cargos + patches.

tgif! it's super bowl weekend, and it's a big deal at our house. i really only look forward to the half time show and commercials, and usually cheer for the underdogs just to make things interesting around here! mini-he and i will decorate the house with team logos and paraphernalia, my dad usually has a pool going on, and there'll be ribs and cold beers on the menu.

good times.

do you watch the super bowl?

(sweater via 9th & Elm; cargo pants via [oomph.];

Charles David pact heels)

you might like these:

long layers.

while many of you are experiencing cool fall weather (i know a few who had their first snow!), it's still hot here. best way to stay cool is in loose layers, like this vest from Patty's Closet. if you haven't already, join their text club to receive exclusive discounts. text 'pattys' to 75309.

i seem to be experiencing a streak of bad luck with my computers. a few months ago my hard drive crashed at work. i lost everything. my hard drive was replaced as a quick fix, but i'm still waiting on my new computer. last night, my laptop at home died. apologies, again, for the interruption in posts.

how's the weather in your neck of the woods?

how cute is this? i'm totally stealing this idea...but it needs a heavier base because i kept knocking it over.

(cargo pants via oomph; f21 tank;

Patty's Closet vest; victoria's secret shoes)

you might like these:

crochet and cargos.

sandwiching olive cargos between brights.

and, pardon the crooked necklace.

it was hot. i was sticky.

a super weekend was had...birthday parties, swimming, football games, and potlucks, all before the storm hit. woke up this morning to stormy weather.

how was your weekend?

evening swim in a heated pool.

mini-he's final game at the real stadium, followed by a fun picnic. i filled 100+ water balloons that, of course, was gone in a matter of seconds. plus, the kids (and adults) danced and sang the evening away...

(JustFab shoes c/o; honey love necklace; cargos via oomph; ray-ban sunglasses)

here's a few you might like:

Lord & Taylor Tanks · BB Dakota · Asos

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have you entered these current giveaways?

$150 Target Gift Card Giveaway

$150 Old Navy Gift Card Giveaway

a week of stripes. weekender.

stripes and cargos for a casual day strolling around town.

a chilly, early morning trip to the farmer's market followed by a hot cup of coffee is what i envision for a nice saturday activity. now, if only we had saturday mornings free...

if you had a free saturday, how would you spend it?

in case you missed it:

monday's details.

tuesday's extremes.

wednesday's workout.

welcome 2013.

last year i made a list of goals that i hoped to meet throughout the year and did monthly recaps of those resolutions.

it was a good way for me to keep track of my accomplishments personally and on the blog...so here's a list of things

i hope to stay on top of in 2013:

1) drink water, period.

(most days i'm lucky if i drink one glass of water)

2) try something new every month.

(new recipe, new restaurant/menu item, visit a new attraction, etc...)

3) be on time.

(early to bed, early to rise)

4) eat breakfast with the minis during the week.

(they're usually eating while i get ready for work; goes along with #3)

5) simplify and de-clutter.

(the drawers, the closets, the garage, the file cabinets, you name it!)

6) improve my photography skills.

(learn every function of my camera)

7) timely and organized blog posts.

(plan ahead and schedule posts during busy months)

have you made any goals for the new year?

spent new year's day with the neighborhood mamas...some of us recuperating from the eve, but given a little food and

coffee with kahlua, we were ready to go.

this was my favorite wine of the night...very smooth!

(express sweater (similar); victoria's secret shoes (similar);

carrie cargo pant via oomph (buy))

i'd love and appreciate your vote for [oomph.] on circle of moms'

top 25 fashion & beauty moms of 2013?

you can vote once daily!

don't forget to enter the dobel + perry farrell giveaway here.

a week of animals. zebras and a deer.

my sister brought back this shirt from her recent new york travels. it fit the bill for being perfectly lightweight and breezy, and i gladly welcome anything with animal prints. the zebras made me think of other animals, which made me think of safari, which made me think of cargo pants. so along with today's zebras and deer [antlers], i'll be dedicating the

week to wearing...animals. 

a while ago i bought a box of quinoa because i heard it was a healthy alternative to say, rice. anyone who has cooked quinoa knows that the germ ring becomes visible as it separates from the seed. well, my phobia weirdness about holes got the best of me when i saw all those rings in the pot. that was the first and last time i cooked quinoa...till this weekend. quinoa has been all the rage lately with the neighborhood moms, and after trying some of their salads recently, i decided to give it another go. my first batch included cucumbers, red pepers, red onions, olives, and feta cheese tossed with a dressing made of olive oil, red wine vinegar and dried oregano. the oregano was a bit strong for me, so i modified the second batch using just olive oil, red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

have you tried quinoa? do you have any phobias?

second batch of greek salad with quinoa...

(top, h&m (gift); carrie cargo pant via oomph (buy); shoes, aldo)

don't forget to check out [oomph.] on facebook for tips, discounts and sales, and links to my favorite finds.

GIVEAWAY COMING THIS WEEK!

hide and unseek.

i totally forgot about these shoes.

i bought them a little while ago and had to,

uh...hide them from scrutizining eyes.

so i shoved the bag in the depths of my laundry basket,

which really just holds stuff, not dirty laundry.

guess out of sight, out of mind, because i truly forgot about them until i was looking for a shirt that might have

actually been in said laundry basket.

had a delicious lunch today consisting of laksa, new york cheesecake, and sparkling lemonade.

this link gives you a general description of laksa, but every restaurant has a slightly different version.

wish i took a picture, but we were too hungry!

happy aloha friday, all!

cheesecake...my favorite

(shoes, nordstrom; carrie cargo pant, available at oomph; top, f21)

deja vu.

i have a bunch of things that are going to the dry cleaners this weekend, including this white blazer...so i figured i'd wear the heck out of it this week. and since i've been raving about it, i thought it would be fun to see how many things i could pair it with. it seriously goes with evvrything. surprisingly, my sister hasn't said anything, haha. it's usually hot by the time i reach the office, so any blazer, cardi, or jacket is usually hung on the back of my chair for the remainder of the day, anyways. maybe she hasn't noticed.

pardon the wrinkled pants. although i love the look of cargos, all the extra pockets tend to be too bulky for me. these pants are a great alternative because the material is very thin, and the side pockets lay flat. you still get the look of cargos, but the easy, breezy feel of linen pants.

i'll take wrinkles over bulk any day.

(blazer, rampage; cargos, available at oomph; tank, f21; shoes, jessica simpson)