First link up!

My first link up! Fun!

I'm linking up with Tara over at fabulous but evil for Target Tuesdays (and I have NO idea how to "grab a button" like all the cool kids do..help?)

I had to run to Targ after work today to pick up a rx. Go figure...my insurance is now not accepting refills and I have to fill it through a mail order ?? (pain in my butt - and I just lost a monthly excuse to go to Target and browse for 20 minutes waiting for it to be filled)....grr. Anyway, I decided to browse regardless and you all know where that leads you...

Here are some of my random purchases...

 

I LOVE stationary especially when it's $1! I'm also loving the legwarmers/boots look! It hasn't been cool enough to try it out but I'm certain it'll quickly become a fave...wiiinter, where are yooou?? And I don't know about you but I have been loving that puke-y/pea green color (otherwise known as chartreuse) for some time now. So, when I saw this necklace that has both that, wood beads, layers, and a sales tag, it had to be mine - it's cuter in person, really! I also got a couple dresses perfect for boots and tights ($6 each!)

What I am also loving at Targ right now is this genius designer, Albertus Swanepoel. 

I'll take one of each of those please!! (and probably wear them never)

And this year, as every year, I am loving the the basic Merona pashminas.

I need this is chartreuse and magenta. And maybe navy. And black and gray.

On another random shopping note...I went to Payless.  It has probably been 10 years since I last went to one but when I saw a teacher friend's cute shoes today I had to go! And of course they do BOGO which is always a plus. I came home with this pair of shoes (almost identical to the Lucky brand pair I debated getting but a fraction of the cost) and this fun $7 scarf:

I didn't find the cute shoes my friend had and I wasn't too impressed with much else but I was excited about these purchases! I'd say it's worth a looksie!

Okay, now seriously people...how do I grab a button?

U is for Uggs

These are a few things I am thankful for...



Oh, what's that you say? Only 20 year old sorority girls walking across campus to their next class wear gym shorts, uggs, and big t's?

Big fat false.

Hi, I'm Mandell. I wear uggs (pink ones sometimes), and gym shorts, and long sleeve fraternity t's (dating back to probably 2002 and 2 sizes too big) and I desperately wish I was still in college run errands like this.

And when it's cold enough (and even when it's not) I complete the look with this:

fleece or puffy vest or the obvious North Face or Patagonia fleece
I could never choose which I love most.

Judge away.

When will I feel too old to sport such collegiate things?? Hopefully never.

S if for Second Chances

Meet Travis.

The boy I dated briefly and broke things off with.

The boy who took me back.

My thanks for this is unending.  When I realized I had made a huge mistake I waited painstakingly by my phone for the familiar sound of a returned text (December 22nd to be exact, I remember these things - ha!).  I thought if he still cared enough after 5 months that's all it would take. I was right. The moment he responded and I had a chance to explain myself I knew my life had changed forever. This time I knew we were in it for the long haul.

...and he came just the way I like them! Big (lineman big - my favorite type!), strong, red headed (yes, love this!), so so sweet, sincere, goofy, strong willed, southern, smart, and all mine!

Most importantly he believed in us since day one and he always has the right thing to say when the distance gets to be too much.

Our first ever posed picture together (just last month!) and this is the face he makes...

Love this boy!

Has a second chance ever changed your life?

Dream Weaver

So yesterday afternoon when I received this message from Trav:

it drives me crazy that he doesn't type out 'you'!!

my mind went a little haywire with excitement. I mean, we drive around and look some, and browse real estate websites from time to time, and even call on a few but in my mind we're always just kind of playing. I always assumed we were a ways off from actually purchasing a house (there's a few steps that need to take place before that one...like a ring for starters!) and this was 100% his doing so it got me really excited. My very own home has been a dream for oh, probably 20 years. 
No joke.

He knows better than to do that to me! He knew darn well that I had a list of things I needed to get done (the one weekend we aren't together and crazy busy!) and he knows my excitement level for all things "future": (wedding, home, babies, etc.)

And, I mean look at that house. It's pretty! And Millie sure wouldn't mind that ginormous yard! After taking the "virtual tour" I saw that we would need to get in there and make a few updates...

So what did I do for the rest of the afternoon you ask? Laundry? Not a chance. Naturally, I pinned away. Duh. If you follow me on pinterest I sincerely apologize for filling your feed with my millions of home updates/renos and ideas. Thanks Travis for making me completely unproductive.

LOVE the colors and those fish prints. Trav would def approve!

bathroom perfection.

y'all, these curtains WILL be in my house one day. for sure.

reminds me of my bffs cute little entry...case, a cushion would be cute on your pew! next project!

i.want.this.couch.BAD. (and the pillows and the quilt and those windows)

Maybe I would actually wash more than I pin with this laundry room.

All that wasted time dreaming over a house that the website clearly states is "under contract". Dang it.

  Gary Wright had it right when he said, 

"Dream Weaver, I believe you can get me through the night.

Dream Weaver, I believe we can catch the morning light"

Are you all singing it now??! I will be for the next 5 days.

Thinking about all the possibilities for that house that very likely will never be ours practically did keep me up to catch the morning light.

Oh, but it's fun to dream! Good night y'all!

F is for Fall Back

I don't know about you but I LOVE the time change! There is something so cozy about the nights turning dark earlier, walks with my sweet pup in the dark evenings, and who doesn't love the extra time to see all the holiday lights while shopping around for the ones you love (and maybe yourself too)?

Highland Village lights...my absolute favorite street to drive down!

Ahhh, sweet Christmas lights....even if you are are up and sparkling before the little ones dress up for annual trick-or-treating, even if you are up before we give thanks in November, that's just fine by me.  You serve as a constant reminder to people that the seasons have changed.  A constant reminder that we should all take a second to count our lucky stars, to be a little kinder to the check out lady, and a little more thankful for the money in our pocket used to purchase minty, hot, red cup, concoctions. You truly renew spirit in people who may have lost it during the long months of Houston summers.  You also make me feel it is ok to wear cardis, boots, and scarves even though it is still 79 degrees out. And that, I am perfectly ok with.

Are you thankful for the time change?

Lesson Learned...

My team is not doing so hot right now. Sad year for those Red Raiders...

Last week at school, we had some gentlemen from the fire department come for a visit. You can read about that here. As a thank you my class collected snacks, treats, and Halloween candy for the men at the station to enjoy. As I was going through candy this morning (taking out a few pieces I knew the firefighters wouldn't want, you know snicker's, m&ms, reese's - surely firemen don't want those right?) I find this....

See something wrong with this picture?

See...the school I work at is in a very affluent neighborhood...affluent and mostly Asian.  Bless their hearts, they don't know much about living here in the good ole U. S. of A.

It's the thought right?

After further review, I decided those firemen might like m&m's and snickers after all...even if they are from February 2011... Lesson learned: Don't steal from kindergartners trying to give to community helpers.

This does not however mean I can not borrow snacks from them. Come on, no kindergarten needs all 5 malona cookies or an entire bag full of chex mix. I'm just doing my part to keep child obesity at bay. 

V is for Vet

I'm spending this Friday night in bed with my babe (the furry four-legged one).

She is finally home from what I'm sure were 24 of the worst hours of her life...poor baby. I think we're both so happy to be doing nothing together tonight. And I know she's happy to be allowed on my bed (hence the comforter circa 1991).

I am so thankful for the vets who fixed my Mill girl. What I would have done without her in my life I am not sure.

When I picked her up from the ER this morning she was rocking this pink bandage...

The second we got to her vet she, being the 50 pound lap dog that she is, crawled up in my lap. After her first ever night alone (this spoiled dog has never been boarded thanks to my awesome parents!) I was happy to have her sitting with me! At that point I was fairly optimistic but still so worried to see what our vet, the one we actually know and trust, had to say.

He wanted to keep her there the rest of the day to continue treatments.

In the mean time, I ran up to school to find the sweetest surprise!

An envelope full of precious notes wishing Millie well! Their sweet 5 year old thoughtfulness brought tears to this teachers eyes (as if I hadn't cried enough already!)

When I finally picked her up we were both so excited!

You would've never guess this girl was on her death bed just a night earlier by the way she was hanging out the window. I guess a little fresh air really can cure the soul!

I was excited to see they gave my burnt orange and white pup a little red for the big game tomorrow! Mill def didn't want to look like a Longhorn this weekend so she asked me draw a Double T on her bandage. I happily obliged!

So here we are. Home, happy, hopefully healthy, tired, and so, so, so thankful.