Dear Madam, Can you Change a Tire?

Women can do a lot of things. Anything we put our minds to.

But I realized last Monday that there are several important things I do not know how to do. And it's true that I didn't think of all of this just now (I already knew I didn't know how to change a tire) but being stranded on the side of the road will really get you contemplating.

I have had exactly two flat tires in my nearly 12 years of driving. The first happened about two miles from my house so it wasn't difficult to find someone to drive over and help me out.

The second happened today. On a highway. At 7:00 a.m. 30 minutes from my house.

As I sat there, looking at directions on how to use a carjack, I wondered/hoped someone would take pity on me and stop. After they didn't and I spent a bit second guessing myself and my ability to handle this crisis on my own, I called a co-worker to come and help me. He kindly obliged (and even took me to a gas station to put air in my spare tire after we discovered it was flat :/ ) and I really appreciated the help. 

But it left me wondering if I could have done it on my own. Now, in this instance, that probably would have been a no since I couldn't walk to a gas station and pump up that tire, but in a general sense... Could I change my own tire if there was no one to help? If no one stopped?

This also lead me to think about other things I don't currently know how to do. Like sewing a button on a shirt, running a lawn mower, repairing a leaky sink... I depend on other people to do certain things for me but what if the day comes when I am the only one around? Or I am the adult who is supposed to fix the problem?

I'm making it a goal to learn these skills (and others). If I do make a 30 under 30 list, I know what will be number 1.

Below is a Buzzfeed article I found on things every woman should know how to do. It's entertaining if nothing else:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/catesevilla/46-things-every-grown-woman-should-know#.ovlxpQWmP

Me Time

Last Thursday I took the day off from work. I had time I needed to use and thought, why not? I also didn't tell anyone I took off work as I was determined to have a little 'me time'. 

I didn't want to waste the day by laying around watching Netflix all day, so I got my butt up at 8:00 a.m. and set out for our local park.

I haven't run a mile in quite some time so I wasn't sure I could even still do it. But I was determined to try. Our park has a track that runs around it. In total it is 1 1/10 miles. I started slow, walking a full lap around, snapping a few photos.

I ran the entire next lap (yay!) and then walked one more lap before heading back home to shower.

After showering, my grandmother and I went to get our nails done and then went to lunch at Applebees. I love their lunch combos. I had a club sandwich and French onion soup ($8). After lunch we went to Walmart to pick up a few things and then headed home.

Still wanting to be productive, I washed dishes and clothes and picked up a little around the basement. I even managed a blog entry! By the time all of this was done, it was time to start cooking dinner. I'd been craving pasta salad all day, so I started with an Italian dressing based recipe.

I cooked a pound of pasta (this lasted for three days FYI) and then added red and green peppers, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and Italian dressing. It's very simple and very delicious. 

For the main dish, I decided to cook something a bit healthier. I made a lemon chicken and asparagus stir fry. I also made white rice to go on the side. I know white rice isn't the healthiest, but I like it. :)

You can find the recipe here: 

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/03/chicken-and-asparagus-lemon-stir-fry.html

After dinner, I decided to do something I hadn't done in quite a while. I took a bubble bath. It seemed like a great way to end my day. I had mixed up some sangria earlier in the day (sangria I bought from Sam's mixed with blackberries) so I poured a glass and lit a candle and relaxed in my (admittedly too small) tub. 

I made the water a little too hot so it didn't last as long as it could have but it was still nice. I read a few chapters of my book and sipped my sangria. 

Note to self: when I get my own house, I will get a bigger tub. Preferably one with jets. :)

All in all, I'd say it was a great day. 

Cleaning Out My Closet

I'm sorry, mama. I never meant to hurt you...

Just kidding. This is about an actual closet.

Since I've been buying so many new clothes and shoes lately, I thought it would be a good idea to re-organize my closet. 

As you can see from the before picture below, my closet is really just racks hanging on the wall. Since I'm in the basement, a closet for clothes was never built. This is one of many reasons I should keep my closet tidy at all times. Whoever walks into my bedroom can see it.

As you may notice, I have a tendency to throw hangers on the floor when I take clothes off of them. Bad habit.

My first step to a better closet was to pull everything down. I put it all on my bed in piles. Shirts with shirts, jackets with jackets, dresses with dresses, etc. (Side note- I do not hang pants in my closet. I keep them in drawers.) I then went through all of the piles and picked out which clothes I really wanted to keep.The rest went into the Goodwill pile. A good rule of thumb is if you haven't worn it in the last year, you probably aren't going to. 

I read up on hangers and discovered that these thin velvet hangers are really good for space saving. They also grip your clothes so they do not fall off like they do with wire hangers. No clothes pins necessary! I ordered the hangers pictured below from Amazon ($24 for 50 hangers) and I also ordered the suit hangers as well ($25 for 50). I ended up ordering a total of 150 hangers to accommodate all of my clothes. (Yeah I know...) I also purchased a pack of finger clips from Amazon for my skirts. ($7.48 for 20). All of these items ship free with Amazon Prime. 

I hung everything back up starting at the back right with my big winter coats. Next I put dresses. This was necessary for me because my shoe rack is too tall for them to hang anywhere else. Next came long-sleeved shirts, then short sleeved, then sleeveless. Lastly, I put my cardigans on the very end. On the right side of the closet I hung my jackets and a few ugly Christmas sweaters. When it gets colder weather, I plan to unpack the rest of my non-ugly sweaters and switch them out with my sleeveless shirts.

I decided to organize each section by color as well. This makes it much easier to find things when I'm hurriedly looking for a specific article of clothing.

I have all of my bags a purses stacked in the top of my closet, along with various hats I've acquired (for parties mostly). The bigger Thirty-One totes hold all of my purses, while my grey and white polka dot bin holds my wallets. 

I think the velvet hangers really clean up the look of the closet and make it seem a bit more spacious than the plastic hangers. I'm glad I made the investment.

Not only does it look better, but re-organizing your closet once a year can really aid in getting rid of clothes you don't wear. Though it doesn't look like it, I actually got rid of a whole trash-bag of clothes this go around. 

Lord help me if I ever get my dream walk-in closet. ;)

Confessions of a Possible Shopaholic

I used to be pretty thrifty. I was careful with my money and never bought anything that cost more than $30. I would have died at the thought of buying a bathing suit that cost over $100. 

So what's happened to me lately? Because that is exactly what I did. I seem to be having less and less problems spending more and more money on clothes and shoes these days. And maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing. I haven't dug myself into the horrible, inescapable depths of debt. Yet...

Maybe it's getting older and having more money to spend. And the fact that I don't currently have a house payment or kids. Or maybe I'm developing a love for fashion that I didn't used to have.

I've been buying a lot of things lately that don't fit my "style". My friend Hillary and I went shopping this weekend and we both purchased things we'd never seen each other wear. And we've been friends for 15 years (saying that makes me feel old...). I told her now was as good a time as any to re-invent our style. Or at least add to it.

I have a very eclectic taste in music. And maybe I've developed the same taste as far as fashion goes. Just this past weekend I purchased this vest from Guess ($60):

I saw it in the store and passed it by, thinking it was not something I would ever wear. But as we perused the aisles, I kept thinking about it. So eventually I went back for it. I tried it on not expecting to like it that much. But I loved it. 

Another recent purchase I made was my Lauren Conrad scalloped shorts ($33 at Kohl's). I bought them in black and in the pattern below:

It's been a bit of a struggle to figure out what top to wear with these but I love them.

In the past two weeks I've also purchased Lauren Conrad coated jeggings ($12 on clearance at Kohl's).

And this LC floral peasant blouse ($29.99 at Kohl's).

I also purchased a new pair of Yellow Box flip flops from Belk ($24.99) and a pair of rolled up jeans from Gap ($19.99).

So yeah...I feel like I've become a shopaholic. Although, to be honest, this is not a very recent development. My 20-odd Thirty-One and Vera Bradley bags purchased over the past three years can attest to that. But I've spent quite a bit in the last two weeks and sadly now have a hundred more dollars worth of things in my cart. 

So this is the part where I confess that I may have a buying problem. But I also have an evolving style so who can really put a handle on that? Aren't these items so cute?

I should just get them right?

City Fashion in a Small Town

I bought faux leather leggings today.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it kind of is for me.

I'm from a relatively small Georgia town. Not small as in we have one traffic light or anything but we're definitely no city. I never really venture to Atlanta, the closest big city, that often. I don't have a hopping nightlife or a job where dressing up is required everyday.

Therefore, I am conflicted. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to all things fashion (and a separate board for shoes!) and I've pinned so many cute outfits but...

I've never been what I consider "fashionable". I don't feel like I can suddenly take up wearing trendy clothes even if I want to sometimes. I've looked at a few fashion blogs, browsed Pinterest and various store's websites but I'm still not convinced I can pull it off. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like certain outfits are geared more towards big city girls. Although, looking around me, I do know people personally who dress fabulously so I know it's all in my head.

I decided today that I would Google small town fashion versus big city fashion just to see what came up. Here are a few of the small town results:

Plaid! 

Camo!

Though I am Southern and somewhat small town, I do not wear plaid or camo much at all. I think I have one plaid shirt maybe. Also, I don't own cowboy boots. I have often thought of investing in a pair just to wear to country music concerts but I still haven't. 

When I googled big city fashion:

Now I'm going to be honest. I've never seen Sex and the City. I'm not a huge SJP fan. And maybe I would be if I ever watched the show. But so far I haven't. Therefore, I can't appreciate fashion references from this show.

The one thing I'm in love with, fashion-wise, these days is faux leather leggings. I really like the edgy look, leather jacket, dark heels. But edgy scares me a bit. For several years I've wanted a faux leather jacket, but I've never found one just right. If I could ever pull off any look, I would want it to be this one.

In my fashion blog search I found this post on faux leather pants:

http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com/archive/how-to-wear-leather-pants/

It is from two years ago so I realize I may now be behind on the leather pants craze (oh well). But the jist of the article is that anyone can pull off faux leather if they do it the right way. I let this article convince me once and for all that I needed to buy those leggings that have been sitting on my wish list for months. I haven't gotten them yet obviously, but I'll update once I do. I think I have the right shoes. It's only a matter of the perfect top.

Another fashion blog I've discovered is http://www.hellofashionblog.com/. She's rocking some cute outfits. I especially loved this dress:




It's a bit expensive for me, but if I was going to splurge on a dress, it would probably be this one. 


So what exactly is my style? That's a difficult question to answer. I do most of my shopping at Kohl's, Old Navy and Target. Here's a look at some recent outfits of mine:

Everyday Look

When I'm not at work, you can usually find me in an outfit similar to this. Capris or shorts (or pants when it's cold) and a plain top. I've gotten most of my capri pants from Kohl's. I really like the way they fit. These are Apt. 9. I have a shirt like the one above in almost every color. It came from Old Navy. I like the way these shirts fit and they almost never have to be ironed, which is a plus. They cost around $10 usually. Sometimes $5 if they're on sale.

Night Out Look

I say this is my night out look. I've worn it once. But actually, it's the only night out I've had where there was cause to dress differently than normal.

The shirt and shoes both came from Kohl's. The jeggings came from Walmart. I was pleasantly surprised. They're not too thin (you can't see through them) and they fit really well.

Here's a closer look at the shoes since you can't really see them in the above picture:

Candies Fiji Boots, $39.99

I love the shoes. They do hurt my feet after a while (I'm flat footed) so I wear them when I plan to do a lot of sitting.

Church/Wedding Look

I bought this dress from Kohl's around Easter this year. It's Lauren Conrad (I've bought a lot of her clothes lately). Cost around $50. I've only worn this dress once so far, but I would definitely pull it out for a wedding. Not sure it does much for my pasty pale legs though. Oh well.

The shoes came from Rack Room and are quite possibly my favorite pair of dress shoes. I've developed an affinity for wedges. They feel better than heels to me. And these were only around $25.

I've also really come to love blazers. All during the winter season I wore blazers to work. 

I got this Lauren Conrad charcoal blazer from Kohl's on clearance for $28. It fits amazing. I can lift my arms without it pulling insanely tight in my armpits. 

And just to show that I do have colors other than black and gray in my wardrobe:

Just kidding! But seriously tho. Aren't these the best pjs ever?


So I suppose the point of this blog is...am I on the right track here? Is buying faux leather leggings a terrible idea? Can I be stylish, even if it's only in my own mind?

Also, what are other good fashion blogs I should check out?

27 at 27 May Update

1. Visit a place I've never been.  Hawaii! I spent 7 days in a beautiful paradise.  I'll post more details on my new blog: www.ourmctravels.blogspot.com.

2. Take a Class. 

3. Write a rough draft of a novel or short story. - I didn't quite make my April deadline on this one, but I've still got a little over 6 months left.

4. Get in the shape I want to be in. 

5. Eat healthier. 

6. Try a new vegetable. 

7. Go to a concert. 

8. Save more money than I did last year. 

9. See a play. 

10. Try my hand at photography. - I have found a photography class offered at a local college that I'm thinking of giving a try. 

11. Do a wine tasting. 

12. Eat at a restaurant I've never eaten at before.  


13. Try new kinds of sushi. 

14. Run a 5K.  

15. Watch Breaking Bad. 

16. Make a craft and attempt to sell it on Etsy. 

17. Make a T-shirt quilt. 


18. Attempt a new activity. I have officially tried snorkeling. It was quite a fun experience, especially in the lovely Hawaiian pacific.





19. Have at least one themed party.   We hosted an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter's Tea Party for the Kentucky Derby this year. For full details, check out ourmcparties.blogspot.com. 


20. Bake a new kind of pie. 

21. Make a crafty map of the United States. 

22. Learn how to curl my hair. 

23. Go to a drag queen show. 

24. Go glamping. 

25. Do something that scares me. 

26. Re-organize my closet area.   

27. Blog more! 

27 at 27 March/Early April Update

1. Visit a place I've never been.  44 days until Hawaii!!

2. Take a Class. 

3. Write a rough draft of a novel or short story. 

4. Get in the shape I want to be in. I've started a new workout routine as of April 1st and so far so good. 

5. Eat healthier. WIP! 

6. Try a new vegetable. 

7. Go to a concert. Bought tickets to see Shania Twain in August!

8. Save more money than I did last year. 

9. See a play. 

10. Try my hand at photography. 

11. Do a wine tasting. 

12. Eat at a restaurant I've never eaten at before.  

13. Try new kinds of sushi. 

14. Run a 5K.  Color run!

15. Watch Breaking Bad. 

16. Make a craft and attempt to sell it on Etsy. 

17. Make a T-shirt quilt. 

18. Attempt a new activity. 

19. Have at least one themed party. 

20. Bake a new kind of pie. As March 14th was the most epic of Pi Days (and a Saturday), my friends and I decided to have a St. Patty's Pie Party. I baked a coconut pie and it was pretty good if I do say so myself.

21. Make a crafty map of the United States. 

22. Learn how to curl my hair. 

23. Go to a drag queen show. 

24. Go glamping. 

25. Do something that scares me. Done. Just trust me on this one. Although my goal is to do more things that scare me this year.

26. Re-organize my closet area.   

27. Blog more!