Monday Morning Brain Dump

What is on my mind this Monday

- I thought I was overwhelmed last Monday. Ha! It's double since then. I can't believe how crazy this month as been.

- I also can no believe how fast this month as gone by. The second to last week in October already? I still haven't watched The Nightmare Before Christmas yet this year. Who AM I?

-Had a great trip over the weekend in Green Bay, WI. Loved all the passion for their team up there. I also loved their accents. Too funny.


Does it feel like the month of October is just flying by for you also? Are you able to keep up?

Homecoming and Campus Memory Map

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This weekend is the homecoming weekend at the University of Florida. I didn't go to UF ( I went to a little college called Florida Southern College, Go Mocs!) but I did work for UF and live in Gainesville for 4 years. My honey was in school there and I so I followed. I guess you could say I got my MRS degree when I was there :)

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We won't be anywhere near Gainesville this homecoming weekend though, we are heading out of town and going even more north. UF always has a ton of great homecoming activities. It's a great school and a great college town.

One of the projects that I've done with my illustration design business was a campus memory map. The idea behind it was to capture all the characteristics and landmarks about the city that you went to college in along with the memories that are unique to your personal college experience.

Wonderland Papers Etsy Shop


Let the Gator Growl!

Did your college town have any special landmarks or land mark locations Any really great homecoming memories?

Wednesday's Wednesday Wisdom

What are you reaching for? Have you noticed the "flowers" in your life lately?

Who is Wednesday?

Fashion Plates...or not

Did anyone else play with this great toy from the late 1970's-80's? I didn't have one but my older cousins did and of course when it belongs to your older, cooler cousins its like its sprinkled with some kind of "older kid" fairy dust and you get to be on their level when it gets handed down to you. Or maybe all of that just happens to me. Moving on...

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I'm pretty sure that I didn't like this toy because it had anything to do with fashion, I know that my fashion etchings didn't come out looking ANYTHING like the model above. I think it had something to do with staying inside the lines. I had a problem with that. It's safe to say that fashion has never been a major priority in my life. Don't get me wrong I like pulling together a cute outfit and having everything "go together" perfectly, but for me this tends to be my exception instead of my rule. It's fun to get dressed up but when given the choice I'm always much more likely to be found in yoga pants or my rolled up jean capris and a long t-shirt and maybe a cardigan and always flip flops/sandals. I don't match my purses to my outfits. I wear the same pearl earrings almost every day. Why? Because its easy and I guess if it really mattered to me then I would take the time. My actions show that it doesn't.

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Another issue that I have with fashion comes down to those price tags and more specifically those name brand label tags. I'm a pretty firm believer that we don't dress for ourselves or even the men or significant others in our lives. Women dress for other women (and gay men's) approval. Anyone else with me on this? This may not always be the case but when name brands and new trends are involved I think this is most often the case. We seek the approval and recognition of our good taste in other women (our peers). People like to be accepted and like to be liked. Nothing wrong with that unless you start buying things you can't afford all to impress someone that you shouldn't have to work to impress in the first place. I gurantee that my husband will not be more impressed with a bebe skirt over a Target skirt if I look good in both of them. A lot of times the outfits that he compliments me on (and he does a good job of giving compliments freely and sweetly) are the outfits that I didn't really think were all that special. So much for being on top of the trends and InStyle magazine, right?

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I admit that there are times when I do fall into this "dress to impress" trap, and I do think its a trap because it never feels good to be constantly trying to prove yourself to someone else, especially when in this case the proof of evidence involves plopping down loads of cash to be wearing the right jeans or the right shoes. I have a theory that a lot of this pressure comes from the crowd you are in. All my girl friends aren't the label/ brand name type. It's great when you get a good deal on it or get it as a gift but it's never been a requirement in our closests.


So where do you stand when it comes to fashion? What parts of fashion matter to you? Are you a fashionista?

Monday Morning Brain Dump

- This is a short post because it's been a looong weekend (and not in the good 3-day weekend kind of sense). The week ahead is crazy busy also so posting might be light this week.

I hope you have a great Monday morning!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

So besides fall being the beginning of cooler weather, lots of yummy pumpkin flavored treats, pretty fall leaves and Halloween, it also means something else that makes me love the fall season like no other.

HOCKEY SEASON!


I love hockey. It's my favorite sport to watch. For people that might not know me too well this could seem like a head scratching kind of fact. Hockey is a pretty brutal, rough sport that is played in the cold weather and on skates. I'm a Florida girl (born and raised, which technically makes me a Florida Cracker) that isn't tough or aggressive at all and can't skate one little bit.

But I still love hockey.

And being from the unlikely hockey location of Florida my team is the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Wearing my Tampa Bay Lightning jersey

I could attribute my love of hockey to the fast paced nature of the game (the reason I'm generally bored with baseball is because it moves soooo slow) the fact that they can all skate really really well (have I mentioned that I can't skate at all? ) or maybe its because I am a pretty peaceful, laid back kind of gal and I live vicariously through all those hip checks.

I just like it. A LOT.

Apparently I love it so much that I have to point out Canada,
home of hockey, when I'm at Epcot.

I actually learned all the words to "O Canada" just because it seemed like something a hockey fan should probably know, sounds good, eh?

Cheesing it up at a Lightning game

While I am all about my team I get excited about all types of hockey. Including Olympic hockey and the amazing run that the American team made this past spring.

This was me during the gold medal game.
As you can see I was a little into the game.

I miss you Stanley (Cup), please come back soon!

So do you have a fall sport or just a sport in general that you are crazy about?

Wednesday's Wednesday Wisdom

When you grow up who do you want to be?

Who is Wednesday?