I have become nutty for Subscription Boxes lately and have tried out a few. I need to get on the stick and start reviewing them so you can see all the wonder of these surprises by mail. So far I've tried out Julep (nail polish), Inzuri INN box (nail polish)...see a trend here... Beauty Army (makeup and skincare samples), Dottie Box (Etsy type homemade goodies) and the Freeman Spooky Mystery Bag. I even got the daughter started with her own box ibbeautiful (full of fun for teens, including a tshirt).
We both promise to start posting more!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Formal Fun
Last year we scored some amazing bargains at Dillards after prom formals went on sale. We had some free time this spring to check out what Dillards was stocking in hopes of finding something we could covet and possible get during the clearance sales.
These are the dresses Abby selected to try on. We ended up not buying anything because the dresses weren't on sale yet. We are hopeful to snag one of the favorites when the REAL sale starts.
First the short dresses. Dress #1 was a favorite. She liked the sparkly sassiness of it. She also loved Dress #2 because it made her feel like a ballerina. Dress #3 was fun, but looked too much like a 70s disco costume. Dress #4 got the thumbs down. She initially chose it because it was sparkly and flowy...but after trying it on, she was simply "NO!"
These are the dresses Abby selected to try on. We ended up not buying anything because the dresses weren't on sale yet. We are hopeful to snag one of the favorites when the REAL sale starts.
First the short dresses. Dress #1 was a favorite. She liked the sparkly sassiness of it. She also loved Dress #2 because it made her feel like a ballerina. Dress #3 was fun, but looked too much like a 70s disco costume. Dress #4 got the thumbs down. She initially chose it because it was sparkly and flowy...but after trying it on, she was simply "NO!"
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| Dress 1: Sassy & Sparkly |
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| Dress 2: Pretty Ballerina |
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| Dress 3: Disco Fever |
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| Dress 4: NO! |
Monday, March 18, 2013
Shopping Preview: Putting it all together
Abby put together some of her recent finds into a cute outfit. She hasn't had time to sit down and blog about her recent thrift and sale rack bargains, but here's a little preview.
The zebra print belt was one of her Savers purchases for $1.99. We got her a similar belt at a boutique in Abilene that we thought was a bargain at $7. So, obviously the $1.99 was pretty choice.
The top was found at the Delia's clearance sale. They had their clearance tops buy one, get one half off. I think this one ended up costing her about $6. She liked the crown, because, well, we all know she is a princess. She paired the top and belt with her favorite Aeropostale jeans (bought in Maryland this summer at the outlet mall for $7) and a black tank.
I hope she'll find time to share her other bargains with you soon!
Review: MAI Faculty Recital
We recently attended a faculty recital put on by the Music/Arts Institute in Independence. Abby takes her voice lessons there from Jill Farnham Etter, one of the performers. We love Mrs. Etter, so we wanted to see her perform!
What an incredible treat the entire show was! Mrs. Etter (soprano) performed three really beautiful pieces including Mahler's "Hans und Grethe," my favorite of the three. It was so fun to watch and listen to Abby's teacher be the performer instead of the audience she is at Abby's lessons. Her beautiful voice and animated delivery makes her so enjoyable as a performer.
Her daughter, Savannah, a student at the UMKC conservatory, performed Chopin's "Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31." It was definitely a WOW piece. Savannah has accompanied Abby several times in recital and contests. She's extraordinarily talented.
Baritone Ayron Hyatt was next. He performed three Broadway pieces, included one of my favorites "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables." Abby begged me to hire him to serenade her in the mornings as she gets ready for school. (She's such a funny girl.)
Mr. Hyatt also performed a duet with tenor Dr. Mark Lee, MAI's Executive Director. Their version of "Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden was beautiful.
Dr. Lee also performed "Sei tu M'ami" by Pergolesi, a song that Abby has been performing. She loved hearing a male performance of a song she is so intimately familiar with.
Also on the bill, and also an incredible treat to see, were John Svoboda on classical guitar and his collaboration with Jon-Marc McDonald on world percussion. Their duo, Algo de Nova, was a cool blend of classical and traditional. They are truly remarkable musicians.
Can you believe all of this beautiful music was free and open to the public?? The only down point was that more people were not there to enjoy these great talents. Music/Arts Institute is a true gem in our community and I hope more people will check out what they have to offer.
I can't wait until the next Faculty Recital to see what else MAI has in store!
What an incredible treat the entire show was! Mrs. Etter (soprano) performed three really beautiful pieces including Mahler's "Hans und Grethe," my favorite of the three. It was so fun to watch and listen to Abby's teacher be the performer instead of the audience she is at Abby's lessons. Her beautiful voice and animated delivery makes her so enjoyable as a performer.
Her daughter, Savannah, a student at the UMKC conservatory, performed Chopin's "Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31." It was definitely a WOW piece. Savannah has accompanied Abby several times in recital and contests. She's extraordinarily talented.
Baritone Ayron Hyatt was next. He performed three Broadway pieces, included one of my favorites "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables." Abby begged me to hire him to serenade her in the mornings as she gets ready for school. (She's such a funny girl.)
Mr. Hyatt also performed a duet with tenor Dr. Mark Lee, MAI's Executive Director. Their version of "Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden was beautiful.
Dr. Lee also performed "Sei tu M'ami" by Pergolesi, a song that Abby has been performing. She loved hearing a male performance of a song she is so intimately familiar with.
Also on the bill, and also an incredible treat to see, were John Svoboda on classical guitar and his collaboration with Jon-Marc McDonald on world percussion. Their duo, Algo de Nova, was a cool blend of classical and traditional. They are truly remarkable musicians.
Can you believe all of this beautiful music was free and open to the public?? The only down point was that more people were not there to enjoy these great talents. Music/Arts Institute is a true gem in our community and I hope more people will check out what they have to offer.
I can't wait until the next Faculty Recital to see what else MAI has in store!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Review: Perks of Being a Wallflower
Abby and I watched The Perks of Being a Wallflower on Uverse OnDemand this evening. For me, it wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped it would be.
It's biggest selling point is a killer '80s soundtrack which I will definitely be purchasing. With The Smiths, Sonic Youth and MC 900 Ft Jesus, can you really go wrong?
The movie is based on the book by Stephen Chbosky. I'm sure the book is better than the movie, as usual, so I plan to check out the book.
According IMBd, the premise of the movie is "An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world." The seniors are played by Emma Watson (it's Hermione...with an American accent) and Ezra Miller (who I really enjoyed). I found the story hard to follow, and flashbacks added to the confusion.
I'm not sure I would recommend it. Instead, watch "Heathers" or "The Breakfast Club" if you want a really fun taste of 80s teenage angst.
Abby says....
Well, I thought it was really good....a little depressing but good. My high school is nothing like the one in the movie....jocks don't really run the school and I've never been forced to hop down the hallway like a frog...thank you! But I liked the actors...they were believable in their roles....although there is no way a senior girl would go out with a freshman boy, no matter how cute he was. You'll have to watch it to see what I mean.
It's biggest selling point is a killer '80s soundtrack which I will definitely be purchasing. With The Smiths, Sonic Youth and MC 900 Ft Jesus, can you really go wrong?
The movie is based on the book by Stephen Chbosky. I'm sure the book is better than the movie, as usual, so I plan to check out the book.
According IMBd, the premise of the movie is "An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world." The seniors are played by Emma Watson (it's Hermione...with an American accent) and Ezra Miller (who I really enjoyed). I found the story hard to follow, and flashbacks added to the confusion.
I'm not sure I would recommend it. Instead, watch "Heathers" or "The Breakfast Club" if you want a really fun taste of 80s teenage angst.
Abby says....
Well, I thought it was really good....a little depressing but good. My high school is nothing like the one in the movie....jocks don't really run the school and I've never been forced to hop down the hallway like a frog...thank you! But I liked the actors...they were believable in their roles....although there is no way a senior girl would go out with a freshman boy, no matter how cute he was. You'll have to watch it to see what I mean.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Savers in Independence
The Daughter and I hit up Savers in Independence on Saturday. We've just recently got into thrifting, but have quickly discovered the appeal. Thrift stores are great for bargain hunters or those just looking for a fun time with lots of laughter.
Abby picked up some treasures on this trip, which she plans to share in a post this week.
Here's an item we both got a good giggle over. Abby has been obsessed with pleather pants. She had been on the hunt for some since summer. We finally found just what she was looking for at Rue 21 right after Christmas. However, we stumbled upon some real leather pants for only $19.99. These did not meet her exacting standards, but we did have a good laugh over them.
Here are some items that she seriously considered, but ultimately rejected. We both loved this pretty, sparkly dress, but unfortunately it was a size 9-10, so way too big for my petite diva.
Abby liked this black shrug, but shrugged it off as too "frou-frou."
She also liked this khaki top, but it looked a bit too "worn" for me.
The last thing that caught her eye was this cameo....don't know why! :)
We enjoyed the visit to Savers, but they do go HEAVY on the Febreze there, especially in the shoe section.
Abby is excited to share with her purchases. So stay tuned!
Abby picked up some treasures on this trip, which she plans to share in a post this week.
Here's an item we both got a good giggle over. Abby has been obsessed with pleather pants. She had been on the hunt for some since summer. We finally found just what she was looking for at Rue 21 right after Christmas. However, we stumbled upon some real leather pants for only $19.99. These did not meet her exacting standards, but we did have a good laugh over them.
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| Leather Don't. |
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| Brown short formal from Betsy & Adam $14.99 |
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| The xhileration black lace shrug was only $2.99 |
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| FANG khaki top. $3.99 |
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| Cameo pin. .99 |
Abby is excited to share with her purchases. So stay tuned!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
We thought it would be fun to share some of our pop culture likes and dislikes....so you know where we are coming from when we publish our reviews.
What music do you hate?
Jody: country, rap and anything by John Mayer
Abigail: rap (although, I don't consider it music)
What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
Jody: Toddlers & Tiaras
Abigail: Nothing embarrasses me.
What is your favorite book?
Jody: Anything by F. Paul Wilson or Stephen King
Abigail: Any book that doesn't put me to sleep. I'm currently loving the Nathanial Cade books by Christopher Farnsworth
If you were in a Rock N' Roll band, what would your job be?
Jody: manager
Abigail: singer
What movie can you quote word for word?
Jody: Poltergeist
Abigail: Sweeney Todd
What Olympic sport would you like to try?
Jody: Luge
Abigail: Gymnastics
What cartoon do you still like to watch?
Jody: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Abigail: He-man
What was the first concert you went to see?
Jody: Billy Idol
Abigail: Still waiting for my mom to let me go to one.
What is the worst song to get stuck in your head?
Jody: Can't Touch This
Abigail: La Vie Boheme (if I'm somewhere I can't sing)
What song do you love to dance to?
Jody: Let's Do the Timewarp
Abigail: Timewarp
What music do you hate?
Jody: country, rap and anything by John Mayer
Abigail: rap (although, I don't consider it music)
What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
Jody: Toddlers & Tiaras
Abigail: Nothing embarrasses me.
What is your favorite book?
Jody: Anything by F. Paul Wilson or Stephen King
Abigail: Any book that doesn't put me to sleep. I'm currently loving the Nathanial Cade books by Christopher Farnsworth
If you were in a Rock N' Roll band, what would your job be?
Jody: manager
Abigail: singer
What movie can you quote word for word?
Jody: Poltergeist
Abigail: Sweeney Todd
What Olympic sport would you like to try?
Jody: Luge
Abigail: Gymnastics
What cartoon do you still like to watch?
Jody: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Abigail: He-man
What was the first concert you went to see?
Jody: Billy Idol
Abigail: Still waiting for my mom to let me go to one.
What is the worst song to get stuck in your head?
Jody: Can't Touch This
Abigail: La Vie Boheme (if I'm somewhere I can't sing)
What song do you love to dance to?
Jody: Let's Do the Timewarp
Abigail: Timewarp
Monday, January 28, 2013
Jody:
This is an experiment in intergenerational blogging. Abigail and I are alike in many ways. We love shopping, reading, Broadway music, eating at restaurants and shoes. She shares my love of 80s music, mushroom pizza, ice cream for a main course, and buying shoes that don't match anything in the wardrobe. But where I hate country music, she doesn't mind a twangy mix in her music collection. While I like things done on time, she's a major procrastinator. I'm an editor by trade, and she can't spell. Her eclectic tastes in clothing sometimes steers a little into weird land, in my opinion.
So we thought it would be fun to share our opinions on the same things: restaurants, shopping, movies, music, and other activities. Our focus will be on Eastern Jackson County, Missouri, but we occasionally like to color outside the lines....so who knows where our blogging will take us.
So, join us in our adventures if you dare......
Abby:
So, I guess I'm the diva...and I'm completely fine with that ;) Let's just hope I can still be expressive with mom on my case about my spelling and/or occasional grammatical errors (yes people, that happens). So with my small amount of country pride, hi y'all! I love shopping; to me it's not a hobby, it's a passion, and fashion is an art. Although I'll admit, some of my outfits seem strange when they aren't on, they look great. I'm always playing around with color schemes and fun crazy patterns. I love my pink and black Converse, and blazers are for casual and fancy wear in my book. My crazy love for Broadway music can be a bit on the extreme side, but you would understand if you are a music major, or a musician. Those composers are musical geniuses. I'm obsessed with Rent by Larson and Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Sondheim. Food is the best invention in the history of mankind! I love food. Spaghetti'Os are one of my faves. I appreciate all types of music, all that is except new age rap, (I'm a bit opinionated, but it's not music!) so rap lovers i am sorry.
I hope you find something interesting to read about on here, Auf Wiedersehen.
This is an experiment in intergenerational blogging. Abigail and I are alike in many ways. We love shopping, reading, Broadway music, eating at restaurants and shoes. She shares my love of 80s music, mushroom pizza, ice cream for a main course, and buying shoes that don't match anything in the wardrobe. But where I hate country music, she doesn't mind a twangy mix in her music collection. While I like things done on time, she's a major procrastinator. I'm an editor by trade, and she can't spell. Her eclectic tastes in clothing sometimes steers a little into weird land, in my opinion.
So we thought it would be fun to share our opinions on the same things: restaurants, shopping, movies, music, and other activities. Our focus will be on Eastern Jackson County, Missouri, but we occasionally like to color outside the lines....so who knows where our blogging will take us.
So, join us in our adventures if you dare......
Abby:
So, I guess I'm the diva...and I'm completely fine with that ;) Let's just hope I can still be expressive with mom on my case about my spelling and/or occasional grammatical errors (yes people, that happens). So with my small amount of country pride, hi y'all! I love shopping; to me it's not a hobby, it's a passion, and fashion is an art. Although I'll admit, some of my outfits seem strange when they aren't on, they look great. I'm always playing around with color schemes and fun crazy patterns. I love my pink and black Converse, and blazers are for casual and fancy wear in my book. My crazy love for Broadway music can be a bit on the extreme side, but you would understand if you are a music major, or a musician. Those composers are musical geniuses. I'm obsessed with Rent by Larson and Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Sondheim. Food is the best invention in the history of mankind! I love food. Spaghetti'Os are one of my faves. I appreciate all types of music, all that is except new age rap, (I'm a bit opinionated, but it's not music!) so rap lovers i am sorry.
I hope you find something interesting to read about on here, Auf Wiedersehen.
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