In the last year or so, I have added 1 or 2 pairs of jeans to my wardrobe… and probably a dozen dresses.

Oh gosh. Maybe more.

Why?

Because dresses are the new black.

(Yes. That’s my dog Kevin. Either my pretty dress had him mesmerized or he wanted to make it on my blog. He is such an attention hog…)

I am just as likely to throw on a dress as opposed to jeans or yoga pants these days. Plus, since tights and boots are so hot right now… it is easier than ever to wear dresses during the Wintertime.

Almost every time I step out in a dress someone comments, “Going somewhere special?” “Why are you dressed up?” “You look pretty!”

OK, that last one is usually my girls. They love it when I wear dresses.

And the thing is, I have to put something on anyway… right?

Why not a dress?

I am wearing the Boogie Woogie  women’s dress from Shabby Apple in the photos above (I felt so silly posing to get that picture taken. I might have been tired too. My hubby and I had gone on a date. This was taken AFTER the date).

Now, I probably would not wear this dress to help the 4th graders with their multiplication flashcards, but I WOULD wear this to see The Nutcracker, and to a Christmas Eve Service and a Christmas party or two… Of course it’ll make an appearance at a conference or a few, probably a school auction or two… another date night… a girl’s night out??? Brunch. Lunch. A meeting in the city… Why not?!

This dress is SUPER comfortable, and the long hem makes me feel covered up in all the right places. It’s dressy enough to be a dressy-dress… yet not so formal one feels like it can only be worn at a black-tie event.

The wide satin sash… the appliquéd, ruched flowers and leaves on the skirt (my favorite part of the dress!)… the soft cotton jersey bodice with a hint of a shiny sheen… All come together to make a charming dress that is also very comfortable. I was a bit worried when looking at the pictures online that the bodice would be too casual with the appliquéd skirt and satin bow. But I worried for nothing. Delightfully paired with quality material. It is a well-made garment.

And fit… I am always a bit worried when ordering online. Will the item fit as described? My experience was great. I found it fit just as described. Now I want to get the underslip – Flirt Part Two to add under my cute new dress, and maybe add a bracelet.

Or two.

Shabby Apple is a great place to find modern and vintage dresses in countless styles. You can also like Shabby Apple on Facebook where they post information on discounts and special promotions.

And, of course… if you’d like to hop right over and get your order on, Shabby Apple is offering you – MY PEEPS 10% off your order. Just enter “jennyonthespot10off” at checkout, and SHAZAM! Coupon expires December 10, 2011.

What do you think? Are dresses the new black?

Disclosure: I was given the Boogie Woogie dress in exchange for my review. My words, opinion, and story about my conversion to dress wearing are all my own. 

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Dresses are the new black: Hello Shabby Apple! [Sponsored] is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

This is where I share with you some things I have unearthed online.

Unearthed online… hrm…

Aaaaanywho.

• To inspire the heart (have tissue): Me and Mrs. P by Jenny at Cranberry Corner
• A note on parenting, filling cups and fulfilling dream: When My Cup Feels Empty by Me Rah Koh
• Goodness/Doing good: A Thanksgiving Dinner for Everyone by Jill at Scary Mommy
• Rating Christmas cards… this is for your funny bone. So much… : Switstle Cards for the Holidays by Swistle
• And for the Zombies. Run… Literally: Run for Your Lives via my friend Sheila. Um… who’s in? August  4. 2012. SEA-town y’all!!!

And a picture.

It’s Kevin again. That’s our routine. I’ll sit on the couch to tend to some work… and he waits. For attention.

Or a bone.

Or… maybe he wants to check his Facebook???

Oh that dog…

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Good Finds is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I am picking myself up.

Dusting off my knees.

Moving on from my last post.

Hugs and love to those who commented, texted, emailed and FB messaged.

I am blessed to have such lovely people in my life…

So.

Here’s a picture – to stand in the gap as I dust myself off and try to regroup.

Of course it is all about me. Were it not, I know you’d be worried, and I think you’ve worried enough… *wink*

That was a quad shot.

What’s Halloween night without 4 shots of coffee and few snack-sized butterfingers to keep a girl warm?

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Me and Coffee and My Public is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Melancholy + Jenny = not a match.

Right?

People expect “peace and sparkles”.

Right?

What most people don’t know, about me, is my inescapable bent toward being/feeling/seeing the negative.

Glass half-empty.

Since I was a wee one.

The “peace and sparkles” you see here has been a strategy for me to become a positive person. A light.

I want to be like those I admire most – a joy.

The “peace and sparkles” mentality is a point of focus for me to keep my eyes up…

A tightrope. Don’t look down.

Jenny don’t look down…

Lately, it has felt like my natural bent toward dark thinking has been working hard to pull me under.

I don’t know why.

Stress?

Exhaustion?

A gap in my faith?

It seems the voices are yelling at me… Highlighting my insignificance as a woman/ person/ mother/ friend/ business woman. My inefficiency as a woman/ person/ mother/ friend/ business woman.

On one hand I feel black and empty.

On the other hand I feel more creative and full than ever.

A black wall.

Stopping.

Blocking.

Suffocating.

Sometimes literally. I can feel my throat physically closing.

It’s hard to be alone in my house at times.

Fear.

I run upstairs from the basement.

Just like my children.

I pray. I share with a few…

See a doctor.

Get medicated.

Read God’s word.

Exercise.

Get more sleep.

Honestly, I want to just run away.

Yet I’m tired of going.

I’m tired of expectations.

I want to sleep.

Yet I want to create.

I don’t know what I want to create… I just have this powerful yearning to CREATE.

To get it ALL out.

I want to scream.

I want to cry.

HARD.

Things within that want out vs. the pull of time and expectations and a fear about what wants to come out…

I am people-pleaser.

I do not speak my mind.

Smile. Nod. Smile. Nod.

Make a joke.

Walk away.

Guilt.

Peace and sparkles.

Guilt and fear.

I feel guilty for feeling so dark.

My life is good.

Yes, there are some things certainly creating stress… but on a comparable level… we all have things that weigh heavily on us. And many have more.

I have nothing to complain about.

Yet darkness… heaviness…

And I can’t breathe.

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Waves of Melancholy is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

So.

My kids are pretty awesome.

Cute.

Talented.

Charming.

Over the last number of years our family has found ourselves cozily tucked into a wonderful community called: CHILDREN’S THEATRE.

In fact, when my middle daughter first entered the local children’s theatre group… I made a video.

It’s terrible. It is one of my first vlogs – bad lighting, the scarf made me look like floating head, shooting from the chin up (BAD JENNY!), I’m not looking into the camera… and my braces. Oh have mercy.

So. Our family is quickly approaching the next production with this group – Wizard of Oz. If I am hard to find the first couple of weeks in December – it will be because I will be playing the role of  THEATAH MOTHAH… applying mascara and eyeliner to my children… silently cursing myself all the while.

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED PUTTING EYELINER ON A 4 or 5 or 6 YEAR OLD???

OR A 12 YEAR OLD BOY?

Let’s just say… only a mother’s love… only  mother’s love…

Where was I going with this?

OH.

Cast bios.

The kids’ cast bios are due, so I finally sat down with the kids to get them written. One of the questions was, “There’s no place like home…” What is home to you.?

Joel, the 12 y.o. - happiness. *swoon*

Olivia, the 9 y.o. – warmness. *awww*

Lucy, the 6 y.o. – a house. *blinkblink*

A house.

Thespians.

*Jenny steps away to tuck the girls in*

*Jenny returns*

Just got back from praying with Lucy. She wouldn’t get off her back because she felt like a doll was behind her.

Poor thing.

In the middle of the night last night she said bears came out of floating red eyes… I found her in the bathroom, screaming… standing in a puddle of pee.

My poor little girl…

So tonight we prayed for sweet dreams… For Jesus to fill her mind with happy things… like flowers and unicorns and chips-n-salsa and the softest blankets…

She added, “And sausage.”

And sausage.

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“There’s no place like home…” is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

My family.

Not a serious one in the bunch.

Full of love.

Compassion.

Mercy.

Always ready for a… challenge???

——

Family pictures often mean wild hairs pressed in place and proper smiles.

Mud?

BLASPHEMY!

As I weave through the twisty and unpaved roads of my own motherhood I am discovering how important it is to intentionally insert play and fun into moments of family life.

Not that children don’t insert play and fun everywhere they turn.

That’s not it….

It’s about me. The mom. It is knee-jerk to say NO, to keep everyone in line, to bark directions, to shoo the slow ones out the door in a rush and panic.

Fun? Play??? The kids are out of socks again. There is no time for play…

So much in life keeps us focused on tasks and responsibilities. The day to day to day to day all-too-easily overshadows the play and fun to be had in the family relationship.

What am I trying to say?

Play.

Create play.

Don’t forget to play.

In fact… hit “play”… Soak in what my warm and wonderful friend Meredith (Hoo Dee Hoo!) has to say about the importance of play:

Do you create time to play in your family?

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Make Me Laugh Monday – The down and dirty on my family. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I got this text from my friend, Trish recently…

I remember before the party I couldn’t find my keys.

Normal.

They always turn up.

Why yes… yes they do.

Even sometimes IN the birthday presents our children give at parties.

Then there was this one time I almost missed a flight.

Which is not abnormal. People miss flights all the time. But not usually when they’ve been waiting at/near the gate for over hour.

Basically… the story goes… I waited 2 gates down but thought I was at the right one… On account of the fact that my rememberer is glitchy. When they announced it was time to board… I got in line.

I was almost about to hand over my ticket when I looked at the monitor and saw my error.

A flight to San Jose… but I was heading to Dallas.

This was about 7 weeks ago, friends. none of these things have happened too long ago. I am THIS out of my mind at present.

I scrambled and found the correct gate AND WHAT A LOVELY WELCOME!!!

 Are you Jenny?

I thought, “WOW! What service!”

Go straight on in, you’re the last passenger. Everyone is on board.

Oh.

Speaking of flying… there was this one time I booked my flights to LA and back… aaaaaaaaand it seems I booked both flights toooooooo LA.

Yes. This is what I do.

Did I tell you about the time I started weeping like a baby in a Los Angeles cab because I convinced myself the driver (who was going the opposite direction of my destination) decided to abduct me and I was certain my dismembered remains would be found at the bottom of the dry LA River?

I haven’t told you about that?

Well prolly cuz that was just on Friday night. I almost jumped out of the cab. I think the driver wanted to too. It wasn’t pretty.

The fall into insanity is never pretty.

Turns out he plugged in the wrong address. But those guys don’t listen so it was impossible to confirm what address he thought I was headed to vs. the address I really needed to head to. Which only made it worse that he wouldn’t listen to me… YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?!

I’m not sure I know what I mean. I just know I almost totally jumped out of a moving cab at 6 o’clock on a Friday night in downtown L.A.

Basically I paid $7 to go in a 3 block circle, almost have a heart attack and be delivered back to my hotel.

Where I just went back to my room and ordered 2 stomachs worth of food.

And ate all that food.

I did.

Heh. And I thought I had nothing interesting to write about…

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My brain… send help. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

It never fails.

I clean my desk.

And then… and then…

I can’t even write, it is so horrible…

There are empty contact boxes to serve as a reminder I need to order new contacts.

There are bills…

Notes about this event or that event…

Fundraiser forms…

Computer cords…

Earphones and a Shuffle I miss using because my running has taken a hit.

The earplugs are there because I am pretty much married to a rock star and he helps talk care of my eardrums.

There is a fauxstache under that pile.

But I love I have a fauxstache in there.

I just don’t love that I can’t find it when I need it.

And of course a coffee mug. One of the coolest coffee mugs ever, in fact…

And the pile to the right of the mug? Cards I intend to send to people. Already stamped. That’s how intended I am.

Oh.

And they’ve been sitting there over 2 months.

Ah well. It’s part of my charm.

Right?

Just lie to me.

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Desk of Despair & Discouragement is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Ladies and gentlemen…

I have no words.

You just can’t make this stuff up.

And also, I need to hang out at the Goodwill more often.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

You can also rock your buns and thighs with the bun and thigh ROCKER by Body by Jake, people.

People.

A little story behind these pics… My family and I went to Goodwill to solve our costume-less dilemma for Halloween. As we were walking from the parking lot to the store, we saw my friend Sara and her shiny family.

An aside: the word FRIEND is just one letter off from the word FIEND. And also FRIED. Trivia.

So.

Sara was all, “I WAS JUST GOING TO TEXT YOU A PICTURE! I WAS TOTALLY JUST GOING TO TEXT YOU A PICTURE! COME HERE.”

I love my friends.

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The Bun and Thigh Doer: You can’t make this stuff up. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I was walking through my kids’ school the other day. Heading to student/teacher conferences and whathaveyou.

I love walking the halls. It’s so fun to see the projects being displayed… seeing the different levels of creativity/capability… and shall we say interpretations of art and academics.

And don’t you just love it when you can tell without looking at the name – which project belongs to your very own spawn?

Take for example the standard construction paper scarecrow:

This is not Lucy’s scarecrow.

No. I stood a few feet from the Wall-O-Scarecrows and I saw it. I saw it and I said to me… “Oh…. there’s Lucy’s.”

Every scarecrow had it’s hair where scarecrow hair is traditionally found – on the scarecrow “forehead”.

All 25ish scarecrows stood stuck on the wall… staring… all with bangs…

But not Lucy’s.

She must be partial to the balding scarecrow.

I commented, “Oh Lucy… I see YOUR screcrow.” She replied, “Oh yeah. I accidentally put it’s head on it’s hair.”

That scarecrow.

Not wrong.

Not bad.

But Lucy’s.

And as she never fails to do… makes me smile.

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My kid: The ONLY Kid is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...