what to wear wednesday - short love

The hot temperatures are here! If you are like me and you aren't a huge sundress girl, dressing cute and appropriate for the weather can at times be challenging. My suggestion? Invest in a good pair of shorts that you can wear with anything. I found a pair I love at Maude and I feel are age appropriate. They are a little loose (more of a boyfriend fit) and hit me right above the mid-thigh. Even us 20-something's should not be wearing shorts that let our rear ends hang out. (Sorry, I don't care how skinny you are or how cute your butt is.)

A good short gives you the freedom the fall does in the fashion world. You can put anything on top and express any style you are feeling that day. Feeling carefree? A loose tee will do the job. Girly? Try a cute floral tank. Both? Layer a vest over the floral top.

Jean shorts available at Maude Boutique in Fayetteville!
www.maudeboutique.com

I love this striped knit top from urban outfitters. Paired with the fun aztec-inspired cuff and small-wedge Seychelle shoe, its comfy, cute and fun.

urbanoutfitters.com

forever21.com

Seychelle shoe available at Maude Boutique in Fayetteville.

Also, since I skipped out on the trend to try last Friday, I will slip in one here. Substitue the cuff for this silk scarf for a girly touch. Tie it in a bow on the end of your braid. Super cute! I tried it last week at a baseball game. 

 forever21.com

free...as we'll ever be

Annye & I at Wakarusa!

I hate to steal that song title for my blog post title, but it is truly appropriate. This past weekend reminded me how fun it is to be in your 20s.

Saturday night, Annye and two of our friends headed to see Mumford and Sons at Wakarusa. I almost skipped out--having been at Wakarusa Friday night, nabbing just an hour of sleep, and then working all day on my feet.

My co-worker convinced me I needed to go. I had been so excited about seeing Mumford and she knew it. I needed to stop acting old. "You're only in your 20s once," she told me. Ah, a wise one she is. I manned up and headed back to Wakarusa to have what is sure to be one of my all-time favorite summer memories.

I have always enjoyed music. But I've never been "into" it. I never know the names of songs or the artists. I am the opposite of a music snob, too. Pop, country, rap, alternative, folk, classical...I like them all. My only dislike is really, really hard rock. The screaming stuff. (You can see by that description that my knowledge of music is quite minimal.)

But Mumford. Oh, Mumford. I could listen to their album on repeat for days. I know every word to every song. It makes me want to dance, it makes me relax, it makes me happy,  it makes me wonder, it gives me comfort. It's the first time I've understood how music can move you. How you can feel it in your soul.

Beyond putting on an AMAZING concert, the evening was filled with good beer and great company. Annye and I danced and sang our hearts out to one of our favorite bands, enjoying a summer night without a care in the world--truly being as free as we will ever be.

Miss Meagan!

Annye is very excited. 

The 'Jena' smile. Sexy, right? :)

summer to-do's

(via)

I’m a total list lover--I've always got lists going on my phone, next to my bed, in my email, etc. And since it’s summer, what better than a wish list of fun things I want to accomplish before the colder weather returns? I can't wait to check them each off! Some are straightforward, some are things I want to do again and again, and some are total throwbacks to when I was a kid (when summer was the best time of the year). Here's my list of fun things to do in the summer months... what's on your list?

1. Bike rides
2. Canoeing the Elk River
3. Sno cones as often as possible
4. See a movie at the drive-in
5. Roller-skating at the roller rink
6. Naps in the hammock
7. Make homemade ice cream
8. Play with sparklers and firecrackers
9. First Thursdays on the Fayetteville square
10. Visit the farmer’s market at least twice a month
11. Road trip to Kansas City and Little Rock
12. Buy a pack of popsicles and eat them all
13. Visit the lake as often as possible
14. Have a tie-dying party
15. Get muddy
16. Have a cook out
17. Sit around a bon fire and roast marshmallows
18. Start playing tennis again
19. Attend more Naturals games
20. More card games with my roomies
21. Read more books
22. Lay out on the weekends
23. Perfect my summer beachy hair-do
24. Incorporate cut off jeans into my daily {weekend} wardrobe
25. Catch fireflies

our last day as coworkers

myself, jaymi and jena at a photo shoot last fall

It’s a bittersweet day here in Smith & Emma land, as it marks the last day Jena and I will share an office. She’s moving on to much bigger and better opportunities and I’m staying behind at the job we once shared. How exciting for her! How sad for me! Definitely both bitter and sweet.

Jena gave me my first job out of college. My resume ended up in her hands and here we are almost a year and a half later. I still remember our first phone call. Seems ridiculous now. I was sitting outside a tanning salon; she had called to ask me to come in for an interview. Little did I know at the time, that I was speaking to someone who would soon become one of my favorites.

When I started here, Jena was running a one-man show. She seemed invincible and on top of her game. Through lots of changes, both personal and professional... She still is. I’ve learned a lot from our friendship both inside and outside of the office. She’s encouraged me to become a better writer, fight for what rightfully belongs to me, and has pushed my beliefs. We swap book recommendations, grammar rules and dating stories. Most of that won’t change.

Who knows what the future holds, but for us, I’m looking forward to conversations that don’t revolve around the office. And for her, I’m looking forward to the excitement of starting something new and seeing where this path takes her. She’s a rock star so I have no doubts she’s gonna kick some ass in the months ahead. Congratulations, lady! You have big things in store for you.