Frumpy Dump

Alright, this post has been nagging at me for quite some time. A couple of weeks ago I had a bad day. Nothing looked right and I was just frustrated with myself, I was standing in the bathroom looking in the mirror and almost had tears in my eyes. Josh walked in and we talked a little bit. I told him I felt like a frumpy dump. He laughed at my word choice and of course assured me that I am not a frumpy dump. It wasn't too many days later that I was getting ready to walk out the door for work. My hair was done, my make-up on, and I put my super cool new aviator sunglasses on (Old Navy $2.99.) Josh just looked at me and told me I looked like I was trying to be 21. I told him that I was just trying to be the age I AM and that my new sunglasses were super cool and I walked out the door. When I got to work I walked in and took off my sunglasses. One of my male co-workers said, "look at you miss Heather Locklear with your new hair (I recently got my hair done and it is pretty blond) and shades taking them off all cool like that." This particular co-worker of mine is strange and loud by I will take the compliment anyways. Thank you Jarvis.

So I have been thinking about these events quite a bit lately. I hate feeling frumpy! I take pride in the way I look. I am not skinny, nor am I overweight. I am not comfortable wearing super trendy clothes or clothes that are too tight or revealing. I leave the super trendy to my skinny younger sisters :) I have a personal style that works for me, I understand that I am not 21 but I am still only 28. Yes, I am the mother to four children. But that doesn't mean that I have to dress like I am 40 or 50 years old or that I just got done working out when we both know that I didn't.

One morning when Kendra was in 1st grade I was getting ready to take her to school. I was wearing workout pants and a sweatshirt just like every morning. She kindly looked at me and asked me if I was going to get dressed today. I knew exactly what she was trying to say by the look on her face and her tone. So I asked her if she would like it if mommy got ready before I took her to school and picked her up. She politely said yes. That moment changed me forever.

Looking like I take care of myself and dressing stylish doesn't cost me a ton of money or take me forever either. I enjoy hunting for the best deals and I am an avid "couponer." I like to splurge on my jeans and only do that every few years. And I am talking like 70-100 dollars, it could be much worse. Good jeans are the basis for everything so I willing to pay more and sometimes I find good ones for 20-40 bucks. But seriously, good jeans make me feel like a million dollars.f I shop online a lot and use coupon codes and almost ALWAYS get free shipping. I can sew. I make things and I am able to alter things that don't fit quite right. I buy all my makeup at target. I use the Internet as a huge resource. For instance, I was having issues with my make-up. It just never looked really good. I wanted Amy to teach me her tricks when we met up in Park City last spring but we never had time. So when I got home I googled make-up tips. I found an awesome website with video tutorials and everything. I learned SO much! Anyways, I guess the point I am trying to make with this paragraph is that it has taken me a little bit of effort but not a ton of time or very much money. After my incident with Kendra years ago I knew that there was no excuse good enough for letting myself go. I owe it to my children and my husband to look good for them and myself.

I love Dr. Laura's book, "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands." Her views are similar to mine and I read chapters from her book pretty regularly. It helps me to stay focused on being a good wife. Anyways one of the reasons I try to take care of myself, besides doing it for myself, is for my husband. Ten years ago, (almost to the day) Josh married a pretty cute 18 year old. Even though we have both gotten older and put on a little weight I still want to be my cutest self for him. Impressing my husband is important to me. No he isn't always going to think I am the hottest girl around and he has seen me at my absolute WORST. But he needs to know that young cute girl is still in there and that she still likes to get dolled up for him.

Do I look good all of the time? NO WAY! Do I still take the kids to school in pajamas? YUP! But I come home and get ready for the day and I make sure that I don't look out of date and that I am dressing appropriately. I may only get my hair done twice a year but I know how to style it and am not afraid to try new things. Despite all of my efforts I sometimes still have days where I feel like a frump. But I guess the important thing is that I try my best not to give in to my inner Frumpy Dump.