Virtual Fashion Show

Just before Mother's Day, Aaron's grandparents gifted me (and all the mothers in the family) with some money.  The caveat: all the money had to be spent on clothing for ourselves AND for every article of clothing purchased, one item from the current wardrobe had to be either trashed or donated.

So here goes on my super fun shopping spree!

I was given these black pants when I was pregnant (not even going to say which pregnancy, since it's embarrassing) and they are big and awkward.  To replace them, I got a new pair of work out pants, and renewed by resolution to work on my physical fitness.

These near-black jeans were given to me but I never wear them because they have an awkward fit; just right at the waist, but too shallow from waist to crotch, and just a little too short.  Trading them out for these sweet capris with floral embroidery on them.

 This sweater has seen better days.  It's pilling and a little short.  In it's place, I found a pretty coral tee with a faint pineapple on it.  I love this new top!

 I've had this red shirt for a long time. It's been stretched out of shape and is too short.  Loving this striped tee in khaki, orange and pinks!

 An old favorite shirt, too stained ti keep around.  Another coral top to replace it.  This one is sparkly and says 'I don't sweat, I sparkle' in gold letters.

 I have worn and loved this white sweater for years and years.  Clearly it was time for an upgrade, I was just going to wear it to the bitter end.  Instead I have this cute draping sweater with gathered sleeves.

I've been meaning to pass this business shirt on for some time, but made it last longer by always wearing it under a black sweater to hid the oddly-short sleeves with no buttons.  In contrast, I'm never going to hide this cute navy pineapples and palms tee!

 A shirt that's done me lots of good, especially under other shirts during the winter.  Sadly, it's developed a couple holes and doesn't fit as well as it used to.  Thank goodness for my new 'super mom' shirt, to make me feel fabulous!

 This burnt orange was one I loved to wear.  I still wore it within the last week, even though the hem is coming undone and it has a hole right in front (hiding right in that fold).  The teal and lace on the new tee sold me! I feel so feminine and soft in it!

 I recently replaced this black shirt with another basic black tee and wear it so infrequently, but I was holding on to it 'just in case'.  It's really time to let it go.  So off it went, in favor of this fun gray and teal paisley tee.

 I haven't worn this sweater in a long time, since it is stretched around but shrunk up.  I didn't really want to get rid of it because it's part of a set and I still love the skirt.  In practicality, I'm keeping the skirt I still wear with other tops but losing the old sweater.  (I'm also getting rid of a matching blue one, for which I also still wear the skirt.  This shopping spree really encouraged me to purge!)  I'd gotten a nice pair of black leggings that I wear with a sheer black tunic, but I really wanted another option than to be all black.  This green tunic is incredibly comfortable and I love it!

 Hanging on to things I don't wear is clearly a problem of mine.  This black suit has lost it's stretch.  I have a tankini already, but it'll be fun to swap that top out with this new top.  I love the high neckline and the way it fits!

 This brown skirt and the orange and brown top have been in my wardrobe a long time.  I've been meaning to get rid of the skirt because the uneven hem might be cute, but it drives me nuts every time I wear it.

 Seriously LOVE this skirt set!  It warranted two pictures of the same outfit.  I feel so pretty, even though it's so bright and I might otherwise have passed it up for being too loud.  I'm so glad I tried it on!  It's going to be my Mother's Day outfit this weekend!

 I don't have the replacements for these yet, but I've been sized and have ordered two new bras.  I tried them on in store and can't wait to have them.  The old ones are embarrassingly old.  Pretty sure they were both purchased before my last pregnancy.  What's more appalling is that I was wearing both of them within the last two weeks.  So glad to be replacing them!

Spring Break 2018, Day 7, Part Three: Geodes and Grandparents

We were going to head home after the butterflies, but we had received a coupon for gelato at one of the upper restaurants.  So we went upstairs and shared a couple scoops.  As we left there, we passed this wagon full of rocks outside a shop.  Aaron stopped dead in his tracks and shouted with a grin 'Look!  Let's get some geodes!'

So we did just that!  The kids got to choose a bag and a rock, then break the geode and keep the pieces.  I joined in because swinging a hammer looked like so much fun!

After we'd broken our geodes, we chatted with a sales lady there.  Cole was really sweet to her, complimenting her necklace, telling her she was pretty, and giving her a big hug.  She thought he was absolutely adorable and got us to stay in the store by telling the kids they could go in a mine.

(These are a few of the beautiful geodes they had on display.)

My four little minors, off to be miners.

When we'd been through the mine and identified several kinds of rocks, we had the chance to choose a raw amethyst.  Evie was most excited because amethyst is her birthstone.  She's hoping to tumble it and refine it and make it pretty.

We managed to squeeze in a final visit with Great Grandma and Grandpa Boschi.  The kids watched a movie or played with these fun tracks and cars.

We adults got in a fun round of Hand and Foot.  I think this might have been the first time Grandpa's ever lost; I, on the other hand, felt very honored to be on his team!  

I love how he looked like a bookie with his hat and his card-shuffler!

As amazing as this trip was, I can't think of any moment when we could have crammed in one more fun thing.  On the other hand, we fulfilled all our favorite traditions - swimming, Hand and Foot, Organ Stop, and climbing Wind Cave - as well as making some new ones, like FHE with family there, visiting an aquarium in the desert, and having a Grand Canyon day trip.  Not to mention all the things that I researched but we were unable to do, like going to a dude ranch and an orchard.  It was incredible every moment of the trip, and we absolutely are looking forward to the next time we can get down there!

Spring Break 2018, Day 7, Part Two: Butterfly Wonderland

After a lunch break in the plaza, we found our way to the Butterfly Wonderland!  We started off our visit there with a 3D movie on the migration of Monarch butterflies.  It was informative and beautiful.

After the video room, there was a small room with a glass wall that had many butterflies/moths in the various stages of emerging from their cocoons.

Naturally, our favorite part was the giant room full of so many varieties of butterflies!  I tried to get at least one photo of a moment with each kid and a butterfly.  Carson's shirt was clearly a hit!  It was so bright and perfect and the butterflies loved it!

Lizzie had several butterflies love her pastel bill!

It was fun to see this butterfly right on the bead on top of Carson's hat.

I kind of want to put a butterfly silhouette on Lizzie's hat now that looks just like this!

There were so many butterflies, some even hung out on the concrete walkways!

This butterfly tried not once, but twice to leave an egg on my camera.  Neither took.

This is what a butterfly egg looks like.  It's no surprise that this egg didn't even make it out of the butterfly room.

Lizzie caught a picture of a butterfly on my head.  It's almost invisible with the greenery behind me, though.

Lizzie borrowed my phone for a while here and the next several photos are by her.

Cole, seeing Carson and Lizzie have such luck with their hats, took his hat off to watch for a butterfly to land.  He showed such great patience!

After some time, his patience won out!  I love his absolutely crazy thrilled expression!

Carson, still sporting his T-Rex face paint, chilled by the stairs and watched for a while.

Waiting patiently.

Even Aaron lured a butterfly close with his Broncos hat.

Evie had just the right shade of shirt to beg butterflies to light on her.

There were only a few of these white butterflies and they were SO elusive!  I felt lucky to get even a single shot of one when it was still!

Blue beauties, sunning on the walkway.

This fellow thought he was coming home with me; even wanted to hold my hand! Ha!

We were surprised and giddy when we saw that the butterflies would lay their eggs on us.  The employees told us it's very normal and just to brush them off.  I had more than one lay an egg on my camera, Evie had an egg on her glasses, I got another on my hand, and Lizzie got one on her shirt.  Lizzie made an effort to leave her's alone on the hopes that we could get it home and raise it.  That didn't work out, but we did get home and get ourselves an online butterfly habitat.  We currently have several plump caterpillars and a couple that have moved to cocoon stage.

Near the butterfly room was a hive and garden set aside for honeybees.  Evie spent some time studying them.

My kids, reimagined as grasshoppers!

There was a reptile, amphibian and aquatic section

We all definitely loved the Butterfly Wonderland!