Sooo.  HI!  Here I am.  I know its been awhile, and my absence was kind of unintentional, but kind of not.  More on that later...Like as soon as I finish writing this post, I will start writing an explanation as to why I basically fell off the planet. Anyway...

Today I am re-capping my May purchases for you.  I'm still new at this monthly budget/shopping thing, but I think I am getting a bit better as the months go on.  I didn't spend  a whole lot of money this month, but I am pleased with what I got.  I ended up buying some jewelry this month and some make-up, which is kind of out of my norm, but I got really excited about the stuff, so I went for it.  So glad I did!

Kohl's and Target got my money this month, but I also won a $30 store credit to InBloom Boutique!  I bought something from them that is totally different for me and I can't wait to wear them!

Items I Purchased: 

Distressed Boyfriend Shorts

Crew Tee

V-Neck Tee

Brown Sandals 

Black Sandals

Linen Pants (I purchased these in coral, but it appears they are sold out of that color now.)  

Crochet Swing Tank

Monthly Budget: $150

Spent: $136.06

My favorite purchase this month was the shorts.  They are amazing!  They are a 4 inch inseam instead of the usual 3 1/2 and I am convinced that extra half inch makes a difference.  I will be buying another pair of these shorts-I love them that much.

The linen pants are exciting, too!  However, they have to make a trip to the tailor so I can have about 5 1/2 inches removed off the bottom of them so I can wear them.  Even if I wore wedges, they would still be too long for my short self. 

That's all for now! As usual, I am linked up with Franish for Budget Bloggers! 

choice 1 || choice 2 (more colors available) || choice 3 And here's how I found some of them styled via Pinterest

As most of you know, our road trip to Arkansas was for a wedding, so that meant I had to style myself and L in clothes that would be comfortable, nice, and offer warmth since it is still chilly here in the Midwest.

L's was easy-leggings and a tunic from Target.  I also found these shoes for her to wear.  She will be able to wear the outfit and the shoes well into early summer so I did good there.

 As for me, I started planning my outfit back in March when I snatched up those maxi skirts from Target.  I wanted to be comfortable, yet still look nice for a wedding that was a laid-back affair.  I spent some time browsing Pinterest and decided that a banded top and a cardigan would work for what I was going for and I came up with this:

Please excuse basically everything about this photo. Just concentrate on the outfit, not it's surroundings. Ha! Top: JCPenney Cardigan: Target Maxi Skirt: Target Flip Flops (not seen): Old Navy This post is linked up with the ladies over at the Trend Spin link up.

I had so much fun doing the post on my fave beauty products, that I decided to do one on my make-up bag!

Now, my make-up bag is nothing to write home about.  I have worn make-up since I was a teenager, but I always just kept it minimal up until, well, recently.  I just figured out eyeliner last year if that tells you anything.  I do, however, like to try new things and am always looking for ways to enhance (okay, and cover up, too) my face.

As I have gotten older, and especially after L was born, the skin on my face has changed.  I have to use under eye cream (which I am still trying to find the best one) and a moisturizer (still looking on that too) on my face?  What?  My make-up bag is getting fuller by the month with all the "extras" that I have to put on my face before I even get to apply foundation.

With that being said, my make-up is not from Sephora, it's from Wal-Mart, Target, or e.l.f. I have found that I can get comparable high-end products at these three places and spend less.  I'm all about saving money and still looking fabulous, so...

Alright, so we've talked about denim jackets, striped dresses, and harem pants. That leaves just two items left in this series: the classic white jacket/blazer and the (weirdly) named flippy skirt.  Because I am in the market for a couple of blazers, I thought that I could just combine all my browsing into useful information to share with all of you.

So, we know that black blazers were all the rage in the fall/winter.  Well, now you need a white one to go with that black one.  Here's what I have found lately:

h&m || forever 21 || target  I am leaning more towards the Forever 21 blazer.  I like the cut because it will still look okay on my short-torso'd body and I've always been a fan of two-button blazers.  I also like the faux pockets.  I think that adds a bit of character to a plain piece such as this. I always like to go to Pinterest and hunt down style ideas on the pieces I talk about.  It is easier for me to see how something is styled and then put my own spin on it, than to just think of something from scratch.  Very rarely do I come up with an outfit off the top of my head.  I'm usually always inspired by something I have seen and then I take it and run with it.  I believe that is the beauty in finding our own style: to be so inspired by something that we wish to recreate it in a way that suits ourselves as an individual.  Okay, so, you know I'm going to show you what I've been pinning, right? Browse my board and get I N S P I R E D! This wraps up my posts for the week since I will be out of town for a wedding!  Please be sure to follow me on Instagram (@lifenleopard) to see a sneak peak of what I wore to the wedding, how we entertained ourselves, and how well L fairs on a six hour road trip.   Then, come back here Monday to hear ALL about it! Have a great rest of the week and a fabulous weekend!

Target got all of my money in March, I can't even lie.  I bought all you see here in the first two weeks of March.  The last two weeks, I didn't buy anything.  I was too sick (and then, the kiddo) to even care about my wardrobe for the last two weeks. I am hoping April is better and I can really start getting my wardrobe amped up for Spring and Summer.

Happy Monday and a happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!  I thought since today was all about green anyway, I thought I may show you that you can wear green even after St. Patty's Day is over!  Yep, that's right, mint is a big color for Spring this year.  I do love the occasional pastel in my wardrobe and this color just happens to be one of my "go-to pastels".

I found a lot of pretty things when I was doing my research and I think I may have to purchase the pretty lace button up.  I don't know-we shall have to see.

pants || necklace || lace blouse skirt || purse || lace tee

*sigh*

I hate jeans.

There.  I said it.

I never used to.  I used to love getting into my closet on my days off when I didn't have classes or work, pulling on my favorite pair of broken in jeans, and going about my day.  I welcomed them much more than any yoga pant I owned.  They just looked good.  They said, "I am comfortable, relaxed, yet stylish today.  Here I am world!  Let's go!"

That was before I had the bay-bay.

This morning I got up, showered, and went to the bedroom to put clothes on.  *sigh*  This is where my self-esteem usually plummets.  It's 8:30 in the morning and my self-esteem is usually trashed before breakfast.  Awesome.  So, there I stand in my bathrobe in front of my closet and even though I know this is going to suck, I do it anyway.

I reach for my jeans.

Now, let me help you understand something.

I don't have any jeans that fit right.  None.  I own four pairs of jeans and a pair of jeggings.  I also own a pair of yoga pants and three pairs of "comfy pants" as I call them.  Normally, I put on the comfy pants or the yoga pants, but we had to go to Target today so, since I was leaving the house, I reached for the jeans.

One pair of jeans is a size too small.  Those are my "some day" jeans.  I hang onto them because they are fairly new, but I can't get them over my ass.  My jeggings are a size too big so I am constantly yanking those up to save everyone from seeing my tramp stamp. (Oh yea, I have one.) I have two other pairs of jeans that are identical except for the wash.  One is light, one is dark.  The only places those fit correctly are in length.  They are tight on my hips and too big in the waist.  So, I am constantly yanking those up too.  They also cause my underwear to crawl down my butt and...yea, it is really just a hot mess being me most days.

I step into the dark wash-perfect-length-make-my-underwear-fall-down-my-butt jeans and then I do the crab walk to get them over my booty, up my hips, take a deep breath, and button them.  There.  They are on.

I look in the mirror and this is what I think of:



I grab a t-shirt to cover the busted can of biscuits and realize I have broken a sweat getting jeans on.

Damn it.

I spend most of the morning yanking my jeans up over my ass and then doing the lovely yank-them-up-one-more-time dance as I get out of the car in the parking lot of Target.  I get L in the cart, do another yank, and off we go into the store.  We do our shopping with Mommy stopping several times throughout our trip to do a sneak yank in various empty aisles (I bet the loss prevention worker at Target loved watching that on camera.) and I finally snap.

I march us over to the women's section and begin the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans.  I am begging in my brain, "Please Target, oh please save me from this dilemma.  Please let me find a good pair of jeans that are just perfect everywhere, like they used to be, when I was younger/thinner."

I start looking at the jeans.  I become overwhelmed.  I know I need mid-rise (and probably Spanx at this point in my life, but that is another blog post.) and I need a short length, but I don't want skinny jeans, or do I?  Can I?  Should I just stick with my bootleg?  Should I do a trouser jean?  I had a pair of those once, I liked those....I look at L, I look at the jeans, I look at the fitting room, I look back at L.  It then hits me:  I can't try on jeans with a toddler.  Am I crazy? The last time I tried clothes on when she was with me ended in Cheerios all over Kohls' fitting room floor and a super angry baby, complete with carrying her out of the store like an infant and her beating the crap out of Mommy for all the world (or at least that part of the world) to see.

I sigh.  Forget it.

"Let's just go home, L."

We go home.

So, here I sit, unsure of what to do.  I am still wearing the jeans from this morning.  Why?  Because I hate that my husband always sees me in yoga pants or comfy pants.  I am trying to retain some of my self-respect and dignity while my jeans are showing otherwise.  I'm trying, and honestly, I feel like I'm failing.  My jeans are winning this battle.  I am uncomfortable as hell and they are crawling down my backside, laughing at me.

I just can't get this right, no matter what brand I buy, what rise I buy, what length I buy-it doesn't work.  Nothing does.

The only thing I haven't tried is spending more on my jeans.  I usually buy from Old Navy or Kohl's.  I have one pair from Kohl's.  They are the Apt. 9 brand and, when they fit, they make my ass look good, but I can't find another pair like them, anywhere, in a bigger size.  That sucks.  I have determined that I will never buy Old Navy ever again because they don't hold up like they used to and their pockets sit weird on my butt.  I mean, I know I have larger butt than I used to, but Old Navy, ya don't need to help me advertise it.

So, what is this Mom to do?

I am tired of having my self-esteem wrecked at 8:30 in the morning.

I am tired of living in comfy pants.

I am tired of this even being an issue.

This Mom will take any and all advice given into consideration.  I am not kidding.  Someone please help me! Please help me take back the control over my jeans!

Until next time,