Last Rites...

Well today is the last outfit post I will do for a while.
Worn to Work Thursday, August 26





Skirt-Old Navy
Tank top-Martin & Osa
Cardigan-BR Outlet
Shoes-Target

So my surgery is tomorrow at 7:30 am and I am petrified. All the sudden I am worrying about my boys, the future...

Well hopefully the next time you hear from me I will have new small boobs and a flatter stomach. Everybody, thanks for your support, it is greatly appreciated. I should be back on my computer within a week. I will try to have my husband or friend update your guys after the surgery.

Trying Too Hard...

First, I want to say thank you for all your supportive comments on yesterdays post. Telling people has made me feel much more positive that I made the right decision. I am still pretty nervous about everything, but I guess that is to be expected.

Worn to Work Tuesday, August 24




My new babies...I bought them yesterday at my favorite shoe store, Lori's. I cannot seem to go in there with buying something. I love them!



Skirt-Chelsea and Theodore via Loehmanns
Tank-some brand at Loehmanns
Denim Jacket-Gap
Shoes-Mia via Lori's
Necklace-H&M

I am not very adept at walking in high heels, so I did trip a few times today...

Tied Up In Knots

Worn to Work Monday, August 23



skirt-Filter Nordstrom
Tank Top-Old Navy
Jacket-BR Outlet
Shoes-J Crew

This is how I feel today...



When I try to explain what is going on with me, my stomach knots up and I just run away. But, today I am going to try to talk about it.
Friday, I am having surgery, a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. What is that, you ask? Well, it is when they remove all your breast tissue and replace it with implants or fat. I have chosen to have my breasts reconstructed with the fat from my stomach. I guess I should start at the beginning. My mother had 2 boughts with breast cancer and I have the BRCA1 gene mutation that causes breast and ovarian cancer. This means I have a approximately 60% chance of getting breast cancer, 5 times more than the average person. So, I decided to have the mastectomy. A lot of factors went into this decision, but in the end I knew it was the right thing to do, my chance of getting breast cancer will go down to 1%.
Now that the surgery is on Friday, I am getting really nervous. I know it sounds vain, but one of my current worries is about the cosmetic outcome of the surgery. But, I amature fashion blogger, so how I feel and look in my clothes is important to me. The surgeons have reassured me that you wont even be able to tell that my chest is fake, with my clothes on, But, I am still having nightmares. My other main worry is the recovery. I will be in the hospital for 4 days and cannot lift anything over 10 pounds for 4-6 weeks. My mom and husband are going to help me through everything, but I just hate depending on other people.
Besides getting rid of the cancer, the surgery has to other big benefits. First, I will have smaller boobs!!! I am so excited about this. You know you boobs are too big when the plastic surgeon asks you your bra size, and when you tell him he gasps and says I do not make them that big. Second, instead of implants that are filling them with the fat from my stomach and giving me a tummy tuck!
I do feel better getting that off my chest...pun not intended.

Perfection

Two sleeping boys!
No I did not dress them a like on purpose, it just happened that way!

Double Trouble

Worn to Work Thursday, August 19

Outfit #22 of the 30 for 30 Challenge





Skirt-Old Navy
Top-Filter
Shoes-La Canadienne
Ring-H&M

Sorry for the boring background, but I had a ton of work to do today. The pictures were taken on the lobby of my office...fun!!
I have a lot on my mind these days...so much I am not sleeping very well. I would like to talk about it here, but I am not sure how.

Liquor is Legal

Worn to Work Tuesday, August 17

Outfit #21 of 30





Today is finally the first day in a long time that it is not too not to handle outside. There is actually a breeze and low humidity!! Yeah!! SO, we decided to walk to the Waterfront Cafe for lunch...love working two blocks from the lake.





Skirt and Tank Top-Old Navy
Blazer-Halogen
Shoes-Nicole
Necklace-Dolly and Boy

I know some of these pieces are not from the original 30. The skirt is a replacement for another patterned skirt...the zipper got destroyed and I have not have had time to repair it. Also the shoes...well this morning while rushing out of the house I could not find my black wedges and Alex picked these out for me...he had good taste.

1/3 Cup Full

Worn to Work Monday, August 16th

Outfit #20 of the 30 for 30 Challenge





Dress-Ann Taylor Loft
Vest-Old Navy
Shoes-Me too
Necklace-Black Sheep

Today was a pretty good day. Went to my favorite salad bar place for lunch and had lots of yummy salad and fruit. Being a vegetarian, I love places that have a lot of salad options and toppings...not just basic lettuce and dressings.
So, I am 2/3 of the way done with Kendi's 30 for 30 Challenge. I am starting to get frustrated with getting dressed in the morning...but I will persevere. This morning, I realized that I had not worn this vest before, so expect to see it often now. I want to get the last ten in by the end of next week before the surgery...hope I can do it.

Doctor Doctor...

Worn Friday, August 13

Outfit #19 of Kendi's 30 for 30 Challenge





Skirt-INC
Tank-Old Navy
Shirt-Banana Republic Outlet
Shoes-Steve Madden
Bracelet-F21

If this outfit could speak it would say...been to two doctors, two parks, three bookstores, The Disney Store, Johnny Rockets and wiped lots of noses...boy am I tired and sweaty!

Wonderful Surprise
When I returned how from a long day of sweaty kids there was a package waiting for me on the porch...it was my new necklace from Dolly and Boy.



I had seen these necklaces on other bloggers and I loved them. Dolly and Boy is a brass jewelry line made from recycled bullet shells and molded into charms. I had ordered the feather charm on Monday and I was so excited when the package arrived so quickly. The necklace was on a little pouch with a cute personalized note attached thanking me and telling me the meaning of the feather charm. Such wonderful personalized customer service!

YOU are not the measure of your size...

Our Friend Friday discussion this week is about size....a subject that is near and dear to my heart.

1. Should someones size stop them from fashion blogging or having a voice in the community?
No...big fat no. You size does not determine ones fashion sense. You can be fashionable at 0 size zero and a size 18. It is all about how you dress your body. I persons worth should not be determined my there size.

2. In your opinion, can the term "curvy" and "plus-sized" be used interchangeably when it comes to fashion?
I think that curvy and plus-sized are two very different things. Plus-sized denotes clothing size not body type. You can be a size 4 but curvy or a size 14 and curvy just depends how you fill that size. I hate how people use those words are not interchangeable. I am a size 10 and curvy, but not plus-size!

3. Many people make the argument that catering to plus sized women would promote being overweight as "okay". What do you think? Should more designers be catering to plus size women?
I think designers should cater to all ranges of women. Showing fashions for plus-sized women is important and should not have any effect on women seeing being overweight as ok.

4. Should the mainstream fashion industry be showcasing more plus size models?
Again, I feel that the fashion industry should showcase models of all size. But that would require designers making their fashions in all sizes and that costs money the designers have to be willing to spend.

5. For you personally, how do you view your size, the struggle with it through the years, your ideal size, etc...
Currently I view myself as curvy, not plus sized. I have always struggled with my weight and chest size. I thought the smaller the size the happier I would be...but I was wrong, it's all about the self confidence. I am the most self confident now and I am 4 sizes bigger than when I was my smallest. The more self confident I am, the more I enjoy wearing stylish clothes, posting pictures and blogging. I still have a lot of issues with my chest size but that is a whole another discussion for another day!

18 and Life

Worn to Work Thursday, August 12

Outfit #18 of Kendi's 30 for 30 Challenge




Skirt-H&M
Shirt-Ann Taylor
Shoes-Some German Company
Earrings-Francesca's

I am standing in the parking lot with my Big Red Baby...and my coffee

Still so muggy out. I am not sure why I even bother to straighten my hair because by thee time I get to work it is starting to frizz. Even though my car thermometer reads 94 degrees, I have been starting to think about fall clothing...I cannot wait to be able to wear layers, tights and boots. I am putting together a post of my Fall Lust List for this weekend. I yearn to not be sweating.

To Humid To Live

Worn to Work Thursday, August 10

Outfit #17 of the 30 for 30 Challenge





Skirt-Banana Republic Outlet
Tank Top-Ann Taylor Loft
Cardigan-Banana Republic Outlet
Necklace-H & M
Shoes-Target
Please ignore the crappy pedicure

Feeling kind of blah today. It is just to humid to breath. It is so humid that I could barely keep my camera from fogging up long enough to take theses pictures. I got some funny looks setting up my tripod and taking pictures on the street in from of Jimmy Johns when I went to go get my lunch.
Outfit #16 was worn On Saturday to a family barbecue. I did not bring my camera so hence no pics. I wore denim cutoffs, grey and navy striped tank top, and the same shoes I have on today. mmmm...giant pickles

And So It Goes

Today has just been one crap storm after another...where to start.
-At 10:15 last night I got a call from my dad that the family dog, Ripkin, had died. She had been very sick, so it was expected, but not so soon. Jack never got to say goodbye and he said he was sad because the doctor could not fix her.
-Could not find a hair brush this morning, so I had to blow dry my hair with no brush...(it was a big deal, I have naturally curly hair and I straighten it with the blow dryer. So, it looks like a poof ball. I hate the humidity.
-Pulled the draw string out of my pants because the way it ads extra bulk...but then got half way to the car and realized my pants were falling down.
-While carrying one backpack full of toy cars, a diaper bag, my purse and my laptop, I proceeded to drop my mac book in the mud (thankfully no harm done)
-Just got a call from my mom that Alex's swollen eye is worse and now it is coated in "eye boogers"--probably pink eye!
And all of this was before noon.

Thank god for coffee...multiple cups



Needless to say, my outfit today is nothing special. The pants were still in the box on the floor in my closet and the shirt was the first one I saw in the closet. The pictures are pretty crappy....I left my tripod at home and there was no one in the office to take pictures for me. So, I propped the camera up on a stack of books...



Pants-Ann Taylor Loft
Shirt-Old Navy
Shoes-Target
jewelry-Martin & Osa

Random Stuff About Me

The Friday post on blogger privacy has made me think about what I put out there. There are so many things I would love to know about other bloggers lives...so I thought I would share some things that make me who I am.

*I have three tattoos...a sunflower, butterfly and a black abstract design. Each one signifies a different time in my life when I was struggling to figure out who I was.

*I am an only child and I always wanted an older brother.

*I am obsessed with baseball...especially the Chicago Cubs

*In college, I wrote a book. The main character is loosely based on things I have experienced or seen. To this day, only one person has read it and it resides printed out in a box in the attic and on a floppy disc (yes I am old) in an undisclosed location.

*I graduated from Ithaca College with a B.A. in Communications with a concentration in TV/Radio production. I also, have a minor in Parliamentary Politics.

*Someday I would like to go back to school for nursing.

*I used to be a TV producer

*Pizza is my favorite food. I could eat it every day, for every meal forever.

*I had a nervous breakdown on the tube in London in 1996....it changed me for the rest of my life

That's all for this weeks edition of Random Stuff about Randi. Tune in weekly for new and exciting revelations.

Under Pressure

The following is a conversation I had with my 4 year old son Jack yesterday...

Me: Did you have fun at camp today?

Jack: No because I was tired.

Me: Why are you so tired...did Nana keep you up late (he had a sleepover at Nana's house the night before)

Jack: No, but I could not sleep very well last night because I was stressed...

What in the world could a 4 year old have to be stressed out about??

Friend Friday

Every Friday Modly Chic poses questions for us Bloggers....This weeks topic is privacy in the Blogosphere.

1.Do you think privacy is something that we should worry about as bloggers?
I think that it is an issue that we need to be aware of. I know that when I decided to start a blog, that I would be putting my self out there for others see and consume.

2.Do you use your real name or pen name? What was behind that decision?
I do use rlutz....which is essentially my name....Randi Lutz. I guess I never thought that many people would actually read my blog that it would make a difference if I used my name....hopefully I will be found wrong.

3.How much personal information do you reveal about your life beyond the blog?
I do talk about and show pictures or my kids. My blog is about my life and they are such a big part of it. Since there is more information about me on my facebook page, I do not link my blog to my page. But, I guess it would not be real hard to find it...

4.What information will you never reveal?
I would never give my address or phone out or the name of my employer.

5.As bloggers, we have to an extent made ourselves 'public' figures. But still there are things that are intimate to each of us that does not need to be known by anyone that stumbles across our blog. How do you determine what is appropriate for public consumption and what is private to you?
I never thought of myself as a "public figure", but I guess that really is the correct term for what we are. I guess I will determine what is appropriate as time goes on as I formulate future posts....This has given me a lot more to think about.

Now, as a result of thinking about this post, I plan to do a "Random Stuff About Me" post this weekend...so I can show you more of me!!

Half Way Home

Worn to Work Thursday, August 5

Outfit 15 of the 30 for 30 Challenge





Pants-Ann Taylor Loft
Tank top-Old Navy
Blazer-Semantics
Necklace-Accents
Bracelets-H&M and Black Sheep

So, I am officially half way to my 30 outfits for Kendi Everyday's 30 for 30 Challenge. Seems like it has taken me a while to get to 15, but I only get dressed nice when I go to work, the rest of the days are spent in gym clothes and such.
I rarely wear pants anymore, mostly skirts and dresses. After having the babies, I never really liked the way my stomach looked in pants. But these pants are so comfy, that I could not resist. Never thought I would wear plated tapered pants...but I ventured outside of my comfort zone...and found comfort?
Long day today, I just want to go home and cuddle with Alex and watch Rescue Me...is that too much to ask.

Double Sevens

Worn to Work Tuesday, August 3

Outfit 14 of the 30 for 30 Challenge




Dress-Ann Taylor Loft
Blazer-Banana Republic
Necklace-Not Sure...
Shoes-Nicole

Nothing like a 4 hour meeting to make you sleepy. At least the client is a restaurant so we had a huge lunch...even more sleepy now.

13 Going On....Old

Worn to Work Monday, August 2

Outfit #13 of the 30 for 30 Challenge

Wow...really....August already...




No meetings today, but a lot of running around and wearing a dress is always comfy. The shoes are not part of the thirty, but I hurt my back this weekend and it feels better when I wear flats.

Dress-BR outlet
Cardigan-BR
Shoes-Sam Edelman
Necklace-Old Navy

18 days