Friend Friday Post - GRATITUDE

Today's Fashion Beauty Friend Friday (FBFF) post is about Gratitude
Katy (Modly Chic) announced this is the official one-year anniversary of  FBFF!
So she wanted to do something about gratitude.





1. When it comes to be personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:
I am a complete proof of 'it takes a village to raise a kid' concept. I have a very close family and I feel every member of my family played a special role in helping become who I am today.
The strongest influence when it comes to confidence, strength, independence and love of fashion is of course my Mother. She is also my best friend, my sole confidant and my biggest fan no matter what I do. She is also my number one shopping buddy. We can spend hours shopping and never buying anything and having a blast. Speaking another language no one understands also helps. She is the one who taught me to take care of my skin and my body and also love my body. I come from a country (Turkey) where curves are desired and for a stick figure that was tough. My mom gave me the confidence to show my best traits and feel good about it and the difference was mind blowing. I have never turned back to that self concious shy girl who hid under baggy clothes again!

2. When it comes to be professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to:
Partially to my Grandpa who due to my constant questionning gave me so many tips and advice on leadership.
But the largest contributor would be my old boss. He was my friend and my mentor. He thought me how to flex my management style from person to person. Taught me to not expect perfection from everyone or expect everyone to do things my way. And so many countless other things that are just not that interesting in the world of fashion. (My industry is finance so very conservative and boring).

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:
My family and my close friends. They gave me the support I needed to start something so off the wall. They became my first followers and gave me constructive feedback. They now accept me in my crazy outfits and tell all their friends about my blog. And to my husband for allowing me to sit on the couch beside him with my (pink) laptop every night and listenning to my blogging anecdotes and pretending to care or understand!
And to my two little kids who now accept mommy's photo shoots as part of our morning routine and know when to get out of the shot and when to pose.

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…
Finding the time is always and will always be my biggest blogging challange. From picking out the outfits to putting them on to taking photos to posting and finally to reading the blogs of other supporters and blogs I love. But somehow I do. Somedays I let it go, somedays I barely do a post and that is about it. And somedays I read here and there and catch-up.
It has made me stronger because this is something I do for msyelf. Not for my family or kids but simply for me. I do it cause I love it and cause I want to. Makes me feel good!

5. To my readers, I’d like to say…
This is the questions I have been waiting for...I always felt when famous people thank their fans as somewhat of a fake or forced gesture. But now I get it. I am not saying I am famous by any means but the fact that when you write something to the big black hole of world wide web can be so daunting and having readers, followers and people that comment makes all the difference. I get such a thrill from getting and reading every comment. I get giddy when a new follower signs up. I love when new people stumble upon my blog and like it. My readers and the relationships I have built through blogging are most important part of this whole experience.

To see how others answered these questions click HERE!

Also, don't forget to check out the cool posts at
Kori's Blonde Episodes for Fashion Fridays!

Pink and Green Thursday

As I was sitting and reading a few blogs this morning (as this is my nice and slow morning) I saw that

Kori from Blonde Episodes was participating in a Pink and Green Thursday event hosted by Trish from Pink Preppy Lilly Lover.

 I hadn't picked what I was going to wear yet and when I saw one of the photos in Kori's post (seebelow) I was immediately inspired for today's outfit.

I could have worn a button up as well but I might go shopping tonight to check out H&Ms new collection and I wanted a top that is easy to take off and on so a white tee is what I went with.

Notice my purple and green nails I did the other night. They are already coming off of course... 

I wanted to add a green accessory on top to pull the shoes. This is part of a long necklace set I got from a street fair in Turkey last year. I doubled it up for this look. It is made out of silk and crochet balls.

These plastic green ballet flats were a $9 purchase from the summer town bazaar again in Turkey. Although they felt quite tight this morning for some reason. Might switch to my green beaded flip flops instead...

I think this is the first time I am wearing my 'summer fedora' which was an early spring purchase from F21.

I do love the combination of sugar pink and grass green... 

No workers today in the yard hence my photo shoot in the rubble! 

White tee - Target

Pink Cardi - Victoria's Secret

Jeans - Rock Revival

Flats & Necklace - from Turkey

Hat - Forever 21

To see others supporting the

'Pink and Green Thursday' click HERE!

Today's Activities: We are in a bit of a construction dilemma. The pool company we were ready to go with started flaking in their communication and made a few mistakes and never apologized so we feel very uncomfortable signing with them. But, of course the demo is done now and we need the pool people to start asap. So, I lined up another company to come and provide a full bid this morning. Will decide this afternoon and hopefully have one of them start on Friday. This week is going to be busy with getting other bids from electricians and sprinkler/landscape people. We need everyone lined up and done before they pour the new concrete.

The plans for today is swim class followed by lunch and naps at home. Meeting a landscaper in the afternoon at home to get a bid. Then hoping to either exercise or do something with the kids then hitting the mall to check out H&M. We'll see how it all pans out.

Posting early to take advantage of the down time I have right now...

Here is the demo'd concerete look... 

Trying to walk in the dirt... 

So yucky and dusty... 

Red Coat

This was a last minute decision outfit today. To tell you the truth I am not at all crazy about it but like I always say you can't love your outfit everyday. The inspiration to button up a coat like a top came from the following photo in the Anthropologie catalog back in Fall. 

I thought a fuller skirt would look cool undernath. And tights since it is cold.

Figured the animal print flats would add some interest. If I had time or cared enough I could have tried different shoes to see if looked better, but just didn't care today. I also switched to ugg boots in the afternoon cause it is really cold!

Not sure when I will be doing photos outside again... With the backyard remodel, that part is outof the question but also the front is now out of commission with workers all around and I feel weird taking my own photos with bunch of construction guys probably thinking I am crazy. So the indoor photos for a while... 

My son is so excited because some desperate mother put coins in one of the easter eggs he collected yesterday. He thinks this 13 cents of his is enough to buy himself a DVD from Best Buy. I gave him more change and put it all inside this heart shaped box. He will go this weekend with his dad. It is all he talks about and he constantly counts the money.

Red Peacoat - Thrifted Forever 21

Denim a-line skirt - Charlotte Russe

Olive striped top - Forever 21

Animal print ballet flats - Enzo

Today's Activities: I thought I was being prepared after freezing at the park yesterday by dressing all of us in warmer clothes but today was even colder and I froze to death at the park. The kids kept on their thick jacket/sweater on even with all that running. The sun never came. You have to understand in San Diego that is just very very unusual. And we are expecting weather in the 80s this weekend apparently. That is how it fluctuates. Anyway, today, the indoor class met at a park as a field trip so we can do the egg hunt outdoors. Kids enjoyed playing at the park and the egg hunt.

We will be heading to the indoor play place in the afternoon as my daughter is signed up for a princess tea party. Photos of that will have to be tomorrow.

 Enjoying a healthy snack before the egg hunt and the candy...

The sock bunnies kids made as part of their art project today. So cute!

Waiting for the egg hunt to start. Teacher gave them egg crates so they collect exacly a dozen eggs!

Notice Trev hugging (or choking) Juliet...

Yum, yum, enjoying the treats in the eggs...Total sugar rush, nice right before lunch and nap!

Tried tiny side braids on my daughter's hair today. Her hair is long enough now to experiment some new hair styles. I am excited. Of course, not so easy to do with a constantly moving head but I will try...