blazer

We were inside a lot this week. 
Harper was on the mend from being sick and it rained A LOT.
The inside time was both good and bad.
Bad: we did nothing for 2 days straight...and by nothing I mean annoy each other relentlessly, watch way too many movies, stay in our jammies (my mom vocabulary coming through...pre-children they were called pajamas) too long, and eat way too many snacks.
Good: finished some projects around the house, did some deep cleaning, wrote an embarrassing amount of blog posts (maybe this should be under the 'bad' category), and fancied up this bad boy:

The blazer has soft pink flecks throughout, and almost looks like a very fine tweed.  There were cream buttons down the front and on the sleeves.  I paid $.40 cents for it at the Goodwill bins last week.  It is in wonderful condition.
Then I found this at a yard sale:

It came with tags (retail $24.50) from Charlotte Russe.  I didn't have any intentions when I bought it, but I'm glad I did.  It cost me $1.00. 
It took a few hours of cutting, pinning, and sewing (by hand...I still suck on the sewing machine), but that was fine...because I had HOURS and HOURS of time, remember?

I cut and pinned some layers of ruffles and lace to the inside of the blazer.

don't mind my hideous troll thumb...matches my troll toe. 
don't mind the needle prick either....there were several a few of those.

the sleeves...a layer of ruffle and lace.

then i replaced all 9 buttons with vintage gold ones


much cuter if they don't match, in my opinion.

I finally finished it and Dylan got home.  I had been inside for roughly 8 hours straight with 3 little rats.  We were all excited he was home.  I begged him to take some pictures outside.  He obliged and we were so excited to escape our misery house....that might be a touch dramatic.

He snapped TONS of pictures...and these were the best (if you can believe it)...in our ghetto parking lot. 
Have I told you I live in the projects? 
No?

I'll save that for another day.  Just know that I do...and this parking lot was our best choice of backdrops.  It was that or the dumpster on the other side. 

Awesome.

The purpose of this next photo isn't to show you my bum or provide an opportunity for you to criticize my horrible roots....I bet you thought it was.

It is actually to show the back of the blazer.  Because I think the ruffles are so cute. 

And he was snapping so fast that this was the best picture of my front side...most of the others I was glaring at him or talking: 

And it looks like I have a gimp leg.  Or that I'm pigeon toed. 

I'm not though.
And then he made me do this...to show my appreciation:

I tried to do a toe touch also. 

It did not go well.

I blame the heels.  But it may also have been my old age...or the fact that I haven't done any physical activity since 2001...or all the snacks from the day weighing me down.

In any case, I love my new jacket.

Even with all the needle pricks.

Especially for $1.40.

xo,

tracy

ps: the spacing and outlines around my pictures are so weird on this post...anyone else having problems lately with blogger?  it's being so weird for me!

addendum

This is an addendum (of sorts) to the last post.
Harper's cough is breaking up, and the sun broke through for a few minutes this morning.
So we dashed outside to ride bikes for a few minutes.
And I snapped these:

I can tell Harper is already feeling better...she is even trying new tricks:

She has to keep up with this kid and his tricks, you know:

Don't worry, he was in on it too:

b looks like elmer fudd in this picture

And here is proof that I was there too, behind the camera most of the time:

Harper started hacking and the rain came down, so we headed inside for breakfast burritos. 
Oh, and this has been Harpers wardrobe this week...she reminds me so much of my sister Jennifer.  Which I love...because I hate being so far away and miss her more than I can say (and I'm a poet and didn't know it):

vintage scarf $.40, yellow floral old navy shirt (mine), $.45, both at goodwill bins

xo,
tracy

ps: because of all the sickness at our house, I've been working on embellishing a blazer the last few days.  It is almost done, so there will probably be a second post coming in a bit....yes, another.
I need to get a life.

just kids

It's been a big week for the kids.
Yesterday this little lady decided she wanted to get her ears pierced:

We've been discussing it for about a month now.  I was very honest with her about how it would feel...a sharp pinch, painful for a week or so.  She chose to get it done anyway:

in the chair...waiting.

h was so brave.  she only cried for a minute...even though they had to pierce the ears separately.

the grape sucker definitely helped ease the pain.

picking out new earrings with d.

ice cream makes everything better.  especially if gummy bears and sprinkles are involved.

She's growing up too fast.  Before I know it, she'll be borrowing my earrings and not returning them.  And so it begins...

Last week we took the training wheels and pedals off Dawsons training bike. 
Within minutes he was zipping all over the parking lot:

there's been a lot of helmet wearing.

his first bike ride.

he's so happy...now he can keep up with all the 'big' kids in our complex.

Within a few days, Harper decided she wanted to try as well.  I videotaped her first ride, but didn't get any pictures because I don't have 4 arms and 2 sets of eyes.  Today I tried to get her back on her bike for a picture.  She wasn't feeling up to it.  After a month of coughing, I finally took her to the Dr...sinus infection, viral induced asthma, and pneumonia.  I deserve the awesome mother award of the year. 
So no bike pictures.
Rest assured, she looks pretty cute on it.

Another testament to my awesome mothering skills is the fact that Beckham is 21 months old, and I JUST had his 18 month pictures taken.  Better late than never.  He is looking so big...sniff sniff (here come WAY too many pictures):

We just love Beckham and can't imagine our lives without him...he has gotten sassy these last few weeks.  He tells me 'no no no,' 'stop it,' and 'mine.' 

We love him anyway.

xo,

tracy

white

I'm crazy about white, flowing tank tops this year. 
Ruffles only sweeten the deal.
I love them over a fitted t-shirt, or under a blazer.
And always with skinnies and heels...of course.
Because I found all of them at the Goodwill this season, I am feeling like maybe ruffles are going out of style...otherwise, why would people be getting rid of them?!?!? 
In any case, I'm in love.
Stylish or not.

banana republic, $7.99

banana republic, $2.99



express, $3.99



forever 21, $2.99

Am I alone in this obsession??

xo,
tracy

finally

I was looking back over my LENGTHY last post, and decided it is ridiculous how long I blab on and on and on.  Then I realized that if I keep it up, my readers (all 6 of you...mom, sisters, grandparents) will probably get sick of it and stop looking/commenting. 
So my new commitment is to keep the blog posts short and sweet.
And stop with the 25-picture posts that jump all over from subject to subject. 
Here goes:

I finally have the boys room pictures ready. 
I cleaned up all the underwear, and made them tidy up.  It was a good excuse.
And sorry the lighting is so awful...it has been raining here today.  And we also have NO overhead lights in the bedrooms, just one outlet-operated lamp.  It's awful....here goes:

the inspiration for the room...$3.49 goodwill

When we lived in Idaho, the boys bedroom was brown, cream, and slate blue.  When we moved, I decided that Dawson deserved a little boys room, instead of a nursery....despite his roommate being a baby.  I saw some cobalt blue mission style beds at Target that I LOVED.  They were $99.99.  I watched them for MONTHS and MONTHS hoping they would go on clearance.  They finally got to 75% off and I decided I couldn't justify the $25.00 (how cheap does that make me sound?!)
About a month later, I was back at Target for the 100th time that month and saw them still in clearance.  They had been marked down to $12.49!  I could NOT believe it.  I scooped 2 up and told Dawson he was finally getting his big boy bed.  He was thrilled.  He helped pick out this comforter too...he actually wanted a Buzz Lightyear one.  I just couldn't do it....I try to be a fun mom, but am really much too controlling to actually relinquish control.  Plus, truth be told I find most character-inspired things tacky.

isn't his little turtle cute?  it was a gift from his aunt jennifer when he was born.  it lights up and shines constellations on the ceiling.

After the bed was purchased, we needed a dresser.  I hit up the Goodwill bins (duh) and found a yellow/navy blue dresser for $4.99.  After a few coats of paint and some SERIOUS scrubbing, it was a good fit for the room.
And then I didn't take a picture of it.  And now the boys are asleep.  So you don't get to see it...big loss.  Not.
Basically, it looks like a dresser.  It's got straight lines, metal brackets at the corners, and slate blue drawers. 
When we purchased our couch on Craig's List, the seller gave Dawson a vintage globe that lights up...he LOVES it.  Since then, we've been scouring Goodwill for globes and over the last year have finished our collection.  Dawson decided that Harper could have the tan one and Beckham gets the little one...because he's the smallest.  Dawson is the MOST thoughtful little boy and is always looking out for his siblings.  It's sweet.

globes from goodwill, $4.99 each

dawsons 'side.'

This post is getting too long.
Wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up.
Little Beckham had no opinion when it came to his half of the room.  Poor guy:

beckhams bed.

our only storage in the room.  vintage trunk. $3, yard sale.

rug.



bedding.  yes, our baby has bedding.  he never uses it...he just wads it in a ball and sleeps on it.  thus the wrinkles.


How short and sweet the post was? 
See, I can do it.
And here's a picture of a cute little boy...just for good measure:

The end.

xo,
tracy