Bella's Summer 2014 Haul

Yes, you read that correctly.
I went and bought a few things for Bella for next summer/spring.
Don't judge me. I'm not as crazy as you think.
Or I am.

Just hear me out.

I buy most of Bella's clothes at the end of the season when it's the cheapest.
I really try to wait as long as possible. But if I wait too long I can miss out on the cute stuff in her size. I do my best guessing when buying for future seasons.
So far I've been A1 because she's been true to size (you know buy 6-9 months when she's 7 months, buy 2T when she's two years...) As she gets older it may get harder.

I do have a few rules that I follow when I go:

BRING THE KID WITH YOU. I'm so happy I brought Bella with me. I figured next summer she would be closer to a 4T (she'll be four next July)...WRONG. I had to buy her swimsuit in a 6/7 because the toddler sizes almost fit her now. Which means they def won't fit in a year.

MUST BE UNDER $10 (I shoot for $5 haha) or it's not a good deal. What if it doesn't even fit next season? Can you resell it for the price you bought it? If not, don't do it.
Call me cheap, shit at least you're calling. Seriously.

BUY INEXPENSIVE NOT CHEAP. Huge difference. Trust me. You can get great deals on name brands items when they're on sale. Sometimes they are the price (or lower) of the non name brand items at full price. I'd rather have inexpensive, quality items than cheap ones.

BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING SHOES. This is the hardest. I usually end up buying within the season to be safe. I'd rather spend the $30 and know she'll wear them than spend $15 and have to give them up because they're not the right size. But I do buy flip flops because they're dirt cheap. Like, I give dirt to the cashier.

Okay so here's what I found this past month. And because this is clearance, there's no guarantee that they'll be at your store. But check anyway they may have more or better stuff.

Got this at Macy's with a gift card

 so technically it was free.

And this tank was an additional 20% off!

It says $10 but you know me better than that.

 Got them for $1.99!

This was additional 20% off, too!

This was additional 30% off!

My mom bought these for Bella for $5 but they were a tad big.

 Hopefully they'll fit next spring.

I got these from Cotton On for $5.

These flip flops were also additional 20% off.

Old Navy is having 30% off reg priced items and additional

20% off of clearance during Labor Day weekend!

Happy shopping ;)

Bad Ass vs Bad Girl

By now we've all seen Miley's VMA performance.Or at least we've seen pictures.

In my opinion, it was distasteful.There was no creativity.

No respect.

For her fans, viewers, Paula or herself. I would say Liam but are they still together?...
Just classless. I was embarrassed.

She feels like she has so much to prove when in reality she doesn't.

At least when Lady Gaga and Rihanna perform there's art and talent displayed. 

How is it that Rihanna can wear cannabis leaves on her clothing,

post pictures of her smoking it and perform provocatively and still manage to get respect?

She's an artist. She doesn't have anything to prove.

She's a bad ass.

How can Gaga walk around an awards show in a thong and sea shell ensemble and it's okay?

It's what she's done that led up to that that makes it acceptable.

She changed the way people thought about fashion.

Hell, she showed up to an awards show in an egg.

She dressed as a man. The girl can sing.

She's an artist. She's still respectable.

She's a bad ass.

What about Selena? Her dress was waaaaay more revealing

at the VMA than Miley's red carpet outfit. 

And yet...

 *crickets*

She carries herself in a completely different manner.

She's slowly transitioning into more mature roles.

Even the "edgy" role she got in Spring Breakers wasn't edgy.

The movie itself was but her role wasn't.

I think she's doing a fantastic job of transitioning.

She's a bad ass.

I think Miley is trying to prove she's a bad ass when she's not.

She's trying so hard to get away from her old image that

it's hurting whatever new image she's trying to create.

I'm not saying I don't twerk. Because it is fun.

Even when you don't know what you're doing...
ahemMaggieHarrelsonahem

I was a fan of Miley Cyrus.

I even liked the We Can't Stop video.

At least that was creative. It was different.

But after Sunday I lost so much respect for her.

Not that anyone cares.

I just see the future of entertainment and it makes me quiver.

It seems like a competition of who can shock us the most.
Who can have the least amount of clothes on without actually being naked.
Where's the talent? Where's the art?

What is my daughter going to see when she's twelve?

Who is she going to want to be like?

I can only hope and pray it will be the Virgin Mary

but we'll see how that goes.

Last Days of Summer

The air is cooler (by cooler I mean lower than 85 degrees)

and August is almost over.

Fall is on its way!

It's been so hot and humid this summer.

But now fall is slowly creeping so

it's nice to be able to go to the park and not fear death.

So see ya, summer.

Hello, fall, Starbucks specialty drinks

and imaginary photo shoots of jumping in leaves.
Just me? Awk.