Anchorwoman

J Crew Maritime Anchor Dress
J Crew Factory Anchor Scarf
J Crew Earrings
Converse One Star Slip-ons

Playdate!

J Crew Port of Call Sweatshirt
Merona Tank Top
Jeans via Nordstrom Rack
Converse Slip Ons


CJ had a friend over for a playdate today--it involved a lot of dress-up:

And also some Miyazaki movies:

And of course some chocolate chip cookies (did not manage to snag a pic before they were mostly devoured).  Fun day!

The Dottiest Week on Record

It's "Take Your Daughter to Work Day", but my daughter is really too young to absorb the message and would get waaaaaay too bored watching me stare at a computer screen for hours at a time (today wasn't a teaching day for me, compounding the boredom).  I did, however, take my friend's twelve-year-old with me.  This morning I gave my students a "library day" with the additional perk of parking myself in the library for 4 hours so they could approach me easily with any questions they had about their project or their upcoming final.  In 4 hours, I got 3 questions.  Cool dudes, why would you want to pick the brain of the person whose final you're going to take in a week?  Dunno.  Fortunately, my tween tagalong also found this completely mystifying, so I wasn't alone.  

J Crew Cashmere Cardigan
J Crew Dot Naomi Top
J Crew Number 2 Pencil Skirt
Bandolino Wedges
(I just noticed that this is basically the same thing I wore on Tuesday but in a different color scheme.)

Anyhoo, she sat through a truly pointless meeting with me, then we grabbed lunch, then we came back to my house where I changed, we both slapped on some cuticle remover, then went out for a mani.  I may have given her the wrong idea of what it's like to be a college professor/debate coach...

J Crew Jackie Cardigan
J Crew Perfect Tee
Gap Skimmer Jeans in Polka Dot
Converse Slip Ons
Mint/Bow Earrings from Dondalee's via Etsy

SO many dots this week, huh?  Stripes, dots, anchors--I've got so many patterns.

PS--hope nobody minds the new blog template.  One of my friends noted that I was, in the words of Elle Woods's besties, "ignoring my signature color", so I went for something a little more simple and significantly more pink.

Like a Latte

J Crew Bouquet Cardigan
Dalia Collection Blouse
J Crew No 2 Pencil Skirt
Naturalizer Peep Toe Wedges
Kate Spade Earrings
J Crew Cobblestone Pearl Bracelet

All the creamy muted whites and beiges in this outfit (and my legs) have me craving a vanilla latte.  Too bad if I have one now I won't sleep til tomorrow.

Spotted

Casual day for me today--hung around the house catching up on emails and old work stuff.

J Crew Factory Charley sweater 

Joes Jeans Gatsby

Converse Polka Dot slip ons

And here it is with the Merona scarf I wore when it got a little chillier (and when I had to go pick up CJ).  

Debate Party and Some Swag

Deletta Top

J Crew Factory Anchor Skimmer Capris

David Tate Flats

(DIY Ribbon Wreath--why yes, we DO have one for every occasion.)

Today we had the midshipmen debaters over for a little party at my house.  Had a lot of fun and waaaaaaaaay too much food. 

My officer representative and his wife brought me a beautiful little orchid with easy instructions on how to water it--once a week, just give it an ice cube, and keep it out of direct sunlight.  I may be able to keep this little guy alive!

Then the mids presented me with a KA-BAR knife.  It was definitely something they knew I wouldn't have.  

Here it is in the sheath:

Here it is in all of its glory (one side of it is engraved with Danielle "COTY" O'Gorman, the other with "I will cut you")  (COTY = Coach of the Year...an inside joke)

Worth It: What I Use on My Face

While a lot of this video resonated with me (like my insane jealousy that she's still allowed to eat gouda..."you look like bad news, I gotta have you"), my favorite part is where she says "I've got wrinkles and acne at the same time, it's miserable." (Not magical, just miserable.)  More worried about the acne than the wrinkles at this point.  So my magical unicorn aesthetician recommended a Skinceuticals protocol (with a few other additions)..  This stuff ain't cheap but it has slowly, surely, been improving my skin.

Skinceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel: I can feel this stuff vacuuming out my pores.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant:  MAGIC.  This stuff is super gentle, which is good because my face wash also has exfoliant properties.  This just sort of gently whisks away dry skin, feels really nice on  (not scratchy, pretty smooth), and my skin feels so smooth and soft after I use it.

Skinceuticals LHA Priming Toner: Any vacuuming left to do, this does it.  I don't use it every day or all over my face.  Usually just a couple times a week on my nose and chin to de-grossify it.

Skinceuticals Daily Pore Minimizing Moisture: I use this during the day, before makeup (unless I'm only wearing tinted moisturizer, then I skip it).

Skinceuticals Blemish + Age Defense: This is the real rock star.  I have a sneaking suspicion that I could cut out most of the rest of this routine and this would still set me right.  I wear it at night, only on my chin and neck. (Yes, neck.  It's age defense too!)

Lumene Vitamin C+ Bright Skin Radiance Nectar: I wear this on the rest of my face (non-chin parts) at night, to counteract the drying effect of the face wash and toner.


Frankly, I also think cutting way back on dairy consumption has been helpful, AND after this weekend (we're hosting a party on Sunday for my debaters), my husband and I are going back on South Beach, which means way more lean protein and veggies and cutting out starches and sugars, which will likely help too.  The only thing that's been suggested that I just can't do is cut out caffeine.  You can pry my coffee mug from my cold, dead hands, but honestly I'd prefer to be buried with it just in case I need it in the afterlife.

Oh, one more product review: Revlon Lip Butter.

You should buy this stuff 'cause it's amazing.  Vibrant, shiny, sorta-sheer-but-not-TOO-sheer color, feels like nothing on, cheap enough that I don't feel bad just tossing it in the makeup bag in my purse and putting it on when my fancier lipstick wears off (usually by the end of my morning commute--seriously, I only really put it on at home so I look human in the pictures I take for the blog; if not for y'all I'd be applying it 30 seconds before walking into the classroom).  Also, it makes my lips feel soft and amazing.  I bought it in Strawberry Shortcake (above, which reads as a baby pink);

Raspberry Pie (pretty, sheer, wearable fuschia):

And Juicy Papaya (light coral-peach, Amazon is charging like $13 for this one so get it at Target for $6):

THE BEST.  I would not lie to you about this.

Violet Haze

J Crew Jackie Cardigan
Ann Taylor Factory Dress
Naturalizer Peep Toe Slingbacks
Earrings by Dondalees via Etsy

Seeeeeeeriously, look how cute these are (mine are actually lavender bows with mint circles):

Take Action!

J Crew Cashmere V Neck Cardigan
Anthropologie Take Action Dress
Naturalizer Wedges
Earrings from Etsy

This is probably my absolute favorite dress.  Super flattering and fun!

It's probably about time to take down the Easter decorations, huh?

Today I spent several hours doing crafts with 5 year olds for our preschool's annual art auction (that I'm also on the planning committee for, once again doing the food, so look for that in an upcoming post!)

Good News/Bad News: my skin is considerably clearer than it was a month ago, but I think it mostly has to do with cutting out most of the dairy I consume, which makes me sad.  :(

Elysee-you-later

Today I took the Navy debaters to a public debate on the Elysee Treaty, an accord signed between France and Germany in 1963 that has become the framework for cooperation between the two nations.  Afterwards, we were invited back to the German Cultural Attache's house for a garden party.  It was lovely, and it was also lovely to get to hang out and have a little social event with some of my favorite debate people.

J Crew Jackie Cardigan
J Crew Factory Basketweave Dress
J Crew Bubble Necklace

I Have Many Leather Bound Books

"...and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."--just Ron Burgundy's way of telling you he's important.  I'm not particularly important but I had a lot of crazy stuff going on this week.

Wednesday I rocked a suit for the second day of our foreign affairs conference, because I was also having lunch with our kind-of-a-big-deal donor.  We went to Harry Browne's, where I had an awesome crab cake sandwich.

J Crew Factory Tweed Suit
Ann Taylor Loft Sweater
Naturalizer Peep Toe Slingbacks

Then I threw on some jeans and a tee shirt and drove 4 hours south to Harrisonburg, VA, where we competed at the Madison Cup debates, which was pretty fun.  A different format for us--"long table" parliamentary style as opposed to policy, but I guess a change of pace is always refreshing, especially when that pace is much slower than usual.  

J Crew Silk Collar Tee
J Crew Polka Dot Silk Skirt
Bandolino wedges
J Crew Cobblestone Pearl Bracelet
Kate Spade Pearl Earrings

Got back home tonight at about 9:30 pm, planning on working from home all day tomorrow to prepare for the Elysee Debates, which are being sponsored by the French and German Embassies in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty.  The ambassadors and other dignitaries will be there so it's a really fun and cool opportunity for my students (who are bigtime government nerds...yeah, like I'm not).  

Anchors Aweigh for NAFAC

That's the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference.  I'm one of the Senior Advisors on a Drug Trafficking panel.  Hilariously, the midshipman who is moderating the group asked us to introduce ourselves by saying "Tell us your name and how you're involved in the international drug trade."  Uhhhh...I'm not.

Think I was talking in this picture?

J Crew Anchors Aweigh blouse

Willi Smith for TJ Maxx skirt

Naturalizer Wedges

J Crew Twisted Hammock Necklace

Kate Spade pearl earrings

Look look look what was awaiting me in my front yard when I made it home!  Tulips!  Spring has sprung, friends.  

Blowing Kisses

J Crew Jackie Cardigan
Lilly Pulitzer Bocce Top
J Crew Minnie Pants
David Tate Flats

I'm wearing this shirt in honor of Lilly Pulitzer, who died on Sunday.  Margaret Thatcher passed away today--I don't have any wardrobe pieces in honor of her, but I am a fellow ginger so that'll have to do.  (Tom named our red car "Maggie", I suspect in her honor...so that may also count?)

I've had an intense few days.  So intense that I screwed up the date of a meeting with one of our major donors.  NBD--he's meeting with me Wednesday now, but that was a terrifying 20 minutes or so.

Also, this will never cease to amuse me, cause it's so true:

My propensity for feminist ranting is one of the reasons my week has been so intense, but like the Dark Side of the Force, it's much easier to just give in and feel the anger flowing through you.  Maybe that's a bad analogy...also, so much nerdiness...

Yet More Mint

J Crew Lady Jacket
J Crew Naomi Top
J Crew Factory Pencil Skirt
Naturalizer Peep Toe Slingbacks
Target Earrings

BFAWOL--Back From Absence Without Leave

Here's what I wore out last night to see Admission--quick date before CJ gets back today!

J Crew Port of Call Sweatshirt
J Crew Perfect Tank
Joes Wide Leg Jeans
Converse Sneakers

And here's what I wore to work yesterday.  If I look a little rough (I'll concede that), it's because my flight back from the NDT (National Debate Tournament) got back at 1 am on Tuesday morning, so I got home right around 2, and had to get up at 6 to teach by 8. So pajamas to work with a cute jacket it is!  Came home right after and took a looooooong nap.

J Crew Flowing Ponte Dress
Kate Spade Valerie Jacket in Trompe Loeil
Nickels Peep Toe Pumps