Target 101

Before writing my Ode to Target yesterday, I had made a little trip to the good ole' red bullseye that morning.  Though my zip through the clothing section was disappointing, I did spy this little ditty on the clearance rack for $7!  

I put it on this morning before heading out to MOPS, and then I got inspired to show you how a ho-hum $7 dress can be made into a decent outfit!  As you can see, the dress was fine, but not spectacular.  The chartreuse color could be a recipe for disaster, so it definitely needs to be toned down.  And obviously it is sleeveless, so not totally appropriate for fall and winter.  

Do you like my "Before" sad face?  Don't you love how infomercials always have people look like they are in utter despair in their "Before" shots?  Even Weber sees the tragedy of the situation!

Add in a wide belt, tights, boots, and a neutral cardigan--and of course a sunnier disposition for both of us--and you've made a cheap dress into a great outfit!  The key is combining the cheap with neutral basics that may have cost a bit more.  Here, the cardigan, tights, and belt are both from Target, but the boots are probably the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever owned (which isn't saying much...they are Steve Madden and I bought them two years ago for probably $150ish...best wardrobe purchase I've ever made!)

Here's a little close-up of the lace applique detailing at the neckline.  Just a little punch of uniqueness on an otherwise basic dress.  

Oh, and just prepare to see this outfit a lot.  Recently some friends and I were discussing how Facebook and blogging have ruined the concept of having one out fit that you wear to multiple events (for example, the coral dress that I wore to all three of my baby showers!).  Now that I've blogged about this, it is tempting to feel that if I wore it to MOPS this morning and Bunko tonight, then I can't wear it in my family's Christmas pictures or to lunch with friends in my hometown next week.  And  that's just absurd!  A great wardrobe, in my opinion, has a steady rotation of pieces you love and wear time and time again.  Back in the day, a woman would have a couple of "every day" dresses and probably one dress for special occasions.  Now don't think I'm about to go all Little House on the Prairie on you, because goodness knows I love a new outfit as much as the next girl!  But don't be afraid to get maximum wear out of things that you love, no matter how many times it's been "tagged" on Facebook!  

Happy Clearance Rack Hunting!  

Q&A Part II

I was wondering where you shop? You always have the cutest clothes!!!!  Also, your brother-in-law (your husband's brother) is pretty cute! Any chance he's single? Ha! :) 


First of all, THANK YOU!  Your question made my day.  (About the clothes part.  I'll get to my brother-in-law later, but I have nothing to do with his cuteness so I can't exactly say thanks for that, now can I? :)  


I have to be honest, at this point in my life I am pretty cheap when it comes to clothes.  That's not to say that I don't shop (Jonathan would LOVE that solution!), but since I am staying home and hubby is in school, we are on a pretty tight budget.  


I would say that over half of my wardrobe has been purchased at Target.  At the rate I'm going, Target just might be my son's first word!  As much as I would love to buy better quality things at some point, Target allows me to get more for my money.  And, I have what my friend Meredith calls "A Target Body."  Their stuff just FITS me.  Every time.  Which is a blessing and a curse.  A blessing, because I can find clothes that fit me well and that fall into my budget.  A curse because I can take one look at something I love on the rack and know that it will fit me perfectly, and then into the cart it goes without a second thought!  (Because let's face it, if you see it in your size at Target, you better buy it right that second because it won't be there later!)  I occasionally swing by Old Navy as well.  Both of these stores allow me to embrace some trends without breaking the bank on something that won't be in style long-term (i.e. jeggings).  


If I am blessed with some money as a gift, I love Ann Taylor Loft.  They keep it classy with a punch of uniqueness or trend, which is how I enjoy dressing.  Their jeans are $70, which is pretty reasonable in this age of crazy designer denim. 


In my dream world I would frequent Anthropologie and Banana Republic, but that just isn't my reality at this point.  (And I love when magazines or television shows refer to those kinds of stores as "low end!"  Low end for me are those stores in the mall that are even cheaper than Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe.  You know, the ones that sell uber-trendy disposable clothes and have names like Young4Eva?)  Even when we have an income someday, I'm not sure I will ever be one to spend a lot of money on clothes.  If I can get the look for less, I would much rather spend my money on other things (travel, experiences, etc.)


Now, as for my brother-in-law, he is single indeed.  And probably the most eligible bachelor I know.  He has a thriving career, a fantastic sense of humor, and is a true Renaissance man.  I am so blessed that my brother-in-law is someone I would choose as a friend even if we weren't family (and in fact, we were friends before I ever met Jonathan!).  But part of that friendship means that I have vowed to never join the throng of people who are constantly attempting to hook him up with every single girl they know.  (I am pretty sure that he has at least one matchmaker attempt per week!)  I know that someday, if he so chooses, he will snag an incredible catch of a girl.  But I'm afraid that this post will not be ending with a link to his email address.  Sorry, ladies!  ;)


It will, however, end with a picture of three of my favorite guys...

(Uncle and Dad didn't waste any time introducing Riggs to his first sporting event.  Here they are watching the Thunder game in the hospital!  And this was in complete violation of visiting hours, but who can follow the rules when a playoff game is at stake?)

Q&A Part I

Thanks for your questions!  In an effort to avoid writing the most random post of the century, I'll hit a couple of related questions at a time.  Here we go...

How did you meet your husband?  How long have you been married?


One of my favorite topics!  Isn't it fun to revisit that early, exciting and new stage in a relationship?

In a nutshell, Jonathan and I met on December 27, 2000.  I was sitting at the kitchen table in his parents home, eating a bowl of stew.  He walked into the room, totally had that "love at first sight moment," proposed to me in that same kitchen three years later, and six 1/2 years of marriage later, here we are!

The longer version is that Jonathan and I had totally been scoping each other out for an entire semester.  He first noticed me, a lowly freshman, when I performed in a skit/song competition during Welcome Week.  Of course, being a senior, he kept his admiration away from his roommates, knowing they would never let him hear the end of it!

I had first noticed Jonathan when I accompanied a prospective student to a Bison Glee Club rehearsal.  All the other boys in the room got all rowdy--you know how boys can be when a girl suddenly enters the room--but there in the center of the risers was a handsome, dark-haired guy, cool as a cucumber.  His good looks got my attention, but his evident maturity really peaked my interest.

And so it went, for an entire semester, each scoping the other out from afar.  Finally, that December we both joined a group of about 25 OBU students who had gotten jobs at Breckenridge Ski Resort for the January break.  We were to meet at the Poe's house to caravan up to Colorado.  And that's what led me to be sitting in that kitchen ten years ago.

Once on the trip, Jonathan and I ended up in the same condo (think The Real World with a bunch of good Christian kids who didn't hook up or get wasted), and that's when the sparks really began to fly.  I remember being constantly aware of where he was in the group and attempting to subtly place myself in his vicinity as often as possible.  We spent the first week of the trip skiing together as often as possible.

One day, when we had returned from a day of skiing, part of our group got locked out of the condo.  As two friends went around to try the other door, Jonathan and I stood on the patio.  I began to hum a little song as we waited, and before I knew it, Jonathan had turned me around, took me by the hand and waist, and begun slow dancing with me on the porch.  In full ski gear!  That evening after the rest of our friends had gone to bed, we stayed up until four in the morning, talking and dancing.  Cheesy?  Yes.  Totally heart-stoppingly romantic?  That too.

We returned to OBU, made things official after a day-long marathon date the first weekend back on campus, and enjoyed one semester together before he graduated that Spring.  We did break up for a couple of months during my sophomore year (in a nutshell: sophomore Leslie is immature and wants to keep doing her own thing while the love of her life waits in the wings; graduated Jonathan is trying to find his way in the real world while being strung along by his immature girlfriend...you get the picture), but once we got back together we both knew that we would get married.

Jonathan proposed on October 25, 2003.  We had enjoyed a nice dinner at The Haunted House in Oklahoma City and were hanging out at his parents' house before heading back to Shawnee.  Jonathan found a way to get me into the kitchen, and there in the doorway that he had walked through to see me for the first time, he put his arms around me and began to say a bunch of wonderful things that I can't remember.  But I do remember one thing he said...

"Growing up, I always told the guys that I wanted to marry a girl who made me hurt every time I look at her.  And that's exactly what you did when I walked through this doorway and saw you for the first time.  And I want to feel that for the rest of my life.  So Leslie Carol Horn, will you marry me?"

It wasn't until he was down on one knee that I realized what was happening.  I was SHOCKED.  He presented me with a gorgeous ring that he had purchased a YEAR before (the dude is patient, what can I say?).  He had left the ring at the store in Magnolia, Arkansas, and had just received it the day before.  He proceeded to tell me how he had driven all the way to Arkansas that morning just to have breakfast with my parents, show them the ring, and ask their permission to propose.

We were married July 24, 2004 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  And six and a half years, a dog, and a baby later we still do the occasional slow dance in the living room.  :)

Question Time!

I've seen people do this from time to time in Blogland, but I have never jumped on the bandwagon.  Today, for some reason, I feel like doing it, so here we go!

Ask me anything!

And I will answer!

Simple, yes?

Unless, of course, none of you ask any questions.  Then I will feel like a loser.  And I will make cookie dough.  And I will eat the whole bowl.  And then I will remind myself that it isn't very wise to base my self-esteem off of blog comments or the lack thereof.

But really, guys.  My hips really can't handle that kind of damage right before the holidays, so get to askin'!

I leave you with your daily dose of cuteness...

On Veterans Day

My grandfather, Robert Millard Horn, United States Army, WWII

(Isn't he a dreamboat?:)

When I visited my grandmother in September, I made my way through some of our family's geneaology documents.  In addition to discovering some family names that I am happy to leave in the past (Peleg and Restcome, for example), I was amazed to discover that my family members have fought in every American war from the American Revolution to our current War on Terror.  

This Veterans Day finds me 100 pages in to The Pacific, written by Hugh Ambrose.  His father, Stephen Ambrose, wrote Band of Brothers, which was later made into a popular HBO miniseries.  Perhaps it is my Air Force brat upbringing or my love for history, but I have always loved books and movies about wars.  In some way I feel an obligation; though difficult to read or watch, what is in my imagination was their lived reality.  The least I can do is read, watch, empathize, appreciate, learn.  

But this is the first time I have read this type of material since becoming a mother.  And with every page, I am reminded that these men were each a mother's baby boy.  With every difficult passage that makes me wince, I imagine my son and whisper a quick prayer, "Lord, let my son never go to war."  

I suppose that's just it.  No one wants to go to war.  No one wants their loved ones to go to war.  And yet brave men and women throughout the centuries--people with whom I share a name and a history--have selflessly and bravely gone to do what must be done.  We are free today because of their sacrifices.  

So to my ancestors, to my grandfathers, to my uncles, to my daddy, to my brother, to my cousin... thank you.  I am proud to be your "brat." :)

Soup Swap

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to accompany this post, but I just had to share this fun idea with you!

Now that I'm a mom, I've been attending our local MOPS chapter meetings.  MOPS stands for Mothers of Pre-Schoolers.  This deceptive title always led me to believe that my child had to be in pre-school to attend, but really it is for mothers of children who are not yet in kindergarten.  It sounds hokey, but it has honestly been a wonderful opportunity for me to make new friends, get advice, and get Riggs some hang time with other babies in the nursery.  If you are a mother to young kids, I highly recommend finding a chapter in your area!

Twice a semester, we have socials for the moms only.  Last night was our first social, and we held a Soup Swap.

Friends, it was brilliant.  You MUST do this with your group of girlfriends!

Each girl made a huge batch of her favorite soup and brought six labeled, quart-sized containers of it to the party.  At the party, we had appetizers, desserts, and drinks and had ample time to chit chat.  You can only imagine the din of a house full of women without their kids.  Pretty sure it was a dull roar the entire night!  We were chatty!

Eventually we all gathered in the living room and drew numbers out of a bowl.  We went around the room introducing ourselves and telling about the soup we brought.  Then, each woman took her turn (in order by number) going to the Table O' Soup and choosing a container to take home.  We did this in six rounds until all of the soup was gone from the table and each woman had six containers of soup.

Now my freezer is stocked with six containers of homemade soup--Split Pea, Tomato, Chili, Chicken Enchilada, Taco, and Baked Potato--just ready to thaw and warm on a cold fall or winter evening!

It was such a fun way to get quality time friends, and you can't beat the "party favors!"  We might even do a Casserole Swap after the holidays!

Altoberfest 2010

What do you get when you combine three best friends

with their three fantastic fellas

in the Arkansas wine country

(That's right...Arkansas has a wine country!)

 On a beautiful October weekend

with some fun little wineries

Cozy little restaurants

Creepy old cemeteries (it WAS the night before Halloween, after all!) 

and a beautiful...wait for it....

Double wide?

One very relaxed, rejuvenated, baby-free couple (Thanks Grampy and Grammy!)!

 We had so much fun on our first of many Altoberfests!  It is a special thing to sit around a campfire with your two oldest friends and these amazing guys we've added to our lives, realizing that even after all these years we still "get" each other (on both serious and ridiculous levels!) and genuinely enjoy each other's company.  I am blessed.

Counting the days til Altoberfest 2011!