Tee: Target Pants: NY&C Sandals: Target Scarf: Old Navy
You guys, I'm not sure what the deal is, but the mosquitos and gnats where we live are horrible right now. Seriously, they are everywhere. Every time I walk outside I get at least one bite, and I've inhaled so many and gotten so many stuck between my glasses and my eyeballs that I could scream. They buzz in my ears incessantly. This morning, walking to my car, I had one trapped in my hair. ICK. They even are coming inside - I kill at least one mosquito each day in our apartment, and there was one in my office at work today when I was trying to get things done. A couple of nights ago, there was a mosquito in our bed...I only noticed it when I woke up with mosquito bites all over my toes. At that point, they don't even itch anymore...they just hurt.
Is it just us, or are any of you experiencing a disgustingly high amount of mosquitos and gnats where you live right now? I mean, we usually have a boatload of them (people in MN say that the mosquito is our state bird), but it is abnormally gross right now.
Tee: Old Navy Blazer: Gap Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Necklace: From Mom
I'm so excited to finally be wearing my coral blazer! It's comfortable, bright, and fits me perfectly. I usually don't shop at Gap (even though I love their stuff) because it's a little on the pricey end for me (yes, I'm super cheap and have a tight budget), but I got this one for a steal. I hope you all like it, because you'll be seeing it frequently!!
I was thinking over the weekend about how my style has changed since I started reading blogs. I've been reading blogs for three years or so, and I have grown so much in my personal style. I'm starting to define who I am more, and figure out what I like, what works for me, and what doesn't work for me. Three years ago, I never would have worn a blazer...and a colorful blazer would have been out of the question. This is my fourth blazer, and my second colored one! Even in the nearly six months I've been blogging, I'm not sure I would have been daring enough to wear this blazer.
However, the encouragement, feedback, support, and inspiration I've gotten from all of you have all helped me to try new things. Thank you for helping me expand my boundaries...while narrowing my style focus at the same time. Rather than trying out all the things, I'm trying different iterations of those things that are most "me." You still won't catch me dead in a high-low skirt or dress (despite my love affair with dresses and skirts), in peplum (looks terrible on me), or high heels (OUCH), but I've been branching out with different colors, patterns, and silhouettes and feeling more comfortable with my personal style.
Blouse: Cynthia Rowley via TJ Maxx Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Necklace: From Mom
Ugh I need a haircut. This weekend...fingers crossed!
For the second day of the Blog Every Day in May challenge, the prompt is to write a "how to." I had many thoughts, such as how to survive an endoscopy (yes, that's me in the video...please don't judge too harshly...), how to take awkward outfit pictures, or how to talk like a Minnesotan (seriously, I'll vlog some time and you'll see how bad my accent is), but I decided on something else much more pressing...
I've always loved children and have wanted to be a mother some day. However, with both Kevin and I being in graduate school and working, this isn't the right time for us to start growing our family. I get a wicked case of baby fever pretty regularly, but I've learned ways to cope with it. I'm here to share my wisdom with you all today.
Me and my cousin about 2 years ago.
1. Borrow someone else's baby. I am lucky enough to have a few friends and family members who have babies and toddlers, and I love to spend time with them and their children. I get to play with them, snuggle with them, teach them things, but ultimately, I get to send them home with their parents at the end of the day. I've mentioned before that my mom does daycare, so I sometimes get to hang out with her and the baby she watches. [I think that doing daycare for my mom is a way to stave off grandbaby fever, too ;)]
Snuggling with my mom and dad's dog, Piper, about a year and a half ago
2. Get a dog. I've noticed that in the two years since we've had Pippin in our lives, I've contracted baby fever a little less. I know she's just a dog, but I've definitely poured some of my maternal instincts into her, and she's just as cute and snuggly as a baby. I have unconditional love for my dog, and I get to share it with Pippin all the time. Again, I'm not comparing a dog to a child, but the desire to care for and love another being has partially been fulfilled by my sweet pup.
3. Watch videos of women giving birth. This, for me, is the quickest way to cure said baby fever. Nooooo thank you. Plus, Kevin and I are choosing to adopt our children (for many reasons), and watching birth videos just makes me more secure in our choice to adopt. I honestly do not want to experience that. Kudos to those who have gone through childbirth or who want to someday, but it really is just not for me. [I'm not attaching a video here...if you really want to see, that's what YouTube is for...]
4. Watch TV shows and movies about babies. Have you seen the movie Babies? Or watched any of those shows on TLC like A Baby Story? Sometimes I watch things with babies in them just to get my baby fix. Usually, it tides me over for a while, until I can actually interact with a real baby. Be cautious with this one, though...sometimes it actually worsens the fever... :)
5. Picture your life as it is today...but with a baby added to the mix. I do this allll the time. Right now, Kevin and I are super busy with school and work, as I mentioned above. We know that it would be incredibly stressful to add in a baby. Plus, we don't make very much money, and I know that children are expensive, so that's another factor. We like the freedom to come and go as we want right now, and we understand that when you are a parent, you need to plan more. We don't have to arrange for a babysitter (although, living on a college campus, there are plenty of built-in babysitters! Oh yeah, I don't think I mentioned that Kevin works as a residence area coordinator, so we live on a college campus.). I tend to be a realist, so when I start getting all baby feverish, I just have to remember the logistics and realities of our life situation right now and remember that this isn't the time or place for us to have a baby.
So, there you have it! My five methods to curing baby fever! Do any of you ever get baby fever? What do you do to help get rid of it?
I'm also linking up with Marissa for the Pantone Color Challenge. Today's color: Linen!
Sweater: Old Navy Pants: NY&C Boots: Target Scarf: JCPenney
I'm going to be participating in Jenni'sBlog Every Day in May challenge. I've seen challenges like this before and have always wanted to join in - now is my opportunity! It's going to be fun to have a topic to write about each day (sometimes that's the hardest part about blogging for me - figuring out what to share with you all!), and I'm looking forward to the challenge of blogging each day, including weekends.
The first day of the challenge is to tell the story of your life in 250 words or less. Here we go...
I was born 25 years ago, and my parents always say that I
completed their family: they had their son and their daughter, and everyone was
happy. I was a shy, smart, wise little kid.I started reading when I was three and spent
most of my childhood with my nose in a book.Music was another huge part of my life.I sang all the time (and still do), and played piano, flute, and
clarinet up through high school.
In high school, I was involved in theater, in both acting
and stage crew roles.While they don’t
play a huge role in my life now, the people I met in theater had a huge impact
on my life, and many of the issues I’m passionate about today can be traced
back to them.
I attended college in St. Paul and LOVED it. I reinvented myself in college and became a
confident leader.College was a time of
deep struggles, but ultimately widespread growth.Meeting Kevin was the best part of college
and he continues to be the light in my world today.
We got married, moved to Iowa, and I worked in college
admissions for two years before returning to Minnesota for graduate
school.Graduate school has confirmed my
passion for helping students and I have learned so much about myself.I see a wonderful life ahead of me, one in
which I empower students, become a mother, develop close friendships, and
rescue dogs.Bring it on, life.
I'm also linking up with Day Three of the Pantone Color Challenge on Marissa's blog today!
Tee: Target Pants: NY&C Scarf: Old Navy Flats: Payless
SHORT SLEEVES! I am so pumped it's in the 50's today - I had to celebrate with my new short sleeved tee. Two things about this shirt: 1. It is SUPER comfortable and silky. Go to Target today and get one in every color (I just bought four...because all my other short sleeved tees were all stretched out and gross). 2. It's really more of a vibrant coral color than orange, but it didn't photograph well. Just know that I don't look like Halloween today - I'm shooting for spring :)
A couple of weeks ago, Kimmie wore a super cutemotorcycle jacket and said it was the perfect jacket for the perfect date. It turns out that today is the perfect date.
I'm finally wearing my lace shirt that I had been looking for FOREVER. It's exactly what I wanted - a loose fit, pretty lace (but not too grandma-y), short sleeves, and long enough to be worn untucked and tucked. It has a really cute keyhole cutout in the back, too! I am super excited to wear this with skirts, too.
So I've written before aboutsmoothies and how much I love to make them for breakfast, but I kicked it out of the park today. I used pretty much the same ingredients as usual (ground oats, vanilla protein powder, bananas, vanilla yogurt, soy milk, frozen peaches, orange juice), but today's smoothie tasted exactly like an Orange Julius. So. Delicious.
Tank: Old Navy Cardigan: Target Jeans: NY&C Flats: Payless Necklace: Mom's
I hope you all had a nice weekend! I spent the weekend at my mom and dad's house, hanging out with them and my brother.
On Saturday, my family and I went to Wild Rumpus, a fantastic children's bookstore in Minneapolis, with the little boy my parent's mentor. The bookstore has all kinds of animals roaming around in the store (cats and chickens!) and other animals hanging out in cages (lizards, tarantulas, birds, chinchillas, ferrets). The entrance to the bookstore has a big door for adults and a little purple door for kiddos. My family brought my brother and me there often when we were little, and it was so much fun to be back!! I can't wait to take my future children there some day :)
That afternoon, I visited my friend Jayne (she's an old supervisor of mine, who has become a dear friend...she even officiated our wedding!) and her two daughters. When I was a senior in college, I nannied her oldest daughter, who is almost four years old now. I haven't seen the girls since October, and it was crazy how much they have changed, especially her younger daughter who is nine months old now! It was so fun to be Auntie Brynn again!
Saturday night, my brother and I had a date together. We went out for dinner at Cossetta's, a DELICIOUS Italian restaurant in St. Paul, and then to see Rufus Wainwright in concert. We had a blast together! I also encouraged my brother to get Snapchat, so we spent an obscene amount of time this weekend sending each other ugly pictures of ourselves.
Dress: Old Navy Vest: Old Navy Belt: The Limited Boots: Guess
On Sunday, I sang at the church I grew up at with my family. I LOVE to sing. The woman who leads the music at the contemporary service is a close mentor and friend of mine, and she is so awesome and lets me sing whenever I want. It's been so nice to have a musical outlet! My mom also got confirmed this weekend, so it was nice to be there to support her as well.
I totally copied this outfit from Fran - I about died when I saw her wear this back in February, and I've been waiting to wearing it! I probably would not have thought to pair this dress and vest together if it hadn't been for Fran, so thank you, my dear!! I love how this outfit turned out and I got several compliments on it today :)
Shirt: Old Navy Blazer: Target Pants: NY&C Scarf: From Mom Flats: Payless
As I mentioned on Friday, I took a student to a conference this weekend in Minneapolis. It wound up being a fantastic weekend, full of laughing and learning, and I'm so glad I was able to go! The best part of the whole conference, for me, was running into an old friend who I went to undergraduate college with. She and I haven't seen each other in almost two years now, even though we only live an hour away from each other. With things like Facebook and Instagram, it is easy to feel connected even if it's pretty surface level.
Reconnecting with her and spending lots of time with her made me so thoughtful about friendships. I'm an incredibly loyal friend. Once I become friends with someone, I stay friends with them, as long as our relationship adds something to my life. I have had too many "friendships" that I poured my heart and soul into, only to find out they were not strong friendships to begin with. Because of my poor history of choosing friends who walk all over me and don't care about me, I've been so reflective lately about which relationships I want to continue to foster and invest the time and energy into. I'm not the kind of person who needs or wants a ton of friends - I'm content with a few super close friends. However, I'm very introverted and pretty shy, so it's difficult for me to get to that level of closeness with friends.
I think my lifestyle and personality are what make it so hard. I'm 25 and have been married for 3 years. I keep hearing people talk about how dumb it is for people to get married young, or how getting married before the age of 25 is like leaving the party before 10:00. I may be married, but I'm still a highly independent woman (that's one of the things that Kevin and I have really focused on in our relationships - having identities outside of each other), and I don't think people understand that. I also am not your typical mid-twenties graduate student. While most of my classmates enjoy going out to bars on weekends, I am not into that scene at all. Sure, I enjoy a good Crispin cider every so often, but I'm not interested in getting drunk or babysitting drunk friends.
The kinds of friends and relationships I am interested in, however, include people with whom I can experience life. I want to talk with people about our lives, our struggles, our joys...the things we do for fun, what we think about the world, what we want in our futures...people I can laugh with and cry with and feel comfortable with. For me, friendships that center around simply going to the movies or frequenting the bars don't have the solid foundation that is so important to me.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this...I just have been mulling over these thoughts for so long and needed a place to put them. Do any of you have similar struggles with friendships? For those of you who are married, have your friendships changed since you got married? Do you have those few friends you can count on for anything? I want to know! :)
Woohoo! It's the first day of Fran and Whitney's Five Days, Five Ways linkup! I'm so excited to be doing this. Since I have only been blogging for two months, I don't have much of an archives yet. I wanted to challenge myself to create new outfits with the items I have. Don't worry - I'll actually wear all of these in real life :)
The first day of the challenge is to create five different outfits based off of one top. I chose this black and white striped shirt I bought at TJ Maxx this fall. I really love this shirt - it is soft, I love the wide black band on the sleeves, and the shoulders are interesting.
Skirt: Old Navy Wedges: Payless Necklace: Eclectic Wendy
First of all, excuse my pale legs - they haven't seen the sun in months :) I would wear an outfit like this to work or on a weekend. I really like the combination of black, white, and red (those were our wedding colors!), and these wedges add a little fun element to the outfit. I wish I had a really great black statement necklace - I would have loved to add something like that to this outfit. Or maybe a belt? It is a little plain, but definitely something I would wear.
Teal jeans: TJ Maxx Shoes: Target
Be prepared to see these pants more often (tomorrow). I'm not sure how much I love this outfit. Perhaps if I had a cardigan or blazer over it, or a scarf, or a fun necklace, I'd like it more. It's quite plain, but it's certainly wearable.
Jeans: NY&C Shoes: TOMS
In real life, this is likely what you'd see me wearing on a weekend. Something easy and comfortable, but appropriate for wearing in public. It might also look cute with a fun necklace or even colorful shoes.
Jeans: NY&C Flats: Payless Scarf: Old Navy
I love this outfit! It's simple, like most of my other outfits, but interesting with the little bit of pattern mixing. I'm not usually one to do pattern mixing (I feel like most of the time it looks like people just got dressed in the dark), but this works for me. It's not too busy, and the prints are both very neutral. I would wear this to work, school, on the weekends, etc.
Blazer: Target Jeans: NY&C Flats: Payless
This outfit has a very basic foundation, but I love the addition of my teal blazer. Teal and black look so sharp together. I would definitely wear this outfit to work. I could also add a necklace or fun scarf to give a little more variety to the outfit.
I had a great time putting these outfits together. Which one would you wear?
Tank: Old Navy Cardigan: TJ Maxx Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Heart necklace: Was my grandma's Chain necklace: From Mom
YOU GUYS. I did it - I took a picture outside. The quality is terrible (boooo, old camera) and it took a little bit of tweaking to get my whole body in the shot, but I did it! I was so paranoid the whole time that someone would walk by...does the paranoia ever go away?!
Also, this is my 50th post on The Original Brynn! I absolutely love blogging so far. I've been into personal style for years now, but documenting it on the blog is so much fun. It's been great getting to know other bloggers and readers through this journey as well, and I'm so excited to see where this takes me!
Blazer: Thrifted Calvin Klein Sweater: Old Navy Pants: NY&C Flats: Payless
Something you should know about me: I love babies and kids. My mom did daycare in our house when I grew up, so I have been caring for youngsters since I was really little. When I went to college, my mom stopped daycare, but started daycare with a new little guy in the fall. I finally got to meet him today, and it was awesome to get some baby snuggles! There is nothing quite as wonderful as playing with a wickedly adorable 8-month-old baby, am I right?
I wore this sweater today as my neglected item. I love the color of it and the price was right ($7!), but the neckline is quite wide and it is a little too "scoopy" in the back. I haven't gotten lots of wear out of it because of the awkward neckline, but decided to throw on my blazer to make it look and feel less uncomfortable. This outfit is super simple, but sometimes you just need something simple once in a while.
Tank: Old Navy Cardigan: Target Pants: NY&C Scarf: Gift Flats: Payless
I've had the last two days off of work, so I've taken my pictures right around 10:00 am, and I am LOVING the lighting! So much better than when I take my pictures at 7:00 am, like I normally do. I'm hoping that as the days get longer, I'll get this great lighting earlier in the day :)
Today and tomorrow, I'm helping interview candidates for next year's class of the graduate program I'm in. I am super excited to meet all the prospective candidates, and I'll get to spend lots of time with some of my grad school friends who are also helping out.
I am totally in love with these black skinny jeans from New York & Company. They are, without a doubt, my favorite article of clothing. I can't believe I went this long without owning a pair! I have to remind myself that I can't wear them every day. When I go shopping, every top I find, I ask myself, "Can I wear this with my black pants?" Plus, they're incredibly comfortable and they hold their shape well, so I can get multiple wears in before washing them. On top of that, they fit me perfectly, which is usually such a struggle. I'm thicker in the waist but have thin legs (comparatively) and not very wide hips. Usually, pants that fit in the hips and legs are way too tight in the waist, and pants that fit in the waist are baggy and frumpy in the hips and legs. These pants, however, are PERFECT. They also have a little bit of a higher rise, which I really like as well. They don't make me look like a snowman, which is much appreciated.
What's the piece of clothing that you can't stop wearing?
Is it bad that I'm already mourning the loss of these boots? I've had them for over two years now, and they're still in great condition, but I know some day they will need to be retired. They fit me like a glove, are super comfortable, and are so simple. I love that they can be slipped on and off without zippers, laces, or buckles. And they were $35 from Target. Not bad. Not bad at all.
I was thinking about these boots, after Fran's post on investment pieces, and what the heck that even means. As you see every day, most of what I own is from budget-friendly stores like Target and Old Navy, and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I enjoy being able to get stylish and reliable clothes at places I can afford. Sometimes, I feel that we bloggers are expected to buy, buy, buy and become walking advertisements for certain brands of clothing and accessories, but I simply cannot afford to buy clothing that costs that much. [I think] I look good on my modest budget, and I enjoy finding great deals on clothing (thanks, Mom, for teaching me to shop the sales!). I guess what I'm saying is, these $35 Target boots have served me incredibly well, and have been one of my wardrobe workhorses and favorite items for years. I don't need to buy $200 boots in order to look and feel great!
Shirt: Old Navy Black pants: NY&C Flats: Payless Scarf: JCPenney
Today's look is inspired by Audrey at Putting Me Together! I love the simplicity of black skinny jeans with a chambray shirt. Plus, it's ridiculously comfortable.
At the gym this morning, I decided to switch the channel of the TV in front of me from a news station covering gun control and national debt to ABC Family. Yup, I watched Boy Meets World this morning. And let me tell you, it was the best way to start my day. The bromance between Shawn and Cory? Love it. Topanga's awesome hair? Love it. Eric's quirky self-absorbed personality? Love it. And Feeny in general? LOVE IT.
Sweater: Old Navy Black pants: NY&C Leopard scarf: Old Navy Boots: Guess
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Today, because of the holiday, I do not have work or school, so I'm working on schoolwork at home. It also happens to be -6 degrees with a biting windchill that makes it feel like -30 degrees outside...which is why I'm wearing my warmest sweater! I generally love living in Minnesota, but days like today are kind of tough. I took Pippin outside this morning to go potty, and while my torso was super warm, my legs were burning with cold after only being outside for about 10 minutes. I am thinking of all those people who do not have homes today and are exposed to the elements today, and feeling incredibly grateful to have a toasty roof over my head.
I realize that I wore a very similar outfit to this on Thursday. I have this sweater in three colors (you've already seen the oatmeal and blue colors), but they are so snuggly and warm. Plus, these black skinny pants are probably the most comfortable pants I own - perfect for a day full of reading.
Sweater: Old Navy Black skinny jeans: NY&C Cowl: Kohl's Flats: Payless
Thursdays are my days off of work this semester, but I have a class in the evenings. I wanted to wear something comfy for a day full of reading and an evening full of learning, but I also wanted to look "put together." [Can you tell that I really like to be comfortable? I think I've mentioned it in almost every post so far...] I hunted for a pair of black skinny pants for ages, and when I found these at New York and Company, I had to buy them - they fit like a glove! The color of this sweater kind of washes me out (oh hey pale skin), so I usually wear a scarf or bold necklace with it to break up the color.
Fun fact about me: I'm passionate about animal (particularly dog) rescue. I began volunteering at our local animal shelter about two weeks ago, and I'm actually heading out the door shortly for another "on the job training" session today. It's so much fun to help animals find their forever homes, and I love seeing the look on people's faces when they find their perfect match. I hope there are some new cats and dogs there today for me to snuggle!
