Working Mom Fashion

When I first went back to work from maternity leave, it was exciting to be able to wear “real people clothes” after living in yoga pants and nursing tanks for almost four months. However, that novelty quickly wore off when I remember what a pain it was to dress for work every day. I work with seniors – mainly those in their 80s – and my company requires “business casual” dress, erring on the side of a little more formal. We’re talking panty hose if you wear a skirt or dress *insert gag here*, jacket or sweater, suits preferred….aka, don’t look trendy or cute. SO…my big dilemma is how to stay professional while not aging myself, losing my sense of style, or generally making myself want to vomit when entering the ladies room and catching a glance in the mirror on a break.

I’ve found that the best way to go is keep apparel simple and use accessories to add a little pizzazz. Here’s some pieces that I’m loving:

Nordstrom

Maude

Modcloth

C Wonder

And during the winter, which is the only time I’ll wear pantyhose at all, I’ll wear it in black, textured, or sometimes if I’m being daring, a dark-colored navy or plum. But never nude (lol, anyone watch Arrested Development? Tobias? Never Nude? Ok, nevermind…). Why? I can never find it in the right color or thickness. I end up looking super-duper tan or ghostly white. There’s no in between for me. I’ve found the best places to shop for said liked (and I say “liked” very limitedly as I would rather not wear any) tights are H&M, The Limited, Express, and then of course Nordstrom’s or Lord & Taylor if you want to pay $30 for a pair of tights that will rip the first chance you wear them. Can you tell I’m bitter about this topic?

I’ve also found that pairing a bold shoe with blah suit is fun as well:

via Macys

via Zappos

via Piperlime

Any ideas from other working moms out there?

Attempting to keep it together 24/7,

Elizabeth

 

Run for Your Life!

So, yes, as mentioned in this post I am a perfectionist and can be slightly OCD sometimes. However, when it comes to working out and eating right I'm lazy. Oxy moron, hypocritical, whatever you want to call it - that's me. I think it's because I spend so much time worrying about other things that I am just too exhausted to take care of myself. That's where running comes in. No, I'm not necessarily one of those people who runs to "relieve stress" or "clear their minds" or "have me time or time to think". Nope, I run because I have to. And because for me, it's easy. And I hate the gym. H-A-T-E it. Wish I loved it, I've tried to make myself love it. But: no sparks. Me+Gym = Dull romance.

However, as I said, I'm lazy. So I need some motivation to run. Here's where races come in - thank the good Lord for races. And races for charity fundraisers - a double whammy! If I've signed up for a race, and in some cases, on top of that agreed to fund-raise for it, you'd better believe I'll be out there training! It gives me something to work toward, I feel proud of my accomplishment when I'm done, and I help people along the way. Win-win for all!

First Marathon Ever!

Running to cure cancer!

Bless Sean's heart - he meets me at every finish line no matter how early in the morning.

 A freezing cold start to the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon - running for The Lupus Foundation!

I think my tally is 3 marathons, 3 half marathons, a 20k, 2-3 10ks, a Tough Mudder, and countless 5ks. As long as I keep signing up (which, by the way is an expensive hobby!) then I'll stay in shape. However, with the little one now in tow, it’s much more difficult to find the time to train. I’m thinking of signing up for the 2013 Marine Corps Marathon through the American Cancer Society to motivate myself to run, although again, finding the time may be difficult. But that’s where motivation like this comes in handy:

Ain't it the truth?!  

Sean, you up for some babysitting (ahem, approximately 3 hours every Saturday during training season)?

Old School or Old Soul?

Let me tell you a little bit more about myself.

 

The person on the left is me on the outside, the person on the right is me on the inside:

  

Eh? What? Ok, so the person on my right is actually my grandmother (aka "Gampi") - my mom's mom whom I love to death. She is actually only 4' 10" so I'm kinda hunched over to be at her level in this picture - too cute.

Anyway, last night as we were getting ready to go to bed I was watching a movie on Turner Classic Movies (TCM - my favorite channel!) and my husband was making fun of me because I love so many "old school" things. He said I actually have an 80 year old inside my body. And he's not the first one to tell me this! My friends and family have said the same thing before. Why's that? Let me elaborate:

1. I love old movies. As stated, TCM is my favorite channel. I LOVE classic movies. Whether it's dramas and mysteries from the 1940s to musicals (yes, musicals), to Doris Day/Rock Hudson/Marilyn Monroe flicks - I'm there!

2. I love old music. And I'm not talking just Frank Sinatra. I'm talking my XM radio in my car has these two stations among my favorites: "Singers & Standards" and "40s on 4". And I'm admitting it. That’s not to say I don’t love music in other genres (bluegrass, rock, country, pop – you name it) but the old stuff is my fav.

4. My favorite cocktail is a Gibson. Or pretty much anything with Gin!

5. I drive a Cadillac. I don't see too many other people my age driving one but I love it!! Most comfortable car ever.

6. I love old TV shows. I Love Lucy is my favorite!

7. At all the parties I host I break out my silver and china from my family - why not use it even for BBQs? I always set a proper table down to the individual pepper and salt cellars.

So, these things may or may not make me old fashioned but I love them! I think I really am in a time warp and I'm supposed to be living in another decade  :)

Attempting to keep it together 24/7,

Elizabeth

My Main Man

Just in case you forgot, I'm re-Introducing my little love:

 

He was 10 days early, the first three months were the hardest in my life,  I haven’t slept past 7 am in over a year, and I still don’t have my pre-baby body back yet but IT IS ALL WORTH IT!

My nephew, Brayden, was born the year before, on August 6, 2011. He was SO adorable, so sweet, and I was hooked.

My sweet nephew, Brayden Thomas

By the time I got pregnant in January of 2012, I was SO nervous that I wouldn’t love my own baby as much as I loved my nephew. Ha. Not even close. I love Conrad so much that now I’m worried to have a second child, in fear that I won’t love him or her as much as my sweet bug. This is now my excuse for waiting five years a couple years to have another; if it were up to Sean, we would already be pregnant again. Clearly he doesn’t remember those aforementioned horrible first three months with a newborn.

Conrad is no longer that screaming three month old but a happy, energetic, playful, smart, and loving eight month old. Each morning seeing his smile when I get him out of bed is the best way to start my day and cuddling him in his rocker before bed is the best way to spend the night. Sure, we still have our bad spots (for instance, when the teething monster is in town) but they are ALL WORTH IT! Seeing him develop each and every day makes this mom proud. I cherish each passing day and I’m excited for the future yet wish time would stop. Do all Moms feel this way?

I love this little man!

Attempting to keep it together 24/7,

Elizabeth

Back open for Business!

Hi there...in case you've forgotten, this is me:

From one working mother to another, or from one working mother to the stay-at-home mother (which believe me, is also WORK!), I welcome you to my new phase in blogging. I re-vamped this blog and its design for several reasons:

1.       Keep an online journal of what’s going on in my family’s life. Things are so hectic that baby books don’t get completed, photos don’t get printed often enough, and the (several) journals that I’ve purchased or received as gifts remain empty. In the immortal words of Sweet Brown … “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”  

2.   Enable my relatives that I don’t see often to stay posted on the life of my ever-growing baby boy, Conrad (C-Rad!) in an easier-to-read forum for family and friends

3.       Most important of all, to connect with other working moms…because no joke…this stuff is HARD! The biggest pet peeve of my pregnancy is that NO ONE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE THIS DIFFICULT!!!! Being a mother and on top of that a working-out-of-the-house mother is just plain ridiculously tough. More on this later.

I will warn you that there will be LOTS of pictures of my C-Rad, lots of discussions (aka my opinions) about life as a working mother, probably lots of complaining and griping (hey, that’s what a journal’s for!), and lots of other junk thrown in between. Sometimes I may blog about recipes, marriage, products, tips and tricks that I’ve found useful and I encourage the sharing of anything that helps make our lives as Jill-of-All-Trades easier. I tend to wander towards the square thing called my soap box and if you don’t agree with what I’m saying, that’s fine. All opinions are welcome…if they are the same as mine. Just kidding; I welcome open constructive discussion (read: no personal attacks, rudeness, meanness) for the purpose of enlightenment and thinking outside the box (read: my soapbox).

For those interested, the title of my blog was an idea that my husband, Sean, came up with. For me, due to the type A part of my personality (because I believe that everyone has both types in them), I try to run my life, our family’s life, in the most organized ways possible. We’re talking lists, budgets, calendars, constant emailing back and forth about the baby, house, schedules, chores, etc. Essentially, run like a business. This is probably where you’ll stop reading and think “ok, crazy controlling lady”. But really, I’m not an insane person here, it’s just how my mind functions best. Sean is the total opposite so this can create lots of arguments strife but we push through it. Opposites attract, right?

So welcome back to my own little corner of the blogosphere and happy reading. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Attempting to keep it together 24/7,

Elizabeth