What to Wear - Navy Ceremonies
Monday, September 25 • attire, fashion, girly, milso, quick guide, san diego blogger
Its that time of year again.... Ball Season!! I am a total sucker for a reason to get dressed up (sometimes I dress up just to go out to dinner with my hubby) so when ball season comes around I get really excited!
I remember Roxy (from Army Wives) being worried about the "dress code" she would have to abide by after Trevor went to OCS. I found this part of the show funny because there isn't really a dress code for spouses on a normal day. I have definitely shown up to spouse meetings in my Navy sweatshirt and leggings but have also show up in a preppy Lilly dress so I personally think anything goes. However, when it comes to events and balls, there is definitely an unspoken dress code. From what I've experienced, it is best to wear modest clothes but still show off you sense of style - you can do this by wearing a chunky necklace or some adorable peep-toe heels!
I wanted to share some of the outfits I have worn to Navy ceremonies since Daniel has been in. Also, I am the kind of person who doesn't want to spend a ton on formal clothes since I don't really get a chance to wear them that often. So, all of the dresses I listed below are $80 and under!
OCS Dinner - The OCS dinner was more on the formal side so I opted to wear this red dress that I picked up from H&M almost a year prior. I didn't have a good sweater to wear so I paired it with my professional blazer to give the dress a professional/formal look.
OCS Graduation - OCS graduation was a little on the less formal side. It was in an auditorium and was a short ceremony so I didn't dress up too much. I ordered this dress from Red Dress Boutique about a month before heading to Rhode Island. I knew it was going to be chilly there so I made sure to pick up a cute oversized scarf to wear with it. If I could change one thing about this outfit, I would ditch the heels. We did a lot of walking and heels weren't really the best choice for shoes.
Merlot Dress (linked similar) // Heels
Navy Ball - This was my first ball so I had no idea what to wear! I went shopping with my gal-pal who had been to a Marine Ball before and she helped me pick out this dress. I originally found a dress similar to it at the mall but didn't want to pay over $200 for a dress I would wear once. So I headed over to Lulu's online and found this perfect dress for the perfect price! A simple yet elegant dress is always a good option for the ball. However, I did see some cinderella style dresses that had sequins and I also saw 3-5 ladies wearing short dresses. So I guess it is whatever you feel most comfortable in!
Wining Ceremony - Again, I had no idea what to wear for the winging ceremony! A couple senior spouses had told me to wear nice Sunday church attire so I tried to match that. Keep in mind that you will be going on stage (above the crowd) to pin on wings; so, when finding an outfit, think about how it will look from the audiences' point of view (aka not too short). In the end, I think my simple black long sleeve dress was perfect. It wasn't too dressy but it didn't look casual either. I would recommend either a simple dress or a cute summer dress for an event like this!
I hope you all have a wonderful ball/ceremony with your military member!
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Big Bear Lake - California
Sunday, September 10 • adventure, big bear lake, california, quick guide, review, san diego, san diego blogger, travel
This past weekend Daniel and I ventured up to Big Bear Mountain to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary and we had such a perfect weekend!
As soon as we got up there, we went to Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain. The alpine slides are really fun because you get to act like a little kid again! You get to ride the chair lift up to the top and then climb into a bright yellow sled and race down the hill. It was a blast! I also loved the view from the top of the slides. You could see the lake peeking through the trees with the bright blue sky. I wish I had gotten a better photo of it because this photo below doesn't do it justice.
After the slides, we headed down to the lake for lunch. I had packed a picnic lunch for the day so we sat and ate it under the pine trees. After lunch, we walked around the village and did a little shopping while waiting for our hotel room to be cleaned for check in. While in the village, we went to a really cute little coffee shop called The Tea and Coffee Exchange. I think we have officially earned the title of "old married couple" because we sat and played chess while enjoying our coffees!
We finally checked into our hotel (we stayed at The Lodge at Big Bear Lake) at 3pm. Our room was really cute with a fireplace and balcony. However, the room was a little on the older side and had an odd smell to it. Other than the smell, every thing was really clean and nice! The hotel was in a great location because it was only a couple blocks to the heart of the village and about four blocks away from the lake. If When we go back, we would definitely stay there again.
We took a couple hours to just relax and watch tv in the room before going to dinner since we got up pretty early that morning. Also, we were not able to have our wedding cake topper on our anniversary like tradition states - but, I was able to order these adorable sugar cookies from a local baker in San Diego (Amy's Cakery)!
We went out to dinner that night at The Peppercorn Grille. The restaurant food was okay.. it wasn't anything overly special. However, the atmosphere was perfect. It was a small place that had fire heating lamps set up on the patio - which made it feel so romantic. Also, the manager gave us a free chocolate cake (that I "accidentally" devoured before Daniel could have 3 bites LOL). After dinner we went right next door to Big Bear Lake Brewing Company. Neither of us had ever been to a brewery so it was a fun experience! We sat at the bar and ordered two flights of their house beers. My favorite was the Honey Blonde and Daniel's favorite was the Goldmine Pale Ale.
The next morning we had to head home unfortunately; but we left feeling rejuvenated after a night in the mountains! I think it is super important to spend time with the ones you love, experience new things together and most of all, cherish the little moments in life! I also HIGHLY reccomend Big Bear Mountain to those who are looking for a cute little mountain lake in California.
Thanks for reading! I hope everyone has a good week ahead!
A year in the life - Jack Edition
Friday, August 25 • cat, dogs, golden retriever, puppy, san diego blogger
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| 8 weeks old - first day we took him home |
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| 2 months old - first vet visit |
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| 3 months old - first rawhide bone |
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| 4 months old - first puppy play date |
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| 5 months old - still figuring out how to be like his sister |
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| 6 months old - he (barely) passed puppy training |
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| 7 months old - we had to pack up the house and move |
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| 8 months old - he slept through 2000+ miles in the car |
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| 9 months old - he had to celebrate Easter in the cone of shame |
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| 10 months old - his first girlfriend |
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| 11 months old - he got to be a little boy and play in the dirt at the dog park |
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| 1 year old - he recieved some birthday treats (a rubber rope, Beggin Strips and a Sprinkles Cupcake!) |
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| 5 years old - she got some birthday treats too (catnip, Kitty Cravings tuna snacks and some squishy fetch balls!) |
Well, as you can see, it has been a crazy but fun year! Jack is still learning some manners such as jumping up on people and using his mouth while playing. But other than that, he has sure made us proud! Nala has been doing her own thing but she still cuddles with me every night and loves to eat bananas! She has such a great personality for a cat and makes life more fun.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK AND NALA :)
Hiking: Cowels Mountain
Friday, August 18 • adventure, hiking, north face, packing list, photography, quick guide, san diego, san diego blogger
This weekend Daniel and I went to Cowles Mountian for a hike! We wanted to get to the top before the clouds burnt off and the sun came out so we started our hike around 7:30am. While it was really hard to get up early, it was so worth it to watch the clouds slowly disintegrate to show the beautiful mountains. We got some beautiful photos at the top and had the chance to just sit and relax after a long week. Once we got down the mountain, it was only 10:00am so we decided to stop and grab some juice! I was never a "juice person" but since moving to San Diego I have grown to love it. Daniel got a green juice that had mango, kale, agave and some other delicious stuff and I got a pink juice that had a lot of fresh fruit in it! By the time we got home it was only about 11am and we still had the whole day to get house stuff done. Starting our Sunday morning by hiking was definitely perfect!
For hiking, I always wear my hat to keep the sun off my face! I also like to wear a tank top and bring a 1/4 zip pullover in case it is a little chilly. I recommend wearing a light pair of leggings or pants when you go hiking to protect your legs from overgrown nature! Also, the hiking boots I picked up at REI were a lifesaver! They have a lot of grip on the bottom and added ankle support so I wasn't worried about rolling my ankles on rocks (especially when going back down the mountain). I will link some of my favorite hiking attire at the end of the post if you're in the market for new gear!
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| The trail we hiked up! |
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Thanks for reading! Check back for more hiking posts in the future (since this is becoming my new favorite hobby)!
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