Casual Friday

Top: Target Jeans: Old Navy Sandals: Target Long necklace: F21 Heart necklace: My grandma's

There is really nothing to say about this outfit - it's essentially jeans and a tee, but it's comfortable and cute and it totally works for a Friday :)

We have a fun weekend planned.  Tonight, we're going to a dinner theater in the Twin Cities to celebrate my dad's birthday.  I'm a huge musical theater lover, so I'm pretty excited to get to see a musical tonight...plus, I get some good family time!  Remember a month ago when I said we were going to foster a puppy?  Well...we absolutely fell in love with her, and have decided to adopt her.  Tomorrow, we finalize the adoption and we couldn't be more excited to have her join our family permanently!  Her name is now Rooney, so follow me on Instagram (brynn_mcconnell) if you want some Pippin + Rooney pictures!

Rooney and me this afternoon.  She was watching ants crawl around on the sidewalk...

Crazy Hair

Top: Thrifted Jeans: Old Navy Flats: Thrifted Necklace: Target

I really wanted to take my pictures outside this morning because the amount of sunshine was perfect, the temperature was perfect, and all the students on the campus we live on are gone, so I knew I wouldn't get caught.  However, it was SUPER windy outside, so most of my pictures turned out like this: 

Why does Beyonce always look good with wind blown hair, and I look like I'm trying to resurrect the flock of seagulls hair do??  Oh well.

Day Thirteen: I'm sorry.

Shirt: Thrifted American Eagle Jeans: JCPenney Shoes: TOMS

I'm sorry for the boring outfit today.  I'm off of work today through Wednesday, and taking care of our new foster puppy, so I'm not looking glamorous by any means.

I'm sorry I didn't blog on Saturday for the Blog Every Day in May challenge.  I didn't like the prompt and wasn't sure I wanted to blog just for the sake of the challenge.  In fact, I went into this fully expecting to blog every day, but I'm unsure if that's what I want to do right now.  I don't want to be tied to my computer or feel obligated in any way.  I do like some of the prompts, though, so I'll probably blog on those days.

I'm sorry for talking about animal rescue all the time [I'm actually not that sorry about this one...].  It's just something I'm incredibly passionate about.  We spent our day yesterday bathing little puppies, snuggling them, helping them get checked out by the vet, matching them with their new foster homes, and giving them the love they haven't received before but so badly need and deserve.  We took home our first foster puppy, Delia, and couldn't be more smitten with her.  It will be difficult to say goodbye to her when she is placed her with her forever family, but fostering her and having to say goodbye is so much better than the alternative (euthanasia).

This is the sweet little girl who has stolen our hearts and is making herself comfortable in our home (and my lap, right now) for the time being.  She is 12 weeks old and cute as can be.  Her mother was shot in front of her three brothers and her, so they became mother-less very early.  Thankfully, all four of them are placed in loving foster homes right now to give them the love and security they need.  I keep telling her (and myself) that the worst part of her life is over - she is safe now.

Productivity and Purple

Shirt: TJ Maxx Cardigan: Target Jeans: Old Navy Shoes: Target

I am a far more productive person in the morning than I am in the evening.  If I wake up and get myself out of bed, I will work, work, work until everything is complete.  For instance, this morning, I woke up an hour earlier than usual and tended to some much neglected housework (laundry, dishes, vacuuming).  I wrote this blog post, had breakfast, and am on my way to the police department to get the police report from my car accident to send to the insurance company (yes, it's been two weeks, and no, my car has not been worked on at all and the insurance company won't provide me with a rental car...ugh).  I have projects for work and papers for school that need to get done, and I'm feeling highly motivated right now - best feeling ever.

I had a different outfit planned for today, but I really refused to wear tights one more day...so last night, I asked Kevin what color he loved to see me wear.  He said he loves to see me in dark purple, so I pulled out this cardigan and based my outfit around it.  Although this shade of purple is probably my all-time favorite color, I only have this cardigan, these shoes, and a dress in this color.  I better change that.

Obnoxious Cardigan

 

Tank: Target Cardigan: Target Jeans: Old Navy Scarf: Old Navy Shoes: TOMS

Thank you all for you insights about friendships from yesterday's post.  I enjoyed reading all your comments - and knowing I'm not the only one who has struggled with friendships post-marriage is comforting.  I haven't responded to your comments yet - but bear with me - I'll be responding by the end of the week, once my big paper is turned in :)

The next three days are supposed to be rainy/slushy/SNOWY all day.  I really wanted to wear my new scarf, but I also wanted a little bit of color in my outfit...so I went with the most obnoxiously colored item I have!  Also, with all the rain that's coming today, I picked the wrong shoes.  I'll be wearing boots tomorrow!!

Today is a special day in our family - it's Pippin's Gotcha Day, the day we took her home with us!  We celebrate by spoiling her a little bit more than normal, spending lots of time playing and snuggling, and giving her a huge rawhide.  Two years ago today, we picked her up from her foster mom, and she's been making us laugh every day since.  We love our Pippin!

 The picture that made me fall in love.  Look at that face!!

Pippin and me this morning...sorry about her demon eyes and my wonky scarf!

Hard Candy = Grandma Candy?

Shirt: Old Navy Cardigan: Target Jeans: Old Navy Flats: Payless Necklace: F21

I drive about 20ish minutes to my school and work each day.  Rather than listening to the radio in the car on the way, I listen to podcasts.  I have several long-time favorites (Radiolab, Stuff You Should Know, Stuff Mom Never Told You), but one new-to-me podcast has been dominating my car rides lately.  It's called Spilled Milk.  The hosts of the show, Matthew and Molly, talk about various food items, try new recipes, and have a ton of fun.  I literally laugh out loud in my car listening to them (check out the episode about apples, which is one of my all-time favorites!).

This morning, I was listening to Spilled Milk, and they were talking about hard candies, but they kept referring to them as "Grandma candy," as the only people that buy those candies (butterscotch discs, Milk Maid caramels, Werther's Originals, etc.) are grandmas.  I laughed, because sitting in my desk at work is a bag of Werther's Originals...apparently, I'm a grandma.  Whatever, hard candy is delicious.

I do not know Matthew and Molly and have no affiliation with Spilled Milk, other than being an avid fan.  I just enjoy the show and want to spread the love.

Lovey Dovey

Cardigan: Eddie Bauer, thrifted Tank: Target Jeans: JCPenney Shoes: Born Necklace: From Mom

Valentine's kisses from Pippin!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I'm not a huge Valentine's Day celebrator, but I do enjoy the excuse to have a date with Kevin and wear pink, and the cheap candy tomorrow isn't all that bad either :)  I have class tonight, so we're going to have a late date and go get some frozen yogurt.

When I was taking pictures today, Pippin kept wanting to get in them.  She would sit at my feet and just stare at me.  I picked her up for one of the pictures, and right as the timer went off, she went in for a smooch!  Stinker.

What are you all doing for Valentine's Day?

Wedding Shoes

Sweater: Old Navy Jeans: JCPenney Shoes: Converse Scarf: Gift from my parents

I recently posted about being quite picky about the shades of purple that I wear.  While I usually prefer deeper shades, I really liked this pretty lavender sweater (yup, I have this sweater in three colors).

My scarf and shoes have some personal significance, as well.  My parents gave me this scarf for my birthday a couple of years ago, and I really like it.  It's super soft, and the little pompoms dangling from it are fun.  Pippin also likes them and thinks they're a toy :)

The shoes I'm wearing were actually the shoes I wore at our wedding.  When Kevin and I first started dating, we both discovered that we wanted to get married in Chuck Taylors (both of us wore these shoes constantly in college).  Neither of us had any idea that people had ever done this, and thought we were super unique.  Two years later, when we were planning our wedding, we actually started the planning process with the shoes in mind.  I realize now that we aren't the only people who have had this idea, but it was very "Brynn and Kevin," and really fit in with our very personalized and very fun wedding.

Statement Necklace

Turtleneck: Target Jeans: Old Navy Flats: JCPenney Necklace: F21

It is bitterly cold outside today in Minnesota...and tomorrow, it's only going to get worse!  I think our high is projected to be -2 degrees tomorrow.  Yuck.  It's the perfect day to do homework, though!  I was in class for 9 hours yesterday, and while it was a marathon of a day, I loved my class.  Today, it's all about hitting the books while snuggled up on the couch with some hot apple cider.

As for the outfit, I wanted to keep it fairly simple, as I'm not planning to leave the house today (too cold!).  I've had this black turtleneck for a while, but for whatever reason was afraid to wear it.  After putting it on, though, I do really love it.  Be prepared to see more of it - paired with skirts, under dresses, with scarves, etc.  I've usually been more subtle with my jewelry choices, but I really liked this green necklace.  I love that it is chunky and bold, but it still is really light on my neck.  I can hardly tell it's there!

PS. It is Pippin's birthday today!  She turns two years old today.  Happy birthday to my spunky pup.

First Day of School

Ruffled tee: Old Navy Blazer: Target Jeans: JCPenney Flats: Payless

Today was my first day of school for the spring semester!  I wanted to plan an outfit that was professional enough for work, but comfortable for 3 hours of sitting in class.  I wish I had worn long sleeves, though, because our classroom was super cold!  Next Tuesday, you'll be seeing a warmer outfit from me.