Five Things Friday {Merry Edition}

Happy Christmas Eve, Eve, dear, darling friends! I could NOT be happier today. Soon, I will be free from my gilded cage (aka work) and will be Christmas-ing my brains out. I hope you will be too. You deserve it. 

Obvi, today's Five Things is all Christmas, and includes what I believe to be Christmas Eve/Day staples. Here goes: 

1. New Jammies. Does your family do this tradition? If not, you should. It is a fairly affordable way to spread Christmas cheer, and to force adults to dress all the same which I am way into. Here are some super cute options you could run out and stock up on for Christmas day: 

1 2 3 4

2. Watch White Christmas, my absolute FAVORITE movie at Christmastime. Also, the wardrobe in the movie is FANTASTIC. Rosemary and Vera are to die for: 

Also, what female on this earth would not want to put on one of the Santa dresses from the end and just twirl? 

I know of no one. Not one. 

3. Drink hot chocolate with every meal. And look at this simple and darling idea for dressing it up! Just dip a couple of candy canes in chocolate and you have taken your hot chocolate experience to the next level, people.

4. Pause everything to remember why we celebrate Christmas at all. Read this inspired talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley, read the story of Christ's birth here, and watch this stunning video that brings it all to life: 

5. Tell the people you love that you love them. If you are really crafty, you could even do it in a really classy and festive Christmas card, like this: 

Merry Christmas, readers! Love you, mean it.
Have a wonderful Christmas, and a sassy New Year.
We'll be back in 2012!

oxoxo/W & S

Today.

So, this whole being a fashion blogger in December in Utah is really turning out to be a great success. 

First, I stepped outside to take outfit pics and was greeted by a mini-blizzard:

So, to keep from getting frost-bitten I decided to come inside and take a couple quickie's by the Christmas tree instead. I self timed a couple of those suckers, threw my camera in my bag, and didn't check the quality since I needed extra time on my drive to work to focus on not dying on the snowy roads. Then, when I loaded by memory card into my computer I was greeted by a couple of fuzz-tastic little beauts: 

Skirt: Target 9.99, Tank: Walmart 4.00, Cardi: TJMaxx 12.99, Tights: Kohls $5.99, 

Boots: MakeMeChic 19.99, Necklace: F21 6.00

AWESOME. 

At least you can make out the fact that I am wearing clothes of some kind, 

and that I am indeed, still good and prego, so there's that. Thanks camera!

If I was a really good blogger, I would've just forgone using these pictures at all and created some kind of 

Christmas wishlist or something, but I'm not that good, and it's like 4 days until Christmas and things

 are getting REAL around here, so yep, this is my post today. Judge me.

Luckily, there is always a video like this that may help redeem things: 

And although, yes, this video was probably even sweeter last year when the two of those cuties were still engaged, if there's anything we've learned from today's post it's that you can't have it all. At least in the celebrity engagement and fashion blogging business, that is.

However, in the Christmas candy business, which I am planning to become a big investor in in about 30 seconds, you CAN have it all. So you know, win some, lose some.

 oxox/W.

Get Ready!

I have been feeling like I am seven years old today because Christmas will be here in less than a week and I am verrrry excited. I don't know how I am supposed to get anything done when all I can think of is the long weekend with no work, lots of family, insane amounts of food, and the most fun that ever happens during the year. It's coming and it's coming fast, and I am so excited I can hardly stand it. 

With it so close, I am sure that you, like me, are running through your to-do list in your head over and over to make sure that it all gets done before time runs out. Just to make sure you don't forget anything important, I made a list of some of the most important things to get done before the festivities begin.

Paint those nails and paint them festive.

Red, green, white, metallic. Take your pick.

Wrap your presents.

Some people like to wrap their presents really pretty, some don't. The truth of the matter is they are going to be ripped open in seconds. So, whatever you feel good with, go with it. I support you. 

Cut paper snowflakes.

This is one of the new Christmas traditions we made this year. Fun for all ages. Fun for boys and girls. Uses supplies you most likely already have. Makes cute and cheap decorations. Here are the ones hanging in my kitchen: 

Plan some festive outfits.

I love dressing for the season. Here is an idea of how to do it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Send Santa phone calls.

This is hilarious. And free. And it spreads the Christmas spirit. Please try.

Yes! Yes! It's ALMOST here!!! Happy Tuesday and Christmas Eve x 5!!!

XO-S

Five Things Friday. {Christmas Procrastinator Edition}

Guys. Christmas is in 9 days. That's just nothing! Are you panicking yet? I'm trying not to, but I'm also trying  to pretend that the doughnuts (plural) that I had for breakfast are good for the little baby boy in my tummy. There are surely nutrients in doughnuts that he needs that he can't get anywhere else but in those very doughnuts, right? So ya, you can see how the whole denial of reality thing is working for me.

However, today's 'Five Things' is meant to help all of us procrastinators out there make the most of this last week before the big day. We can do it. Here goes:

1.You haven't thought about neighbor/co-worker/friends treats yet, have you? Well just look at this darling and fool-proof dipped oreo idea from A Southern Fairytale:

No cake pops, mason jars, or vintage typography needed. Just good old fashioned oreos, peppermint, and white chocolate. I. Am. In. Directions here.


2. So, you are having people over for a little Christmas party, and have almost everything figured out, but you want to take it to the next level so that it will totes beat out your perfect cousin Missy's party from last year? Well, I say a little chalkboard paint and some wine glasses from the dollar store are the answer, people! Just THINK of how cute your table settings will be with this little craft:

Seriously cool, right? Take that Missy! You don't stand a chance.Tutorial found here.

3. You most definitely still need the perfect little cozy sweater for Christmas Eve, huh? Well, just look at the darling options over at F21 all around $15-$25:

All found here. 

4. Still looking for that last minute gift for a handful of people on your list? Well, the faaaabulous Rachel over at Maybe Matilda just so happens to be running an AWESOME Handmade Holidays series right now with LOTS of fantastic ideas to help us poor procrastinators. And, we just so happen to be lucky enough to be guest posting over there today. So, head over and get inspired! And, here's a little sneak peak at what we posted:

5. Are you just procrastinating getting into the Christmas spirit at all? Too busy, tired, stretched in a million directions to be feeling merry? Well, I recommend a listen to this unconventional Christmas song. It will make you happy. And the video is just precious too. 

Alright, fellow procrastinator. We've got this. And if you're still struggling to get it together, a little Christmas fudge is ALWAYS the right answer. FYI.

oxox/W.

Boy, oh BOY!

I wore this shirt in honor of my day yesterday: finding out if the babe is a he or a she! I felt like this top showed equal support toward either side, a bluish top with pinkish dots, but then it was freezing so I put on a bluish blazer. That really tipped the scales apparently, because it's a little boy in there! I can only imagine what would have happened had I worn the pink Elle Woods number I had laid out originally, luckily my cat wasn't cooperating with the dog part of the outfit, so I opted for something else. 

I am THRILLED to be having a boy. He is SO cute, I saw his little smashed up face on the 4d ultrasound, and knew immediately that he is gonna be a heart breaker. Unfortunately, this does end my dreams for a little while of carrying on the rich Utah tradition of putting a baby girl in a headband with plastic daisies bigger than their faces, but I guess that will always be there. 

Blazer: Thrifted $5, Top: F21 $18.99, Jeans: Old Navy $6.99, Boots: F21 21.99

Today I will be celebrating baby boy with a hamburger or two. I have to. Boys will be boys. 

oxox/W. 

Brown cows and brown chickens.

Q. What do you get when you put a brown cow and a brown chicken together ?

A. BROWN CHICKEN BROWN COW!

(you know, like "bow chika bow wow")

I wish you guys could hear me tell this joke in real life. I am so good at it and you would laugh. Hard. I am pretty sure W's husband told it to me a couple years ago, and I think its like the funniest joke ever. And if you are wondering what it has to do with this blog, and this post, I am going to tell you right now. When I look at the dress I am wearing in the pictures below, I always think to myself, "BOW CHIKA BOW WOW" because for someone who dresses modestly, its about as flashy, colorful, bold, and SASSY as it gets. See for yourself.

{dress: ROSS 9.99, tights: TJ Maxx 4.99, booties: MakeMeChic.com $26}

Hot, right? And bright. I love. 

You may now share your freaking awesome cheesy jokes in the comments. If you can make them seasonal you get a prize. GO. 

Have a great day!

XO-S.

This Week.

First, will you judge me if I start to only post pictures now with my hands on my hips in order to make it look like I still have a waist at 20 weeks pregnant? Good, because this is happening. 

Second, will you judge me if I told you that this week is finals week, and in order to survive it I plan to eat my weight in a heavy rotation of Chik-fil-a and fudge? Good, because it's going to happen. 

Yes, it could be a rough one around here this week. It's cold, it's finals, it's soooo close to a Christmas break, yet so far, and it's gonna take some diet coke, stamina, and Amy Grant's epic 1983 Christmas music masterpiece, "A Christmas Album," to get through. That album is bomb. 

Also, I plan to use wearing of color as a survival mechanism to show those Professors that while they are trying to make my life bleak and colorless, it's not gonna work. Case in point: 

Why yes, I am wearing every color of the rainbow, Professor.
I hope it burns your eyes behind those fancy nerd glasses of yours. 

 Skirt: Thrifted $3, Blouse: Old Navy $6, Sweater: Old Navy $3.99, 

Tights: Target $5, Boots: MakeMeChic 19.99

Happy finals week everyone!

And if you don't have finals, happy reminder that you-are-so-lucky-not-be-a student-week!

Loves. 

oxox/W. 

Five Things Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone! Here are our fave things from this week:

1. These Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls which I intend to try ASAP. You can eat them as they are, or you can add them to warm milk, and they will turn it into hot chocolate. Hello! So cool. So yummy.

2. This tree skirt from none other than Martha Stewart, of course. I love the simple and clean look, and really love how simple it is to make!

3. All boots and booties at Charlotte Russe are buy one, get one for $10. This means you are pretty much guaranteed boots for $30 each or less. That is a seriously great deal. Here are my faves.

4.This idea for wall art that I saw on Pinterest. Just think of how many things you could do with this.

5. The Dartmouth Aires from the Sing Off. I am so surprised that this is our first Five Things that includes them because W and I love these guys so much. Listen.





Have a great Friday and a fabulous weekend!
XO-S

Dressy.

First things first...you all could not have been sweeter about my little announcement. I appreciate it. Lots. And although I write a clothing blog and have absolutely no clue what I should be putting on my body right now, your support in my figuring it out as this little babe grows means a lot. So there, consider yourself thanked. 

Next, this dress. It's so lovely:

This was the little number I picked out from eShatki, and like S, this one was sleeveless and short on the site, so they added some sleeves and another tier of skirt for me, and voila! A perfectly modest, perfectly pretty, little army-green number was born.

And...I LOVE it. It's flowly, and fancy, and makes me feel like I stepped into the 50's or something. And Bing Crosby is there, serenading me with a little 'White Christmas' at some fancy club, and then I'll be all, "Sorry Bing, I can't go dancing with you. You see, I'm married, and with child, and from the future." And he'll be all, "Too bad...that sure is a pretty dress though." And I'll be like, "Golly, thanks, Bing" (since I'm pretty sure they said 'golly' back then), but he'll be long gone before he can hear me since he wants to get away as fast as he can from the wacked out pregnant lady who says she is from the future.

Now what I'm trying to say is that I couldn't be more pleased with my lovely eShatki dress. It's a new favorite. I will now pose for you in it: 

Dress: c/o eShatki, Belt: Kohls: $7.00, Shoes: ROSS 12.99, Tights: Target 7.99

And don't forget, until December 31st, all PLA readers can get $20 off their eShatki purchase! 

Just use the code PRETTYLIFE0811 at checkout! Just THINK of the pretty clothes you could buy! Don't miss out! 

oxox/W. 

Trailblazers.

As you probably guessed, I am THE most excited about W's babe on the way. I can hardly stand it. It's the first baby in our family, so we are all freaking, and I know it's going to be the cutest thing ever. I will DEFINITELY be THE greatest aunt and W is going to be an amazing mother, This I know to be true because she has kinda been a second mom for me. She is the trailblazer in our family, she does everything first: college, marriage, parenthood, etc. and then we all follow shortly after and she tells us how to do it the right way. I could not be more grateful for her example and all that she has taught me. She is the best. 

And just like I love W, the trailblazer, I love this dress that the FABULOUS eShakti sent me last week. I think they are trailblazing in their own way, and it's changing my life. Case-in-point: the original version of my dress below.

So darling with a cardigan and tights, right? Of course. But get this, eShakti can customize their dresses. So guess what I did? I added some sleeves, and a little bit of length to the bottom to make it just exactly what I wanted and needed so it could be as wearable as possible. Here is what it turned into:

 

I am completely in love with it. The way it flows, the side ruffle, the colors, the shape. It's perfect. All I can say is thank you eShakti, for your trailblazing in the realm of customizable clothing to fit all shapes, sizes, preferences, and styles. I am totally smitten.

AND eShatki is giving Pretty Life readers $20 off their purchase between now and December 31st! Get that PERFECT Christmas party dress for $20 off!! Just use the code: PRETTYLIFE0811 at checkout. Happy Shopping!!!

Have a great Tuesday! 

XO-S

Everybody's doin it...

Beyonce, Jessica Simpson, Kourtney Kardashian...

Heart top: ModCloth 13.99, Long Sleeve: Rue 21 7.9
9 Scarf: Target 6.00, Jeans: Old Navy 4.99, Flats: Kohls 8.99

...so it only makes sense that I would become good and pregnant myself, 

don't you think? 

Also, in related news, I have no freaking clue how to dress myself anymore,

so I hope you like yoga pants and my husbands soccer jerseys. 

Yep, it's gonna get hot in here. 

oxox/W. 

PS. I'm nearly half-way done, I find out if the little babe is 

a boy or a girl next week, and I feel GREAT. 

Five Things Friday

1. These adorable striped cardigans on sale right now at Target for $13.50!!! Every girl needs a bunch of striped cardi's in her closet, and $13.50 is cheaper than dinner at Red Lobster. Serious. I need one in every color, and for that cheap, I just might make it happen.

2. I will present #2 to you in the form of a letter to Santa Claus:

Dear Santa,

When I look at all of the pretty stack rings on Etsy, my head almost explodes.I think that is a sign that I need some in my stocking this year. I don't care which ones, just make it happen. 

Love you, mean it.  -W. 

{1 2 3 4}

3. I don't know how to portray to you in a simple blog post my new-found affection for my next thing. I think I will first let you look, and read for yourself, and then we will debrief after the picture. Perhaps by then I will have the faculty to discuss this with you. Go ahead. Look. Read: 

Those are Coldstone cupcakes, aka the GREATEST DESSERT RELATED THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME. I had one this week for the first time courtesy of the dessert genius that is S. These supersede any and all cupcake experiences I have ever had or dreamed of having. Get some. THIS weekend. You will want to send me a thank you gift following your experience. This is not necessary. I just ask that you donate the amount you would have spent on my gift to a charity of your choice. I don't want praise, just knowing that I have changed your life in such a monumental way as this is my gift. 

4. The 25 Handmade gifts under $25 list over at The 36th Avenue blog. Here are just a couple of the DARLING ideas on the list: 

Get over there! You'll be SO inspired. 

5. One of my FAVORITE holiday traditions happened this week, going to see The Forgotten Carols. Have you heard of it? It's the sweetest little Christmas play that tours in December, and S and I never miss it. It's just the right amount of funny, cheesy, and awesome and it always makes me more than ready for Christmas. Here is one of my faaaaavorite songs from the play: 

Happy Friday to each and every one of you! 

Have a GREAT weekend. 

oxox/W. 

It's beginning to look a lot like...well, you know.

It's DECEMBER! And I am thrilled. To be honest I sorta thought it was December for days now, but now that it's actually the correct month to be a crazy Christmas lady, I couldn't be more pleased. I've got the Carpenter's Christmas on repeat, I've got the tree up along with about 7 different nativity sets, and I've got fudge making all lined up for this weekend. What a glorious time of year, I tell ya, just glorious. 

And today we've got a couple little snapshots of S and I's trees, and, you guessed it, ALL of our tree stuff is CHEAP. Both trees are hand-me-downs, and the vast majority of the ornaments you'll find on our trees are either handmade or from our local dollar store. Yep, it's all about affordable accessories around here, and our Christmas trees are no exception. Tree-mother, like tree-daughter, or whatever. 

Here is S's stunning gold and red tree: 

And some more sparkly DIY or dollar store things around our houses:

And here is my red, lime, and silver tree: 

Ooooh, it's magical. 

Happy December, friends! It's finally here!!

Is your tree up in a blog post? 

Make sure and leave a link to your site so we can see!

oxox/W.