On a wedding streak...

I reviewed the Metallic Rose Madison Dress by J Crew a few days ago. Since then, I've been noticing some of my old bookmarks that are wedding related. While going through them I came across a link for Johanna Johnson. Her wedding designs are amazing and vintage inspired:

Maybe this post will inspire someone for their own wedding. I so would have rocked one of these dresses if I only would have known someone this amazing existed :)

Reviews for the kitties...

Typically I don't review pet products. I'm sort of an in the closet cat owner. It's not I'm embarrassed of our cats, it's how many we have sometimes elicits negative reactions from people.

When Adam and I were living in Detroit and going to college my sister stopped by with a litter of month old kittens, we ended up adopting two of those kittens.

Meet Soap and Roxanne:

They were adorable. A few weeks later, Hilary (also referred to as "BOH" in this blog- Big Ol' Hilary), stopped by again with another little kitten tucked her coat:


I wasn't home when Hilary arrived, Adam was left with Mea. We were going to find Mea a home, but she was just too lovable.

Almost four years later Adam and I decided to take my parents up on their offer to move into the studio above their garage while Adam was in OCS. My parent's house is where I am for the next 12 weeks- Adam got pneumonia and is in holding company (he's all better though!). While living with my parents the cats have access to the outdoors. On Halloween Roxanne was shot by someone. It is a rural area where we're located and I guess someone was feeling a little sadistic. I found her curled up in our bed bleeding around 5 o'clock in the evening. My brother and I rushed her to the vet and she was saved for a small fortune. Today she's as a good as new. That same night around 2 a.m. Soap somehow got outside. I remember when she got up, I thought she was going to use the litter box so I went back to sleep. We haven't seen her since. Looking at photos of her makes me incredibly sad. She was my cat. I'm still hoping she'll come back someday.

A few weeks after we lost Soap, Larry the resident barn cat started hanging around. My parents have had Larry for about seven years and he's always lived in the barn. One day I walked up to our little studio to find Larry sprawled out across my pillows. He was adorable and has the most loving personality. Larry likes using catch phrases such as: "I so handsome" and "I fix it!" Long story short, we ended up adopting Larry a few weeks ago after a vet visit. We found out he only has a few years left (cancer/tumors/ many other genetic disorders). We're going to make him comfortable and spoil him with his remaining time. He was pretty much adopted the day I found him on the pillows though. :)

So there it is. Adam and I have 3 (hopefully 4!!!) cats and in a few weeks we're moving into our own two bedroom townhouse somewhere far far away (living with my family has been a wonderful experience, but we can't wait to have our space back :).

Because of our little family I've been looking into and buying new pet products. Our apartment in Detroit was great, but it was only a one bedroom (a large one bedroom) and the smell of the litter box was sometimes hard to mask. Even when the litter box was clean (and we constantly changed it!) the smell lingered. The cat hair was also a bit unmanageable. I hate when people's homes smell of pets, it turns my stomach. Our apartment was no exception and I was constantly cleaning.

So here they are... my new essentials for our kitties :

Dental Fresh for Dogs & Cats - 8 oz- $8.99

This stuff is awesome. Cats typically get most of their water from the food they eat. Since our cats are not on a raw food diet they eat a mixture of dry/canned food which doesn't provide them with enough water. For some reason adding this stuff to their fountain has made them all increase their fluid intake, not to mention their breath is MUCH fresher.


CatMouse Electronic Litter Box Odor Eliminator- $39.99
This product honestly really helps neutralize litter box odors. Even if the box is clean there is sometimes a lingering smell- not anymore!

M & C Fresh Breath & Dental - Cat & Dog- $7.99

Both Larry and Roxanne have a genetic disorder which causes their immune systems to attack their teeth. It's imperative for us to keep their chompers clean so they can keep them as long as possible. This is the one product they will tolerate. I hate doing it, but it's preventative care, and I only have to do it once every 1-2 weeks.


The Litter Robot- $$$$

LOVE LOVE LOVE the litter robot. No more emptying the liter box and missing the garbage! This little baby rotates keeping the clean litter in the bubble and drops the dirty in a little bag that is easily disposed of. Another great selling feature is it has saved us so much money in litter! Expensive, but eco-friendly and recommended by me.


We also purchased the furminator (awesome), Dyson animal vacuum (thanks mom and Dad!) and a drink well platinum fountain because our cats are picky (also awesome, but hard to clean).

What pet products do you swear by?

Extra 20% off gap sale!

I usually don't shop at Gap. Way back when, I loved it. The products were quality and stylish. Sometime after I got out of high school I felt the quality went down and their products were no longer worth the price. I really need some new clothes to wear outside at work. Part of my job as in the internet manager is to go outside and actually look at the inventory. Outside=freezing.

I might just have to invest in:

Sweater Hoodie- 39.99+ 20% off

It only comes in an extra large, but that's ok with me. The great thing about my job is I don't work with customers so I can show up to work looking pretty much however I want. I sit in my dark little office tap tap tapping on my keyboard. Speaking of work, I should probably start getting ready!

Daily Obsession: Fleur Wood

I'm seriously considering buying this dress by Fleur Wood:

Sequin Flower Dress- $295 or

Summer Rain Maxi Dress- $279

Alas, I will purchase neither. I don't think I would get much use out of the second dress since it really isn't my style (but still super gorgeous!) and the first dress reminds me a lot of the anthropologie dress I just purchased:

Plus, I'm supposed to not be shopping :) A girl can dream!

30% discount @ Rose and Ruby! Oh my!

Rose and Ruby is a sophisticated romantic clothing brand located in Sydney, Australia. Their clothing is amazing. Twice a year they have a sale to get rid of their previous seasons design. It's a little pricey, but oh so gorgeous! To order just send an email, the address can be found on their website.

Review: J Crew Metallic Rose Madison Wedding Gown (a tale of two dresses)

Adam and I were married well over a year ago, but I never told the story of the other dress.

Once upon a time, a long time ago, the blogosphere wasn't what it is today. Furthermore, J Crew's wedding section wasn't nearly as developed as it is now. When I was dress shopping there was the Sophie gown, but Sophie wasn't for me. As some of you may know, I ended up wearing a dress by Nicole miller:

Nicole Miller- FA006

The dress on a real person (me)

I'm going to start by saying I was happy with my dress. Really. When we started planning the wedding we were going for an Asian feel. Writing that makes me feel silly. The wedding was held under a tent on my parents farm! I don't know how/why we started thinking Asian- but the dress sort of inspired it. Luckily, we decided against the "Lets get Asian on the farm!!!" theme and went for something much simpler.

Back to the story- when I bought the Nicole Miller dress I did not purchase it from a bridal store. That would have been too easy. I received my dress at a 60% savings from ebay and guess what? It was the wrong size. I ordered a dress that was a little too small. I could zip it, but I was pretty much stuffed in it. It was not pleasant.

A few weeks before the wedding my mom brought me to a seamstress who claimed it could not be fixed, the lady was shaving a bad day (before me another bride through the worst tantrum I have ever witnessed) and I ended up in tears after the fitting. Moments later I collected myself and realized I had to look into a second dress. Immediately I knew who to turn to- J. Crew.

By this point it was a week and a half before the wedding. I emailed Ashley the wedding specialist and asked how long it would take to ship a dress. She was so nice and gave me the exact dates. I placed my order for the Metallic Rose Madison gown that was a brand spankin' new style on their website:

Metallic Rose Madison Gown- $1000 (When I purchaed this dress it was 1500!)

I fell in love with this dress the minute it was released. I found it to be simple, yet still interesting and different. At the time the dress was priced at $1500 which was a little hard to swallow, but I ordered it anyway.

When the package arrived I was so excited. I opened the box and there she was. Packaged to perfection. When I pulled her out I was a little surprised. The fabric was very very thin, and if I remember correctly it wasn't lined with more than a thin piece of muslin/polyester/silk. The lurex in the fabric was gorgeous though, and the roses to die for. Something that you can't see in the photos is that the gown has pockets at the hip which are sewn shut- I'm guessing you have to released the stitching since there was only one small stich holding fabric to fabric. Madison was very beautiful, but she didn't feel like a $1500 dollar dress.

When I tried on the dress, it fit like a glove. The photo is very true to the fit. Sometimes you see dresses in pictures and they look one way and fit another- not Madison. My mom's expression was priceless- she loved it. Well, she loved it until she looked at the price tag and felt the fabric. Even she couldn't believe how much it cost. The fabric just wasn't worth $1500.

In the end, she had to go back. The seamstress somehow managed a miracle and fixed the Nicole Miller gown and though Madison was beautiful, she just wasn't worth her hefty price tag.

ugh.. err.. grumble grumble

Today was not the greatest day I've had in a while. Nothing in particular, just got turned down for a raise. I know the economy is bad but I am seriously under compensated. I do a professional job for a menial task performers salary. Did I mention I work for my father?

10 more weeks until we PCS. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the term, PCS = Permanent Change of Station. It's a military move. After Adam is out of OCS we're moving to his first station and I'm getting my butt back in school for a second bachelors degree.

On a lighter note I got a bunch of my Christmas purchases delivered today! I was super excited, I shopped Victorias Secret Semi-Annual Sale. I haven't bought new underware/bras in almost two years. It felt great to update my intimates!

I typically don't buy clothing from VS, I had a few bad experiences when I was 18. However, I made an exception this one time.

Meet the Cotton Cashmere Hooded Sweater Dress- $69.00

I love this dress. It is comfortable, there is coverage, and it looks super cute with my J. Crew Nottingham boots (which are equally if not more amazing!)


Do you ever buy clothing products from VS?

Planning to live [somewhere]

I started college at the young age of eighteen. Was I ready? Probably not. I thought I wanted to study Pharmacy. However, when it came to committing to the curriculum I had other things on my young sometimes warped mind. I actually had a good two semesters in my science courses, but knew my focus wasn't going to last much longer. I contribute this to doing too much at once. Anyone out there in internet land planning on going to college don't take Biology, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, and Junior level Physics all in the same semester. It's ridiculous and why colleges require liberal arts courses as part of all degrees. While purchasing books at Barnes and Noble on campus a fellow class mate looked at me standing in line and asked, "Are you really taking all those courses this semester?"

Me- "That's why I've got the books."

Him- "Are you nuts." (notice there's no question mark- it was a statement)

Me-*blank stare*

Cashier- "That will be $1598.43"

My point is, it is crazy. You will either fail or burn out (and if you don't, you're a machine!). I burnt out. Smart Pre-Med/Nursing/Pharmacy students mix their liberal arts courses needed for graduation in with their science and math curriculum.

Anyway, after stumbling from one thing to the next (medical school, law school, and accounting) I finally, somehow, earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology (whoopee!). In December of 07' my sister joined the USMC. After dropping her off at the Hilton in Troy (of course first we took her out to dinner, got Starbucks, and then proceeded to throw snowballs at a light pole for an hour- I have the pictures) we were talking about Hilary and how I was going to miss her. All of a sudden without thinking I said, "I'm going to join the Air Force!" Adam looked at me, a bit flabbergasted, and quietly listened while I incoherently spewed out all the thoughts running through my mind. Since August 08' that's been the plan- as long as I committed to getting my post-wedding weight off. Which I promise, is in the works! (By the way, Adam decided to join too. He's better at implementing the schemes I come up with.)

So. Here I am. Again. Changing my mind. We've come full circle. Last night, Adam explained in three years he can sign his GI benefits over to me (not to mention he's willing)- which means I can go to school for free. Adam pointed out, if I went back to school- we'd be able to spend more time together/actually live together. It got me thinking, maybe I should give pharmacy another whirl. I am six almost seven years older than when I started, married, and no longer worry about making the rent/bills. I can focus 110 percent on school and I would like to think have the appreciation for education. I'll admit, I'm a little uneasy. I have to re-take most pre-pharm requirements since 98 percent of schools don't count classes taken four years old (and this fall my previous courses are exactly four years old). It's an investment. I guess after the first semester if I'm not pulling a 4.0 I can get my butt into the military where it probably belongs. However, if I can stick to it- the glory is mine- not to mention Adam and I can have a semi-normal marriage.

I've also looked into a 2-year RN program at a community college. I figure I could earn my RN and then complete my BSN online- maybe someday apply to a CRNA program if I can get the grades. Decisions.. Decisions..

Back to my original point- picking a place to live is difficult since I have parameters:

1. Must snow.

2. Needs a college within an hour of base, preferably offering a pharmacy program or 2-year RN program

3. Must have cool factor.

4. No where too hot.

5. Decent housing offered in area

6. Close to a major city (see #3)

7. Safe. I'm going to be alone for days-weeks-months at a time. I don't want to live in another place like Detroit where I'm expected to get the car window replaced bi-monthly because some idiot wants to look in my trunk and steal my kitty litter.

I have a list of possible places Adam may be stationed. So far we've decided Bremerton, Washington, Norfolk, Virginia, and Washington D.C. are the best options. Out of the three, D.C. has the best bang for your buck on rentals- not to mention they're gorgeous. I'm not sure if D.C. has a shipyard though, which totally sucks, because I've already started fantasizing about Christmas in D.C. with the family (not that it actually would happen since everyone has a steady job- but it's a wonderful thought!) My second (maybe even first choice) would be Bremerton, Washington which is a 40 minute ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. This location offers a 2-year nursing program as well as pharmacy options (not to mention one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country!). The con: Housing is ridiculous. The average two bedroom apartment runs around $1,000 and BAH in that area is only $1,200.

So, in four months when I'm re-reading my posts I hope to see we're located in the D.C. or Seattle area- though I doubt we will be (I have really crappy luck)!

Review: J crew small georgie satchel

The J. Crew Georgie Satchel is currently being offered in the sale section sporadically. I was planning on purchasing the Campo bag, but really needed of a grown up purse immediately so I caved and bought my Georgie.
Overall, I am pleased with my purchase. My one critique would be I'm not sure how I feel about the yellow gold hardware, I am a white gold kind of girl. I also removed the long strap and only carry by the handles (It reminded me of my grandmother's purse when the long strap was attached).

The pros of this bag are the leather is so soft and buttery feeling. More importantly, there are so many places to store things. Even more importantly you can store those things in an organized fashion. On the polar ends of the bag there are little pockets, perfect for my pepper spray and cell phone. In my old bag, I could never find my phone. I had to dig through a dark abyss to find it. Now, I know exactly where it is. The inside of the bag is also divided into three areas, one zippered. I keep all my little necessities in these areas.

I would recommend this bag to anyone and with the extra 20% felt like it was an incredibly purchase.

Ebates.com is awesome

I learned of ebates a few weeks before my holiday shopping frenzy and it is awesome! I've already earned $20 buckaroo's! It's as easy as it sounds, all you have to do it visit ebates, click on the website you'd like to shop at, and you start earning cashback!

Anyone interested? http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=n%2B8HwBpbUw5aHWZ4Zb0rBg%3D%3D

ugh.. some resolutions

I realized something after viewing my last post. I was not a color person this season. The items I purchased fell into only a few color categories: Black, white, gray, and blue. Hmmph. Is this a bad thing? I don't think so.. but perhaps I should consider other colors this next year.

I mentioned I went apeshit for Christmas in my last post.. well... besides clothing I bought Adam a nintendo wii (I think he likes it :), a bunch of items from j. crew, the litter robot for the kitties, as well as traveling things for the kitties trip to our first destination. In other news we adopted Larry. You can read about Larry on my slightly more personal blog here.

After tabulating how much I have spent in the past month it is now time for some resolutions:

Resolution #1:
No more shopping [after the J.crew ankle boots and dream shawl cardigan go one sale]. We've spent waaay too much this month, not just on Christmas. Larry the cat has health issues as did Roxanne- we spent a small fortune making larry comfortable (he is terminal) and are revamping the cats diet to prolong Larry's time (hopefully)

Resolution #2:
My health. I'm chubby. I haven't always been chubby. Last year I went through a depression and gained almost 60 lbs. Crazy, huh? I had some issues with my in-laws, well, we're still having them but I'm coping better and life was just full of stress. Adam was discharged from the Air Force unexpectedly, picked up by the Naval commissioning board, and it was a whirlwind. Now that we sort of kind know what's going on the stress is dissapating and I've been able to make a future plan.

Resolution #3:
Get a raise. I work for my dad for pennies on the dollar. Nuff' said.

Do you have any new years resolutions?

I took a very long hiatus.

Yes.. Yes.. I hope I am back for a little while. Since my last post so much has happened. We lost a cat (well, she ran away?), one of our cats was shot and then saved by an awesome vet!, Adam left for Navy OCS, and the holiday's have come and gone. Overall, it's been a pretty busy however many months I've been gone for. To start out this post, I'd like to review some of my recent purchases (That's right, I went ape shit for Christmas!).

Let's start with sort of an impulse buy from abercrombie and fitch- This little top was on clearance. I also feel conflicted when I buy from abercrombie, I mean, it's a kids shop. I am well into my mid-twenties, but some of their stuff is just cute and I have an obsession with sparkle!- $35.00

Victorias Secret is having their semi-annual sale. I picked up numerous pairs of underware and a few really great bras, my most notable buy were these black tights. It's hard to find a good pair of tights when you're under time contraits so I bought four pairs!- 2 for $20

Sort of an impulse buy- but I loved this sweater dress from banana republic, plus I had an extra 20% off coupon code (BREXTRA20)- $63.00

J. Crew Cashmere Sweater- I snagged this with an extra 20% off. Don't remember how much I paid, but I am very happy with the purchase.

Piperlime ankle boots- in my quest for the puurfect little black boot I came across these for $90.00. I am deeply opposed to paying full price for items of clothing but I cracked.

eeee!!!!! I love love love love love! love love.. this dress! It's from anthropologie and was on sale for $99.00. My one complaint is the dress did not arrived as pictured. The magnolias are about half the size on the actual dress.. I still love it though.

I know what you're thinking.. white? I bought this ecoskin dress half price for $50 something dollars at hautelook and I plan on dying it. The problem is I can't pick a color!!

Lastly... I hate myself. I hate myself for paying full price for a J. Crew item. I have coveted this skirt since it came out. I decided to patiently wait until it went on sale. I waited. I waited. It sold out! One day while I was casually browsing it was back! And in gunmetal and my size only!!! I couldn't help myself.- $118