Our First Foray into a Sentence-a-Day!

Blogging with some of my favorite ladies from The Blended Blog today!  And we're doing something a little different but so much fun!  We've decided to commit to documenting April in a Sentence-a-Day.  Sarah had seen this done before and told us all about it.  I was immediately on board and super excited to give this a try!
So here goes...

April

1st- Eating anything other than meatballs at Meetball is just wrong!

2nd- We may not get together often but when we do, it's always fun.

3rd- It's totally ok to have left all this work for the very last day of vacation.

4th- Where did Spring go?

5th- The world is full of nutjobs...it doesn't matter where you are!

6th- Maybe I overdid it...

7th- I need to retire.

8th- I'm not getting worked up!  Are you kidding me??

9th- He hung himself-like with a real rope!

10th- Happy Tea Party Day!

11th- There's not enough coffee to get me through this Monday!

12th- And so the dreaded last hour begins.

13th- We'll still be here til 6 o'clock!

14th-I really should have gone to Vegas!

15th- What a waste! (Speaking about wine that went wasted in my fridge!)

16th- Woo Hoo!!  Bake Me! (Me to...the sun!)

17th- This is a "shady area". (Where my sister likes to park her big-ass truck in parking lots!)

18th-Unfortunately I didn't go anywhere. (My response to everyone at work who wanted to know where I went for the weekend since I was so tan!)

19th- This world is scary small!!  (Me after meeting someone from grammar school after 25 years who said...I know you!)

20th- You can get a little tipsy on Tuesday...you can't get drunk!

21st- Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day! (100x to all my students today)

22nd- Wine...I've missed you!

23rd- I'm not even drunk yet but I've just been to 3 really sketchy places looking for the bathroom. (Things I say to school parents at the Spring Fling!)

24th- 4:50 a.m....you've got to be kidding me!

25th- I just really love my tulips!

26th- You ready for this Meg? (Asking my sister if she's ready for what a blog photo shoot with me entails! HA!)

27th- I really don't need wine tonight! (I know...I'm shocked these words came out of my mouth too!)

28th- I LOVE IT!  (Me in the salon!)  Eeeeekkkk!!!  (Me when I got home..but i really do love it!!)

29th- I really just need a guy to take out my garbage! (The actually words that came out of my mouth while watching my neighbor take out his garbage...lol)

30th- As long as she doesn't spit in our food we'll be alright!

Go check out more Sentence-a-Day posts!

Alison / Sarah / Sheila

Whew...what a month!!  And good news!!  We're making this a link up!  So start documenting your days in just a sentence this month and mark your calendars to link up with us on June 2nd!

April in Numbers

Linking up with Deena for April in Numbers today!!

2 girls nights with this ladies!  So rare in our world...it's usually months at a time before all three of us can get together!  Always a night full of laughter and fun!

 After being home every Saturday night in March, I made up for it in April and went out the 4 out of the five Saturdays!  One rainy Saturday night may have been spent in, binge-watching the OJ mini-series.  Sketchy but sucked me right in!  (Ross Geller will always just be Ross Geller to me!)  Actually I had lots of fun nights out scattered through the month.


2 girls-only days with family!
My mom made a trip home in April so on Sunday, April 10th she put together her annual Tea Party for her grand girls...and her daughters!  She always does a great job and the kids love it...

Also had a Sunday girls day with my sister and nieces in town.  Complete with a trip to Meetball for big pretzels and fro yo for dessert!!  Which got me thinking... why don't I ever get froyo?!? I posted more about this day {here}

3 BEAUTIFUL 'lay out" days spent on my Postage Stamp Patio! And a nice base tan to show for it, even if I did get burnt to crisp on my first day out! But it really got me wishing the summer would get here already!

4 Starbucks coffees this month....after not having one since I think January...

Received one Hello Fresh delivery (thanks Mom) and made all three meals!  They were some of the most delicious I can remember!! Not really sure why I only took pics of two of the dishes!!  Maybe I didn't make that third meal...Hmmmm....

 Had one Peapod delivery as well.  In which was 4 boxes of Peanut Butter Cap' Crunch.  Those 4 boxes of cereal contributed to the single most embarrassing moment of the month...which I documented on the Mishaps and Mayhem Facebook Page {follow here!}

#thatwasalie!

1 new computer bought...but have yet to receive!  I mentioned that my computer was getting iffy these days.  I thought about getting a Chromebook, but after using one of my school's this week, I realized at the end of the day I'm a Windows girl!  After seeing this on Amazon as the Deal of the Day on Friday, at 5:30 am I hit "buy now"!  I like that it's a two in one and also that it's five pounds. Way more portable than this huge lug I'm typing on now!!  Fingers crossed it's a good one!  And after 6 years, it was time for something new!

I bought the computer because it's a good deal and because I could kinda afford it at this point, with all the After care I've been doing!  49 hours this month to be exact!  LOL

1 blog photoshoot with my sister that resulted in 78 photos on my iphone! Only a handful of those will be making it to the blog!!

Sneak Peek!

Book club for this month was a total fail, as was completing any book!!  Hoping this changes in May! I want to get back to linking up with Alison for Reading Lately!


I feel like I've slept a lot this month but damnit,  I'm up at 5 am, even on the weekends!!  I watched Arianna Huffington on Dr. Oz talking about her Sleep Revolution earlier this month.  It's got me wanting to track my sleep in May!  I have already begun trying to disconnect from devices 30 minutes before bed.  This is hard though, when my cell phone is my alarm clock!  I may have to invest in a cheapo alarm clock.  I'll let you know how I do in May!

And last but not least...1 new 'do!  I colored my hair...#graybegone

April in Numbers on the blog...
Posted 19 times in April (my lowest since January, but up five since this time last year!)
Most viewed post: Finally Friday!
Most view post via The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life FB page: Monday Moments of Gratitude (4-4-16)  I posted this to the FB super late in the evening,  but it had the most views...that's good to know!!!
Photos on Insta! 62 Find me! I'm @solitarylife101


Check out this year's previous Numbers posts {here}!

And now MAY is here, and you know what that means....one more month closer to summer!!  Woo Hoo!!  Hope you all have a month filled with fun, food, family and everything else in between!!

Three Cheers for the Weekend and a Full Week of Blogging!

Woo hoo...this week I was back to blogging!  When I don't blog, I really miss it.  And it makes me smile so big when my blog friends tell me I've been missed.  I posted everyday this week, which is kind of a big deal!  Catch up on what you might have missed...

Monday I linked up for Monday Moments of Gratitude with Shaunacey!  These posts are quickly becoming a fave!

Tuesday was another round of it's ok....because sometimes I really just have to stop and tell myself that!

Wednesday was another edition of Style Perspectives.  Go check out my plaid look  and head over to The Blended Blog to check out Alison's look...plaid was her prompt this week!  And get ready to link up with us this Wednesday...I'm up with my prompt!  It's a leggings and scarf look.  Easy Peasy!

Thursdays I get nostalgic for a little #TBT!  This week I was reminiscing about my first link ups with my blog buddies!

Friday was the five faves from the week!  It was a good one as far as week's go!

Hope you all have a fabulous Spring Weekend!!

Friday!

After a lil bit of a blogger fail...I mean break.... 

I'm back to it this week posting my faves!!

I feel like the week went so super slow!!  Anyone else with me on this!?!

/ONE/
Blog Photoshoot with my sister!!  HAHAHA!  I really wanted to not have to take selfies for my Style Perspectives feature on The Blended Blog this coming Wednesday, so I recruited my sister to come over and take some blog pics for me.  So at 9 o'clock on Tuesday night, that's what we did.  Meghan had no idea what she was getting into.  She was super critical honest, we laughed a lot, drank Starbucks and had fun!!  We knocked out pics for the last few weeks of Style Perspectives!  She can't wait to return in a few weeks to photograph me for Create 28.  LOL  And don't forget to link up with us next week.  My prompt is a leggings and scarf look.  I think they're pretty simple staples for times like these, when the weather can't make up it's mind!

/TWO/
When I did the blog reboot earlier this month, I added pages to the header!  One of those was a popular posts page.  Until now, it's remained empty, but this week I finally jazzed it up a bit with some of my most popular posts.  Head there now and take a looksie!  I'd love to know if you have a favorite post of mine!!  I'll add it to the list!!  After a heck of a week last week, I feel like I'm back on my blog game!  Now if only I could get to that Pinterest HW Mme assigned...LOL

/THREE/
Sushi just makes Mondays better!!

/FOUR/
This story I saw online this week is definitely one of my faves!!  How sweet!  With so much awful out there it's good to know there are GREAT people in the world.  THAT makes my heart happy!!  And stories like this are a welcome change from all the politics out there!

via Today Homepage

/FIVE/
I'm so happy I decided to take these tulips home from the Spring Fling last Saturday because they have just been my favorite thing to look at and come home to this week!  I've also received tons of compliments on them.I posted them to insta and they even made a cameo in this week's Style Perspectives post  I may  just have to start buying myself flowers!!

And now, thank the good Lord above, the weekend is just a few short hours away!!  

Here's to hoping your Friday is short and your five o'clock cocktail is a strong one!!  Cheers!!

Linking up today!

Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites 

September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for Oh Hey, Friday!

April and the girls for Five on Friday

Katie and the girls for High Five for Friday!

On Thursdays, I throw it back!

Two weekends ago, a few of my bloggy buddies from The Blended Blog attended The B@M conference together in Las Vegas.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go but spent the weekend living vicariously through their posts on FB and Insta, and then later on when they all recapped their experiences on their blogs!  This week has been spent finalizing a meet-up for more of us in Toronto in 2017 and looking even further ahead to more exciting times in 2018.  All of these plans have got me very excited, but have also made me a bit reflective.  It's been two years since we all met through a Style Challenge and I am so glad to see how we have grown over that time.  I thought today I would throw it back to that first year of challenges and our very first link-ups, because out of those link-ups, and further collaborations came our collective, The Blended Blog! If you haven't visited all the goodness that is the Blended Blog yet...go now...well, after you read this!! I recapped all my challenge faves from that first year in a New Year's Eve post, 2014! And even though it's a lot of me, it mentions the ladies, their blogs and our fun!
And P.S.- Everything I am wearing in these posts, I still have! HA!

________________________________________________________________

A Few Challenge Faves

New Year's Eve!!  Whoop Whoop!

I thought for today I'd take a look back and  recap some of my favorite looks from the Style Me Pretty Challenges with Alison at Get Your Pretty On,  that I spent much of 2014 participating in!  I had so much fun during each of the 4 challenges and loved linking up with fellow bloggers I met!

The Spring Challenge was the inaugural challenge and began in April and lasted through early May.

A few of my favorite looks:

Clearly I really loved my leopard flats and striped shirt!  Find out more about these looks {here}!

The Summer Challenge in June and July was a breeze!  I loved wearing colorful shorts and maxi skirts.

 My sister and my best friend both joined me in the summer challenge! So it was double the fun!

This outfit was probably my most favorite of the whole challenge!!

To find outfit details and to see more looks from the summer challenge {here}!

Before we knew it summer was a memory and Fall had arrived.  This challenge I vowed to shop my closet and found I had all of the pieces needed.  I think this challenge was the easiest.  Love how easy it was to put the looks together and style everything!  I have so many favorites!

Fall Favorites

Find more of my Fall looks {here}.

I slacked the most during the Winter Challenge, but being during the holidays pretty much lent itself to that!  I still came away with some favorites from the outfits I did manage to put together.  This challenge really built on the fall one.  For the winter challenge, I splurged and ordered the TOMS booties.  I loved wearing them!!  Super cute!!

See more of what I put together during the Winter Challenge {here}!

I love everything about the challenges...the great group of ladies in the FB group, linking up each week with fellow bloggers and challengers, our fun linky graphics (Thanks Deena!) and the ease of getting dressed each day!!  You can find out more about Style Me Challenges and see how they impacted me in my letter to Alison.

  And the fun's not over for me and my Style Me Blogger buddies!  We are continuing to link-up in the new year...talking fashion, home, life,  and everything in between!  I am super excited about it!!  Join us!!

Happy New Year!!!
Katie

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This post originally appeared on the blog on December 31, 2014

Plaid, plaid and more plaid!

How quickly Wednesday rolls around!  Always look forward to Style Perspectives Wednesdays with my bloggy besties, the ladies of The Blended Blog!  Each week the Style Perspectives link-up is growing and we love that.  Ladies from all over the globe are linking up their posts with us, tagging their pics with our hashtag #theblendedblogstyle and giving our link up some shout-outs.  Last week's graphic tee looks were a hit and this week's plaid look, courtesy of Alison, is sure to be the same.

Not too long ago, I dedicated an entire post to my love of plaid! {here!} Some people think my love of plaid is a little overboard (we're not friends anymore...I don't need that kind of negativity in my life! HA!!)  Plaid is just so versatile and classic.  And it really is a look for all four seasons!!  Since it's Spring I thought I'd share one way I'm wearing plaid now!!

with white jeans!!

I bought this JCrew Factory plaid popover {similar} last summer on super sale and don't recall wearing it much.  I am making it a point to put it in heavy wardrobe rotation this spring and summer!  And I love these colors with the white jeans!!  Really make the plaid POP!  White isn't just for after Memorial Day and through Labor day anymore!!

We took this one just for fun because I thought it was pretty funny that the colors in my shirt were the same as the tulips!

Shout out to my sister Meghan for taking about 101 photos, just to get two that were suitable for the blog!  I told her she should think about how I feel when I take all the selfies!  HA!

Make sure you stop by The Blended Blog to see the featured lady.  And come on back next week!  It's my TBB feature...a leggings and scarf look! Basically my simple spring staples!

ONCE UPON A TIME & HAPPILY EVER AFTER : Library-Lovin’-Lady

DAILY STYLE FINDS: The Personal Stylist

FOXY’S DOMESTIC SIDE: The Crafty Engineer

SIMPLY SHAUNACEY: Reformed Frumpy Mommy

TWO TEENS AND THEIR MAMA: Stylish Midlife Mama

RSQUARED: The Not So Nerdy Accountant

SHOES TO SHIRAZ: The Shoe Hoarding French Teacher

PUPPIES AND PRETTIES: Cube Dwelling Fashionista

MISHAPS AND MAYHEM OF SOLITARY LIFE: Single Girl, Simple Style

A LOVELY LITTLE WARDROBE: A Casual Petite

MAKING THE MOST OF EVERYDAY Classic Yet Current Over Forty

NICKANDNIK: Mama with Curves

LIVING ON CLOUD NINE: Blissful Fashionista

WHITNEY À LA MODE: A book-loving French Teacher

Check out all my Style Perspectives {here}  

Can't wait to see everyone's plaid looks today!!!  Time to Link up...

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up this week with:

The Blended Blog/The Pleated Poppy/Sydney Fashion Hunter/Lisa @Daily Style Finds/Thursday Fashion Files

Tuesday...It's OK

Linking up for another edition of Hey, It's OK with Airing My Laundry! !  Because... it's just fun!!

It's OK...

to take blog breaks...even after a sort of reboot! 

to head to bed at 7 p.m.

to make the wrong choice sometimes...and blame the margaritas!

to get tipsy on a Tuesday!

smile and laugh at the most inappropriate times

• to still have not finished the book club selection...even though the meeting is on Friday night!
• to spend Saturday night with an 89 year old...who had more energy than all the ladies he was with ! HA!
• to still be wishing you went to Vegas with your TBB friends but counting down the days till Toronto 2017.
  

• to dance and drink with parents at a school function!
• to be counting down to summer vacation!  33 days to go!!

• to take lots of sick days in May
• to already have a kick ass TAN!  Woo hoo...Spring has Sprung!!

Have a great Tuesday!