past 20 years with a Puerto Rican husband. I have no excuse for not being bilingual at this point.

Get fit. Not necessarily thin, but definitely healthy. I have repeatedly gone about getting fit with the goal of being skinny. In all these years, I have never managed to get down smaller than a size 18. Perhaps it is my lot in life to be the size my body wants me to be. And fighting my body has gotten me nowhere. However, I want to feel better, stronger, more energetic. That I can accomplish. I just need to get to the gym or outside on a regular basis.

Work on my photography skills. I want to be able to translate the beauty I see in real life to film/digital images.

Celebrate 20th anniversary with husband in a big way. We had always wanted to take a big trip for this anniversary. Don't know if that will be possible, but I want to do something really memorable.


W. :)

Friday, December 30, 2011

It started with UGH! and then got better....

So after my very long Christmas weekend at work, all I wanted to to do was sleep and hide in my house for a day or two. However, my son was to have none of that. He had gift cards to spend, which meant I got a four hour nap, and then had to make myself presentable to the public. Or, so I thought.





Yeah, I know. No amount of fixing was going to improve this situation. But, I do hope I get credit for not going out in the sweatpants and crocs that I wanted to stay snuggled up in.





















Grape-Ape ensemble by:

Scarf: F21
Sweater and LS tee: Target
Cords: Talbots (Think they will be retiring)
Hiking Boots: Brahma










Wednesday, I did spend the day in sweats, as all I did was go to the gym and do laundry. Therefore, no pics.




Thursday was an improvement.

Sweater: Tommy Hilfiger
Zebra shirt: Lane Bryant
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger














Today I went with my son to Waveland Historic Site. It is an old estate with a beautiful main house, an old log cabin, a slave quarters, and an ice house. Our favorite is the miniature log cabin that was built as a play house for the children of the time. Here is my son with the cabin:






The first is to show scale. My son is about 6'2". The last picture is him standing up inside the cabin. He said he felt like Gandalf in the Hobbit's house in the Shire.




We can't wait to go back in the spring, when the flower and herb garden will be in bloom. We also went thrifting, and I got the cutest Chuck Taylor's with a Superman design. Even my son, who hates it when I buy anything, said I had to get them.

And finally, today:





Black Sweater: Le Target
Red Tee: JC Penney
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger (I swear I wish had bought all of these jeans. I am wearing my two pair to death!)
Shoes: Superman Chuck Taylor's!! :)

Groceries & errands. Now I am in my Galaxy Blue as always.











Doing these outfit posts I find the following:

1) Having my son take my picture, I smile more.
2) I really have no concept of how to dress in any fun way when all I want to do is stay warm.
3) Making the effort to put on something besides sweats to go run errands makes me feel better.


Happy New Year! Peace.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Pondering....

As,I peruse the blogosphere, I find myself reading four basic categories of blogs.

1) Positive self-image blogs

Because, I really want to like me as I am. I am not perfect, but I have been made to feel not-good-enough my whole life. Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not talented enough, etc. Oh, yes, let's not forget not skinny enough. Mostly by my own mother, who has fought her own weight and body image demons her whole life, and then passed them on to me.

I know I'll never be skinny. I may never even be a non-plus size person, again. And, I am not throwing in the towel, and saying, "F*ck it! I'm just gonna eat Ben & Jerry's on my sofa for the rest of my life." I just want to be happy in my own skin. I want to feel good, and energetic, and fit. And that requires eating the right food, and moving my butt off the sofa and out into the world.

If I do all that, and I am still a size 20, then that is the size I am meant to be. And, if that makes others uncomfortable, that is their problem.

2) Young, quirky and talented people who dress exactly how they wish!!!

Oh, I wish I had their gumption when I was their ages. I was such a lover of vintage fashion and self made clothes. But, I was unfortunate enough to go to a high school just like the one in "Pretty In Pink." Let me tell you nothing will beat you down like the scathing comments of one's peers. The need to conform, to belong, to fit in, can outweigh the need to express oneself creatively.

Now, I want to find that person inside myself, again.

My son is a very creative and talented person. And I try to always encourage him to be himself. (Even if I wish he would dress like Jake Ryan instead of Scott Pilgrim.)

How can one reach the age of 42, and still not be who they feel they are?

W. :)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Hilights

After a long night spent under the radiant warmers in the Nursery welcoming the first babies of Christmas, I got to go home and briefly celebrate Christmas with my family.



My son got his much anticipated Nintendo 3DS. Needless to say, this was how he looked for the rest of the day.











Here is my hubbiness in his Christmas regalia, getting ready to make us all breakfast. And he made dinner, too. He is the awesome-est!


















Here is my Christmas booty this year:






Movies!!

Harry Potter 7.1 and Crazy Stupid Love. I am a big fan of Steve Carell, and this movie was just too cute. This will definitely go into my late night insomnia movie collection.














Music!!!

Both She & Him albums and the incomparable Adele!! When I grow up, I want to be Adele.







A Side Sleeper pillow, because I get headaches from improper neck alignment in my sleep. It even has a little pocket for your ear to rest into.



















Seriously, how complicated can sleeping be, that it needs an instruction card? Apparently, enough that my pillow almost killed me the first time I used it!















My head somehow managed to slide down into the U shape of the pillow and totally blocked off my ability to breathe!!!! Scared the heck out of me, but I'm a survivor, yo!


Friday, December 23, 2011

Friday

One more outfit post before the weekend. It is cold, grey and rainy here. So that calls for color!




Sweater: Jones New York via Clothes Mentor
Navy LS tee : Target
White Cami: Avenue
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger
Shoes: Sport ducks from TJ Maxx





















I needed a raincoat, and there was no hair straightening. When it is really wet, I can't even bother to fight the curls.







Merry Christmas!!!!


W. :)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Woohoo we have pictures!





This is what I wore for my birthday when we attempted to go to the movies:
Sweater: Tommy Hilfiger via Burlington
Scarf: Street fair in NYC
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger (Oh those beloved jeans. When Macy's decided to discontinue the line, I got this pair for a whole $8.99!!! Love!)
Shoes: Airwalks from Payless










When I say attempted to go to the movies....My birthday was unfortunate enough to fall on Super Saturday this year. Which meant we got a lovely tour of the mall parking lot, and that's about it. Hence, renting movies at home and spending remainder of weekend in sweats.







This is what I wore to the bookstore yesterday:

Sweater: August Silk via Filene's Basement
T Shirt: gift from Mom from Threadless.com
Red: Cami: Lane Bryant
Jeans: Lane Bryant
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars
Bracelet: Leather braided cuff from Wal-mart


















Here is a close up of my Chuck's. There are Peace Signs all over them. They were a gift from my husbeast a long time ago. I love them, but rarely wear them, because I would hate to get them messed up.





















This is me today:

Buffalo Plaid Shirt: JC Penney men's shirt
Black Thermal tee: Outdoor World (Natural Reflections)
Belt: Don't remember
Jeggings: Avenue
Boots: Payless








Today I went to lunch at Five Guys with my favorite guy, my son. Today will also consist of getting my TB test read at the hospital for my annual check-up, delivering presents to co-workers, movies to see "Puss N Boots," and touring Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

Tomorrow we are going to a showing of "a Very Harold and Kumar Christmas." Then it will be work for the entire weekend plus Monday. So, probably no outfits until Tuesday. Just know it will be me and Galaxy Blue for those three days.

So, what I have discovered so far on this journey is 1) a little mascara and lipstick do a lot to help a tired face, 2) I really need to be more adventurous with accessories, and 3) I need to get some activities going so I can wear something a bit more dressed up.

Merry Christmas, to everyone!

W. :)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas Meme

A little Christmas Meme, I lovingly borrowed from Genny's Journal and mashed it up with one from Matters of Merry Making.

1. What's your favorite Christmas cartoon?

Charlie Brown Christmas!! Love it! Know it by heart, and cannot ever get through Linus' speech about the true meaning of Christmas without breaking down into tears.

2. What's your favorite Christmas movie?

Love Actually, Serendipity, About a Boy, and White Christmas




3. What's your favorite Christmas song?

"Gabrielle's Message" by Sting on the Very Special Christmas album, the entire "Charlie Brown Christmas" album and I am really loving "A Very She and Him Christmas."

4. Where do you spend Christmas?

Well, until this year, we had always spent La Noche Buena with my Puerto Rican in-laws, and Christmas Day with my family at my Grandmother's house. However, having relocated to Kentucky this year, I plan to go to Christmas Eve services at a local church, and then to work from there. I will be working the entire holiday weekend, plus Monday this year. However, next year I will be off, so we will see what happens then. I would like to volunteer at the Salvation Army or something of the like. My son will be 16 years old, and we all need to remember to be grateful for all the blessings we have, and to bless others with our service.

5. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Typically, my husband & I exchange our gifts to each other after our son has gone to bed on Christmas Eve. We like to watch David open his gifts in the morning.

6. Do you have stockings?

Used to. Not anymore.

7. How are you at wrapping presents?

Love to wrap presents. When I was a kid, my mother would box up all my gifts, and I would wrap all of the presents for the whole family.

8. Do you go out shopping the day after Christmas?

No. I dislike crowds and pushy people.

9. Do you buy a Christmas dress/outfit every year?

No.

10. Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider, or Egg Nog?

Hot chocolate if I am cold. Egg nog, but only in very limited quantities.

11. Gingerbread man or frosted sugar cookie?

Frosted sugar cookies.

12. Real tree or fake tree?

I love the smell of a real tree, but the convenience and cost effectiveness of a faux. I have found very nice smelling tree scented candles at Bath & Body, so I light those and stick with the 6 foot green toilet brush. :)

13. Put up your own lights or drive around and look at other people's lights?

I put up a few lights, as I live in an apartment. Love to go look at other's lights. Get cocoa from Starbucks, crank up the holiday tunes on the car radio, and drive around oohing and aahing.




14. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?

Santa does not wrap, however, he does do the assembly of particularly complicated Matchbox and train setups.

15. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

I like white or blue lights, how they give off a frosty glow.

16. Do you hang mistletoe?

No, I don't need a plant to tell me to kiss my loved ones.

17. When do you put your decorations up?

We usually put them up on my son's birthday weekend. Around Dec 11th. It all comes down on Jan. 1st to start the year off fresh.

18. What is your favorite holiday dish?

Well, we usually have Italian for Christmas. (What says holiday more than red tomatoes and fresh basil? Yum!)

19. Favorite holiday memory as a child?

Actually, it would have been the year I got my big, old, honkin' stereo system when I was 16.

20. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

When I was 8, I accidentally found all the presents in the closet.

21.How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

Lights, sparkly decorations, star.

22.Snow! Love it or dread it?

This year....dread it. Because, this Miami-native will have to drive to work in it.

24.Can you ice skate?

I can stay upright, and move forward. Stopping usually consists of running into the side walls.

25. Do you remember your favorite gift?

The aforementioned stereo, and my first sewing machine.

26. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?

Family

27. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

Egg nog ice cream!

28. What tops your tree? Star from Pottery Barn/silver wire with glitter

29. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?

I love to give gifts. I like finding the perfect gift for the recipient. As for myself, I would rather get a gift card, and let me pick out what I want when I come across it.

30. Candy canes: yuck or yum? Definitely, YUM!

31. Saddest Christmas song?

"Blue Christmas" as sung in "The Year Without a Santa Claus." WaaaaahhhH!!!!

Working, working, working.....

Hospital work tends to make for very boring outfits. At my hospital, we are allowed only to wear Galaxy Blue, White, or combo's thereof. I am averse to white scrubs. Working with bodily fluids, and the unpredictability of babies to express those fluids upon you without warning, well, let's just say that Galaxy Blue is a better camouflage. The outfits of the last two days have been repeats of the uniform outfits of last week. Le YAWN!

Tomorrow, I have the day off. So, I will be sure to post an outfit, to make this blog worthwhile. Pinky swear.

W. :)

Monday, December 19, 2011

Ohhh....

How does one spend three days in the house, in sweats, and live with themselves? But that is exactly what I did for my birthday weekend. I rented a bunch of movies, and sat my butt right on the sofa and knit and watched and relaxed!!! It was awesome.

W. :)

Friday, December 16, 2011

Here we go......

I am so out of the blogging loop. I blogged a lot all during nursing school, but since I became a nurse....well, let's just say I am not very good at it anymore. I am a horrible journaler (made up word), anyway. I have all sorts of pretty books that I buy in the hopes of inspiring me to record my thoughts, life, etc. Most of them have about 5 completed pages (ending somewhere around mid-January of whatever year), and that's it.

I really don't enjoy talking about myself. Why, I don't know. Fear of judgement? Even to the point of judging myself?

So here (still minus first outfit, so lets exclude it for now) is the first week.



Monday:
Eggplant Sweater from Target
Plaid shirt from Target
Skirt from Levi's
Tights - LB
Shoes - Clarks





















Tuesday

Work day:
Pants and top from Cherokee Workwear
Shoes - Nike



















Wednesday

Workday
Top and Pants from Cherokee Workwear
Shoes - Nike

Funny story: I prefer drawstring scrubs, because most of the elastic waist ones don't have the convenient side pockets and are usually some sort of tapered or bootcut leg. Well, on Thursday morning, after giving my report to the next shift, I stood up to get ready to leave, and felt a cool breeze across my thighs. My string had come undone, and my pants were on their way down!!!! Oopsy!

There is no Thursday, because I got called off from work, and spent the day in my jammies. :)

















Friday

Striped sailor shirt - Thrifted, but brand new with tags from Denim & Co
Rain Jacket - Target
Jeans - Tommy Hilfiger (Macy's discontinued carrying the plus-size TH line. Sadness!! If I had known I would have bought every pair of these jeans, as they are my absolute favorites)
Shoes - Airwalks
Scarf - Old Navy


This is my first year having to deal with a real winter. I just moved to Kentucky from Miami, Florida. I am unsure how to use all my cute skirts, since they are so light weight, for the most part. So, this 30 days will be centering around jeans, sweaters, and just trying to keep warm. The really challenge will be to utilize what I currently have, and keep purchases to a minimum.

Sunday is my birthday. #42! A new year of possibilities awaits. And, maybe I will finally get the hang of this blogging thing, again.


PS: I need to come up with a different pose, no?


W :)

Monday, December 12, 2011

30 for 30 has begun, but....

I forgot to take a picture. :(

First outfit was:

Black Skinny Jeans (LB)
Black Turtle neck (INC)
Black boots (Payless)
Grey Hooded DKNY jeans sweater (LB)
Black/Grey/Red Scarf (NYC street vendor)

Will reassemble and photograph at another date. After careful consideration, I have decided my overall color-scheme will be a black, red, white and gray. Goes well for winter, and I have tons of clothes in those colors already. I have a couple of other items for a switch up not in those colors.

Photo to follow. :)

Friday, December 9, 2011

Day 1 post 1

This is the blog of an almost 42 year old nurse, mom and wife, on a style voyage into self-discovery. Wearing scrubs for work, and sweats or gym clothes most of the other time, I am seeking to establish a personal style that speaks to my personality and interests. I recently relocated to Lexington, KY, and discovered Talbots. Hence the name of my blog. I will try not to become a Talbot Robot, but use the pieces to create my own look.

I love the styles of the mid-century (40's, 50's, and 60's), and hope to bring some of that style into my style.

There will be pictures, and such. Along with this, as a challenge I am going to try out a 30 in 30 challenge, and chose 30 items from my wardrobe and make a month's worth of outfits. So stay tuned.

In the meantime here is a pic of my husband and I:


Outfit details: Jacket-Lane Bryant, LS tee-Target, Skirt-Levi's, Tights-Target




W. :)