High Five for Friday: September 2

There was lots of sparkle this week, thanks to my birthday trip to Chicago!! Despite having no set plans, Timmi and I did a million things! Here's what happened (complete with a ton of pictures #sorrynotsorry):

• On my birthday (last Sunday), Timmi and I were going to bop between neighborhoods and hit up various donut places. That got off to an excellent start... but then we passed people selling tickets for a double-decker bus tour of Chicago, and we threw that into the mix too!

Timmi actually MADE SHIRTS for our donut crawl!! (This is what happens when you have artsy friends!) Her original vision was to make a sigil like on Game of Thrones, but someone said that it looked like a police badge, which turned the theme into "Law and Donuts." Hence the bad-ass faces above.

Four days of donuts! Do-Rite, Firecakes, Stan's, and Glazed and Infused.

Bus tour selfie! 

That damn Marina City! (Timmi had been racking her brain trying to remember the name of it before the tour guide clued us in!)

• Inspired by our random bus tour, we just as randomly decided to go to the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Zoo afterward! Timmi valiantly tried to find me a cat, but the Sand Cat was asleep and totally disinterested in us. (Womp.) The magical birthday celebration ended with guac and Grey's. <3

Haaaaaay giraffe.

Casual sloth.

We were so intent on eating our donuts during the day that we totally forgot to put candles in them. So, birthday guac it is! 

• On Monday, we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory and had tea at the Allis! I don't even like tea, but I agreed to go for the pretty desserts haha!

Like, come on. 😍 #nofilter

We each got our own tiny teapots! The tea I picked was fruity and delicious, I must say!

Aforementioned pretty desserts. (That macaron had some sort of berry jam filling that was off the chain!)

• Naturally, we followed our tea party with a baseball game. (WUT) The bus tour had made me want to do more stereotypically Chicago things, and I had never been to a Cubs game before, so I started looking into Cubs tickets afterward. Monday was the only night of my trip that they were in town, so we went then, and the Cubs won in 13 innings! It was a great game to see in such an iconic stadium!

Timmi is not a sports person, like at all, so I was surprised that she was totally down to go to a game... and to get appropriate shirts at Target beforehand (like literally an hour beforehand)! Don't we blend in so well? ;) 

❤️ 

• On Tuesday, after sleeping in to recover from our late night with the Cubs, we went to the Art Institute. I somehow always forget how much I enjoy art museums until I'm there. For my birthday, Timmi actually made me a tunic (!!) in material with an impressionist-inspired print, so of course I had to wear that to the Art Institute! (You can see a little of it in the last picture below, but there will be more pictures of it in next week's What I Wore Wednesday post!)

Marc Chagall's America Windows (which you might recognize from Ferris Bueller's Day Off!).

Sometimes, art gives me all the feels. 

Timmi was KILLING IT with her art snaps.

Neko Atsume: Museum Edition

Whew, what a week! This weekend, in addition to catching up on sleep, I'm hoping to get back to blog reading and responding to comments! Happy (long) weekend everybody!! xo

August 2016 budget

Well, it was another boring month for the ol' budget, as I was really trying to save up a little spending money for Chicago. Having much less of a disposable income (thanks to my car expenses) has sure helped me to get my spending under control in a hurry! haha

1. Amika Perk-Up Dry Shampoo mini (Sephora): $10
2. Women's Faux Leather Small Wallet (Target): $10
3. Smooth Delivery Makeup Sponges (Sephora): $8

TOTAL: $28

I went to Sephora to get a few samples of lotions/serums that treat facial redness (ugh my ruddy complexion), and then I spotted two things I forgot I'd been looking for: the Amika Perk-Up Dry Shampoo that Fran has raved about, and some replacement make-up sponges! Huzzah!

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the dry shampoo. I've actually never seen much difference with any dry shampoo I've used (like, my hair still looks disgusting afterward, and why do they all have such strong fragrances?), so I think I'm doing it wrong. I need Dry Shampooing 101!

And the sponges were necessary because the round sponge that came with my Hera UV Mist Cushion Compact (which I LOVE and have used almost every day since I got it in March!) was filthy and starting to crumble in spots. The round sponge from the set I got at Sephora fits perfectly in the compact AND is an excellent color to boot! :)

#purpleisaneutral

The wallet was something I specifically picked up for my Chicago trip. I still love my striped Double Zip Closure Wallet from Target, but because I can fit so much in it, it usually weighs a ton. Not to mention that it takes up a lot of space in smaller purses (if it fits at all). I had been using a little Vera Bradley wristlet/pouch thingy as a smaller alternative wallet, but it didn't have any slots for cards, so I was always nervous that I would lose my bank card. This little Target wallet has card slots and a section for change and a full-length section for dollar bills (so you don't have to fold them). So many modern conveniences! SOLD! :)

What did you guys get this month?!

Linking up with Fran's Budgeting Bloggers!

High Five for Friday: August 26

What a whirlwind week of driving adventures, doctor's appointments, and gearing up for CHICAGO! Here's what brought the sparkle:

• On Saturday, Pops asked me to go with him to a yard sale. I agreed, on the condition that we could look for roaming neighborhood cats afterwards. Yes, my life is sad. But MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Ike is much more receptive to me now that he no longer lives on our street and is not subject to my smothering affection daily lol.

Look at dis guyyyyy. <3 (I never really noticed his white mustache before!)

• Chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream is pretty much my dream come true. (I'm just not a vanilla base flavor kind of gal.) I'd had this flavor awhile ago and legit had not been able to find it at any Giant or even Target. But at the Acme? MISSION ACCOMPLISHED part 2! (Last Saturday was clearly very productive!) 

• Then on Sunday, I punched some serious driving stress in the face. While on a long drive, on a semi-familiar highway route, I got caught in a total monsoon. Like, people were pulling over or driving with their hazards on. Like, I had to get out of my car on the passenger side when I got home because our street was so flooded. (Like, WHAT that is not normal.) But as I drove, I had pretty much the same reaction as when I threw up on the el: what are ya gonna do? This situation is not ideal, but I can handle it, just keep going. Everything will be ok. TAKE THAT, ANXIETY.👊 

• I'm still in disbelief that the Olympics are over, so here is Simone Biles freaking out over a bee. Seeing that girl flip a billion feet into the air, I never would have thought we'd be kindred spirits, ha! 

• Finally, I leave for Chicago tomorrow!!! I can't believe my birthday trip is here already and that I get to see this girl so soon! 💖 

Hope y'all have a great weekend! Since my birthday is Sunday, I command it! :) xo

What I Wore Wednesday: August 24

Wednesday, August 17

Physical therapy and EMDR chic!

What is up with this lighting lol

Tee: Target (April 2016)

Leggings: Victoria's Secret (2014)

Sneakers: Reebok (2015)

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Nail Polish: Zoya "Flora" and "Tomoko"

Thursday, August 18

This look is called, "It's supposed to rain and also jump from 70 to 90 degrees today, so I have no idea what to wear." #fashion 

Top: Aerie (thrifted; 2015)

Tank: Target (2015)

Leggings: Athleta  (2015) 

Sneakers: Reebok (2014)

Necklace: Chloe + Isabel (2016)

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Nail Polish: Zoya "Flora" and "Tomoko"

Friday, August 19

This is probably my favorite go-to outfit. I just feel like such a rock star in it! In fact, it's the outfit I wore (minus the Chucks) when I bought my car because it makes me feel all cool and confident. :)

LOVE these jeggings, even though they don't really fit, hence the belt. (I only ever wear a belt when my pants would literally fall down without it nbd.) 

Tank: Gap (thrifted; 2011?)

Cardigan: Old Navy (2014)

Jeggngs: Target (January 2016)

Belt: Old Navy (2014)

Sneakers: Converse (2010)

Necklace: Chloe + Isabel (June 2016)

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Nail Polish: Zoya "Flora" and "Tomoko"  

Saturday, August 20

Just a casual Caturday cat-creeping ensemble, set against our strangely tropical bushes!

"Band on the Run" and "Jet" were two of my favorite songs when I started eighth grade, no lie.

Tee: Wings (purchased at the Paul McCartney concert last month!!)

Shorts: Adriano Goldschmeid (thrifted; 2015)

Sneakers: Reebok (2015)

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Nail Polish: Zoya "Flora" and "Tomoko"  

I actually did get dressed on Sunday for a change, but I got caught in a monsoon before I could take outfit pictures :( 

Monday, August 22 

Another day, another band tee! Although I actually wore a hoodie for most of the day because it was in the 60s/70s (wut).

Tee: The Head and the Heart (purchased at a show in 2011)

Leggings: Forever 21 (July 2016) 

Sneakers: Reebok (2015)

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Tuesday, August 23

Another unseasonably cool day in the neighborhood!

Yeah, these pants don't fit either, but they are PURPLE so we make it work. 💜 

Top: Forever 21 (thrifted; 2015)

Pants: Frankie B. (thrifted; 2015) 

Belt: Old Navy (2014) 

Sneakers: Converse (2010) 

Necklace: Loft (2014) 

Watch: Target (2015)

Bracelet: Lokai

Three weeks down, one to go! Since I'll be in Chicago for part of next week, the last "What I Wore Wednesday" post of Outfit Documentation August (whew that's a mouthful)) will go up in two weeks. Thanks for following along, y'all! xo

High Five for Friday: August 19

You guys, this is going to be a real talk H54F because it has been a rough week on the anxiety front. Once my anxiety gets triggered, it can be a battle to turn off the spiraling thoughts. BUT! I didn't shop away the anxiety, or ruminate endlessly, or look to others for constant reassurance. I have healthier coping skills now, and they really kept my anxiety from running wild. So here are five things that got me through the week: 

• Journaling. For the longest time, I hated journaling. Sit down and write/think about things in my life? BLEH. But journaling really does help me to slow my thinking and look at things more rationally. Therapy has taught me to "reality test" the things in life that wig me out, but my mind still tends to default into anxiety mode. So until calm thoughts come more naturally to me, the journal helps. 

Bonus if your journal is as cute as this $4 one from Home Goods! :) 

• Treats. I very rarely buy candy when I'm at work, but I allowed myself a little pick-me-up last Friday.

Plain M&Ms are one of those things I never want until I want them.

• Familiar TV.  At least for me, it's super comforting to watch characters I know and love go through things I've already seen (thus making stressful situations like bombs in patients nbd). Of course, I gravitated to season 2 Grey's because George, but I had totally forgotten about this sweet Mer-Der moment after Mer has a panic attack. TV doctors, they're just like us!

• Coloring. You know the annoying adult coloring craze? Well, it really works! I spent Saturday morning coloring an affirmation and was amazed at how much calmer I felt afterward. It really helped to focus my spiraling mind on something other than freaking out.  

Check out these delightful crayons that Timmi got me!! 

I found this awesome affirmation coloring page on Etsy. (Hooray for instant downloads!) I chose this one because safety has been a theme in EMDR lately.

• Distraction. Ferocious little kittens always help! :)

Of course, my usual Wednesday therapy session was super helpful too, but I had to get to Wednesday, you know? And doing these things helped me to diffuse my anxiety on my own and have a pretty decent week. And perhaps the most helpful thing of all was giving myself the space and grace to watch TV and color, instead of beating myself up for not being stronger or more productive.

I hope these suggestions help anyone else who struggles with getting swept away on the S.S. Anxiety sometimes. (If you need more ideas, Nicole recently posted some of her favorite coping skills too.) Hope you have a great weekend! xo