what I wore

dressy

old navy dress, thrifted belt, forever 21 necklace, black cover up was a gift :)

casual

banana republic bow-tie blouse, levi jeans, Calvin Klein blazer

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday,
xo,
Courtney

ps. anyone want to take a guess as to who my biological family members are? there are three in this picture... I'm curious to see who you think I look the most like!
don't answer if you know me personally ;)
from left to right: shane, danielle, mel, julie, nicole, me, lois, rick

christmas goal

Ignorance is bliss. But today, we are not ignorant. We possess the power to change.

One of my friends had this posted to her facebook wall with the caption "this made me cry". It brought some humbling thoughts to mind. I thought I would share. I think having too much to say will ruin this post, so I'll leave you with my new goal:

I will be thankful this Christmas.

Happy Holidays everyone.
xo,
Courtney

P.S: I'll be back to regular programming soon. However, I think I'll come back to this post every time I have a shopping urge and wonder if I really "need" to buy this or that.

feeling festive

Here I am, trying my best to succeed at my goals for the month, singing a Christmas song! Happy Xmas War Is Over by John Lennon.






I warn you, it gets a little loud/distorted during the chorus.

Everyone done their Christmas shopping? Have a good weekend? I've been avoiding all forms of shopping centers... Christmas crowds aren't my thing!
Answer/Keep in touch with me on Twitter!
xo,
Courtney

PS. I only decided to sing this after spending a LOVELY afternoon with my Dad, decorating the Christmas tree and serenading him with carols. It wasn't that romantic. We eventually ditched the Christmas music to rock out to Adele and "Mr Know It All", haha! Fun--thanks Ricky (and Nanny) <3 I had to write about him and how much I love him because I sort of bribed him to read my blog and now he's expecting to see his name here every now and again ;)

baby, it's cold outside

moto jacket from wilsons leather outlet (similar)
dress & choker from f21; boots from ross (I think)
i had great plans of going outside to photograph this outfit, but it's too frickin' cold. newfoundland weather is out to get me lately: my hands are cracking up.

since my blog is a tool to bring me back to positivity, i must stay true to that. here are some things that have been cheering me up:

a skinny peppermint mocha on a chilly day

my new fleecey leopard print pajamas

my mother in law gave me 4 pairs of shoes for christmas

my letter from jeff

turning on my fireplace and cozying up with my little one

lmfao's i'm sexy and i know it

how long my hair is getting

how the little girl fell asleep on my belly tonight

pepsi is my therapy

finding out i have new years eve plans <3

last day of work is this wednesday (back in jan)

i may be teaching 4 new kindermusik classes (fingers crossed)

attending kindermusik classes at a different studio so i can relax & enjoy it

finding out my voice teacher is pregnant (jealousy)

listening to the rain as i type

my moto jacket

if this doesn't cheer you up, nothing will! thanks megan b!

hope you're all having a wonderful weekend,

xo,

Courtney

scatterbrain

moto jacket from wilson's leather outlet

f21 striped sweater dress & tights

boots from ross; scarf from a friend

I don't really like these photos, but I like my outfit, so I've decided it's worthy of posting. Originally I had planned to start this post with "I have some things to say" and then realized nothing I have to say is worth writing about (in detail). I found out one of my friends is a burlesque dancer (and it didn't really hit me until I watched one of her videos). I've been connecting with a few old friends and it makes me reflect upon my life (although sometimes I wish I didn't). I won a beautiful J. Crew bracelet on Just Patience--beautiful style blog. Patience is crazy beautiful and has great style. I can't wait to wear it.

Lately, I've been feeling like my time is so limited. It should make me sink in and really enjoy my life (it does, don't get me wrong) but occasionally I just feel scared. I want to make every second count. I want my daughter to have a wonderful life. There are some things I have no control over--so I try and make my part really count. Quite honestly, I can say that I never knew what love was until I had her. I can't picture my life without her. Every time I see her smile it saddens me because I can't hold on to it. I know I shouldn't be thinking of my life this way but it makes me use my time wiser. So it's bittersweet.

Little out take from my next post:

A little update on my goals of the month...

• I've been doing a good job of putting more effort into my outfits (meaning I am actually getting dressed vs staying in pajamas all day).

• I did get on the treadmill last night... but directly after that I choose to have a beer in bed and snack... Shame! The good and the bad. Anyone else do this or am I just crazy? I will get on it again tonight (the treadmill, not the beer) because if I don't, I think I will feel terrible.

• We had a great traditional Turkey dinner on Monday and I've been eating left overs since then but I'm going to cook a nice supper tomorrow full of veggies.

• I've become more addicted to Twitter lately, so that is a one up on being social.

• As for positive thinking, this department is suffering a little. I don't feel like any of my clothes looks nice on me lately. I'm just hoping it's a little rut I'm in mentally and that once I get on track everywhere else, I'll start feeling better.

• Full morning of work and a Christmas recital coming up. My own Christmas recital, although I don't know if I'm performing yet. It's been a rough month for my lessons. I've only had two pedagogy lessons so far and I am itching to have more.

That's enough from me tonight. I'm getting droopy eyed. I have a list of things planned for tomorrow, lots of errands to run. I have to keep busy to stay sane.
xo,
Courtney

P.S.  eShakti is still offering $20 off your purchase by using the promo code ICBMT0811, valid till 31st December, 2011. Considering there is stuff on their site for as cheap as $20, I'd go take a look :)

one way street

moto jacket from wilsons leather outlet (similar)
forever 21 trapeze top (similar coral, white or grey)
levis jeans, boots from ross (from my mother in law)


I find setting up my tripod and hanging out in dingy places kind of therapeutic. Megan of Feathers and Freckles (who has become a wonderful friend of mine, please go check out her lovely blog if you haven't already) has inspired me to creep outside the box. I love experimenting with different angles and perspectives. I only wish I knew more about my camera. Practice makes perfect. And time and patience.

We had the greatest weekend. Fun, full of people I love and lots and lots of food. The Christmas celebrations have begun. Has everyone gone to at least one Christmas party yet?

The snow and holiday events make me feel melancholy. Anyone agree? I'm in the mood to cozy up and watch movies.

xo,
Courtney

warm cozy scarf

cable knit scarf from a friend (buy)
moto jacket from wilsons leather outlet (buy similar)
levis jeans, boots from ross (from my mother in law)

Freezing my butt off. I'm fairly sure I need a parka. Since I am stubborn and determined to wear this jacket... the scarf does the trick. I thought this was so sweet. I need to share this with you.
Jeff has been browsing present ideas for the little girl!

Sit On Train

What do you guys think of his choices? I think he makes an excellent Santa Clause!

Here's the most beautiful quote that I am sure you have already heard... that dearly reminds me of Christmas. Who is going to watch Love, Actually with me this year?

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around.
- love actually

Hope everyone is having a great weekend,

xo,

Courtney

monthly goals

DECEMBER

FASHION GOAL

Just get dressed.

Lately, I've been staying in pajamas a lot... Regardless whether I take photos of my outfit or not, I should still be getting dressed. I blame it on wanting to be comfortable, but I know it's not the primary reason. Which leads into something else I should talk about...

POSITIVE THINKING GOAL

I am beautiful.

Gaining a few pounds does not make me ugly. It does not change my appearance so much that I should want to stay in my pajamas all day. I do not need to feel guilty for publishing the words "I am beautiful". Even if I do have a few pounds on.

HEALTH AND BODY GOAL

Use treadmill.

My logic: if I get on the treadmill, it will start a chain reaction. I'll want to eat better. This has always been the case for me. Maybe on the nights that I am not working, I can get on the treadmill for 30 minutes and watch a show on TV--better than watching a show in bed and snacking...

MOMMY GOAL

Actively use your time.

The difference between actively and passively using your time is (in my opinion) the way we spend it and where our thoughts are. I want to carry on where I left off last month: when I am with my family, my thoughts are on my family. Not on my blog or my work. When I am at work, my thoughts are with work. When I am blogging, I am an excellent blogger. Really be present in my activities throughout the day instead of feeling very unfocused.

BLOGGER GOAL

Connect.

I am SO missing reading my favorite blogs. I want to make a goal to connect to at least two people everyday. I can't believe I am writing this because there was a point in my blog-life where I was commenting on about 25 blogs a day (at least). When I say connect, I won't limit myself. I'll write an email, tweet, comment on a post or reply to comments. It doesn't really matter what it is, but it will be an enjoyable activity while I sip on a cup of tea in the morning or before bed at night.

MUSIC GOAL

Sing more.

It's Christmas time, for the love of God, if you can't sing Christmas Carols during the holidays then there is something seriously wrong with you!

TEACHER GOAL

Have empathy. Have patience. Most importantly, have purpose.

Understand your students. Understand how they work and how they learn. Have patience. Use multiple techniques and if they don't work, try again. Dig up something new. Talk to other teachers and discover new ways of saying the same thing. Most importantly, while in lessons, make every word count. Think before you speak. Don't fall back on the same old routine. Always plan ahead and start fresh with each new face.

RELATIONSHIP GOAL

Make an effort every day to do something special.

Settling into a routine can be a source of all sorts of good things: comfort, relaxation, trust, love. It can also get horribly boring. Being spontaneous isn't booking a trip to Vegas on a whim and dropping all of your responsibilities. But when paired with compassion and thoughtfulness... It will make for laughs, smiles and happy moments.

NOVEMBER SUMMARY:

similar floral print kimono cardi

This wasn't a great month for me in some respects (it was a little bipolar). I'm not sure whether I ate better or worse. I did cut down on the night time snacking. However, I snacked just as much or more during the day. Jeff and I tried to cook healthier suppers. This worked well and I really enjoyed having supper planned in advance. This month I'm adding a health and body goal to motivate myself to keep it up.

This month, I definitely took a step back from the blog. I had a lot of great moments with my family. I had many a relaxing night. I spent hours upon hours wrapping gifts and making Christmas presents (a week and a half spending every spare moment I had on completing gifts). The important thing I learned how to do this month was separate my thoughts. While I was with my family, my mind was with my family, not my blog. It's important to let it go. I didn't check my email or posts obsessively. And you know what? It's okay.

When I started writing monthly goals, I had no idea I would look forward to this post so much. I love reviewing my progress and seeing how the focus changes from month to month. I love picking my favorite outfit. I love how much I learn about myself.

xo,
Courtney

In case you missed it...

november goals
october goals

Coming up...
friend friday holiday party attire

i smile

My dearest friends have said I'm MIA and I guess they are right (I MISS YOU TOO). As I have said before, this Christmas comes early at my house so we've spent most of the days preparing. Christmas is all about tradition, routines and events... the people we love and spending time together.

So today, I'm reviewing the past week and filling you in on all the little moments that made me smile.


Downtown Christmas Parade



Doesn't this puppy look so comfy?

Christmas Baking With Maegan



It wouldn't be a day with Maegan without tea ;)


Jeff's Cake Being WAY Better Than Our Cookies


Decorating The Christmas Tree


The little girl's hard work--I don't care that the decorations aren't evenly spaced and that there are only four branches with about 8 bulbs squished on them. We strung the ornaments with glitter elastic this year so that she could help us. We got the most beautiful pictures. She was so excited. Every day she takes them off, lays them on the window ledge and makes a show out of putting them back on. It's priceless.

Going Out To Supper With My Sister


Pajama Princess

This princess wouldn't go to sleep without her TuTu. Seriously. I'm not making this up. Here is proof! 

I've got an updated set of goals for December and an outfit planned for the rest of the week.

Hope everyone had a great week! Fill me in!
xo,
Courtney

extra $$$

Hey everyone! I have been locked in my spare bedroom working diligently on Jeff's Christmas present/wrapping gifts since last Tuesday. I kid you not. The only reason I came downstairs from the spare room and stopped working was to grab a cup of tea and find my phone. My tea is steeping but... I've lost my phone. Sigh.

This is an old outfit from before the snow fall when Mia and I went to the park to play. Wearing all black makes me feel like a vampire, especially when I have no make up on (see below). But to think positively... Cute, stylish and comfy outfit (minus the boots). I'd wear flat boots if I wore this again, just for practicality, but who says I am any bit practical.




I also went dress shopping as part of my MOH duty to Kelly. It was fabulous! We have pictures but I can't upload them yet. Once I do, Kelly should have them posted. I'll link up. They are so pretty! If I wanted to get married, I'd be so jealous! That's a milestone that I haven't reached yet. Anyway, enough of my ramble...

Here is another AWESOME list that I am going to keep in mind at all times during December (possibly a new years resolution). My list of goals for December will come, but while you all wait, this is definitely something to think about:


Six Savings Tips for the Holidays and Year-Round

1. Curb your impulses. Count to 30 before impulse buying in a store, or wait 24 hours before making an online shopping decision.
2. Pay yourself first. Make your savings plan part of your bill paying routine, just like cable, utilities and mortgage payments.
3. Track your expenses. Make a list of all your expenditures over three months to see where there are opportunities to turn spending into saving.
4. Keep a separate savings account. Set up an account dedicated to savings; in this way, your savings won't get mixed in with your day-to-day cash.
5. Set a target date for your savings goal. Having a deadline can help you decide how much to put away and how often.
6. Visualize your savings goal. Are you saving for a vacation? A big screen TV? Keep a photo of your dream on hand, to inspire you to continue saving.

How's everyone doing with their spending? Over budget? Do the tips help or do you do things similar to this every month?
I miss you all. So much! I can't wait to catch up on what everyone has been wearing...
xo,
Courtney

PS: I just have to say it... Didn't Maegan look STUNNING in the last set of photos? Kadie, you are phenomenal. Maegan, you are gorgeous. That dress, I want you. Let's see if Mae will post some photos from her semiformal tonight... Maybe if I do some convincing and the pictures turn out nice.
:)

Snowflakes and Pearls

Dress: Thrifted (Similar: affordable, pricey)

Leggings: American Apparel (Buy)

Boots: Urban Planet (Similar)

Hair comb: My Grandma's <3 (Similar)

Hey!
It's Maegan again! Courtney and I spent the night making cookies, and picking out an outfit for me to wear to my Education semi formal next week. We eventually found ourselves on Facebook and began the never-ending cycle of looking at pictures. These posted pictures were taken last year by my friend Kadie (see her flickr HERE!) and it seemed fitting to share now since we had 30cm of snow fall on Thursday!
Despite the snow and freeeezing temperature that day Kadie made me look good and we had a lot of fun! Now, I just have to decide whether I want to wear one of Courtney's dresses or this dress to my semi formal! Decisions, decisions...
Well, I should take off and go home since it's getting late! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

And let me know if you want to see the other dress, and help me decide what to wear!


-Mae

my dress list

Today I have a treat for you! eShakti is having a up-to-50% off sale Saturday and Sunday +free shipping with orders over 25$ AND I have a save an additional 20$ code ICBMT0811. The dresses shown here with the sale/my code are between ~25$-50$!Here are my favorites!

(BUY)
Cutest print ever! I love the little rows of birds! I think this would look great dressed down with some boots and a nice military jacket.

(BUY)
I think this would look amazing with a thick belt... you imagine the rest. It would look great on it's own with some pumps, or a nice pair of brown boots. OR belt an open cardi around this one. I think it would tone down the print and make it really trendy. Since you can make custom requests when you order, I'd ask to have this dress sit above the knee.



(BUY)
I love this safari inspired dress. It's a beautiful silk/wool blend; great quality. I might swap the bow for a sturdier belt... but that's the beauty of this site: they do custom orders so I'd be able to ask them to not include the belt so I could add another one easier at home.

PARTY DRESSES

(BUY)
Scoop front and back with gorgeous embroidery. Twisted straps. Agh! I love this dress--perfect for the holidays. Only 25$!

(BUY)
You can never go wrong with sequins. I find this grey very soothing and not too loud--makes it perfect for anyone who isn't used to wearing sequins!

(BUY)
If you look closely, you'll see the zigzag print. Gorgeous! I love the colors of this dress and the lift and detailing around the waist.

(BUY)

Full pleated skirt! This would be perfect to wear out and perfect to dress down as a skirt later. It reminded me of this dress Kileen from cute and little keeps turning into a pleated mustard skirt...

(BUY)
Cute flirty dress for a night out! Flouncy with a sweetheart neckline. I love the neat detail on the wrap up top on the left.

For anyone nervous about ordering online because of sizing: eShakti offers custom fit. Simply give your measurements!

Happy shopping!!

xo

Courtney