Day 359

It's a big day, and not because of my casual outfit, or the fact that my year ends exactly one week from today...


Keep scrolling.

Happy Birthday, Nugget.

Day 358

I will admit, this isn't my best. However, it's an upgrade from sweatpants and there was no real reason for me to get dressed today... So in a way, maybe it is my best.

The fact that I've been doing this for so long that I'm somehow okay with having my picture taken right after I get out of the shower however... That is not my best.

Day 357

I find it fitting that there are champagne glasses present in today's picture... Champagne Thursday came early this week.

Day 356

My dog really looks up to me.

Keep a close eye on that one. He may try to dye his blonde hair too...


10 days to go!

It's like a New Year's Eve countdown, but not nearly as fast or as awesome (Though, I may be partial to NYE). Normally, the countdown through the final ten is epic... However, I am running out of things to wear, so it's more like a personal struggle. A little like the end of a race. This morning, I guess I was just ready to walk the rest of the way. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give today like a 3.

It's going to take everything I've got to make the next nine something I can be proud of... Or, Something we can be proud of. Congratulatory gift card worthy proud, even. Nugget's obviously already proud of me... mostly because I'm holding a treat in my right hand.

Day 355

Here is outfit number 355:

... And here is the first official coupon I've received in the past year that won't need to be thrown away:

Day 354

I literally just woke up with the computer in my lap... Apparently I fell asleep while attempting to blog. It's been a long day, but I think this means I'm off the hook in terms of a compelling blog post. Cassie - Out.

Day 353

I had an entirely different outfit planned for myself today, but while I was getting ready this morning, I was reminded of the fact that my red jeans fit really weird... they're loose in spots they shouldn't be and tighter in spots where I'd rather they not be. Replacement red jeans may need to be one of my first purchases in a couple of weeks...

When the outfit I have in mind doesn't work out, it results in closet chaos. My husband hates it (mainly because it's physically impossible for me to put my clothes away after I try them on when I'm running late in the morning.) This was outfit number 6 or 7... I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to pull the trigger on busting out the boots just yet, but if I'm not mistaken, we've hit fall, so I guess it's legit.

Day 352

My hair looks reddish in this picture, but it's not red in real life... or at least, I didn't ask for it to be. I'm not sure what color it is, and I'm still trying to decide what I think.

Fine. You caught me, I'm still blonde... that's my stunt double. I've actually been out on a weekend long shopping binge. Sorry, I'm not sorry.

Okay, no it's not. That is actually me, and I am sorry I just lied.

Day 351

Variety is the spice of life.

Today, for the first time in a long time, I didn't work and I didn't worry, much less look, at a to do list...

It was amazing. 

We spent the morning in the mountains taking in the fall colors, and our afternoon was spent enjoying Oktoberfest festivities and fireworks. I need more Saturday's like that in my life.

Day 350

Five Fact Friday

1. Five Fact Friday was supposed to be a recurring thing like 6 months ago. I totally blew it.
2. I wish my dog would keep his chewed up toys out of my very important potential blog picture spots.
3. I dyed my hair.
4. Obviously.
5. The reason I probably didn't follow through with Five Fact Friday is because coming up with five facts on a Friday is harder than it looks.

Day 349

You've seen these cropped jeans before, most recently on Day 311. They've since been re-rit dyed.

Yes, that's a thing.

I wasn't crazy about how pink that previous purple was so I thought I'd give it the old [rit dye] college try... I threw them in the wash with some navy blue, purple, and a little bit of black. They didn't come out as dark as I wanted (I was going for more of a dark, fall-ish purple), but they're alright... for now.

Does anyone know if there's a limit to how many times you can rit dye something? Because these are likely going back into the rit dye pool after today.

Speaking of lilac denim, Nugget's back. He's trying to look sad, while simultaneously suggesting no one around here is willing to throw the ball he appears to be holding onto for dear life.

Day 348

You're seeing a lot of things you've already seen, just in different combinations this week.

Here's the thing, I have a limited amount of warm weather professional work apparel. It's still in the 80's in my area of the world, so unfortunately I can't quite move back into the colder weather stuff where I have more options yet... Also, I'm not sure if you know this, but I haven't been able to shop for the past year.

In addition to lacking professional options for warmer temperatures, Nugget is apparently lacking the desire to be present on the blog lately. I'll have to chat with him about that and make sure everything is okay.

Day 347

I swear to you, I had a better day than what's reflected in this picture. I just wasn't feeling the picture taking this morning...

I've had this skirt for a couple of years, but I don't think I've worn it at all over the past 346 days. Mainly because it's the type of skirt I feel needs to be worn with a tucked in shirt.  I was never able to find the right shirt for it, until this past weekend when I happened to be folding this rit dyed number while doing laundry... Giuliana Rancic popped into my head because I saw her wearing something like this last fall. At that time, I didn't have the blue shirt to pull it off.

...Then, I discovered rit dye.

Why would I remember what an E! host wore 12 months ago? I have no idea. Fashion photographic memory... it's a gift.

Day 346

Weird angles, crazy eyes, and faded denim.
That's what Monday's are made of.

In addition, I'm missing my dark denim jacket... It was last seen here, on Day 248. If you, or anyone you know, has any information on its whereabouts, please contact me at 555-I-loved-that-jacket.

After spending 20 minutes looking for it, I switched out my white tee for a navy blue one so I could still achieve the dark blue look I wanted with this skirt... did I win?

Day 345

This is one of those pictures where I look at it and just shake my head... I'm officially bringing sweatpants sunday back next week. Sweatpants go better with my face when it looks like that anyway.

Hey. I'm working on a new blog as a sequel to Swearing off Shopping... whose excited?!?!

Day 344

It was one of those productive, not really blog worthy, Saturday's... here's an uneventful bulleted list of things I did:

• bought a new dining room table.
• got the screen fixed on my phone.
• grocery shopped.
• cleaned the house.
• fell asleep watching I Love You Man, [which, by the way is one of my favorites...]

Day 343

Friday Flowy Shirt Day...

Day 342

This is my Thursday outfit...  after today, there are only 3 more of those until I can shop again.

Day 341

I felt good about this outfit, until I realized I wasn't wearing my Hunter Boots on the rainiest day I've seen since June. Then, my car as my witness, I became angry for all of 5 seconds before I got over it.

In other captivating news, I met the world's sassiest four-year-old today... She was fantastic and judgey - A preschool Joan Rivers. Don't worry, I didn't let her get to me. I never take anyone wearing sequins and mis-matched ruffles seriously.

Day 340

I've been taking pictures before I leave the house at 6:30am... I am NOT a morning person. Here's the proof.

See the cool salt and pepper shakers to the left of my head? It's two little people hugging... We got them as a gift from my world traveling parents - Whatever takes the focus off my head.
... And you're so easily distracted. You may want to want to get that checked out. Adult ADD, perhaps? I'd evaluate you myself but my license only allows me to do that if you're under the age of 8.

Day 339

I finally figured out how to rit dye something this cobalt blue color...

The same cannot be said for my ability to take pictures with the self timer on my camera.

Day 338

I have a hair appointment scheduled... soon, I will stop trying to hide behind a hat.

Day 337

This shirt almost made it a year without being worn... I'm not sure how that happened, but I usually prefer to wear it under things because it has these weird side tie deals I don't love.

It's still too hot for layers in my area of the world, so I made an exception for this shirt today.

Day 336

A true follower of SOS may notice that Day 336 has some apparent similarities to Day 70... so before you go getting all accusatory, let me make a few things clear:

1. Switching up the jewelry and hair style creates an entirely different look... Today's got a lot more sass than that cold December day in 2011.
2. This is a different blazer... it's cropped and shorter. I ruined the one I wore on Day 70 because when I realized I owned two black blazers (one cropped and one not), I decided I could stand to rit dye one of them... color remover apparently does not work with jcrew cotton... it's now a gross faded black that makes it look like it was in sun for days, though, I may still try for navy with that guy.
3. Finally, these are different jeans... they have recently been pulled out from the bottom of my closet.  A few years ago, they were moved to the bottom of the jean pile because my 26 year old self thought I was far too mature for old, ripped, denim. 29 year old me is hanging on to my twenties (and ripped denim) for dear life... 

Day 335

If it wasn't for that damn leap year, I'd be able to say I have exactly ONE MONTH left before my Swearing off Shopping ends...  But instead, I'll have to wait until tomorrow. All because someone decided our calendar year needed to align with our planet's revolution around the sun.

1 day, 1 month remaining.

You're welcome, earth.

Day 334

This shirt was a birthday present from my brother... if you see him, thank him for me. And if you are him, then let me thank you myself.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let me also inform you that this shirt is not even a little bit shiny in real life. I'm not sure why it appears that way in this picture.

Now, let's get after this Wednesday. I just internet slapped you on the butt, so you know I mean it. Go get em', Champ.

Day 333

Day 333 is blurry because I was in a hurry.

This is my Play-Learn-Succeed Early Childhood Education shirt. Being required to wear it for a presentation today meant I didn't need to put thought into getting dressed, which was fantastic after a long weekend.

I'm sorry. That really is blurry. I'll do better tomorrow. Maybe, if we're lucky, my husband will go back to taking pictures for me. His degree in Digital Media Production makes him a better photographer than my self-timer.

Day 332

Of the 332 days I've been doing this, Nugget's made an attempt to appear in at least 300 of them... I've been telling you he's a camera floozy, and here is the proof.

This time though, he just stood there and refused to move. He turns 3 this month, so I can only assume he's entering the "Initiative vs. Guilt" stage of Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development. He's beginning to feel the need to assert control of his environment.

That stage of development also applies to 3-5 year old humans. When they try to assert too much power, you probably disapprove, which causes them to feel guilt. Hence, the preschooler's inner struggle with needing to take initiative and be independent versus feeling guilt.

Spent an excessive amount of time in the world of early childhood, Cassie?  Perhaps.

You're welcome.

Day 331

So I wore hats two days in a row... mostly because the idea of doing my hair was appalling.

Nugget doesn't have to do his hair, and that makes him happy.

Does anyone know why he curls his paw under like that? I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know... Cesar Millan, hello?

Day 330

Look at him... acting all casual and nonchalant. I'm fairly certain that's his, "Mostly, I just sit around all day being fantastic" face.