smells like Middle-aged Spirit...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtgO-k9kWCnx_iagFvcfBU3EEwZzSlgE0Uk3wUrbifxpnXjqphoGe9JTesw1WVH8HOw9r9nR8pTVPNmLAV9oW2afjf1Tx9zOpWCG5RbNb0E3Vajnga03rSrh7Bd5pIeuOq9hQdjHtoYU7/s1600/S1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWytqHToqwkse_ZSnBUTuEQgKc6zlZrQaL3B4qNBZsvVNE1xxxZxIpt8fZ_FC65WPLzKx2GEa8M_OH5cePueHT8VEGh2EaGA6GHloawsfOKZc1e9nA5HyqpjuM4soKnck9oBi8-TMDwRd/s1600/S1britt2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: converse brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: old navy. necklace: forever21. hair flower barrettes: gift. bracelet: hawaii. belt: son's old Halloween pirate costume (thrifted).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhlbTM3UpcxOWC3Ya91ti8w4GoW9K3ns6fjxhctGS_TihiGi0aM3-TrQZ8TPDhO5H8yrGFkaMPJhK2DfF6jhla1YSJkaG6bDZIZJaA5DUfCvxQLt6kDA6ro0vqTqmoZp8Pqb25p_SQYLd/s1600/S1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" /></a></div><div align="center">It's that time of the month again, ladies. No, not <em>that </em>time of the month. I mean the time for <a href="http://www.everybodyeverywear.com/challenges/view/yellow" target="blank">Everybody, Everywhere</a> to wear yellow. And so I did. Do. Will. Five miles uphill both ways in snow that was waist-deep with nothing but holey socks for shoes...<br /><br />I'm getting old, friends. Here's proof: (a) I turned off the radio in the car because it was "too much racket." (b) I used the phrase "too much racket." (c) I can't eat as many cinnamon bears as I used to. (d) I don't even want to. (e) I go to bed before the summer sun does. (f) I spied some off-white geriatric shoes the other day and thought of ways I could style them because they looked soooooo comfy. (g) My hip pops and creaks when I get up from the couch... (h) ...a process that takes about 14 minutes and involves a lot of huffing and puffing and heaving and rocking back to propel myself up-and-off. (i) I went for comfy over styled for this yellow challenge. I know what you're thinking <em>("well, floss my dentures and chew my flaxseeds!")</em> because that's what I thought, too.<br /><br />Also...Remember back when I started the 30x30? Somehow, I only ended up with 23 items. I don't know if the others were in the wash, or if I just lost them altogether and forgot about them or what...but I realized yesterday that, no, my aging eyes were not deceiving me and that, yes, I was staring at the same things over and over. And over. And those things numbered only 23. Alzheimers ahoy.<br /><br />So. It's almost 4:00. Time to think about eating some dinner. Preferably something involving bran and greens. (Could I make any more stereotypical old-people references in this post? Doubtful...)<br /><br />Happy Tuesday!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.everybodyeverywear.com/challenges/view/yellow"><img height="50" src="http://www.everybodyeverywear.com/photos/iwwcAAA.png" width="200" /></a><br /><br />Want this look? </div>

smells like Middle-aged Spirit...

  shoes: converse brand. skirt: american eagle. shirt: old navy. necklace: forever21. hair flower barrettes: gift. bracelet: hawaii. belt: s...

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something old, new, borrowed, blue...and painted

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6R6nqYzDtYk7vHccqaGa8u4FI8oiW0qXJcC865BnbmWlcqskyB4ZanpR2ntuBb3kE510eHQW4lztndQycM-bBr_jhUhgiMUKYyzLZQC8Rpv6x8KNzAGNk51F0IbNFtvyK687vLfvJdTZ/s1600/F1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiip10Zzx1deBMOuvxnpy37PA3hKNNQCmx6RuIxnvvL_XviLvEfjcGSNV-wBUH94YUwVzzIW9rbpimjm0UTBuWoct2LzSmiU9O9cp3TJ2OXEKJ5oRigthkJroeHP8p60bk51DRkTM_lIWO/s1600/F1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes & necklace: forever21. shorts: who knows, who cares. shirt: old navy. earrings: hawaii. bracelets: a zillion places.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp_QZrzGdSB55lXQNM8bovKz7DixVbTUGe9T6GOBsoU5v_pO9ICSp07TvkfYW139BIAO2_nTUtQL14zLJTN2Wfn6iXDtF_PqVUaP-d4mamLJxZciz4DD83Z0O2Dhj3xRsSarAwAHeSRC1/s1600/F1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4pAGPqxc-vPJAjwQFreG8RM-9yJp2Wt629QxmjS1cvGvFlU4zeaWwJWiSmFdslVetjd-BzqEGsyDt8O_dlq6NPmjOMg_p0bopQXmuUB6R0xpcTq9n9fVixppVhG0gj_wDKvwFKVk30Wr/s1600/F1britt4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" /></a></div><div align="center">I wrote a post to accompany these pics last night, full of snappy wit and self-deprecation. The brunt of my jokes were centered on these paint-splattered shorts, which I happen to love but which are, shall we say, white trash. Which makes for some good jokes, I have to say.</div><div align="center">But Blogger ate the post, and I'm too lazy to write it again. So do me a favor: smile real big, spontaneously, as you read the next few words. Maybe even chuckle a little and shake your head, if you're a head-shaker-while-laughing kinda girl. (Or guy. But let's be honest. If you're reading this blog...girl.) Ready? Go.<br /><br />Either way...I think this outfit is Unexpected and Maybe Awesome here. So it was a great day.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Wednesday-turned-Thursday.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? Buy stuff below, then bust out your paintbrush...</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=3404775&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/Forever-21#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 Forever 21...</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>

something old, new, borrowed, blue...and painted

  shoes & necklace: forever21. shorts: who knows, who cares. shirt: old navy. earrings: hawaii. bracelets: a zillion places. I wrote a p...

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ode to the squeaky wheel's Discovery...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3FRXPfnsJ9Yk2VxjagaUl8QJ4p7dtCqVzeAKREC5TwDFUB-1nTKVTSh_ETR3ff7J9Nn0z4IWIZZhWJDJbxvj0GBiEB86OKZ1nCNW1-b4VO-pwPRbGVhPis5a5SDLEKg5rw85PpGwdCJk/s1600/R1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3FRXPfnsJ9Yk2VxjagaUl8QJ4p7dtCqVzeAKREC5TwDFUB-1nTKVTSh_ETR3ff7J9Nn0z4IWIZZhWJDJbxvj0GBiEB86OKZ1nCNW1-b4VO-pwPRbGVhPis5a5SDLEKg5rw85PpGwdCJk/s400/R1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">shoes: mudd brand (i think). jeans: kohl's. shirt: old navy. cardigan: rue21. necklace: don't recall. flower clip: downeast basics. watch: target.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4O3vDYFC0wxvShHDCLwqdmpqxbpg75pyLp7UC9jBk_tYgEpC_MJEeYl5T5ttPPhjU16_WXqL8dmW027eYmPJhKg1CqjyPY0YdXD7eLo2ljOT-q0TzPGr8hDqHAZGAKBk9E8F6Z9NHkGS/s1600/R1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4O3vDYFC0wxvShHDCLwqdmpqxbpg75pyLp7UC9jBk_tYgEpC_MJEeYl5T5ttPPhjU16_WXqL8dmW027eYmPJhKg1CqjyPY0YdXD7eLo2ljOT-q0TzPGr8hDqHAZGAKBk9E8F6Z9NHkGS/s400/R1britt1.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknnrB8JlF1qMCYj4C7TIGfPE8kAUFl4URlxlMDFdtIJsHtBhYEbJoFXuEVtl3btOUPVQ2mY6m15VhsN7vvjbuliYKO59zCLqtefmRe0aNDG3vnagOl6qe9X0bhi4qlMFVNIsNv0BjoFAC/s1600/R1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknnrB8JlF1qMCYj4C7TIGfPE8kAUFl4URlxlMDFdtIJsHtBhYEbJoFXuEVtl3btOUPVQ2mY6m15VhsN7vvjbuliYKO59zCLqtefmRe0aNDG3vnagOl6qe9X0bhi4qlMFVNIsNv0BjoFAC/s400/R1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">Remember how sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease? [Editor's note: But one must be careful in the manner and timing of said squeakiness, because SOMEtimes the squeaky wheel gets sent to Time Out until s/he is 18 and old enough to move out. So. Buyer beware.] </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Well, not to brag (but, actually, yes to totally brag), but I think all my squeakiness about the annoying winter weather around here has worn Mother Nature down. Marginally, at least. She's sent the sun, my house's roof is currently sans snow, the lawn is nearly green with just small patches of the white stuff (like where we built a snowman and a snow fridge last week...yes, a snow fridge. What, you don't build those? Odd.), and my house's heater is able to take its own type of spring break, at least during daytime. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Hoo to the ray!!! You're welcome, neighbors and local friends. I've got our backs...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">But. Now that I've unleashed the Power of the Squeak, I think I'll strategize its direction. Which may or may not (but most assuredly does) involve squeakings about magically inheriting $millions$, putting in a backyard swimming pool, and having Mr. J. Crew himself hire me as a clothing tester. If you need me, I'll be over there in that corner, revving up my non-WD-40'd engines...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Wednesday!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? Check it...</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=2946707&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/Sperry#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 Sperry...</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>

ode to the squeaky wheel's Discovery...

  shoes: mudd brand (i think). jeans: kohl's. shirt: old navy. cardigan: rue21. necklace: don't recall. flower clip: downeast basics...

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I'm just grateful, that's all.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdiGCbvuvj1SFxD6OtwCkQ-ZzswSpi_GUSa9pPNmO49yN6PZKMU4NbWf2FpChoZu0uRhFkMP9qfCOV2zaCzoTZE_-G_FeNit-kIk1a8DAw4Xc9qEimoHt-qjB1M_0tW_0iAyXve0XJ0Rz/s1600/H1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdiGCbvuvj1SFxD6OtwCkQ-ZzswSpi_GUSa9pPNmO49yN6PZKMU4NbWf2FpChoZu0uRhFkMP9qfCOV2zaCzoTZE_-G_FeNit-kIk1a8DAw4Xc9qEimoHt-qjB1M_0tW_0iAyXve0XJ0Rz/s400/H1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes & skirt: don't recall. shirt: old navy. undershirt & bracelet: downeast. cardigan: j.crew. earrings: hawaii open jewelry market.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGFcY8lkvlFd2s-f4eyv0BLuRF-hQPMPvSmjxqJea7HHFV8Cgdp-ZjUi4aFdzotIOOkowWhymh8WU-ovbem9pN8kGHyvQZsSbsciaadHRQh_2fqbfQ2DB0oedbaGbKGNvcMmwHSrKvz9N/s1600/H1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGFcY8lkvlFd2s-f4eyv0BLuRF-hQPMPvSmjxqJea7HHFV8Cgdp-ZjUi4aFdzotIOOkowWhymh8WU-ovbem9pN8kGHyvQZsSbsciaadHRQh_2fqbfQ2DB0oedbaGbKGNvcMmwHSrKvz9N/s400/H1britt3.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4Y8tCsXe7irUnr8yI3ac_Eoc_rVg3Dulv7oNrZJxAPdVuXlr3s52TJEdw_oFf0SBidwmkp5ZOLHmiJw-OC1jP9D-z6SPkGXelOmyHDZXpSLMSJELLee3Q6RwMVbMy84OcYlat9gX8AT8/s1600/H1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4Y8tCsXe7irUnr8yI3ac_Eoc_rVg3Dulv7oNrZJxAPdVuXlr3s52TJEdw_oFf0SBidwmkp5ZOLHmiJw-OC1jP9D-z6SPkGXelOmyHDZXpSLMSJELLee3Q6RwMVbMy84OcYlat9gX8AT8/s400/H1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">This week I'm grateful for:</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">- Irish dancing performances.</div><div align="center">- Attending said performances with old friends. That is to say, "old" as in long-term, not as in elderly. Although attending with elderly friends would be fine, too... (where'd I put that shovel? need to dig myself out of a hole here...)</div><div align="center">- When my 2-year-old calls a red bug-bite on her arm a "sprinkle." ???</div><div align="center">- Fingernail polish.</div><div align="center">- Being able to exercise. (Whether I actually DO, now, that's a different story...)</div><div align="center">- Strawberry milk.</div><div align="center">- Touch-screen cell phone. Didn't like it at first. LOVE it now.</div><div align="center">- Perspective. Like when I cracked one of my favorite oval mirrors this week, it was a bummer but not a catastrophe because, hey, it's just a mirror. Sometimes I don't have perspective. This week I did, and I'm glad of it.</div><div align="center">- Simple green cleaner.</div><div align="center">- A good husband who is equally good at being a father.</div><div align="center">- Xbox Kinect. </div><div align="center">- When my kids play happily together. Nothing more heart-warming. And I'm grateful for it because they've been doing a lot of fighting lately, so those moments are particularly sweet.</div><div align="center">- Peace. And safety.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Sunday.</div>

I'm just grateful, that's all.

  shoes & skirt: don't recall. shirt: old navy. undershirt & bracelet: downeast. cardigan: j.crew. earrings: hawaii open jewelry...

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