i heart mail (and surprises!)

I just got the most fabulous surprise in the mail. :)

I had my eye on this adorable set of teacups from Ruche, but they sold out pretty quickly.
Plus, we've been doing our best not to spend any money over the next few months, except on food and other semi-important things :)

SO, imagine my surprise and glee, when there was a knock on our door! We weren't expecting anything or anyone, so the large package being delivered to us was quite a mystery.
Once I opened it, I squeeled until Dustin quickly backed away with his hands over his ears!
Eeeeeeee!

Aren't these just adorable?
Heart-shaped tea/coffee -- it's like a little love note to myself!

I absolutely love them.
And am so thankful for the random kindness and sweet gift of my parents :)

I am now enjoying multiple cups of tea with cream!!

On a side note, I also made a fun little craft today. An easy one, too!
I had gotten a really big swatch of burlap from an interior design shop during a big fabric sale they were having. So I decided to use it!

Note Board

What You Need:
-Picture Frame
-Burlap
-Scissors
-Dry Erase Marker

I just used the picture frame insert to cut out the burlap to fit the frame :)

You could use it as a little note board, or a menu board to let your hubby know what's for dinner! :)
I settled for a cute little kitchen note.

Love!

What a great day :)

In love,

Cait

my closet

I'm getting there.

Believe it or not, I have not always been very fashionable.
Nay. In fact, I had a kitten t shirt that I'm pretty sure I wore every day until I was 13.
I also loved to wear my brother's clothes growing up (tom-boy syndrome), and have been a hit-and-miss ever since.

I'm getting there. I really think I am. I'm finally emerging as a woman, and I think I've developed into a somewhat consistent style that I'm starting to enjoy. Now, occasionally my husband will say, "Wait! Those don't go with that!" Actually, he's only said that once, and it will probably be the last time he ever says that.

:)

He's actually coming along quite nicely, too :) he's been molded into a stylish sweater-wearing stud.

So anyway, having said all of this, my wardrobe is in a constant state of revision. I am slowly but surely molding my closet into what I want it to be. While I'm not foregoing the bargain shopping altogether, I would like to say that I'm moving into more long-term, well-made pieces. More quality, less quantity. More boutique-like. And more skirts and dresses!

So, as my readers, help me out here. I'm trying to narrow down my wish list into a few great spring items that I can laboriously save up for over the next month or so.
I need your vote! Since I can only pick a few.

The bottom line is that I'm enchanted with Ruche's new lookbook!! :)
How gorgeous is this mint dress, with a floral jacket? Love.

Now, on to my purchasing debacle.

So...this first one is out of stock, but I totally wanted this more mature, age appropriate kitten shirt :) haha!
Can't throw out ALL of my old habits...

I'll start with the dresses.
Which floral?
(I might have to get two. It's just too hard.)
Bright green or mint green? Long sleeve or sleeveless?

How about the bows?...

Oh so many bows.

 

 

I'm in love with comfy pullovers.
(I'm also really in love with mint right now...)
Lace or Stripes?

 

OR should I forego the comfy mint pullover, and spring for this adorable elbow-patched quilted jacket that's on sale??

(PS, my mom would rock this jacket. Maybe we should match!)

Don't even get me started on shoes.

How am I supposed to pick between these bright accent flats?
Green, Purple, Floral, More Floral, and Yellow...

 

 

Although I'm pretty sure I'm going to get these, no matter what else happens in my life :)

(Grin!)

It's too much, too much, I tell you.

What are your votes?

I need some input here. :)

OH! And one last thing -- what are your thoughts on pastel-colored sunglasses? (Mint, or otherwise?)

Get to pondering. :)

In love,

Cait

snow day!

The call came in.

SNOW DAY.

Classes are canceled!! And staff and faculty....have to report at 11am. :(
Dang. That's me.

Hold the phone, suga! I'm staying home for my snow day!
Thankfully, my office is really flexible and generously allowed me to take the day off for my very first snow day :)
I'll have to work on Saturday to make up the hours, but that's no problem!

This is what we woke up to on Monday morning...

Surprise!

It's a perfect day. :)

We started thinking about what we'd like to do most, and of course, sledding came immediately to mind.

I have absolutely no snow-worthy gear, so I had to settle for some skinny jeans, an easily soakable jacket, my rain boots and my snow hat :)

Our own little winter wonderland.

It was already warming up, and the snow was slowly beginning to fall off the trees! We knew this was a quickly fading, very special day.



Poor Phoebe did NOT sign up for this kind of life.

Our hearts (and a few key texts between friends) led us up around the corner from Liberty mountain.

There ended up being 7 of us, and we all met at our friend's house - they live right above Liberty.

We trekked through the woods until we found a formidable hill!

We had a pretty good troop :)

(oh and 7 is counting 1 year-old Aidan, and Sammy, the dog).

We took a few detours and roundabout travels before we found the right place.

Not quite sure about this whole "snow" thing.

 

A very special bond :)

We both occasionally enjoy laughing at our husbands.

The snow was soooo powdery. It was soft and blanket-like.

Fluff, fluff, fluff.

Allison, Greg and little Aidan were so cute together. Aidan loved to touch the snow. If he started getting upset, all you had to do was bundle up a ball of snow in front of him, and he would be instantly fascinated.

Magic.

We lollygagged, frolicked, and waded through the snow some more.

We finally came to the glorious hill that we would call "home" for a few hours!

It was so funny to sled down, because the snow was so light that it flew in your face and got all over you as you went down!

We figured out fairly quickly that our red sled was the best. The biggest and the fastest!

At one point, Allison and I both got on together and flew down the hill so fast and furious that we almost flattened Sammy. Luckily, Chris was there! It all happened in slow motion...

"Saammmmyyy, nnoooooo!!!" as he jumped in like Superman, swinging his sled above our heads, dodging out of the way, and leaving everyone involved safe and unharmed.

Kodak moment, to be sure.

Nice photographic catch, Dusty.

(PS, because of bankruptcy, Kodak is now out of the camera business. Our children will never even know why it's called a Kodak moment! Sad truth.)

We hung out up on our hill for a few hours, and I found out rather swiftly how out of shape I am. I stopped sledding just because I didn't want to walk back up the hill anymore!

Ashamed.

But, we had a grand time :)

How cute is that?

 

 

I hope Dusty's snow day was everything he had hoped it to be. :)

Cheering us on! :)

Awkward friends.



That little smile by Aidan may have taken a while for me to get, but I think it was well earned :) we've developed a fairly good rapport, I think.

Having had a wonderful, exhausting, beautiful day spent with friends having all kinds of snowy shenanigans, we went home and I fell into bed and slept for three hours.

Hmmm. Maybe I really should work out on occasion.

Thanks for the best snow day ever, gang :)

In love,

Cait