Wednesday Blessings

A stranger stopped me on the street on my way to work. She discretely mentioned that my sweater was inside out. (She didn't point out that it was also completely wrinkled and clearly peeled off my bedroom floor.) I will definitely pay that fashion advice forward at the next opportunity.

It didn't storm today. It was supposed to. Instead, it was sunny and breezy and beautiful. I ate lunch outside. I walked through the farmers' market.

I work with amazing people. Brilliant people. Strong people. People who love to laugh. This seems especially important on days when work brings unexpected challenges.

A fabulous new outfit found its way into my life today. It's a green polka dot dress Joan (a la Mad Men) would wear. Except, I can pair it with a hot pink sweater that Joan could never pull off. All that's missing are some pearls.

A friend made me a generous offer today - something I didn't realize I wanted but am so grateful to have.

Ventage Tuesday: Weekend Hangover

Sigh. I miss these girls. They are in my life every day via the Interwebs, but this weekend they were in my actual life. We ate. We drank. We laughed. We (mostly just Em) danced. We talked and talked and talked.

And, today, there is a big hole.

How to recover from an epic weekend?

1. Water. Glasses and glasses and glasses of water. Drunk through a bendy straw.

2. Scheming. Inspired by Katrina to think about a summer manifesto. Dreaming about what will be the most excellent of Barb & Kat's adventures in 2015. Planning a fall trip to VT.

3. Perusing the photos. #averyventageweekend. All 77 photos.

4. A nap. Don't hate me, Ventage Girls who are moms (i.e. all the Ventage girls). I took a giant nap today.

5. Savoring new inside jokes. 
"Whatever question mark." A perfect response to anything ridiculous or non-sensical. "Don't be insulated." To be used in place of "Don't be insulted" - especially in situations where you very clearly should be insulted.

Ventage Tuesday: Ode to Stephanie

Happy birthday to a friend who. . . 

. . . is a great mama to two of my most favorite little men.

. . . can always be counted on to bring dessert.

. . . is the reason that the Ventage girls are finally coming together!

. . . is one of the friendliest, most out-going people I know.

. . . always lends a helping hand (or her husband's helping hand!).

XOXO, Barb

What to say?

What to say about today?

Today I am overwhelmed.
I am angry.
I am disappointed in myself.

I do a decent job of keeping everything together, of seeming okay.
(I even rocked a very big work thing today. Go me!) 
I deliberately plan things to look forward to.
I am great at finding diversions.
I laugh a lot.

Tonight it all has the better of me, though.

Two weeks is d-day. Instead of facing the deadline with organization and bravery and a fuck-it attitude, I'm stuck. I've put off the paperwork; the deadline is too close. I'm back in a not-good place that I didn't really ever want to have to go back to.

Tonight, it is just too hard to pretend that everything is okay.
I wish more people would be honest about that.

Dear Google,

Thank you for always helping me find just want I need. 

Well, that's not entirely true. Sometimes you help me find things I didn't even realize I needed or wanted to know.

This month, you've helped me learn about:

1. Lots of things for work, including: Common Core State Standards ELA, Dibels for PK, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, 2011 Wisconsin Act 166
Google is always watching. Didn't realize that when I'm signed into my home email at work (not that I ever do that!!) Google tracks all of my searches.

2. Style Your Life
Wanted to get caught up on some outfit ideas for summer.

3. Restaurants
I Googled "Trinity Fond du Lac" to meet up with Angie for dinner last week. And, I Google "Maharaja Madison" several times (in the past two weeks). Ordering Indian take-out is the new black. I also Googled "Purple Door Ice Cream." Cannot wait to try that.

4. OK Cupid Self Summary
Yup. I Googled to get inspiration to write a self-summary for my online dating profile. Hanging head in shame. More about that another time.

5. Camp Wandawega
A crazy vaca idea compliments of Kelly. Speaking of Kelly, I also Googled, "Neely bacon recipe" on her behalf.

And, as a bonus confession - I never realized that I sometimes use Google in lieu of a dictionary or grammar handbook. Between 9:10 and 9:11 PM on May 1, I searched for piqued, pekd, and pekid. Pekid must have been the word I was going for. The same night I also searched for ulterior and alterior and i.e. and e.g.,. I have no idea what kind of super technical and fancy writing I was doing that night.


Love always,
Barb

Visit Angie, Emily, Katrina, and Stephanie to see what they've been Googling. You might especially want to check out Stephanie. She's been nervous about doing this post; it must be because she Googles some juicy things. 

Summer Outfit

Today's post was my pick. Summer fashion must-haves. 

Summer is my least favorite season to dress. My legs are completely white - even at the end of the summer. My arms are flabby. My toes don't always look perfectly polished. It's harder to hide the things I don't like about myself in summer clothes.

And, this is the first summer ever that I will be working full time all summer. It means I will need to be dressed for work most days. 

Hopefully, an outfit like this will work at my work most days. 

Summer Outfit by barb-e-novak featuring a stripe skirt

Boden long sleeve top
bodenusa.com

Old navy top
oldnavy.gap.com

Gap stripe skirt
gap.com

Reef beach shoes
zappos.com

Orla Kiely leather handbag
$330 - orlakiely.com

Cord bracelet
etsy.com

Watercolor Painting Heart Art Print Pink 8x10 Fine Art Print Love...
etsy.com