Titles are Overrated

So it's been about an eon since I've been to my blog, let alone posted. I get emails every other day or so reporting that someone in Russia (I can only assume from their interesting word choice) is making spammy comments here, but alas, not even that has seemed to be enough to bring me back.
Life with two kids is one thing for sure: BUSY. I think the best possible birth control would be to let horny teenagers take care of a grown up household for two full days. That'll make you keep your pants on.
So I just thought I'd pop in and say hello, and let ya'll know (I've had a beer, there's my year in Texas coming out) that my favorite place to shop, Thrift Town, is having a 50% off sale on Memorial Day. I was just there last weekend and scored a pair of linen Banana (thanks Gwen Stefani for helping me never misspell that word) Republic linen shorts for $2.99, and a similarly priced pair of Ralph Lauren white Bermuda shorts. Why am I glad that I shop at Thrift Town? Because the first time I wore those white shorts, I stupidly handed my 1 year old a cheeseburger. That he then wiped on me. Right across the leg of my brand new shorts. Boy am I glad I didn't pay $60 for those suckers! (It came out...husband got me a Tide pen as part of my mother's day gift. Dude knows me all too well....)

Someday Chambray

So I saw an outfit like this on Pinterest and clicked on over, only to learn that the little white shorts were like $700 or some craziness. So I redid it, cheaper (and dare I say cuter? I dare.)
Because seriously? I have cute little white shorts in a box under my bed, just waiting for summer. And they did NOT cost $700. All I need is a cute chambray shirt like that one up there. Off to Old Navy I shall go.
And FYI, I have those shoes in teal, and they are awesome. Tons of compliments. Super cheap. My favorite combination.

Sunglasses, Shirt, Shorts: Old Navy
Shoes & Clutch: Target
Bracelet: Forever 21

Just FYI...

Thrift Town (my favorite store!) is having a sale this Friday. 30% off all clothing, which is seriously, seriously cheap. (Think sweaters regular price $1.50-$2, jeans regular price $4-$9) Great brands (Lucky, H&M, Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor, Gap, J Crew) abound.

B&B On The Cheap

Sweater: Banana Republic (via Goodwill)
Jacket: Yanuk (via Goodwill)
Scarf: Payless
Boots: Nine West (via Goodwill)
Jeans: Ann Taylor (via Goodwill)

Right before Christmas my husband and I were able to get away for a night. If you have little kids, you understand how exciting this is. We went to our favorite Bed and Breakfast, the sister property to a Zagat rated restaurant. Guests are treated to a stay in a completely updated former Gold Rush era boarding house (now a pub with the B&B upstairs) PLUS a gourmet breakfast. How can we afford such finery, you may ask? Well, its a whopping $90 a night. It's a place worth keeping a secret!
It was freezing on our last trip, so I got to wear my nifty new sweater and jacket. During dinner I looked down and realized everything I had on came from Goodwill (except the scarf).
And I also realized that my dinner cost more than my outfit.

Meet Margot

At Home Goods after Christmas, I came across this dress form. I've always wanted one, and clearly this was my lucky day. The clearance price drew me in, and before I knew it she was mine.
I have decided to call her Margot.
Margot was a friend I had, briefly, in college. Margot smoked Parliaments and made bad decisions. An evening with Margot could begin at a party in a beach front mansion and end at a dive bar with an illegal poker game in the back room. Margot was equal parts awesome and terrifying. If I had an alter ego, she'd be it.
And plus, she's French. See?

My hope is that Margot can sport some of my awesome thrift store finds and add a little excitement to this here blog. 
Plus it's just fun to play dress up and give inanimate objects names.
Au revoir! 

Ode to the Sticker Chart

Can I just tell you about the amazingness that is a sticker chart?
Two year old couldn't sleep without a milk bottle. We were up two to three times every night, getting more milk, changing a milk filled diaper, or replacing sheets when said diaper blew out. It was getting old.
And then there's the baby waking up, too. Fun times.
Enter the sticker chart. At the end of our milk filled ropes, we make a deal with Itty Bitty: go five nights without a milk bottle, and you can pick out a dolly at Big Lots.
And she rocked it. Five night in a row, no milk bottle. No waking up. Whoo hoo! And she got a dolly.
So then we start thinking...we can't buy a dolly every five days. Also, what can we do where we get something, too? (Are we the only parents who think this way? I doubt it).
Mommy: "How about if you are a good listener and get a sticker for 5 days in a row, we can all go to Chinese food?"
Win/win!
So the point is, we are now on the "take a nap every day for 5 days" sticker chart. This is day 5. Tonight, Chinese food. Today, mommy sanity. After 3 months of NO NAPS, we're rolling on 5.
It's the little things.
PS I just bought this shirt today. And I own those boots, and I'm kind of in love with that purse.

Can You Believe It?

I blogged.
Boo ya.
Here you go internets.
(I don't know how much this dress is, but it's pretty cheap I'm guessing. Thus no total, and no need for me to do math.)
And now the baby is awake. Thank you, dear children, for sleeping long enough for mommy to waste some much needed time. I highly underestimated the need for time wasting until there was no time to waste.

Someday I'll be 40

I'm not working today.
I didn't work yesterday, either.
If the babies are sleeping, I'm working. That's just how it goes around here lately. But yesterday I made a choice to not work. Instead I blogged for the first time in almost six months, I read my blog roll all the way through, I cleaned the kitchen, put away laundry, spray painted a chair on the lawn (which is apparently not a good idea, according to the husband. Who knew spray paint kills grass? Plus, it's red. It looks like I killed a bear.)
And today, when the kids went down for naps and I sat down to work, it just didn't happen. I think perhaps my brain is telling me to take a break for a minute and just be happy for today. That sounds cheesy. But I got to thinking after my post yesterday. A few of the comments said "Hang in there!". I worried that I sounded like I was complaining about my kiddos. Sure, things are crazy around here, but my life is AWESOME. Really. I know that in 10 years I am going to look back on these few years I am lucky enough to be home with my babies and remember them as the best time in my life. I know, as a 40 year old, that I will curse my 30 year old self for worrying so much about work, money, what's next, etc. 40 year old Tracy will tell 30 year old Tracy to relax and enjoy her wonderful kids, her crazy old house, her sweet husband, and her amazing life. 40 year old Tracy will tell me to stop worrying about losing baby weight, getting the house "done", and figuring out what the next step is. (40 year old Tracy will probably tell 30 year old Tracy to stop pulling out her gray hairs, too.)
So today I'm not working. I'm not worrying about the work that I have to do. I'm watching my son sleep in his swing, waiting for my daughter to wake up from her nap, and appreciating how truly lucky I am to be here, right now.
Take that 40 year old Tracy.

Some Observations On Motherhood

Hello Blog.
I couldn't stand that my last post was something so boring. So I'm back.
I started another blog. I thought I could write there, without the time suck of putting together outfits.
But you know what, blog? I can't write without a stupid outfit up there to get me started. Considering that I make my living as, you know, a writer, that kind of blows. Seriously. I'd think of something funny and clever to write, and then I'd change a diaper. And make a snack. And pick raisins out of the carpet while wiping spit up out of my hair. And by the time I even thought about blogging, whatever clever thing I'd thought of had been replaced by something else in my brain, like the theme song from Pinky Dinky Doo. Which has to be the most annoying children's show of all time, followed closely by Clifford the Big Red Dog. (Best kids show? Word Girl. Husband informed me this morning that it is no longer on at 6:30 am, which is sad because we both enjoy Word Girl's humor. We need lives.)
On a different note, I thought that having two kids would be simply twice as much work. Ha ha! Funny mommy!
Holy Shit.
Having two kids increases your crazy level exponentially.
So my vision of reading sweetly to the 2 year old while the 4 month old sleeps soundly in his crib looks more like cleaning the 2 year old's poop off the bathroom floor while holding the screaming 4 month old against my chest. The 4 month old who decides it's a good time to vomit into my cleavage.
On the bright side...I have cleavage!

More great thrifting next week!

And another sale that's not to be missed! Thrift Town is beyond awesome...they source their stuff from many different places (as opposed to Goodwill, where all the stuff is donated to just them), so there's an eclectic mix of really neat finds. And even better, this sale lasts a WHOLE week! So Hutch and Katie (and everyone else to has to work Monday) can get their thrift on! Check out their locations here  and their fun blog here!

How do you like them apples?

This Monday (President's Day), Goodwill is having one of their oh-so-wonderful 50% off sales!  I'm not sure if the sale extends beyond the Northern California area, so make sure you head over to the Goodwill website and locate a store in your area. As long time blog readers know, I swear by the 50% off sale for stocking up on baby/kid clothes. The day after Thanksgiving I spent $165. At a half price sale. (You should have seen my cart!) So think about $330 not half price. My husband and I figured that we scored about $3,000 (retail price) worth of baby clothes for the new little bean and his big sister. Holla!
So if you've got the day off and are hankering for some new (to you) cheap duds, head on over to your local Goodwill. Maybe I'll see you there!

New Kitchen on the Cheap!

Before we move into our new house (yay!), it's our plan to remodel the kitchen and dining area. The current set up is pretty bad...a galley kitchen with beat up cabinets, a carpeted formal dining room, and a living room that connects to one end of the kitchen. Basically, it's a segmented, maze-like mess. It's our vision to break down the kitchen wall and turn it into an island, and then open up the dining room and living room, making the whole space into one "great room". 

Which brings me today's blog post. We've been thinking a lot about cabinets, color schemes, etc., but I haven't really put anything down on "paper" until today. Our style is pretty laid back...we want a kitchen we can live with for a long time, that can grow with our family, and that won't look dated in 20 years. We like color, clean lines, and a modern meets vintage feel. Here's what I've come up with so far. Everything comes from either Overstock or Ikea. Although not exactly cheap, it certainly won't break the bank, either! 

Or the second option...

Which do you prefer?