8.31.2011

Navy and White and a Dash of Yellow

 - Dress: Target - Shirt: from my mom -Wedge sandals: Mervyn's - Earrings and Ring: Kohl's 
- Watch: Fossil (old one of my husband's) - Bracelets: old Church VBS DIY and WWJD 
Can it be Friday already please? Labor Day is next Monday and that means a three day weekend for Ryan! My mother-in-law offered to babysit Sean on Saturday so we're going to use a Groupon we have for some 2 dollar movie tickets. (I think we'll see Rise of the Planet of the Apes.) I can't wait to go out on a nice date with Ryan. It's been way too long!
I wore this navy dress with a white button down shirt tied on top over to my Mom's house yesterday for ladies' night. My sister went as well and the older kids played while the adults ate and watched another episode of "Sweet Home Alabama." I made little appetizers for us out of whole wheat crackers, cheese and chicken salad and for our main entree I prepared salads with spinach leaves, apple, cucumber, and almonds.  It was a perfect light dinner for another one of our typical hot days down here!
I'm pretty sure the heat is what caused me to get a killer migraine later in the day, and I actually woke up this morning with a headache as well! As I'm typing this though, I see dark clouds forming outside and the trees are waving around in the wind that's picking up. Maybe we'll get some much needed rain!

8.28.2011

I burned my hands for this post...

- Top: Swapped from my sis - Pants: Kohl's - Sandals: Isaac Mizrahi via Target -Sunglasses & Watch: Fossil - Ring: JCPenney
- Bracelets: Old tennis bracelet I painted, wooden bangle (can't remember where I bought it), & freshwater pearls (gift)

I unintentionally burned my hands that is. See that third picture up there where I'm resting my hands on the fence? Right afterward I was jumping around waving my hands in the air like a crazy person because the metal felt like a hot stove! In the below picture, I am NOT grinning, I'm going "Eeeooww, that was hot!!!"
ANYWAY, in more interesting news... my mom's birthday is coming up next week so we celebrated today by having a nice lunch out together. We (my sis and her family, my mom, and my family) got some delicious Chinese food and had fun chatting. Before heading home Ryan and I stopped for a few minutes at a new subdivision a few blocks from our apartments to get these pictures. This area is very close to the Rio Grande, and there's one spot on a little hill where you can see Mexico in the distance. We were going to take pics there, but as we were about to drive up onto the dirt path leading up the hill, a Border Patrol vehicle came up and we decided not to stop. 
ANYWAY (again), it's so weird that while other parts of the nation are hunkering down for hurricane Irene, we're hot and dry as usual down here in Texas. I pray everyone will be safe and that little damage will be done by the storms! 

8.26.2011

My Wedding Album

My dress, veil, shoes, and bouquet
Putting on my earrings that were once my grandmother's.
My sister helping me get ready.
More preparations.
Heading into the church to meet this cutie at the altar!
The wedding party.
A kiss from my mom, who I was proud to have walk me down the aisle!
We totally forgot to blow out the candles we lit the unity candle with. So much for the symbolism of two becoming one!!
Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Fox! 
        My immediate family, minus my oldest sister who was 8 months pregnant at the time and couldn't fly into town for the wedding!
My girls!
Hubby and his groomsmen
We did it!
Oops I missed a curl when I was loosening up my curls. That ringlet looks silly!
Ryan pretending to whisper sweet nothings. 
xoxoxo
There they go again!
And again! He's just too cute
Never thought I'd be playing on a playground in my wedding dress, but it was fun and the pictures came out cute!
Hand in hand with my best friend.
       I designed the centerpieces using chargers from Bed Bath and Beyond and candles and little sparkly circlets from Michael's.
Friends and family at the reception.
Candid shot.
All smiles!
Dancing with my honey.
We danced to a Sinatra song, but I can't remember which one! 
And we're off! (Poor hubby got hit in the eye with a bag of rice! Nice send off, lol)
So here is my wedding post as promised! I married my best friend on a beautiful crisp and cool day in December of 2007 and I can't believe almost four years have passed already! I have many more pictures from that day, (by the awesome Pedro Saenz) but this post is already long enough! We were so happy to celebrate our wedding with our loved ones and I thank God for his blessings. 

My only regret is not trying harder to get the dress I originally wanted! I tried on this lovely Alfred Angelo dress when I was out of town one day and they didn't have my size so I left without it.
After visiting many different places in my town and trying on a million dresses, I finally purchased something entirely different from the above picture, but after a while I knew it was not THE dress. (I couldn't return it either so I was stuck with it.) In a last ditch effort I started searching eBay and found the dress I ended up wearing. (Crazy, I know.) My seamstress tailored it to me and I was happy in it on my wedding day, but once I got the pictures back I realized I looked TOTALLY flat in every single picture! I wasn't aware that the strapless shaper/bra thingie I was wearing under the dress made me look like a pancake. I never took pictures with it on beforehand because I bought it the day before. Lesson learned. 

8.25.2011

What to Wear to a Wedding - Friday's Fancies


                      Sugar and Spice by valfox 
I love this outfit! The jewelry lends an earthy quality to the look with the rose quartz in the bracelet and the geodes in the earrings, and the outfit itself is a mix of sweet and sassy. The bows on the heels and the scalloped and almost lacy texture of the skirt contrast nicely with the chainmail tank and vintage leather jacket.  Put on some luminous eye shadow and grab a clutch in complimentary colors and you're ready to attend a wedding in style. The theme of this week's Friday's Fancies is Wedding Guest Chic, but really I could even see the bride changing into this before leaving on her honeymoon! The pumps might even do double duty and match with her wedding dress too! If you love my bronze and blush colored "sugar and spice," click on the image at the bottom of this post and like my outfit over at long distance loving! Thanks, have a great weekend, and visit A Texan Odyssey again soon to see a post about my wedding!!
Here's a sneak peek:
Photo by Pedro Saenz (view his website here)


Chloé sleeveless tank top
$2,315 - barneys.com

Cropped jacket
$500 - witchery.com.au

Mulberry scalloped skirt
$750 - mulberry.com

Silvian Heach sequin pumps
€67 - welikefashion.com

Clutch bag
blueheavenboutique.com

Kimberly McDonald fine jewelry
£17,280 - brownsfashion.com

Isabel Marant rose quartz bracelet
£140 - net-a-porter.com



8.22.2011

My Most Viewed Post Revisited

My most popular post to date is Of Lace and Ants, the outfit I put together for my first Everybody, Everywear.  Seeing as how everybody seemed to like it, I thought I'd recreate my look for you! It's a very simple yet classic outfit that you can modernize with your choice of accessories.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!
-Val
- Top: Kohl's - Belt & Skirt: Gap - Shoes: Ralph Lauren - Ring: Target - Bracelet: Gift

8.21.2011

Sean's Shenanigans

Sean loves going to the pool!
This carousel ride however...first he HATED it, then he calmed down and afterwards he was all smiles!
But most of all, he loves his Dada!