in which the photos don't match my insides.

 shoes: don't recall. shorts: american eagle. shirt: j.crew. belt: thrifted (american eagle). bracelets: forever21. earrings: hawaii.

Traveling in Europe about 10 years ago, I was stopped and scrutinized at customs after handing them my passport. When I smile, my eyes nearly disappear into squintiness, and my smiling passport photo looked nothing like the straight-faced me. I'm sure it was for less than 10 seconds that they alternated between looking up at me and down at my photo, but it felt like an eternity. An eternity packed with crimes that I never committed but felt guilty of.

[Epilogue: Eventually they let me through, and I proceeded to eat my weight in Italian ice cream.]

My best friend growing up called them "happy clown eyes," because she said they turn into two rainbow-shaped arcs like what jolly clowns paint on their faces. Which is nice of her to try to say, but...really? Clowns? Yipes. Those guys are creepy, whether their eyes are painted happy or sad or dead.

I've always been surprised to see photos of when I'm smiling, because I look so different (a.k.a. weird) from how I feel (a.k.a. normal). Regardless, it's how my face is built, and I figure I've got a few pretty solid options for how to deal with it:

(1) botox and/or plastic surgery. With such a face, I wouldn't physically be able to smile, which means no disappearing squint-eyes ever again! Tempting. Oh. Wait. Nope. Not tempting. At all.

(2) practice and perfect a mouth-only smile. Hello teeth. And also goose-bumpy insincerity.

(3) never smile again. But I find myself too funny for that option...and my husband would miss my solo hysterical laughing fits, I just know it.

(4) just go with it. Done and done. Exhibit A:

Happy Friday!

Want this look? Click below...

More Forever 21...

embracing the cliche of a buttonup & a pencil skirt

 shoes: forever21. skirt & belt: kohl's. shirt: j.crew. necklace & bracelet: downeast basics.

This week I'm grateful for:

- stuff that's already grated, like cheese and zucchini. It's like a gift from the Universe.

- splash pads and cousin time for my kiddos.

- mowing the lawn and leaving mower-stripes in the grass. Is it just me, or is that, like, totally satisfying? Like vacuum lines in the carpet (if I remember right... it's been so long since I vacuumed...). LOVE that.

- stop-the-underarm-sweat stuff. I used to be a walking pair o' pit-stains, which is every bit as pretty as that sounds. It's warmer now, and I'm just really glad for the clinical strength stuff that keeps me dry.

- my 2-year-old who says, real slow and adult-like, "whut. duh. hut." for "what the heck."

- a husband who knows as much about planting bulbs and flowers as I do. Which, frankly, isn't much... but it's kinda cute and romantical how twinners we are about it, don't you think? No? It's actually nauseating and lame to be "twinners" with one's husband about anything? Oh. Good to know before I busted out sewing us matching plaid shirts...

- tortillas. Seriously. A meal can be complete with tortillas and very few other ingredients.

- acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen.

- warm showers.

- nature.

- the song whose chorus goes, "there's only 1 thing 2 do 3 words 4 you," because it's become "our song" with my daughters and me.

- facial smile lines.

Happy Sunday!