tangerine tango

Every season my mother and some of my friends ask what the "it" pieces are for their wardrobes. If you were to ask me the same question, part of my answer would be tangerine tango.

The Pantone Color Institute is involved in determining the "it" colors for each season and it affects home design, clothing designers, even paint colors you buy for your walls at the home improvement store near you. Bet you never thought about who determined that, did you? ...Except maybe for that moment in "Devil Wears Prada" when Anne Hathaway's character [I think?] is laying it out there. (It should be known that I have a horrible movie memory, so it could also be her boss. I just remember there was a moment when it was explained just how relevant the current fashion is to the average consumer, even if highly uninterested in current trends.) And this year the color of the moment is tangerine tango. You can read about it here.

So for those of you who like to be fashionably in style, add a pop of tangerine to your closet. The obvious way is to buy a shirt that color, but a tube of lipstick plays nicely with some of the other trends of the Spring/Summer season. However, if those ways are too bold for you or tangerine just doesn't flatter your skin color, it can also show up in nail polish, a purse, a pair of shoes, or a ring. Other noteworthy players for the upcoming season are metallics, menswear prints (think men's suits), and nautical stripes. But seriously- when aren't nautical stripes hot for spring and summer?

(pictured: MAC lipstick in "morange")

I should add, too, that whatever goes for the runway also goes for the home. So you could also grab an accent pillow for your couch to go along with the new bottle of nail polish.

when a tee and jeans go shopping

I promised to try to post some pictures of the outfits I've been wearing lately and this was yesterday- I took the boys to the mall to walk around and get some birthday gifts while Jerr had watch from 2-10. Happy Presidents Day, dear!

So, one of my favorite things to do is wear my skinny jeans, rolled twice to sit above the ankle. Because it hits at the narrowest part of the leg, it's a flattering way to mix it up. It also looks cute rolled a little higher to hit right above a small bootie.

I didn't wear a necklace but my tee has cut-outs covered with black mesh in a side graphic design so it adds its own detail. Throwing on the chunky watch and a pair of sparkling ballet flats makes it look accessorized without wearing much at all.


I forgot about the best accessory of all: bright red lips. They aren't pictured because I took this picture after I got home and at 5pm there is very little reason to re-apply lipstick, especially when I was getting ready to take dinner to Jerry at work. When I have plans to lay some smackers on my man, I have learned it's a good idea to delay the sticking-of-the-lips. Sadly, brightly painted lips only get an air kiss in return. But who can blame the guy?

Nothing fancy but it'll do for a day at Williams-Sonoma.

Where I want everything.
*wistful sigh*.....

"stay at home" style

It happened after Roman was born and again after Liam joined the family- reinvention. Closet purging. Addict-like cravings to get new clothes after wearing the same 4 shirts every day for the past 40 weeks.

The fun part? After funneling the vast majority of our tax return monies into our savings account so we can buy a house next winter, Jerr and I treated ourselves to some "fun money" to shop with. Game plan needed. I thought to myself, "Okay, make it good. Let's get some cute blazers, some brightly-colored skinny jeans- I'm thinking red and yellow- some gorgeous color blocked heels.....heaven.

pause.

I spend all of my days at home except for grocery runs and church on Sundays. I'm all for being a stylish SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) but pretending that I'm just going to perch prettily atop my couch all day while wearing 4" heels, skinny jeans, and a blazer is nothing short of delirium. And while I have accrued a pretty extensive collection of yoga pants, running leggings, workout tops, etc that I think looks pretty flattering and "put together" for the gonna take the boys for a walk and then clean the house today times, I hardly feel dressed, let alone stylish.

So I thought about it.

For at least a good week.

And then I figured it out!

Problem: skinny jeans are my favorite but are too tight for comfort when playing on the floor with a toddler
Solution: rolled chinos: they're colorful, stylish, and cotton. Throw in a pair of loose boyfriend jeans to change it up and it's perfect

Problem: blazers are too restrictive for cleaning showers and too hot for Hawaii
Solution: vintage tissue tees from J.Crew- bright colors required!

Problem: heels are out-of-place at Gymboree and I'm barefoot in the house
Solution: ballet flats: especially bedazzled nude ones!

My new daily uniform for home and everyday errands:
Not bad, right? It looks put together but feels good, and allows me to move freely without being leggings or yoga pants. Especially when playing with bright colors.

The best part? I bought three pairs of J.Crew chinos this week: 1 for $26, and 2 for $35. I love online J. Crew sales and ebay.

Oh, by the by- they're originally each $79. SCORE.

Also among my purchases were a few other brightly-colored tees for $17 each (originally $30), a pair of boyfriend jeans for $35, originally $98,(they're a looser fit and a more casual vibe for me around the house, but can still be dressed up when rolled and worn with a pair of 4" heels, a fitted blazer, fitted white v-neck tee, and a statement necklace. Mmm.), and a few more tops that were on sale. Add to that some purchases from Target, like a pair of bedazzled nude flats for $19.99 and two really gorgeous statement necklaces, a black maxi skirt, and a 70's-inspired...shirttopthing... and my closet is feeling much better.

So I feel pretty victorious, figuring out a stylish way to "stay at home" and good sales considered. And I'll definitely post some pictures of myself actually wearing them. It's just that every time I think about taking a picture to post I realize there is spit up on my shoulder or a toddler's fingerprints in ketchup on my pants, or dog drool smeared across my knee.

I mean, my life isn't glamorous. But it rocks. :)

Dear Mom...

Dear Mom,

When are you going to learn that I do not like a dirty diaper? And when I am hanging out in said diaper, why do you still rack your brain trying to figure out whether I'm hungry (I shouldn't be), tired (I just had a nap), or gassy (I don't sound like I'm in pain), only to yet again think to yourself, "Why did it take me this long to think of his diaper???"

The sooner you catch on, the happier we'll all be.

Oh yeah, and Mom- in case I don't tell you enough, thanks for all the diapers you change. I'll pay you back in the form of protection from Roman when he is a high schooler and tries to put you in a Full Nelson the way Uncle Billy does to Grand Schmammy. I've got your back, Mom. Glad we had this talk.

Love,
Liam

L is for the way you looked at me....

So as a daily "gotta love your man" catch-up:

Friday: I took one of Roman's first finger paintings, cut out a 5x7 rectangle, and put it in a frame. I wrapped it up and gave it to Jerr for on his desk at work. :) Score.

Saturday: We decided to go out to eat and I let him pick anywhere he wanted to go. Buffalo Wild Wings it is! Bonus- we have very similar tastes in music/activities/decorating/eating so I enjoyed myself tremendously, also! If you have never had their Salt & Vinegar dry rub, you are missing out. I inhaled my wings and bought two bottles to take home with me. I have plans for Friday night's dinner. Forget BWW, it's all about LBK: Lauren Becker's Kitchen.

No? Didn't work as well? Darn.

Sunday: I had plans to talk to a girlfriend Sunday afternoon and I had asked Jerr if he'd take the boys so that I could have an uninterrupted, hour-long phone call. But then I realized that Jerr never gets time to himself that doesn't also involve homework or evening tv time with the wifey beside him. So I sacrificed my much-anticipated time alone with a friend, free from interruptions, to give it to him instead. I won't lie and say it felt good doing it because by the time I hung up I was stressed and frustrated and had a pretty solid selfish dialog/argument going on inside my head...but today it feels good to have done it.

This month is good for me- not just [I hope] for Jerry. I find myself in a constant state of "how can I serve him? How can I love him in a special way today?" and that affects my attitude and comfort zone. And challenges my creativity. After the first week I had checked off all my standard "I love you" acts and still had- and have- a lot more to go.

Thanks, God, for a husband worthy of the time/energy/effort to be loved well. I have prayed for my husband ever since I was 16. I made a list of the qualities I wasn't willing to sacrifice in a future spouse. And on our wedding I gave him a shoebox full of notes and prayers I had written to him since I was a teenager. And it cool to be on this side of it, feeling like I got even more than I ever dared to hope for. I have a man who was everything on "the list" and then some. And I'm still in awe of that some days.

Those days are good days... they make sure he survives the other days ;)

Sorry. It was getting too sappy around these here parts.

Happy Monday :)

aaaaaaand game on! ...Again.

So I was successfully loving on that man of mine in a special way every day- until my youngest son, Liam, went into the hospital yet again. (As a side note, I realize I have never posted about the week we spent in the NICU right after Liam was born. I may do that some day, or I may not. I still think about that time often but it would take a lot of time and energy to revisit those days and I don't have either of those things to spare right now. Maybe some day, but then again maybe not.) And because Jerry took care of Roman at home while I took care of Liam at the hospital, it was kind of impossible to leave him notes or give him extra-long back massages.

But we are home now and the loving has continued!

It all settled down Wednesday night so yesterday, Thursday, was the first day back to normal. Last night when Jerry sat down to do his homework, I gave him a beer. Now, that sounds really lame. Let me explain why this was one of the most monumental acts of love yet this month: IT WAS A YUENGLING. We cannot get them in Hawaii and it is Jerry's [second] favorite beer ever- one of the very few beers I enjoy. My friend, Michelle, sent a six-pack to us as a part of an incredibly thoughtful care package to celebrate Liam's birth- along with an Anthropologie coffee mug for me and some awesome clothes for Liam and Roman. Jerr and I decided that the fair thing to do was split the pack down the middle, giving each of us three to savor- and I gave him my third and final one last night as a grand gesture of love.

Because nothing says "I love you, hunny bear" like a glass of alcohol??

seasons

Seasons are a funny thing. Not the spring, summer, winter kind of seasons (though, ironically, the above picture depicts exactly what I mean using the seasons of the year) but the passing periods of time that require certain things of us. Like seasons of friendships, seasons of a certain career, seasons of specific ages of your children, or seasons of God-given trials in life that result in learning and growth. Seasons.

I feel like being in the military makes friendships seasonal- for better or worse. For me, friends come and go in waves; never one at a time. About a year and a half ago I found myself with a group of quality friends, but within about three months they each moved away or things occurred that caused a divide. Then came the period of rebuilding. I look around now and realize I am once again surrounded by friends. Actually, I realized the other day that I have never had such a large number of such quality, real friends in my life. I have, really, about 8 incredibly solid girlfriends in my life that I consider myself close to. And I guess it's normal for me to have a lot of friends in general because I am a social girl- I LOVE knowing and being in relationship with people. You know when you're in school and your parents go to parent/teacher conferences? And while they're there the teacher has to find a nice way to talk about the things you do that drive them crazy? You know, like when they say, "Oh yes, Lauren is quite a social butterfly; she has such charisma." When what they really mean is "Lauren won't stop talking to the people around her and I'm about to throw her out the window." ;) I have always loved people. And my favorite thing in life is to be in relationship with those around me. It's why I loved teaching. I love music and singing, but what I loved most were the precious relationships with the students that were fostered because of teaching them music.

Yet once again, this summer most of my current girlfriends will be leaving and I'll find myself having to rebuild my world. And in December it will be me who leaves. To yet again, rebuild.

Seasons.

Sometimes this phenomenon sucks and I feel alone. Sometimes I get tired of having friends who have only known me for a few months of my life. It's hard to have history. And it's what makes friendships hard to upkeep because I have literally TONS of friends across the U.S. and when I have a spare group of minutes with which to make a phone call I don't even know where to start because it's been months since I've talked to anyone. But other times it rocks because I love meeting new people, I have learned that there are cool people everywhere you go, and I love being shaped and impacted by each incredible person who touches my life. It has taught me how to both hang on to friendships and let go of friendships. Sometimes at the same time with the same person. Don't ask me to explain what I mean by that because I'm not sure I have understood it well enough yet to put it into words.

I was thinking about seasons of friendships this morning while hanging out with one of those 8 girlfriends who is in the "rebuilding" season right now. The good thing is that it's always moving and the ebb doesn't stick around forever- the tide always comes back in.

Alright, that was waxing on corny-poetic there. I'm cutting myself off.

But the word season has been on my mind in other ways lately, too- Roman is in a season of Toddlerhood. Liam is in a far-too-brief-but-not-fast-enough season of Newborness. Both technical terms. Seriously, go look them up. I'm sure Webster lists them.

And the season of moving and starting a new life in a new place yet again. But for what is HOPEFULLY the last time. We are 10 months away from leaving this beautiful, tropical rock in the Pacific and going to [what we believe AT THIS MOMENT to be] Charlottesville, Virginia.

Seasons.

Nothing in life stays the same forever. Sometimes that's a sad reality- when we find ourselves in a particularly sweet season, it hurts to think of a time when it will end. Other times it's encouraging and the only way we survive a horribly painful season. We grow, we change, we learn, and we move on.

I'm torn between quoting the lyrics from a 60's era song or quoting Bible scripture. Both say the same thing.

"A time to weep and a time to dance, turn, turn, turn." That about sums it up. ;)

_______________________

Oh, and the update for Day #2 of Romance Month- today will consist of a 30-minute long back massage while he watches any television program he chooses. :)