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Shoe Me!

Shoesday!

I am here with some shoe-like cheer today! Next week, we’ll have a preview of new spring styles that I love but will not buy, due to upcoming baby (he’s not even born and already he’s ruining everything! ha!)

But today, in honor of our snowpocalypse – picture to follow – I’m doing cute winter boots for people who actually really get snow.

All four of today’s featured boots are, in theory, great for snowy & wet winter weather. This first one doesn’t SAY it’s waterproof, but it sure looks like it could be:

Stuart Weitzman Snowflake

 

These are cute and just exude an aura of warmness – I think it’s the furry top (which also kind of exudes an aura of muppet….)

ANYWAYS – WARM! And shiny!

Sporto Roxy

 

This third one give me hope that I could actually wear it. It’s short, which means less having to work around my ginormous calves of power. Also – RED! It probably wouldn’t work for places that measure snow in feet rather than fractions of an inch, but it would be just fine for our annual snowpocalypse that we have here in Portland!

Sperry Top-Sider Shearwater

 

Cute AND utilitarian, right?

 

This last pair left me a little…confused. It says they’re waterproof. And yet – they’re suede, which I tend to not wear in places where waterproof is important. They are pretty – I’m just not sure what to do with the waterproof suede boot. Maybe just buy them and then spend some quality time caressing them and whispering sweet nothings to them in my shoe closet. (I don’t really have an entire closet devoted to shoes – I just like to pretend.)

La Canadienne Caleb

 

 

And – just so you have a sense of what we’re dealing with here in Portland, I took a picture of the snowpocalypse in my front yard this morning. Prepare to be amazed at our resilience!

It is much snowier at work, but I work several hundred feet higher in the air. (Like on a cloud! Or a sky castle! Or on a hill…whatever.)

 

Final question – was I the only one who had to wear plastic grocery bags inside their snow boots to keep their feet dry in the winter? Was it because bootsmanship was shoddy in the 80s, or because we couldn’t afford waterproof boots?

Happy shoesday, y’all!

The 12 Days of Gazelle-mas: Day 5 (Shoesday!)

Happy Tuesday! I hope those of you who are back to work today are easing back in slowly and not overdoing it.

I am being both more and less productive than I’d like on my days off. I made meal plans for the next two weeks and got groceries, I cleaned up the holiday carnage, I went & checked out the fitness center at the community center where I swim and used their treadmill (which only allows you to increase the speed, and not decrease – weird, right? In order to go slower, I had to hit the “pause/reset” button….that worked fine, but before I knew that was the method, I spent a couple minutes running faster than I’d wanted to….) and the recumbent bike (I thought that might be more comfortable than my road bike on the trainer at home…jury’s still out), and did several loads of laundry.

So far, though, I’ve been avoiding school work and work work….that will need to change tomorrow afternoon.

Not a lot to report today – I’m pleasantly sore: 3 days biking in a row + arm weights & the dreadmill = nice.

AND – because I am talking about exercise here on SHOESDAY, I thought I’d give you the cutest Nikes ever (thanks Auntie Sarah!)

On the 5th day of gazellemas, Sarah gave to me:

FIVE PAIRS OF SHOES!

four pancakes

three lazy cats,

two empty boxes, and

A Pooh Bear outfit, adorable and twee!

 

Shoesday!

I have a pair of shoes (Rocket Dog!) that I absolutely love. They are pretty cute for casual shoes, and super comfy. Or at least they USED to be comfy. Now? not so much. But have I replaced them? Discarded them? At least relegated them to the back of the closet where they can do no harm?

Of course not.

I still wear them, even though they hurt now.

So, I usually shop for either cute work shoes or running shoes. I have no in between shopping mode. (In fact, these were actually a gift, as were my other favorite pair of weekend casuals – a wonderful pair of pumas that disappeared from my yoga studio one day.)

I decided that NOW, now was the time to look for cute casual shoes.

So – these three:

 

puma saba ballet dc3

These are almost identical to the ones that were cruelly stolen from the yoga studio except for two minor details: (a) they are a much better color, and (b) they are unfortunately not free like the others. SAD!

 

rocket dog bindi

How cute are these? Answer: exceptionally cute. As everyone who knows me knows – I am not a pink-type girl. However, there is something I like about pink accents on brown shoes. No idea why, but there you have it. Plus, these look like great replacements or my other less cute rocket dogs. <3

 

Simple Take On Elastic Lace

These aren’t necessarily my usual style, but they are pretty cute, right?

 

Thoughts? Opinions? What do you wear around the house & for errands?

 

Happy Shoesday, bitches!

Gratitude Journal

November 22, 2011: I am grateful that I have such excellent furry foot warmers who like to curl up by me when I sleeping and steal the covers. Well, maybe not that last part, but I do love my cats!

November 21, 2011: I am grateful for my excellent co-workers that make my days much less crappy (and more productive).

November 20, 2011: I am grateful for my beer theater. It is close to my house, has $4 first-run movies before 6 pm, serves decent pizza, and has beer and wine. Also, it has bottle water, which is what I had today.

November 19, 2011: I am grateful for random port-o-potties on my running route.

November 18, 2011: I am grateful that I have a connection to bits of my cultural heritage; I can’t imagine a world without lefse, and am so pleased that I have learned how to do it and have a skill I can pass on to Alvie Bean.

November 17, 2011: I am grateful for coffee. I know it seems like I mentioned it yesterday, but yesterday I only said I was grateful for the coffee maker (in a list of other things). But I really wanted to draw attention to coffee as deserving of its own special day. Coffee is the best beverage ever invented. I don’t understand how I got through so many years never drinking it and thinking it really wasn’t that great. Mmmmmm……coffee.

November 16, 2011: I am grateful for all the little luxuries I have that I often take for granted…my car, my phone, the coffee maker (so very grateful for my coffee maker). It’s so easy to caught up in the things I don’t have that I occasionally forget how very lucky I am. My life is so freaking awesome.

November 15, 2011: I am grateful that I have the kind of job/life/etc. that allows me to afford pretty shoes, and the level-headedness that keeps me from buying (very many) shoes that wouldn’t be practical.

November 14, 2011: I am grateful that I work in a place with lots of little food nooks. It’s always an easy walk to grab more food. Which I do more often than ever, lately.

November 13, 2011: I am grateful for streaming Netflix (and Hulu Plus!). Also, I am grateful for John Barrowman. And my new found love of Torchwood.

November 12, 2011: I am grateful for my awesome friends! I got so much good quality friend-time this weekend! Walks & cocoa & thrifting with her! Ornament painting and dinner and movies with Alisa, Jen, Lisa & Sarah! Cocoa and a chat with her! (I should maybe also mention that I’m grateful for hot cocoa.)

November 11, 2011: I am grateful for laid back evenings at home with the architect.

November 10, 2011: I am grateful to live in Portland, Oregon. It is so beautiful here. I love that we have four seasons, and I especially love autumn.

November 9, 2011: I am grateful for modern medical conveniences that help eliminate unnecessary surprises from my life. Yay for ultrasounds!

November 8, 2011: I am grateful for my brand-new employee who started today, who I am hoping will help take some of the financial reporting burden off my plate & allow me to do a better job on the more big-picture things.

November 7, 2011: I am grateful for weekends and the opportunity to relax and recharge.

November 6, 2011: I am grateful for running – and grateful that I am still able to run. I am also grateful for my proximity to the most awesome running park in the history of the world: Forest Park.

November 5, 2011:I am grateful that I was able to discover enough courage to join Toastmasters. I know this sounds super cheesy, but it’s really made a HUGE difference in my life.

November 4, 2011: I am grateful for the internet, which gives me the ability to work from home, in my pajamas, this morning.

November 3, 2011: I am grateful that I have a good job that is challenging & interesting, if not necessarily catering to my life interests.

November 2, 2011: I am grateful for the architect, who is simply wonderful. He picks up the household slack when I’m busy with schoolwork, brings me chicken fingers on his way home from work, and is simply the most wonderful husband I could ask for…

November 1, 2011:  I am grateful for my (so far, knock on wood) easy and wonderful pregnancy.

Shoesday: TREND Report

Just a few shoes today – going with the stacked heel wedge trend!

I love wedges. And I love stacked heels. AND I love suede. However, I do not buy suede shoes because I live in Portland Oregon, i.e. home of the winter rains. Suede + rain = sad.  So, I am fantasizing about the following pairs and encourage each & every one of you to pick up at least one pair of these, wear them, photograph your feet in them, and then taunt me. I love some good shoe-based taunting.

ANYWAYS – I am obsessing with purples and reds a bit lately, too – so here you go!

Sam Edelman Quiana

Steve Madden Pammy

 

Boutique 9 Cesena

 

DV by Dolce Vita DahliaEnzo Angiolini Carlina

 

Enzo Angiolini Carlina

 

 

Except for the couple with the ankle strap (I hate those, I’d rather have an across-the-foot strap), there is nothing I would change about any of them! Thoughts? Are you rushing out to buy? Do you own any suede shoes? (Are they blue?)

Gratitude Journal

November 15, 2011: I am grateful that I have the kind of job/life/etc. that allows me to afford pretty shoes, and the level-headedness that keeps me from buying (very many) shoes that wouldn’t be practical.

November 14, 2011: I am grateful that I work in a place with lots of little food nooks. It’s always an easy walk to grab more food. Which I do more often than ever, lately.

November 13, 2011: I am grateful for streaming Netflix (and Hulu Plus!). Also, I am grateful for John Barrowman. And my new found love of Torchwood. I watched the entire first season this weekend. And up next? In season 2? One of my boyfriends! Yay for James Marsters!

November 12, 2011: I am grateful for my awesome friends! I got so much good quality friend-time this weekend! Walks & cocoa & thrifting with her! Ornament painting and dinner and movies with Alisa, Jen, Lisa & Sarah! Cocoa and a chat with her! (I should maybe also mention that I’m grateful for hot cocoa.)

November 11, 2011: I am grateful for laid back evenings at home with the architect.

November 10, 2011: I am grateful to live in Portland, Oregon. It is so beautiful here. I love that we have four seasons, and I especially love autumn.

November 9, 2011: I am grateful for modern medical conveniences that help eliminate unnecessary surprises from my life. Yay for ultrasounds!

November 8, 2011: I am grateful for my brand-new employee who started today, who I am hoping will help take some of the financial reporting burden off my plate & allow me to do a better job on the more big-picture things.

November 7, 2011: I am grateful for weekends and the opportunity to relax and recharge.

November 6, 2011: I am grateful for running – and grateful that I am still able to run. I am also grateful for my proximity to the most awesome running park in the history of the world: Forest Park.

November 5, 2011: I am grateful that I was able to discover enough courage to join Toastmasters. I know this sounds super cheesy, but it’s really made a HUGE difference in my life.

November 4, 2011: I am grateful for the internet, which gives me the ability to work from home, in my pajamas, this morning.

November 3, 2011: I am grateful that I have a good job that is challenging & interesting, if not necessarily catering to my life interests.

November 2, 2011: I am grateful for the architect, who is simply wonderful. He picks up the household slack when I’m busy with schoolwork, brings me chicken fingers on his way home from work, and is simply the most wonderful husband I could ask for…

November 1, 2011:  I am grateful for my (so far, knock on wood) easy and wonderful pregnancy.

Shoesday!

You guys – I think I am going to buy these:

Indigo by Clarks Buena Vista

Yay? Nay? Have I lost my mind?

 

Others in consideration:

Adrienne Vittadini Penn

 

Fossil Sasha Pump

 

Also – I am not usually one for animal prints, and these are totally out of my shoe-buying price range, but am I crazy to love them?

Kate Spade Jocelyn

 

So – thoughts? Support for my impulse to purchase pair #1? (Although I’m starting to feel pair #3 more now…..ack!)

 

Happy Shoesday, y’all!

 

Oops – I almost forgot my gratitude journal!

Gratitude Journal

November 8, 2011: I am grateful for my brand-new employee who started today, who I am hoping will help take some of the financial reporting burden off my plate & allow me to do a better job on the more big-picture things.

November 7, 2011: I am grateful for weekends and the opportunity to relax and recharge.

November 6, 2011: I am grateful for running – and grateful that I am still able to run. I am also grateful for my proximity to the most awesome running park in the history of the world: Forest Park.

November 5, 2011: I am grateful that I was able to discover enough courage to join Toastmasters. I know this sounds super cheesy, but it’s really made a HUGE difference in my life.

November 4, 2011: I am grateful for the internet, which gives me the ability to work from home, in my pajamas, this morning.

November 3, 2011: I am grateful that I have a good job that is challenging & interesting, if not necessarily catering to my life interests.

November 2, 2011: I am grateful for the architect, who is simply wonderful. He picks up the household slack when I’m busy with schoolwork, brings me chicken fingers on his way home from work, and is simply the most wonderful husband I could ask for…

November 1, 2011:  I am grateful for my (so far, knock on wood) easy and wonderful pregnancy