frugal feathers: i knew i loved you before i met you

warning, i have a lot of things going on in my head right now, so beware the mishmash post! it's friday, so i'm allowed to have a million-miles-an-hour brain, right?

first off, i want to start off by saying this...you guys are awesome. i don't know if you know how much nora and i appreciate all of you. seriously, i know that sounds cheesy, but it's true. nora and i are constantly forwarding each other comments that have been emailed to us with little notes that just say, "cute" or "how sweet" or "awesome!" cause that's what you all are – cute, sweet and awesome! so i wanted to start off with that. thanks for all of your kind words and advice and quips every day. they really mean a lot to us.

ok, next on my list. do any of you have a mirror like mine? our bathroom mirror is like the snow white mirror. in my bathroom, at any given time, i am the fairest of them all. i have the best self esteem while i'm in my own bathroom. then i get to work, take one look in the fluorescent-lit bathroom mirror and realize that i'm not all that. stupid bathroom mirror, giving me false hope. i mean, it's not like i look in the mirror and see heidi klum, and then i get to work and i'm quasimoto...but there is something about the lighting that doesn't show wrinkles, under-eye bags or puffiness. do you ever wonder what it was like before mirrors were invented? i bet people had the best self-esteem. i also bet they had more important things to worry about than baggy eyes – like saber-tooth tigers and woolly mammoths. ok, enough about that, onto the next round...

i bought this top at a thrift store the other day. i spent a bit more on it that i normally would on a sweatshirt (a whopping $5.99!! curses!). but i love it – the design, the length, the off-the-shoulder 80s look it has – i had to have it. plus, it was hidden in the shorts section that i happened to pass it on my way to the check-out counter. it was meant to be mine. then i saw the label, it's a brand i've never heard of: truly. madly. deeply. i immediately thought of that dumb song (time to get another ditty in your head!) by savage garden. what kind of name is savage garden? i might have to do a little research on how they came up with that name. there is nothing savage about these guys. anyways, long story short, i am truly. madly. deeply. in love with my new sweatshirt.

hey, look at the ground

now look over there

now look at me

yeah, that's right, i'm rocking a two-pony fauxhawk. i'm prepping myself for the go-commando race i'm participating in tomorrow. don't mess with me. you don't want me to get all savage garden on you!

sweatshirt ~ truly. madly. deeply, thrifted, $5.99

pants ~ F21, $17.99

boots ~ can't find a brand on them, thrifted $4.99

earrings ~ F21, $2.99

happy friday, all!!

xoxo,

megan bird

inspiration picture for june 27: diane kruger

we hope you can join us this week! again, we tried to keep it somewhat easy and cas (is that how you spell a shortened version of casual???) with the lovely stylings of diane kruger! want a "how to" for inspiration monday? click here.

diane kruger

be inspired!

xoxo,

two birds

curious birds: raise your hand, raise your hands if you're sure

you thought this would be a post about deodorant, didn't you? you're singing that song in your head now, aren't you? what's that you say? you don't know that little ditty? ok, i admit, i am probably older than most of you. this commercial song was stuck in my head through much of the 80s...i would call that brilliant advertising! confidence, confidence dry and secure!

anyways, what i am posting about today takes a little break from our normal curious birds. now i'm not trying to get all think-y on you, but i think this is an important topic, very close to a fashion blogger's heart....my question for today is, where do you get your confidence from?

i started thinking about this because my son had a soccer practice/game on monday night. as i was driving him there, thinking we were going to be late, he said to me, "mama, it's ok if we're late for the practice part, because i'm really good at soccer." of course i confirmed this, and added a comment that even if you're good, you still need to practice. to which he replied, "no mama, i am really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really good!" this comment made me happy because he has confidence. it also made me realize that very soon, i will have to find that fine line of teaching our kids the difference between confidence and cockiness. for some reason, i think it will be harder with my daughter. i think there is a real social expectation for girls to not be too confident. i'm not saying i agree with this expectation, but i don't want her to not make friends because people think she's stuck up. right now it's cute of her to say things like, "mama, don't i look beautiful?" and "i know you think i am the prettiest four-year old you know.", but that won't always be the case. however, i truly wish that every four-, thirteen-, sixteen- and twenty-year old woman would think that about herself every.single.day. wouldn't that make life so much easier??

i have not always had the best confidence. it really took me until my 30s – having kids and settling into my life – to find my true confidence. and even now i have crappy days where i feel fat, frizzy and frumpy. there are days when i look at pictures of myself on the blog, compared to nora, and think...what am i doing putting side-to-side pictures of myself next to her??? 

but that's not every day. most days, i look in the mirror and think that i am beautiful. and even if i don't look beautiful that day, i still think i am beautiful. i am what i am and that's all that i am ~ah-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh~. (that's popeye laughing) (what? too young for that, too?) while beauty does come from within, let's admit it, it doesn't hurt to look like a supermodel some days. sometimes good hair or feeling skinny can make your whole day. sometimes finishing a crossword puzzle can make your whole day. and sometimes an ice cream cone can make your whole day. (am i right?)

i hope i'm getting my point across here. i don't want to convey that looks are more important than anything else. but they do have a place in our lives, in our confidence. i don't base my self worth on my looks. i have way more going for me than just my looks. i'm smart and funny (super funny) and i can sing the kenny rogers part of 'islands in the stream' like nobody's business (nora is the dolly to my kenny). having said that, sometimes my confidence can be ruined by a pair of tight jeans. so i'm asking all of you...people who on a daily basis, post photos of yourselves in different outfits. people who share your poems, your thoughts and your fears on an open forum...where does your confidence come from?

did your parents tell you how smart and beautiful you were every day?

(this is me many, many years ago!)

does your husband or wife tell you how wonderful you are?

do your children tell you that they are so lucky to have you in their lives?

does your dog wag his tail every time you walk in the door? (even if you've only been gone for two minutes?)

did you get that promotion that you asked for?

do you just naturally have confidence, knowing how wonderful you are? or, are you faking it, hoping that no one notices? i would love to hear your thoughts.

in the meantime, raise your hands if you're sure!!!

xoxo,
megan bird

an afternoon chuckle: aspartame

i have been going back and forth all day on whether it's tuesday or thursday. this morning when i woke up, it was tuesday, and i was happy to, in fact, find out that it's actually wednesday. but then i got overexcited and thought it was thursday, and i was so looking forward to the weekend starting tomorrow. (because my weekend will consist of this and this!!!) now i just don't know what day it is and i'm getting a headache, so i thought we could all use a little laugh.

last weekend, while we were camping, our daughter asked if she could have a sip of diet coke. chris pointed to the word, "aspartame" on the label, and said, "do you know what that says?" (sure, every four-year old knows how to read the word aspartame.) and she said, "no." so he said, "that's aspartame, and kids can't drink it." and then eva made this face...

and now, no matter what time of day, what mood she is in, or where we are, if you say the word "aspartame", eva will make this face. always good for a laugh.

i hope this made you smile. for the record, it is wednesday, tomorrow is thursday.

love*birds: 6.22.11

i am sitting here right now with two overflowing laundry baskets in front of me, full of clothes that need folding. getting nice and wrinkly as we speak...and what am i doing about it? well, i am drinking a glass of wine and blogging about all of my laundry, of course. ugh. i just hate folding laundry. i don't know why. it is one of my least favorite chores. i don't mind actually doing the laundry. just folding it. and our little household of three sure makes a lot of dirty clothes. you wouldn't think adding one little tiny person to the family would add that much laundry. but, let me tell you, babies go through a lot of clothes. sometimes i have to change her outfit after every meal. she is a messy little eater. i remember when megan's kids were smaller, before i had mimi and was clueless about such things, i would go over to her house and she would be folding piles and piles of laundry. and i would sit there cooing over how cute the teeny little socks were and how adorable the tiny pants were. and megan would just roll her eyes at me and sigh and continue folding tiny pants and pairing baby-sized socks. i don't think she likes folding laundry, either. but enough talk about things we don't like. (seriously, nora, quit talking about your laundry). let's talk about the things we are loving this week!

nora bird's picks

antler mobile

i am in love with this mobile. i wouldn't even hang it over the crib. this baby would hang right over my bed. so gorgeous.

nude pumps

i want these shoes. nude platform pumps with a detachable lace bow tie (although why would you ever detach it???). these would make every outfit just that much cuter!

tiered maxi dress

this dress looks so comfy. and it is green! and striped! i think i need this so i can wear it every day this summer.

teacup ring

this ring is so sweet and adorable. such a great little statement piece.

shoulder bag

sophisticated and cool. i would love to own this bag.

megan bird's picks

jeffrey campbell be well in red

of course i have to add a pair of jeffrey campbells. these red shoes are perfect for any season, any outfit and any day as far as i'm concerned!

all natural moss and wood pendant

i love this all natural pendant. it's like a little slice of outside hanging around your neck.

mara hoffman beach cover up

i am in love with this beach cover up. i saw it on an episode of cougartown (kind of embarrassed to admit that, but not really cause it's actually a pretty funny show) and knew i wanted it. i am on a thrifting hunt!

the evolution dress

this is the perfect summer dress. jammie comfy and so cute. plus it has a hood and kangaroo pockets. dreamy!

vintage white mesh shirt

i know you probably think i'm going a little heavy on the beach cover ups today. and this would certainly make a lovely beach cover up. but ya know what? i'd throw on a cute vintage slip and wear this with my new red jeffrey campbells for a night on the town! done and done.

megan here, responding to nora's laundry comments. i don't so much hate folding laundry as much as i hate putting it away. i actually like sitting in front of the tv (apparently watching cougartown) and folding laundry. but then of course there are days when it then stays on the basement couch. days, people, as in two to three to four days. that's a perk of having a lot of clothes. laundry can sit clean and folded for a week before i need to put it away! enough about laundry...have a great day, all!!

xoxo,

two birds

healthy, vegan and delicious?

the hubby has been on a bit of a health kick lately, so i have been trying to add some healthy, yet still yummy, meals to my repertoire. jim and i are both vegetarian and already eat pretty healthfully, but i must admit, cheese and dairy play a big role in most of the meals i cook. so we have been trying to cut out dairy from some (but definitely not all. no way.) of our dinnertime meals. i have a yummy mushroom stroganoff recipe that i make every once and a while and we both really love it. the original recipe has lots of sour cream in it. (yum. i love sour cream). i decided to tweak the recipe a bit (okay, a lot) and make it a bit (a lot) healthier. and, you guys, it turned out really good! i honestly couldn't tell that there was no dairy in it. and that is saying a lot coming from me! okay...here is what you do. (i will use approximate measurements because i don't ever measure when i cook. i like to eyeball and taste).

cook up an onion (i had half a red onion and half a white onion in the fridge so i used those, but go ahead and use whatever you have) in some olive oil with about a tablespoon or two of garlic.

after that has cooked a bit and the onions are tender, add about a cup and a half or so of sliced mushrooms. i used baby portabellas but, again, any kind would be fine.

okay. here is where i got all tricky and vegan on myself. take a container of tofu (yes, tofu)...

this stuff...

and blend it up real nice in your blender...

blenders scare the baby (as do hairdryers, vacuum cleaners, etc.)

distract the baby with some pots and pan lids. and maybe a cookie monster toy...

now you can continue...

add the blended tofu to the pan and lower the heat.

then, for fun (and fiber!) add some lentils. any kind you like. i bought some already cooked ones from trader joe's...you know...'cause i'm lazy.

once that is all mixed up you can add the fun stuff...

the juice of one lemon

about a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon and a half (or so) of both soy sauce and white wine vinegar.

and, of course, salt and pepper.

traditionally, (i think, although i am no expert) stroganoff is served atop a pile of egg noodles. since we no longer keep white pasta, rice or bread in the house (save for the occasional treat, of course) i used what we had, which was this...

it's made with bronze plates. don't even worry about it. (what?)

boil it, drain it, you know the drill. then pour the mushroom, tofu, lentil goodness on top and mix it up!

the final product is not the prettiest meal. but i assure you, it tastes good. just look...

baby eyes pasta suspiciously...

baby tastes pasta...

she like it! she really likes it!

it got the mimi seal of approval! that's a big deal, people!

super healthy. super yummy. it can be done!

have a great night, all!

xoxo, nora bird

tuesday remix: sister style

hello, all. happy tuesday! i blogged this while watching sunday night's "game of thrones". holy crap! does anyone else watch this show? so good. i have not read the books, but the show is pretty amazing. great acting, interesting storylines, crazy plot twists. check it out. why must this be the last episode of the season???

anyway, you probably didn't come here to listen to be jabber on about "game of thrones". it's remix time! this week i chose a recent h&m purchase. it is a navy blue cropped shirt with cream polka dots. i am crazy for anything navy blue. and polka dots? love 'em. and the loose fit and lightweight fabric is just my style. and it was less than $10. so, this was an obvious buy for me. it really is very versatile and i can picture it styled many ways. i was super excited to see how megan would wear it and i must say, i am very inspired by her styling...super cute! you might just see me in her exact outfit someday! let us know...would you wear this shirt? how would you style it? here's is how we wore it...

outfit one: orange you glad i didn't wear more polka dots?

jeans- calvin klein, thrifted

shoes- nine west, thrifted

necklace- thrifted

ring- heavenly soles (i miss that store)

outfit two: lovely layers and lots of bling

tank- h&m

jeans- F21

shoes- target

earrings- kohls

long necklace- two birds

other necklaces- vintage, thrifted

aqua bracelet- from amanda

gold bracelet- F21

red bracelet- vintage, thrifted

hair flower- garage sale

ring- kayd design

i told you there was a lot of bling! 

we hope you are all having a great week so far!

xoxo, the birds