a nurse's dress and a couple of ponytails

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIXIUVuUtYl2aXBFRoEUH1VccOhegPJH9n6reV26CL3Y2dxuWeCxIKrmktUpV5N1XeL-NSRm27jb5Y7d6FbhtMtD6MeSgcjPNhpx01s03E7vp5URM36O7a3AEyX1u4VKhGQywmUnSSvEz/s1600/J1britt2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIXIUVuUtYl2aXBFRoEUH1VccOhegPJH9n6reV26CL3Y2dxuWeCxIKrmktUpV5N1XeL-NSRm27jb5Y7d6FbhtMtD6MeSgcjPNhpx01s03E7vp5URM36O7a3AEyX1u4VKhGQywmUnSSvEz/s640/J1britt2.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: steve madden. dress: gap. belt: thrifted for my son's pirate costume, then stolen for myself. necklaces: random places.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2ldCgw-BED95LFkh5uNXy8xKSx98Sg1AoKgWN-6KKjX4U3rPTffES-DD65nN-wkPDNgMQt_f1NuFSkkQC_7XXs3uowSJh22yRSdiJis2ih24y2zPfUfzkCY1_LUP0vdc1OXK-d5o_WdL/s1600/J1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2ldCgw-BED95LFkh5uNXy8xKSx98Sg1AoKgWN-6KKjX4U3rPTffES-DD65nN-wkPDNgMQt_f1NuFSkkQC_7XXs3uowSJh22yRSdiJis2ih24y2zPfUfzkCY1_LUP0vdc1OXK-d5o_WdL/s400/J1britt1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmRnWpsavjht35AAV8Ll12LOsj0mPeaGhIm_cx8ZCogetONS2fl0s_AK4XB7mXFnm2dCMdtVV_dh7lxtZhCRuZqX1A-EPQpiY13CHtwLeOFY6Bu3lRhYykMEKPzdqBNQjI99ngVjs1rKz/s1600/J1britt4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmRnWpsavjht35AAV8Ll12LOsj0mPeaGhIm_cx8ZCogetONS2fl0s_AK4XB7mXFnm2dCMdtVV_dh7lxtZhCRuZqX1A-EPQpiY13CHtwLeOFY6Bu3lRhYykMEKPzdqBNQjI99ngVjs1rKz/s400/J1britt4.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> This week I'm grateful for:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- swimming pools.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- surprise visits from family. And planned visits. And any visits, for that matter.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- hearing "Mom! This is the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE EVER!!!" from my son...annnd his party-attending friends. (Minus the "mom" part, of course.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- this blog. And you adorable readers.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- Roald Dahl. The man was a genius storyteller.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- a healthy body. Which might not last long, because I'm <em>also</em> grateful for...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- ...eating ice cream and cake for many days in a row. Sometimes multiple times in one day. I know. I win. And by "I" I of course mean "my blooming fat cells."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- a 2-year-old who pretends to "read" a scripture verse and always starts with, "And it tame to pass..." and usually involves Jesus, a king, a queen, and a monkey. And a swimming pool or bathtub, one of the two. And she's utterly, adorably sincere.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">- fresh salsa and "hint of lime" tortilla chips. If you haven't tried those, run -- don't walk -- to your nearest grocery store and pick up a bag. Those puppies are DELISH.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Happy Sunday.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>

a nurse's dress and a couple of ponytails

shoes: steve madden. dress: gap. belt: thrifted for my son's pirate costume, then stolen for myself. necklaces: random places.    This w...

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the merits of hats and not doing one's hair.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmZ029HQQb6Ta6cPA8w7H-e4-idtkq1acwhBG4oMyXhdqQiAaCRO5wOdjHN7bUqGe5mTUaq7npVgJd9m6MsvkknDdvsnmDoXlz9CVOVoc95g-6cG5InPr48-msIzytSGk0tvsC-Nt0KFy/s1600/C1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmZ029HQQb6Ta6cPA8w7H-e4-idtkq1acwhBG4oMyXhdqQiAaCRO5wOdjHN7bUqGe5mTUaq7npVgJd9m6MsvkknDdvsnmDoXlz9CVOVoc95g-6cG5InPr48-msIzytSGk0tvsC-Nt0KFy/s400/C1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: kohl's. cardigan: vintage. shirt: don't recall. bracelets & necklaces: hodgepodge of places. hat: thrifted. belt: forever21.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg963a-d5ZwBCkuqPCNRL9eklzXF3tLsIdrZbNhNGRlJFsLC8s1zfVf69A1dtwtiGQq1Wf73p9Y78C77f8viJUjZsY6_vxRGC9rWpACC2x0f94Xg568qhA4xJYKL2V-2rfwjcVvSre9ccwq/s1600/C1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg963a-d5ZwBCkuqPCNRL9eklzXF3tLsIdrZbNhNGRlJFsLC8s1zfVf69A1dtwtiGQq1Wf73p9Y78C77f8viJUjZsY6_vxRGC9rWpACC2x0f94Xg568qhA4xJYKL2V-2rfwjcVvSre9ccwq/s400/C1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpMmhLAybNTSk9UtKfIN4HQYyqUVb-ncLMCtZV-5wsqWb4-SptT2IdbfP4nZ29Df-Q8bAfmSgmZ6ynIEAHmyTTBiJ3BeoZi6JqQvP-P6V4B9ykoxFxzYIBy-XnMxzMYjS9WsvwSMot4IM/s1600/C1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpMmhLAybNTSk9UtKfIN4HQYyqUVb-ncLMCtZV-5wsqWb4-SptT2IdbfP4nZ29Df-Q8bAfmSgmZ6ynIEAHmyTTBiJ3BeoZi6JqQvP-P6V4B9ykoxFxzYIBy-XnMxzMYjS9WsvwSMot4IM/s400/C1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">I wasn't going to get dressed today. But then I did. In a pretty predictable ensemble, until I piled on the accessories. Over-the-top? You betcha. And, strangely, I'm okay with it. Sometimes that hides the mundane-ness. Like putting cinnamon and nutmeg on apple slices. Unexpected and maybe awesome.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. There you have it. Broke all sorts of rules today, like wearing random flats, totally and unnecessarily over-accessorizing, adding a hat with no rhyme or reason, and getting dressed at, like, 3 p.m. But it's good to keep life spontaneous. <em>"Will I eat 1 handful or 1 bag of pnut m&ms?"</em> I never know. And it's terribly exciting to contemplate...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Monday!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? Askew your belt, then shop below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 430px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="150" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&look=3071868&size=Small&width=6&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0" width="430"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Eddie-Bauer#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">More Eddie Bauer...</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered_small.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div></div>

the merits of hats and not doing one's hair.

  shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: kohl's. cardigan: vintage. shirt: don't recall. bracelets & necklaces: hodgepodge of places. hat...

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cellllll.uh.brate good times, COME ON! let's celebrate.

<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Warning: I'm in kind of a crazy-giddy-do-weird-stuff-and-laugh-really-hard-about-it-for-no-reason-much-to-the-annoyance-of, well, everyone-around-me mood.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht32QX78zjsKbbqLTXypsn71habhBrBt3dYvH9QmR6kQA-4NmKotP4ellAWg0qrorKvuIMtSgXQ_rkydmlnKhO0mqjUNQCIdJDiSFMlzmT_D7zqtH-Tk2IF45qx3EUq0N01WHwppkTa2x/s1600/II1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht32QX78zjsKbbqLTXypsn71habhBrBt3dYvH9QmR6kQA-4NmKotP4ellAWg0qrorKvuIMtSgXQ_rkydmlnKhO0mqjUNQCIdJDiSFMlzmT_D7zqtH-Tk2IF45qx3EUq0N01WHwppkTa2x/s400/II1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't often get this way, actually. But when I do, it's serious. I lose all control. See those karate kicks? That's what I'm talking about. Random. And juvenile. And inappropriate. [Editor's note: But also...entertaining...] </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLlZdUGnjjkpFlt5_L1449QjFY7s855XFjcCaxlmFsf_VjzOEBKYDMZqUmdog112PzmEmtlUTDiR8agQVmbI-LIcojJe1lY3gbfA_PrtjItclzJarQ1FNSlegiOHAc27OnN_7Wmn44_Bi/s1600/II1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLlZdUGnjjkpFlt5_L1449QjFY7s855XFjcCaxlmFsf_VjzOEBKYDMZqUmdog112PzmEmtlUTDiR8agQVmbI-LIcojJe1lY3gbfA_PrtjItclzJarQ1FNSlegiOHAc27OnN_7Wmn44_Bi/s400/II1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Shoes: Mudd brand. Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters. Shirt: Gap. Belt: F21. Necklaces/bracelets: Who the heck knows. Flower: gifted.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztkFyNcnOuuhlfuLhXXx2KGkZSY4U7B6rWQBT3bMqxhm6b6J_ifVsndssGoCigiJK0YoLlIyx23SiQPQEAJyQhsoEN36WA8hVys_S_74q0jsApZW3LSj-F5_9ixdAo8q5tsjk8JIrYhbA/s1600/II1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztkFyNcnOuuhlfuLhXXx2KGkZSY4U7B6rWQBT3bMqxhm6b6J_ifVsndssGoCigiJK0YoLlIyx23SiQPQEAJyQhsoEN36WA8hVys_S_74q0jsApZW3LSj-F5_9ixdAo8q5tsjk8JIrYhbA/s400/II1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">  </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lLNTOrJQXuE10DCtOjO_gV_h8oS5vPeTiySxe1oErJRrFtt48LcSTlur9JtYV2TVLH21rljK7rHlyfqq9bitn4_0mU2q3G8C1bdyhTuCft0wEMnB2yd0riZxFTMWqHkicvGWiOoUJTSd/s1600/II1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lLNTOrJQXuE10DCtOjO_gV_h8oS5vPeTiySxe1oErJRrFtt48LcSTlur9JtYV2TVLH21rljK7rHlyfqq9bitn4_0mU2q3G8C1bdyhTuCft0wEMnB2yd0riZxFTMWqHkicvGWiOoUJTSd/s400/II1britt4.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><div align="center">Chances are, you're laughing so hard [Editor's note: She's flattering herself again; you and I both know that you're just rolling your eyes. And for good reason.] at today's pics that you (a) haven't even noticed what I'm wearing, (b) don't even care how it came together, and/or (c) forgot you left the iron on downstairs and need to go turn it off. Stat. Go ahead. I'll wait. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So, for many of you, New Year's Eve parties involve lots of sequin and gold and fanciness. For me, it (ideally!) involves a small gathering of close friends and family. And lots of kids. And games and food and attempts to squelch the urge to turn the clocks ahead 3 hours to "ring in the new year" at 9 and get home and to bed by 10 because I'm a granny and can't seem to stay awake that long anymore and, really, what's the difference, the new year's here when we wake up tomorrow.<br /><br />Geez. Those of you who are not yet 31 are reeeeeeally scared of the middle-ageness you're seeing evidenced here. Live it up now, you young fries. Live it up.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">ANYwee. I'm wearing my favorite black button-up, some pegged jeans because they just seemed to match my crazy unexpected mood (and I think they're Maybe Awesome here), and some heels (mary janes! I love.). Not wanting attention drawn to my feet, I kept footwear neutral.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Sequined belt tied in a cuh-razy knot. Tons of random jewelry. And my favorite lucky flower headband (recognize it from <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/youre-never-fully-dressed-without-smile.html">here</a> and <a href="http://adayinlifetoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/just-pleasant-sabbath-daycirca-1940.html">here</a>?). I'm loving how I feel a little glamorous but can still do whatever my mood desires. Bring it on, new year! I love ya already. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy 2010.</div>

cellllll.uh.brate good times, COME ON! let's celebrate.

Warning: I'm in kind of a crazy-giddy-do-weird-stuff-and-laugh-really-hard-about-it-for-no-reason-much-to-the-annoyance-of, well, everyo...

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