Les Mis and Thai food

And suit shopping for my handsome husband who just got a RAISE!

J Crew Cambridge Cable Cardigan (this is one of the old ones that doesn't pill so horrendously!)
Merona Tee Shirt
J Crew Denim Minnies (old, via ebay, and much cuter than the toothpick jeans that replaced them)
J Crew necklace
Eddie Bauer boots--in a WIDE calf (thank you ballet and years of walking on my toes)--this is like finding the holy grail.  These are probably 8 years old and look almost new.  If I would polish them they would look new.

Les Mis.  I wept.  Anne Hathaway is ethereal.  I also giggled--Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are brilliant as the Thenardiers.  See it.  For real.

Christmas outfits

Hey all!  Sorry about the extended hiatus, we were in Disney World for a few days and then headed to Tom's family's home in Alabama for a week.  I will try to do a Disney post with pics by the weekend (TRY being the operative word there).

Merona Top
J Crew Minnie Pants
Aerosoles flats
J Crew Hammock necklace
Badass Navy Debate Team Banner, hanging in a place of honor in my in-laws' house

J Crew Factory Metallic Brocade Sheath Dress (Seen twice, once for our Victoria and Albert's outing, once for Christmas Eve Mass)
Kate Spade bow flats
Kate Spade pave mini skinny bow bracelet
Betsey Johnson Bow Earrings (bottom photo)
J Crew Factory Pear Drop Earrings (top photo)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and here is to a great New Year ahead of us!

Minty Fresh

Today I had to meet with my department chair regarding some additional bureaucratic hurdles that are apparently my Christmas gift.

DC: Well, in good news, that top is gorgeous.

Me: Thanks!  I bought it at Target for $4.50 last week.

DC: WHAT?  ::Elaine-style shove:: Shut up!

Merona Lace Front Shirt
J Crew Minnie Pants
Bandolino Flats
J Crew Factory Scarf
Earrings via Etsy

Team Spirit, Take 2

This time they could tell it was blue and gold, and lo, they were well pleased.  "Ma'am (still hard to swallow after all these years), you look AWESOME!" said the first kid I saw.  Obviously sucking up for the final.  Whatever, hopefully they let their excitement over my outfit bleed over into their course evaluations.

J Crew Ruffled Merino Cardigan
J Crew Heavyweight Silk Blouse
J Crew Factory Tweed Skirt
Merona Tights
Bandolino Loafer Pumps

Last night was the debate team Christmas party--the theme was "Treat Yo Self" so we had desserts only.  I made cheesecake balls, peppermint chocolate cake balls, funfetti cupcakes, gingerbread mini cakes, and moustache sugar cookies (interactive fun for all involved!).  My mom contributed a pumpkin roll that was gone in approximately 4.2 seconds.  We also had apple cider and hot chocolate courtesy of my Keurig.

The debaters bought me a farting hippo, just like Abby on NCIS has, for when I'm feeling sad at work.

Of course,  I forgot the camera.  So no pics.  I wore my red minnies with a white tee shirt and a lime cashmere cardigan, all J Crew (duh), for those following along at home.

Team Spirit Week

J Crew Maggie Jacket
J Crew Director Dress
Merona Tights
Bandolino Shoes
Betsey Johnson Earrings
J Crew Twisted Hammock Necklace


Navy plays Army in football this weekend, and this week is known as "Army Week" on the Yard.  Mids engage in pranks, tomfoolery, and hijinks.  Hopefully no one gets hurt or PUTS LIVE SQUIRRELS INTO THE POLITICAL SCIENCE HALLWAY like they did 6 years ago.

Given how bad I am at practical jokes, I'm participating in Army Week by wearing team colors.  However, this dress is such a dark navy that I think it reads black, which means I got a lot of "midshipman bitchface"--because black and gold are Army's colors.  (Seriously, the color palette had to be basically THE SAME for both teams?  Don't even get me started on our Notre Dame rivalry, with BOTH TEAMS in blue and gold.  #lame)  Whatever.  I knew it was blue and gold and that's all that matters.

To further spread Navy spirit, here are two of my favorite spirit spots:

This one was actually made for Air Force week but is still pretty funny...:

Enjoy, and BEAT ARMY!

THE BEST WAY TO SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER

IS BY SINGING LOUD FOR ALL TO HEAR!

Oh Buddy...I definitely feel you on the unbridled enthusiasm for this holiday.  Sparked by my unabashed capitalism, Pinterest, and having a 5-year-old in the house.

Today was our neighborhood holiday brunch.  I volunteered to host because it's a potluck and the host doesn't have to cook.  I'm sort of the Sandra Lee (of Semi-Homemade fame) of parties. I rarely bake anything from scratch, and if I didn't burn whatever it is I'm cooking, it's a bannerhead day, but a good tablescape?  Dressing thematically?  Signature drink bar?  I'm on it.

The mason jars are rimmed in dipping chocolate, then dipped in sprinkles, with a Christmas peep garnish and a red/white twisty straw. There were also marshmallows, more peeps, peppermint bark, candy canes, and chocolate spoons (with yet more marshmallows!) as a sort of hot chocolate bar.  The kids loved it!  Pitcher and champagne flutes were for bellinis (we also had mimosas but the pitcher wasn't as pretty so we kept it in the kitchen).  

I MADE THIS!  It was super easy, just wrap glittery wired ribbon around a styrofoam wreath form, glue on a pre-made bow and then take any old ornament and glue it on top.  Told ya, super easy.

I made this too.  Just as easy, more time consuming.  Wrap the styrofoam wreath form in ribbon or fabric (you want it to be pretty and thematic, as some might peek through).  Glue the large bow at the bottom, then glue your smaller bows all over the wreath.  Finally, glue an ornament on top of the large bow.  I would guess this wreath has about 50 smaller bows glued to it.  It took me about an hour from start to finish, but I'm slow at tying bows.

Grinch poster--had it printed at Vistaprint last year.  It came out super cute and cost like $5, then I got the frame at Michaels with a coupon for another $5ish.  (It says: Then the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling...how could it be so?  It came without ribbons!  It came without tags!  It came without packages, boxes, or bags!  And he puzzled and puzzled, 'til his puzzler was sore.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.  What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store?  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?)

Banner, bought the digital files on etsy from Colley Designs (super cute banner, and the couple is using the proceeds of their sales to save for an adoption, awwwwwwww!)

FOCJ (that's Friends of CJ)

One of my favorite students bought me the candy jar...the Santa and Mrs Claus were made with my mom when I was in middle school.

Official hot chocolate tester.

The big man himself made an appearance!

I'm wearing:
J Crew Cashmere sweater (not sure of the name, you can't really see it but there's a bow at the shoulder and it's kind of boatneck)
J Crew Minnie Pants
Tory Burch flats
Bracelet by skyejuice via etsy (love these, have a blue/gold one too for Navy spirit)

CJ's whole ensemble is by Gymboree. I bought it last year on sale (duh...) but they have a bunch of cute stuff there now too if you're in the market.  PS--check out her blog-model pose: head tilted to the side, legs crossed in front, not looking at camera, not really smiling...NAILED IT!  How is my 5-year-old better at taking pictures than me?