i could be your {supah-fly} 3rd grade teacher, right?

when it rains it pours. isn't it true though? this weekend it poured. but not the big fat drops of rain (that houston actually could use pretty badly b/c it's kinda droughtin' here, ya know? and my sinuses would really appreciate a pollen-suppressant. please!)-- no, not rain. the pouring was more of a shower of things-to-attend-pertaining-to-church.

it was a full weekend{baby shower. organization class/women's shelter service project. spaghetti dinner/ dessert auction fundraiser. chaperoning the tri-stake youth dance. church. hometeachers}; and it was great. honestly honestly truly great.

but now i am exhausted. and it's only monday. 

but i messed with my hair alot. so i will show you that.

how to create what i have titled "luscious beach curls"



{1- if you have naturally curly hair, diffuse your wet hair before curling & disregard the hair spray tip. if your hair is naturally straight then simply flip your wet hair upside down (to create some volume) and blow it dry.
2- once dried, you straight-hairs spray a wide brush with hairspray and comb through your hair with it so you get enough hairspray to hold a good curl but not enough to make you look like little bo peep, know what i mean?
3- now pull one section of hair at a time and wrap it tightly around the barrel of your curling iron. hold for a few seconds and unwind the hair. you may want to work from the top down or vice versa, so have a clip handy to clip back the hair you are not working on to make your life a whole lot easier}



{4- once your hair looks something like this, comb through it lightly at the top with your finger and some frizz-ease or other frizz-controller}

{don't be afraid of bobby-pins. i did this in about 2 minutes. just pull sections at random and bunch them up or twist them at the back of your head. then boby-pin each section as you go until all of the hair is up there}

okay, here was the saturday events outfit.



{thing 1- break your own rules once in a while; ruffle on ruffle--- as long as you play it smart.
thing 2- if you have a shoe that says "i am awesome" with it's color and it's strapiness-- wear it with some muted colors and let them talk all they want. if i could do an outfit do-over, i would have worn my corduroy skinnies instead of jeans. but... there ya have it. wearer's remorse}




{thing 3- one pattern will suffice. does suffice. and should suffice. one. ie this cami with beige polka dots. all other layers are solids. but like i said, rules are made to be broken (meaning, if you have an example of pattern on pattern that works, work it!)
thing 4- if you tuck it, belt it.
thing 5- simplify the accessories. if you have a dangly necklace, you don't need a bunch of bangles or dangly earrings. simple pearls (beige ones that you can't see, bummer) and a watch will do quite nicely, i believe. and you will be much less encumbered about by your treasures}
  



in other news...

{meishter and i spotted this on our way out the door. i love the cultural diversity of houston-- of america. i heard a kid on the metrorail the other night say that he got back from his tour in afghanistan and doesn't even feel like he is in the US bc of all the foreigners. well, sweetheart, the US was founded by foreigners, know what i mean? live and let live. and love love love... it's getting kinda mushy up in here. let's move on}

{remember how i said we were king and queen of dance on saturday night? well, i wasn't allowed to dance in the midst, so...}

{this is what happened}



HAPPY MONDAY!

urban outfitters



the circle of bad...

so, on wednesday night i ate the most yummy food of my entire existence. at brennan's. oh my word. turtle soup, perfect steak, spicy crawfish atop breaded mahi mahi (i think?), sauteed mushrooms in a sauce you would kill your mother for (not really okay?), bread pudding---a dieter's nightmare, but i did it for a cause--- so it was okay & better than okay. okay?

anywho. this all occurred after 7, which is the magic food hour. any food consumed after 7 pm either goes straight to the area right above my knees (yeah, don't even pretend you don't know what i'm talking about) or it goes to my head and creates the most horrible nightmares.

and the brennan's went both places.

so thursday morning, after a night with the tossing & the turning (those pesky buggers), i awoke with not nearly enough time to do my hair. which led to exhibit a: bad hair day.

{the realization}

{the shame}

{the hairy culprit}

well, that bad hair wasn't going to let me stop with shame. it also brought me anger. i went to pick up lunch for the office and could have sworn that every loony in houston had come out to drive, and honestly i could have just sworn. period. but i didn't.

well, not out loud.

i was hating on everyone. and everything. the old lady in the cadi who pulled out in front of me, the copy machine, the phone for ringing (not like my job depends on the phone or anything...), the people walking by my window with their chick-fil-a bags while i ate my half-sandwich & celery. i could feel the bad vibrations emanating from my hair.

ugh.

so then i was trying to sell my couches. not really for too great of a reason either. but i had this bad feeling about it. the hair had done it again. and i started being crabby about it. and i talked to clint about it alot while he needed to be studying. he was really nice about it, of course, because he was having a good hair day. but me-- i was flustering and blustering around the house trying to make up my mind about whether to sell these perfectly good red couches to the perfectly nice people who came to see them.

my reasons were bad. my form was bad. and because of all the badness, i didn't get started with dinner until--- idk like--- 8:30 or something! boo. and it was a bad dinner. and i had some bad sleep, turned my alarm off and slept until 7:10 am.

but i decided not to let the bad continue. i fixed my unruly hair and hurried to work. i unlisted my perfectly wonderful red couches, ignored the bad drivers, even gave the copy machine the benefit of the doubt (that's not going to last long though...).

the point is, the buck stops here. the circle of bad begins and ends with me.

when a meggle comes to town...

the most exciting thing happened a few weeks back. my very own megan-sister came to stay. she gave up her spring break just for me.

and everyone knows when a meggle comes to town you must...

{attend your boss-friend's baby shower in la porte. on the sunniest spring day right on the beach}

{take pictures of your vicki-boss-friend as she glows with maternal good-cheer}

{play pre-shower games that you are really un-great at}

{sip on a cup of cold coca cola as you bask in the early afternoon sun while looking like a dreamy filmstar from an elvis presley movie}



{take the meggle to the houston livestock show & rodeo, obvs! because that is every little girl's dream}



{and enjoy the musical stylings of brad paisley}

{and take sexay cowboy pictures of the husband by a large pig}

{and not so dreamy pictures of the wife-pig}



{then take the meggle to the kema boardwalk where you will take many goofy pictures on the ferris wheel, ride a wooden roller coaster that bows your mind, puruse a large assortment of jamaican-made-goods, spend too much for parking, but also get to try the meggle's first whataburger grilled chicken sandwich. which is magical}




{also you must attend the aluminum show for free at miller outdoor theater. because words cannot describe the wonder and awe that will ensue... (pic from professional site)}



{ this aluminum is rapping. for real. will. blow. your mind... (pic from professional site)}

{you will pick up a large diet coke from mcdonalds every night, come home to the big red couches, and watch christy all night long}

{and that's what you will do because you love the meggle more than life. and how could you not, right?}

it's like my first kiss or something

here it is... my very first ever ever ever fashion post.

you see, the thing is that i am still kinda growing into myself, finding my own style, etc. to be honest, when i got married my wardrobe wasn't actually that great, because i spent all my money on yummy food & seven peaks passes & gas to get me up & down the canyon, ya know? for that reason i have hesitated to blog at all about style or fashion.

but the other day, my boss's wife (who i consider to be very fashionable) looked at my outfit and said, "i can do that!"  you see, she has the means to put together very nice outfits. she also has the eye for it, and she is a sharp dresser. for real. but she happens to like what i wear quite often. so you see, it made me so happy to hear her say that she had observed what i was wearing, was taking it in, and could pair something similar that she owns and feel really cute about it all. you see?

so what i am trying to tell you is there are a few tricks of the trade that i can share, because heck-- i'm on a tight budget; i have a slightly limited wardrobe; i did not go to fashion design school-- and maybe your situation is similar. 

so here i am. 21, happily married, on a med school budget, and ready to blog about being stylicious! but i am telling you right now, i am learning & growing (& hopefully shrinking a bit, too). so what i want to do is share with you the things i am learning about beautification of mind, body, & space-- so maybe you will look at it and say "that could work for me!"

this is yesterday. my after-hours apparel.

{trick 1: keep it clean & comfortable. you need to feel good about what you are wearing. comfort creats confidence. and confidence is your greatest style ally.
trick 2: layer a bit. don't over-do it. no frills-on-frills.
trick 3: it's springtime, so roll the suckas up! show a little cuff on your skinny jeans; it creates a feminine layering effect for your bottom half.
trick 4: this is a preference thing, but i feel that if your shirtage is blingin' then your blingage should be simplified. ie ruffles with a simple pearl tear-drop necklace & matching earrings
trick 5: get yo-self a pair of nude shoes. i would recommend closed-toe if you can find some. the peeps are cute, but not quite as comfy, ya know?
trick 6: if you like the shirt but you don't like the sleeves, cut 'em down! k, this may be so not classy, but it is not a joke. you see, i love this white shirt, but the sleeves were ugly. i bought it for like $3, cut the sleeves off, and use if for layering. and ONLY for layering.}

{trick lucky number 7: try a little retro on for size. i wanted to look a little classic, so i tried something simple with a modern twist on the 1920s wave & bun. and i think i pulled it off okay. clint took me to a fancy medical dinner & i got one "you look like taylor swift" (from a peer) & one "you're like a grace kelly or a gwyneth paltrow" (from a woman who may have actually known grace kelly)... and goodness! who wouldn't take a grace kelly compliment to heart, right!?}

{to do: twirl a low, side-riding pony-tail into a bun shape and wrap thin hair-tie around the base of the bun. bobby-pin if necessary}

well, there ya have it. the stylings of morty's kid, no. 1. 

also, do you think i should buy this chair? i realize it's a little faded at the top, but with the right throw-blanket & a vase of peonies beside it.... maybe... all in favor say, ay!

modcloth

nothing like a ball game to bring out the criminal in a girl...

so, my awesome thurber-in-laws blessed us with a package of astros tickets for this season. they are predicted to be the worst team in baseball this year, but clint is a die-hard. so game #1 for us was cubs @ astros. i already knew who would win. not because i know my stats, but because i know my harry caray. and cubs win, cubs win.

anywho, the better half and i set out on the metrorail for minute maid stadium. all smiles and no expectations.

{ you know how you know you have been married long enough to understand eachother almost perfectly? well, my moment of realization came in route to the metrorail. i told clint that he looked like a very attractive ninja turtle in his shades. he said "thank you!" he totally knew what i meant}



{in case you haven't seen minute maid stadium, here it is}



so try not to think too many sad thoughts about me when i make this confession, but i promise i will sugar-coat my wicked way in delightful narrative.

you see, on saturday mr. sports-is-life and i went to the rockets v clippers game to watch blake griffin dunk & the rockets kill the clippers like everyone else does. the previous monday i had bought a 6 pack of coke to help clint through the exam week, but he didn't drink them because he actually didn't need any help because he actually is a ninja turtle. so i decided that the cokes were mine, and i would bring one to the rockets game. but i got caught at the door and had to dispose of the precious liquid.

fast-forward to astros game night. i was making preparations for departure. i grab the coke and a fist full of pads & panty-liners and shove those bad-boys in my purse. on the train: i expertly arrange the contents of my large purse. coke in the large middle pocket. large wallet open and straddling the coke. one pad sticking out one side of the wallet, one pad to guard the backside. panty-liners strewn across the top of this mess to ward off prying eyes. one empty water bottle in the main section of the purse as a distraction mechanism (which clint actually stuck in there so that he could drink water like a healthy human being. little did he know he was enabling both my coke-loving & coke-sneaking addictions).

so we walk up to the ticket-takers and are forced to separate into the bag-holders & the non-bag-holders. by this time i am sweating a little, palms are clammy, & there is a knot in my stomach. but at least my husband won't be standing right next to me if i fail.

so i deftly hold my bag out like it's no big deal. there isn't really a vessel of yumminess hidden amongst the feminine products. the man looks at the middle pocket, pads & all, and quickly looks away a little flustered. but he regains composure and attempts to look again, but this time he spots the empty water bottle and gets a little antsy. so i allay his suspicions--"is it alright to bring this empty bottle in to fill it up in the drinking fountain?"

and you wanna know what?.... it totally worked.

see!



{i felt such a weird rush after getting through that bag check. but now i just feel bad. because here is the confession: the day before in relief society i had totally taught a lesson on honesty. but they do say that the teacher is the one who generally needs the lesson, right? i obviously needed that lesson. hopefully i will remember it the next time i get the urge to sneak a coke...}





{the stadium meets the skyline. houston, you rock. i will maybe name my first man-child after you. maybe}



{the piglets enjoying the view}



{what i am trying to say is, thank you grandma darlene for this dapper cap & matching beads from africa. everyone was jealous. i could tell}



{i was having a really fun time picking out on the new and improve big-screen who had the craziest eyebrows. this guy's eyebrows were at least 20 feet long. but he has such a friendly face, huh?}

{we're the thurbers, and we are happy to be here!}
{{the comment above is misleading, i had probably just spit on clint out of excitement & he may have been wiping it off his face... or something}}

this next picture was the icing on this magical cupcake of an evening...



{baseball, high-rises, trains, & the american flag. God bless the USA}



the moral to this story is-- men aren't just frontin'. they really are afraid of feminine products.

religion much?...

today is monday. i usually complain about that. but i had a great weekend. and i am feeling pretty great this morning. and, although this will happen very rarely on this blog, i am going to tell you right now what i think it is all about.


all about.


"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).




i do not need to nor will i ever apologize for my religion, my faith, or the family i can keep forever.

what do you believe?

rock its and rockets...

{last wednesday. weight 125.5. determination great. ran 15 minutes then got weirded out by the empty gym & made a fast escape. eating habits... a little better beginning with 1 hard-boiled egg for breakfast. tonight's weight 124. determination greater. it's a good start.}

{this picture really has nothing to do with anything, except that i was having a great hair day on friday, had to deposit some mula @ the bank and got caught by the teller snapping a pic of myself. i swear that is a disobedient frizz-curl, not a side-burn.}

{these are our ecstatic yay-rockets-game-and-blake-griffin faces b/c we love the rockets. and blake griffin. i mean, seriously. how could you not love that kid? and seriously, mr. clint is a hottie. expecially in his special rockets-watching spectacles.}

{doesn't it look like spectacles is trying to wink?}

how was your weekend? ready for monday bloody monday?