Friday, September 27, 2013

mama style - 3.1 phillip lim for target

i wanted to start doing some "mama style" posts- posts that will show you that becoming a mom doesn't mean you get to just wear yoga pants and a tshirt forever.  i won't front- i do wear yoga pants and a tshirt- at home.  moms- get cute, and get out of yo house! 

so, like most people in the world- i love designer collaborations.  the chance to own designer goods for a minimal amount of money is something that i think anyone can get behind.  i believe target started it all with their go international collection- which i owned a few pieces from long ago, but now they're everywhere it seems.

everyone on the interwebs seemed to be freaking out over the 3.1 phillip lim collection- me, not being able to pass up a good bargain went down to check it out.  let's say i no longer share that enthusiasm.  maybe it's because i just had a baby, and i've still got a little bit of baby weight.  maybe it's because i'm short- and i can't afford to carry extra weight.  i don't know- but i'm beginning to think these collections are made for skinny people only.  this one was certainly a punch in the proverbial crotch of my self-esteem.  i don't know what it is, but the sizing is ALL OVER THE PLACE for these collections- at least on me.  i tried on nearly everything my store had - my thoughts follow!




thoughts:  the sweater was super-thick and would be perfect for winters up here, but i felt like it just hung on me and made me look dumpy.  plus, you can tell the sleeves have extra length on my arms, but i wish the sweater itself had more length.  maybe the sleeves are supposed to be scrunched up though?  this sweater was a medium and i felt fit me just fine.  the skirt- i really liked, although i don't wear a lot of skirts b\c i never know how to style them and i don't like how they sit on my waist- i would go back and buy this skirt on clearance.  i needed a 14 in this skirt (yes) which is 2-3 sizes bigger than the jeans i am currently wearing.  i like the skirt though, so i wouldn't let the number sway my decision.  i really wanted to try on the leopard print dress- but they didn't have it in the store on opening day- however, they did have it when i went to target yesterday, but i didn't get the chance to try it!

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Tank -Grey

Price: 24.99

 thoughts:  this tank was probably my favorite thing that i tried on, but i'm not paying $25 for one.  i'd definitely pick this up on clearance though! a medium worked for me in this style

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sparkle Dress - Blue
Price: 49.99
 thoughts:  this dress obviously didn't work for me.  on the left is a large, which hung on me like a potato sack.  on the right a medium- which was snug all over.  oh well.  a definite no.

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sweater Dress
Price: 44.99

thoughts:  this is the worst picture of me of all time to go on the interwebs.  the dress on me screamed "hey everyone, i just had a baby..."  ugh.  this was a medium.

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Pullover -Navy/Emerald
Price: 34.99
thoughts:  i really liked this top, but i tried on a medium and a large and couldn't lift my arms up.  if anyone knows what that means- tell me, b\c even in my pre-baby days when i was much smaller i had the same issue with tops/jackets.  target had an xl when i was there yesterday, i might try that b\c this was my favorite thing from the look book. 
3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Silky Skirt -Navy
Price: 29.99

thoughts:  this fit well.  was the same as the animal print skirt. 

thoughts:  cute floral shirt dress, but i tried a large AND an xl and couldn't lift my arms up over my head- seriously.  wtf.  i don't have broad shoulders... what is up?

so overall, this collection was unfortunately a bust for me.  did you give it a try?  buy anything?  maybe i'll have better luck next time- and by next time i mean- today!  catherine malandrino for kohls!
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sharing the Love!

Right now, through October 2nd, ModCloth is offering a $20 credit instead of their usual $15 for every new customer.  Must be signed up with a new account!




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Friday, September 20, 2013

KairosLife.com

kairos:  an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment).  a moment of indeterminate time in which something special happens!

something that's really scary to me is the thought of losing my photos or videos- especially the ones i have of the children.  it's really a recurring nightmare that i have.  i especially have gotten really scared about it after my brother & sister-in-law had their apartment broken into- the thief stole their camera and laptops (among other things) and the camera and laptop contained their honeymoon pictures that they had not printed yet.  jeez.  dave & i have been married for 6 years and i still haven't printed our honeymoon photos..  however, i have everything in several locations- computer, external hard drive, and i'm still trying to print my photos as well.  i'm always looking for an extra place to store things, you know- just in case.  
KairosLife.com is a new site that lets you store your digital memories for the future.  When you are ready, you can set a date and then release the photos to your children or loved ones- it's like a digital time capsule of your photos.  You choose the date, and then on that date an email is sent

KairosLife is still in their beta phase, but they are currently looking for users to test the siteYou can get your complimentary membership by visiting the site at www.kairoslife.com and registering your email address. As soon as the site is ready to launch, you will receive an email! 

How does KairosLife work?
  1. Upload photos, videos or letters from your PC or mobile device to a “KairosMoment” which is the album or capsule that will be delivered to your loved one on a future date.
  2. Tag your loved ones to that KairosMoment and set a reveal date when it will be delivered.
  3. As the reveal date approaches, if desired, other family members and friends can share their thoughts on that KairosMoment to add to the memories for that loved one.
  4. Then on the reveal date, the loved one will get an email notifying them of a KairosMoment that has been unlocked.
Get your complimentary membership today and be one of the first to test the site!  Just visit www.KairosLife.com and enter your email address!  It's that simple!
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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Isla's Birth Story. Part I

Three months ago my world was completely turned upside down.  I was 34 weeks pregnant, and I was exhausted.  I really was wondering how i was going to make it to the end.  The weekend before (June 8th), we had a lot going on.  I went to a baby shower, and then headed to my in-laws for my father-in-law's 60th birthday party.  By the time we got to the party, i was completely wiped out.  Sunday was the same- we went back over for my nephew's baby dedication, and that night the 3 of us went to dinner together for pizza- not knowing it'd be our last meal with just the 3 of us!  Dave was headed to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin that night for an all-week work conference, and although he was only an hour away, I still felt very nervous.  I had been to the doctor the prior week, and everything was great- the following week I would be starting my weekly appointments- when he got back we planned to start setting everything in motion:  getting meals prepared, getting the crib ready, washing clothes- our baby was going to be here in about 5-7 weeks!  I joked with him about having the baby while he was gone- i knew the week might be rough, but i'd make it.  I spent most of the week at my in-laws' house- I was watching Ian and my nephews Wednesday morning, so we just planned to stay there Tuesday night.  I was going to take Ian back home Wednesday and come back Thursday evening and then we were going to go to the Children's Museum with my mother-in-law, nephews and sister-in-law Friday morning.  Dave would be back Friday afternoon, and we would do birthday and father's day stuff over the weekend. 

i was really excited for dave to come home on friday- it had been a long week and i was ready to have a break.  i had made plans to have dinner that night with my friends beth, kristen and melissa.  we had decided to have dinner at a place called claimjumpers, that i had never been to before.  these dinners had become a regular thing for us, and with kristen and i both being pregnant they had become sort of an indulge-fest.  so, of course, i indulged.  when i got home, i felt over-indulged.  i talked to dave for a little bit and then i tried to go to bed.  1 AM rolled around, then 2, i was starting to feel worse.  i had terrible heartburn, a headache and my back was killing me.  plus, i was having my usual contractions.  i chalked it up to the food, but still was a little worried.  i started downloading pregnancy apps, contraction counters; i googled "back labor", and i looked to see if my acupuncturist was available (she wasn't).  3 rolled around and i had had enough.  i had been to the bathroom many times, had water, taken tums, and gas-x and nothing seemed to help the heartburn.  finally i decided to buck up and take the mylanta i had- oh, that stuff is the most terrible stuff of all time.  i poured it up and took it like i was taking a shot, and as i swallowed it something terrible happened- i could feel my heartburn drop from my sternum all the way down to my belly button.  i felt absolutely miserable and had no idea what to do.  finally, i decided around 4 AM that i would call the 24-hr nurse line provided by my insurance- the nurse suggested that i drink 2 big glasses of water and lie down on my left side for 30 minutes to see how i feel, and if i wasn't feeling better, i should call my doctor.  i guzzled my water, and went to lay down, and i finally got still enough that just as the sun was coming up, i finally fell asleep.

i really don't remember much about saturday- i'm pretty sure i got up and had breakfast with dave & ian.  before i knew it, i was back in bed asleep, and i slept for quite a while.  i felt better, so i just figured i was tired from the lack of sleep.  when i woke up, dave & ian had left a note that they had gone out for a while- i was so out of it, i had no idea they had even left.  i decided to pull myself together and shower b\c i really wanted to go out to dinner for my birthday- i really wanted thai food!  before we left to go, i spoke on the phone with my friend katie- she called to see how things were and i had told her about my previous night.  she asked if i had had my blood pressure checked recently- and i told her not since my last appointment.  she then asked if i would go have it checked on my way to dinner- and i agreed, so i told dave we needed to stop at walgreens.  we headed out to dinner and when we were almost there, we stopped and i made my way to the pharmacy.  they didn't have have a machine, so i waited while some guy picked up his $1000 prescription (no lie!).  i asked the tech about having my bp taken and he said i would have to fill out some forms and wait for the pharmacist, which i did.  finally the pharmacist took my bp and this conversation took place:

rx:  your blood pressure is 210/106.  that's high.  are you going to see your doctor soon?
me:  yes, on tuesday.
rx:  be sure to tell them when you get there that this was your blood pressure.

so i left walgreens and i told dave in the car.  i guess i didn't think anything of it b\c the pharmacist seemed so ok with it.  when we got to the restaurant i texted katie, my mother in law and my sister in law.  of course, my phone is about to die (per usual) and i am getting a barrage of texts about getting it checked elsewhere for a second opinion (walmart, the er, etc), but we decide that we'll check it at my in-law's house b\c my father in law has his own monitor.  so we order dinner and wait.  while we're waiting i google blood pressure, and i get these graphics... it was my first warning...


 (yes.  i am basically dead).

i didn't say anything to dave, but i was a little worried at that point.  everything kind of went crazy after this.  my friend katie calls me, and she was freaking out.  she said that she had just talked to her mother (a midwife) and her mother was worried and she was worried, and did i call my doctor?  then she said what scared me: "people die from this."  i promised her i would call my doctor and i hung up.  so i told dave i was going to call, just to be safe.  i had to have the doctor paged since it was saturday, and luckily my doctor was on call.  she got back to me pretty quickly and we had this conversation.

me:  hi, sorry to bother you, but i had a really bad night last night- i thought i ate too much- i had heartburn, a headache, back pains- i just felt bad, so a friend told me to have my bp checked and i just did and it was 210/106

dr: ohmygod

me: uh, yeah, and i think i've also gained about 10-15 lbs since the last time i saw you (at this point i was up at least 55 lbs).

dr.  i need you to come in right away.

me:  i'm at dinner right now

dr.  you don't have time to finish dinner- you need to come straight in, i will let them know to expect you.

me:  i don't have a bag packed, we have ian with us

dr.  dave can drop you off and pack a bag for you, you need to be here right now.

so i went back in and told dave.  commence both of us freaking out.  we let ian finish eating while dave had our meal bagged to go and paid.  we headed to the hospital frantically calling for someone to watch ian.  i was making a list of things i might need on a scrap piece of paper for dave to pack while he was at home.  i was freaking out about leaving ian so soon.  we were all pretty scared.  i kissed ian goodbye as dave dropped me off at the er, and i just remember being so sad.  i felt like he was really being cheated out of these last few weeks, and then i waved goodbye to them and walked in... and i went to the wrong place.   oops.  i was supposed to go straight to l&d, so they called a nurse down, put a bracelet on me, and she came and wheeled me to the l&d triage, and that's where my journey began.  i feel like i've typed so much already and nothing has even "happened" yet.  i'll leave you a picture of what my feet looked like.  don't look at this while you're eating, or before you eat.  seriously though:  if you are pregnant and your feet ever look like this- call a doctor.  

my poor feet.  and my poor toenails.  i was supposed to get a pedicure the next week.  they were hideous.  luckily, i had a friend fix them before delivery...  those marks near the big toe- my flip flop indention. 

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Friday, September 13, 2013

Disney on Ice

This week, my family and I had the opportunity to attend Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic.  We decided not to tell Ian beforehand, and let it be a surprise for him when we arrived!  So he knew when we were heading to the uc that he was going to a surprise, but he kept saying we were going to an "animal surprise"... whatever that is.  If you have been to any other events at the uc, you know that parking can be pricy and you usually have to walk.  That wasn't the case for Disney on Ice!  Since parking is free for all events- we got into a lot right in front of the center- 2 steps and we were there!

when we got inside, we went to a special meet & greet- Mickey & Minnie were there!  Ian refused to have his picture with them, but Isla was more than willing to comply!



Ian did however go crazy for the sword he got!  He's pretty much played with it non-stop since he got it- he even sleeps with it on his dresser.  It has pretty much made his 3 year old life!


Now, onto the show!   Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic!  Sixty of Disney's unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic.  There were appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and many Disney Princesses.  Plus on ice reenactments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films.  This was my first ever Disney event, and my first ice skating event!  The show was about 2 hours with a short intermission in between.  I thought it was the perfect length for kids- Ian paid attention from start to finish without getting restless- which NEVER happens!  The pyrotechnics scared him a little (though they were few and far between), but he was mesmerized by everything else!  I asked him after the show what his favorite parts were and he said Toy Story, The Incredibles and Pinocchio.  My favorite part was Mulan.  If you have kids, or you're a fan of all things Disney- you will LOVE a Disney on Ice event- it's definitely one of the best deals in town!  We can't wait to go again!!!  Here are some photos from the show!!

Mickey, Minnie, Chip & Dale!

Aladdin and the Genies 

Finding Nemo

Toy Story


It's a Small World!

Pinocchio

Mulan

Lion King

The grand finale!

Disclaimer:  I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided  me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events.  All opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone Pin It!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Disney on Ice in Chicago THIS WEEK! (September 11-15)


It's finally here!  Disney On Ice is coming to the United Center in Chicago September11-15!  Join the celebration as more than 60 of Disney's unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic.  You'll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and many Disney Princesses.  Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you'll remember forever as Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic

Performance Dates/Times are as follows:

Wednesday, September 11 (Opening Night) - 7:00 PM (Tickets are just $12!)
Thursday, September 12 - 7:00 PM
Friday, September 13 - 7:00 PM
Saturday, September 14 - 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM
Sunday, September 15 - 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM, 7:00 PM (Spanish Language Performance)

Want to attend with your family?  Tickets can be purchased via TicketMaster by going hereYou can save 40% on all weekday shows and 20% on weekend shows* by entering the special promo code MOM.

You can also 'like' Disney On Ice's Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for more family fun!  For a fun-filled activity book visit Pinterest!








*Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday matinee. Discount does not apply to Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seats. No double discounts. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.


Disclaimer:  I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided  me and my family with complimentary tickets to Feld shows as well as opportunities to attend private Feld pre-show events.  All opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone Pin It!