Happy Halloweeny

Greetings, friends. It has been absolutely forever since I've posted anything. My apologies! I knew it would take me coming upon a subject that I'm really passionate about to prompt me to sit down and write something again. And last night...I did. HALLOWEEN. Well, not just Halloween in general but, more specifically, Halloween costumes.

The summer before our Junior year of college, eight of my very best friends, including myself, moved into two houses right next door to each other with four girls in each house. One of the houses was owned by our friend Mindy's parents, so naturally that was available for some of us to move in to. It was luck that brought us to the house next door. It just happened to go up for rent right when we needed to sign a lease.

Besides the living situation with the eight of us being one of the best things that ever happened to me (and all of us, I dare say), it also presented us with a new way to bond our group together: intensely well thought out Halloween costumes.

Our first Halloween living in the two houses, we decided on the fly that we should all dress up as a group. I believe it was Casey, our token brunette friend :), who came up with the idea of being Ballerinas. The week before Halloween we all spent countless hours hand sewing our own tutus. Although, if I recall correctly, I ended up creating my own and two or three others, because hand sewing just happens to be one of my strange talents haha. We lucked out with these costumes because I grew up dancing and my Mom is a ballet teacher, so all of the leotards, tights, and ballet shoes were provided by the Webb household.

The Ballerina costumes were a huge hit and, therefore, we were hooked. We set ourselves up to continually try to outdo ourselves each year.

I will say that I don't think my feet have ever hurt worse then when I spent this entire night walking around flat footed in pointe shoes.

That same Halloween, my sister and now brother-in-law dressed up as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. I wanted to give these costumes a shout out because it was absolutely hilarious. I particularly enjoy this picture because they both look so young, and it's funny to think about them now married.

The Ballerinas were great, no question, but we knew that we had to come up with something even better our Senior year. At first, we threw around the idea of being Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Obviously, the numbers worked in our favor, and Casey would have made a perfect Snow White. But, something about the idea didn't sit right with all of us.

Then, someone came up with our most brilliant costume idea to date...The Wizard of Oz. Immediately when this idea came out we all loved it and began claiming our character of choice. I chose the Cowardly Lion, naturally, because I basically already have a lion's mane on my head. We all made our costumes separately, and on the night of Halloween it all "magically" came together. Not only were the costumes amazing, but the picture below reigns as my all time favorite picture of the eight of us.

The next year, our Halloween group significantly dwindled because of graduation and other circumstances, so just a few of us got together and dressed alike. Don't ask me why, but Mindy was stuck on the fact that we were going to be...well...Gothic Fairies. Hahahaha. It sounded like just about the strangest idea I had ever heard, but it turned out to be really funny and original. Unfortunately, in the picture, you can't get a good look at our amazing Gothic Fairy wings, but believe me, they were large and intimidating. At least 15 people were unintentionally caught in my wings while we were out that night.

Last year, we had a huge Halloween party to attend, but, since most of us lived apart, we decided to do our own things. I was Miss Piggy and my boyfriend at the time was Kermit, which was really entertaining. But, I do not recommend those fake pig noses--they are incredibly uncomfortable. Laura was 80's Madonna and Kristen was Pebbles. Our friend Jayme was Cindy Lou Who and her boyfriend was a Penguin (very cute). Halie was Gwen Stefani and well, Mindy and Shannon were her Harajuku girls (notice the wigs). Their costumes were by far some of the most ridiculous I've ever seen and will, without a doubt, go down in history with our friends. Casey was also there but isn't pictured. She and her now fiance were the Governor and First Lady of Texas. She wore a blonde fro wig...enough said. :)

This year we have big plans. We're going to be attending Ghostland Observatory, so we know we have to go big or go home. I'm going to keep under wraps what we'll be dressing up as...but it's going to be cute and very sparkly. We'll just say that.

I hope everyone has as much fun dressing up and celebrating as we will!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Wormin' It Up For America (S.F.P.)

This past weekend was another one for the books. Much like Memorial Day weekend, it was spent livin' it up lake style in Oklahoma with a bunch of good people. I thought there was no way we could top our last holiday weekend excursion, but boy was I wrong.

The serious funny kicked in when we discovered our friend Mindy's karaoke machine. I believe she pumped out more than a few jams on that thing circa 8th Grade (or so). Most everyone took their turn on the mic, myself included ("Strawberry Wine...SEEEEVENTEEN..."). Then, our friend Travis decided he should try to do the Worm Dance, and I guess you could say he started a phenomenon. In case you're looking to follow in our footsteps, see this instructional video, "How To Do the Worm Dance."

Unfortunately for us, Travis didn't come across this video until AFTER we spent two nights taking turns attempting The Worm.

Now, on to the show...below you'll find a compilation video of several people's attempts on Sunday night (night two of "karaoke/worm madness"). I'll give you fair warning, I had tears of laughter running down my face the first time I watched it.

Thanks to Barrett V. for providing this little gem. You may notice that I don't make an appearance attempting The Worm, mostly because I knew it wouldn't go well. But, if you know me you may hear my words of encouragement (and discouragement, ha) in the background.

P.S. the beginning is a little taste of our late night game of Chubby Bunny, just to clarify.

Are you laughing as hard as I was??? I hope so. If not, I'll just say, "You had to be there." Thanks to everyone who made my Fourth of July weekend SO much fun :)

Now, go try The Worm. You know you want to.

Long Time, No Blog.

First of all, I apologize for not drafting any new posts lately. I wouldn't necessarily say I've been uninspired, but I've definitely been incredibly busy. My days have been booked to the brim the last couple of weeks--especially the weekends. I've been having a lot of fun with my cooler than cool friends (probably too much fun). I should be very thankful for this, I suppose. So, thanks to those of you who have been keeping me so occupied, haha.

Honestly, I haven't had anything worth blogging about in the last couple of weeks...until today.

I'm a provisional (or "pledge," basically) in the Jr League of Ft Worth. We're required to volunteer at the League's upscale resale shop called Double Exposure, or D.E. for short. The D.E. has a very large inventory of clothes, shoes and home goods--the majority of which have been donated by League members and provisionals. While volunteering, we spend most of our time sorting through new donations and straightening the things that are already out on the floor. It's a pretty cool gig. At our first provisional meeting, they told us that their best customers are the League members, but up until now, I hadn't really found anything there worth spending money on.

Today, I spent the first hour or so of my volunteer time sizing and reorganizing the women's suits and evening attire. That's where I came across my first two purchases...

The top pictured above is by far my favorite of the two. The picture doesn't really do it justice because you can't see how intricate the beading is all over it. I didn't even try it on before buying it (can you say impulse shopper???), but upon arriving home I found that it's the perfect length to wear with my black Joe's jeggings or even white jeans, perhaps. I honestly almost shed a tear because I love it so much. The scalloped edges might be my favorite feature.

The other top, which I don't have a picture of (sorry), is going to be saved for Fall/Winter. It's long sleeved with an all-over black and white sequin check print. I promise it isn't as Bozo the Clown-ish as it sounds, haha.

Needless to say, I scored both of them for under $17.00 (WHAT WHAT!). Partly because the D.E. is having a Fourth of July Sale and everything in the store is 25% off. It must be my lucky day!

I'll be heading back to Lake Eufaula for, what I will momentarily dub, "Holiday Weekend Debauchery Round 2: Party in the U.S.A." (just made that up, in case you couldn't tell). I'm ridiculously excited. I'm sure I'll come back with many hilarious stories and memories--most of which probably won't be appropriate for sharing, haha.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!! GO AMERICA!

Drake < Jimmy

So, for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, the new Drake album "Thank Me Later" was released a few days ago. Personally, I'm a fan of his music. I haven't bought the new album (yet), but I have liked all the songs he has released so far.

I believe it was around a year ago when I first heard his song "Best I Ever Had." I didn't really know who this Drake character was, but I jammed out to the song whenever I had the chance. Then...I saw him on T.V....and almost had a heart attack.

I'll explain myself...

One Summer, during our early college years, my sister and I discovered this Canadian teen soap opera called Degrassi: The Next Generation. It was incredibly cheesy, but for some reason we got sucked into it. This cable channel called The N would play episodes of it late at night, which is usually when she and I would be hanging around together (keep in mind, we were both still living at home during the summers at this point ha). For several years afterward, I would watch Degrassi randomly whenever I saw that it was on, and I basically watched all the teenage characters grow up.

The reason I was so shocked when I saw Drake on T.V. is because he played a character on Degrassi named "Jimmy." He was on the show for several seasons and even got shot in an episode, which led to him being in a wheelchair.

Forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know, but in case you are as shocked as I was to find out that this new phenomenon of a rapper (who supposedly dated Rhianna) was previously a cheesy soap opera actor, check out THIS CLIP.

I'll never get passed it. Every time I hear a song of his or see his face, I picture "Jimmy" being shot in the back. I may or may not have cried during that episode. Probably shouldn't share that with people.

Josh the Cat.

On Sunday, I returned from my previously mentioned Florida beach vacation. To say that Laura and I had fun would be an understatement. It was an incredibly relaxing time (we definitely napped every day), but we also did our fair share of going out on the town.

We stayed with Laura's Aunt Bill who I had only met once before, but she is quite the character. She's one of the smartest women ever, I'm convinced. She has a million degrees, she started some sort of lab to help heal babies born to drug addicts, and she has written several books. GENIUS. She has lived an incredibly interesting life.

Instead of having children, Aunt Bill has dedicated her nurturing side to multiple cats. She currently has four, which was entertaining to both Laura and I since we are VERY allergic, ha. There's Jake (the Baby), Sydney (the Nervous One), Toby (the Fattest Cat Alive, literally), and Josh. Our favorite, by far, was Josh. Josh the Cat. For some reason, we found it extremely comical that there is a cat named Josh...Joshua. I suppose that's because it seems like such a "human" name.

Below, you can find a picture of Josh hanging out in his favorite spot--on top of the DVR box. This was probably one of the only times during the entire trip that he wasn't staring at me. He officially hated me from our first encounter, probably because I shooed him away when he tried to cuddle. We also had a waiter named Josh on our last day in Florida. He judged me for ordering a cheeseburger...no big deal. We decided Joshes like to judge.

The only thing we didn't take full advantage of while in Florida was the sun, as odd as that sounds. We went STRAIGHT to the beach upon arrival and layed out for an hour or two. I was a little rosy afterwards, but poor Laura got the full wrath of Mr. Sun (hence her 3 a.m. Facebook status update saying, "I'm a Lobster"). We still went to the beach every day, regardless, but stayed under the umbrella the majority of the time.

Right by where the above picture was taken is a little boutique called Soho. They had a lot of cute stuff (I got a rockin' new cocktail ring there) including a large collection of monokinis, which are sort of a one piece swimsuit/bikini hybrid for those who aren't familiar with the term. I tried on this AMAZING black one, but for some reason talked myself out of buying it. I'm really kicking myself for it. I've been searching online for something similar, but, so far, nothing measures up. I'm actually considering calling Soho and seeing if they'll ship it to me...I'm a freak. I know. What can I say? I know what I want...sometimes :)

Let Summer roll.

By the way...

How cool is THIS???

Testing the Waters

I'll be heading out this evening for a 5 day vacation in Florida with one of my best friends, Laura, and her mom, Susan. We're staying at Laura's Aunt Bill's house, which is supposed to be amazing. She usually rents it out to vacationers, but is kindly letting us visit for free. We are literally going there with no plans except to lay on the beach, eat good food, and relax. Should be incredible.

I guess the last thing we should add to the list of plans is checking out the effects of the oil spill. It reached Florida about a week ago. I'm interested/nervous to get to witness some of it firsthand. I'll report back in a few days...

See you on the beach.

"Don't Blog About That."

This weekend was one for the books. I had a great time BBQ-ing and going out on the town with friends on Friday. Then Saturday, brunch at Social House led to an all-day pool fest. But, what else can you do when it's 106 degrees outside???

Perhaps the things said to me the most yesterday were "Don't blog about that" or "Blog about it." Seems that my friends find it entertaining that I've taken to blogging. I know I'm a dork...I never said otherwise! Haha It was an incredibly fun couple of days, to say the least.

Today, I saw Sex and the City 2 with two of my best friends, Mindy and Casey. I had heard it wasn't very good (the media even nicknamed it Sucks and the City), but I actually really enjoyed it! There were some SERIOUSLY cheesy parts, but all in all it was entertaining.

I've been reading Candace Bushnell's new book The Carrie Diaries. It's a prequel to Sex and the City and is about Carrie's days in high school. It isn't the best book I've ever read by any means, but I find it fun to picture Sarah Jessica Parker much younger, running around in '80's garb.

I saw on E! News the other day that they are already discussing making it into a movie. I think it's a great idea, but I gagged on my cereal when I heard who they're considering to play the young Carrie...brace yourselves...MILEY CYRUS!!! I might jump off a building if they cast her. Not that I have anything against her music. I mean, who didn't jam out to "Party in the USA" all last winter? (She's just bein' Miley.) But, I absolutely refuse to pay $8.00 to watch her talk for 2 hours. Something about her mouth and teeth REALLY bothers me.

On another note, if you haven't seen her video for "Can't Be Tamed", you should watch it. By the looks of it, she's trying to shake that Disney image. Good luck, Miley.

It's the Small Things in Life

I had a great day today. Nothing particularly spectacular happened, yet it was a great day. I got up early, did some work, and put in a few volunteer hours for Jr League. On my way home, I decided to top off my fabulous day by picking up my fabulous ring that I hadn't been able to stop thinking about. To say that I am obsessed would be an understatement...

Maybe today was such a good day because I was still on a high from last night. My sister surprised me by showing up in my city! I got to enjoy some time with she and her boss, Lindsay. They were in town for market. I feel lucky to have seen them because they were here for less than 24 hours.

Lindsay and her mom own a store in Houston, called Muse, and my sister is a buyer/merchandiser there. They have the most wonderful, fun things! If you live in or around H-Town you really should stop in. I can never visit without buying something (or several somethings!).

Valerie, Lindsay and I had so much fun chatting--spending most of the time telling our worst dating stories. While we were talking, I thought to myself, "Someone should write all these down and turn them into a book." Then, I remembered, "Oh yeah, someone already did." It's called Sex and the City. Candace Bushnell totally stole my idea. OH WELL! Better luck next time.

Happy Weekend/Happy Hour.

Happily Never After?

Did you hear? The Gores are getting a divorce after 40 years of marriage. How sad is that? According to the news story I was just reading, their divorce has already been added to Wikipedia. The story also noted some statistics about divorce that we've all heard before (couples who fight about money are more likely to divorce blah blah blah), but why after 40 years of getting through so much together would they just all of a sudden call it quits? Somehow I doubt it had anything to do with money.

Perhaps, my short time on earth doesn't lend me much perspective on this subject. After all, they were married for close to double the amount of years I've been alive! Which suddenly makes me feel very childlike...

On E! News today (yes, I watch it almost every day...sue me) they made some pretty mean but pretty clever jokes about Al not saving the environment and now not being able to save his marriage. They also mentioned that Al and Tipper have three adult children. It reminded me of something my Dad once told me. He was telling me how one of his friends wasn't getting along with his wife. The couple I'm referencing had apparently discussed the possibility of separating or divorcing once their kids had all left the nest. Maybe The Gores had a similar agreement?? I guess I would need to find out how "adult" their children really are before analyzing any further.

Am I being Debbie Downer or what?

On a lighter note, I saw the turquoise cocktail ring of my dreams today. I found it at this little store in Dallas called La Mariposa. They specialize in Mexican clothing and decor (the store is painted PINK, how could I not go in?), but had the most amazing selection of turquoise jewelry! I guess I should have expected that? The owner was so welcoming and we discussed our upcoming vacations to Florida and the effects of the never-ending oil spill on our plans. I didn't buy the ring on the spot (mistake!!!), but I haven't stopped thinking about it for hours, which in my book signifies that it is worth having.

Sweet dreams, friends. I'll now be watching "Glee" on TiVo until my eyes close. My best to The Gores!

Memorial Day is Such a Trickster

The weird thing about Memorial Day is that it is deceiving. Deceiving in the fact that it is a Monday dressed up like a Sunday.

I am almost too exhausted to think right now, but I had to discuss the wonderful weekend I just returned from. I spent the past 3 days on a lake in The Promised Land (aka Oklahoma, in case you're out of the loop). I was ON A BOAT! I honestly can't remember the last time I had so much fun or laughed so hard. It also helped me to remember the value of making new friends and catching up with old ones.

I also had a major life accomplishment while at the lake. For those who are close to me, you know about my deathly fear of all water sports. And I mean ALL water sports. Let's just say that my friends always joke that doing cannonballs off the boat is my idea of a water sport (and they're right). But, this weekend was different. I'm not sure what came over me, but I decided to try wake boarding! I'm sure it was incredibly unimpressive to those who watched from the boat, considering I never even made it all the way up, but I am ecstatically proud of myself for even trying. I conquered my fear and that is what matters :)

Sorry there are no pictures to share today. There is a good video of last night's festivities floating around out there, but I'll leave that to someone else to make it an internet sensation...

P.S. ghost stories...

My Day With Miss Mindy

Today, I got a real treat. And no, I am not referring to the premier episode of "So You Think You Can Dance," even though I am EXTREMELY excited that my favorite show is back for a brand new season (it truly feels like summer because of it). No, the treat I am referring to was my day volunteering with my friend Mindy's 4th Grade class.

Since the school year is winding down, they're looking for ways to entertain the kids. So, the 4th Grade teachers scheduled a play day in the park for today, and last week Mindy asked if I would mind coming to help. I accepted (obviously) and it ended up being a very entertaining and fun day.

Along with witnessing Mindy and some of the girls in her class school (no pun intended) a bunch of little boys in a soccer game, I also came away with a few photographic gems, including the one below.

That would be Mindy, another one of the teachers, and a couple of their kids climbing a giant rope mountain. This was taken from my place on the swings, which has always been my FIRST CHOICE on the playground.

I was so impressed by how in control and assertive Mindy was with her kids. And although they all obviously respect her authority, there is a nice camaraderie between them. The "cool girls" in her class are especially funny. I even got to see their dance from the talent show, which in case you are wondering was set to "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyonce...and yes, their performance was complete with the rap section performed by their lead dancer. Quite the little stars! Kids are so funny.

Out of my seven best friends two of them are elementary school teachers and, as of today, I have gotten to visit both of their classrooms to see them in action. Shouldn't I get some kind of friendship award for this???? I sure think so :)

I will now return to watching So You Think You Can Dance and packing for my weekend at the lake.

Happy Memorial Day, kids!

The Hills Are Alive...

The newest episodes of The Hills and The City aired last night. In case you missed it (which you should be really ashamed of), Brody Jenner introduced a new GF on the show. Her name is Mckaela...the irony is not lost on me.

I have had what I will momentarily refer to as an "eternal crush" on Brody since his first appearance on The Hills waaaaaaay back in my Sophomore (????) year of college. In my opinion, he is too beautiful for words.

I would also like to note that The City is far superior to The Hills. Every episode I feel like I'm being thrown into the high fashion world of NYC...basically my dream come true. I'll thank Olivia Palermo for that one. And not to mention Whitney Port is my celebrity alter ego/girl crush.

I told myself I wasn't going to shop for anything new until I go to NYC at the end of the summer because, quite frankly, I don't need any new clothes. But, I can't help but stalk this Worn-In Denim Vest from J Crew. I haven't looked at their website in a few weeks, but I think my wardrobe is begging for this to wear over dresses. Oh, and in case anyone was worried, my nylon anklets arrived in the mail yesterday :)

New York, New York

When I woke up this morning, I felt like discussing the recent Royal Scandal involving the Duchess of York Fergie. But, after having my breakfast, I'd rather talk about clothes...as usual...

Every year, in the late summer, my Mom travels to NYC to spend a week or two working and playing. She is a well-known and talented ballet teacher around our home state, and generally has students studying in the Big Apple at various summer programs. She enjoys being able to combine a vacation to the greatest city in the world (in my limited opinion) with the support of her students.

Two years ago, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to go with her. It was a lovely 9 day stay and we got a lot of quality time for just the two of us. Last summer, she took her sister, Val. Then his year she decided she should give my sister, Valerie, the chance to have her mother/daughter trip. But, after all the craziness the last couple of months, they graciously invited me along. I absolutely can't wait.

In preparation for our trip, Valerie and I are on the search for a few items that we'll need to complete our wardrobes for the trip. Our dream is that we'll get stopped and photographed by The Sartorialist while we're there. If you love fashion and you aren't familiar with his blog (thesartorialist.blogspot.com), GET FAMILIAR! It really is addicting. Not to mention, he's running a Vintage Photo Contest right now that adds even more interest to the site. I'll give Valerie the credit for introducing me to that :)

One of the things I decided would really top off my closet for the trip is a pack of J Crew's Nylon Anklets.

They're shown here in the grey hue, but I ordered the hot pink/turquoise/yellow combination. I discovered the value of this look two years ago when one of my best friends, Halie, had a French-themed birthday party. I wore turquoise heels with white children's socks, and was surprised by how adorable it looked.

Another thing I am on the search for is a great cocktail ring. A few weeks ago, my friend Casey (always the fabulous risk taker) wore the coolest raw turquoise ring. I was immediately dying to know where she got it. Turns out it is by Elizabeth Carlock (www.elizabethcarlock.com), who is a jewelry designer here in Dallas. I checked it out online and have absolutely fallen in love with her Blue Turquoise Nugget Ring. I may have to copy Casey :)

Happy Shopping, friends!

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.

I decided a few months ago that I should start blogging. Working in public relations, it seems like all the cool kids have a blog, so I probably should, too. I am thankful that I am in a profession that allows me to do a lot of writing, and this is going to be another outlet for my guiltiest pleasure--or second guiltiest pleasure, if I'm really honest with myself (the first being spray tanning, obviously).

For those of you who know me well, you know that my life has changed a lot in the last couple of months. I relocated to Dallas and have started over in many ways! It has been a wonderful change of pace. One of the things that hasn't changed is the fact that I, hands down, have the most amazing friends and family in the world! I don't know what I would do without them.

Speaking of family and friends...On Saturday, I had my first Parrot Head experience. Yes, I joined the masses at the Jimmy Buffett concert.

My (beautiful, funny, stylish) older sister, Valerie, and her (handsome and equally stylish) husband, Will, invited me to join their group for the festivities. They have been making the annual journey into Margaritaville for the past few years. Even though I didn't have a ticket I decided I would join them for tailgating and take the chance that I might be able to buy a ticket from someone before the show.

Low and behold, 30 minutes before the concert their friend Ben and I scored floor tickets from some random guy. We had an incredible time and Jimmy did not disappoint! He really has something going there. To be able to put on essentially the same show year after year and have no one complain would really be the ultimate place to be for a musician, I would think. It was fun running into a lot of old and new friends.

Looking forward to the possibility of the putting my fins up again next spring!