a new (ad)venture.

Just a lil sum-sum that a friend and I decided to do that may be turning quite rapidly into a bigger sum-sum. Check out why I haven't been bloggin' (minus my three kiddos):

ze vinners.

If you’ve never given StitchFix a little look-see, then you may not know that you get sent five items in a box ranging from jewelry to blouses to skirts to shorts to jeans to scarves… etc. Women’s. Apparel. And they unknowingly make it in to a game where you get not only $20 off your order from your styling fee, but also a 25% discount if you keep all five items. THEN if you refer friends, you also get a $25 credit for every friend who tries it out. So, you get MEGA bonus points for wearing and sharing. :) Cause sharing is caring, right? So, these past two fixes I have been SO close to keeping all five items. I mean oh so close. But there is always just this one that I absolutely CAN NOT justify. I mean, y’all, the struggle is REAL to want to keep all five items and get that discount! But alas, only two survivors outlasted this present struggle. The three that got away were a pretty neat maxi dress that just wasn’t quite long enough for these ol legs of mine, a long gold coin medallion necklace, and a pair of army green cargo shorts. (They really were cuter than they sound, I just couldn’t get past feeling like I was in junior high again.) The two that made the cut were:

So we’ve got some Ikat and Aztec prints going on up in the Camie Risinger wardrobe now. If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have noted some crazier pins of edgier styled items, because I do wish to work that in a little to keep me not-so-serious. Steve will not allow me to buy the insane wedge sneakers that I somehow have a not-so-secret love/hate relationship with these days. BUT he did encourage this purchase of the off white and aztec print v-neck! Which in shape and cut isn’t THAT edgy (it’s actually quite flattering and extremely comfortable), but the print … let’s be honest. Who’s going to be wearing that print in two years?! No. One. Not one body. And I KNOW I will look back and say, "WHYYYY in the world did anyone let me wear that?” But hey. A trend is a trend, and it’s fun to jump on the bandwagon instead of running along beside it all out of breath and whatnot. So here’s to a trendy splurge. 

Now that black Ikat print blouse is a bit more classic to me because it is black after all. And the print is so small that it can be paired down with a jacket or cardigan and not be glaring at you with the trendy evil eye. It’s got a cute little pocket and gold shiny button closure for the keyhole in the back. And I really enjoyed the detail of the neckline almost looking and feeling like a really soft tee.

So, there ya have it. Two more shirts that are totally wearable for summer and even layered up into the fall and early winter months! Cheers to year round wearability! Thank you, StitchFix. You gals rock.

getting fixed.

Ladies and … ladies! (I don’t think I have any gentlemen readers!) Here is how I’ve been Stitch fixed previously…

And here we go again…

If you’re curious about size and fit and what to put in your own Stitch Fix style profile, leave a comment and I’ll give you my stats and sizes and how things fit to give you an idea!

my new fav: part 2

Aaaaaaand here she is! The piece that I knew I would keep the moment I turned my little tissue paper sandwich sideways and caught a glimpse of her beauty. The piece that was dead-spot-on “Me” to a T. The piece that will be dressed up and worn out probably before summer is even over with.

5. An off-white/cream crocheted tank. Perfect for year-round wearing. Perfect for my skin/hair tones. Perfect for my budget. I had a $25 credit, so I only payed $30 for this tank. Worth. It. Perfect cotton fabric that is oh-so-soft to the touch and just lightweight enough that it will be super comfy in hot weather but not see-through. I’m just a sucker for all things winter white/off-white/cream. I love the look of white jeans, white blazers, and white linen pants. (I’ll be wearing robes of white one day, so I guess I’m just really excited about that already!!!) I like this tank so much that I’ve worn it twice this weekend already! I wore it the day I got it, and then I wore it today to church. Here is what I paired with it today:

From head to toe: coral earrings from Charlotte Russe, light grey scarf from Wal-mart (pretty sure I used it as a table cloth at my wedding), coral skinny skimmers from Target, and nude snake skin flats from Old Navy which are barely visible. When I wore the tank Friday night, I was wearing the earrings and scarf with a grey shawl collared cardigan, army green straight leg pants from Target, and grey crocheted Toms. My Style Suggestion card that came with the tank showed black skinny jeans or a blue chevron maxi skirt which are both ways that I look forward to wearing it as well!

Shout out to the hubs for taking my picture for me. Excuse the slightly disheveled look. We had just unloaded the three littles from the van and were wrestling them down for lunch and nap time. 

So, there ya have it. The results of my first fix. I hope you were inspired to maybe rethink the way you shop and hopefully save yourself (or your family) some extra dollars! This is one really cool way for me to honor my husband and give God the glory. So maybe it’s time for your First Fix or to find some accessories with a greater purpose!

***EDIT: What you don’t want to keep, you send back in a big ole plastic bag at no cost to you that looks like this:

Shout out to Eisley for being a great model!

my new fav

Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Lend me your ears, er, eyes!

About a month or so ago, I came across a nifty little company called Stitch Fix. If you’ve ever heard of Birchbox, it is very similar. It’s like a Birchbox for clothes. Now, if you’ve never heard of Birchbox, no worries. This post is all about explaining my super fun suprising exciting Christmas-in-April experience. (My friend Candice also blogged about her Stitch Fix experience if you would enjoy reading another point of view.)

Here’s how it works. You go to the sweet little website and create a style profile, filling out info such as your height, weight, occupational status, general tastes in style, likes and dislikes in various fits and styles, price range, and a little bit on the wardrobe you already have. Creating this profile places you on a waiting list to be assigned a personal stylist who will then pick out 5 items based on all your criteria that will be shipped to you when you get to schedule your first ‘fix’. Ok, I could ramble on and on about how it all works, but I’ll let you go explore and discover the rest on your own. I really want to just show you my first fix!!! Let’s go.

When I received this first little email, I seriously got so giddy like a little kid at Christmas. I felt like someone was sending me an awesomely thoughtful birthday present a whole month before my birthday because they just loved me THAT much! 

Then yesterday, a day EARLY, my present came packaged in this neat cute box.

Please understand that it was extremely hard to be patient enough to stop and take pictures at every transition in opening. So, some things just kinda got skipped. 

When you open up the box, the wrapping is immaculate. All of your belongings are in a perfectly folded little tissue paper sandwich, and the above photo is a prime example of my hastiness. I tried to put it nicely back in the box, but I just jacked it up. Ha! So, I went ahead and unwrapped everything to find these items:

1. Super cute mint leather and gold medallion snap bracelet. Great colors. My sylist figured me out quick. However, I realized that I don’t want jewelry in my fixes, because I am a straight up cheap skate when it comes to jewelry. I would rather buy a lot of cute cheap things for $30 instead of one bracelet. So this little gem got sent back.

2. Ok, I’m a little frustrated with this picture because it is just not doing the color of the blouse justice, which happened to be my favorite detail. It looks faded, which was not the case at all. It was a really pretty ivy green color that I was shocked to find looked good with my hair/skin tone. I never buy anything this color but will definitely keep my eyes peeled from now on. What I did not enjoy about this tunic was the cut. It was just awkward. Too big, maybe? I felt like if they kept the width, it needed to be longer. But for the length it was, I preferred a more tailored fit. The giant tube sleeves and short wide cut made me feel like I was trying to pull off an odd kimono/tunic hybrid thing. I thought just maybe the detail of rolling and buttoning up the sleeve would help. Negatory. Still awkward. So this little ditty got sent back. I will give my stylist a thumbs up for going a bit outside the box for me on this one. Spot on with the color choice.

**COOL THING : With each piece comes an attached styling suggestion card. Genius!!! Sometimes you just get stuck, or really like a piece but have no clue how it would fit in your wardrobe. Bam. Problem solved. I would’ve never thought to tuck that big ole boxy thing in. Aaaaand another side note, that picture still isn’t the true color of that blouse. What up wit dat?!

3. Hey-o super cute maxi skirt! True colors. Little big on the fit. Great pick. So great in fact that I already own a skirt almost identical to this one. And it was a lot cheaper than $98. (Seriously? $98? Come onnnnnn. I’d buy a leather jacket for that. But an ole maxi? No way.) Got. Sent. Back.

4. Cute flouncy black and white sleeveless blouse with a great little pin tuck detail at the neckline. Loved the little geometric print. Great light weight material for summer, but definitely sturdy enough to be layered and pair with jackets and sweaters to wear year round. One of the most impressive things about this blouse was that it came with an attached camisole. And this camisole was unlike your typical attached cami that’s made of that funky material that is almost see-through itself and smells like horrible B.O. after you’ve worn it only once and didn’t even sweat. Ladies and gents, this camisole was a legit cotton blend cami. I loved the little mother of pearl buttons. And I even enjoyed the fact that the hem of the blouse was a reverse hi-lo. It was like a tunic in the front and a normal length blouse in the back. (This would be GREAT transitioning into your second trimester of pregnancy! haha) My hubs even said it looked like me. But despite the fact that there were so many things I really enjoyed about this piece, yes, you guessed it, it got sent back. And the main reason was the price. I just flat out couldn’t afford it. Because of…

5. My favorite piece that I’m waiting to blog about tomorrow that I KEPT!!!

Lessons learned: Price range is definitely a determining factor for me. Although great things don’t come cheap, I believe this way of shopping for me is worth every penny. I waste money and sanity driving around from store to store trying to find that ‘perfect’ item only to buy a few different items that I really don’t love. After being a little bit lot more specific in my style profile by adjusting my price range to the cheapest side of things (of which I am unashamed. The name of this game is saving money and sanity for me!!!) and asking to refrain from jewelry, I fully anticipate keeping all five items in my ‘fix’ one day. I trust my stylist’s ability and her knowledge of me THAT much. There are so many women in my life who I believe would enjoy and greatly benefit from shopping with Stitch Fix. So follow this link and see for yourself: Get my first Fix

And don’t forget to check back on the blog tomorrow for the big reveal of my favorite piece that I kept!

refurbish

Thanks to a certain website that is full of DIY ideas and renovations and redo’s and hairdo’s and recipes and … well, you know? Pinterest. Yeah, thanks to some time spent perusing its vastness, I came across this nifty little blog.

Most of my time spent searching on Pinterest is either to find something to help save money/time in my home or someone else’s. And when I found this little ditty, I knew it was a keeper. I could finally stop feeling guilty about keeping my very first pair of TOMS that I never wear anymore. I hate keeping extra stuff that takes up space or serves no purpose for me (us). SO, when I saw that I could give new life to one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, I was all over it.

This blog gives an EXTREMELY easy tutorial to follow. I really want to emphasize this because I read it once, WEEKS ago, and recovered my shoes today in a few short hours without ever referencing the blog. I used remnants of fabric from my girls changing pad cover and some old sheets, scissors, a pen, and some almighty E-6000 Industrial Strength Adhesive. And this is what I got:

The sides are actually a slate gray color. I just snapped a few quick pics on my phone to get on the blog. I plan on going back to mimick the stitching around the panels by hand. I’m sure I’ll probably use an ivory or cream colored thread. But other than that, they’re finished. Thank you Eisley and Lola for letting momma craft today!

thoughts on #3

Headed in to week 18 of this pregnancy still seems surreal. Busyness with babies and meals and garage construction keep my mind everywhere else but on having a new babe growing. Some days pass by and I don’t even think about being pregnant, or I come to the end of the day and wonder why I am so tired. Ha! Crazy, right?  Last pregnancy there wasn’t a day from the beginning to the end that I didn’t feel, look, act, or smell pregnant! It is true. Every pregnancy is different; one to the other, person to person.

I do find myself getting nervous butterflies about finding out if it’s a boy or girl. The anticipation only grows even more intense because I know we could know today if we had a sonogram. We could’ve possibly known two weeks ago! But alas, we have to wait until August 27th. I would be lying if I told you that we have no preference. We would (Steve for sure) be stoked for it to be a little Steve growing in there. But there is also some wonder and excitement about having another little girl. We already have two crazy, very different little squirrels. What would the third one be like?

Oh well. Here are a few fun facts and comparisons to start your weekend off with a laugh:

Pregnancy #1 @ 9-10 weeks: I was already gaining weight and using the trusty rubberband pants closure method. Appetite was gone. Everything smelled foul. Skin was breaking out like a 13 year old.
Pregnancy #2 @ 9-10 weeks: No one knew we were pregnant, and I could’ve gone to bed at 3:30 every afternoon from being so tired. Appetite remained. The smell of our car was the only smell that got on my nerves. No pimples!

Pregnancy #1 @ 18 weeks: Two words. Maternity. Clothes. Definitely felt babies move. Definitely put on the pounds. Definitely looked preggers. Definitely emotional about everything. Usually wanted chocolate chip cookies.

My best friend Lindsay (aka: “Loopy”) and I (around 18 weeks) in true form. Look at those little bellies!

Pregnancy #2 in the 18th week: You may not be able to tell that I am pregnant depending on what I’m wearing. I dug out one maternity shirt last weekend because it was soft and long. Praising the Lord to still be wearing normal clothes. Feeling little babe move every now and then when I sit still. I don’t cry. I get mad. And I could polish off a jar of jalapeño peppers every day.

August the 9th I’ll be going in for a check-up. August 14th and 15th girls get their shots and have their one year check up. Then on the 27th we’ll see if we have a little brudder or sissy bell! And in between all of that we have family time and friend time and church time all up in the mix. Here we go August! Let’s get this party started.

weekend update

     Over the weekend I decided that it's time to share a few personal things with you all. Nothing nitty gritty really. Just stuff that lets you know I am real. Typically I write more with analogies of spiritual truth I'm grasping and its practical application [to my life in particular]. But I've not written much about personal things in my life, which I would love to do. Being real and authentic is something that I've striven for since some time around my freshman year of junior high school. (West Memphis groups grades differently than most school districts ... in the entire United States...)
     Personally, I just did something HUGE. Yes, I had twins, but this is almost just as huge. I registered to run a half marathon with my friend Julie for the last weekend of April. This morning I also invited my friend Megan, who lives in Texas, to register and join us in this great feat. And now, I'm going to personally invite YOU to join us if you dare. Cause here's the deal:  I am not a runner. The last time I ran consistently was in high school because I HAD to for sports. But I told a few friends that after I had the girls I would become a runner, and now I want to be held to it. Whether you run with us or not, I am at least inviting you to keep me accountable. I will keep you updated with my progress, so stay tuned. It should be interesting!
     The older I'm getting, the more I'm beginning to realize why 'those old people' liked to just sit around together during the Holidays. I am so looking forward to doing just that with my family in Arkansas over Christmas. Quality time is where it's at for me when it comes to love languages. Presents/gifts are definitely NOT my love language. I don't think I'm terribly great at giving gifts because I'm either 1) thinking about a million things at once and become sidetracked/absent minded and let that 'special date' slip up on me before I realize it or 2) trying SO hard to do the most thoughtful thing imaginable that I spend too much time thinking and too little time doing that I end up having to half way do what I originally planned (at least half way to my standards). I'm not that great at receiving gifts either because more often than not I get this wave of awkwardness that I desperately try to fight, particularly if the gift is unwarranted. I guess I just feel that if you love me, then just simply being with me is enough. :) And especially now that I'm a mom, I'd much rather just have people bless my girls because that blesses me.
     Last, Zekers (our little wuppers (dog)) finally got a bath! I think he's maybe had one since the girls were born ... ha! Oopsie. He knows that he's loved, right?!

whirlwind

Life has been a little cra-cra to say the least. In August I've been able to spend a much needed vacation with my earthly beloved for our one year anniversary, traveled to North Carolina to lead worship (all by my lonesome!) for a girls' conference, traveled to Kansas City (Missouri AND Kansas!) for one of my absolute dearest friend's wedding showers, and traveled to Iowa two nights in a row for one of Harvest Bible's youth kickoff events.  This weekend, thankfully we will stay home together only to pack it all up and head to Arkansas for Labor day.

I have been emptied out, yet my cup runneth over.

Each of these events could honestly merit a lengthy blog post. But for some reason my brain likes to operate in a way so that everything is pulled together by similarities in a clear and concise way. (I know VERY RARELY do I every actually communicate those clear and concise thoughts because my brain is ALWAYS going. It gets muddled sometimes.)

Awaken my heart, awaken my soul
To tell of all You've done.
Awaken my heart, awaken my soul
To sing of Your great love!

one year anniversary

Image via Wikipedia

My husband and I spent the past 5 days on vacation celebrating the fact that we made it through our first year of marriage. It. Was. Wonderful.
We fished. We tanned. We skied. We ate. We loved. He is indeed my best friend. What can I say? But please, tell me this. Raise your hand if you've ever been given a massage table as a gift!!! What an awesome investment in our marriage!