these shoes rule...

While I was pregnant, many women would look at my huge, puffy, swollen feet and tell me that I would likely end up wearing a larger shoe after the baby was born. They were right and I have finally come to terms with it. As I sadly begin to purge my closet of what is now a pile of size 8's that are way too tight, I look forward to the future filled with lovely size 9's.

Hooray for shoe shopping!

Since the summer is nearing completion and I won't be able to wear flip flops for much longer, I went shoe shopping yesterday. I drove to Mississauga specifically to go to the Crocs store. Now before you start riding my ass about my love of Crocs, hear this. Crocs got me through my pregnancy and c-section recovery. When my feet swelled to what seemed like double their size, my trusty Crocs were the only thing I could put on. I wore them until the snow got so deep that I had to pull out a worn out pair of hiking boots that were stretched out from too much wear. I could barely lace those puppies up. But the Crocs went on with relative ease. Even though I would end up with circular indentations on the tops of my feet by the end of each day, with them I was able to walk. Anyway, I went to the Crocs store specifically for these.


I saw a friend with a white version of these a couple of weeks ago. I knew I had to have them.

In the same neighbourhood as the Crocs store, is Stylesense. I hadn't heard of this store until my friend Kim mentioned that they carried a lot of hootchie-mama shoes. True, most of their shoes seemed to be designed by people who think that women prefer to dress like tramps. But once I waded through the gladiator sandals and 6 inch heels, I did manage to find these lovely Hush Puppies.


And these excellent Merrell's.


Oddly enough, both pairs are brown. I am very much a black shoe girl. And a black clothing girl. I guess I'll have to start adding some brown to my wardrobe, you know, to match the shoes.
Or I'll need to buy more shoes. Whichever works.

'tis a gift to be simple...

We just received a copy of the most recent Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue in the mail. It's their Christmas gift guide and it is full of wacky gadgets. Here are a few that cracked me up. Or made me scratch me head. Or both.

The Fish Agility Training Set

Seriously? Are there really people out there who train their fish to do tricks?

The Personalized Woven Photographic Image Throw



Because nothing says creepy like a giant picture of your loved ones on a blanket.

The Star Wars Nutcracker Set
Honestly, I don't even know what to say about these.

The 14 M.P.H. Cooler
Now this I can get on board with! I might need it for next summer's camping trip.

The Talking Pet Bowl


This would totally freak my cat out! It might actually send him over the edge.

Hope this helps you with your Christmas shopping!

grab your coat and get your hat...

I've been avoiding buying a maternity size winter coat. I just didn't want to shell out the cash for something I might only wear for a month. I had hoped to get by on layers of sweaters and fleece but nothing in my current wardrobe can actually button around by ever expanding girth. A quick trip to Old Navy yesterday solved all of my problems.


I had tried on this coat on a previous visit but couldn't justify paying full price for it knowing that I wouldn't be wearing it for very long. But yesterday, the sign above the rack made my heart skip a beat. 50% off. And they had one left in my size. Excellent! And I look pretty good in it too, if I do say so myself. In fact, it highlights the baby belly so nicely that three people offered me their seat on the subway this morning. All at the same time! A worthwhile purchase indeed.

...hold this thread as I walk away...

I love a bargain! I hate paying full price, especially for clothing. So check out this sweater that I bought at Old Navy for $10!


Seriously, $10! I know, the picture doesn't look like much. But check out the cable detail.



Needless to say, I'm quite happy with this purchase and proudly showed it off at work today. I'm tempted to go back and buy another in a different colour...

i love you red hooded sweatshirt...

It's actually a sweater rather than a sweatshirt, but I do love it.



I picked it up at the Gap yesterday. They were strategically placed at the front of the store. The moment I touched it, I knew it had to be mine. This may be the softest sweater I have ever owned. It's made of 45% Acrylic, 37% polyester, 15% wool & 3% spandex giving it the perfect combination of softness and stretch. I perused the array of colours from the brilliant green to the practical black, thinking seriously about each before deciding on the one that caught my eye in the first place. Red is my absolute favourite colour and luckily it works well with my skin tone. And with the Gap gift card I received from my awesome mother-in-law last Christmas burning a whole in my pocket, that sweater didn't stand a chance.

Turns out, it was a great purchase. I received many compliments on it today at work. And my co-workers humoured me as I made them rub the sleeve to feel the cozy softness. Nothing like a little retail therapy to boost the self esteem!

these boots are made for walkin'...

On the way home from Huntsville, we stopped at the Cookstown Manufacturers' Outlet Mall. I'm not big into the outlet mall. I shop with a purpose. I usually don't head to the mall unless I actually need something. I'm not a browser. But this particular mall has a great selection of stores with fabulous prices and since we're not usually in the neighbourhood, we stopped in.

So of course, I bought footwear.

These gorgeous black leather boots were only $79.99, down from $180.00 at the Rockport Outlet. And I was in need of new boots so the timing was perfect. (The shading is a little whacky in the picture, they are actually all just one shade of black. )

Hooray for new boots!