Holiday Looks & Your Own Twist Link Up #15
Your Own Twist is a monthly series hosted by Monica of Jersey Girl, Texan Heart and myself where we showcase our own interpretations of a chosen style theme. We share the theme with you ahead of time in case you are interested in joining us. You can see the upcoming themes below if you would like to create your own post around the theme and share it with us in the link party at the end of the post.
Well, here we are, less than a week away from Christmas, and honestly, I am looking forward to it coming to an end. We don’t have much planned this year just an ugly Christmas sweater party at a friend’s house this weekend then staying rather low key until we travel to Pennsylvania on Tuesday. We will be having Christmas breakfast with my mother-in-law and then in true military fashion, we will be hanging by ourselves at my mother-in-law’s house for the remainder of the day as she had made previous plans for the rest of Christmas Day.
It took us some time figuring out what our plans would be and as such we kind of missed the ball on a lot of planning. After traveling for Thanksgiving, we weren’t sure if it made much sense financially to travel again just a few weeks later. Y’all, traveling gets expensive even if you are just driving a few hundred miles. But when the expense falls on us to travel for every single holiday, sometimes we just can’t make it happen. However, we decided to go for broke this holiday season so the kids can get the heck out of this cold and snowy North Country hell for a few days! Well, maybe it isn’t all just for the kids. I might need a few days out of this cold snowy place.
Thursday morning we will head to my sister’s for a day-after-Christmas celebration and then back to my mother-in-law’s on Friday for the remainder of the weekend. Then we will leisurely head back to New York on Sunday morning. Calm, peaceful, and lacking any kind of fanfare this holiday season. But this week has been crazy with lots of appointments and kids’ karate practices, so calm and peaceful are what I am craving right now.
When I get dressed for the holidays, I like to keep it casual, especially when I will just be lounging around all day. But I also like to be somewhat festive without going over the top. No one except my kids and husband are going to see me anyway! I might get cozy in a cute sweater dress like the one I am wearing here or I might just stay in my pajamas all day long!
While the kids are playing with their Christmas gifts, I am sure Jeff will occupy himself in a book or sports reruns, so I may take advantage of the opportunity to get some writing finished. I have not written a new article on Medium all month long because the time just keeps running out on me and inspiration keeps escaping me. Every single day for the past few weeks. So here’s hoping that inspiration hits me right along with some free time.
But when inspiration is lacking, I have started allowing myself time to read for pleasure. Lately, when I make time for reading, I always have it in my head that the reading must be for educational purposes. So I focus often on reading philosophy and psychology books. You know, the stuff that gets your brain reeling with deep and intense thoughts and are in no way relaxing. So I went a different route this time at the suggestion of a friend and some long term prompting by Jeff and started reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I finished book one and I have to admit that I am hooked. Completely intrigued and fascinated and I have no problem drifting off into the world of Stephen King’s mind for a few hours a day. I am about to dive into the second book. I will keep you posted. If ever I return to reality.
What are your holiday plans this year? Do you go all out with a long list of holiday activities or are you more of a low key kind of person?
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Shop my look…
Outfit Details: Sweater and Tights-Torrid (Old) / Coat-Old Navy (Exact) / Turtleneck and Hat-Target (Old) / Boots-JustFab (Old) / Necklace and Earrings-Old
21 Comments
Laurie
Have a wonderful Christmas Shelbee. Rest & Relax xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you much, Laurie! I hope you get some relaxation time as well.
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
I saw a new book by Stephen King in the bookshop yesterday. Was tempted, but perhaps it already lies under the Christmas tree. You have got a great relaxing Christmas ahead of you! Sounds good!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! I was seriously scared to read Stephen King but now I am hooked! I hope the new book is waiting under the tree for you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Anika
This is such a cute snow outfit and the colours work so well together! Love it.
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Anika! The dress is really just an oversized sweater about 4 sizes too big!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kellyann Rohr
Oh my goodness, all that snow! Wow! Love your outfit – pretty and stylish yet warm enough for the harsh elements! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
xo,
Kellyann
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Kellyann! I took these photos the end of November so that snow has long since melted and then reappeared and then melted and reappeared again! We got about 16 fresh inches yesterday. Merry Christmas to you, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
mireille
This is a perfect look for Christmas: comfortable, cute and festive! How do I not have a sweater dress anymore?
Having lived abroad for about half my life and not being in the same country as my brothers for a good portion of my adulthood (about 5 years ago, me, my brothers and my parents were all together in the same place, it had been 23 years!!) I have lost the sense of obligation to be somewhere for the holidays. Our boys love hanging out with the cousins so that is what we try to do. Since we celebrate Nativity on January 7th, I do a dinner then with my parents after church and we open our gifts then, but on the 25th we go to my sis in law. Might be less of a group this year but that is ok: everyone has their families and should feel free to enjoy the day in the manner that they wish. Life is not a Hallmark movie, I say! Hope you have a wonderful time even if it does as planned as your Thanksgiving. You all take it easy and enjoy yourselves.
And yes to reading some fiction!!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Mireille, thanks so much! I love that you get to spend time with your family now after all those years of separation. But not having the pressing obligation is nice, too. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas as well, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
Reading good books always primes my writing pump as well.
Have a great Christmas and enjoy celebrating with family and friends!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michele! Merry Christmas to you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Looking so very sweet. Nice look and I see that it looking like winter there.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Patrick! It is definitely Winter here!
xoxo
Shelbee
FancyBoy
I glam a bit for holidays as far as style, but I’m digging your flexible/comfortable holiday vibes and taking notes!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Becky! Sometimes I get the urge to glam but then wherever I end up going doesn’t really call for it. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Super cute outfit! The hat is so sassy!
I’m trying an experiment – linking my Medium posts on blogs that are not theme specific.
Michelle
http://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michelle! This hat was my grandmothers’s from around the 1960’s I believe. It is one of my favorites! And that is a fantastic idea to link your Medium posts! I will see if any of my articles are appropriate for linking.
xoxo
Shelbee
Maureen
I love to read too to escape reality. It’s a great way to relax and go in a different realm. I will add The Dark Tower series to my reading list! It’s good that you traveled anyway to take advantage of the winter break. Even if you didn’t end up doing anything at least you are somewhere else and to me, that’s fun! But I hear you on being exhausted. It’s been on the go for us here too and I actually had to decline a family get together tomorrow because we, as a family, haven’t had time to spend some time together. Lastly, I love your green sweater dress. It has a beautiful color and perfect for staying comfy and cozy this season.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Maureen! I ended up making a last minute impromptu trip to visit friends in North Carolina…for only about 36 hours! But it was a wonderful, beautiful, relaxing escape. I drove back to Pennsylvania yesterday to spend the holidays with friends and family before we head back to New York this weekend. I hope you are getting lots of quality family time and enjoying every moment of this holiday season!
xoxo
Shelbee
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