Author: Big Mama

The answer to that is no. Not yet. But we’re officially one week ago and I am so ready for a little break in the schedule.

Anyway, it’s late here and I’m ready for bed.

So here are some cute things I found this week: (Just FYI, it’s Fall clearance sale time at Nordstrom, plus they’re price matching so there are some really cute things to be found at discounted prices. Great for Christmas shopping for someone you love. Or yourself. But you should also love yourself and know that sometimes yourself might need some great boots that are on sale.)

1. free people viole bay v-neck tunic

I have had my eye on this for a while and it’s finally on sale. It also comes in an ivory color that is really pretty too and both would look so good with leggings and boots. It’s on sale for $81.

2. cowled sweater dress

I love a sweater dress. One of my favorite outfits in high school was this kelly green sweater with a matching sweater skirt. I think I bought it at 5 7 & 9. I may have worn it with jelly shoes.

Anyway, this comes in a couple of different colors and has the best button detail down the back and I think it would look just great with tall boots. It’s on sale for $99.95.

3. free people casablanca embellished tunic

I’ve featured this before but now it’s on sale for $76.80. I will not be getting this because I have banned myself from buying anything else that’s lace or plaid.

4. vince camuto kolton boot

I saw these boots in person at Nordstrom and they are so much prettier in person. The color is perfection and they’re on sale for $149.90. And even if you don’t like these, you should check out all the great boots on sale at Nordstrom right now. There are tons of options and we’re just barely into boot weather yet.

5. free people labyrinth color block poncho

I also saw this at Nordstrom and you know I love a poncho. This one is really soft and warm and is on sale for $100.80.

6. v-neck thermal swing top

This comes in several different colors and it is so incredibly soft. I love the length because it’s perfect to wear by itself with jeans or under your favorite jacket or sweater coat.

7. loft lace v-neck dress

Loft is offering 40% off everything if you sign up to receive emails right now. I think this dress is so pretty and would be perfect for a holiday party. It also comes in black if you like to keep it a little more basic.

8. old navy long sleeve shift dress

A friend of mine had this dress on with booties the other day and it was the cutest thing ever. And it was even better when she told me she bought it at Old Navy. This also comes in a teal blue and I can’t tell you how cute it looks on.

9. old navy pin tuck back dress

This is another great Old Navy option. It also comes in red.

10. on top of the whirl dress

A plaid dress. Be still my heart. I really like this dress and I think it would be so cute around Christmas or really all year round.

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.

Today is Veteran’s Day so I feel like the first order of business is to say a big thank you to all the brave men and women who have fought to defend our freedom. We owe you a debt of gratitude beyond what a few words can express.

On a completely different note, Caroline stayed home from school on Monday because she started running a low-grade fever on Sunday night and felt generally crummy. It could have just been allergies but it’s so hard to tell this time of year what’s a legit illness and what may just be seasonal fatigue in the form of WE ARE ALL READY FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK. I, for one, am so ready to be able to put up the rubber cement for a few days. I had no idea seventh grade was going to require so much rubber cement but the projects? They are endless.

We have made tee-pees, travel brochures, real estate listings for Texas property, flash cards about cellular respiration, old world menus, and a partridge in a pear tree. Actually we haven’t made a partridge in a pear tree yet but I bet it’s coming and we’ll have to cover the whole thing in feathers using rubber cement and diagram all the individual parts and then attach an essay about why we believe partridges should or should not be allowed in pear trees.

Anyway, the point is (assuming there is a point to be made) that Caroline stayed home from school on Monday. And her favorite lazy activity these days is to look around on Pinterest. I know this to be true because many of our school mornings are now like a pop quiz at a beauty school where she rushes into the kitchen three minutes before we need to walk out the door and asks, “Mom, can you do my hair in a messy triple dutch braid like this one on Pinterest?” as she shows me a braid that would make Princess Elsa claw her eyes out in jealousy.

Right. Like if I had that kind of hair styling ability I would be walking around with a sad bun on top of my head 99% of the time.

I have some hair skills. I can curl or straighten hair like it’s my job. I can do a simple French braid. I can do a ponytail and even tease the crown to give it some body. But I am not a magician. I cannot turn fine hair that’s been slept on wet and treated to absolutely zero products into a Dutch braided masterpiece. Not even (insert famous Dutch person here) could do that.

I told Caroline that one day after she asked me to do something “cool” with her hair. I explained it would be really hard to do and she asked, “Why?” and I replied, “Because you have no product in your hair.” She looked right at me and implored, “WHY DOES IT ALWAYS COME BACK TO PRODUCT WITH YOU?”

To which I replied, “Because it always comes back to product.”

Seventh grade is as awesome as a parent as it was as a seventh-grader.

And so I’ve now spent some time explaining to Caroline that very few things in real life turn out like they do on Pinterest. Remember that time we had the white couch? It was not like Pinterest AT ALL, largely because you don’t see women in the pictures of white couches on Pinterest weeping over the fresh chocolate stain on slipcovers that had just been washed and cleaned five seconds before.

This wasn’t even supposed to be about hair. And yet here we are 600 words later. You know why? Because it always comes back to product.

So back to my original story. Caroline stayed home from school on Monday and we started looking around on the internet for a pair of booties. She wants a pair but hasn’t been able to find any she really likes and I hate to break it to her but what she’s describing sound eerily similar to the Esprit booties I wore in high school.

We looked at Nordstrom, Zappos, Macys and several other online stores to find this elusive bootie before she finally declared, “SHOPPING IS HARD!” I looked at her and laughed and said, “You think this is hard? There was a time before the internet where you had to walk around an actual building called a mall and go in multiple stores to find what you wanted. In the snow. Up a hill. Both ways.”

And she doesn’t even want to know how much product our hair required back then.

So remember how I was going to College Station with Gulley for the weekend and was so excited to see the Aggies play?

Well, the entire weekend surpassed my expectations with one exception. The football team.

Apparently our offense has fallen and it can’t get up. And I could write several paragraphs on all my theories and thoughts on what the problem might be, but I will spare you because I bet the coaches aren’t perusing blogs written by women in their mid-forties to figure out where the football program goes from here.

Anyway, Gulley and I left San Antonio on Friday morning and made a stop in Austin for the Hand to Hold luncheon. Glennon Melton was the speaker and I’m the speaker for next year’s luncheon so they invited us to join them this year. We had a great time and then made our way to Honey and Big’s house.

On Friday night, Honey and Big took us to Christopher’s for one of the best meals I have ever eaten. We laughed and talked all through dinner and Honey told us how when she takes Nena’s friends, Jo and Dorothy Kay, out to lunch once a week that Dorothy Kay always orders for Jo. About that time the waitress came to see if we’d like an after dinner coffee drink and we all agreed that sounded good and Honey took it upon herself to order extra whipped cream in the coffee for all of us. So apparently Dorothy Kay isn’t the only one who likes to order for people.

But we all agreed it was an excellent call because I could have had about six more cups of it if they’d put it in front of me.

We slept in on Saturday morning which was delightful since it was dark and rainy most of the day. Then we sat around and watched Gameday and all the early games before we eventually got ready to head towards Kyle Field to tailgate before the game. The weather forecast showed that all the rain should clear out by about 4:00 p.m. but I’m here to tell you that it was wrong. On the upside, it was nice and cold outside. But on the downside, there was this light mist that hung in the air that made me wish I’d gone with my initial instincts to put my hair in a ponytail.

We stopped on our walk to the stadium to get someone to take a picture of the four of us and we’re so tickled because our chosen photographer had maybe spent most of the day enjoying one or fourteen adult drinks and just took Honey’s phone and kept walking closer and closer to us as he took about seventy-two pictures, including several of himself based on the selfies we found on her camera later. And then we were hysterical over the photo bombers in the background. College students are my favorite.

Our seats were right by the Aggie band and I could have yelled at Will Muschamp if I’d wanted to because he was that close to our seats. Initially I thought I might want to do this, but there’s not much to yell when his defense actually shut down our offense. So instead I just enjoyed the new Kyle Field which truly is amazing and I have to say that seeing it on T.V. doesn’t do it justice. The only low point (other than the football team) was that the guy sitting next to me chose to order and then eat a chicken-fried hot dog during the first quarter of the game. It is exactly as disgusting as what you’re envisioning and it was made even worse when he offered me a bite.

“Sir, I cannot even deal with raw chicken in my own kitchen, so in no scenario will I be taking a bite of a stranger’s chicken-fried hot dog.”

But I guess he wasn’t the only one who felt that the crowd was there to all share food together because I ran up to the concession stand (I needed to stress eat during the second quarter when it became apparent our offense wasn’t going to show up) and ordered popcorn AND peanut M&Ms. I dumped my peanut M&Ms directly in my popcorn when I returned to my seat and the guy behind me asked, “Are you putting those M&Ms in your popcorn?” and I turned to show him I had done exactly that and he said, “No thanks, I’m good.”

Well, that’s good because I wasn’t offering you any. I was showing you. Joey doesn’t share food.

Halftime mercifully came and the Aggie band was awesome as always and then there was this card stunt where we all held up cards to spell something. I’m still not sure what that was all about because I was so annoyed by the game. And then we sat in our seats and watched what can only be described as a huge cloud of mist/rain/drizzle rolled into the stadium right as the third quarter was about to begin and we did something none of us have ever done. We decided to leave early. We were cold, wet, hungry and, frankly, decided that we have watched a lot of bad Aggie football over the years and paid our dues. And, sadly, we all felt pretty confident that we weren’t going to miss any kind of amazing comeback.

So we were home in our pajamas by the fourth quarter eating brownies and drinking wine and I have to say that it eased some of the sting. And by some, I mean maybe 47%. Or maybe like 68% because did I mention it was cold and wet outside? The only bright spot of the weather was that it did cause Gulley to buy herself a new Aggie blanket during the first quarter of the game that she deemed to be one of the best purchases she’s ever made.

Sunday morning we slept in again and then made our way home to San Antonio where we returned to real life things like laundry and grocery lists. But I have to say the whole weekend felt like a win even though the Aggie football team didn’t.

I’m so excited because Gulley and I are headed to College Station this weekend for the A&M vs. Auburn game. The only small issue is that we are leaving tomorrow morning about 9:00 a.m. and I haven’t even begun to pack. So this is going to be a quick one.

1. caldera tunic tank

I tried this on about a month ago and it’s really cute and long enough to wear with leggings. Pair it with leggings and a black leather or denim jacket and you’ve got yourself a really great outfit.

It’s on sale for $49.95.

2. jantina maxi dress

I also tried this on and loved it. But I do not need another maxi dress at this juncture in my life. However, it is really flattering and so soft. Plus I love that you can wear a normal bra with it.

It’s on sale for $89.95.

3. cantata peasant top

Now I haven’t tried this on. But I have eyed it every time I’ve been in Anthro and refrained from trying it on because I had a feeling I would be powerless to resist it. I’m a sucker for a good peasant top and this one would look great with jeans or black jeans.

It’s on sale for $79.95.

4. we the free marigold tunic

This is the tunic I talked about during yesterday’s podcast and I just thought I’d mention it again because it is so dreamy and soft and I will wear it all winter long.

5. meja pullover

I featured this a while back and now it’s on sale for $39.95. I love this kind of dressy sweatshirt thing.

6. leith cocoon cardigan

Now this looks different in person than it does in this picture. It’s a little more drapey through the back and arms, but it is the softest thing ever. I tried it on at Nordstrom a week ago and haven’t quit thinking about it.

It comes in gray, black and pink hush.

7. bed stu manchester II boots

Several of you asked about the boots I had on in last week’s Fashion Friday. They are these Bed Stu Manchester boots and I adore them. I needed a comfortable pair of flat heeled boots for everyday wear and these totally fit the bill. They feel like I’ve had them forever and I love the lace detail in the back.

8. treasure and bond leather trucker jacket

I really like this leather jacket because it’s fairly simple and has the cut of a denim jacket so it can be dressed up or down. It’s normally $298 but now on sale for $198.90. Might be a good Christmas wish.

9. marnie long active jacket

I went into the Lucky store yesterday and they have 40% off everything right now. And there were too many cute things to show them all, but this was one of my favorites. They also offer free shipping on U.S. orders.

10. route fringe crossbody

This is another Lucky Brand item and I think I’m in love. It also comes in black and is normally $228 on sale for $136.80.

11. modern geo top

This also comes in blue but I think this red is so vibrant and pretty, especially when you think about the holidays being around the corner. It’s on sale for $59.40.

12. border cardigan

Okay, just one more Lucky item. This sweater is really pretty and look how great it looks with black jeans. It’s on sale for $89.40.

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.

So I mentioned yesterday that Sophie and I had recorded a new podcast and here it is in all its glory.

As usual, we discuss shopping, college football, and various beauty products. Everything you have come to expect from this high quality broadcast.

You can click here to listen. Or here. You can even listen right here on the blog.

Or, as always, you can subscribe on iTunes.

Just FYI – here’s where you can get more info on the products / places we mention (these aren’t affiliate links – just regular ole links):

– We the Free Marigold tunic

– “Les Miles Explains What Happened on Halloween” (there’s a little profanity) (just FYI)

– Foundational Garment #1

– Natori Shangri-La Jersey Tunic Pajamas (As a person who sleeps in t-shirts and pajama bottoms from TJMaxx, I recognize the extravagance of these pajamas. I’m just sayin’.)

– Foundational Garment #2

– Foundational Garment #3

– Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Eyeliner

– Revitalash Advanced Serum (this is a smaller size than what we mentioned)

For those of you who have been asking, Sophie and I recorded a podcast yesterday and I will be posting it at some point soon. But she is the technical whiz behind the scenes and she had a very important sixth grade football game to attend last night and, thus, did not have time to edit, find links, add music, and create magic from nothing like she usually does to get the podcast up and running.

However, in the meantime, there are a few great things that I’ve been wanting to share.

1. The Unstoppable Gospel by Gregg Matte

I first read this book several months ago when Gregg asked if I’d be willing to think about endorsing it. And here’s what you need to know, I don’t take endorsing books lightly. I really want this to be a place where you know if I recommend a book, then I mean it.

And this is one of those books. God used Gregg Matte to impact not only my life, but also P’s way back when we were in our early twenties. He has a way of making the Bible come alive in a real, applicable way. This book will inspire you, challenge you and feel like God can absolutely use you wherever you are. I highly recommend it and it would also be great to use as a small group study.

2. Audacious by Beth Moore

I started reading this book about a week ago and ended up in tears on my back porch. It may be my favorite of all of Beth’s books. This quote…”If only you knew what He has for you. Not only after you kiss this life goodbye but, here on this earth and in this season. If only you knew, your heart would be so swept up in audacious love that nothing could keep you from the life you were born to live.”

I think it hit me so hard because I am coming off such a busy, crazy season of speaking and juggling family and writing and all those things that it just brought me back to the heart which is that it’s all about the way Jesus loves me and that I love him. I can’t recommend this book enough.

3. Psalms, Vol.2 by Shane and Shane

Remember how a couple of weeks ago I talked about the music I listen to while I write? This album is now at the top of my list as I write my next book.

I kept seeing people mention it all over the place and was a little skeptical, but I finally downloaded it yesterday and it might be better than taking a nerve pill. This will definitely be part of my writing soundtrack going forward. Forever and amen.

4. Chicken and quinoa soup

Oh yes ma’am. I put some of my air-chilled chickens to work yesterday and made this in my Crockpot. My people love any type of chicken noodle-ish soup and they really liked this. Plus it gave me a chance to actually make something with the quinoa I bought a year ago in a flurry of hypothetical self-improvement.

I ended up using 32 oz. of chicken broth which I felt was perfect. And I think you could add carrots or some other vegetables if you are so inclined. But it was easy and delicious and the perfect meal for fall/winter. My air-chilled chickens felt really good about it.

Hope you all have a lovely Wednesday.