Petite Plus Clothing?!?! Does it exist?

Hubby and I took another cruise this year and had a great time.  With gaining and losing weight, I was worried about what to wear on the 2 formal nights we were going to have.  A lot of the people we know do not like to go to the dining room on formal nights, but we happen to LOVE getting all dressed up for a fancy dinner. 

I tried on several of the dresses I have and am happy to say two of them were to big.  Another two I could get on but just didn't feel comfortable in them.  I wore them on the Holland America line which is a bit fancier than Royal Caribbean.  I bought a purple one that is very similar to the white one Jennifer Hudson wears in some of the Weight Watchers ads.  I didn't quite get into it. 

I looked at Dillard's, Macy's and Bealls but didn't really find anything.  Being a petite girl (under 5'4") but a big girl (=overweight), I can have trouble finding dresses.  I love to watch What Not To Wear as it has really helped me choose better clothing.  There is also acolumnist I love to read in the People Style Watch magazine, Ashley Falcon.  She writes about plus size fashion and I just put my petite height spin on her suggestions.

I was getting quite desperate and started searching on line for something I could wear.  When you are petite, a 16W can hang on you.  Shoulders seams are on your biceps, the waist is near your hips, knee length is mid-calf, they just don't fit.  Most petite clothes lines only go up to 14P.  Where are all the designers for people with my problem?!?!?!?!?  Where are the 16P, the 18P and above.  AND, I don't want to look dowdy or frumpy.  I want to look stylish.

I almost gave up but then (trumpets please), I went to Belk's website.  I was not aware of this store until I moved to East Texas.  There were not any in Houston when I lived there.  It's kind of like a Macy's but not as big.  I found the most darling black dress that actully came in a 16 petite.  When I read the reviews, it appeared  the size was true.  Knowing I wanted to get a few more pounds off before we left I ordered in a 14P.

I could hardly wait for it to come.  When it finally arrived I was nervous about putting it on but it fit beautifully.  It is an R&M Richards design and I am so glad I purchased it.  It is floor length but a silky jersey material which means you can dress it up or down.  The best thing of all was the price of the dress.  I got it for $22.10.  Yes $22.10. I am so happy with this dress.  For the formal night, I pulled my hair back, wore high heeled sandals and borrowed my sister's wrap (another bargain from Marshall's).  For summer wear, I have some jeweled flip flops and will wear my hair down.  

Well, must close for the day, duty calls and need to finish the dinner dishes, yes, even Divas do dishes.

P.S.  Tomorrow will tell you about my grand entrance into the welcome back party!!!



The $22.10 Dress




Me (windblown hair and all) and Jim



March 2013 almost over?? Really??

I can't believe how fast time goes.  I had all these plans for retirement and was going to get so much accomplished but...Well, I was actually only semi-retired.  This year I have decided not to do any workshops or auditing so we will see what I can accomplish without any work distractions.

So, it's already March (almost April) of 2013 and these are  my goals for the remainder of the year:

          1.  Keep doing Weight Watchers (great program - I am down 20 pounds)
          2.  Begin learning Spanish with my Rosetta Stone CD's (I have only had for 3 years)
          3.  Sew
          4.  Exercise at least 5 days a week.
          5.  Birding
          6.  Shop
          7.  Keep up with my blog.
          8.  Log in to Facebook everyday.


Most of you know I joined Weight Watchers (WW) about a year ago.  I never really committed to following the program until just last week.  I tracked EVERYTHING (even the little bites or tastes) and lost 3.2 lbs.  Yea me!!!  This is a fantastic program that teaches you how to eat healthy.  I love my meeting leader and the other WW members, we have such a good, supportive group.  I am so inspired now, I think I will be able to hit my goal weight.

Jim (my husband) bought me Rosetta Stone for Christmas a few years ago and I started it and it was fabulous. Then life got to crazy and I had to stop.  Today I will begin again.  My goal is to be able to speak fluently and to post a few blogs in Spanish.  Once I master it, on to French!

I actually have started sewing again and completed some aprons for my former staff.  Need to get in there and finish them up.  This one will be easy as I could hibernate in there for weeks.

I have been walking with the dogs.  It is great to walk in the country.  I put on my headphones and dance-walk to some of my favorite songs and nobody can see me but the dogs, birds, deer and other wildlife.  I earned 9 WW activity points one day.  It was awesome!!

Most of you don't know that I have become an avid bird watcher since I retired and moved to the lake.  We have so many birds up here I bought a book on East Texas birds and my goal is to track every bird that is listed. 

Shopping is on the list as we have so many cute little resale shops and antique shops up here.  I have found some gorgeous tea cups and crystal serving dishes.  I also love shopping for bargains at department stores.  I love buying "play" clothes instead of work clothes.  Little sundresses, skirts and t-shirts are so much fun to buy and wear.  Jim says I have become a "maxxinista".  I love shopping at TJ Maxx for bargains.  I am learning to play golf with my brothers and was told I need a shirt with a collar to play at a golf course in Houston.  Well, I don't want to wear a typical polo or golf shirt, I am to girly for that.  I found the most amazing collared t-shirt with a zippered front by Michael Micheal Kors at TJ Maxx.  I bought it in both white (for golfing) and black it is so cute!!  Can't wait to wear it with my little black golf skirt and new black and white Nike golf shoes!!!  You can look stylish and be active.

Last on the list is keeping up with the blog and Facebook.  This does not mean I am less committed for these, I just think they will be easier.  I access my tracker for WW online every day for every meal so I will just click over to Facebook or my blog while I am there.

Till tomorrow.

Operation 10P is Swimming Like the Pelicans

So far, so good with Operation10P - I am faithfully getting on the treadmill and started working on my upper arms with small 2 lb. weights.  Hubby and mom do a good job of giving me time to work out in the mornings. 

I am averaging about the same amount of time each day including calorie and fat calorie count.  So I am happy about that.  I turned my MP3 player on and us my lunchtime dance break music to walk to.  When I worked, I would put my headphones in and go into our break/meeting room and dance to burn off some fat and calories.  Currently I am in a 16W dress.  Will let you know when I go down a size.  (P.S. - I do have to have these altered to fit in shoulders, length, etc.

I get extra exercise when I go out with my dog for walks up our drive and down the hill to the water.  I probably do at least 2-4 little walks a day but these add up. 

It is getting late for me (us country girls go to bed early), so I will wrap up with a photo of my beloved pelicans on the lake and my lovely lilies!!

Spring Is Coming to East Texas and I'm Still FAT

I have that restless feeling you get this time of year.  I can't make myself stay in and finish something (even blog). 

I'll start cutting out fabric to sew and see a cardinal fly by and go out with the binoculars to bird watch.  Or my mother will holler "something big just flew by the window and landed in the tree"  and we all run to the lake side windows to see what is was.  It could be one of the eagles (we have seen as many as 2 at a time), or a brown hawk who is gorgeous, a big grey egret or just a regular hawk gliding on a current. 

When dusk starts to fall I go out to see if I can catch a glimpse of the deer as they come out to drink from the lake.  The sunsets are absolutely GORGEOUS - tonight I will go out with my camera to post a photo.

My lillies are blooming... I am ready for summer.  WHAT - no I'm not!!!  When I retired, I said I was going to work out and get fit.  I haven't done any of that.  I do hike with the dogs but don't really go fast, I am to busy looking for birds and other wildlife to get any real exercise.

So needless to say - I am FAT and not ready for summer clothes.  I have no excuse as this is my 310th day of retirement.

It's time for:  OPERATION 10P.  I should have done this years ago.  Being a short, fat girl has challenges when it comes to shopping.  Being 5'1"... I need clothes that are proportiate to my body and being a fat girl I need them wide enough to fit me.  Most regular petite sizes only go to size 16P.  I can't fit into most of them.  Women's sizes go larger but a 16W or 18W size is to big for my frame.  On tops or jackets - they are long enough to fit me like a dress or miniskirt, the sleeves cover my hands, the shoulder seams hit my elbows!  Skirts and pants in 16W or 18W - I don't need a top, I can just button the waist right over my boobs and viola, I am dressed!!  I know you can get them altered but that is just more money and I don't want to BE THIS FAT!!!

Operation 10P is about getting fit and to a size I would like to be.  I started exercise today.  I got on my treadmill and walked for 33.52 minutes for a distance of 1.61  miles.  I burned 204 calories with 63 of those being fat calories.  I will strive to do this everyday and keep a log.

When I retired, I told a friend and collegue I would run a marathon with her.  Tiersa, I am in training for it now - hope theres a marathon somewhere in December we can run together!!!

Till tomorrow!!

Birthdays and memories

Yep.  Yesterday was my birthday.  Hoo-ray! 

Funny the things you think of on your birthday.  Today I thought about the birthday celebrations I had with my former staff.

I made them sing the birthday song to each other on their birthdays.  Not just the plain old birthday song everybody had sung to them.  They had to do it special.  We sang it in opera voices, or country style voices or in a round like row, row, row your boat. 

My all time two personal favorites were our Elvis style birthday song (think about Elvis singing the birthday song like blue Christmas) for Rhonda, who is a HUGE Elvis fan, and our Spanish style (complete with maracas made from pennies in a jar) for Sylvia (Happy Birthday to you cha cha cha, etc). 

My staff probably thought it was cruel and unusual punishment, but they all went along.  We made the day special for the birthday person.  I brought in their favorite breakfast, we went to lunch (everyone split the cost), them came back to have cake I either made or bought.  They opened all their cards and gifts and that's when we sang.

We had fun.

I miss those times.  I miss that crew.     

Shooting Stars and Family

Last night I saw a shooting star...and immediately thought of my brother Eddie.

It was awesome!!

I was on the front porch, waiting for hubby to come back from the trash run (we have haul it up the hill and out to the road, no curb side pick up in the country).  I was star gazing when I saw it.  At first, I thought it might be a plane, but the pattern was to erratic and the lights were simmery - then it just flashed and burned out!!!

It brought my brother to mind as we were star gazing when the family was here for Thanksgiving. Eddie said he wanted to see a falling star and thought we could see them better up here.  He was right!!  I called him this morning to tell him, he can hardly wait to come back.  He and the girls (his daughters, my nieces) are coming up for spring break and I am already trying to plan fun things to do.  

Family at thanksiving in picture below to left of table standing, brother Gordon and wife Becky, seated brother Eddie, at head of table me and Jim, on right brother in law David, nieces Mady and Kate, big brother George.

We have so much fun when we are together.  When we go to my sisters house, we usually play guitar heros but I got a karoake machine for up here.  We are going to use for my birthday this weekend.  My sister and aunt are bringing momma home and will stay till Tuesday. 

Now, I promised dorky shots of my family so here goes.  We dared my nephew Clayton to eat his pumpkin pie like a dog and he did. He got so sick from eating so much, he threw up shortly after this picture (love you little buddy)!

One of my families favorite things about my new house is the speak easy in the front door.  This is NOT one of my favorite as I can't see out of the darn thing!!  I am short and my husband forgets that from time to time and puts things to high for me - even on tippy toes I can't see out of it.  The family teased me about needing a sock puppet to look out for me.  Here is Kate looking through the speak easy.

When looking for photos of us at Thanksgiving, I found some from a Christmas a few years ago at my mom's house.  We love Christmas crackers - the things you pull and they pop and prizes and stuff come out.  This year we wore the crowns we got ias prizes most of the day.

Now here we are after the picture just doing our thing:

Even hubby gets into the spirit (most people wouldn't think this about him).  He wore his crown all day too, even when helping Paw Paw on the computer!!

Well, need to go get busy on my day. 

Tomorrow's post - will be about my old job life.

I'm retired and I need a planner???

When I announced by retirement at work - people actually said "I won't ever retire, I'd get bored watching TV"....HELLO - is that all you think retirement is???  Sitting around watching TV???  If that's what you think retirement life is all about, I have 2 comments 1) GET A LIFE 2) come talk to me, I can give you ideas.

I need a freaking planner!!!!  I have so much to do, I am not managing my time well enough on my own to do it.   So I broke down and now have a planner for my retirement life.

I told myself I would exercise first thing in the morning when I retired since I didn't have to rush off for a job.  I haven't really started but I do walk my dog every morning and again today I got caught in my PJ's by Mrs Coach (my neighbors, both she and her husband are coaching at the school).    Exercise is going in the planner.

I also planned to do more of my hobbies - sewing, cross-stitch etc.  So far not a lot .. These activities will go in planner. 

I also bought the Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish - I have it loaded on the laptop, but only did it once...again - time for this will be alloted in the planner. 

Maybe Mondays will be for sewing, Tuesdays for Spanish, Wednesdays for baking, Thursdays scrap booking (I need to organized all my pictures) and Fridays for pasta making.    Cross stitch or needlepoint on alternate evenings sitting in the den with the family. Then I need to make sure I have time to keep house clean, do laundry, feed my family,  play with dog, grocery shop, etc.

Maybe I need to retire from retirement - sitting on my butt watching daytime TV might not be so bad!! How did I get any of this done when I was working!!!

Tomorrow - some goofy family stories with photos. 

Have a great Wednesday.