Weekday Wardrobe

Another week down and it is almost MAY! Can you believe it? You know what I think is so nuts about growing up? In elementary school, junior high, high school, and even college I was always busy with school, dance practice, homework, social life, so on and so forth. I always thought it would be nice to just have "down time" as a grown up, all finished with school. But now I am a grown up and I feel like I have more things on my plate than ever before. No school work or homework and I have just filled in my time with everything else random. And time seriously just flies now. And that is why I am sitting here thinking, oh my heck! It is almost May!? Does anyone else feel like that?



Monday | Top: Eleventh Avenue | Pants: Gap | Socks: Forever 21 | Boots: Macy's
Tuesday | Jacket: Pink Blush | Scarf: Pink Blush | Top: Caralase | Pants: Gap | Boots: Macy’s
Wednesday | Top: Lucy&Lyla | Scarf: Soel | Pants: Pink Blush | Boots: Payless
Thursday | Cardigan: Cotton On | Jumper: Target | Heels: DSW
Friday | Sweater: Old Navy | Top: Eleventh Avenue | Jeans: Gap | Booties: Francesca's

So last week Idaho played a really mean trick on all of us up here. It took us from the 80 degree, sunshiney weather to low 40s and wind. LOTS of wind. So for my wardrobe I had to pull back out all the boots and sweaters. But hey, at least we didn't get snow like my dear friends in Utah. Count your blessing, right? I think my favorite outfit from last week was the jumper - but that is because I am jumper obsessed at this moment. And it was one of the most springy outfits I got to wear. Which outfit is your favorite of the bunch?

How We Wore It: April Florals

Another month, another go at a how we wore it post! Let me give you a little refresher on how this works. All of us were given the same “inspiration outfit” and we were asked to create our own take on it once we let our creative juices flow. Any outfit can be inspired by the colors, the patterns, the pieces, or the textures is fine. So our how we wore it is coming from the inspiration side – with things we already have! Because not many people have the luxury to just go buy a new outfit based on what they see on Pinterest, so you have to work with what you have. First up is the look we used for our inspiration.

via Little Miss Fearless

So every month I sign up for this challenge that Brooke puts on because let's be honest. I love it. But this month I wasn't quite in my right mind frame to do it. Actually, mind frame was right - time frame was not. We got the official challenge details while I was in Utah for the weekend with nothing that matched the inspiration and no camera. I got back late Sunday night. Monday I had to stay late at work. And then tonight I picked yoga and a movie over getting this all done. So late at night I cruised home to remember I had forgotten. So I pulled out my floral items. My favorite jeans. A few cardigans. A pair of wedges. And put picked out the things that I felt inspired to piece together thanks to Amanda's darling outfit. I turned a dress into a top and wahhhh la! Here you have it my friends.










Cardigan: Gap
Floral Top (Dress): PinkBlush
Jeans: Gap
Wedges: Target

A little grainy but you get the idea right? I must say, they turned out pretty good for 10PM after a long day + sneaking onto my neighbors drive way since it had much better light. Either way... I was very inspired by Amanda's top and loose fitting cardigan. Her look was so classy and comfortable looking. I wanted to go with that vibe.

Now that you have taken my take on the look make sure you see what my friends came up with! A bunch of babes with styles all their own. And that is what makes this whole project awesome, and why I keep coming back! You can check them out here – Brooke at Silver Lining - Bonnie at Life of Bon - Megan at And Here's to You, Mrs Robinson - Brooklyn at A Little Too Jolley - Laura at Sincerely, Laura - Aubrey at Dreaming About Someday - Kyla at FordOlogy - Kallie at Life Through a Lens - Kaycie at Redhead Memories.

Mr. Alpha Chi

Something that I have LOVED since moving to Idaho and starting to work at Boise State is learning about Greek Life. Since I went to BYU where Greek Life is non-existent and all I have learned is from shows like Greek, House Bunny, and Legally Blonde, it has been so interesting to me. I actually started at Boise State during recruitment week for the sororities - which is so busy and the whole building is packed with women hoping to join a sorority and a lot of perfume - so I got the full head on experience right away. And from that moment on it has been lots of questions and lots of immersion in all that is Greek. A few of the local titleholders for Miss Idaho this year are part of Greek Life so they have been recruiting me to judge different events. During Greek Week I judged the talent show - hilarious - and last weekend I judged the Mr. Alpha Chi pageant for Alpha Chi Omega. It was put on by one of our titleholders and all the money raised was donated to The Women's and Children's Alliance.

I was totally impressed with the program. There were 16 men competing for that coveted title - some in fraternities and some that just admired the Alpha Chi women and all they did. The program was mirrored after the Miss America program - probably since the director competes. 

So the day started with interview. We had a 5 on 1 interview with each contestant for 5 minutes. We were able to ask them anything and everything - a lot of it focused around their Boise State experience, why they were competing, their hobbies, and what a healthy relationship meant to them. They all looked so great in their ties, and their answers were spot on. I really enjoyed getting to know them! Especially because I see a bunch of them coming in and out of my office in Conference Services.



The on stage portion was swimsuit/pickup line, talent - some not so much talent, and eveningwear/on stage question. My favorite pickup line was a kid that dressed up like a whale and started it all with, "Whale, whale, whale...." He was all worried because he doesn't have a swimsuit bod so he thought he would take advantage of his costume. So funny. Best talent? For sure the Mean Girl dance. Full on - Santa costume, speaker to kick off the stage, getting down to Jingle Bell Rock. I died. SERIOUSLY died. I was laughing so hard. And then all the guys had great answers for their on stage question. Seriously... all around good guys.





My favorite part of the whole night? Seeing how much hard work and dedication these men put into the things they find important in their life. Their brotherhood, their college career, service, and philanthropy. This guys give Greek life a good name and they set a high standard for those around them.

And that brings me back to where this round about post all started - Greek Life and all that I am learning about it. Not only am I impressed with this program, but I am constantly impressed with all that these sororities and fraternities do. College age men and women that are consistently being role models in the community, raising awareness for issues that are becoming more relevant, and supporting philanthropy on a regular basis. I have seen them raise hundreds of thousands of dollars just during my 9 months here at Boise State that has all gone to organizations like Make-A-Wish, Relay for Life, Girls on the Run, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and so on. I am so glad to be here at Boise State to see the family of student come together for the best causes. You know what is up for me next in regards to Greek life? I am officially an advisor over recruitment for the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority. And I cannot wait.

Weekday Wardrobe

Just when Idaho started to get warm it got cold. So the next few weeks is lots of pants and lots of sweaters. Because who wants to wear bare legs when the wind is making its way through? Not me. These last few weeks have also been a little tough getting ready. My sleeping pattern got off track and is all sorts of out of whack. So in the morning, when I should be getting up to get ready I decide to push the snooze and sleep my life away. Only to wake up with about 20 minutes max to get ready. Super promising... so you will be seeing lots of buns and straight hair.

Monday | Sweater: Pink Blush | Pants: Gap | Flats: Payless
Tuesday | Top: Novae | Pants: Gap | Boots: Macy's
Wednesday | Top: Cotton On | Pants: Pink Blush | Heels: TJMaxx
Thursday | Cardigan: Cotton On |Dress: Cozy | Belt: Little Black Fashion Truck | Heels: DSW
Friday | Sweater: Miny Mae's Market | Jeans: Gap | Flats: Forever Young Shoes

Basically the weeks have been going by too fast but so slow all at the same time. Does anyone else feel like that when you are getting closer to summer? Like every day drags but then all the sudden it is Friday? Time in a funny concept. I am just waiting until May when I can go see the husband again. My favorite outfit last week was Wednesday because I am all about the black on black with some fun shoes. Which outfit are you loving the most?

My Choice to be Modest

Modesty. Modesty is something I have always been taught - and while I didn't always fully understand why I was being taught about modesty, it has always been there. In church lessons, in conversations with my parents, in the rules of the school I decided to attend - there is no way around it growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - you know, Mormons. The Mormon Church has guidelines. My friend, Alycia, said it best when she said, "One thing I love about my faith, is that we are more progressive then some might think. The Church believes in teaching correct principles, and then letting the members 'govern themselves.'" So there you have it. I was already taught about modesty, but then there was the govern themselves part. It didn't really matter what my leaders and teachers taught me about the principle, it was something I had to figure out. Just me.

 

P H O T O S    B Y    W H I T N E Y    M A J O R S    P H O T O G R A P H Y

A lot of times the discussion around modesty comes back to men. People say that women should dress modestly so they don't influence a mans impure thoughts. Women say that they dress modestly so they don't contribute to an already saturated world of pornography and sexuality. There is a lot of draw back to a woman's dress can change how a man thinks when they walk by. Some times, in the Mormon church, modesty comes back to the covenants that we make in the temple. That we need to choose to be modest now so that we can be prepared for the way we will need to dress once we go through the temple. And while both of these points may be true and totally valid - depending on your beliefs - they are not the reasons that led to my choice to be modest.

So why? Why do I choose to dress modestly? It is because of the power I see in myself. I am a strong and independent woman. I am a daughter of God. Eventually I got to the point in my life where all the cute and trendy clothes - shorter cut, tighter fitting, and so on could not give me the confidence that feeling comfortable did. That is when it finally all came together. The way I dressed influenced the way I acted. And if I wanted to be seen as a strong and independent woman, I needed to in turn dress like a strong and independent woman. I don't have some huge defining moment when I went home and threw out all my clothing that was immodest, but I have hundreds of tiny moments in which I realized that modesty is a choice that I needed to work towards to become stronger.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying women that wear shorter skirts or crop tops are not strong women. I am sure that they are. And I am sure they have a confidence all their own. But for the impression I want to make, and for the way I want to feel, those are not the clothing items for me.

I want to be remembered for more than the length of my legs or the style of my clothing. And while that might sound a little crazy coming from someone who blogs about style on a regular basis - it is true. My clothing comes second to my thoughts and my actions. The impact I make and the impressions I leave wherever I am always come first. So I let my words make an impact before I let my physical features do the talking. If I am helping men have more pure thoughts and preparing for the temple ordinances as a bonus, then great! I will take it. The person I am and the respect I give myself starts with the clothing I wear. And that is why I dress modestly. It is a really simple answer and it has blessed my life on a regular basis.

Weekday Wardrobe

I can honestly say I am ready for this week to be done. My sleeping pattern got out of whack and I felt sick every single day. I blame Easter for both of those items. My sleep got crazy because I stayed up late spending time with friends and family in my hometown, which I loved. But right now my body is like, no thanks. And then I feel sick every day because of Easter candy. I have a serious sugar addiction... it is bad. And embarrassing to admit. But all my candy is gone now and I can get back on track. Those two things plus my mental break down about blogging and time away from my husband, yeah... this week can be done. Let's take it to the wardrobe!



Monday | Top: Little Black Fashion Truck | Pants: SexyModest | Heels: DSW
Tuesday | Sweater: Lucy & Lyla | Top: SexyModest (best undershirts!) | Pants: Gap | Heels: TJ Maxx
Wednesday | Chambray: Lucy & Lyla | Dress: Pink Blush | Belt: Little Black Fashion Truck | Heels: DSW
Thursday | Top: Pink Blush | Pants: Gap | Heels: Famous Footwear
Friday | Top: Pink Blush | Jeans: Gap | Heels: DSW

My favorite outfit would have to be Wednesday. It was fun to put together something a little different with the chambray and maxi dress. Yep, I said dress - but I wanted to play it up some for work. And of course, my most FAVE top of all time on Thursday. If you are in the market for a summer shirt you will want to get that blue diddy with the lace. I could live in it. So comfy and lightweight. Which outfit is your fave? That wraps up my week and I am looking to the weekend! Tomorrow I get to spend the day with about 20 of Idaho's finest women, their mother's, their directors, and the state board at Miss Idaho Orientation. This will be my 7th Miss Idaho Orientation - yes, I count last year even though I was Skyped in - and I look forward to it every year. But I must admit, it is much more fun when I am not turning in paperwork and only eating chicken and veggies leading up to it. Then Sunday it is back to a more regular schedule. How did you week go? Do you have any great plans set up for the weekend?

MLB Opening Day

It is OFFICIALLY baseball season! Spring Training wrapped up on Friday and all the teams are opening up their gates for a little home field advantage. This is an exciting time of year at our home because that means another season of Adam chasing his dreams and working his way to the bigs. If you haven't caught it yet - this last week was big in our family for baseball. Adam was assigned to the AA team in Mobile AL and he got an opportunity to play in a Major League Spring Training game. He ROCKED it too. His minor league season opens today!

So if you haven't guessed it by now, our team of choice is the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gotta cheer for the hand that feeds you, right!? And they had their season opener last night. Since I am not down in sunny Arizona I put together a casual outfit to cheer from my couch. This round I went with a sweatshirt so I could keep warm while the weather is still on it's way up! I sent a photo of it to Adam, since he is already gone for the year, and he responded, "I like. Majestic brand?! Fancy!" When I was browsing through the site I had a really hard time narrowing it down to this sweatshirt - I almost ended up with a tee or another hat, but I decided I might as well embrace the sweatshirt for as long as I can! Because hopefully someday I will be watching Adam pitch at Chase field! Which means shorts and tees, no one wants to wear a sweater in the heat.

 

Sweater: Fanatics c/o
Shorts: Aeropostale
Hat: H&M
Shoes: Sanuk

I ordered my item from Fanatics.com - they are the best because they have a little of everything for everyone. And not just in sizing. They have apparel for every licensed sports team too - college and professional. There are have some things that I would have never thought about looking for, it was fun to browse and see all they had to offer. Here are a few of my other favorites from the Diamondbacks section of their site:

 

Grey Tee | Black Hat | Red Baseball Tee | Jersey

Fanatics is the largest retailer of officially licensed sports merchandise and provides the ultimate shopping experience to sports fans. Plus, Fanatics offers hundreds of thousands of officially licensed items for all major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, PGA), major media brands and over 200 collegiate and professional team properties. You can buy your favorite MLB hats & jerseys on Fanatics.com, the one-stop website for all fans. What do you wear for opening day for your teams? Do you have a specific team item you look forward to buying every season?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

A Reason To Stand

I am a sucker for a motivational speech or conference, and today I am SO excited to share a brand new conference with you right here in my home state of Idaho - which for all you Utah, Oregon, and Washington friends... it isn't that far and it is going to be AMAZING! The conference is called A Reason to Stand and it will be held right here in Idaho's capital city of Boise on May 9th. Let me tell you first, why I am so excited for this conference. It is being put on by two amazing women that I know. One being a woman I have always looked up to, Ashlee, and one being a woman that I grew up with and absolutely adore, Tiffanie.

The main woman behind this whole this is Ashlee - if you are from Idaho you have probably heard of her blog and her story before. If you haven't, here it is in the shortest version possible, "My name is Ashlee. Four years ago my husband Emmett was killed at the Walgreens on Linder Rd. in Meridian. Since that time, our family has been on a journey to heal from that tragedy. Along the way, I have come to learn that everyone is struggling to heal from some sort of pain. Whether it is a loss of a loved one, or simply a loss of the story you always thought you would live- we all will, at one time or another, experience pain and grief." After everything happened she started a blog to share her life and her story with everyone called The Moments We Stand. And I think she is amazing.

The second woman is Ashlee's cousin, Tiffanie who grew up right down the street from me. Her family is incredible and I adore every single one of them. They are all so services orientated, know how to make everyone smile, and open their hearts and arms to literally every person they can. When everything happened to Ashlee, Tiff moved in with her to help her with things around the house. Tiffanie has also had her own trials of her Mom's health issues and her Father passing away suddenly. And you can read her whole story at The Moments We Mend.

These two women know trial, they know strength, they know the importance of worth and of support. A reason to stand is a healing conference. It will be an all day event filled with motivational speakers, therapists, and life experts. Ashlee will also be telling her story of healing and how they have found peace. "Four years ago, this community rallied around my little family, and many of you gave us hope to keep living. I hope anyone who has ever felt broken will come join me as I take a turn helping others find a reason to stand. Life is hard, but we are not alone."

I invite you to join us at A Reason to Stand on May 9th. It will be held at the Boise Center on the Grove. Tickets are are $125 for the all day event that will run from 8am to 6pm. The conference was created for everyone. Everyone who feels like they are not enough, or have been forgotten. It is going to be amazing. I cannot WAIT to be there and I hope to have you there with me. A healing conference for everyone, no matter what you are experiencing. Because YOU are ENOUGH!

Weekday Wardrobe

So here it is. Half the week in sunny Arizona which meant shorts, on shorts, on shorts and half of the week in Idaho which meant regular and questionable Spring weather for anyone who doesn't live in a desert. This week has been jam packed. Spring break is over at Boise State which means my job is in HIGH gear as everyone is looking towards graduation and end of the year banquets. I ended last week with a national conference and this week was full of a Jazz Festival with Greek life dashed in across the board. Like I said, high gear.



Monday | Top: Pink Blush | Shorts: Aeropostale | Sandals: Target
Tuesday | Lace Overlay: Pink Blush | Top: SexyModest (best undershirts!) | Shorts: Aeropostale | Shoes: Payless
Wednesday | Top: Eleventh Avenue | Shorts: Aeropostale | Shoes: Payless
Thursday | Top: Cotton On | Skirt: Lularoe | Heels: Famous Footwear
Friday | Top: Pink Blush | Jeans: Gap | Heels: DSW

And tonight I am looking forward to a little trip home for the weekend. It is the Miss Riverview pageant - if you missed it, or I haven't said it enough, I am on the Miss Idaho Board and so I am helping with our final local of the year to round out our Miss Idaho Class of 2015. Miss Riverview will be held in Twin Falls on Saturday night and then Sunday is Easter. And the whole weekend is my favorite spiritual uplifting event - General Conference. More on that later. What are your plans for the weekend? Anything exciting going on? Oh - and I can't forget to vote for my favorite outfit of the week. I am going with Monday again... that photo doesn't do it justice, but the top is SPOT on. I am in love with it. Which ensemble would you love to sport?

General Conference 2015

Every six months I touch on the same topic. Some of you will breeze right by it, but maybe for one of you it will be something you are interested in hearing about. If you haven't picked up on it yet - I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To put it in simpler terms for most people, I am Mormon. And every six months my church holds a General Conference. It is an opportunity for members of the church, and non-member for that matter, to all hear directly from the Prophet, the Apostles, and the leaders of the Church. Men and women alike speak in the language of their choice, mostly English, to share the messages they have felt inspired to speak on.



The thing I love about general conference is that religious concepts are principles are tied into real life questions. Whether you are LDS or not, there is something that can apply to the life situation you are in. You just have to be willing to tune in. You can watch on your computer, on the TV, or just listen on the radio. The other thing I love also is that it is an opportunity for people that have always wondered about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but haven't wanted to come to church or talk to the missionaries, get a first hand experience of what our church believes and practices without having to feel bombarded with missionaries and members. 

What is General Conference? General conference is a semiannual gathering of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During general conference weekend, Church members and others gather worldwide in a series of two-hour sessions to receive inspiration and instruction from Church leaders.

Why does the LDS Church hold General Conference twice a year? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hold a General Conference twice a year, once in April and once in October, as an opportunity for members to join together and listen to a prophets voice. This has been part of the church since 1830. Every week members can go to church to hear from local leaders and members of their ward family, but twice a year we can all come together to listen to words from a living prophet, a mouth piece from God.

How can I watch or listen to General Conference? You can watch live or listen live directly on lds.org. This year there will be 5 different sessions broadcast to the public. Priesthood Meeting will be broadcast April 4th at 6:00pm MDT. General Conference will be broadcast April 4th and 5th at 10:00am and 2:00pm MDT.

When does the President of the church speak? For the April 2015 conference, the President of the Church, Thomas S. Monson, will be speaking during the Sunday morning session at 10:00 a.m. MDT on April 5th.

Does General Conference come in only English? Conference is translated into 92 different languages for members and investigators around the world.

Is there a way to get involved or see snippets from General Conference on social media? Members of the church will be tweeting quotes and thoughts from conference all week by using #ldsconf.

Will the talks shared at General Conference be available after it is done? Within 24 hours the talks begin to be available online. Over the following 6 weeks they are put into publication in the Ensign, a church magazine, Mormon Channel, DVD, Audio CDs, iTunes, and so many other places. The talks are translated into over 70 languages for people around the world. There is also an archive of past General Conference for anyone to read.

Are there large meetings in addition to General Conference? Most members of the LDS church attend church on a weekly basis, but in addition to the general conference meetings there is a General Relief Society, Young Women, and Priesthood broadcast. In those meetings talks are designed and inspired to reach those specific groups. These talks will also be available online.

If you have any questions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints please do not hesitate to reach out! You can comment here and I will respond or you can email me privately at deidreemme@gmail.com. The Church isn't a secret, we love to share about it. In fact - you can hear from one of our Apostles why we love to share about the Church so much. Also, like I said earlier, this is not the first time I have talked about General Conference on my blog. You can read all my past thoughts and feels on General Conference here. This year I am ESPECIALLY excited about conference in April because it falls on the same day as Easter, which is a holiday I love and appreciate beyond degree. It is a day that we can celebrate the Savior and all he did for us. But I will share more about that in a few days.