My June TBR list!

School's out!  School's out!  School's OUT! 

Can you tell I'm excited? 

School just let out but I stuck around to film a video about my To-Read list for June!  A little bit of committee reading, class reading, and just plain fun reading.  Check out what's on my list!

What do you hope to read this first summer month?!

REVIEW: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

So I'm venturing into YouTube...because I really love YouTube.  YouTube got me through my Masters degree (we're talking 8+ hours a day at the table doing homework), connects me to so many people, and lets me experience some cool stuff (like the roller coasters I will NEVER ride in person).

I've loved being a spectator of "BookTube," which is basically people YouTubing book reviews and book-related topics. And since I've been such an avid spectator for so long, I figured it's time I add my voice to the community.  So here is my official first book review vlog!

I had a lot of fun making it, so I hope you enjoy!  Check back for an outfit inspired by the character Violet!

A four star read for me!  Definitely check this book out!

Cubs Day

Any baseball fans out there?  Today's post is all about a baseball hat--a Cubs hat made by Fanatics, in fact.  My husband grew up a Cubs fan and we're spending part of our 10-year-anniversary trip this summer at a Cubs/Cardinals game, so today's post is inspired by that.  Since I want to look both cute for my anniversary and supportive of the home team, it's time to do some outfit planning.

Let's start with the hat I chose.  It's girly and yet casual and shows off your team spirit!  This is an easy hat to dress up (for those who don't like wearing team t-shirts) or dress down in full-on team gear.

So here's the outfit I designed to complement the hat:

Isn't it so cute?  It's perfect for a special day at the ballpark--which is exactly what I plan for my 10-year-anniversary.

• The denim dress is short (perfect for hot days) with long sleeves (perfect for afternoon breezes).
• The tan wedges take the look up a notch, dressing it up.
• A white bag stays within the Cubs' color scheme and is easy to store during a game.
• Red tassel bracelets and a Cubs bracelet are fun accessories to add some pop.
• Butter London red nail polish is a perfect addition.

So what do you think?!  Would you wear this to a Cubs game?  Do you like how the hat adds a casual touch to the look?

Going to the Symphony--An Outfit of the Day

A few weeks ago, one of my husband's work contacts offered us free tickets to the Indianapolis Symphony.  We had never been to the symphony before, so we jumped at this chance.  And we were pleasantly surprised to hear that Kenny G would be performing with them.  Yes, that ages us about 40 years, but Kenny G!  And I can say--he was spec-tacular.  Amazing in person.

I wanted something nice to wear that was modest and classy, and maybe a bit of a throwback to the time when classical music was common with young adults (was that ever a time?).

I put together this look which I absolutely loved!  I can't wait to wear this to our upcoming graduation ceremony.

Here it is:

I love how the dress cinches at the waist but has mid-length sleeves.  Modest yet young!

And it has pockets!  Dresses with pockets are the best.

Hot pink nails complemented the black in the tights, shoes, and clutch.

The gold necklace pops against the green.  I got this necklace on clearance at Target because a few of the gold strands are permanently tangled (but my hair covers that up!).

A lovely dress for a lovely date.  And seriously, friends--give Kenny G a try.

Dress--H&M (similar here)

Tights--Target 

Booties--Rack Room

Necklace--Target similar here)

Handbag--Jessica Simpson (a yard sale find!)

Nail Polish--Butter London

The 100-Inspired Look

Today I'm sharing an outfit that I designed for Clark from The 100.  Now let me say from the get-go that I haven't seen the TV show The 100, so I have no idea if this matches AT ALL what Clark's TV character is like.  This is all related to the book and what I felt Clark would wear once she made it to Earth.

I absolutely loved The 100!  I loved the various voices, points of view, and plot situation.  I raced through it and definitely recommend it!

Of all the characters telling the story, Clark seems to be the main one.  Maybe that's because two male characters tend to be wrapped up in her as well, so her name seems to float around a little more than the others.  So she was an easy choice for the outfit design.

Clark is strong, attractive, and determined.  She branches off from the group once she reaches Earth and is intent on surviving and helping others survive.  All of that together is how I came up with this:

• I used cargo pants because they are comfortable and make hiking/camping a little easier.  And with Clark traipsing off into the woods to search for a missing girl, she needs pockets and comfortable walking.
• The T-shirt is a reminder of Clark's home in space.  
• Converse shoes are trendy yet comfortable.  I think Clark would still have a few trendy pieces (since she has two guys interested in her) but wouldn't want that to get in the way of her survival.
• The black watch is useful yet chic.
• Same with the teal backpack--obviously useful with a bit of a girly touch.

So what do you think?  Would you hike around in an outfit like this?

Check out The 100!  It's a fantastic read that will have you racing to finish!

The Extraordinary Means Tag

I love Robyn Schneider.  I love The Beginning of Everything (review to come soon!).  And I'm sure I'll love Extraordinary Means.  So when Robyn made a Tag video for the release of her new book, I knew I had to do it!  I love tag videos, so I thought it would be fun to make one with my friend Emily.

So here are our answers to the Extraordinary Means tag questions.  What are your answers?  Leave them in a comment below, or better yet, make your own video response!

Enjoy!

REVIEW: The 100

Happy Monday!  A new week and it's going to be a warm one here in Indiana!

Today's review is of The 100 by Kass Morgan, a book that I read so quickly--I was enthralled with each of the characters and couldn't wait to see where the story took me.  You may know it by the CW TV show of the same name (although I hear it's very different from the book!).  So let's jump right in!

 

• First book in The Hundred series
• Dystopian

The Gist:
A nuclear war on Earth completely devastated the planet, so for centuries people have lived in spaceships above it and its radioactive surface.  Scientists, though, believe that Earth may be inhabitable now, so to test it they send 100 juvenile delinquents down.  If they delinquents survive, the rest of the people will join them.  If they don't survive, well then they've only lost the "bad" kids.  But while some delinquents gladly join the trip to Earth, others will fight to stay in space.

What I Loved:

• The book is told from a variety of points of view, and this made the book so engrossing!  I was hooked into every character's story, especially Glass's for some reason.  Seeing the various ways that the characters felt about their situation and the trip to Earth was fascinating.
• Speaking of Glass, I'm glad that the book isn't only told from the points of view of teens going to Earth.  I liked having the perspective of life back on the spaceship with Glass and her old friends.
• A lovely combination of dystopian and sci fi...you've got the corrupt government, the caste system, the forbidden love...and a mixture of spaceships.
• I also love the mystery of whether or not the rest of the space citizens will come down to Earth.  There's such a mystery surrounding the government's plans.

What I Didn't Love:

• It's a little unbelievable to me that the people haven't been able to use all their technology to track what's happening on Earth...for 3 centuries.  

I know many people have talked about how much they love the CW show and how it isn't like the book at all...it's never easy to compare books and media, so I'm glad I read this before seeing any episodes!

A super fun read for me--I just loved it!

I'll definitely be designing an outfit for Clark...and since I haven't seen the TV show, she may not look anything like the show's version!

And I'll be posting an outfit this week from date night last week--Luke and I went to the symphony!  It's so lovely!

No Drama Llama--A Playing Hooky Outfit

Happy Friday, ya'll!  Ready for the weekend?  We have a PACKED weekend with some fun dates ahead of us (we're going to the Symphony and chaperoning Prom!), so I thought I'd share an Outfit post from a date we took earlier this week.

Tuesday was Luke's birthday (he's now a handsome 34-year-old!) and we both took a vacation/personal day to celebrate with a day out on our own.  Let me tell you, with two little ones, having a meal together without having to remove all bottles/sharp objects is quite the luxury!

We spent the day in Indianapolis drinking coffee, having lunch at a (new to us) burger spot, and seeing a movie.  It was relaxing and just pure fun.

So since we had a date, I wanted to wear something fun, too.  And what is more fun than a llama?!

Look!  It's a llama sweater!

This sweater is actually called the "No Drama Llama" sweater from Brooklyn Industries.  And that's the kind of llama I need in my life--no drama!

I'm absolutely obsessed with chambray shirts, and this sweater fit over one so nicely.  I'm wearing a size Medium, which was probably a little shorter than I would have liked--order up on this one!

I paired the casual necklace with a glam necklace--I love the opposites of this look.

I paired the outfit with brown oxford-like shoes.  Kind of a vintage look that I love.

A pop of orange nails with gold sparkles.  The llama is orange, which was a total coincidence.  I never purposefully match my nails to my outfit.

 

Don't you love the teal stripes on the top of the sweater?!

A fun outfit for a fun day on the town!

Sweater--Brooklyn Industries

Jeans--Ralph Lauren

Shoes--X Appeal

Chambray Shirt--J Crew Outlet

Necklace--J Crew Outlet

*I'm not associated with the products/companies mentioned.  All opinions are my own.

Happy birthday, Luke!  Let's make your 34th year the BEST EVER!