Not-a-runway-model contender: my wardrobe choices for Italy photo dump, etc.

I leave for Omaha on Friday for Tank's mom's weekend, returning Sunday. I babysit M, Tu, W, and our flight takes off Wed. at 8 pm. I'm not quite in panic mode, but I'm in the pre-panic mode zone of 

WHAT SHOULD I DO RIGHT NOW WHEN I FIND MYSELF WITH A FEW MINUTES? WHAT HAVE I FORGOTTEN? WILL I GET EVERYTHING DONE IN TIME? WHAT NO-SHOW SOCKS WON'T SLIP OFF MY HEEL AND CURL UP UNDER MY FOOT AND DRIVE ME BANANAS?

Tank's text to me:

Rae got snippy with me after dinner Tues night. I was steamed. (Coach works late Tu/Thurs, of course). I went into my room and decided to take photos of the outfits I'm contemplating packing, in particular note:  WHICH SHOES GO WITH WHAT, because I'm hoping to only bring two pairs, maybe three??? 

I started out doing timed photos, but when I heard the girls come back inside after playing outside, I hatched a plan. I went downstairs and invited Kay to come up to my room. Rae was reading in the living room, probably wondering what we were up to. Hanging in my room isn't standard (not even for me, mind you).

I asked Kay if she wanted to snap photos of me modeling outfits. She was delighted, chuckling at the MANY unflattering facial expression photos. I was on a mission (these won't be included in the annual Christmas poem photo collage) and I was also not planning to include my face in the photos as they were for the blog-osphere anyway. Still, laughter and 'Do you like these shoes?' served as a bonding opportunity. 

My takeaway:  maybe I go shopping for new wardrobe items more often and ask the little girls to weigh in ? Or maybe I should plan to go out of the country more often? Or draft more fashion focused posts? 

When we were about 3/4 of the way thru my mound of clothes, I called Rae up. She FULLY enjoyed being in the loop/part of the fun. While I wardrobe changed, Kay took the liberty of flipping back thru earlier funny shots so she and Rae could die laughing. 

The library was gonna close and I'd intended to get a book. Kay reminded me she still needed a protractor. Blasted. I raced to the library. Then the grocery store to hold the fam over for the weekend and REMEMBERED the elusive protractor. Do not ask me how many trips to the store have been organized to BUY the protractor but no such thing has been purchased. Ugh. 

Today after school, I'll take a few minutes to 'splain to Rae how she stepped in it with me. (Coach already shared an overview of her issue while I was at the grocery, but I'll be sure she 'gets' it). 

If my life sounds exhausting right 'bout now, it really is. But at least I didn't go into space for a weekend and end up being stuck there for 9 months. Right?

We asked the girls' social worker if the girls can go to a respite placement during our trip. 

All along, we figured the adoption would be finalized when we travelled. Since it isn't, we could utilize this available resource. While we plan to have Reg, a couple of aunts, Curly, and Ed rotate as caregivers, the girls have made some poor choices lately (esp Kay). We're nervous about tasking the young and helpful Reg with the majority of their care. The girls will probably be unhappy about if this happens, but it might simplify things be less stressful. 

Photo dump . . . 

Mini HATED these shoes.
Very pricey
 and I have no problem
returning them. I did
some grab and figure
 it out at home shopping. 

Meet the shoes:  most are new or newish and I want to choose which I'm brining, so I can wear them around the house and be sure they don't hurt/need to be worn in. 

I might return a pair or two (def returning a pair that Mini saw a photo of and
HATED).  I do not mind investing in great shoes that I think will be around forEVAH. 

I asked the salesman for advice, when I bought the Paul Greens and the Vejas and the Mini-hates-them silver sparkle running shoes. (I didn't share a zillion photos of my outfits with him):  

Salesguy:  "My suggestion is that you just wear the shoes that you like, and if you go out with confidence, then you make the shoes work for you." 

Um, yeah. So, he basically challenged me to be a trend setter, and that's not my role in the universe. I can break a record of diapering, and loading 7 tots/babies in my big ass van. I can bake a crazy good batch of cookies. But capable of making lasting fashion statements? No sirree. 

*note that the blog refused to let me have any say in where the photos landed, thus the disordered alphabet system below. 

#1 White Veja fashion sneakers seem to
work with a lot of the outfits. Ed's girlfriend,
Leah, liked them. Ed died laughing,
seeing them as nursing home fashion,
seeing as the shoes have Velcro closures.
Curly had a similar reaction. Let's preface
 this with:  Curly typically
 wears sweats and hoodies. 

#2 Ron White tan loafers. OMG - crazy money, but I first bought them on sale at Nordstrom to think about it. Then found them at Von Maur for $100 LESS than I paid for them at Nordstrom. I think I'll probably keep them, even if I don't bring them on this trip. 

#3 black loafers, I bought them
 last year, and I admit that I
 forgot about them. Started wearing
 them the last few months. They're
 comfortable until they're not,
 so not a great choice for
 loads of walking. Sam Edelman. 

#4 Mephisto. I bought these on a
 great sale- a year ago? Initially
 I wasn't crazy about the gold
 fleck in them, but this brand
 doesn't disappoint in terms of
 comfort, bonus:  not as
clunky/heavy as loafers #3. 

#5 Silver Paul Green fashion sneakers.
 Really comfy, but not sure
they dress up the outfits
 I need dressed up
 (assuming I take the nursing home
 Vejas with the Velcro).
 If I don't bring them,
 might return them. I
 hate to pass up on a great deal, but
 these shoes were crazy pricey
 even on sale. Hello, Paul Green! 

#5 Paul Green silver shoe profile,
 because if they're going be returned
 we might as well admire them first, right? 

#6  Black and white
fashion sneakers. I bought
 these in January and they are really
 comfy. Leah really liked them
 with most of my outfits. 

#7  Mephisto flats. These are
 really comfy and
 maybe I bring them as
my third pair
because they don't take
 up a ton of space.
Maybe they serve as dressing
 up some outfits. 

I was gonna go with the black North Face
that has a hood and is water resistant,
 but then I saw this trench coat.
 Also water resistant, and has a hood. 

The North Face.
Hmm?

Outfit A:  Love this sweater, but
 it was dumb pricey, and I think
 I'm gonna take it back. It's
Eileen Fisher. There are sweaters
that look like this for less, and I don't
 NEED it. I do love these black
 pants. They have a wax
like finish to them. 

Outfit C:  This navy shirt
 and these
 blue/gray pants are new.
 Love them. The pants are
 Rhone. *Also bought them in
 black. They were on sale.
They do not wrinkle and were
 exactly what I was wanted
 for traveling. I'm
 not crazy about
 ankle length
(issues from my
 childhood wearing shorter
older sisters' castoffs). 
I know they're
 acceptable, and I'm
working thru it. 

Outfit B:  I'm not wild about
 super wide legs, but these
 pants are the exception.
 So soft. Kut from the
 Cloth brand. Full length,
 yeah. These will wrinkle. 

Outfit D:  I'm wild about this
 little zip up sweater for layering. 

Outfit F:  The red shirt is new.
 I bought it for Curly and I to share,
 but then ordered another one,
 because we didn't want to share.
 It was marked down so low.
 I think you can see the
 pants better in this pic. 

Outfit E:  Thoughts on the red
 striped shirt under the red
jacket? I do have other pants.

Outfit G:  Thoughts on this poncho?
 I've had it for years - I feel like most of my clothes are solids and this is a little fun.
Curly hates it, almost as much as she hates the silver shoes. I tried the poncho on with a
 white shirt under it too, I think the black is better. I think it looks decent with the
 blue gray ANKLE lengthpants. (I'm shouting about the length)

Outfit H:  Blue
jacket with
 the black
 ankle pants.
Loafers? Shoe
 suggestions?

Outfit I:  Ankle pants with
a fun shirt I've had for a few years. 

Outfit J: Black scoop neck dress
with Lulu leggings. 
The great dress debate.
 Bring both dresses? Which shoes?
 I've had this one for years,
light weight. Gathers in the
 skirt at the sides, cute
 little details. 3/4 sleeves. 

Outfit K:  black scoop
neck dress with
the flats. Hmm?

Option L:  black scoop neck
with the black soccer
 shoe looking fashion sneakers.

Option M:  WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
If you've actually scrolled thru all
 of these photos, I decided to
sneak in one legit 'me' photo.
 Might delete it eventually.
 With the Mephisto loafers.

Option N:  Kuhl brand long
sleeve dress. I love it.
My girls are 'meh' on it.
 Not sure I care. But knowing I'm
 not big on accessorizing (does
 a jean jacket count as an
 accessory?), does it make me
 look like I lost my way from
 the nunnery in Rome?
 There's a touch of
 wool in the dress, so it's
 a bit warmer/more substantial
 than the scoop neck.
 My idea of being a little dressy.

Outfit O:  Being lazy
and demonstrating
two shoes at once. Me wondering
 if the sliver shoes work here.
Might not even bring this
 poncho thing, but better
with the blue/gray pants?

Outfit P:  or with the Vejas.

Outfit Q:  making a case
for the tan loafers. If
I'm wearing black so often,
 thinking I leave this pair at home.

Outfit R:  This is a bright
 tunic that my kids
make fun of on the hanger,
but on - it's cute, right?
 My mom bought it for
 me for Christmas several
 years ago. I don't wear
 it much, because it's
 a LOT, but it wont wrinkle. 

Outfit S:  I bought these
two shirts (this one's green)
 when we went to see Ed in
 Budapest in 2022. They don't
 wrinkle. Leah suggested I
 wear a shirt under and unbutton
 part way to make it look less
 blah? Not sold on
 bringing either of them. 

Outfit T:  same thing, cream
 colored shirt, silky
but heavy. With Vejas.

Outfit U:  I love this cream top
that I bought in the fall, and
 I decided this makes the cream
Eileen Fisher sweater unnecessary.
Again, my thinking is that the tan
 shoes aren't gonna work with so
 many black pant options. Thoughts?
 Like would you pair the tan
loafers with either of the
 black dresses/leggings? 

Outfit V:  The girls cracked up
 at my silly poses. This tan
 striped shirt is the same
as the red striped one. 

Outfit W:  not sold
 on bringing the
 jeans jacket, but it is
 my go to for layering. 

Option X:  Same green shirt option
with the black fashion sneakers.

Me using the timer before the girls stepped in. 

Are you still here?

THAT WAS MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR.

Open to your suggestions. It was a lot (and I'm still committed to just the carry on and the personal item), but do you have 4 or 5 favorite pieces/outfits/shoes? I will not be hurt if you hate/strongly dislike something. 

I have teenagers. I'm wicked thick-skinned.