Five on Friday

TGIF! I hope everyone has big plans for an exciting but relaxing weekend and is gearing up for the launch of Allie and I's photo challenge #oddsareiam! Here is what is on my radar going into this weekend.

1. Hail and Farewell - last night we had a Hail and Farewell - my first as an Army wife! A Hail and Farewell is a time to say goodbye to those transitioning into new assignments and hello to those joining the unit. Some companies coordinate outfits (last night, Whiskey company all wore their "Canadian Tuxedos" - or all denim outfits) but usually the guys are just happy to be in civilian clothes. I decided to obey the adage "it's better to be over-dressed than under-dressed" and below is my outfit.

Hail and Farewell by catherine-gumpman featuring wedge shoes
Dress - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

2. Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tasting - we're heading up to the MB Rolland Distillery a few miles up the road tomorrow for a tasting and tour followed by dinner. Who doesn't love a good old fashioned double date?

3. Stella & Dot Show - It isn't too late to place your order for my fundraising Stella & Dot show. I'm donating 100% of my commission to my dear friend's trip to Mumbai, so please shop away! All orders begin processing immediately and ship directly to you. Let me know if you have any questions!

4. Juicing - I finally invested in a juicer this week (rather than inviting myself over to a friend's house to use and abuse hers...) and have been juicing like crazy! My favorites so far? In the morning I have apple, pear, lemon, celery, cucumber, and ginger. And my mid-afternoon pick me up is grapefruit, pear, and ginger. Yum! I'm hoping to pick up some fresh produce at the farmers market tomorrow to stock up for next week.

5. Packing, organizing, and moving! With our move-in day right around the corner, and us gone next weekend, I need to keep on with my packing and organizing. It's never the easiest task, and it's taking all of my motivation to keep from getting burnt out, so wish me luck!

I hope you all have a great weekend. Can't wait to see your #oddsareiam photos on Sunday!

#oddsareiam

Y'all. I am so excited about this. I have been working so hard these past few months to really dedicate myself to my blog. Write about things I'm knowledgeable and passionate about, really spend time reading others blogs to learn more and gain inspiration, and get out of my comfort zone. Before I would've been completely comfortable with flying under the radar and blogging/reading from afar. But now I had the guts to reach out to one of my favorite bloggers and ask her to collaborate. 

And the end result? Allie from Alexandra Bee Blog and I are doing a photo challenge! 

On the odd days in June (starting Sunday on June 1) we want you to instagram a photo of what you're up do in the summer, using the hashtag #oddsareiam. Here are some examples for you:

In the summer, #oddsareiam sunburnt from too much time at the pool.

Warm weather? #oddsareiam guzzling fresh juice - healthy AND so refreshing!

Summer time means that #oddsareiam enjoying hot dogs, beer, and baseball with L whenever possible.

So follow me on Instagram and be sure to follow Allie while you're at it! We'll be blogging about our favorites - can't wait to see what you're up to!

Funemployment: Day 22

Last week, I went into a staffing agency, hoping they'd be able to direct me towards some job openings I hadn't found yet. While I was there, they began to envision me in an opening in their own office. After a conversation that day, I had an interview with the branch owner on Thursday, a phone interview with corporate yesterday, and am scheduled to go in tomorrow for another conversation with the branch owner. 

This process has been so reinforcing for me. After so many "no thanks" for dozens of job applications, it was nice to know I still had a presence in person. That I came across as competent, professional, and hardworking as I think I am. The job won't be an easy one - there will be multitasking, dealing with frustrated people, and sometimes long hours. It isn't exactly what I'd love to be doing, but then again, I don't have a clearly defined idea of what I'd like to be doing. There is even an added component of working with someone married to an officer out-ranking my husband, which could be tricky to navigate... 

So what happens when you get a good lead but you aren't sure if you should take it? Life is too short to be unhappy with your work. And if the passion isn't there, the work is going to feel twice as hard. I just left a job because I was so unhappy that it was impacting the rest of my life. But, can we swing it on just my husbands salary?

What do you think? Do I take a job for the sake of having a job, or do we pinch pennies and keep searching? Have you been in this sort of situation before? What did you do?

Source

#MDW2014

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. L and I made the trek up to upstate Indiana to visit his family - a trip that was long overdue. (We hadn't been up there since our Open House Wedding Reception in September!) We left bright and early Friday morning (my family is a big fan of leaving at the crack of dawn and getting there that much earlier) and were able to enjoy three days with my wonderful in-laws.

The weekend kicked off with us giving my sister-in-law the second half of her graduation present, and my father-in-law his early Father's Day present. 

My in-laws are huge Cubs fans, so we got them tickets to a Cubs/Pirates game and their train fare into Chicago. I found this white tub at Target in the Dollar Spot and used sharpies we had at home to add the Cubs logo. (Not the BEST artistic depiction, but I am no artist, so I was very proud of myself.) In addition to the tickets and train fare, I added other baseball staples: sunflower seeds, peanuts, and although I couldn't find Cracker Jacks, I added some toffee popcorn. 

The rest of the weekend was amazing - relaxing, filled with delicious food, and seeing many friendly faces. We got dinner up in Michigan at Fat Cam's (Holy Shrimp and Grits), shopped the antique stores in Shipshewana, saw the South Bend SilverHawks win a baseball game, and tested my sister-in-law's new hammock. 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend as well! Stay tuned for an exciting announcement later this week!

Living Room Plans

As of this morning, the security deposit is paid, and our perfect rental house is OURS! (Here's to no more moving until we PCS again - I'm ready to settle on in!) I did a post a few weeks ago about our dream house decorations in the abstract, but now that we have an actual space to work with, my mind is going 1,000,000 mph. 

Right now, this is what the living room looks like (of course, the current renters will be taking their furniture...)

Now, I love the tray ceiling, the flooring, all of that natural light, and the ceiling fan, but that green has GOT to go. So, our number one task is to PAINT. The thing is, I haven't had the freedom to paint a room since the summer of 2007 (when I opted for a hot pink... whoops...) and the options are overwhelming. Here is what our current living room is like:

The layout of our apartment means the "dining room" and "sun room" run into the living room, which has made it hard to define a specific theme - although I'd stayed pretty safe and selected more neutral colors with the pop of teal on the lamps. Here is what I'm thinking for paint colors:

Gray. I'm intrigued by the gray on the walls, and think it would be something different without being too drastic. (And of course, staying neutral, as required.) I think it'd look nice against the lamps, but, I'm not sure how it would look against the tan couch or the brown tv stand.

Seafoam. I love the hint of green and blues in this color, and I think it would compliment the lamps while playing nicely with the more neutral items in the room. It's subtle, and yet it's not something you see every day. 

Yellow. The yellow would make the room feel sun-shiny every single day, which makes me so happy to think about. I know the yellow will match the lamps, but I'm worried it would be too matchy-matchy with the sofa. 

What are your thoughts? Any other recommendations I should consider?

Stella & Dot Summer Sale

Vineyard Vines had a sale... Kate Spade is having a sale... and now Stella & Dot has released their summer markdowns! I wanted to show you a few of my favorite pieces that are newly discounted and remind you that I'm still raising funds for Tori's trip to Mumbai! 

I love this necklace so much - the pinks and oranges with a splash of sparkle scream summer to me. This would be perfect with everything from a maxi dress to a chambray shirt and beyond. (Plus, Mindy Kaling wore it perfectly on The Mindy Project!)

I own this necklace and wear it constantly! It's the best way for me to dress up my outfit and add a bit of glam. It was one of the best investments I made when signing up to be a stylist.

These earrings have been a best seller and I was so surprised to see them marked down already. (Hint, that means they're retiring soon, so get your hands on them ASAP!) The white and gold compliment any outfit and they add a bit of edge to anything you're wearing. Dress them up, dress them down - they work a million different ways.

You can shop Tori's show here. If I sell $1,584 more in retail, my commission goes up to 30% and Tori will receive $720 towards her trip. Please consider making your purchase today. Orders process immediately and ship right to you. Plus, all items come guaranteed - you're not 100% satisfied? S&D will foot the cost of shipping for 90 days. It's a win win for everyone! I am 35% of the way to my goal and would really like to hit it by June 1! 

Funemployment: Day 13

The job search continues, although having last week relatively free to catch up on chores and training was very nice. I plan on being as efficient and responsible as I can this week, while continuing to send out applications.

I received two "thanks but no thanks" this weekend from two of the jobs I had applied to, and I have to say they are a little discouraging. I am a competent, responsible, hard-working person. Why wouldn't they want to hire me? However, I have to remember how many factors come into play when hiring an individual for a job opening, and I have to move onto the next opportunity. 

This weekend I met a new friend who mentioned someone in her office is interested in hiring a part-time administrative assistant. So, my first task this morning? Polishing my resume (again) and sending it off to a potential employer! I'll also maintain my goal of submitting one job application today - which I've been doing consistently for the last few weeks.

However, no matter what happens, I am so grateful I have a family and friends network who are supportive of me and help me to see that "que sera sera."

Any tips for my job search? What tricks have worked for you in the past to nab an interview or gain the attention of an employer?

5 on Friday

TGIF, everyone! I hope you have big plans for the weekend. Here are my 5 for Friday - enjoy!

1. Taco Meatloaf - Pinterest wins again! I found this taco meatloaf recipe and was a little hesitant at first, but it was delicious. (My adjustments? I used a whole can of corn and added a tablespoon of Sriracha.) 

2. Lauren's Engagement Photos - Y'all. I'm obsessed. Go to Wayfares & Worksheets and look at the others she has shared. I've been a fan of her blog for a while now and she's a beautiful person inside and out and these photos are to die for. 

3. Tori's Stella & Dot Fundraising Show - So far we've raised $159 for Tori's trip to Mumbai this summer and there's still so much time to order. Please help me sell $1,965 more Stella and Dot and raise the maximum amount of money for her mission trip. You can shop online here - orders process immediately and ship directly to you! (Poufs and charm necklaces make excellent gifts!)

4. What a mail day! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I had an excellent mail day yesterday and I am all set for relaxing by the pool this weekend. (Come back, warmer temps! These 60's aren't doing it for me.)

5. Weekend Plans - So far this weekend, we have the farmers market and dog park on our schedule. Probably a movie date tomorrow night, church on Sunday - and at some point getting my rear passenger break light fixed. (Bummer, right?) 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Perfect BackYard

Last night, L and I toured the perfect first rental house. We applied for it this morning - so please keep your fingers crossed for a June 13 move date! 

The first two houses we toured had overgrown lawns, were empty, and it was hard for us to imagine ourselves there. Plus, it's hard to justify all the TLC when you won't get any equity back on your hard work. We just would rather get a rental that was move-in ready. And boy did we find it! The biggest thing that caught my eye? When we pulled up the yard was freshly mowed. There is NOTHING like a freshly mowed lawn.

I know I recently did a post on our dream house decorations, but now that I have a better idea of what we'd be working with, I thought I'd do a more specific breakdown. Starting with that beautiful yard!

First off, a good lawn mower is a must. (Am I the only one that finds mowing the lawn a little therapeutic?) A fire pit will make it easy to enjoy late nights outside and maybe roasting a marshmallow (or two...) I love gliders, so one for the porch is a must. Perfect for a glass of wine at the end of the day, or a cup of coffee in the morning. And right under it? This outdoor rug from Target - a soft blue is a great compliment to the coral on the glider. I'd prefer to put in a picnic table in the backyard to enjoy dinner. (The porch is a little on the small side, so why not use some of the yard?)

Other projects on my mind?

This pallet bar. I've been hesitant to jump on the pallet band wagon (mostly because I'm being hipster about it and am claiming I had a love affair with pallets before everyone else, starting with my summer working for Appalachia Service Project), but this is too cute. Small, easy to tuck away, and convenient.

This side table is too perfect - it's things like these that make me wonder why someone didn't come up with this ages ago!

Any other ideas I should incorporate? Comment below with your Pinterest name so I can see your inspiration! (And follow me while you're at it!)

Swim Season

It's summertime, which means I'm about to change my address to our local swimming pool and take up residency there until September. However, now that I'm married - and hanging out with lots of other married couples - I'm feeling the urge to be a little more conservative in my swimwear. I've never been exceptionally comfortable in a bikini and these options also make it a little easier to run around the pool deck or beach chasing dogs, beach balls, or husbands without worrying about falling out of a top OR bottom.

But a one piece or tankini doesn't mean being frumpy or too soccer Mom! Especially recently, more and more companies are working to create more appealing suits for everyone. Here are some of the items I'm eyeing for this summer.

This adorable suit from J Crew Factory with anchors is the perfect nautical theme for sitting pool-side. (It's also on sale now - 30% off!)

Rey Swimwear is such an inspiring brand and their suits are all adorable. This suit is so cute - although I think I'd opt for a traditional bottom rather than the boy shorts. For the record, I'm also obsessed with this one:

What do you think? Would you consider investing in one of these cute one pieces? 

Funemployment: Day 7

Source

Leaving my job last week was a tremendous struggle for me. I've been struggling with a lot of unresolved questions and simply letting go - it's hard to do something for four years and just turn it off one day. I'm finally back home from my trip to Tennessee and am full speed ahead to what is next. 

For my flight back, I bought this goody and read over half of it on my way home last night:

It has been such an inspiration for me already. Even though these women are from every line of work you could think of, every race, sexual orientation, and I found myself relating to every story. To see that these women failed at jobs, failed as tasks, that what they wanted to do didn't work out - it's given me a whole new hope for my next step.

Today I had Treasurer and Point of Contact training for my Family Readiness Group which will both be great additions to my resume. After talking to an alumna who has done consulting in the past, I have reached out to some contacts in the community about advising students with their college search this summer. And I've been in touch with a staffing agency to set up an appointment later this week. 

There is no time to dawdle - although laying by the pool would be nice :) And my blog is no exception - I have some exciting news coming up so stay tuned!

Stella & Dot Specials

Good morning, all! As I've mentioned before, I have a dear friend, Tori, who is fundraising for a mission trip to Mumbai, India this summer. Tori is a Mother Theresa, and in an effort to help her fundraise, I am holding a Stella & Dot Trunk Show and donating ALL my commission to her trip. That's 25% of sales - but if we reach $2,308, it goes up to 30%. $2,400 is our goal so Tori can have $720 more than before.

Tori and her husband Ryan

I would encourage you ALL to shop her trunk show here - your order will process immediately (not when the party closes), ship directly to you, and you're helping a great cause. Need even more reason to shop? Here are some great promotions going on right now.

I've already told you how much I love The Hang On and consider it a travel essential, but now you can get it for free! If you buy a Getaway - which expands to be 19" tall - the hang on is thrown in at no additional cost to you. Both come in several patterns and are the perfect items for weekend summertime mini-vacations. (These would also make a great graduation present for the grad who will be taking lots of mini-trips to and from home.)

Or you could take advantage of this Trunk Show Exclusive Offer! Spend $50 and get any of these items half off. (That Maldives necklace has been on my wish list for months.) The Palm Springs Scarf makes a great sarong for the pool, and who doesn't need a new tote? (The Classic tote has a bottle pocket on the inside, and a wipe-able lining to minimize mess.)

Please, I encourage you to shop shop shop! Help us reach our $2,400 goal and help fund Tori's amazing mission trip.