What is the point of this?

Not as cute as a heel, not as comfortable as a normal sneaker, I'm assuming. Reviewers seem to like it, though.

Skinny Jeans

I have mentioned before that I am a thin person but I don't think I mentioned that I really can't wear skinny jeans. I know, it doesn't exactly make sense. But with skinny jeans, it's not just about what size you are, but also what shape you are. I know some people just plain hate them and think they are unflattering on anyone (I kind of sort of used to feel a tad like that). I don't think that is true, though. I do hate them on men and boys. I like them for the "gamine" look, with black ballet flats and a sort of indie-chic look, short hair and such but also on people like Heidi Klum in a more fashion-y, trendy context. But even Beyonce can wear them.

Here's the deal: I think if your hips are proportionate with the rest of your legs, skinny jeans may work. I, however, have a badonkadonk like you wouldn't believe if you only saw my twiggy legs and tiny ankles. I am just so round around the hip area that I just think the skinny jeans taper too much on me. Beyonce is more proportionate than I am.

Anyway, I decided to try straight leg jeans because I had a feelin they would actually look like skinny jeans on me, because of my wide hips. This is a great option to try for anyone who thinks they can't pull off skinny jeans, but would like to try them. Also, all skinny jeans are not created equal, so try a few different styles on and you may just be able to work it.
I tried these on today at the Gap (on sale):I know - light jeans? I never buy jeans in a light wash. These are more gray-looking in person and for some reason I was drawn to them (perhaps because they were the only straight-legged jeans on the sale rack in my size). I actually kind of liked them, but they were low-rise and I am so over low-rise jeans. Also, I even went up a size, but they were tighter in the hips than I could tolerate. Back to the "curvy" jeans for me. I ended up walking out with another pair of wide leg jeans. Probably still my favorite jean ever.

How Bad is It?

I am married. I have a lovely ring from a family-owned jewelry store but I sometimes think that if I were to choose a ring now, I would choose something totally different than the style I have. I have changed so much since then and I didn't really know what my style was. I love Joanna's link from Friday about unique engagement rings.

I really like this one. :)For only $100, could I justify it to the husband? Probably not until our ten-year, at least...

First Paycheck

Isn't that first paycheck at a job always so exciting? I bought some shoes with mine. I needed some black flats, sort of an everyday shoe. "Dress up or down" type. I always obsess over these things - finding the perfect shoe (or coat, hat, blouse, blazer, etc.) for my needs. I settled on this one.

I love flats with a low wedge heel. It makes it so much more comfortable for me - more shock absorption. Anyway, these came on Thursday and I really like them, but they are the wrong size. It seems weird to me that shoes can vary so much. I thought I wore 8.5. Although, the pair of heels I have is an 8 and I thought that was mainly because my foot slides forward because of the angle of the shoe. In Etnies skate shoes (that I used to be hopelessly devoted to) I think I wear a 9 (lots of padding in there, you know).

I know that the best way to buy shoes is often to go to stores and try stuff on, but online shopping is so much easier for me to find just what I'm looking for.

Long wear

I just bought this lip color.

I had a lipstick in a color that was good for me, but a little dark so I always wore it over balm. I wanted something that I could put on and not have to "dilute". Also, that other lipstick (which was a fancy department store brand) did not last very long at all. Perhaps it would have lasted longer if I wasn't always pairing it with Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream (my balm of choice, but another post for another day).

I have never bought a "long wearing" lip color. I was curious and interested in finding something sort of subtle, but that would bring a bit of color to my (pale) face. My lips have almost no natural coloring and as much as I like the nude lip look on others, I still can't get it to look right on me. I just look washed out and unfinished.

Anyway, I had been eying this L'Oreal Infallible stuff at the grocery store for a while and decided on Thistle. Something that looked sort of light but that wouldn't turn orange or too peachy on me, as so many lipsticks do. I have cool undertones to my skin. Peachy looks great on warm skin.

I have used this only twice now, but so far it is doing what it promised to do. It lasted a good 4-6 hours both times. I have some strange issues with lipstick. If I am conscious that I am wearing it, I will usually end up wiping it off or licking/biting it off my lips for some reason. I get sort of paranoid that it doesn't look right or something. This stuff lasts through eating, talking, drinking, napkin wiping, sitting around after dinner playing games, etc (we had a fairly social weekend). It does get a little dry, but I am a compulsive lip balm applier anyway, so it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. There is a moisturizing top coat you put on after the color, but that doesn't provide enough smoothness for my standards. I hate smiling and having my lips feel tight.

I like this color for me (maybe a little too pink, but if I had gone in any other direction it would have been too peach or too dark, I fear), but it does always look like I'm wearing lipstick, which is not always the look I want. But it is nice that it doesn't fade, even after several hours.
I will continue to use it but the jury is still out on whether I would buy this again (product and color).

A New Start

I got a job! I am a nanny. I sort of can't believe it because this is something I never thought I would do. I have never been much of a kid person. I never liked babysitting. I know this lady (just had her 4th!), and she knew that I had been struggling to find a job, so that's kind of how it came about. No big deal if I find an awesome job and need to tell her that I can't help her anymore. But in the meantime, it will be good to have a little extra cash. I do feel like I am better at this type of thing than when I was a teenage babysitter. I feel like more of an authority and a little more comfortable with kids. I came home exhausted last night (my first day) and relieved to see my dog, happily waiting for me and suddenly seeming like so much less maintenance than ever before.

If I ever sound like I think it's an OK idea to have my kids a year apart, remind me not to.