bed head + tie dye = you're welcome

I craigslisted some sweet (but in need of some major TLC) furniture this morning. Two chairs, a coffee table, and a stainless steel work table. Add that to the chair I got a few months back that needs reupholstering, and I've got myself a workload. Which is why I spent all morning in my paint clothes. Which is why I thought I wouldn't get dressed today. Which is why, when I woke up (no, seriously, about 2 minutes after I woke up. Welcome to my face au natural, folks), I took pics of my morning hair to make good on my promise from yesterday.

(Which is why 82% of you might never visit this blog again. Which is why I stink at math, because the percentage I should actually be quoting here is much closer to 100%.)

 But then I decided that's not fair to you guys or my talented hair-girl or myself. So, around 4:00 this afternoon, I showered and got dressed. In ultra-comfortable clothes and nothing to write or even text home about, but clothes nonetheless. Because it feels like Saturday today, and that means comfort.

 sandals: forever21. skirt: kohl's. shirt: gap (tie-dyed myself). earrings: hawaii.

Not to be all, "let's talk about my hair, my whole hair, and nothing but my hair" today (buuuut...kind of, yes, to be exactly like that, actually), but I can't tell you how much I love this cut. It's easy and it embraces the crazy-waves that is my natural hair. Win-win-win. (In case you're keeping track, that third "win" is for the tie-dye shirt.)

Happy Friday.

Want this look? Shop below...

More Quiksilver...

in which a girl waxes poetic about her knitwear...

 shoes: saltwater sandals. skirt: kohl's. shirt: vintage/hand-me-down. watch: target. necklace & flower clips: gifts.

The sunlight randomly went all pinkish-crazy with me in the photo below... Meh. It's sunlight. It can do whatever the heck it wants, and what are we mere mortals going to do about it?

 So, do you have a knit skirt?

Ohp. Oops. Someone once facebook-statused (yep. verb.) the fact that, at work, they walked into someone's office and started in on asking about a work project without a "hi" or "how's it going" or "good morning" and didn't realize until later how rude that was and how lame they felt.

Color me rude and lame, but only temporarily, because...HI! How's it going? Good? Good.

Now. Back to knitwear.

I only have one knit skirt, myself. I've got plenty in cotton and denim and cuorduroy and even some wool blends, but only one down-on-the-farm-meat-and-potatoes kind of knit skirt. This thing is stretchy. It's comfy. It's versatile. It's cashe. It's not too lightweight or too heavy but is the perfect middlegroundweight. It's, in a word (plus two), awesome to wear.

The only prob is that it's a little faded, a little worn, a little aged. So in the "does-this-skirt-make-me-look-rich" department (and who doesn't open up conversations that way? I mean, c'mon), we're coming in about last place. Panting. With a sprained ankle and mud-splattered cheeks. I don't even know if its skin-hugging would fare much better in passing the age-old "does it make me look fat" test. But the beautiful truth, my dear readers, is that this simple knit skirt has won my heart. And during summertime, my heart calls the shots, with authority surpassed by none 'cept the Body Thermal Index Regulator Organ, whatever that may be. Maybe the spleen? Yep. Prolly that.

Annnd, for those of you still with me (gold star for all 1 of you), a little outtake for your viewing pleasure. I call this one "The Armpit." Lovely, I know. You're welcome. And I'm sorry. And it wasn't me. And I'll pay you back...

Happy Thursday.

Want this look? Seriously. Get yourself a knit skirt today and be happy for the rest of your life. Shop below (remember, you can lop off a maxi skirt if you want, and depending on the knit, you might not even have to hem it!)...

More Express...

simple & functional...but probably not award-winning.

I'm really into simplifying lately, which includes my clothing. I hope the next few weeks/months don't offend you guys as I head back to the basics in my personal expression of style. Fewer pieces and less in-your-face accessorization. Who knows how long this little self-trend will last...but hang out with me for the duration, will you? Thanks.

 shoes: american eagle outfitters. skirt: sonoma. shirt: gift. cardigan: j.crew. earrings: hawaii.

I'd also like to apologize for my lack of posting for the past couple of days. My husband has left on business, sickness has struck our household, my 2-year-old randomly hasn't been able to walk for 36 hours and may have broken her leg, my 6-year-old has huge road rash, the weather changes from warm/cold/sunny/rainy/hailing pretty much hourly, despite my best efforts to be responsible I ended up inadvertently dropping the ball and making others suffer for it, and I haven't slept for more than 2 hours at one time for at least a week.

I don't think I'm anything special here--we all have weeks like this, don't we? (Please say "yes," or I'll cry, which would probably make my congested head explode with pressure...) Regardless, I'm still grateful for stuff. Like:

- friends who have kids who are friends with my kids. Getting together is not only fun, but highly convenient for everyone. And I am a convenience junkie.

- when my sinuses quietly go about doing their job. They're on strike (angry, picketing, yelling, barn-burning strike) this week, apparently, which makes me a wee bit nostalgic for yesteryear...

- simplicity.

- my husband. Everything about him.

- my kids, who try so hard to be good and who are so patient with me when I'm not patient with them.

- soft foods that sore throats can swallow. Like pudding and almost-soggy cereal and water.

- having a pediatric nurse for a sister.

- people who are so nice to help me when I really don't deserve it.

- de-junking. Feels so good.

- the fact that $3.18 spent at a dollar store will buy hours (and counting) of pleasure for three kid-hearts.

- the great outdoors.

Happy Sunday.

It's beginning to look a lot like...Wednesday.

A stripey Wednesday at that. Not even on purpose, all three of us girls wore stripes today. (p.s. Seriously, where did Layla learn to pose like that? I tried to copy her, but she's much cuter at it.)

My only wish is that I could've had mustard-yellow tights to go with this. Which brings me to my brief point of introspection...

...which came to me whilst cleaning the bathrooms this morning. Sometimes I get caught up in wanting wanting wanting new stuff. Especially this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for what I have, but...the appeal of newness gleams brightly. Then I thought about how we got new bathrooms after our flood a couple of years ago, and I was stoked about that. Then time went on, and they became less and less new. Especially with a 5- and then 6-year-old boy in the house. Like, disturbingly NOT new.

Epitome: If I take care of, clean, and enjoy what I have, new things aren't nearly as necessary. It's when I let things get old and dumpy and messy and junky that I'm dissatisfied.

And if THAT deep thinking doesn't just throw you right into a tailspin, well, I just don't know what to say. Go eat a stripey candy cane, I guess.

Happy Wednesday.