Land of 10,000 Lakes

This past week Dave and I have been lucky enough to spend a few hours out on Lake Minnetonka. Our friends parents purchased a boat this summer and we took full advantage of it when visiting! We headed out with our swimsuits on, dinner packed, and the tunes playing. It was a perfect night (no joke), and we spent 3 hours going through different channels, areas, and gazing at the grand houses sitting on the lake.

Here are some pictures from our great evening!

I could spend hours and hours on the boat!

OOTW: Plus Size Fashion Blogs I'm Lovin

No pictures this week! Sad, I know, but with all the crazy traveling out of one itty bitty suitcase I don't feel my outfits are picture worthy. Plus many of them are repeats that you have seen. So the next time I will post outfit pictures I will be in Australia (holy moly)!

I wanted to share with you a few blogs that have inspired me and shown me that plus girls can rock it too. Check out these blogs and show the wonderful girls some lovin'!

 Bonjour Gazel
Fuck Yeah Chubby Fashion
The Curve and The Line
Allison's Adventure in FATshionland

Do you have any great fashion blogs to share? 

I would love to find more plus size fashion ones.

They truly do make me feel 1000% more comfortable 

with this body of mine!

Hope you get to feel like a princess soon!

bowl of mixed emotions

Being back in MN has been a BIG bowl of mixed emotions. It's great seeing friends and family, hanging out, laughing, BUT I'm stressed with all the things we have to get down before Australia (seriously..nothing has gone right) and on top of that I have found out that I may have to say my final goodbyes to my grandma. I wasn't really prepared for that, I knew she wasn't doing well, but I wasn't ready for this.

If you have read my blog, you may know how much my grandma means to me. She is my everything, she is one of the few people that get me for exactly who I am. I love that when I tell her about our crazy adventures or silly stories she just says, " Well, that's Shoave." She never tells me I'm crazy or that I need to think about what I'm doing and get my priorities straight.  This is one of the many things I love about her! 

I grew up living only 5 miles from my grandparents, we were on the farm and they were in "town". * I actually grew up on the same farm my grandpa, and mom grew up on * Since my grandma lived in town, I stayed with them probably 1/4 of the year. During the school year I walked to school from their place, my grandma helped me practice for my spelling tests, and rollerbladed around in circles in the basement. Being at my grandmas also ment; swimming my days away, reading in bed together, eating popcorn and apples on Sunday nights, watching cable tv, and walking to Dairy Queen for snacks. 

This picture was taken just over a year ago, this was the last time I saw her. She wasn't her healthiest (she has been sick since my mom passed away 5 years ago) but she was doing good. I took her to her appointments and we went on car rides through the country taking about the past. This year she is at her worst. She is always tired, she sleeps most the day, doesn't have energy to get out of bed or eat. My sister has prepared me for this a bit, but I don't know if you can ever be to prepared. I keep finding more times that we can stop by and see her, I keep putting off having to face saying the final goodbye. I know that I will have my fingers (and toes) crossed while in Australia, that this in fact won't be my last goodbye. 

So keep your fingers and toes crossed with me and help me gain strength to say and do what I need to do. 

Reunited and it feels so good

So Dave and I have been in MN for about 4 days thus far and it feels great to be back. Nothing really beats on seeing your family, friends, and getting into the flow of never have been gone. It has been a year or so since I have been home, and then it was only for a few days for my cousin's wedding. But now we are here in MN for two whole weeks visiting everyone and saying our "See Ya Laters" before heading down under.

Saturday was the IMPACT (Innovative. Memoriable. Programming. Activities. for Campus. Togetherness. ( MSU's Program Board)) Reunion. We met for a picnic at the park near the college and had a great time eating tons of food and joking around like old times. Later that evening a few of met to go hit the town like to good ole days! There was drinking, laughing, running in the rain, feeling old in a college town, and dancing galore. I love my IMPACTers, they truly are my second family. I started becoming the woman I am when I was with these people and they love me for all that I am, that is true friendship.

Here are some pictures from our visit thus far:

Introducing: Malia Grace Mackie

Proud parents, my cousin Melissa and her husband Jeff!

IMPACT Reunion

ASA Pledge Class

E has a BABY!

.heart. blue bricks

President and VPs!

Brunch at Rounders!

leaving kato in our dust

Niece Kenzi and I at Minneopa Falls

Minneopa Falls

Dave and Kenz discussing the bobbing 'head'

.shoave.

4th grade Arbor Day tree in my grandma's yard

Niece Emma with Devil Dog their new puggle puppy, Oreo

Hope you had a great weekend!

What are you plans this week?

Check back later this week to see all the people and things we are doing while in MN!

OOTW: Week #5

Hey Oh! Hey Oh! Here are outfits I wore during the day O! 

Jeans and Shirt: Target, Shoes: Urban Outfitters, Cardigan: Old Navy

 

Dress & Shirt: Target, Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Jeans, Shirt, Cardigan: Target, Shoes: Urban Outfitters

I do not look happy..must be the traveling.

Shirt, Shoes, Shorts: Target, Cardigan: Old Navy

I'm pretty happy with the outfits from this last week or so! My favorite outfit is the top one, I love the mix of patterns. I really want to play more with mixing colors and patterns, it was always something I wanted to do but didn't think I could pull them off. Now, I say screw it, I can pull anything off!! It truly does all come down to have confidence in yourself and how you look, ROCK IT..no matter what!

OH! I have been checking out Allison's blog: Allison's Adventure in FATshionland. I think she has great style, I want all of her outfits to come join my closet! 

Journey to MN

I have made it to Minnesota safe and sound (Dave is still on his way)! For the last month, nothing has really gone to plan in terms of our moving. But alas it has all gotten done and thus far everyone has survived. Sometimes you plan and organize things down to the T, but in the end you just have to go with the flow. So that is exactly what Dave and I have been doing, along with counting down the days until we get on the plane!

Here are a few pictures of the last week I have had: 

I made lots & lots of food:

My uncle Chuck came for a visit (and to drive our UHaul):

Uncle Chuck and I at my favorite monument

Uncle Chuck's first time in DC!

hee heeeee

stamps from other countries...sooo cool

We packed up our UHaul and hit the road:

Dave and I packed our UHaul ourselves. Bye Bye #228!

Our Sweet Ride Across Country

Ready for the first day of traveling

Chicago!

My lap for 14 hours

We took a detour to take a tour of the Wisconsin Dells:

We finally arrived and my wonderful older sister helped me unload the UHaul into our storage unit:

She did an amazing job organizing it! Plus check out that rad shirt!

It feels good to finally be unpacked and semi settling in. The next two weeks in MN are going to be a whirlwind, Dave and I traveling here and there and everywhere to see family and friends. I'm so excited to see everyone, hug them, talk for hours, and laugh and laugh until we cry!