What I Wore… Lunch Date with my Bridesmaid
Cranky face!
I really admire real fashion bloggers. Outfit photos are always taken while wandering down empty train tracks or in front of the coolest graffitied walls. The clothing is trendy but unique and always inspiring. The photography is top notch, unique angles and fashionable poses. When I think of fashion bloggers, I also think of heels. Sky high platforms or the skinniest stilettos.
I’m not a fashion blogger. I post pictures of what I wore because it’s fun to see everyday outfit photos. I’m lazy; I’m usually really casual. My feet hurt after 5 minutes of walking in heels so I stick with boots or flats. My fiancé is a lousy and often reluctant photographer so I have to take whatever photos I can get. But my outfits are real.
What you see is what you get. 
What I Wore… Because I Wasn’t Willing to Be Anything Else Besides Casual
Oh what a nice little Saturday, complete with a family trip to Foxwoods Casino.
Growing up, my grandparents were always at Foxwoods. Bingo games, video poker, and lots of free gifts from the casino! I counted down until the day I turned 18 when I could join them in the bingo hall. Casino bingo is intimidating! Huge papers covered with bingo cards, stampers to dab your spaces, numbers on the screen, numbers being shouted, ahh! I’ve only played a few times and I’ve never won, but each experience has still been memorable.
This trip to Foxwoods wasn’t for bingo. We were there for the final weekend of the Princess Diana exhibit, Diana: A Celebration.
My grandparents were able to get 4 free tickets and they gave them to my parents and me. After Princess Diana was killed, I became fascinated with her life and legacy. I read books and watched documentaries. It was so interesting to see items from Diana’s childhood and I spent 10 minutes admiring her wedding dress. The dress is VERY different from the one I’ll be wearing on 8.10.12. A few less ruffles and a much shorter train. 
Diana: A Celebration was a really nice tribute celebrating Diana’s life and work, and if it comes to your area, I’d highly recommend it.
Since Foxwoods is an hour away, we had to make the most of our visit. We didn’t want to leave after the Diana exhibit so walked through the casino and introduced Jared to a place that has been part of my family’s daily conversation for as long as I can remember.
We made it through lunch before we were all bit by the gambling bug.
My grandparents headed off to the Rainmaker Casino to play video poker. My dad was on the hunt for penny slots. Jared was looking for a spot at a Black Jack table.
Jared didn’t find a Black Jack table that struck his fancy so he decided to join a game of roulette. He put $20 on the table and received his chips. He spread them around the table, placing one or two chips on various numbers. All bets were placed and the ball when set in motion. When it stopped, it had landed in #12. Jared had placed 2 chips on #12! He won $70!
Lucky #12! My brother has always been number 12 throughout his entire hockey career, from a tiny mite through high school and college. My family’s love for the number 12 finally paid off. Thanks Matt!
Jared was ready to take the money and run. We cashed out, collected the losers (bad day for penny slots and video poker), and decided to hit the road.
I think everyone had a really nice family day at Foxwoods. Miles seemed like he had a good Saturday too, except when I got a little too close while he was trying to chomp on his bone. Apparently corgis need their space.
What I Wore… Draped in Fabric
This outfit was comfy and cozy for an afternoon spent visiting Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. I added extra draped fabric by wrapping myself in a scarf for extra warmth.
Last time Miles and I took a walk down the wooded path near my house, we only lasted 15 minutes. It started raining so we were forced to turn back. Once we were indoors, I realized that both the dog and I were covered in ticks. Gross! I spent the afternoon giving the dog a bath, vacuuming the entire apartment, and washing my entire outfit to make sure everything was tick-free.
After waiting a few months, I was ready to grab the dog and try to walk the path again. This time I picked a sunny but cold day. Plus I wore jeans tucked inside my rain boots so I wouldn’t have to worry about ticks and other nasty bugs.
Once we were a safe distance on the path, I unhooked the leash so Miles could walk on his own. My little corgi was so happy, trit-trotting along and sniffing piles of leaves.
Quiet and peaceful, it was wonderful to feel like the dog and I had escaped from the rest of the world. I love taking walks in the woods. You’re free from distractions and you’re free to think about whatever is on your mind, or in my case during this walk, not even think at all. I simply enjoyed my time with Miles and admired the trees that surrounded me.
What I Wore… Because I was Invested in My Outfit
Stringy bangs and a wild corgi, not cute!
On Sunday afternoon, the dog started pestering me to take him for a walk. Rather than doing his usual route around the neighborhood, Jared suggested we drive to Joe’s Rock, a nearby park with a series of paths and a small hill. My cousin Jenna and her sheltie Kobe joined us.
What did we all do as soon as we arrived at Joe’s Rock? Grabbed our cell phones so we could check in on 4square!
We meandered along the dirt paths, stopping every few minutes so Miles could sniff piles of leaves or lift his leg to mark a tree.
It wasn’t long before we reached the uphill climb to the top of the rock. I was impressed at how well both dogs maneuvered over rocks and branches. Miles is so short so he hopped his way up, and old man Kobe took it slow and steady as he climbed.
When our little group finally reached the top of Joe’s Rock, we were rewarded with a pretty view of Wrentham, Massachusetts.
Miles, always the leader of the pack, lead us back down the rock to the trails around the pond.
It only took 30 minutes of walking for the people to get cold and the dogs to get tired. Just a short hike around Joe’s Rock, but still wonderful to be out and about in the fresh air. New England has been lucky this year to have such pleasant winter weather.
What I Wore… Because I Wanted to Look Pretty for the Party
I’m extremely grateful to have friends who are not only great cooks, but also love hosting dinner parties. When Matt and Natalie decided to invite friends to their dinner party on Saturday night, I was so excited for what the evening would have in store.
Matt, always the culinary genius, made his own raviolis. He created the dough and the fillings from scratch. Impressive! His raviolis featured either butternut squash, a ricotta blend, or spicy sausage.
Natalie was responsible for the decor and the baking. She didn’t disappoint. I loved the vases of fresh flowers scattered throughout the house.
A huge pot of parsnip sauce, homemade pasta sauce, and boiling water to cook the raviolis.
Matt’s hard work in the kitchen is always appreciated.
You can tell that Matt and Natalie were meant to host parties; their cat’s name is Fete.
Such a pretty white tablescape.
Natalie painted the place cards with watercolors. I love the personal touches that she added to the evening.
After the parsnip soup, the dinner guests were served galettes. Galette is a general term used in French cuisine to describe various forms of flat, round crusty cakes. These were topped with leeks and goat cheese.
We all shared a glass of wine, purchased in France during Matt and Natalie’s 2009 wedding celebration. The red wine aged quite well and I’m hoping the bottle that I brought home from that trip will taste just as nice.
I devoured my plate of salad, a butternut squash ravioli, and a ricotta cheese ravioli.
Let them eat cake! Natalie baked the prettiest pink cake for dessert, but my stomach was stuffed from the delicious dinner and I couldn’t even manage one bite.
I love an evening filled with wine and wonderful food. But it was even better to be able to spend time with friends. Now that we live farther apart and have such busy lives, our opportunities to visit are becoming less frequent. I can’t wait until the next dinner party, and I’m nervous for when it will eventually be my turn to play hostess.
What I Wore… Toothy, Houndstoothy to be Exact!
