I'll be honest with you guys: I haven't been satisfied with any of my outfits this week. I don't know what's been missing or if it's just the heat/humidity, but I just didn't want to take photos of anything I put together this week. By the time Thursday rolled around, I decided to go back to my tried-and-true outfit formula: solid bottoms + printed top. The shoes I wanted to wear, black single-strap heels, need to go to the cobbler so I opted for my always-classic black wedge heels. Everything in this outfit is old but I linked to similar pieces below.

Details:
Shirt: old Walmart (similar)
Pants: Worthington via JCPenny
Shoes: old Cato (similar)

Are you a stay-at-home mom? That question was asked of me this past weekend by a woman whom I had just met.

No ma'am, I responded.

Oh, so you put her in daycare? That's when I heard it - that note of disdain, of disapproval for my parenting decision. All coming from a woman who had known me for all of thirty minutes. A woman who most likely I will not see again.

For the first time since my daughter was born, I was mom shamed. I've seen this happen to other mothers but have been fortunate to avoid the situation myself. Finding myself face-to-face with this unwarranted disapproval from a stranger, I truthfully didn't know how to react, so I didn't.

I am not a stay-at-home mom. My daughter goes to daycare during the week. And, believe it or not, our mother-daughter relationship is not suffering. Sure it sucks on days that I come home and only get to spend about thirty minutes with her before bedtime. And there are days that I would much rather stay at home and play princess castle, watch Mickey Mouse and read books. But I like to work. And, quite frankly, I wouldn't be able to have the lifestyle I want if both my husband and I did not work.

And let's not discount the benefits of daycare. Alexis is learning how to socialize with other children. She's being exposed to germs and illnesses now so that when she starts school in a few years hopefully she won't get sick every other week. The teachers at our daycare help with everything from learning how to feed themselves to coloring and even potty training.

Bottom line is this - whether you're a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, no matter the reasons behind it, you deserve support. So to all those people out there turning their noses up at another mom's decision to work or not to work, shame on you. Being a parent is hard enough as it is. We don't need your crap, too.

 My love,

I don't say this enough, but I don't know how I would make it without you especially now that we're a family of three. You are such a good husband and daddy. And you've been so patient with me this past year as I adjust to motherhood. It's not been easy for me to find balance between the baby, our relationship, work and my own personal needs. You haven't gone anywhere while I've struggled through exhaustion, feeling inadequate, and being stretched thin. For that I love you all the more.

With all my heart,
Your wife

Photo by Cherokee Spivey Photography

...It's the humidity. Okay, so it's both. Here in south Alabama it seems like you can't have one without the other. I know I've probably already said this but dresses and light fabrics are my go-to for these steamy days. Really, anything that lets in what little breeze there is.

Want an idea of just how humid it is here? Just check out the haze in this picture... Anyway, I've shared this dress on the blog back in January. It's definitely one of my favorites and I couldn't wait to break it out for summer. I decided to keep it simple and paired it with these super comfortable neutral wedges from Target I picked up last weekend.

Details:
Dress: Old Navy (similar)
Shoes: Target

These wedges are the perfect neutral shoe. They go with everything. I've been wearing them non-stop this week and love them paired with white jeans. A lot of times I feel like brown/tan is too bold, like with this outfit so these wedges make the perfect choice. They also come in black and navy.

Details:
Shirt: Old Navy (limited sizes available)
Pants: The Limited
Shoes: Target

You can't tell in this picture but this dress has the most amazing sleeves (you can get a better idea on my Instagram). I ordered this from Walmart a few months ago only to discover it's completely see-through, so the search began for a full slip. I wasn't looking for one of those spandex, skin-tight "slips" that are everywhere, although I did try one and was extremely disappointed. I wanted a traditional silk slip ... and end up finding one at a non-traditional place, a website I've never shopped before -- Yandy. But this chemise is perfect. It's not form-fitting, is a good length, has adjustable straps and is less than $20. I'll be ordering another in white soon.

Details:
Dress: Walmart (out of stock but pretty options here)
Slip/Chemise: Yandy
Shoes: Candies old (similar)
Purse: ShoeDazzle (sold out)

An open letter to journalism graduates applying for producer positions:

Congratulations. You've chosen to pursue one of the toughest jobs in the business.

I hope you're organized, have excellent writing skills and good grammar, and like being busy.

Not only will you be responsible for crafting a show ... or two ... or three, but you'll also have to worry about what your reporters are doing, if you're going to get to take a lunch break today, and - oh yeah - social media.

On any given week day, I fully produce two shows and stack a third. I build all my own graphics, write between 20 and 40 stories daily, post to the station's website and social media pages, answer viewer phone calls, schedule interviews for our noon show, coordinate with reporters ... and the list goes on. I am literally busy from the time I get there until I leave.


Producing is stressful. Not only are you responsible for the stories you're writing, but you're also responsible for the stories everyone else is writing for you. And let me tell you, keeping up with what 10 other people are doing throughout the day can be frustrating.

But once you get past the stress and the frustrations, producing can be extremely satisfying. Putting together a show is like building a puzzle, and there's no better feeling than sitting in the booth watching what you created come to life.


Another thing -- don't be a pushover. Producers are strong! It takes dedication to be a producer. Dedication and determination. You have to stand up for your show and what you want it to be.

Oh, one last thing. Producing is certainly not for everyone, but it also shouldn't be treated as just a stepping stone into a reporting position, although producing skills will make you a better reporter. If you're not passionate about news and only see producing as a means to the next job, maybe you should be applying for the next job instead.

I don't know about where you live, but here in south Alabama it's already summer time. We've been in the 90s all week. Couple that with oppressive humidity and dressing professionally can be challenging. I'm a fan of light fabrics, like cotton and linen, and easily-removable layers. I've featured this skirt before but paired it with a chambray shirt for a more monotone look. Thursday, I decided to lighten things up a bit with a white collared sleeveless button-up.

The shirt has subtle details in textured vertical stripes making it more than basic. The best part about the shirt? It cost me less than $10, proving that fashion doesn't have to cost a or be a name brand to be a valuable addition to your closet.

Details:
Shirt: Walmart
Skirt: Old Navy out of stock
Shoes: Target