Author: Big Mama

Can we talk about Downton Abbey really fast before we discuss anything else? I love Downton Abbey and I’ll be so sad when the final episode airs and it’s out of my life forever, even the dumb parts that involve Anna and Bates being constantly under suspicion of murdering someone. But why on earth was it such a relief to everyone on Sunday’s episode that they can still call Mrs. Carson by Miss Hughes? Is it that difficult? And why did Miss Hughes get no say in the matter? Also, Daisy is on my nerves.

Thank you for listening.

In other news our weekend was one of those weekends that didn’t really feel like a weekend. Caroline had to be at the school for soccer at 8:15 on Saturday morning and so we just went out to dinner with Mimi and Bops on Friday night and then were all in bed pretty early. I’d like to think we would have done something a lot more exciting than that if we didn’t have to be up early on Saturday morning but the truth is I think cedar allergies are trying to kill us all dead and we would have taken our sniffly, sneezing, stuffy headed selves to bed early anyway. Even Piper and Mabel were ready to call it a day earlier than usual and curled up together in the same bed because it was cold enough to be a two dog night.

They look so sweet and innocent and not at all like two dogs that may have used my new outdoor throw pillows as chew toys.

On a totally different note I have to confess that I spent most of Friday being completely and totally jealous of my friends in Nashville who were covered up in snow. It all looked so Narnia-ish and cozy and can’t it just snow in San Antonio someday?

On Saturday morning, we bundled Caroline up and dropped her off at the soccer fields early and then came home to bundle ourselves up because it was 34 degrees outside and that’s a little chilly for us. I put on enough layers that I felt like Ralphie in A Christmas Story and then I slowly shed them over the day since we had concession stand duty for the afternoon. If you haven’t ever supervised about eight middle school girls running a concession stand, then you haven’t ever really known what it is to need a nerve pill.

We ran by Gulley’s later that day because it was Jackson’s fourteenth birthday (I know. This is madness. He’s fourteen and over six feet tall. I can’t deal.) and we wanted to bring by his gift. That is a fancy way of saying we brought him a gift card because I can’t even pretend to know what a fourteen year old boy wants for his birthday. And then P cooked out that night and we had a nice little fire in our fire pit and I pretended like I know more constellations than the little dipper (or is that the big dipper?) and pointed them out to Caroline.

Sunday morning we went to church and then Caroline had some friends over to work on a school project. And then it was Monday and the week started all over again because it doesn’t even care that our weekend wasn’t so much a weekend as it was an extension of an already long week.

I guess I’ll just be thankful that I’m not dealing with real problems like trying to remember to that Miss Hughes is now Mrs. Carson.

Considering this has been a short week, thanks to the holiday on Monday, it has felt surprisingly long. Of course part of that is probably because I’ve had my days completely mixed up. Or maybe because my mind decided to be too busy to let me sleep this week. Whatever the case, hooray for the weekend!

Here are a few cute things I found this week:

1. sao paulo tunic dress

I have a dress that’s very similar to this but in a different pattern. And that’s the only thing that’s keeping me from buying this one because it’s on sale for $79.95 with an extra 40% off with code XTRA40 at checkout.

2. hollis skirt

This doesn’t look like anything I own. But it does look like something Reese Witherspoon might wear and I kind of love it. It also comes in blue and black which is equally pretty. It’s on sale for $149.95 with an extra 40% off with code XTRA40 at checkout.

3. sun and shadow v-neck thermal swing top

I love these thermal tops because they are super soft and perfect to wear around when you’re trying to write a book and can’t be bothered with an iron. Or a collar. I should also mention that I like to order them in a large because it makes them slouchier and longer.

It comes in several different colors and is on sale for $22.80.

4. free people border print collar tunic

I have this top in the navy color and I adore it. It’s a great length and looks so great with jeans. It comes in a bunch of different colors but I am loving this royal blue version because it would look so good with white jeans for the spring.

5. old navy pin tuck yoke dress

This is almost sold out online but too cute to not share. Plus maybe you can find it in your local Old Navy store.

6. shirttail wool and cashmere tunic

This is on sale for $49.90 and I love this hot pink color for February because Valentine’s Day. Not that I really theme dress for Valentine’s Day but I do think a little hot pink or red is nice for that time of year. And I love the longer length of this. It also comes in other colors.

And in case you are looking for a shorter cashmere sweater that happens to be on sale, this
v-neck lightweight cashmere sweater is $49.90, too. It also comes in several different color options and is a great basic.

7. old navy striped tunic top

Old Navy usually gets in some really cute tops for spring and this appears to be one of those.

8. burnout baseball tee

This comes in a few different color combinations and I’m a sucker for a baseball tee.

9. steve madden excel slip on sneaker

My neighbor had on the cutest slip on sneakers the other day and it made me want a pair. And I’m not sure these are the exact ones, but they are pretty close. They come in several different color option.

10. print ruffle hem shift dress

I would not wear this as a dress. But I think it has the potential to be a really pretty outfit with leggings and boots or booties.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday!

I need to confess that I just spent the last hour watching an episode of The A-Team with P. And, no, there isn’t a new version of The A-Team that you’re missing. This was straight up early 1980’s A-Team with Mr. T. I started watching it just to mock it and then I actually got caught up in the plot line and totally fascinated by the fact that P remembered the entire story line, including Howling Mad Dog Murdoch yelling, “I NEED SOME TRASH BAGS! I NEED SOME TRASH BAGS!” Meanwhile, I can’t remember what I had for lunch today.

But I did think of a few thing I wanted to share with you that have made my week and/or month a little better.

1. What I’ve watched over and over again this week

I saw this on Facebook and can’t quit watching. We now quote this at our house and it’s one of my favorite things ever. I only wish Snoop Dog could narrate my entire day.

2. Best mascara I’ve tried in the last month

L’oreal Voluminous Butterfly Intenza

Several people recommended this so I picked some up at HEB a couple of weeks ago and I have to say that I’m a fan. The brush is really unique and gives coverage without clumps. I don’t know that I’ll ever pledge my allegiance to just one mascara, but this one is pretty good and the price is right.

3. Song I can’t quit listening to

This isn’t a new song, but I’ve fallen in love with it all over again this past week.

4. Book I’m reading right now

The Liars’Club: A Memoir by Mary Karr

So many people have told me I need to read Mary Karr’s books and then I forget about it until the next time someone mentions her. I finally picked up The Liars Club this past weekend and am enjoying it so far.

I also want to read The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr because I always find inspiration reading how great writers find their words and put them on paper.

5. App I’m a little obsessed with

Magic Jigsaw Puzzles

Gulley calls me every morning about 8:20 and we talk while she drives to work. Last week she mentioned she’d discovered a puzzle app and had spent the evening before doing various puzzles on her iPad. I decided that sounded appealing because sometimes I just need something a little bit mindless to shut my brain off and now I’m hooked.

So, really, between puzzles and Snoop Dog narrating nature videos, life is practically complete.

Remember like two weeks ago when I mentioned I was about to start writing a new book? Well. About that.

I’m still starting.

I’ve decided that making the commitment to write a book is like adopting a pet hedgehog. I mean it sounds great in theory because have you seen this?

But then you find yourself all in on that deal and it can get a little prickly and you think how in the heck did I wind up with a pet hedgehog?

I did make a little bit of progress yesterday though because I actually made it to Starbucks and sat in a chair with my computer for over three hours. During that time I checked Facebook 143 times, ordered a really cute leather jacket from Anthropologie that was 40% off (it’s now sold out or I’d share), and pinned several spring outfit ideas on Pinterest. I also managed to type out 1500 or so words that I don’t hate.

The thing about writing a book that I forget is it’s harder to start each time I do it. I forget how to make the words come out, every story I think I want to tell seems dumb when I try to write it and I become socially backwards because I spend so much time in my own head thinking about possible words that when I’m confronted with a real conversational opportunity I can’t think of anything to say. In short, I’m a delight to be around.

Anyway, that’s a long explanation to really just say that I’m out of words for now and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Also, Mabel thinks she would love a pet hedgehog.

It’s Monday night as I’m writing this and we’re sitting here watching something on The Outdoor Channel. At least I think it’s the Outdoor Channel because all the commercials are for Farmersonly.com and ammunition. And I have no idea what show is currently on because I’m not really paying attention, but every now and then I hear the host say things like “The hippo tipped the boat and killed two men”. Which, let’s be honest, is a horrific scenario. Yet it’s made even worse because apparently now the host has decided to investigate further and is going to get in a boat to go down that same river in an attempt to what? I don’t know. See if he can also get killed by a hippo?

This is why I’ll never be the host of my own outdoor show. Well, that and the fact that I am not very outdoorsy unless you count how I like to drink wine outside on a patio on a nice evening. “Tonight we are enjoying a nice cabernet that has never one time tipped a person out of a boat and killed them”.

Speaking of sitting outside, P has spent the last few months building us an outdoor kitchen space. We got furniture for it right after Christmas and Piper feels it’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to her.

I considered fighting the battle of keeping them off the furniture for 3.5 seconds before deciding there was no way my sanity could survive it. And so we decided we’ll just flip the cushions when people come over to visit. In the meantime, Piper spends most of her time looking at us through the kitchen windows over the back of the couch.

She’s like our very own creeper.

In other news, we had a complete weekend of nothing here which was so nice and probably our last one for the foreseeable future. And it fell at the perfect time because I spent several days last week not feeling great and Caroline is exhausted between soccer and school and P has been working like crazy. On Friday night he grilled burgers and we sat outside by the fire. Then Saturday we went on search for new soccer cleats because Caroline and her feet keep growing at a rate that rivals the speed of light. Sunday morning we had church and then a glorious day of nothing else.

And Monday. Today was the day I decided to tackle the playroom, the cabinet in the dining room and the cabinets in our living room. I’ve said before that nothing makes me feel as accomplished as taking a carload of stuff to Goodwill and today was no exception. We are officially a Barbie-free household now. Not that Caroline has touched a Barbie in many years but I’d always felt like I should hold on to them for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, especially when you factor in how rough she was on her Barbies and they were a motley crew of bad haircuts in various stages of undress even during their peak years.

I also cleaned out craft supplies gone bad. They’d started smoking and joined a gang. Or maybe a bunch of glue had just dried out and a lot of construction paper had seen better days. And then I went through the cookbooks in my kitchen and got rid of a bunch of them because the internet exists. I only saved my favorites that have recipes I actually use and figured I could search on Pinterest if I ever decide to actually make phyllo wrapped halibut filets in lemon-scallion sauce which, considering I haven’t made in the eighteen years I’ve had access to that recipe, probably isn’t likely to happen.

Also, I don’t care for halibut.

I also have decided I’m completely done with chicken in almost every form, but that’s a story for another day.

This is going to be super quick because I just got home from a soccer party at Double Dave’s pizza and I think that speaks for itself as to my mental state right now.

Here are a few cute things I found this week.

1. anwen peasant dress

Anthropologie had this dress in cream earlier this fall, but I love this bright yellow for spring.

2. Schutz mayale booties

These booties are super cute and on sale for $149.95 plus an additional 40% off with code XTRA40. They also come in black.

3. every open back shift dress

Perfect dress to throw on all spring and summer.

4. print drop waist shift dress

This may be too short to wear as a dress but would look great with white skinny jeans.

5. asymmetrical top

I love a basic black top that has a little something extra going on. This also comes in cream.

6. pam breeze-ly green tunic

I’ve featured this top before but I love it every time I see it. I am such a fan of this shade of green.

7. split back boyfriend sweater

This has great reviews and looks like an easy piece to throw on with jeans and boots. It’s on sale for $49.90 and is sold out in most colors except black and red.

8. wander inn serape weekender bag

I adore the Junk Gypsies. And if you need a cute t-shirt then you need to head over to their site immediately. But yesterday this fun serape print bag caught my eye and I fell in love.

9. cozy pullover shirt

I love that this looks layered but is one easy piece that you can throw on.

10. cloverfield printed tunic

I bought this earlier in the fall and love it. It’s definitely long enough to wear with leggings and comes in several different color option.

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.