You guys are so freaking nice.

Seriously, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the feedback. Thanks to all who have been commenting and conversing with me, itisAWESOMEandIloveit! Also, I've found so many cool new blogs to follow, I don't even know what to do with myself.

Ok. Back to business. I very nearly did not make it out of my pajamas today, true story. Friends, I feel like death warmed over. The sad part is, after I got myself up and dressed in my favorite dress in the world (I'll wax poetic over it at a later date, when you can see the whole thing), and realized that for the first time in nearly 8 years I could actually put my hair up, and tracked down the three bobby pins hidden in my house, and lined my eyes, and pinched my cheeks, and looked in the mirror, I felt fresh and pretty and ready to enjoy this beautiful crisp fall day. But the camera never lies...no matter how I retouch, in my photos I look just as washed out and blah as I feel. Kendi wrote about the same thing yesterday, and man, can I relate. But I'm glad the me in my head feels fresh and pretty. Hopefully soon the real me will catch up! In the meantime, this outfit is so lovely I may wear it again for work tomorrow (I am already back in my jams, so it was pretty much wasted on today, except for a trip to Fred Meyer for more bobby pins)...

Helmut Lang dress, Ladybird's General Store; Olive sweater, F21; Opaque brushed fleece tights (heavenly. go buy them.), Target; Jessica Simpson shoes, The Rack; Vintage zebra scarf, Grandma's; Matching tortoiseshell bangles, Pier 1; Liz Claiborne earrings, Meier and Frank

I cannot wear this scarf without thinking of the amazing wallpaper in Margot's room in The Royal Tenenbaums. My Grandma had mad taste. Also, here is a new corner of my mom's back yard! Are you thrilled? You should be! Look, a trumpet vine! And an olive tree! Also, apologies for the crazy lighting...we meant to take these photos before the dark descended, but got distracted, appropriately, by this loveliness...