Which dress? Help me pick!

I got an email the other day from an online clothing company requesting me to do a fashion review on some of their merchandise.  I was floored and totally excited.  I have been looking for opportunities to review anything for a while.  (If you know of any other opportunities, let me in on your secret!)



So, I need to pick an an item to pick for my review and I am struggling, so here are my top three picks.  Tell me which one you like best,

#1   I love the color of this one!  It has pockets and fake large buttons in the back.  I will probably add straps, so I will feel more comfortable in it.

#2  This is a cute pattern, I think it will accent all the right places.  Pockets also on this one.

#3  This dress is so unique.  It has pockets as well and a scrunched waist in the back.  

Winter Fashion Must-Haves -Guest Post

Last guest post for the week, but this is a great one to wrap up on.  Hey maybe you can use it as your shopping list for Black Friday!  Jess is a sweet girl with a fun blog--go check her out!  You won't be sorry!

I'm so excited to be guest posting for Angela today.I just love her blog, don't you?

I recently blogged about fall accessories you can buy at great values. I picked my favorite J.Crew jewelry pieces and found similar pieces at lower prices. I got such a great response that I knew I wanted to do something similar for winter accessories. When Angela put out the call for guest bloggers I knew you guys would love this. If you haven't read that post you can do so by clicking here.

This winter, it's all about having a luxe look. Anything textured, with fur (faux, of course!), sequins, or sheen is where it's at. I don't know about you, but there's something about being a sparkly snow bunny that appeals to me.

Here are a few of favorite winter luxe  items. The best part...you won't have to break the bank to get them. All these items are under $50!  So, you'll be able to buy gifts for your loved ones and have a little left over for yourself! My personal fave is the colorblocked heel or maybe the fur scarf! Who am I kidding? I love them all! Which ones do you love?

Faux Fur Keyhole Scarf

Chevron Sequin Tank

Frost Embellished Top

Wild Sparkle A-Line Skirt

Posh Life Sequined Cardigan

Evening Wishes Sequin Detail Skirt

Catching Snowflakes Faux Fur Mittens

Mint Perfection Textured Dress

Holiday Kisses Colorblocked Heels

If you haven’t already, feel free to stop by The Only Ten I See. I love new friends! The Only Ten I See/ Facebook / Twitter/ Instragram @jessicamanninggarner

 

Prince Charming-Guest Post

Karla was so gracious to volunteer to guest post for me while I was gone over Thanksgiving break.  She has got a great thing going on over at her blog, and you should definitely swing by sometimes and say hello.  Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Karla:



Hello Living Pretty readers!!

My name is Karla, and I write over at Forever Newly Wedded!

First of all, I want to thank Angela so much for having me do a guest post on her blog today! I know that a lot of people in the blog world are not big fans of guest posts. I’ll be honest and say that sometimes I don’t like when I come to a blog expecting to read something awesome from the blog’s author and then find that it’s just a guest post!! Although… sometimes I find really amazing bloggers from guest posts! Regardless, I promise to make this short, sweet, and hopefully, entertaining!



Okay. So, as some of you may have guessed from the name of my blog, I write about married life and how I am learning the ropes of being someone’s wife!



I was totally that 13 year old girl who had dreams of a huge wedding, and a happily ever after which of course included riding off into the sunset on a white horse with my Prince Charming.



Though I am blessed with my own Prince Charming of sorts… there was no white horse. Bummer. And though I am very happily married, and would not trade my marriage for the world… sometimes my marriage just isn’t “happily ever after” material. Sometimes it’s ugly. Sometimes, it’s the stuff that you don’t see in the Disney princess movies!



Marriage takes a lot of hard work!



While we were dating, I used to rely on my cute outfits & sweet smelling perfumes to make my now husband happy. Now that we’re married and living together, he sees the good, bad, and the ugly. I mean, the poor guy sees the sweatshirt & sweatpants, no make-up, haven’t-shaved-my-legs-in-a-week girl. And he sees that girl A LOT. Probably too much.



So I make up for it by making dinners, doing laundry, and cleaning the house no matter how tired I may be from work… so that he can come home from work and at least be happy that things are done!



He also shows me he loves me by making breakfast every morning (I’m not a morning person), and sometimes making my lunch to bring to work (I’m spoiled). He also puts up with me ignoring him for my blog.



Anyway, my point is… when I was younger… marriage looked a hell of a lot more glamorous. I kind of wish someone told me that marriage is not always going to be as pretty as riding a white horse off into the sunset.



Marriage is no fairytale. Marriage is a real life commitment to a real live person who may or may not look like a Prince Charming but DOES need to treat you like a Princess. Marriage is committing yourself to one person, for your entire life, no matter what. Marriage is accepting a person for who they are, forever. Shaved legs or not.



It’s hard work, but for those that put in the time, there is nothing more rewarding.



=)

Carmello

Everyone likes getting (politely) hit on as the next person.  It is like a compliment.  However, since being married, I don't really know how to respond to these pursuits.

Here is what happened with me the other night:

Hubs and I and my in-laws went out.  Anthony and his dad left to go get drinks.  MIL and I were alone minding our own business, when approached by...Carmello.  This is a little bit of how the conversation went down:

(Leans really close) C:  How are you guys doing this evening?

Me:  Good.  Thanks for asking.

C:  Do you guys live around here?

Me:  Well, I live in Denton, and my mother in law is in town visiting.

MIL:  Yeah, my husband and I are in town visiting my daughter in law and my son. 

C:  So, I should probably leave before I get in trouble, then?

Me:  Probably...(awkward smile)

I know I am forgetting some of the details, but it was just all around awkward.  In fact, I could be being totally selfish.  Maybe he was hitting on my MIL, not me at all.

I had no make-up on either and looked like a totally drag.  Maybe I was just getting hit on because I looked the like an easy target for a one night stand.

Either way, how on earth do you respond to this situations?  I don't dislike getting hit on. (This situation didn't really phase Anthony.  In fact, when I told him about it, he was kind of disappointed there wasn't a fight.)  It takes a lot of guts to hit on people, and he was super polite.  It was just awkward :\

Advice???

It is definitely okay

I blogged about making friends a few weeks ago, and it definitely seemed to strike a cord with several women.  A old teacher friend of mine offered some words of encouragement about this topic at her blog.  You should go check it out!

I haven't done this in a while, but I love this link up with Neely and Amber.

It's a-okay that there is only one girl who consistently comes to my high school student ministry small group.  We have an awesome time!  It's a-okay that I want to turn my desk in my room so that when people open the door they can't see what I am working.  But, I am also getting to the point that I don't even care.  Think what you wanna think.  It's a-okay that I kinda have taken part in the no-shave November.  My participation ended yesterday, though.  It was a good run!  It's a-okay  awesome that otterbox replaces your phone cover if it breaks withing the first year, but you don't even have to have a proof of purchase.  Google it!  It's a-okay awesome that tomorrow is the last day before the break and the day before we leave on vacay.  It's a-okay that my pants, undertank, and tshirt were all different shades of faded black.  It's a-okay that dinner tonight will be at Chuy's happy hour nacho bar.  It's a-okay awesome that I have had more time to blog lately.  I am loving reading up on all my buddies and meeting new ones!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Holy (Holey) Panties!!

Pretty racy topic, right???



This is one of my favorite traditions of Christmas!  After we graduated from high school a group of friends and I switched names to trade gifts for Christmas.  The spending amount was fifteen dollars.  It is really hard to find quality and unique somethings for that much, so we ditched the idea.  I don't know who came up with the idea, but we all enjoy it!

What's your preference?

We swap names, sizes, and preferences (boy cut, lace, thong, bikini, etc).  We then go shopping.  Sometimes we go with other people in the group, but we did make a rule one year that you can't go shopping with the person you are buying for.  It makes the opening part no fun!

Almost every year we have been able to all get together.  That is a pretty big task since none of us live close to each other any more.  Sometimes it is at someone's house.  Last year it was at IHOP.

It is so fun to open the gifts and oh and aww.  I love this tradition, and it is such an easy one to get started, too.

I mean, who doesn't need new underwear always????  If you didn't know, pretty underthings make you feel pretty all day:))

** I would love one or two more guest bloggers for next week.  I have some really great ones lined up already!

Christmas Cookie Exchange

Recently, my friend, Alexa, and I read this book.  We thought it would be a great idea to do our own book club!

 

It is about a group of 12 women that get together every year for a cookie exchange.  Each woman brings 13 dozen cookies in cute containers.  And you get to leave with 12 dozen different cookies that you can mix and match and give out to neighbors, friends, and coworkers in the cute little containers that they were given to you in.  This thought really appeals to me because, although, I love baking, I do not want to be in the kitchen that long to make all those different kinds of cookies.  Realistically, it would never happen.  

What is also really appealing about this group is that they meet every year on the same date; it is set in stone.  I love the idea of 10 years done the road continuing the same tradition with a great group of friends.
You should definitely look into this book if this idea is something up your alley.  She even provides guidelines in the book to get your own club started.  Check out this link for some more information. 

Toad in the hole

My friend, Martha, asked me what the heck this was. I made them Saturday morning.  It is our usually go-to breakfast.  It is super easy to make, too.  We usually always have the ingredients on hand.  It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack.  Give it a try!

Ingredients: butter, bread, eggs.  Butter the bread, both sides.

Cut a hole in the middle of the buttered bread.  Our glasses were a little bit too big, so we use an old jelly jar.  We would be lost without it!

Put on skillet or pan.  Crack egg in the hole.  Cook as long as desired.  Eggs over easy, medium, or hard whichever you prefer.  I like to have it a littler runny, so when I cut it, it goes over the rest of the toast.

Eat and enjoy.  I like to put strawberry jelly on it.  Hubs likes to put Tabasco sauce on it. (vomit)  But I guess to each his own.

Most Favorite Day Ever!

Linking up with Neely

Favorite Thanksgiving Memory:  I love Thanksgiving.  It is probably my favorite holiday by far.  So, I have several memories to choose from...I loved how when I was younger, my mom would always find a way to have us help get ready for Thanksgiving.  It could be tearing the bread for stuffing, or making little turkeys out of ritz crackers and candy corn, or setting the table.  I loved being a part of it!

Favorite Thanksgiving Food:  Just one???  I love dark turkey meat, green bean casserole with lots of fried onion things.  Last year I discovered I really like sweet potato casserole.  Why on earth I have never tried it, I don't know.  Oh, almost forgot, I love stuffing with gravy, too!  See why I love Thanksgiving??

What is a Thanksgiving Tradition you and your family have? We make homemade donuts.  How cool is that?!?!   For breakfast, we make the dough, cut into donut shapes, fry in the back yard, coat in powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, or eat it plain.  We are even planning on spending the night at my parents' house this year, so we will be there in plenty of time to make the donuts.  We also always watch the Lions' games.  Not a big deal in my book.  

Something I am looking forward to the most:  Being able to relax with my family.  It is nice to not have to try to impress people but just be yourself.  That's what family is for.

Thanksgiving picture:

This was taken a couple years ago at Eric and Sheryl's apartment.  This year, we have a lot more people joining us: Anthony, Lucy and Kyle (my sweet niece and nephew), and Alex's girlfriend.



***Also, still looking for a few more guest bloggers for next week while I am out.  Let me know if you are interested.  I would love to have you!

Accomplishment list updated

I am going on vacation over Thanksgiving, and I would love to have some of my awesome readers do a guest post.  Are you interested???

Shoot me an email or comment below.  And I will get in touch!

Happy Saturday!

Accountability list
I am about to:
1.  run  3.17 miles
2.  drop things off at good will.  I am so ready to get the bags out of the house. hubs did this
3.  go shopping for work clothes for my hubby.  (Yes, for him, not me...)
4.  cancel old phone at verizon.  done and done
5.  mail ornament for ornament exchange:)))  be on the lookout for it amber!

Only one thing left to do today.  hollarrr!

Liebster Award

Liebster Award!

I was so happy to be nominated for this award.  I really didn't know what it was before I got started , but now I do.  I actually got nominated by not one,  not two, but three other people.  Crazy!  Thank you, Lauren, Kristin, and Holly.  Go check them out!  They have been so sweet to me as I have been trying this new  blogging thing.  

[What is a Liebster Award, you ask?]
The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. 

[Rules]

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.

3. Choose 11 new bloggers(with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

5. No tag backs.

[11 Random Facts]

1.  I am double jointed.

2.  I love dying my hair.

3.  Favorite Cereal is Oh's.

4.  I am planning on running a 4 miler in December.  

5.  I am becoming a huge thrift store fan!

6.  I have only kissed two boys, and one of them is my husband.

7.  When I get stressed, I clean or eat chocolate.

8.  I would like to try something other than teaching, but I don't know what.

9.  I took a fashion design class in college and learned to sew.  I loved it, but have forgotten most of it.  I need a sewing machine and room in the apartment.

10.  I love getting letters in the mail.

11.  I am very sympathetic to the point that if you tell me something devastating (that has nothing to do with me) I will still be distraught days later.  

[Questions from Lauren (I just picked one set to answer)]

1. Favorite sports team?  I like to root for the team's my daddy loves.  He is from Detroit, so I root for the Lions, Tigers, and the Pistons.  I don't dislike watching sports, but I am by no means a die-hard fan!  I also enjoy watching the Rangers with my husband.  

2. Why do you blog?  I love connecting with other people.  I enjoy the idea of people reading what I write.  I also just like getting my thoughts out there.  Sometimes, it is a way to vent.  I love the realization that I am not the only one going through a certain struggle or hard time.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world all expenses paid where would you go and why?  Probably  to Europe and going touring with my husband.  However, this trip also needs to include a personal assistant who speaks the language and mine and plans everything.  

4. Are you a homebody or someone who is always out and about and going?  At first I thought this said, "Are you a homeboy?"  I enjoy going out, but I crave time at my house, so I guess a homeBODY!

5. What do you miss most about your childhood?  Living at my parent's house.  Always having my siblings around.  That is why it is so exciting when we can all get together!

6. Where did you grow up?  Would you raise your children in the same town/city?  I grew up in Colleyville.  I loved my childhood, and I would def raise my kids there.  Don't really see that happening because I love where  I am now!

7. Favorite genre of music?  Favorite band and why?   I listen to whatever my husband has on.  I normally don't turn music on because after a day at school, I like peace and quiet.  I have been known to dramatically turn the radio off when songs annoy me.  

8. If you had to name one, what would be your favorite day/memory from the last five years?  Living in the dorms with Felicia.  I wish I had moved to college sooner, stayed longer, and been invested more in school happening.  So many great memories!

9. What is the most serious injury you have ever had?  Um  having my blood taken, does that count because I seriously cried more than ever about that????  If that doesn't count, then slicing my finger open at my old job while cutting lemons.  I had to get stitches.  My poor boss had to deal with that sobbing mess.  

10. If your blog name was taken, what would you rename your blog? It used to be called Narrative of a Newlywed.  I would just switch the words around...Pretty Living

11. If you could do anything and know you would never fail, what would it be?  Start or participate in a cooking business.  

Questions for my nominees:

1.  Fav hair product

2.  Most embarrassing moment

3.  Fav Christmas tradition

4.  Go to breakfast meal

5.  Inspiring quotation

6.  Something unexpected that you have discovered about blogging

7.  Something you just realized or learned that you probably should have known

8.  Comfort food

9.  Book recommendations

10.  Greatest compliment that you have ever received

11.  Morning Person or night Owl?

My Nominees:

Faith

Tiff

Ragan

Lindsey

Karla

Ashlyn

Jess

Kel

Stacey

Maggie

Jen

Friday Letters

Linking up with Ashley

Dear blog, I feel like I have been MIA for forever, but I am excited about my Cara Box Swap and My Ornament Exchange on here!  Dear Morning Duty, you are nice because I am d-o-n-e after school.  Dear dress up days, I like you when I can just put a tshirt on and say I am participating, like for superhero day.  Not like 50s day.  Dear Spanish, Thank you for returning to me in bits and pieces this weekend, but you seriously hurt my brain and were beyond embarrassing.  Dear Pete's Piano Bar, why have I not been to you before this last weekend???  So much fun!  Dear Thanksgiving, I am thankful that through all the chaos and trips planned, my whole family is somehow able to get together.  And I am so thankful that it is only five more work days until break!!  (happy dance)  Dear Maryland people, you ready for us?? We will be there in (almost) less than a week.  What should I wear? Dear followers,  I am at 40 now!  So crazy, especially considering my lack of posts lately.  I will get better. Promise...

Time to pick a hobby

This is my first attempt at making a card.  Not to bad, if I say so myself.  The white part opens up so the giver can write something sweet in there.

All that cute stuff at Michaels and Joanns really adds up.  If you are wanted to begin a hobby, this is what I would suggest:

1.  Start off small.
You don't want to buy a bunch of supplies and then decided that you don't like this hobby, or you don't have as much time for it as you thought.

2.  Buy clearance
If you are just starting out, it is okay to buy the cheaper items because most likely you will make mistakes.  This way you won't get as frustrated when you ruin something.

3.  Organize
I don't have that many supplies now, but I decided to divide up the supplies into cutting, adhesive, paper, and accessories.  I had some leftover plastic boxes, and I found each supply a home.  This is important because when I do have thirty minutes to craft, I don't want to spend a bunch of time looking for an item.

Like I said, I am just a beginner.  I am hoping to to develop my skills and use my crafting time as a relaxing time as opposed to watching tv.  (But what's nice about this hobby is you could choose to do both at the same time!)

Are you a card maker?  How do you come up with your ideas?  What is one supply that you can't live without?  I need advice, people:)))

Sorry, I have been out of commission.  Last week went by so fast.  This weekend was a blur, and now I think I am getting sick.  Hopefully, it will pass.