And the winner is...

Kristin! Congratulations on a Stitch Fix giftcard! Please email me :)

After a long, busy, 4-day work week, I'm excited for a weekend with celebrating My Waterloo Days & a wedding, and hopefully finishing painting my bathroom.

Have a great weekend all! :) See you Monday.

Currently...

Watching game 7 between the LA Kings & San Jose Sharks .. honestly, very rarely is anything but hockey on my tv

Enjoying a pretty quiet night at home [quite possibly the only one this week] .. a freshly-painted [but not yet finished] bathroom & a clean kitchen floor

Thinking about a lot of things I [nor anyone else] has the answer to

Feeling stressed & blessed. It really is amazing how certain things can alter your mood. It's easy to get caught up in life, but that moment when you sit back and really think things through and realize it isn't that bad...well, yes- I had one of THOSE moments today. Life is too short to forget about the things in life that aren't always things. And pity parties? Ain't nobody got time for that

Looking forward to opening day @ Riverfront [tomorrow! Photos will be posted on instagram] .. a wedding [clearly not mine] .. sunshine - after a rainy holiday weekend & a not-so-promising forecast .. getting out on the golf course [hopefully soon]

Don't forget about the Stitch Fix giveaway! Winner will be announced Friday! :)

Obsession [Stitch Fix] + a giveaway!

If you haven’t heard of Stitch Fix yet...consider this post a flashing advertisement to at the very least “Google it”. Seriously. You can thank me later.

To tell you the truth, I do not remember how I came across this site. I can bet it was from a random blog I saw, but I am so glad I found it and decided to check it out.

You see, I have a bit of a problem. It’s called shopping. From clothes for myself to clothes for Taysen (hello, have you seen baby Gap’s toddler boys summer line?!) and I also have a thing for pillows and picture frames. And anything chalkboard or chevron. And anything to help me organize. See, I told you I have a problem!

So...Stitch Fix. I entered in my information to my Style Profile (weight, height, typical sizes, styles I wear, etc.) and a few days later, had a package at my door. I did cancel my scheduled fix because I was a little nervous about the process - then a few days later decided to say what the hell, and I went for it.

[Note: there is a $20 styling fee that goes towards any purchase you make & is charged as soon as your package ships. You also get a 25% discount if you purchase all five items.]

I excitedly opened my package and tried on what my personal stylist picked out for me. Each item had a little styling card attached to the tag to show how to wear it and ideas of what to pair it with. You have 3 days to decide which items you'll keep and which you'll return.

Forgive me for: the high quality photos taken on my laptop [Samsung Galaxy S3] .. mirror pic selfies .. lack of taking photos of the package because I clearly wasn't thinking when I ripped into it.

1. Collective Concepts Ivy Bird Print Tab Sleeve Blouse

Express Ponte Knit Five-Pocket Pant & Express flats - similar here

2. Voxx Sacha Chevron Stripe Shirt Dress

 

3. Skies are Blue Jayda Dot Cuffed Chambray Top

I decided against this chambray top because I didn't like the way it fit. I liked the polka dots, but I recently purchased this denim top a few weeks ago and love the fit.

4. Kensie Jeans Lola Ankle Length Skinny Jeans

5. Vine Street Market Skinny Stripe Long Cotton Scarf

Besides the fact that I couldn't get half of my right leg into the black jeans and the scarf was about as tall as I am, I loved everything in my first Stitch Fix and had a great experience. I decided to keep the chevron dress and the bird blouse - plus I can dress both up to wear to work. The items you don't want to keep? Stick them in an enclosed prepaid USPS envelope and drop it off at a mailbox or post office within 3 days! Don't forget to go online to check out - provide feedback so the stylists know what to look for/avoid for your next Fix! You can also tell them which items you're keeping or returning and confirm payment for anything you choose to keep.

 

So...with this recent [obsession] comes a GIVEAWAY! My first one, nonetheless! To win, just leave a comment on this post and schedule a fix! How easy is that? Just make sure to email or Tweet / Instagram a photo [don't forget to tag me - see below!] of your scheduled or arrived fix. I will give one lucky reader a $25 Stitch Fix gift card. Click here to get started!

I will randomly select a winner on May 31st...assuming more than one person will read and/or enter the giveaway! Ready...GO!

follow me on Twitter [@laiki_schuler] and Instagram [lindseyschuler] email: lifeasiknowitschuler@gmail.com

Mother's Day

If you know me, there's a good chance you know that I have a stronger relationship with my dad than my mom.

[My parents were divorced before I was 4 years old.]

Most of my favorite childhood memories were spent with my dad. I couldn't give you a 100% honest reason for it, either. I lived with my mom for the majority of my life until college. Growing up, she was the opposite of strict [or maybe I just refused to cooperate?] I don't have traditions to share or memories to recall from past Mother's days aside from being a moody, teenage girl who ruined a perfectly special day for the person who brought me into this world.

We may not always see eye to eye, but I can count on her to be there for me when I need her. She worries about me far more than she needs to. She's proud of me. She sticks up for me. She has saved special things from throughout my 25 years that I will appreciate and share with my future children. She celebrates just about every holiday [Halloween is her favorite] and she loves to dance. The things she's taught me are endless and the memories I have are forever.

She keeps telling me I'll know what its like when I have kids, and I don't know how many times she's told me that she hopes I have a daughter who is "just like me." [Now that's just scary...]

As I get older, I appreciate her more. I may be a spitting image of my dad, but I owe more to my mom than anyone. After all, I know what her heartbeat sounds like from the inside and I don't know what I'd do without her.

Hockey Guys and Giggles

We all have times where, for possibly no good reason, we're crabby. Upset with anyone and everyone, and just plain irritated. This afternoon was one of those times. The entire day has been a bit of a rollercoaster.

Up: a clear, sunny morning drive to work
Down: my parking spot that caused me to get to my desk two minutes late

Up: a new maxi skirt [& a compliment from a stranger]
Down: something complex thrown at me last minute
Up: a positive and encouraging mid-year review
Down: the drive home. downtown traffic has been absolutely horrendous due to construction. there's no easy way to get around it and it ends up taking me twice as long

Up: the hockey guys I ordered for Taysen came in the mail
Down: shortly after getting home, the rain started
Down: sitting in the Taco John's drive thru for 13 minutes
Up: a two year old. who lights up my world like nobody else [and if you're now singing One Direction, I'm sorry]

It's so easy to forget just how easy life can be...until you spend some time with a two year old. I spent this rainy, Wednesday night with Taysen. We opened up his new hockey guys, learned the words puck, net, goalie and ice, and wore a new shirt [because I have a serious shopping problem.] We shared tacos and potato oles on the living room floor, played in the rain with pajama pants and bare feet, gave kisses through the window, and got ice cream at Four Queens. We went potty on the potty, played baby, wrestled, read a few books, asked a lot of questions, counted to ten, and laughed. A lot. In case you didn't know, a two year old's giggle is contagious.

And now I'm going to bed with the best memories of just what I needed tonight.

 

Currently...

Working from home [not on the couch, for once]

Eating: chocolate chip waffles.

Drinking: iced coffed.

Listening to: the Today show. and the occassional gust of wind throwing sleet on the windows.

Reading: nothing. suggestions welcome!

Proud of: a little 2-year old who pooped in the potty this week. myself for bowling a 165 last night with a house ball, 6 years after high school - and let's just say the other two games went downhill.

Thankful for: my family & friends [who really, are my family anyways] .. my job .. my home .. the 'simple' things in life.

Obsessing over: cooking dinner @ home. diy/house projects. Sweet Basil Market. playoff hockey. fighterbody.


Looking forward to: another summer of baseball from the party deck - 26 days until opening day! getting a tan. being able to grill/go on a walk again. i guess i'm extra ready for summer. maybe it has something to do with this week's wacky weather...



[the half bath of the kitchen. frames: hobby lobby. owl canvas: tj maxx]



[first grill session - first experience with a charcoal grill. it was delicious & the weather was perfect]



[proof that this fridge isn't 'too big for me' like everyone said when i first bought it. full. jam packed]



[tanktoptuesday - post workout/pre walk]



[bowling with my dad & a few friends/suppliers. a lot of fun & this should really happen more often]

 

[working from home - at the table. with iced coffee]

  

[what i woke up to today. snow. in MAY]

 

Beauty in the Unseen: Part 1

The weather has been something else this week. Beautiful & 80* after storming like crazy [hail included, my poor car], high winds that could have knocked me over, and cloudy & 35* with rain/snow/ice today. Mother Nature, I just don't understand her! I was able to get a couple photos the last two mornings on my way to work. I don't know what it is about watching a sunrise/sunset that just makes everything a little more beautiful, but it was there. Not to mention, you can't help but be in a good mood when your morning drive to work is accompanied by sunshine. Similar to when your alarm goes off and it's raining, you hit snooze a few times and struggle getting out of bed. Similar to not finding a remotely close parking spot at work. And then you really regret still not having bought an umbrella... maybe that's just me? :)

Happy Thursday .. we're almost there!