7 quick takes friday (mostly link love)

1. I bought these lovely little ankle-breakers at target the other day (for like 6 bucks...i couldn't pass it up!), thinking about how cute they'd look with the shorts i never wear, and promptly almost broke my ankle teetering around my kitchen. lesson learned. i'll stick to flip flops for the rest of the summer.
2. I love that maxi dresses are "in style" right now because until like 6 months ago, i had the hardest time in the world finding long skirts, which is what i prefer to wear year round because i'm not really lady-like enough for shorter skirts and pants are just annoying, plus they make you look like a dude. however, the necklines on some of the dresses, well i guess they're like cleavage-lines and not neck lines, are like mid-nip. i'm not like, insanely shy with my chest, i mean i don't go around in turtlenecks all year, but i don't want the girls popping out either. i prefer a little mystery/modesty, to a degree anyway. so, with the maxis out now, i just throw a sweater or my favorite old stand-by, the levis jean jacket over top, or a v-neck or tank underneath, and i'm golden. maxis let me be a little lazy and still not look like i'm homeless, which is always a plus if you ask me.
   
3. stenni turns 1 in like, a matter of days. i know, i know, how could that be? i'm not really sure. all i know is that she barely even needs me anymore! she's practically a grown-up, feeding herself and sleeping in her own crib and whatnot. i really fought having her sleep in her own room in her own crib (ted insisted), but now she's really happy about it and sleeps better than she did in our room. she isn't quite walking yet, but i think she'll skip that and go right to running. she's that kind of kid. we are currently planning her birthday party, which will really be nothing but an occasion to show everyone how cute she is. let the jealousy commence.
   
4. i am in love with the pioneer woman cooking blog. it is incredibly exciting and beautiful and the pictures make me want to headbutt my monitor just to get at them. i read her book (not the cooking one) a few weeks ago and the story of how she fell in love with her husband is adorable. i'm not usually the mushy, romantic type, but i immediately recommended the book to my mother (who absolutely is), but since she has serious doubts about both my taste and judgment, i doubt that she has read it. have you, mom? you should.
5. have you been to eShakti? they make beautiful dresses that they will customize for you at a minimal cost. sleeve length, skirt length, neckline, you name it. no one does this nowadays, folks. and, they are super affordable. since it is full-blown wedding season for my husband's family, who never gets together and so celebrates a trillion weddings and birthdays in one year so that they can ignore each other for another five, i need to find a dress to get me through the next two weddings (fall). I wore one of their dresses to Ted's brother's wedding in April (but bought two, obvs), and am considering this or this for the next few. this site is not exactly my reason for getting up in the morning, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
6. we are thinking about going away this weekend, sans kiddo. i don't know if this will actually happen, since there's a hurricane coming and whatnot. that pretty much knocks out all of the usual getaway spot contenders, like the cabin, the beach, six flags, atlantic city, etc. even nyc is miserable in the rain. plus being broke on top of that doesn't really help. maybe this will be an opportunity to get more creative and explore some? or maybe it'll be an excuse to lay around my house and make a turkey or something.
   
7. grit magazine is fabulous. its sister publications, such as mother earth news and capper's, are nothing to scoff at either. if you are thinking about homesteading, small-scale farming, or just becoming more self-sufficient, these are definitely must-reads. they include articles about seasonal cooking and eating, farm and garden prep and maintenance, earth-science type articles relating to the environment, advice for homeowners, and much more. even the ads in the back are awesome! oh yeah, and they have a page with a little description to help match up pen pals! like real ones, not for e-mail! I love it (i theoretically love it. i have not actually answered any of the ads). i found grit at tractor supply like a year ago and then subscribed for my husband as a Christmas gift. he eagerly awaits every issue like it's baseball digest or something, and by the time he's done reading it he's ready to sell our house and build a farm in the midwest or something and i need to talk him down. what i mean is that it is inspirational. read it.
   

that's it. go forth and live your lives, til we meet again.