Thursday, October 28, 2010

Fall Activities, Part 1

Every single September, we go to the fair. Why? We just do. Ann likes to say it's part of my birthday extravaganza but it's really not. My birthday and the fair both come around in September and that's that. Sure, Mom and Dad spring for admission and food and anything else for their darling daughters and the families of said darling daughters but that's not 'cause it's my birthday. Besides, technically? Mom and Dad spend more on Ann at the fair because, in addition to a husband (I have one of those), she brings two kids (I don't have any of those). Zac's still a baby so he's not yet in full fair mode but Luke is a "big kid" and we all adore Luke so he pretty much gets whatever he wants. Within reason. Kind of.



Next up? The pumpkin patch and apple orchard expedition.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Styling Fall

I looooooove fall! I just wish we actually had fall in Southern California. Because, let's face it, we really don't. The weather goes from freakishly hot to downright cold and rainy overnight. And then back again. And then forth again. And again and again and again until I wake up one morning and realize that it is plain and simply winter and I wonder where fall went. I usually have this epiphany in, oh, say, February.

But I love the idea of fall. Bright, crisp days. Sweaters, tights, and boots, but no need for a heavy coat. Orange, brown, camel, and denim. All those beautiful grays. Fall, in theory, seems perfect! So much richer than the pastels of spring. Not that I wear pastels. Have you seen my coloring?

I'm always lobbying to move to somewhere that has a beautiful fall but then my husband points out that the price you pay for a beautiful fall is a serious winter and that would probably kill us, as we are tried-and-true Southern California wimps.

Ah, well, a girl can dream.



I wear nice, heeled sandals to school when it's hot. You can tell that the weather is shifting if I've moved to anything with a closed toe. Besides a ballet flat, that is. I love ballet flats and wear them year-round. This page with these totally awesome Frye almond-toe t-straps was part of Dare 169 at Effer Dares. Shoes were my back-to-school indulgence this year. And this was also the year that I discovered Frye and now I'm a bit obsessed.

I also had an outfit featured in Academichic's Interview Symposium. Scroll down; I'm Submission Four. This is very much a classic fall work look for me, especially if I'll be in an IEP meeting, attending a conference, or sitting on an interview panel.

So, what's everyone else wearing this fall?

Monday, October 18, 2010

Missing Summer

Summer rocked but, then again, it almost always does. That's just how summer is. When you work on an academic calendar, you never outgrow the feeling of euphoria that is the very essence of summer. There's just so much time! Time to be lazy. Time to be busy. Time to have fun. Time to do house/yard work (yech). Time to visit family. Time to stay home. Yes, yes, this is all starting to sound like a poor imitation of Ecclesiastes.

One of the best things about summer is that there's more time for the random. During the school year, my days are pretty straightforward:

M-F: Get up (earrrrrrrly). Make breakfasts. Iron clothes. Get ready. Go to work. Work. Come home. Make dinner. Collapse in exhaustion on couch and watch mindless tv. Repeat.
Sa: Housework. Laundry. Try to squeeze in something fun.
Su: Church. Football. Get ready for Monday.

But during the summer, there's a lot of random going on. Double feature at the matinee price? Sure! Roach coach tour through L.A. midweek? Uh-huh! Spend the entire day reading a book? Why not! Open the front door to see my dog's doppelganger on the porch? Ok, weird. And random. But true.

Kind of makes me wonder how often the chocolate-lab-across-the-street breaks free and comes over to hang out on our porch during the school year!

I really love the random.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Chirp, chirp, chirp

Wow, there's really nothing happening around here, is there. The entire month of September came and went and, well, nothing here to show for it.

I have got to get a life.