Travel Tuesday: Florida Fun in the Sun

I finally got around to editing some of our beach vacation pictures from last month. We had a nice, relaxing stay on Anna Maria Island.

We rented the same beach house (duplex) that we stayed in last year so it was immediately familiar and comfortable. I highly recommend using the website Home Away to book vacation rentals for a great price.



We spent most of our time at the beach just swimming, reading, relaxing, and enjoying some stress-free time away from work.



This is one of my favorite spots on the island: Bean Point



Of course we also had to take in a baseball game at the Trop in St. Pete.



We took a fun tour of the Mixon Fruit grove in Bradenton one day before heading over to Ybor in Tampa for dinner with friends and their kids.



We got delicious samples of fruit juice, rode through the groves on a tram, got to see the factory where they sort the fruit, went through the butterfly garden & maze, and they have an animal rescue area where we met several cuties (and an icky snake). Our favorites were feeding peanuts to a baby dear, petting the tortoises, and saying hi to this adorable tiny owl named Wally.



Another day we went over to Sarasota for a boat tour but stopped for lunch first at this great burger place right on the water. Yum! We had a beautiful view of the water and docks while we ate and several pretty birds as dining companions.



Then we went on the boat ride which left from Mote Marine Aquarium. This is a GREAT boat tour and I highly recommend it if you're ever in the area. There are several different versions to choose from -- info here.



One of the cool things we saw was this bird sanctuary island where tons of baby birds were hanging out in their nests.



Our tour guide was also a marine biologist and she pulled up some cool stuff in a net out of the bay to show us. My favorite things were the sea horses. Here I am touching the sea horse and letting its tail curl around my finger!



It was a great vacation! Next year we plan to go back with the baby. :-)

Baby Shower: Tea Party

Wow, where has June gone?! I've been so busy this month that I haven't had time to keep up with the blog. My sister came to visit for a week and while she was here I had my baby shower. It was a beautiful Victorian tea party! We all had so much fun celebrating my baby girl who will be here before I know it.

Here are a few pictures from the event. My dear friend Sara (fellow blogger at Mommyland) took most of the photos and they turned out great.



I had to wear some Anthro on my special day, of course! After searching for a Sugar & Cream dress (the one with the teacups) on Ebay & the Trade Market to no avail, I decided to try on my Jacqueline dress and it still zips right up, so I built my outfit around that. I love this new green cardigan from the Limited too. Add some jewelry, a cute bow belt, and my favorite Anthro oxfords, and you've got a fun party outfit.

Jacqueline Dress (Anthropologie)
Green Cardigan (The Limited)
Gift Bow Belt (Anthropologie)
Pessinus Garden necklace (Anthropologie)
Hallowed Halls Oxfords (Anthropologie)

Here's my sister next to one of the elegant table settings:



My awesome Fossil diaper bag from Mom (stuffed with diapers, bottles, and toys)!



Car seat from Grandma Tina:



My little girl is going to be very well dressed! ;-) She already has so many cute outfits and five pairs of shoes!!



Me & both of the grandmas-to-be:



We got so many beautiful gifts and are pretty much set with all the gear that we need for the baby thanks to our generous friends and family. Now we've just got to wait about five more weeks for her to arrive!!

Audiobook Week: Day 1 (Favorites & Future Reads)

As I mentioned in my last post, June 6-10 is Audiobook Week and I picked up Isabel Allende's memoir called The Sum of Our Days so I can particpate.

The blog Devourer of Books will have posts all week with topics to blog, audiobook reviews, giveaways, etc. so check it out!

Here's today's topic:
Monday: 2010-2011, Your Audiobook Year
Are you new to audiobooks in the last year? Have you been listening to them forever but discovered something new this year? Favorite titles? New times/places to listen? This is your chance to introduce yourself and your general listening experience.

I've only been listening to audiobooks for a little over two years and it started out as a fun way to pass the time in the car during my long commute on the days I taught a night class. I also try to listen to a little bit while I'm out running errands.

These are some of my favorites from the last two years. As you can see I mostly enjoy non-fiction, especially when it involves history, travel, and humor. It's kind of a nice change of pace since I mostly read fiction on my Kindle and when I check out regular books from the library.

1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell



2. Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor



3. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson



4. When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris



5. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson




Besides the Allende memoir that I've already started, these are the audiobooks I want to check out soon:

1. The Idea of America by Gordon S. Wood



2. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough



3. 1861: The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart



4. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Calling All Bookworms: Audiobook Week June 6-10

I hope everyone is having a good week! I still haven't had time to edit my vacation pictures, so that post will have to wait until next week, but today I wanted to give my fellow bookworms a heads up about Audiobook Week which is starting June 6. For more details, check out this blog post on Devourer of Books.

I'm planning on picking up this memoir by Isabel Allende or this collection of sketches by travel writer Bill Bryson from the library today so I can participate next week. I started getting into audiobooks a few years ago and really enjoy listening to them in the car. I usually stick to non-fiction though since I find it easier to follow.





If you'd like to participate in Audiobook Week or would just like to try out a good audiobook, I highly recommend Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story, read by the authors Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor. It was fantastic and I think I actually liked listening to it even better than I would have liked it if I had just read the book. I did a little review on it back in February here.



So, what's everyone been reading lately? Do you prefer regular books, e-books, or audiobooks? I like a mixture of all three. :-)

I recently finished:
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (good but not as fun as her previous three books that contained more magic)

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (amazing -- highly recommend!!)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (the first book in what I can tell will be a fantastic trilogy)

One Year Blog Anniversary!

I had to take a little blog break recently since we went on vacation (pictures coming next week) and I had lots to do at the end of the spring semester. I'm back now just in time for my one year blog Anniversary!! To celebrate, I dressed up today in some of my favorite Anthropologie accessories and a new dress that I bought from Roxy's Trade Market (thanks Brandie!!). I was inspired by Sara's pairing of the Crop Patterns Dress with a red cardigan (see here).





Showing off the "tail" on the back of the dress:



Caught mid-twirl. I look huge here! haha! :-)



I've really enjoyed doing this blog over the last year and it has been so much fun getting to know others through their blogs too. I'm looking forward to another year! Here are some highlights from this year and my goals for future blogging:

A Few of my Favorite Posts from the Year:

1. Baby Announcement post -- I just wanted to thank everyone again for all the well wishes and support I've received! About 9 more weeks and she'll be here!!

2. Anthro + Glee: Back to School Edition (combining my favorite show, my favorite store, and a fun time with one of my oldest & dearest friends)

3. My Anthro Review of my beloved Berry-Stitched Boots

4. Meeting Carol from In Pursuit of Pretty Things

5. Trip Planning (Packing): Anthro Style (for my trip to San Diego last summer)

6. Doing Kendi's 30 for 30 Challenge last summer

7. List of my favorite things that I kicked off my blog with a year ago!

8. Year in Review post on New Years Eve with my top 5 outfits

Goals for this year:
1. Post regular baby updates and pictures ;-)
2. Do more book reviews
3. Continue my Travel Tuesday series (starting again on Tuesday with our recent vacation pictures)
4. Do more Anthro reviews

Thanks for reading! I hope you'll all stick with me for another year as I undergo some big changes (motherhood, hopefully graduating & getting a new job) and continue to blog about my outfits and my love of Anthropologie. :-)

Blog Sale #2: Shop My Closet!

I've been cleaning out my closet and I have a few more items for sale today! I'm trying to raise a little extra money to pay for all of the baby stuff that we need. Please email me at drlgz5@gmail.com if you are interested in anything. All prices INCLUDE shipping within the US.

Anthropologie "Bits of Pearl Blouse" by Odille, New without tags, Size 10, $40 shipped
See reviews here.


Talbots Floral Dress with sash, worn once, excellent (like new) condition, Size 12, $25 shipped


LOFT black suede blazer jacket, worn once, excellent (like new) condition, Size 12P, $25 shipped


Ruche Grey floral skirt with pockets, worn once, excellent (like new) condition, Size Large, $15 shipped
See it on me here.


Talbots Skirt (fully lined, zips up back), worn once, excellent (Like new) condition, Size 10, $15 shipped -- see matching brown shirt below


Talbots Brown Button-down Blouse (matches skirt above), worn once, excellent (like new condition), Size 10, $10 shipped


Target Merona Skirt, worn once, excellent (like new condition), Size 10, $10 shipped


Black Wool Skirt from Steinmart, worn once, excellent (like new condition), Size Large (has zipper), $10 shipped


Please let me know if you have questions about any of these items or if you'd like additional pictures or measurements. You can reach me by email at drlgz5@gmail.com.

OOTD: Breaking Out & Cardigan Review #2

This is one of my favorite outfits that I've put together in a long time. I desperately needed to break out of my jersey dress rut so I decided to build my outfit around a skirt instead. The grey ruffle blouse happened to be hanging next to the skirt in the closet so I gave it a try and surprisingly it buttoned up over the baby bump (thanks to generously stretchy smocking on the back of the blouse). I knew I wanted to wear another new short-sleeve cardigan and I really like the color combination of the plum with the gold-yellow of the skirt. The grey & black oxfords and purple belt tied the whole outfit together. Not bad for my first attempt at breaking out of my boring rut, right?

Purple Cardigan (Limited -- buy here)
Yellow Field Skirt (Anthropologie)
Purple Belt (Anthropologie)
Grey Ruffle Blouse (TJ Maxx)
Hallowed Halls Oxfords (Anthropologie)

This is another of the short-sleeve cardigans that I promised to review. I got this one on sale a few weeks ago at the Limited (though it appears to be back to full price online now). I love the ruched sleeves, which make it a bit more dressy and different from my other purple cardigans. It's a lovely plum shade, but online it also comes in blue, white, black, and deep purple. I'd say it runs true to size but is a bit longer (at least on me, since I'm so short) than some of my other cardigans. I really have to thank Jacquelyn for posting about this cardigan because I haven't shopped at the Limited in years and didn't realize what cute things I was missing! See her in the black version of the cardigan here.