Mommy The Journalist: January 2022

Happy Monday, friends! How's everybody doing this week? Other than some lingering sinus-type issues, I think we may be past our bouts with Covid. I've definitely been feeling more lucid and like myself the last few days.

Speaking of the last few days... We've had a kid-free weekend, which hasn't happened since before Christmas. It's been nice to have some one-on-one time with my husband, as well as some me time that didn't include anything work-related!

Friday night I went to a retirement party for one of my former coworkers at the television station. Reg was actually the first African-American news anchor for this market, and what was supposed to be a two-year stint turned into 24. When I started at the station as the overnight producer, he was really the only guaranteed person to still be there when I came in at 11:00 p.m. and was really the first person to make me feel like a part of the crew. Then when I moved to dayside and evenings and finally to executive producer, he was there every step of the way as a mentor and then as a friend. It was a lot of fun to not only celebrate his legacy but also to reconnect with old friends from my past life (I mean, of course, I still keep in touch with the ones I was closest with but not all of them live in the area anymore).

My husband and I just kinda hung out on Saturday. We went to brunch at a new restaurant we'd been wanting to try called Toasted Yolk. The food was good even though the service was pretty slow. Then we went to a few stores, although we ended up leaving all of them empty-handed ha! We came back home and watched the movie Love and Monsters which was actually very enjoyable. It had a Warm Bodies meets Zombieland kind of feel to it. Then we drove to a nearby town for dinner and came home and watched one of the newer Bond movies that we hadn't seen yet.

Last week was a lot of hurry up and wait as we sent the February issue of the magazine to press. We did manage to get everything put together earlier than expected, which was a relief. Now, I've got to focus on getting the website ready to change over on Tuesday and then plan out everything for the March issue, which thankfully is an easy one.

Can you believe February starts tomorrow?! I feel like exhaling a sigh of relief that we finally made it to the end of January, aka the longest month ever. I spent a little bit of time yesterday working on my blog schedule for the month and really hope to be back in the swing of things by the end of this week.

Thanks for sticking with me the past few weeks while I navigated life with Covid brain. Hopefully, it only gets better from here!

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Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? I'll be honest. Other than the very first Valentine's Day we were together, my husband and I tend to ignore this holiday. Now, my daughter, on the other hand, is super stoked about Valentine's Day and has asked me at least a dozen times what we're doing for it. The truth of the matter is that other than Valentines for her class and getting her some candy (she doesn't really like chocolate) and maybe a small gift, we won't be making a big deal out of it.

But I know that Valentine's Day is a big deal for a lot of couples and families out there, so every year for the past few years I've put together a budget gift guide. I thought I would do things a little differently this year and base the guide on gifts that I would actually use.

These are all things that are currently on my wish list. All are under $50, with most falling in the $30 or less category.

1. Secret Message Candles - Is there ever a bad occasion to give the gift of candles? I don't think so, and these super cute hidden message candles from Natural Life are so cute! The best part is that once you've burned them, you're left with a sweet little trinket dish.

2. Vintage Camera Design Prints - I am a nerd when it comes to really anything to do with my career. I've already got a set of vintage typewriter design prints, and I would really love to add these camera ones to my office decor.

3. Artificial Eucalyptus Wreath - For the past few years, I've been working on updating our home decor to really flow together and create kind of a cohesive living space. I really love natural wood tones and incorporating things from nature. This bit of greenery would work in literally any room of my house.

4. Celfie Vase - How cute is this vase?! I just added another storage cabinet/shelving unit to my office and it would be the perfect addition.

5. Fuzzy Slippers - As much as I love my slipper booties, they are a tad too warm for the summer months, and let's face it. It's hot here more than it's cold. Plus, these are just so cute!

6. Bathtub Tray - Someone, seriously, please buy me one of these! I've only been putting it on my wish list for the past five years...

7. Cell Phone Charger Stand - This is a relatively new 'want' for me. My husband has had a more complicated version for awhile now and he really likes it. Plus, I think it will make it easier for me to turn off my alarm in the morning.

8. Yoga Socks - These would be a great addition to my yoga classes.

9. Reading Mug - This is the cutest mug. I love that you can personalize it, and it fits my bookworm personality so perfectly.

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One of my goals for this year, the biggest in fact, is getting my finances back on track. After a crazy 2020 and a not-much-better 2021, let's just say that I'm not not exactly where I'd like to be money-wise. I feel like I've been playing catch-up for the better part of a year, and now it's time to really knuckle down and start moving forward.

For me, the three biggest financial goals I have for this year are to pay down my debt, build up my savings, and resume adding money into my IRA.

But how exactly do I plan on doing that? I don't claim to be an expert, by any means, but I want to be smarter about my money and what I do with it. So I've been scouring financial sites for the best practices that make the most sense for me, and these are the 5 tips I'll be following to avoid overspending this year.

Create a Budget & Stick to It

This one seems a bit obvious, but it's also the most difficult. It is so easy to go off budget, especially when your usual income has suddenly decreased.

When I first started working at the television station way back when, I made very little and had the tightest budget imaginable. I budgeted for literally everything. And as ridiculous as it sounds to say that I budgeted $50 each month for extras, it's what kept me from spending money I didn't have at the time. And, quite honestly, it's a model that I'll be revisiting this year.

Click here for more tips on how to stick to your budget.

Make Shopping Lists

This is one of those things that I swear by, regardless of if I'm grocery shopping or making a purposeful trip to Target. It's not always easy to stick to the list, especially in Target, but making the list helps to give me an idea of what I'll be spending, and having the list helps me plan my route through the store so I'm less likely to veer off into a distraction section.

Shop Smarter

I wrote an entire post about this last year, and I still stand by everything in it, but for the sake of posterity I'm going to focus on the one question that has served me best over the years. Before buying an article of clothing ask yourself if you can wear said item with at least three other things you already own. Whether that's being able to pair a dress with three different style of shoes or a top with three different bottoms. If the answer is no, and you don't have to have this particular item for a specific event or reason, put it back.

Use Cash When Possible

This is my favorite tip because it is so simple but so effective. By only taking as much cash as you need, you force yourself to stick to a budget. As Money Crashers so eloquently puts it, when the money runs out, you're done spending. Simple as that.

Cancel Some Subscriptions

This is actually something I've been looking into. Between all the streaming services and other random things, subscription fees can really add up each month, and I can guarantee you there's something you're not using that you've forgotten about. Experian also suggests finding ways to share little-used subscriptions with family and friends, which I think is a great idea.

What are some things you do to keep your spending on track?

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One of my favorite things that I started participating in last year is What Are You Reading Wednesday. It's rare for me to focus solely on one book or series at a time. I'm usually, at any given time, part-way through at least two books, and I'm almost always rereading one of my favorites (even if I don't always include them in my monthly roundups).

This month is no different. I'm currently in the process of reading five books, one of which is a boxset of a series I read last year but wanted to revisit. We'll actually start with that one.

Chronicles of Blood - This Alice in Wonderland retelling by Crea Reitan made my list of favorite books of 2021. Calling it a retelling feels a little dishonest, since it's truly not a reimagining of the fairytale. Mal is a 'fixer' who's been assigned to figure out what has caused Wonderland to become toxic and fix it. The only catch? Once she enters the story, she won't ever be leaving.

Jack - This novel by Marilynne Robinson is on Oprah's book club list, so I had to give it a shot. I checked it out from my local library, but so far it's been a little slow going. It's formatted differently from most other books I've read, and I'm not sure if I like it yet. It's the story of John and Della, both the children of preachers, and their star-crossed interracial romance.

The Resurrectionist - In this book, Jack O'Connell spins the tale of a man named Sweeney, who's looking for a miracle for his comatose son, Danny. They've just transferred to the Peck Clinic, where doctors claim to have resurrected similar patients, but the real cure for Danny may lie in a comic book world known as Limbo. This is another library loan, and I'm trying desperately to get through it before it's automatically pulled from my Kindle, but I don't know if I'm going to make it.

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Radical - In this second installment of Colleen Cowley's Clandestine Magic series, our female lead, Beatrix, wants to expose the fact that women can in fact do magic by secretly training tens of thousands of them and then shocking the nation with a big display. The only problem with her plan is keeping it secret from Peter, her town's wizard with whom she shares a magical connection.

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Medusa - Alessa Thorn's second installment in the Court of the Underworld series focuses on the legendary Medusa. The Gorgon rules her media empire from behind the safety of a thousand screens, and she has a private sculpture garden full of the humans who've tried to cross her. Enter Perseus, a thief trying to go straight. When his baby sister is kidnapped, he has no choice but to do one last job for the people who've taken her: break into Medusa's tower and steal a necklace that will protect the wearer from her deadly gaze.

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When you live in the South, your winter wardrobe necessities are few and far between. When your temperatures consistently hit 70 degrees all year long, you don't have a lot of use for bulky layers.

That's not to say it doesn't get cold from time to time - just that it's rare for the lower 48 to experience winter weather for prolonged amounts of time. That's why you see me wearing the same sweaters year after year. I'm lucky if I can wear the same sweater twice in one season!

Mild as it may be, we do still have some version of winter, and it has been known to drop into the 50s for a week at a time here and there. So even though it only takes up a small section of my closet, I do own winter clothes, and I try to add a few on-trend pieces every year (if I feel they have staying power).

I was reading up on this winter's trends, and, not surprisingly, I'll be staying away from most of them. If you've been around for awhile, you'll know that I rarely get into trends, preferring classic prints and cuts, and that I have a pretty good grasp of my own personal style. With that in mind, I wanted to share the five pieces of clothing I can't get enough of this winter.

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and approximately 150 lbs. I typically wear size 6 or S/M in most clothing and size 7 in shoes.

Shackets

Shackets are the one trend I am so on board with. I'll admit, I was reluctant at first. I thought, I already have a closet full of plaid shirts. Why do I need a thicker plaid shirt? Then I saw this jacket on another blogger I follow and decided I should at least try the trend before I knocked it, and I was happily proven wrong.

This shacket in particular is perfect for where I live. It's not lined but it's thick enough to block the wind. The only thing it doesn't have that I wish it did is pockets, but considering it's a shirt jacket, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by that. I love this jacket so much that I decided to add a long version to my closet, as well.

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Boyfriend Jeans

Have you given boyfriend jeans a try yet? They are my favorite style of jeans to wear regardless of the season. The Boyfriend Straight style from Old Navy fits me the best, and I especially love this ripped-up dark wash pair. They have become such an integral part of my cold-weather style. I just can't get enough of them.

Chelsea Boots

I was a little late jumping on the Chelsea boot wagon. I honestly just did not like the look of them, but I kept seeing them everywhere and on everybody, so I decided to keep looking until I found a pair I liked. I came across this pair while Christmas shopping and fell in love. They were exactly what I wanted in a boot and they have fit seamlessly into my wardrobe. That led to me ordering this brown pair, which I also adore.

Leggings

Being a work-at-home mom means I want to be stylishly comfortable. In the last few years, I've embraced leggings, something I thought would never happen to me. I love to pair them with oversized sweaters and sweatshirts, button-down shirts, and dresses. I've really been enjoying these super soft leggings lately, but I also really like the edginess of faux leather leggings (see multiple ways to style them here).

Grandpa Sweaters

I feel like this is the unspoken trend that needs more love. I absolutely love chunky, oversized cardigan-style sweaters. Bonus points if they have extra-large buttons. These are the perfect third or finishing layer for work-at-home moms. They're so cozy and comfy and also keep me warm. Do I feel a bit like a librarian when I wear them? Yes, but I've always not-so-secretly wanted to be a librarian so it all works out.

I want to know! What are your winter fashion must haves?

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I almost decided to scrap this post, but I put a lot of work into finding the photos and making the graphic, so here we go.

The first year of the pandemic had a profound impact on the way I dress in that it took those last vestiges of 'business casual' that were hanging around in my closet and firmly relegated them to the donate pile. Then 2021 came roaring in with much the same feel as 2020, although thankfully it included more outside-of-the-house events, even if those rarely involved large groups of people. Still, my daily style morphed once again and found a balance between casual but ready to be among people again.

Where 2020 saw me working primarily in lounge clothes and graphic t-shirts paired with sneakers, 2021 found me putting together actual outfits...many of which did include graphic t-shirts and sneakers. Ironically, only five of the outfits included in this post feature a graphic tee and/or sneakers, despite how they've seemed to take over my wardrobe.

So, I looked back through all my outfit pictures and tried really hard to narrow it down. I generally like everything I wear, otherwise I wouldn't take a picture of it! That said, a lot of my warm-weather outfits are shorts and a t-shirt, and those I rarely take photos of because there's nothing to say about them, so you'll see none of that in this roundup. Those outfits are practical because of where I live, but not necessarily my favorite.

In the end, I couldn't decide between these 25 outfits. So, out of 365 days, these are the 25 outfits I'm most likely to recreate.

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 150 lbs. I wear size S/M or 6 in most clothes and size 7 in shoes.

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Let's start with Spring. I ordered this romper after a good friend of mine recommended it, and she was not wrong! It was probably one of my most-worn pieces during the warmer months. Sadly, it's not available anymore, but you can shop the store here.

This was one of my favorite casual blouses this year. I wore it with jeans and shorts and was looking forward to wearing it for many years to come. My cat, however, had other plans and tore a non-fixable hole in a very noticeable spot. RIP perfect blouse. You're already missed.

pineapple-shirt-green-floral-skirt-yellow-wedges

This pineapple shirt is so old, y'all, but it's still one of my most favorite mix-and-match pieces. And this hodgepodge of colorfulness was so much fun to wear! Pretty sure at some point I wore the same combo minus the jacket and with my yellow Converse, too, but I couldn't find photographic evidence. I have at least four of these skirts in different patterns. They're that good!

This rainbow skirt is one of the last pseudo-workwear pieces I own, and I love mixing it up in unexpected ways. This Just Peachy t-shirt is an exact color match to one of its stripes. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I ended up wearing these clear strap wedges way more than I expected to. I bought them on sale to try out the trend and expected to hate them. They work with so many outfits, and because they're strappy and have a woven wedge heel, they're not as in-your-face as some of the other clear shoes I've seen.

This dress, y'all. I've had it for awhile and it still makes me happy every time I wear it. I had never paired it with these wine-colored ballet flats before this, but they are a perfect match! This dress has the sweetest faux buttons down the front and is just so flattering. It's a classic cut, too, which means it really won't ever go out of style.

This is one of those best selling Amazon dresses that I just had to try. I actually bought it in 2020, but at the end of the summer so I think I wore it once. I made up for it in 2021, for sure! This was one of my favorite ways to style it, with a wide woven belt to accentuate my mostly non-existent waist and these favorite brown leather wedges. Sadly, it's no longer available.

This yellow-orange dress became a favorite as soon as I put it on. This color combo isn't available anymore, but there are several other patterns to choose from. It's a thicker material, which was an unexpected surprise. It's really easy to layer so I can wear it all year long, but this is by far my favorite combo. I absolutely love my denim vest.

Speaking of my denim vest, you're about to see it two more times. It's the perfect layering piece for sleeveless dresses. And this maxi dress was absolutely a favorite buy for the year. It's also a thicker material, and it has pockets!

This might be my favorite dress style from Old Navy. I just love their sleeveless tiered swing dresses. I have another one in a different print, but I couldn't find any pictures of it. This is the one I bought most recently. I loved the darker floral print, which makes it easier for styling in cooler weather. I think what I like most about this outfit, though, is the subtle print mixing with my leopard-print sneakers.

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If you caught my 10 Best Things I Bought in 2021 post, then you'll know this tank top made the list. Guys, this is probably my most-worn top for the year. I love it so much that I bought another one with a different print. I was really excited to be able to pair it with this patchwork denim skirt and my converse for summer...

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Then all of you guys loved when I layered it with this oversized sweater and my Chelsea boots. So, yeah. If you needed a sign to buy this tank, here it is.

I always find myself admiring people who can pull off a monochromatic look but was always scared to try it myself...until this past year when I fully embraced it. This simple sweatshirt and leggings outfit was honestly thrown together without much thought but once I added my favorite buckle boots, I fell in love.

And that inspired me to try other combinations. This one feels a little less monochromatic to me, probably because of the leopard print in the middle, but still. This tunic top is so good, though.

This all-green look was one of my favorite cold-weather ensembles, despite both my dad and husband telling me I looked like a librarian. I'm honestly not sure if they meant it to be a compliment or an insult, but considering my fall-back plan in life has always been to be a librarian, I'm not mad.

This outfit I styled showing options for leather leggings is one of my favorites that I still plan to wear in real-life one of these days. The weather warmed back up and leather leggings were out of the question. But I love the almost 50s vibes this outfit has. Something about it makes me picture Rizzo from Grease.

Speaking of Grease, this kinda has that vibe, too, now that I'm on that train of thought. Anyway, I love this outfit so much. The skirt is not the material I was expecting, but that's actually not a bad thing for where I live. It just means I can wear it year-round instead of just in the winter. It is more form-fitting, so if you're between sizes, go up.

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I'm not sure why I like this outfit so much. Maybe it's the bold shirt? I don't know, but I felt really put together this day.

I never knew I needed sequin leggings in my life until this year, and this pair is surprisingly really good considering I didn't pay very much for them. They've got a thin liner so they're not scratchy. If it hadn't felt like summer on New Year's, I would totally have worn this...but with flats instead of heels.

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Chelsea boots are the simple boot I didn't know I was missing from my closet. I've never really been a fan of the silhouette, but when I realized the trend just wasn't going away, I knew I needed to try a pair, and I have not been disappointed.

This was, hands down, my favorite Christmas outfit, and you guys seemed to agree in my social media poll. I'm going to figure out more ways to style this skirt to make it feel less Christmas-y though.

I can't wait to wear this outfit in real life. This skirt is so dreamy, and who knew a bodysuit was actually a good idea? Not me, I swear. But this is undeniable proof that they have a place in pretty much every closet.

I love this outfit, even if this skirt and I have a push-and-pull relationship. It's so pretty but I honestly spend all day fighting with the waistband. The elastic somehow gets folded up inside there and then the waist lays wonky, especially if I've been sitting for awhile. I still can't deny how much I like the skirt, though, waistband notwithstanding.

This outfit, for whatever reason, made me feel like a lady boss like no other outfit has. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I felt like I was in charge of everything while wearing this.

And we're going to end with what is arguably the best sweater I bought. It's a longer length, so I can wear it with leggings if I want. But it's just such a pretty green and is so soft and comfy. I've worn it pretty much every chance I've had since I got it. And these brown Chelsea boots have quickly become a staple in my closet. They've got a little bit higher heel compared to the black pair and the shaft comes up a little higher, but they've got comfy insoles so walking in them hasn't been an issue.

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