I Really Need a Planner...and a Few Clones!

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We have been BUSY ever since Zach came home. He has been playing softball and flag football games with his work so that's where we usually are two nights out of every week. It is still looking like he will be home for the rest of this year, but we had a close call. He almost had to go on a two week deployment but, thankfully, they didn't take him. He will probably have to go on one around New Years, but it will only be for three days. I should be able to handle that! :) In the mean time, he is working on getting fully qualified at this unit so he can feel like he's an asset to them and not just a body taking up space. He is really close to being done, so it shouldn't be too much longer.  Also, Zach is now the drummer for the youth group that meets on Sunday night at our church. Once he gets some experience with it, he will be in a rotation to play in the morning services, too. To say he is excited would be an understatement.

We are also starting to make holiday plans. My family and his brother and sister-in-law are coming to our house for thanksgiving. I'm excited because this is the first time I have "hosted" for the holidays. I just hope everything comes out ok. Thankfully, My Mom and sister will be helping me cook and the men will take care of the turkey. So, it shouldn't be too disasterous! For Christmas, We will be going to my parents house where pretty much everyone from my side of the family will be and then we will, hopefully, be going to visit Zach's mom, sisters, and nieces. On top of that, our schedule is starting to get pretty full for next year. My head is already swimming! I'm still trying to figure out where this year went.

As far as I go, I am just trying to decide if I just want to be a housewife, get a job, or go to school. I'm not going to make a decision until I am absolutely sure....I just wish my mind would hurry up and make itself up. If I go to school, it will more than likely be to become an ultrasound technician. Until I decide, I will just continue with my wifely duties. I also decided, VERY suddenly, to make a little change. Most of you have probably seen it of Facebook, but here it is for those of you who haven't...

Before.....

After.....

That's right!! I changed my makeup!!

Just kidding!

Now, admit it, how many of you took a second look at the pictures when I said it was my makeup? Be honest! :)

I decided one morning (and if you know me, you know I am lazy and that when I say morning I mean about 10 am) to dye my hair and by 2 pm I was sitting in a salon chair getting it done. I was SO incredibly nervous because I have been a redhead my entire life and the closest I have gotten to dyeing my hair before was putting a few blonde highlights in. But, I LOVE it!!! Which do you like better?

Well, that is all the Spencer craziness I have for you now but, trust me, there will be more! Have a great week!

Homecoming, Brad Paisley, and a Guessing Game

Welcome Home sign I made for Zach

I'm BAAACCCKK.....and my husband is home, too!!! I know I have been slacking, but I haven't been on here in a while because I have been enjoying having my hubby home! For some reason, the month and a half that he was gone felt like FOREVER.I think it's because this was his first deployment and it was a lot to get used to. He has been a part from me before, but that was for training. If you would've told me that him being gone for training would be vastly different from him being away for deployment before he left, I wouldn't have believed you. From an outside view, they don't look any different. Actually, his "A" school was 3 months long and this deployment was a month and a half, so the deployment should be easier, right? No! It is so hard to explain and in many ways I don't even understand why it was so different, but it was.

I have so much more respect for military wives who have deployment as part of their routine. At this unit, I will become one of those wives and I am nervous about it. For instance, My brother-in-law's cousin's husband has been gone for a while, since before Zach was in "A" school I believe, and he is going to be coming home soon. I really don't know how her, and others like her, do it. I really admire how you girls get through it. I imagine you have to grin and bear it sometimes, but you still get through it. After all, they do say that being the spouse is the hardest job in the military, right?

Well, I know I promised that I would fill you in on all the exciting happenings of Zach's birthday weekend. Don't worry.....I haven't forgotten!

Brad Paisley In Concert



It all started with the Brad Paisley concert. This was my first country concert and it was probably the best one of any genre of music I have been to. I did see N'Sync when I was a teenager....this was WAY better! He is such a layed back guy (from what I could tell) and i didn't realize just how many of his songs I LOVE...I just didn't know he sang them. Like I put on my Facebook status, I think Zach is turning my into a country girl!!! Hey, I'm not complaining!

The next day, Friday, I started to give Zach clues for everywhere we were going to go for his birthday. We spent the day in Jacksonville. We went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch, then to Adventure Landing. We raced go-carts (I won!), played putt-putt (He won...), and laser tag. Now seeing as he is the one with all the military training, I am proud to brag about the fact that....I beat his tail at laser tag!!!! The score was 500-50. Yes, I am gloating! :)

Our Hotel

That night we stayed at a hotel called Aloft in Jacksonville. It's a really nice and modern hotel. I definitely recommend staying there! It had a nice pool and a lounge with a pool table downstairs. I got him chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling grape juice. It was delicious! We stayed up playing pool until 10:00 that night. It was fun...but he won every single game!

 

Trying the Water from the Fountain of Youth

The next day we went to St. Augustine and went to the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. We got to drink from the fountain.....it didn't taste good. Then we went to the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum. They had some really interesting/creepy stuff in there! We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city. That night, we went on a walking tour of the city called the History, Mystery, Mayhem, and Murder tour. It wasn't a ghost tour. They told us about the darker side of the cities history. Our tour guide was Dion and he was awesome!

Our Tour Guide

It was such a fun weekend and we definitely want to go back to St. Augustine soon. Since then, we have just been getting into the swing of things and enjoying being together. As of right now, Zach isn't going on anymore deployments for the rest of this year. I am really exited, but I know not to get my hopes up. I really hope it doesn't change! I am starting back on my diet because I have gained some weight since Zach got out of "A" school. I wasn't at my goal weight either, so I will try to get there. I am at 135 right now and my goal is to be at 125 pounds in a month. I will keep you guys updated on my progress. Also, I just want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my blog and invite me into your life for a few minutes. I really hope you enjoy it. Have a great week!



Look-A-Like: Olivia Palermo

Look like a celebrity on a not-so-celebrity budget!

I have been looking all over the internet for another outfit for my Look-A-Like section. My sister brought Olivia Palermo to my attention. Before, I hadn't heard much about her, but I like what I see! She has a timeless style that has just enough edge to keep her looking young. 

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I especially love this outfit. It is a great outfit for someone who has an important event to go to, but also has errands to run. It's dressy enough for a business, but casual and comfortable enough to run around town.

So, your interested in this outfit? I bet you will be even more interested in it if I told you that you could get it for under $100! The total price is actually $90.48  Here's how:

TOP:  Buckle $26.50
VEST: Wet Seal $18.50
BRACELET: Claires $10.50
SHORTS: Charlotte Russe $19.99
SHOES: Payless  $14.99

With the shirt that I picked I wouldn't wear it with the little belt. I think this is a very versatile outfit for ladies on the go. Plus, it's a very reasonable price for an entire outfit. I love it when outfit are under $100, don't you?

Are You Ready For Some Football?!?

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Football season is finally here!!! I'm am beyond excited. There is nothing like football in the south! Let me just take this moment to say.....Geaux Tigers! LSU is playing Oregon tomorrow and I think it will be a great game! Oregon is #3 right now and LSU is #4, so it's going to be a really crucial game. I will definitely be cheering on my tigers!

Also, today is one of my favorite days of the year....It's my husband's birthday! I am so glad the he was born and that God blessed me with him. As cheesy as this sounds, he really does complete me and I love him with all of my heart. Happy Birthday Babi!!! I love you!

The hubby still isn't home, sad right! He will only be gone for a few more days though, so it's not that bad. It was so frustrating when I didn't have a set date because I couldn't plan anything. I already had to cancel the plans I made this weekend for his birthday! But, I get to reschedule them and I am very excited especially since we get to go to our first concert together (and quite possibly my first COUNTRY concert ever). I know, I know, How in the world have I not been to a country concert?!? I don't even know, but I can't wait for this one! In case you were wondering, we are going to see Brad Paisley. I will fill you in on all the birthday bash happenings when they are over. I don't want to spoil the surprise. I am pretty proud of how I planned and put everything together...if I do say so myself. :)

I hope everyone enjoys watching their favorite teams this weekend......and don't be too hoarse the next day from all the yelling and cheering!

FIGURE It Out

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Have you ever seen an outfit or item of clothing on another person and thought it was SO cute, but when you tried the same thing, it was....not so much? Maybe you went into your favorite store and saw something on the hanger that you HAD to have, only to try it on and not even want to be seen in it? The reason why we encounter these situations is because women come in all different shapes and sizes. Different articles of clothing look better on one type then the other. However, despite what society would have you think, there is no "perfect" shape. The key to dressing well is not follow the trends, necessarily, it's finding the clothes that look good on your shape. I can hear you asking, How do I do that? How do I know what shape I am? Well, keep reading! :)

There are four basic shapes to go off of. Keep in mind, not everyone will fit exactly into one shape. You might even be a combination of two or more. This is just meant to be used as a guide to get an idea of what clothes to gravitate towards. The four shapes are: Pear, Hourglass, Rectangle, and Wedge.

Pear

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The pear shaped woman has hips that are wider than her shoulders. She usually has a smaller chest and a bigger bottom with a more narrowed waist. Basically, her top half is smaller than her bottom half.

What To Wear:

- Darker colored bottoms
- Scarves, chunky necklaces or earrings
- Shirts with ruffles or any other accents around your neck/bustline
- Concentrate on wearing accessories on your top half
- Jeans that are boot or flare cut
- "A" line skirts and dresses
- Fabrics need to drape over you, not cling to you
- Best bathing suit style: Tankini
- Get tops that have horizontal lines or patterns

What to Avoid:

- Light colors or patterns, especially horizontal lines, over your hip area
- Skinny jeans
- Pencil skirts
- Anything that fits tightly around your hips

The basic idea for this shape is to balance your top half to your bottom half. Also, don't wear anything that fits close around your ankles because that will bring out the width of your hips.

Sources: Link One, Link Two

Hourglass

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Women who are curvy have, what some people would call, a well-proportioned body. Their top half and bottom half are pretty much equal in size with a narrow waist. 

What To Wear:

- Pencil skirts or close fitting dresses
- Fitted shirts
- Use belts to highlight your waist
- Straight to slightly flared pants
- Soft, clingy fabrics
- Use patterns to accentuate your shape
- Best bathing suit style: Bikini

What to Avoid;

- Boxy or baggy clothing
- Horizontal stripes over the widest parts of your body
- High necklines

The saying, "If you got it, flaunt it" definitely applies to this shape. Find clothes that will accentuate your curves!

Sources: Link One, Link Two

Rectangle

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This shape is commonly referred to as a "boyish" shape. The shoulders, waist, and hips are all very similar in size and this woman commonly has a smaller chest. There is a no- to very little defined waistline.

What to Wear:

- Belt at natural waistline
- Empire cut dresses and tops
- Flare and skinny jeans
- Use patterns that will help create the illusion of curves (like diagonal stripes)
- Anything that cuts in at the waist and gives volume to the chest and hips
- Capped sleeves

What to Avoid:

- Boxy clothing
- Straight or boot cut jeans
- Square neckline
- Jackets that are longer than the top of your hip
- Low rise waistlines

Make sure you wear volume on top AND bottom. If you wear a voluminous skirt and a fitted shirt, it will make you look bottom heavy. Likewise, if you wear a baggy shirt with a tight skinny jeans, it will make you look top heavy. The important thing is to create curves and a narrow waist with what you wear.

Sources: Link One, Link Two

Wedge

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The wedge shape is the exact opposite of the pear shape.This woman has a bigger bust, broad shoulders, and narrow hips.

What to Wear:

- V-neck tops
- Longer necklaces
- Light colors on the bottom, dark colors on top
- Halter tops
- Flare cut pants
- "A" line skirts
- Low/Medium cut necklines

What to Avoid:

- Shoulder pads, big sleeves, or anything that brings attention to your shoulders
- Horizontal stripes on top
- High necklines
- Stiff fabrics

The key to this shape, just like the pear shape,  is to create a balance. Try creating volume to your lower half while emphasizing a smaller waistline.

Sources: Link One, Link Two

You can determine what shape you are by taking this post and looking at yourself in a mirrow to compare. Once you do that, you will know what clothing works best for you. Remember, all of us have flaws, but it is important to embrace your body shape. Combine that with THIS post about what colors flatter you and you are on your way to looking and feeling like a fashionista!

Hitting The Road

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I have had so much stress in the past two days I'm surprised I don't have high blood pressure. (I am getting stress headaches though) So, if you see someone driving down the road that looks very similar to the picture above.....it's probably me! As you know, Zach is deployed right now and he is supposed to be coming home early this coming week. Well, the date has changed a couple times and is currently just up in the air. In other words, I have no idea when he is coming back. There is still a chance he could come home at the originally scheduled date, so let's hope for that!

The reason why he might have to stay is because they might have to help with any damage from Hurricane Irene. (I'm really starting to hate that name) But, I really hope it's not as bad as everyone is thinking for this situations sake and for everyone who is living in the path of the hurricane. I'm am just thanking God that we aren't still living on the eastern shore of Virginia. That would've been bad!

I have gone back and forth about whether I want to stay at my parents house longer or just go back as planned. I have decided I am just going to stick to my schedule and will be headed back home soon.  I would hate for Zach to come home on time and I'm not there. Also, I have several things planned back home that need to get done this week. I'm not a HUGE fan of this, but I'm going to put on my big girl boots and deal with it anyway!

My sister, her husband, and Lil Man!

Besides all of the chaos going on, it has been a really fun week. My sister and her family came into town Wednesday and we went to a get-together with my parents church that night. Thursday, we looked around Athens. (and of course we stopped by Charlotte Russe, my FAV store!) We went to look downtown and I took my sister's family pictures for this year, inlcluding the one above, on Friday. We went to the high school football game that night and had a blast! Literally. The JROTC my dad teaches had a cannon they fired when the team ran onto the field and at each of our touchdowns. Now, when I say cannon you are probably thinking of one that is a pretty descent size. This isn't the case for their cannon. It was maybe a foot long and from the stands it looked like a tiny dot. :) All jokes aside (besides the actual measurement of the cannon, that's pretty accurate) it was a cool addition to the game! 

One hilarious thing that happened this week, my family has gotten pretty much obsessed with the "Denim" target commercial (if you are curious it's THIS one). We think it's absolutely hilarious. We could probably even recite the whole thing if you asked us. (You have to watch the REMIX, too) :)

I really hope I can recooperate from all the craziness and get back into a routine. I really don't know how the military wives who have to deal with deployments that last for 6 months or more on a regular basis do it. Props to you!

Oh and............DENIM!!

What's Your Season?

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Have you ever been asked what season you are? When I was told that I was spring, my first thought was "Well......I was born in the spring, but how would you know that?" My favorite season is summer, but I'm not talking about them like that. Your skin tone determines what season you are. Once you find that out, you can find out what colors look best for your skin tone and what ones don't. Here is a quick run down of who is classified under what season, what colors to avoid, and what colors are flattering.

WINTER

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People who have a winter complexion usually have a pale to olive skin tone. They have darker features such as their eyes and hair. For example, a woman with black hair, dark brown eyes, and fair skin would have a winter complexion. African Americans and Asians also fall under this category.

Flattering Colors:

-White

-Bright pink

-Dark neutral colors

-Deep saturated colors

-Cool pastels

-Jewel tones

Colors to Avoid:

-Beige

-Orange

-Brown

-Other colors in the same family

SUMMER

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People with summer complexions have cool skin tones with pink hues. They have brown or blonde hair and have lighter colored eyes. Often times, they are able to tan easily.

Flattering Colors:

-Pastels

-Light colors

-Neutrals

Colors to Avoid:

-Black

-Orange

-Other drastic colors

AUTUMN

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Autumn complexions are mainly redheads or brunettes with golden/warm hues to their skin and have darker colored eyes. Sometimes, they have honey colored hair or even golden colored hair with blue/gray eyes. 

Flattering Colors:

- Earth tones

-Burnt orange

-Dark reds

Colors to Avoid:

-Cool shades

-Pink

-Black

-White

SPRING

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People who have spring skin tones have creamy white skin with gold undertones. Their hair is either blonde or red, they usually have freckles, and their eyes are either blue or green.

Flattering Colors:

-Pastels

-Peach

-Red

-Aqua

-Green

Colors to Avoid:

-Black

-Navy blue

-White

-Dark colors

Hopefully that sheds a little light on things. You can use this scale to find flattering colors for clothing, but it's not just for what you wear. You can also get a good idea of what hair colors you can try out and what makeup more than likely looks good. Also, this isn't set in stone. I can almost guarantee that you will find exceptions to the rule, but it gives you a good starting point. So, what season are you?

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